Ages 3-5 Epistles,Feasts,Sacraments Overview
EPISTLES, FEASTS, AND SACRAMENTS
AGES 3-5
This sample schedule is supplied for the use of the Church School supervisor. Feel free to fill in your own dates and teachers!
Teachers:
Schedule of Classes:
|
Date |
Lesson/Activity |
Teacher |
Special Notes |
|
September 7 14 21 28 |
Nativity of the Theotokos Elevation of the Cross Romans Romans |
|
Memory Work: New Testament Books |
|
October 5 12 19 26 |
I Corinthians I Corinthians II Corinthians Galatians |
|
|
|
November 2 9 16 23 30 |
Ephesians Philippians Colossians Entry of the Theotokos I and II Thessalonians |
|
All Saints Party after Church School |
|
December 6 7 14 21 28 |
Tentative I and II Timothy Titus/Philemon Christmas Pageant Nativity of our Lord |
|
St. Nicholas Party?
Parish and Nursing Home Painting of Holy Water jars |
|
January 4 11 18 25 |
Theophany Hebrews Hebrews James |
|
Three Kings Party after Church School
|
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February 1 8 15 22 |
Meeting of the Lord I Peter II Peter/Jude I,II,III John |
|
Memory Work: 12 Major Feasts
Make Homeless bags
|
|
March 1 8 15 22 29 |
The Revelation Baptism Chrismation Annunciation Confession |
|
|
|
April 5 12 19 26 |
Palm Sunday Pascha No Church School Eucharist/Liturgy |
|
Candle Decorating Workshop
Pascha! Prosphora Workshop |
|
May 3 10 15-17 17 24 31 |
Marriage Orders Camping Trip ages 6-12 No Church School Ascension Pentecost |
|
Theme: Journeys of St. Paul
Make “Kneel-upons” Birthday Cake for the Church |
|
June 7 14 20 21 |
Holy Unction Requiem/Burial Play Rehearsal Closing Exercises |
|
Koliva Workshop After vespers, with overnight Play performance |
|
August 2 3-7 9 |
Transfiguration Vacation Bible School? Dormition |
|
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General notes:
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, Child’s First Bible, or other books. Watch the lesson plan for page numbers and details. Each has strengths and weaknesses: Children’s Bible Reader is Orthodox but no longer in print, First Bible has great pictures but not much content, Golden Bible has the most content and lovely pictures but way too long, etc. And not a one has ALL of the stories we need.
Teaching Schedule: We all know that there will be last-minute needs; trade with someone if you cannot teach on your assigned day and let the director know!
Insurance: Each of us must “apply” each year for our volunteer position of teacher. Please be sure not to send small children to the bathroom unattended and accompany your charges back to the Social Hall after class.
Opening Exercises: The Church School director will supervise this time, or delegate it when she is absent. Church School children and teachers are dismissed first from Liturgy; children come straight across for snack during opening exercises. These are an integral part of the curriculum – reviewing material from previous weeks, presenting additional Old Testament characters, rehearsing plays, hearing memory work, and playing quiz games.
Hand-Outs: There will be weekly hand-outs from the Parents’ Guide if it wasn’t given to each family at the beginning of the year. These should be sent home with the children to continue the lesson through the week.
Curriculum: There are 3 types of lessons this year: epistles, feasts, and sacraments. For epistle lessons, even the small children can learn a part of the verse. With feast lessons, I have included True/False questions. 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! For sacrament lessons, role-playing is especially fun and leads to long-term remembrance for small children.
Movie Nights and Parties: We will have supper 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.
Workshops: We have 5 workshops planned this year learning traditional Orthodox ethnic “skills” that coordinate with our curriculum: baking prosphora, making koliva, decorating holy water jars, making kneeling cushions, and decorating Palm Sunday candles. These will take place after Church School in the Church Hall.
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,
stirring till it is stiff but pliable. Knead
till it’s elastic and easy to shape. Store
in airtight container. Air dry.
CORNSTARCH DOUGH
2 cups cornstarch
4 cups baking soda
2 ½ cups water
Mix cornstarch and soda in large
pot. Add water. Cook, stirring, over medium
heat until thick like mashed potatoes. After
cool, knead on wax paper for 5 minutes. Store
in an airtight container. Air dry.