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
|
|
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 |
|
|
General notes:
Classroom supplies: Each class is supplied with the following items; 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, just submit the receipt to me for reimbursement:
Paper plates, small and large Scissors
Paper, plain and construction Tape and dispenser
Stapler and staples Paper bags
Glue or glue sticks Crayons and/or markers
Popsicle sticks Chenille sticks (Colored pipe cleaners)
Books should be available for class use, Bibles in older classes and the Children’s Bible storybook in the younger classes. There will also be a copy of the icon for each of the 12 major feasts for each class. Your Children’s Bible Readers will have some limited use this year as well.
Teaching schedule: I have tried to accommodate any scheduling needs that you have communicated to me ahead of time in the schedule. However, we all know that there will be last-minute needs; please trade with someone if you cannot teach on your assigned day and then call me and let me know who’s traded with whom so I don’t panic at Liturgy when I don’t see you there!
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.
Opening Exercises: Church School supervisor will supervise this or delegate it when she will not be in church. Church School children and teachers are dismissed first from liturgy; children come straight across for snack during opening exercises and teachers can take 10 minutes to eat before coming over. We will review material from previous weeks, teach songs, rehearse plays, play games to augment lessons, or hear memory lessons during opening exercises.
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.