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                      

 

  1. PASCHA – no Church School
  2. 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.