Nativity

NATIVITY OF OUR LORD (CHRISTMAS)

 

Objectives:

  1. Students should know that Nativity means “birthday”.
  2. Students should be able to tell the story of the Nativity and identify the figures in the icon.
  3. Students should be able to repeat the greeting: “Christ is born! Glorify Him!”
  4. Students should know the date of this great feast: December 25.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

  1. Open with prayer.

 

  1. The icon: Ask how much the students already know about the story of the feast.  Who are the characters in the icon? The Theotokos and Child, St. Joseph (being tempted by Satan to doubt the virgin birth), Satan (in dark colors, the Prince of Darkness), a shepherd (facing the angels as they tell of His birth), the Magi (What is their symbolism? 1 beardless and young, one middle-aged, and one old, representing all mankind), the Angels, the cow, and the star.  Note: not all icons have the Magi.  Is it day or night?

 

  1. Scripture Reference: Luke 2:1-20.

 

  1. Discussion questions:

What is Advent? How long is it? How do we observe it? Where was Jesus born? Why there? How did God arrange for the prophecy of Micah to be fulfilled? Was he born in splendor like a king or was God’s Son, the greatest king of all, born in a very humble place? Why? (maybe so we can all reach Him personally) What was a stable in Jesus’s day? (a cave)

 

  1. Practice the greeting: Christ is born! Glorify Him!” Go around the circle until each child can say each half of the greeting.

 

  1. Play a learning game: 20 Questions would be great with the multitude of characters. Write the names of the characters in the icon on slips of paper – Mary, Jesus, Joseph, shepherd, cow, angel, star. Have students select a slip of paper. The other students then ask yes/no questions until they can determine the identity of the character.

 

 

  1. Make a class creche scene and/or individual Christmas Stained Glass Windows. For the creche scene, assign someone to make Mary, Joseph, Jesus, shepherds, and angels. Use toilet paper tubes for figures, with chenille arms and Styrofoam ball head. Use construction paper for the head covering and any clothing. Re-enact the story using your figures. Leave them in the middle of the table for later lessons.

 

Then make stained glass windows. Cut pieces from tissue paper (use the pattern or even larger; there are mostly circles and ovals) and lay on a long piece of wax paper, overlapping as needed. Cover with another piece of wax paper and iron lightly.

8. Alternative Craft: Make the 3-D pop-up card for Nativity. Pattern to follow. Print all on heavy cardstock and cut out. Fold down top edge of base of card and fold middle of card so the back stands up. Cut out the hole for the cave in the mountains. Cut the slits on the top and bottom of the base of the card. Slide each figure into its slot, pushing in all the way, and tape in place underneath. You can put Joseph in the slot marked Jesse tree and cut a matching slot on the other side for the tree.