Overview (Schedule, Recipes, etc..)
CHURCH SCHOOL CURRICULUM
CHURCH HISTORY
AGES 3-5
This possible schedule is provided for your convenience as church school directors. Feel free to fill in your own teachers and dates.
Teachers:
Date Topic Teacher Special Notes
Sept. 8 Gala Opening Outdoor Movie Night Quo Vadis
Outdoors, with bonfire, entire parish
9 Pentecost/Philip & Eunuch
16 Stephen
23 Conversion of Saul
30 Peter and Cornelius
Oct. 7 Council of Jerusalem
14 Spread of Gospel
21 John/Revelation
27 Movie Night Ben Hur
28 Paul and Journeys 12:30 All Saint’s Party
Nov. 4 Paul and Journeys
11 Peter
18 Dormition
25 Persecutions
Dec. 1 St. Nicholas Festival Rehearsal of play
2 St. Nicholas Play 12 Noon Parish
1 PM Nursing Home
9 Constantine
16 Elevation of the Cross
23 St. Mary of Egypt
30 Canon of Scripture Memory: Books of Bible
Gospels and Acts ages 3-7
Theophany jars following
Jan. 6 Athanasius/Creed/Council of Nicea 12:30 PM Three Kings Party
13 Chrysostom/Liturgy Memory Work: Creed
20 Three Hierarchs Homeless Bags
27 Cyril of Alexandria/Councils
Feb. 3 St. Nina/St. Patrick/Councils
9 Movie night after vespers El Cid
10 Fall of Rome
17 Byzantine Empire/Justinian Memory: Trisagion Prayers (3-5 just thrice holy)
24 Rise of Islam
March 2 Icons/St. John of Damascus Art Day after Church School
6 Movie Night after vespers Becket/Man for All Seasons
9 Monasticism/ St. Anthony/St. Seraphim
16 Cyril and Methodius/Baptism of Russia
23 St. Gregory Palamas Memory work: Jesus Prayer
30 The Crusades
April 6 Fall of Constantinople
13 Protestant Reformation
20 Protestant Reformation
- PASCHA – no Church School
- Easter Egg Hunt and Cookout
May 4 Armenia/Antioch
11 Ethiopia/Alexandria
16-18 Camping Trip: No Class
25 Greece/Constantinople Memory: Lord Have Mercy 5 languages (3-5 one)
June 1 Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria
8 Japan
15 Ukraine, Russia, OCA
21 Rehearsal after vespers Balailaka on the Onion Dome
Movie night Scarlet and Black
22 End of Year Play Parish and Nursing Home
Awards Presentation
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!
Classroom supplies: Each class is supplied with the following items:
Paper plates, small and large Scissors Stapler/Staples
Paper, plain and construction Tape and dispenser Paper bags
Glue or glue sticks Crayons and/or markers Cotton Balls
Popsicle sticks Chenille (colored pipe cleaners) Sharpies
If you use the last of something, please either replace it or let me know so I can replace it. If you need special craft supplies for your lesson, submit the receipt to me for reimbursement.
Books are available for class use. While each child in the younger classes will have a copy of the Beginner’s Bible, and it’s always fun to start out in your very own Bible book, many times we must supplement with the teacher’s copies of the Children’s Bible Reader, Read with Me Bible, Golden Children’s Bible, or other books. These are great for the first few weeks. Much of the rest of the year for the younger classes looks a bit like the “saint of the week”. This is OK. The small children can learn of the lives of the major players in the events like the church councils, while the older children study the doctrinal issues and decisions. Please read the story and tell it to these young children. There may be more detail than is necessary or good with their attention spans, but the extra detail is always good if the teacher is to answer their questions.
Each lesson is followed by one or more craft ideas. Please feel free to use the suggested craft, or your own!
Learning game suggestions are also included.
Paperwork and insurance regulations: Each of us must “apply” each year for our volunteer position; our references will be checked as per diocesan regulations. We will also have a parent volunteer who could come into any classroom at any time as required by the insurance company. Please be sure not to send small children to the bathroom unattended and accompany your charges back to the church building after class – again new safety regulations.
Lesson plan:
We will be dismissed first from liturgy for the children to get refreshments; while they eat, we will have opening exercises. In about 10 minutes, lessons will begin and should last about 30 minutes. Begin with a prayer and introductions for any new students. Tell the story. Each lesson is followed by one or more craft ideas. Please feel free to use the suggested craft, or your own! Learning game suggestions are also included.
Review the story. Recite memory work. End with prayer. If you are unable to teach on your assigned day, please trade with someone and then let me know (to avoid mid-Liturgy panic when I don’t see you in the congregation).
Curriculum: With each lesson, I have included True/False questions. If you have any 3-5-year-olds, make your classroom elephant now. He’s very easy, and each week, when we tell a story, we do true/false afterwards by writing the statements on paper peanuts and feeding the elephant the true ones and stomping on the rotten (false) peanuts. Just take a cardboard box, tape the top shut, and glue on an elephant face out of construction paper (or foam). Cut out a mouth big enough for paper peanuts to fit through. Glue on ears and a trunk, being sure to glue the trunk only above the mouth so the children can lift it to insert the good peanuts. Color in wrinkles and eyes. Then, each week, write the true/false statements on construction paper pieces cut like peanuts and go around the circle. Each child selects a “peanut”, you read it to him, and the class decides whether he should feed it or stomp it! Just be sure you have at least one paper peanut for each child!
Each lesson is also accompanied by a full page-size coloring sheet of the subject of that lesson. This special sheet, also included in the take home for that week, printed on cardstock, will serve as a classroom timeline of sorts. Each week the children, together, can decorate the figure (color, glitter glue, yarn hair, cotton balls, wiggle eyes, whatever you have) and then hang it in the classroom. Easy way? Hang a string around the classroom and paperclip or clothespin the figures in order. A novel way to do a timeline for the very young and to provide easy reference and review material for the entire year.
Movie Nights and Parties: We will have pizza after vespers on Saturday night while showing a small children’s movie. Older children should bring a sleeping bag for a lock-in with “feature” presentation; we must have at least 2 adults at each overnight.
Plays: Play rehearsal for St. Nicholas play and end-of-year play will occur during opening exercises and should not disrupt your lessons + after the St. Nicholas Festival. If you are assigned on the day of the play, that means you can help with costumes, etc.; we need all the help we can get!
RECIPES
CLAYS PAINTS
SALT DOUGH FINGER PAINT (4 WAYS)
2 cups flour Use pudding with food coloring!
1 cup salt Mix liquid starch and food coloring.
about 1 cup water Mix 3 T sugar, ½ cup cornstarch, and
food coloring 2 cups cold water. Cook over
bath oil, vegetable oil, peppermint oil low heat, stirring, till thick.
Mix flour and salt. Add water Pour into muffin tin. Add
slowly and mix with your fingers until food coloring to each cup.
it makes dough. Knead in a few drops
food coloring and a splotch of oil (if SAND PAINT
desired). Store in air-tight container. Add dry tempera paint to corn meal.
Sprinkle over areas “painted” with thinned white glue
SELF-HARDENING CLAY
1 cup sand for a sand effect. Shake off excess.
½ cup cornstarch
1 tsp powdered alum PASTES
¾ cup hot water PRIMARY PASTE
Food coloring if desired Mix ½ cup water and 1 cup flour
Mix sand, cornstarch and alum in a bowl. Spoon into a jar
in large pot. Add hot water and stir or squeeze bottle to store.
vigorously. Add food coloring if
desired. Cook over medium heat PAPIER MACHE PASTE
until thick, stirring constantly. 3 cups water
After cooling, store in airtight container. 1 ½ cups flour
Mix flour with cold water until lumps are gone.
SAWDUST CLAY
2 cups fine sawdust Dip strips of newsprint in paste and mold around
1 cup flour surface to be shaped. Air dry.
Mix sawdust and flour in bowl
or bucket. Add a little water at a time, CORNSTARCH DOUGH
stirring till it is stiff but pliable. Knead 2 cups cornstarch
till it’s elastic and easy to shape. Store 4 cups baking soda
in airtight container. Air dry. 2 ½ cups water
Mix cornstarch and soda in large
pot. Add water. Cook, stirring, over medium
heat until thick like mashed potatoes. Afte
cool, knead on wax paper for 5 minutes. Store in an airtight container. Air dry.
