Be My Disciples TE G1 by RCL Benziger

TEACHER EDITION 1

Welcome to a sample of Be My Disciples School Grade 1 — Teacher Edition. Included in this sample: Introduction of Be My Disciples Catholic School Program l

Cover, Title Page, Acknowledgments, and Table of Contents

Welcome Lesson and Prayer Lesson Wrap

From Day One Teacher Workshop — Your starting point for confident, capable, committed catechesis

Unit 1 including l

Unit Opener Background Information

Chapters 1–4 Lesson Plan with reduced student pages

Catholic Social Teaching Lesson Plan

Unit Review Lesson Plan

Please note that pages 4–15 and 31–40 are not included in the sample. We hope that this sample will help you experience the beauty and rich content of our Catholic faith through Be My Disciples.

Peter M. Esposito President Jo Rotunno, MA Publisher Anne P. Battes Associate Publisher Program Advisors Michael P. Horan, PhD Elizabeth Nagel, SSD

GRADE ONE TEACHER EDITION School

Thank you for reviewing Be My Disciples program for Catholic schools from RCL Benziger. This pre-publication electronic sample may be utilized for the product review of the Be My Disciples program grades 1–6 and Junior High levels. The contents are not intended for student, parent and family, or classroom use at this time and may not be copied for any purpose. Copyright © 2014 RCL Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. The Imprimatur and Statement of Conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church are pending. For further information about the program and its support materials for teachers, students, families, and program directors, please contact your local RCL Benziger sales representative. You may also call our Customer Service Department, 877.275.4725, for contact information about your local representative. RCL Benziger is grateful for your ministry in Catholic education. We are also grateful that you have chosen to review our newest program, Be My Disciples, to support you in sharing the faith with future generations.

Acknowledgments

Excerpts are taken and adapted from the New American Bible with Revised New Testament and Revised Psalms, © 1991, 1986, 1970, Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C., and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Excerpts are taken and adapted from the English translation of the Roman Missal, Third Edition, © 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy, Inc. (ICEL); Rite of Confirmation (second edition), © 1975, (ICEL); Pastoral Care of the Sick: Rites of Anointing and Viaticum, © 1982, (ICEL); Rite of Penance, © 1974, (ICEL); General Instruction of the Roman Missal, The Roman Missal, © 2010, (ICEL); General Introduction to the Roman Missal, © 2010, (ICEL); United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, © 2006, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C.; National Directory for Catechesis, © 2005, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C. All rights reserved. No part of these works may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Excerpts from Second Vatican Council: Dogmatic Constitution on the Church [Lumen Gentium]; Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation [Dei Verbum]; Dogmatic Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy [Sacrosanctum Concilium]; Rites of the Blessing of Oils and Consecrating the Chrism, © 1972, (ICEL); Pastoral Care of the Sick, © 1982, (ICEL); John Paul II, Catechesis in Our Time [Catechesi Tradendae], (16 October 1969); John Paul II, Rite of Ordination to the Priesthood, homily, (21 April 2002); Brother John M. Samaha, S.M., Holy Days of Obligation, Or Holy Days of Opportunity; excerpts from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America, second edition, © 1997, United States Catholic Conference, Inc.- Liberia Editrice Vaticana; excerpts from the General Directory for Catechesis, © 1997, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Washington, D.C.; Popular Devotional Practices: Basic Questions and Answers, 2003, (USCCB), Washington, D.C. All rights reserved. No part of these works may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Excerpts and adaptations of prayers were taken from the book of Catholic Household Blessings & Prayers, © 2007, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C. All rights reserved. No part of the book of Catholic Household Blessings & Prayers may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright holder. Copyright © 2014 RCL Publishing LLC All rights reserved. Be My Disciples is a trademark of RCL Publishing LLC. This publication, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form by photographic, electronic, mechanical, or any other method, for any use, including information storage and retrieval, without written permission from the publisher. Send all inquiries to RCL Benziger, 8805 Governor’s Hill Drive, Suite 400, Cincinnati, OH 45249. Toll Free Fax

877-275-4725 800-688-8356

Visit us at www.RCLBenziger.com and www.BeMyDisciples.com 20771 ISBN 978-0-7829-1640-9 (Teacher Edition) 20761 ISBN 978-0-7829-1634-8 (Student Edition) 1st printing Manufactured for RCL Benziger in Cincinnati, OH, USA. March, 2013

Contents UNIT 1: We Believe, Part One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4

The Bible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 God Loves Us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 God, Our Father and Creator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Jesus, the Son of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

UNIT 2: We Believe, Part Two . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8

Mary, the Mother of Jesus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Jesus Shares God’s Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 The Holy Spirit, Our Helper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 The Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

UNIT 3: We Worship, Part One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12

The Church Celebrates Jesus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 Signs of God’s Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 We Follow Jesus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 The Catholic Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184

UNIT 4: We Worship, Part Two . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16

We Pray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 We Are Peacemakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212 We Go to Mass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224 Jesus Shows God’s Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236

UNIT 5: We Live, Part One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20

The First Christians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252 We Love God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264 We Love Others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276 We Live as a Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288

UNIT 6: We Live, Part Two . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24

Jesus and the Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304 We Are Children of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316 Jesus Teaches about Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328 The Our Father . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340

We Celebrate the Church Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 464 Catholic Prayers and Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500 We Celebrate the Mass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 508 Key Teachings of the Catholic Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 516 Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 526 Credits and Footnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 527

A Teacher’s Prayer for Discipleship Lord, make me your disciple. Help me to bring the Good News to others as you did. Give me the courage to answer your call, as Simon and Andrew and the other Apostles did, and to invite others to answer bravely too. Give me the wisdom to see that following your Way brings blessings and true joy, and give me the words and actions to show this wisdom to others. Give me your spirit of forgiveness, that I may never allow anger or judgment to enter into my relationship with my students. In this way, I will help them to be reconcilers too. Give me the reverence to pray always, in my words and in my deeds. Help me to teach my students to pray, that they may grow ever closer to you. Give me the gift of creativity, to bring your message of hope alive in the hearts of my learners, so that I can engage their hearts, heads, and hands in the work of the Gospel. Give me a spirit of generosity and poverty, so that I will never become too attached to the world’s goods. Help me to inspire my students to see the emptiness of material things. Give me the faith of Martha and Mary, to find the balance between prayerfulness and my good works for the Gospel. In this way, I will lead my students to greater works than my own. Spirit of Love, help me to proclaim the Good News to all I meet, so that I can hasten the day when your Reign will come in its fullness. I ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

16 Grade 1

From Day One Your starting point for confident, capable, committed catechesis

Welcome to Be My Disciples! Thank you for answering Jesus’ call to discipleship! You have agreed to serve in the Church’s ministry of the Word as a Catholic school teacher. Your decision is a sign of your faith commitment to the young people and their families, to your fellow teachers, and to your school and parish. RCL Benziger not only wants to support you, but also to empower you with the knowledge, skills, and spirituality needed to be a confident, capable, and committed teacher and catechist. From day one, as Be My Disciples was being developed, great consideration was given to the learner, the learning process, and to you—the teacher and catechist. This built-in interactive workshop will help you get the year off to a great start From Day One. You’ll also find a correlation to related modules in the Echoes of Faith program for teacher formation that will increase your confidence still further.

For Reflection

From Day One, think about the ways you have answered the call to discipleship and who has nurtured you along the way. Now think of the ways you can help the students in your class to be engaged learners as they answer Jesus’ call to discipleship. Grade 1 17

Be Confident . . . You Are a Catechist! As a teacher of religion, you are a catechist. You are joining a long line of dedicated believers stretching back through the ages who have answered God’s call to share the Catholic faith with others. Like them, you have been touched by your experience of Jesus Christ and are unable to keep the Good News to yourself. Dr. Thomas Groome speaks of the catechist as a “leading learner.” This image can help you remember that you do not need to have all the answers. You are still learning yourself, and that process will continue for the rest of your life, as a teacher and as a Christian. But you are indeed a leader for the students in your care. They look to you for information, but even more, they look to you as a role model. This is both an honor and a great responsibility. As important as your role is, it is not the most important one in the faith formation of these young people. That role is reserved for their parents; your role is to support them. Ideally, the home is the “domestic Church” in which the Catholic faith is nurtured on a daily basis. In others, family pressures may get in the way and make your classroom the best experience the students have of the Church, at least for a time. The best attitude to have toward the families of your learners is to assume that, at heart, all parents want the best for their children and that they are grateful for your assistance. Your role in the students’ faith formation is to make more explicit for them the Scripture and doctrine of the Catholic Tradition and to give them opportunities to integrate their new knowledge into their daily lives. It is to help students celebrate the great events in the life of Jesus Christ, his mother Mary, and the great Saints of the Church throughout the year. In this role you are helping the students establish their Catholic identity.

For Reflection 18 Grade 1

How equipped are you to be a “leading learner” in your catechetical setting? What do you see as your strengths and weaknesses? Discuss your assessment with your principal or catechetical leader. He or she can help you establish a growth plan for continued learning throughout the year.

Be Confident . . . The Six Tasks of Catechesis [T]he definitive aim of catechesis is to put people not only in touch but in communion [and] intimacy with Jesus Christ. On Catechesis in Our Time 5

Just as some actors play multiple roles in a drama, so will you in your role as a catechist. At times, you are a storyteller, at others, a facilitator, a presenter, or a leader of prayer. At all times, you are a witness to your own faith in Jesus Christ. The Catholic Church defines six key tasks for you to fulfill in your role as a catechist. The General Directory for Catechesis, published in 1997, guides the worldwide Church in its catechetical mission. It identifies six important tasks of catechesis (GDC 85–87). These tasks are reiterated in the National Directory for Catechesis, published in 2005 (NDC 20). Reflect on the list on this page and assess your abilities in each of these areas before you begin the year.

The Six Tasks of Catechesis 1. Promoting knowledge of the faith. Teachers introduce their learners to all that has been revealed through Jesus Christ by initiating them gradually into the whole truth revealed through Scripture and Tradition. 2. Liturgical education. As a catechist, you will help students understand the Church’s sacramental life and give them an experience of the signs, symbols, gestures, prayers, and creeds of the Church. 3. Moral formation. Moral catechesis involves both the announcement of the Good News through your proclamation of the Gospel call to moral living and your presentation of what the Church’s Tradition teaches about this message. The Disciple Power feature in every chapter helps you introduce the young people to the gifts, virtues, and habits of Christian living.

4. Teaching to pray. Every chapter begins and ends with prayer. Be My Disciples will provide you with a wide variety of prayer experiences to introduce the students to the Church’s tradition of prayer. The last chapter in the student’s book teaches and extends the young people’s knowledge of the Our Father every year. 5. Education for community life. You are leading children into a way of life that you have already been privileged to experience. You invite them to join a loving community of faith, to live simply and humbly, to care for the poor and alienated, to forgive as they wish to be forgiven, and to join in common prayer. Your classroom will become a daily experience of Christian community for the students. 6. Missionary initiation. Catechesis prepares children to live the Gospel in daily life and to prepare the way for the coming of the Kingdom of God. Be My Disciples is filled with suggestions for outreach activities and service projects to help young people begin to participate in the Church’s mission. Be sure to note the Catholic Social Teaching feature at the end of each unit.

FOR FURTHER STUDY See the Echoes of Faith Plus “Roles of the Catechist” and the “Person of the Catechist” modules. Go to EchoesofFaith.com for more information.

For Reflection

For which task of catechesis do you feel most qualified? Which seems most daunting? Share with another teacher what strengths and concerns you bring to the catechetical vocation. Grade 1 19

Be Capable . . . The Be My Disciples Approach A BALANCED APPROACH An innovative religion curriculum that empowers children and their families to answer Jesus’ call to “Be My Disciples” • Invites children to discipleship • Teaches Scripture, Doctrine, and Celebration • Challenges children to integrate faith and life

You feel confident as a teacher when you know what your role is. You will feel more and more capable as you develop the skills to facilitate the catechetical process effectively. Be My Disciples uses a unique, balanced approach to children’s catechesis rooted in the mandate of the General Directory for Catechesis that all catechesis include formation as well as information, so that the life of the learner may be transformed (see GDC 29). A BALANCED APPROACH that

Invites through its Catechumenal Methodology

Teaches through its Spiral Structure of Scripture, Doctrine, and Celebration

Challenges through Integration Activities and Faith Choices

A Child-Centered Catechesis

20 Grade 1

• i nvites students to discipleship through a dynamic methodology that incorporates the latest findings in brain research, psycho-social development, and emotional intelligence. • t eaches, reinforces, and extends knowledge of Catholic doctrine and the Church’s seasons every year in every grade through RCL Benziger’s unique spiral structure. • c hallenges students to a deeper integration of faith and life by leading them to higher levels of thinking and encouraging a weekly faith choice.

Be My Disciples helps students to know and live their faith through loving service to others. Here is what they will experience through the balanced approach. 1 Begin with Life.

L IF E

2 Grow in Knowledge.

A Child-Centered Catechesis

LEAR N

LIVE

4 Practice the Skills of

L IN K

3 Connect Faith with Their Experience.

For Reflection

Which do you think is more important in catechesisâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the teaching of the truths of the faith or facilitating the integration of faith and life? For which of these tasks are you most qualified? What could you do to balance your strengths and challenges? Grade 1 â&#x20AC;&#x192;21

Be Capable . . . The Eight Human Methodologies The National Directory for Catechesis describes eight methodologies, or avenues, through which individuals come to faith. Be My Disciples incorporates these methodologies in a consistent way throughout the program.

1. Learning Through Human Experience We respond to God’s invitation through our human experience. Every Be My Disciples chapter begins by engaging the students’ interest and imagination and helping them relate the lesson concept to their experience.

2. Learning by Discipleship We learn the Way of Jesus Christ by choosing to follow him and do what he asks of us. Be My Disciples incorporates New Testament reflection and activities in every unit to assist in the young people’s growth in discipleship.

22 Grade 1

3. Learning Within the Christian Community The witness of the Church shows these young people how to believe, worship, and to take up the Gospel call to service. Each week, Be My Disciples invites students to make concrete faith choices for the Kingdom of God.

4. Learning Within the Christian Family The Christian family is often the first experience the child has of what it means to live in a Christian community. The family offers the first and best environment for growth in faith. Be My Disciples engages the family through the With My Family take-home pages, and through a variety of other projects and activities both within the text and online at BeMyDisciples.com.

5. Learning Through the Witness of the Catechist

7. Making a Commitment to Live the Christian Life

You will be a powerful influence on your learners’ faith formation this year, both by the faith knowledge you will share with them and, most importantly, by your witness of the Catholic faith. Your words and actions model for the children what it means to live a Christian life. Your Be My Disciples Catechist Guide offers you front-to-back catechist formation to assist you every step of the way.

Our acts of commitment to live the faith, made again and again throughout our lives, are how we learn what it means to have faith. Be My Disciples invites young people to make a faith choice at the end of every chapter so that they can live the faith more deeply in the coming week.

6. Learning by Heart

Learning by apprenticeship allows us to learn from an experienced Catholic, a mentor, who can give us insight into the Christian life. You are such a person for your learners this year. Be My Disciples also provides activities at every grade level inviting young people to begin modeling the actions of a disciple for younger children.

When we “learn by heart,” we make knowledge or a skill our own. Memorization of key definitions, doctrinal formulations, and prayers plays an important role in building religious literacy and identity. Be My Disciples highlights faith vocabulary and reinforces key concepts in every chapter through student book sidebar features and Teacher Guide strategies.

8. Learning by Apprenticeship

Look for a box in every chapter’s lesson plan that will assist you in incorporating the human methodologies into your lessons. The boxes provide you with helpful background information, activities, and lesson strategies.

FOR FURTHER STUDY Review the Echoes of Faith Plus Methodology module for grades 1 and 2. Look for activities and teaching techniques that utilize the eight human methodologies. Go to EchoesofFaith.com for more resources.

For Reflection

Which of the human methodologies has most helped you grow in faith? How will utilizing the different methodologies help you to be a more effective teacher and catechist? Grade 1 23

Be Capable . . . Getting to Know Your First Graders “Catechesis, therefore, is given by right on the basis of diverse and complementary age groups, on account of the needs and capacity of its recipients.” General Directory for Catechesis 171 First graders are in perpetual motion! They are friendly and enthusiastic and beginning to think about how they look in the eyes of others because they are growing more self-conscious. They tend to prefer playmates of the same sex and have a strong need for both love and attention from parents and teachers. Intellectually, these first graders have increased problem-solving skills, love to ask questions, and learn best through discovery. They like active involvement with people and materials especially since their fine motor skills are more developed. Most important, first graders enjoy stories, not too long, but more involved stories that keep them engaged. You will enjoy a busy and active year filled with much love from these very young persons!

Growing in Discipleship On a journey of faith, first graders are active learners but want a sense of consistency and ritual. This is the perfect time to involve these young persons in prayer services, processions, liturgical gestures, and blessings. Their hearts are touched through prayer experiences such as short periods of quiet meditation, and prayers of praise and petition. One of the best ways to teach children is through stories. This is exactly how Jesus taught people! When telling Bible stories, use puppets, gestures, art, and role-playing to engage children and to help them remember the story as well as the concept. These young children have a strong spiritual sense about God and often relate to Jesus as their friend. As you nurture these children, help them to know how special they are as children of God and that they can express their love for Jesus in their own words and actions. This is an exciting time to watch children grow in their own relationships with God as they learn to answer Jesus’ call to Be My Disciples.

24 Grade 1

Religious Growth

Cognitive/Learning Skills

Delights in Bible stories and interprets stories literally

Learns through discovery, movement, and active involvement

Understands right and wrong based on consequences of fairness

Loves stories

Appreciates prayer experiences, ritual, and ceremony

Increases problem-solving capabilities

Experiences life with wonder and awe

Grows in reading skills

Recognizes Church through the experiences of home and parish

Enjoys asking questions

Grows in religious imagination, imagining God as human

Relationships

Physical Characteristics

Learns through discovery, movement, and activity. Needs love and attention from parents and teachers

Demonstrates a short attention span and is sometimes noisy Stays in perpetual motion with increased fine motor skills Learning to distinguish right from left

Thrives on encouragement Can be bossy but wants to make friends Determines “right” and “wrong” based on parents’ and teachers’ viewpoints

Enjoys gross motor activities: skips, runs, and dances to music

For Reflection

What do you remember about your experiences as a first grader? What are the similarities and differences between your experiences and today’s first graders? How does this help you understand your first graders as you plan for your religion classes this year? Grade 1 25

Be Capable . . . Helping My First Graders Learn For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another. Romans 12:4–5 God has given each of us a variety of spiritual gifts to help us to grow individually and in the community. Each gift is unique, and each person and gift is needed. It is these diverse spiritual gifts that contribute to the one Body in Christ.

Learning Smart

A well-known educator, Howard Gardner, believes that each of us is born with at least eight different ways of processing and responding to new information that he calls multiple intelligences. All of us possess each of these kinds of “smart” in one degree or another. The particular combination of these intelligences is what makes each of us unique; there is usually one or several of these intelligences dominant for each person. Refer to the “Eight Kinds of Smart” chart on the next page. When you were in school, did you prefer just listening to a lecture, taking notes while you were listening, or did you keep your fingers or your feet tapping while you were listening? Do you prefer reading a novel or seeing a movie? Do you want just the facts or do you prefer openended questions with lots of possibilities? The answers to these questions tell a lot about the ways you prefer to learn and express yourself. You may prefer to learn by listening, by seeing, by imagining, or by doing. Children have these preferred ways of learning as well..

Digital Disciples

Young people today are also digital learners. They access information quickly from multimedia sources, primarily utilizing the Internet, laptops, and cell phones. Learning takes place through multitasking while processing pictures, sound, color, and video before text. Digital learners are graphic thinkers! They respond to learning that is relevant, instant, active, useful, and fun.

Learning Heart

How do you recognize your own emotions and how do they affect your thoughts and behaviors? How do you manage your emotions and adapt to change? How do you understand the emotions, needs, and concerns of other people? How do you develop and maintain good relationships and communicate clearly? 26 Grade 1

The research of Daniel Goleman on emotional intelligence is an important part of understanding who you are and who you are in relationship with others. The ‘heart’ must be a part of learning if the person is to be transformational. This is why Be My Disciples uses its balanced approach. The goal is formation and transformation, as well as information. As children grow in relationship with others and Jesus, they need to know how to express their own feelings and knowledge if they are to have common ground with their family, classmates, and people from other cultures and religions. Be My Disciples provides a variety of strategies that respect the many gifts of children as they learn smart, learning ways to grasp knowledge and to grow spiritually. To assist you in engaging all your learners, here are some activities related to the eight intelligences that support the different ways children can learn and express their relationship with God and one another.

FOR FURTHER STUDY The ‘Methods for Grades 1 and 2” module of Echoes of Faith Plus will help you to provide activities that will assist many kinds of learners. See Echoes of Faith for more resources.

For Reflection

nowing your own gifts will assist you in K helping your first graders discover their gifts. How do you learn smart and what are your preferences for learning? How does this help you understand the young people in your class so that your catechesis will engage them more? ow will you nurture and incorporate the H emotional intelligence of the young people so that their faith response will be more authentic?

LogicSmart

WordSmart

SelfSmart

ImageSmart

Kinds of Smart

PeopleSmart

BodySmart

SoundSmart NatureSmart

Language and Music-Related Activities • Researching word meanings • Word games and puzzles • Reading and Bible-search activities • Storytelling and journal writing • Learning hymns and Mass responses • Writing prayers or songs • Using background music for activities

Object-Related Activities

• Learning “how many?” of different categories • Celebrating the liturgical seasons • “You are there” activities such as placing oneself in the action of a Bible story • Using maps and models • Using or creating graphic organizers • Posters and art activities • Crafts and classroom dramas • Using gestures with songs and prayers • Expressing response through dance • Nurturing plants and animals • Creating gardens or nature areas

Person-Related Activities

• Cooperative learning activities • Peer tutoring and sharing • Teaching other students • Games and simulations • Quiet prayer times • Writing and drawing in journals • Creating autobiographies • Self-assessment activities

Teaching Trends

• Build in more discovery. • Put content in context. • Pose problems first and teach second. • Give fewer conclusions. • Integrate digital learning. • Use higher-level thinking techniques.

Grade 1 27

Be Capable . . . Designing the Environment The most important task of the catechesis of children is to provide, through the witness of adults, an environment in which young people can grow in faith. National Directory for Catechesis 48E.2 The learning process can occur in any place, anywhere, at any time. Our Master Teacher, Jesus, taught while he was walking, sitting on a hillside, preaching in the synagogue, or conversing in a home. Jesus modeled a variety of ways to teach through telling stories, asking questions, offering compassion, and challenging others. He also knew that the physical needs of people must be met so they can focus on God’s message. A caring, child-centered environment helps invite young people to discipleship. Since passing on faith is a sacred task, it deserves the creation of sacred space.

Prayer Space

Every learning enviroment shold integrate a catechetical space that is focused around an age-appropriate prayer space. Here are some suggestions: • Cover the table with an attractive cloth that matches the liturgical season.

28 Grade 1

• Place a crucifix at the highest point in the prayer space. • Place a candle on the surface of the table as a sign of the light of faith. Light the candle only during the prayer service. Use an electric or flameless candle if school fire regulations require it. • Enthrone an open Bible on the table. The opening lesson in your student book includes a prayer service for enthroning the Bible on the first day of class. • Place a plant or other objects in the prayer space to symbolize the lesson theme or the liturgical season. • You may want to consider placing a cell phone, laptop, or another type of technology in the prayer space. Make sure it is turned off ! This can indicate to your learners that digital media, when used properly, can be used to communicate the Christian message.

Learning Space

Learning Materials

Now it’s time for careful consideration of the other aspects of your sacred learning space. How will you create a distinctive space for catechesis? Here are some questions to help you create a student-centered learning environment that will encourage faith reflection:

You will need the usual essentials: pencils, pens, paper, and some art supplies. Here are a few other items you will want to have available to enhance your religion classes: • Materials for the prayer space • A class set of Bibles

• Are chairs or desks arranged in such a way as to promote cooperative learning? Is the arrangement flexible to allow for individual, small, and large group learning experiences?

• Maps of the Bible lands • Photos and posters that match the lesson themes • General literature titles connected to the lesson themes

• Can you easily transition the young people to the prayer space for a more solemn reading of Bible stories and prayer services?

• A DVD/CD player

• Can you adjust lighting during reflective activities or prayer services? • How can you display student activities? Is there a way to use liturgical colors in the learning area beyond the prayer space? • Do you have some reflective music available for use in prayer services and reflective activities? As you know, music can help to set the mood appropriately to signal that the class is moving into a more sacred time. Consider using the Be My Disciples Music Program to enhance the learners’ knowledge of liturgical music and experience of prayer.

How will you incorporate digital learning solutions to engage these young learners, and where can they be incorporated into the physical space? Discuss with your principal or catechetical leader what resources are available and learn how to use them. If you have a smartphone or laptop and have Internet access in the classroom, there are many resources at BeMyDisciples. com that could enhance your classroom lessons. The Church asks us to “proclaim the Gospel to the world of youth with courage and creativity” (General Directory for Catechesis 181). Jesus used all the means available to him in his own time to invite others to conversion, and so should you!

FOR FURTHER STUDY Take a look at the Echoes of Faith Plus module “Getting Started” for ideas on creating a positive environment for catechesis. Go to EchoesofFaith.com for more resources.

For Reflection

What can you do to plan an effective sacred learning space for your lessons? ow can you create an inviting climate for prayer H that will deepen the experience for your learners?

Grade 1 29

Be Committed . . . Being A Person of Prayer Liturgical formation . . . must explain what the Christian liturgy is, and what the sacraments are. It must also however, offer an experience of the different kinds of celebration and it must make symbols, gestures, etc., known and loved. General Directory for Catechesis 87

To teach others to pray requires, first of all, that you are a person of prayer yourself. Your students look to you as an example of what a prayerful person looks like. Prayer is listening with openness to God’s Word, and responding in faith, hope, and love. Our response involves a willingness to spend time with God, to ponder the words of Scripture, to discern God’s message to us, and to respond with our whole selves—body, mind, and heart. Spending daily time alone with God in an attitude of openness and thanksgiving will transform you and prepare you to be the inspiration to the children that you hope to be and that they deserve. Worship is simply the prayer of the Church. We gather together to lay our lives before God the Father, to praise him and give thanks for the gift of his love, and to join with his Son in offering our lives for his service. That is why the Catechism of the Catholic Church refers to liturgy as “the participation of the People of God in the work of God” (1069). Liturgical celebrations weave together signs and symbols drawn from our human experience—words and actions, singing and music, and sacred images. An artful blending of these elements produces a worship experience that can evoke for us the mystery of God and lead us to a fruitful response.

As the students experience such gestures as signing, anointing, blessing, and kneeling within the intimacy of your classroom setting, you will be preparing them to participate more fully in the worship of the whole community. Just as you have certain ways of praying with which you are most comfortable, you will find that children have their preferences too. The many approaches that are included in the Be My Disciples program will provide a true school of prayer for your learners.

How Be My Disciples Will Help You

• Beginning and closing prayer experiences in every lesson • A rich variety of prayer experiences using the signs, symbols, and gestures of the Church’s liturgy whenever appropriate • An exposition of the rich variety of the Church’s tradition of prayer, liturgy, and Sacraments • Tips for enhancing the classroom prayer experiences • A closing chapter on the Our Father that summarizes the year’s Gospel message

FOR FURTHER STUDY See the Echoes of Faith Plus “Prayer and Spirituality” and “Liturgy and Sacraments” modules. Go to EchoesofFaith.com for more resources.

For Reflection

ow do you create opportunities in your daily H life to hear the voice of God speaking to you? hat forms of prayer will you most enjoy W leading for your learners? 30 Grade 1

Welcome Creating an inviting environment is an important part of everything you do with the students. Before your first class, prepare nametags for them. Greet each student as they arrive. This will help them feel safe and ready to learn. The first day of classes provide the opportunity for you to get to know the students. By setting realistic expectations, introducing them to their new books, and creating an atmosphere of prayer and hospitality, they will know they are welcome.

Welcome to

Jesus wants you to be his disciple! He wants you to know about him and follow him. This year you will learn many new things about Jesus. You will learn how to be a good disciple.

All About Me My name is

Invite . I am a child of God.

Unit 1: We Believe, Part One

You will learn about God’s Son, Jesus. Look on page 52. Find out the name of Jesus’ Mother. Trace her name on the line.

Mary

Unit 2: We Believe, Part Two

We will learn about the Holy Trinity . Look on page 94. Find out the name of the helper Jesus promised to send. Trace the helper’s name on the line.

Holy Spirit

Give each student a nametag with his or her name on it. You can find additional introduction activities at BeMyDisciples.com.

Discover and Involve → Read the paragraph introducing the Welcome to Be My Disciples. Help the students read the section “All About Me.” Invite each student to write his or her name on the line. → Then read the Unit 1 activity aloud. Have the students turn to page 52 and find the name of Jesus’ mother. Have everyone trace the name Mary on page 6. → Then read Unit 2 activity aloud. Have the students turn to page 92 and find the name Holy Spirit. Have everyone write it on the line in the activity.

Student Page 6 Grade 1 41

→ Invite the students to turn to page 125 to find the name of the season when the Church celebrates that Jesus was raised from the dead. → Ask the students to work together in pairs to discover the most important celebration of the church. Tell them that they can find the answer on page 200. → Work with the students on the Unit 5 activity to help them find out which commandment teaches us to worship only God. Ask the to listen for the answer as visitstudents www.BeMyDisciples.com you read page 246. → Share with children the many thethe students that Jesus → Remind activities on the Faith First Web gave us the Our Father. Write the site. name Jesus on the board. Then invite them the to write the name Jesus → Encourage children to visit on the line. www.BeMyDisciples.com → Point out the title and theme of next week’s chapter to the children.

Unit 3: We Worship, Part One

You will learn that each of the Church’s seasons tell us something about Jesus. Look on page 125. Find out when the Church celebrates that Jesus was raised from the dead. Trace the word on the line.

Easter

Unit 4: We Worship, Part Two

You will learn how our Church celebrates and prays. Look on page 200. Learn the name of the most important celebration of the Church. Trace the word on the line.

Mass

Unit 5: We Live, Part One

You will learn how to live the Ten Commandments. Look on page 246. Learn which Commandment teaches us to worship only God. Trace the word on the line.

First

Unit 6: We Live, Part Two

You will learn to live as a child of God. Look on page 322. Learn who gave us the Our Father. Trace the name on the line.

Jesus

42 Grade 1 Student Page 7

Pray

Listen to God’s Word Leader

We gather to praise your Word, O Lord.

All

Happy are the people who listen to God’s Word. (Listen while the Leader reads from the Bible).

Leader

A reading from the Gospel according to Luke. (Proclaim Luke 19:1–10). The Gospel of the Lord.

All

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Leader

Come forward in a line and bow before the Bible.

→ Invite the students to prepare for prayer. Reverently hold a Bible slightly above your head and lead them in procession to the prayer space. → Teach the students to echo the parts of the prayer marked “All.” → After a moment of silence, pray the prayer. Use the hand gesture to invite the students to join in when you want them to echo their parts of the prayer. Be sure to handle the Bible reverently when you lift it from the payer table to read the passage about Zacchaeus. → After the prayer, reverently place the Bible on the prayer table and reverence it by slightly bowing your head. Invite each child to come forward and do the same. → Thank the students for being good learners. Remind them to have a fun week and to remember to listen to God’s Word.

TEACHING TIP Creating a Prayer Space. Having a prayer space that is decorated in a special way will help the students realize the importance of prayer. Display the Bible in your prayer space in such a way that shows its importance. Talk about respecting the Bible. Always hold the Bible reverently when you proclaim God’s Word. Before you pray together, allow a moment of quiet time and share with the class that God is with them.

Student Page 8 Grade 1 43

U NIT 1

We Believe Part One

Objectives In Unit 1, you will help the students learn that: → The Bible is the written Word of God. → The gift of faith helps us to know and believe in God. → God our Father created people in his image. → Jesus teaches us about God.

Spiritual Insights “God makes himself known to us through Revelation in order both to give us something and to draw a response from us. Both this gift of God and our response to his Revelation are called faith. By faith, we are able to give our minds and hearts to God, to trust in his will, and to follow the direction he gives us (United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, Washington, D.C.: USCCB, 2006).

“ It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).

Living the Six Tasks of Catechesis Promoting Knowledge of the Faith: Saint Robert Bellarmine (1542–1621) Even as a young boy in Italy, Robert felt called to serve God as a priest. After years of study, he was ordained a Jesuit priest. His first assignment was teaching Greek at a boys’ school. Robert was successful only because he taught himself the language by staying one lesson ahead of his students in the textbook.

Robert had a gift for preaching. People traveled great distances to hear him explain the Scriptures and to defend the faith during the challenges of the Reformation. He also wrote two catechisms to help people grow in their understanding of Catholic doctrine. Although he became a bishop and then a cardinal, he never lost his thirst for learning and teaching. Cardinal Bellarmine lived a very simple life, even in the Vatican while serving as the Pope’s official theologian. It is said that he took down the hangings that decorated the walls of his lavish apartment and donated the fabric to clothe the poor. When he was quizzed about his empty walls, he showed his sense of humor by declaring, “The walls won’t catch cold.” Saint Robert Bellarmine is an excellent model for catechists. His life encourages us to know our faith well so that we can share it with our learners. He reminds us to be proud of our calling to profess our faith in Jesus and the Church.

Sharing Your Faith Find a partner to work with: a spouse, a friend, a fellow teacher. Come together at the beginning or end of each unit for shared prayer and discussion. Use the questions below as a starting point. As an alternative, record your thoughts in a personal journal. → What three words best describe your journey

of faith?

→ In what ways has God made himself known to you? → What prompted you to become a religion teacher?

We Believe

UNIT

Part One

Unit 1 Opener The Unit 1 opener pages assess the children’s prior knowledge about the key faith concepts in the unit. Processing these pages should take no more than fifteen minutes.

Time for Children The day was getting late. Jesus was tired. His friends wanted him to rest. But moms and dads started bringing their children to see Jesus. Jesus’ friends said to them, “Go away. Jesus is tired. He has no time for children now.” “Wait!” Jesus said to his friends. “I always have time for children. Let the children come to me.” The children rushed to Jesus. Jesus welcomed and blessed them all. Jesus said with a big smile, “Look, this is what heaven is like.” Based on Mark 10:13–16 9

Opening Page → Invite the students to tell you what they

see in the image on the page.

→ Read the Scripture passage aloud for

them. Ask: What grown-ups make time to play with you? Remind the students that Jesus always has time for children.

Getting Ready As you process this page, do not correct the children’s responses. You will invite them to return and self-correct themselves at the end of the unit. → Invite the children to write their

responses to the questions under What I Know and A Question I Have. If the children’s writing skills are not sufficiently developed, do the exercises orally.

What I Know

→ You may wish to jot down the questions

What is something you already know about these faith words?

they have for future reference. Tell them that their book will answer many of their questions in the weeks ahead.

Creation

Jesus

→ Ask them to look at the next page and

begin Chapter 1.

Put an X next to the faith words you know. Put a ? next to the faith words you need to learn more about. Bible

kindness

Creator

faith

Son of God

wonder

A Question I Have What question would you like to ask about the Bible?

Student pages 9, 10 45

CHAPTER

The

BACKGROUND

Bible

The Inspired Word of God God has inspired human writers to create a written record of his self Revelation and his divine plan of goodness for humanity. Sacred Scripture, or the Bible, is the collection of all those writings acknowledged by the Church and listed in the canon of Scripture. The list of inspired writings includes the forty-six books of the Old Testament and the twenty-seven books of the New Testament.

Authorship of the Bible

The Living Word of God

Sacred Scripture is inspired by God and is the Word of God. It is God’s own Word to us. God is the primary author of Sacred Scripture. He acts in and through the human writers. While the biblical writers wrote in a fully human way, at the same time, they wrote under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. They were given insight and understanding so that they wrote what God intended. They wrote “faithfully, and without error, the saving truth that God willed to be consigned to us” (Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC], 105).

When we hear and listen to the Word of God, it is Jesus Christ present with us, speaking to us. Sacred Scripture is the living Word of God. We do not simply hear and listen to stories from the past; we hear God today.

The Gospels, Center of Sacred Scripture

Hearing the inspired living Word of God is vital to our lives as Christians. “In the sacred books the Father who is in heaven comes lovingly to meet his children, and talks with them” (Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation [Dei verbum], 21).

The fulfillment of God’s plan of creation and Salvation is written in the New Testament and especially in the four accounts of the Gospel. The Gospels and the entire New Testament pass on to us the faith of the Apostles and the early Church. The New Testament brings to fulfillment the many Words and actions of God revealed in the Old Testament. Jesus Christ is the fullness of Revelation. There will be no more Revelation after him. In other words, “all sacred Scripture is but one book, and this one book is Christ, ‘because all divine Scripture speaks of Christ, and all divine Scripture is fulfilled in Christ’ ” (CCC 134).

The same God who spoke and acted in history, speaks and acts among us today. His actions and words heal us, forgive us, and console us. They are always inviting us to faith, hope, and love. They strengthen us and nourish us.

For Reflection When do I regularly listen to the Word of God in my life? How can I make the Bible come alive for the students?

Grade 1

Teacher to Teacher A Wonderful Beginning Being part of a first grader’s life can be a wonderful experience. Recognizing the uniqueness of all children is central to helping them discover that they are special. One way to make the young people feel special is to address them by name the first time you meet them, when you call on them, or when you acknowledge the good work they are doing. Always make the effort to recognize and respect their needs.

The Church Teaches… “Catechesis aims to bring about in the believer an ever more mature faith in Jesus Christ, a deeper knowledge and love of his person and message, and a firm commitment to follow him” (National Directory for Catechesis, 19A). You are guiding the students into a new and important phase of their faith journeys. Keep in mind that you are helping them grow in a relationship with Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is full of grace and truth.

Setting the Tone

Further Reading and Reflection

The energy level of first graders abounds, as does their curiosity. Use this first lesson to set the tone for the year. Keep the lesson lively and let your enthusiasm show. Most of the students will exhibit short attention spans, so use your tone of voice, body posture, and position in the room to make subtle changes that will help them to refocus. First graders also need to move around a lot, so plan movement into your time even if it is just to stand and stretch.

For more related teachings of the Church, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 101–133; and the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, pages 11–15.

Teacher Prayer Lord God, your Word is a living word. Open my heart, open my mind that I may live according to your Word. Amen.

Lesson Planner Chapter 1 The Bible Goal

To introduce the Bible and its importance for Catholics

LESSON PART DAY Focus

EXPLORE

To explore God’s Word to us Pages 11–13

MATERIALS and RESOURCES

PROCESS → Proclaim and discuss Luke 11:28 (Blessed are those who hear and observe God’s Word).

Bible Pencils

→ Learn how Augustine was changed by listening to God’s Word Disciple Power: Faithful Activity: Decorate a Bible.

DAY Focus

DISCOVER

→ Define the Bible as God’s Word to us.

Bible

To discover what the Bible tells us about God

Faith Words: Bible

Pencils

Scripture: God is love (1 John 4:8–9, 21).

Crayons/markers

Pages 14–15

Catholics Believe: Readings at Mass

Enriching the Lesson: Teacher Guide, page 61 Retelling Bible Stories

Activity: Draw or write a favorite Bible story.

DAY Focus

DISCOVER

To discover that the Bible helps us follow Jesus. Pages 16–17

DAY Focus

4 DECIDE To decide a way to be a faithful and loyal follower of Jesus. Pages 18–19

DAY Focus

5 CONCLUDE To reflect and pray with Scripture

Scripture: Philip tells a man about Jesus (Acts of the Apostles 8:26–40). Faith-Filled People: Saint Philip the Apostle

Pencils Crayons Enriching the Lesson: Teacher Guide, page 61  Playing the Telephone Game  Literature Connection: A Catholic Book of Bible Stories

Activity: Trace the word Listen.

Scripture: Love one another (John 13:34–35).

Additional Activities Booklet: Activities 1a and 1b or see BeMyDisciples.com

Activity: Choose ways of showing love to others. Activity: Draw you and your family reading the Bible. My Faith Choice: Choose how to listen to God speaking in the Bible this week.

→ REVIEW Review concepts: Recall, Reflect, and Share. Bible, cross, candle for prayer space, pencils

→ PRAY A Listening Prayer

Assessment Tools Booklet: Activities 1a and 1b

→ Grade 1 Music CD

Pages 20–22

Preview the With My Family page and the theme of the next chapter. Assign online Chapter Review

48 Grade 1

BeMyDisciples.com

DAY CHAPTER

EXPLORE

Pray → Gather the class in the prayer

center. Remind them that Jesus is with us when we gather to pray.

→ The students will learn the Sign of

the Cross in Chapter 2. Make the Sign of the Cross reverently. Then invite them to repeat the words after you begin the prayer.

The

→ Pray the following prayer together.

Bible

Have the students echo each line after you. O God, happy are we / who hear your Word / and keep it. Amen.

What is a favorite book that someone reads to you? Why is it your favorite?

Reflect → Ask the students to tell about

When we listen to a story from the Bible, we hear God’s Word to us. In the Bible we read:

their favorite book of the Bible or Bible story and why they like it.

Listen to God’s word and keep it. Then you will be blessed.

→ Read the introductory paragraph

and Scripture aloud. Emphasize that the Bible is God’s Word to us.

Based on Luke 11:28

→ Invite the students to respond to

What do these words from the Bible ask you to do?

the reflection question.

Focus Invite the students to turn the page to discover how reading the Bible changed one man’s life.

THE TASKS OF CATECHESIS Promoting Knowledge of the Faith. When you share the Scriptures with your first graders, you are sharing God’s Word with them. Throughout the year, you will have many opportunities to help the students appreciate that God truly speaks to us in the Bible. Proclaim Scripture passages in each chapter with enthusiasm and reverence. Speak God’s Word slowly and clearly. Gather the students around you as you share Bible passages with them. Make sure your first graders know that the Word of God has a special place in the life of each one of Jesus’ disciples.

Student page 11 49

DAY

EXPLORE

Introduce

Disciple Power

→ Tell the class that when we listen

to the Bible, we learn to follow Jesus. Explain that you are going to tell them a true story about how reading the Bible changed Saint Augustine’s life.

→ Invite everyone to look at the

rch The Chu

Follows

Jesus

Faithful Good friends of Jesus are faithful to him. They are loyal to him. They listen to him. They do what he said and did.

illustration of Saint Augustine as you read the story aloud.

Saint Augustine Augustine lived many years ago. When he was young, he often got into trouble. He made many bad choices. One day, Augustine was sitting in his garden. He heard a child’s voice sing the words, “Take and read!” Augustine saw his mother’s Bible on a table. He began to read it. He thought about these stories and began to follow Jesus.

→ Invite volunteers to share their

responses to the question at the end of the story.

→ Tell the students that after Saint

Augustine listened carefully to the Bible stories he heard at Mass. He heard God speaking to him. The Church honors him today as Saint Augustine.

Augustine died, he was named a Saint. We celebrate his feast on August 28.

What happened when Augustine read the Bible?

DISCIPLE POWER Faithful. Invite each child to name a friend on whom they can count. Explain that Jesus is someone on whom all of his followers can count. Tell the students that Jesus’ friends are his disciples. Have them repeat the words friend and disciple aloud after you. Ask your first graders to raise their hands if they want to be disciples of Jesus, and then reread the last sentence in the Disciple Power box. Tell the students that when they follow Jesus, listen to the Bible, and participate in the Catholic Church, they are being faithful disciples. Affirm them for being disciples on whom Jesus can count.

50 Student page 12

DAY

EXPLORE

Reinforce

Activity

→ Ask: What did Saint Augustine

The Bible Teaches

do when he heard the child singing? (He began to read his mother’s Bible.) How did reading the Bible help him? (He began to follow Jesus.)

Decorate the Bible. Write your name on the lines below. Then read the sentence.

→ Have the students tell what they

see happening in the picture on page 13. (A mother is reading the Bible to her children.)

→ Read Disciple Power on page 11.

Explain that the Bible teaches us how to be faithful followers of Jesus.

The Bible teaches

Connect → Ask the students to name the

people who read Bible stories to them.

how to be a good and faithful friend of Jesus.

→ Point out the activity. Allow time

for the class to decorate the Bible and to print their names.

→ Help everyone read the sentence,

having them insert their names: The Bible teaches (name) to be a good and faithful friend of Jesus.

Pray TEACHING TIP Sharing Stories of Faith. Understand that you are an important model of faith for your first-graders. Tell the class about the people in your life who are models of faith for you. Share inspiring Bible passages or stories about the Saints or Church members who have helped you grow to a deeper awareness of your faith and have encouraged you to act as a good and faithful disciple of Jesus.

Conclude the session with a brief prayer of thanks. Invite the students to respond “Thank you, loving God,” after you pray each of the following: “For your Word to us in the Bible . . . For teaching us to be good and faithful friends of Jesus . . .”

Student page 13 51

DAY

DISCOVER

Key Concept The Bible is the written Word of God.

Pray Invite the students to quiet themselves for prayer. Reverently lead them in praying the Sign of the Cross.

Faith Focus What does the Bible tell us about God? Faith Words Bible The Bible is the written Word of God. It is God’s very own Word to us.

Teach

About the Bible God chose people to help write the Bible. The Bible is the written Word of God. It is a holy book because it is God’s very own Word to us. The Bible also tells us about God’s love for us. The Bible tells us many things about God. The Bible tells something important about God. Listen to these words from the Bible.

God is love. God showed his love to us. God sent us Jesus his Son. Jesus told us to love one another.

→ Write the word Bible on the board. → Have students raise their hands

each time they hear the word Bible as you read to them the section titled About the Bible.

Based on 1 John 4:8–9, 21

Why is the Bible such a special book?

→ Call attention to the pictures of

books on the page. Have students find and circle the picture of the Bible.

→ Pick up the Bible reverently from

the prayer table and show it to the class.

→ Invite responses to the question:

Why is the Bible such a special book? (Look for responses that evidence the students understanding of the Bible as special because it is God’s own Word to us.)

SPECIAL NEEDS Visual Cues. Invite the students to look in a children’s Bible for visual cues to help them recall Bible stories. This will be very helpful for students with visual learning difficulties. The picture that accompanies the story will remind them of the narrative. Working with a partner can also help a student process the visual cues and increase retention. Need: Students with reading difficulties

52 Student page 14

DAY

DISCOVER

DISCOVER Learning About God At Mass, we listen to readings from the Bible. The priest or deacon helps us understand what we heard. This helps us learn about God. What are some ways we can learn about God?

Catholics Believe Readings at Mass God speaks to us through the Bible. The readings at Mass teach us about God’s love and help us learn how to follow Jesus.

Key Concept We learn about God through the Bible.

Reinforce → Use the Faith Focus question to

help reinforce the key concept.

→ Point out the Faith Word Bible

and its definition.

→ Call attention to the section titled

Activity

Learning about God. Remind the students that because the Bible is God’s Word to us, we can learn about God by reading and listening to the Bible.

Draw or write about your favorite story from the Bible. Share your story with a partner.

→ Ask a volunteer to read Catholics

Believe aloud to the class. Then ask: What do we learn by listening to the readings at Mass? (We learn about God’s love and how to follow Jesus.)

Connect → Have the young people look at the

LITURGY CONNECTION Responses at Mass. The Catholics Believe box on this page presents a timely opportunity to practice with the students our responses to the readings at Mass. Have everyone turn to “We Celebrate the Mass” on page 507 in the back of the text. Point out the section titled “The Liturgy of the Word.” Have the students repeat the first response, “Thanks be to God” after you. Explain that we pray this response following the first and second readings. Then have them echo the Gospel response, “Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.” Encourage them to listen carefully at Sunday Mass and join in when they are invited to respond to the readings.

Bible activity. If you wish, help the students get started by talking about favorite Bible stories. Then allow them to complete it on their own.

→ Afterward, encourage the students

to share their favorite stories with partners. If time allows, share a few of the stories with the class.

→ Explain to the class that they will

learn more about God and his love as they move on.

Pray Gather everyone for prayer. Fashion the prayer from the list of ways to show thanks for God’s love that you wrote on the board. For example: “When we help our mom ...” or “When I share my toys ....” As you announce each “way,” invite the students to respond: “We show we love you, loving God.” Student page 15 53

DAY

DISCOVER

Key Concept We listen to the Bible to learn about God’s love and to learn how to follow Jesus.

Faith Focus How does the Bible help us follow Jesus?

A Man Learns about God One day a man was reading the Bible. Philip was a follower, or disciple, of Jesus. He saw the man and ran up to him.

Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” The man said, “No. I need help.” Philip told the man about God’s love. Philip told the man about Jesus. The man became a follower of Jesus. He became a member of the Church.

Pray Invite the students to quiet themselves for prayer. Have them stand and pray each of the following lines after you: “O God, your Word lasts forever. It is faithful. It is always true.” Psalm 119:89–90

Based on acts of the apostLes 8:26–40

What did Philip tell the man?

Teach → Ask the students: What do you see

in the picture?

→ Tell them that the men are riding

in a chariot and that two horses are pulling it.

→ Invite everyone to look at the

picture as you read the Scripture story aloud.

→ Ask the students: How did the man

in the story learn about God’s love? (The man learned about God’s love by reading the Bible, and by listening to Philip explain God’s Word to him.)

→ What happened to the man after

Philip taught him about God’s love? (The man became a follower of Jesus and a member of the Church.)

→ Share with the students more about

Philip’s story in Faith-Filled People.

54 Student page 16

FAITH-FILLED PEOPLE Saint Philip. During his life on Earth Jesus called people to follow him. Some of these followers were the Apostles. They were chosen to be the leaders of the Church. Saint Philip was an Apostle and martyr. Jesus invited Philip to follow him (see John 1:43). We can learn from Saint Philip to love and serve God and people as Jesus taught his followers to do. For more information on Saint Philip, go to the Saints Resource at BeMyDisciples.com.

DAY DISCOVER A Follower of Jesus Philip helped the man understand a story in the Bible. He helped the man become a follower of Jesus. The Bible helps us learn about God. Our parents, teachers, priests and decons, help us understand what we heard in the Bible. This helps us learn how to follow Jesus. Who helps you to follow Jesus?

Activity

DISCOVER

Reinforce

Faith-Filled People

→ Tell the class that when we listen

to Bible stories, we too learn about God’s love and how to follow Jesus.

Saint Philip the Apostle Philip was one of the first twelve Apostles. The Apostles were the first leaders of the Church. Philip was a curious man. He wanted to know everything he could about Jesus and his teachings.

When the Bible is read to you, what do you do? Trace the dotted lines to find out.

→ Read aloud the section titled A

Follower of Jesus.

→ Say: After the Bible readings are

read aloud at Mass, the priest or deacon explains them to us. This special talk is called the homily. Ask the students to repeat this word.

Connect

listen

→ Call attention to the activity

and read aloud its question and its directions. Have the students complete the activity on their own.

→ When the students finish tracing

the letters, invite the class to announce the answer. (listen)

Pray Conclude the session byhaving the young people pray each of the following lines after you: 17

“O God, speak your Word; I will listen.”

TEACHING TIP Puppets. Using puppets is an effective way to share Bible stories and to involve children in the story telling. Puppets allow children who have trouble speaking in front of others to project themselves into the puppet. Likewise, using puppets also helps many children listen more attentively to whatever story is being shared. There are many different kinds of puppets from which to choose. Finger puppets require only a strip of paper and tape. Paper bag puppets require small paper bags and decorating materials. Paper-plate puppets require paper plates, craft sticks and decorating materials. Consider using puppets throughout the year as you present the many Bible stories in this text.

Student page 17 55

DAY

DISCOVER

Key Concept Jesus’ words in the Bible tell us to show God’s love by loving one another.

Faith Focus What did Jesus tell us about God?

Followers of Jesus Show Love Jesus told his followers about God’s love. Jesus showed God’s love by caring for them. Jesus asked his followers to love one another. Jesus said:

“Love one another as I have loved you. Then everyone will see that you are my followers.”

Pray Write the following on the board or newsprint.

Based on John 13:34–35

We can listen, we can listen, to God’s Word, to God’s Word. We can all be faithful followers of Jesus. Yes we can, Yes we can.

What are the ways you follow Jesus?

Activity

Use the words as a sung prayer to the tune “Frère Jacques.”

Put a check (✔) by the pictures of the children showing love for one another. They are listening to Jesus’ words in the Bible.

Teach → Remind the students that God

speaks to us in the Bible.

→ Read aloud the opening paragraph

of Followers of Jesus Show Love.

→ Call on different students to read

aloud each line of the passage from the Gospel of Saint John.

Reinforce → Point out the follow-up question.

Discuss with the students ways to show how we can follow Jesus.

→ Have the students check the

pictures that depict children who have listened to Jesus’ words in the Bible and are showing love for one another.

→ Share answers.

56 Student page 18

TEACHING TIP Draw a Story. Remind the students that when Saint Augustine read and heard stories of God’s love from the Bible, he began to be a follower of Jesus. Then ask them to think of someone to whom they would like to tell a Bible story about God’s love. Have the students draw their favorite story from the Bible. If you wish, share with them one of your favorite Bible stories to help get them started. When they finish their drawings, have them share their stories with a partner.

DAY DISCOVER The Bible is God’s Word to you. When you listen to the Bible at Mass, God is speaking to you. When you and your family read the Bible at home, God is speaking to you. When you do these things, you are faithful and loyal follower of Jesus.

Activity

CONCLUDE DECIDE

Reinforce

I Follow

Jesus

Remind the class that when we listen to Bible stories, we learn about God’s love for us. We also learn to follow Jesus.

Connect

Reading God’s Word

Invite the children to suggest other ways they can show they are loving followers of Jesus.

Draw you and your family reading the Bible at home.

Respond → Read I Follow Jesus aloud to

the class.

→ Point out the activity and explain

the directions.

→ When they have finished drawing,

My Faith Choice

invite them to share their completed pictures.

Check (√) how you will listen to God speaking to you in the Bible.

Choose

This week I will listen to the readings at Mass.

→ Read aloud My Faith Choice.

ask someone to read a Bible story to me.

→ Encourage the students to keep

their faith promises this week.

Pray,“Thank you, Holy Spirit, for helping me listen to the Word of God and follow Jesus. Amen.”

→ Conclude by having the students 19

join in prayer, thanking the Holy Spirit for helping them to listen to the Word of God and follow Jesus.

TEACHING TIP Family Bibles. Many of the activities in this text assume that each of your students’ families has a family Bible. Unfortunately, this assumption may not always be true. You may wish to encourage families to purchase a Bible or encourage the students to ask their families to check out a Bible from the school, parish, or neighborhood library. Create a list of Catholic Bibles that you can share with parents.

Student page 19 57

DAY

CONCLUDE

Pray Remind the students that God is present with them, then begin class by slowly and reverently praying the Sign of the Cross together.

Recall

TO HELP YOU REMEMBER 1. The Bible is God’s Word to us. 2. Stories in the Bible teach us about God’s love. 3. We listen to the Bible at Mass.

→ Ask the students to close their

books. Read aloud the To Help You Remember statements one at a time, leaving out a key word in each. Invite students to call out the missing word after you read each statement.

Chapter Review Recall Draw lines to finish the sentences. 1. The Bible tells us about

Word of God.

2. We hear the Word of God

God’s love for us.

3. The Bible is the written

follow Jesus.

4. Augustine read the Bible and began to

at Mass.

Reflect What will people see you do as you live as a follower of Jesus this week?

→ Explain the matching activity and

give the students time to complete it. Afterward, ask volunteers to share their answers.

Reflect Ask the students to think about the most important thing they learned in this lesson. Direct them to write it.

Share Have the students share their reflection with a partner. Then have them also share what people will see them doing as they live their faith choices this week.

Share one way that you can read the Bible more often with your family.

HUMAN METHODOLOGIES Learning Within the Christian Family. The National Directory for Catechesis points out that the family is ordinarily the “primary environment for growth in faith” (NDC 29D). In your written and verbal communication with parents, help them to recognize how important it is to participate in Sunday liturgy as a family. Promote the weekly liturgy in a positive, encouraging manner. If possible, invite class families to gather together at a regularly scheduled weekend Mass, followed by refreshments. This will give families the opportunity to meet one another and may help them to begin to make Sunday Eucharist a weekly habit.

Student page 20

DAY

O God, open our ears. Help us listen to your Word.

All

Help us listen to your Word.

Leader

O God, open our eyes. Help us to see your love in the world.

All

Help us to see your love in the world.

Leader

O God, open our minds. Help us to learn more about you.

All

Help us to learn more about you.

Leader

Listen to the Word of God. Then think about what you hear.

Reader

Act as children of God. Obey your parents. Love others, just as Jesus did. Based

→ Gather the class for prayer. Tell

them that they are going to listen to words from the Bible in their prayer.

→ Call attention to the prayer’s title,

“A Listening Prayer.” Remind them that people who are faithful and loyal followers of Jesus are called disciples.

→ Choose a reader. → Go over the different parts of the

prayer: the responses the young people will read and the gestures they will incorporate.

→ Practice the gestures. → Reverently pray the Sign of

the Cross.

→ Lead the prayer and have the

students make their responses.

ephesians 5:1, 6:1

Reader

(Hold up the Bible and say:) The Word of the Lord.

All

Thanks be to God.

CONCLUDE

We Pray

A Listening Prayer Leader

LITURGY CONNECTION Blessings. Tell the students that a blessing is a prayer that asks God to be with us and to love and care for us. Before you pray, “A Listening Prayer” with the class, tell them that you are going to bless their ears, asking God to help them listen well to his Word. Call them forward by name, one at a time. Gently trace a cross on both the right and left ears, while praying, “Loving God, Help (name) to listen to your Word.” Ask each child to respond, “Amen,” and then pray the prayer above together.

Student page 21

DAY

CONCLUDE

Preview → Have the students carefully tear

out pages 21 and 22 along the perforation.

→ Encourage the students to share

these pages with their families, and to complete the activities together.

→ If they did not complete the review

activity on page 20 by the end of the session, emphasize that they can complete it with their families at home.

→ Point out the title and theme of the

With My Family This Week . . .

Sharing God’s Word

In Chapter 1, “The Bible,” your child learned:

Read together Acts of the Apostles 8:26–40 about Philip the Apostle. Or read the adaptation of the story on page 16. Talk about why it is important to read the Bible every day.

→ God is the real author of the Bible. → The Bible is the inspired, written Word of God. → The Holy Spirit inspired the human writers of the Bible to assure that God’s Word would be accurately communicated. → The faithful follower of Jesus reads the Bible and follows the teachings of the Church. For more about related teachings of the Church, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 101–133; and the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, pages 11–15.

next lesson to the students.

We Live as Disciples The Christian home and family is a school of discipleship. Choose one or both of the following activities to do as a family or design a similar activity of your own. → Throughout the week choose a time to read the Bible as a family. Talk about ways the Bible passage or story you read helps your family live as a Catholic family.

→ Help your child develop good habits that help him or herbecome a faithful follower of Jesus. Build on the things your child is already doing, for example, praying each day, helping out at home with chores, or treating others kindly.

Our Spiritual Journey In this section, you will learn some of the major spiritual disciplines of the Church. These disciplines help us form the good habits of living as faithful followers of Jesus. Daily prayer is one of those disciplines. In this chapter, your child prayed and listened to Scripture. Read and pray together the prayer on page 21. This type of prayer is called lectio divina.

Visit BeMyDisciples.com

→ Take time with the students to explore the many activities and resources available at Be My Disciples Web site.

→ Encourage them to join with their families to discover the many resources available at the Web site. For more ideas on ways your family can live as disciples of Jesus, visit 22

Before Moving On … As you finish today’s lesson, reflect on the following question before moving on to the next chapter. Am I encouraging all of the students in the class to participate?

60 Student page 22

BeMyDisciples.com

ENRICHING THE LESSON Optional Activities. At the conclusion of each chapter in your Teacher Edition, you will find a variety of strategies for engaging the students in different ways. These activities have been designed to accommodate the different ways children learn. For example, although all the students will enjoy visiting the parish church, as suggested on the following page, those youngsters who learn best when they are moving about will truly profit from the experience. As you plan your weekly lesson, be sure to consider incorporating one or more of the activities on this page to address all types of learners — verbal, visual, auditory, and kinesthetic.

Enriching the Lesson Retelling Bible Stories Purpose

Directions

Materials

To reinforce the students’ understanding that the Bible tells us about God’s love (taught on page 14)

→ Explain that before Bible stories were written down, the people

none

heard the stories told over and over again. The people listened carefully and remembered the stories.

→ Ask each child to think of a favorite Bible story. → Have volunteers tell their favorite Bible stories in their own words. → You may wish to have the students draw illustrations to enhance their presentations.

→ Invite each “storyteller” to explain why the Bible story is his or her favorite.

Playing the Telephone Game Purpose

Directions

Materials

To reinforce that it is important to listen carefully to God’s Word (taught on page 17)

→ Gather the students in a circle. Explain that they are going to

none

play a game called “Telephone” and that it is very important to listen carefully.

→ Begin by whispering “The Bible is the Word of God” to one child. Ask the child to whisper the message to the child sitting to the right. Continue by having each child whisper the message to someone until everyone has heard it.

→ Ask the last student to repeat it aloud. Write the last student’s words on the board and compare them to your original message.

Literature Connection Purpose

Directions

Materials

To extend the students’ knowledge of well-known Bible stories (taught on page 17)

→ You may wish to consider purchasing Laurie Lazzaro Knowlton’s

Catholic Book of Bible Stories, by Laurie L azzaro Knowlton

Catholic Book of Bible Stories (Zonderkidz, Zondervan Press, Grand Rapids, MI 2004). This colorful book includes w ell-known Bible stories in an illustrated two-page format. Each story contains an application to life and closes with a short prayer. The back of the book offers reinforcement and extension activities. The book has an Imprimatur unlike many books of the Bible stories on the market.

→ You may wish to invite students to borrow this book to take home and show to their parents.

→ Whenever you tell or read a story from this book, use the same procedure found throughout this Teacher Edition. Gather the class in a story area or prayer center. Begin with the Sign of the Cross. Tell or read the story to the students and discuss the story, using the questions given in the text. Close with the prayer and Sign of the Cross that are included. Use the follow-up activity as time allows.

CHAPTER

2 God

BACKGROUND

Loves Us

The Covenant God created humankind out of love. In this overwhelming action of divine love, God created everything good. Throughout the Old Testament we discover the echoes of God’s love. This love is pledged and sealed in the Covenant between God and his chosen people. The divine Covenant of love is vibrant and accessible, forming the foundation of the Jewish people.

The Pledge of Love

The Response of Faith

God promised to love his people, repeating the Covenant first entered into at creation, then with Noah and his family, then to Abraham and Sarah, and finally to Moses and the Israelites as they journeyed to the land God promised them. In his own words, God made a covenant with his people:

Faith is our response to God’s invitation to live in covenant with him. Through faith we are able to come to know and believe in him and all that he reveals. The gift of faith opens our minds and hearts to the transforming presence of God and of his love in our lives.

“I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God; . . . I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (Exodus 6:7–8)

Jesus, the New and Everlasting Covenant The divine pledge of love reached its fullness in the Incarnate Son of God, Jesus, who became one with all creation in his birth, life, Death, and Resurrection. Jesus most fully revealed God’s unfathomable love. In Jesus, the divine Covenant of love is extended to all people—no one is excluded. Through the gift of divine love, poured out for us in the dying and rising of Jesus, we are united to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and to all people. This union of love is the force that moves us to reach out to others in love. In effect, because we have been so deeply and undeservedly loved by God, we can only respond by extending that love to all.

In the Sacrament of Baptism we are joined to God and to his people in this Covenant of Love. We are made sharers in the very life of God and are joined welcomed into the living Body of Christ, his Church. We celebrate our union with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and with all of creation. God acts in love and manifests himself in many ways. Because of this divine action, we respond in faith, hope, and love. While God transcends the world, he also approaches us so closely that we cannot miss the message and invitation: “I am your God and you are my people.” In Baptism the Holy Spirit further immerses us in divine love, giving us a new life and making us a new creation. Divine love transforms us, changing us from the inside out.

For Reflection What attitudes do I want to change as a result of reflecting on God’s tremendous love? 62

Grade 1

Teacher to Teacher Building a Foundation First grade is an important time for teachers to support families in developing the Catholic identity of their children. It is a time to celebrate simple rituals and the traditions of the Church. This year, first graders will begin to build a faith vocabulary and a foundation for future catechesis in the faith of the Catholic Church.

Spiritual Development Six-year-olds have a natural sense of wonder and awe that fosters sensitivity to the sacred. They imagine God as a human person. They come to understand God’s love as they experience love through parents or guardians and other family members. Young children have a natural capacity for prayer and enjoy ceremony and ritual. They are quite comfortable with both formal and spontaneous prayer.

The Church Teaches… “Human experiences provide the sensible signs that lead the person, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, to a better understanding of the truths of the faith” (National Directory for Catechesis, 29A). It is so important to help children begin to reflect on their experiences. That is why every chapter begins by helping the students prayerfully situate the chapter concepts in their own life experiences.

Further Reading and Reflection For more related teachings of the Church, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 80–95 and 142–175; and the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, pages 50–53.

Teacher Prayer Loving God, empower me to reach out to these children as you reach out to me. Give me the wisdom and patience to help them know and love you more. Amen.

Lesson Planner Chapter 2 God Loves Us Goal

To learn that God loves us and we are to love him

LESSON PART DAY Focus

EXPLORE

→ Proclaim and discuss Psalm 139:1–6 (All-knowing

To explore how followers of Jesus are generous

→ Learn and discuss the story of Saint Rose of Lima

Pages 23–25

MATERIALS and RESOURCES

PROCESS

Bible

and ever-present God).

Pencils Crayons or markers

and her generosity towards to others. Disciple Power: Generosity Activity: Draw or write how you can be generous.

DAY Focus

DISCOVER

→ Learn that Abraham and Sarah had the gift of faith.

Crayons or markers

To discover people who help us to know God

Faith Words: faith, believe

Pages 26–27

Enriching the Lesson: Teacher Guide, page 77 Learning from Our Families

Scripture: You will be the father of many nations (Genesis 17:4, 15–16).

Faith-Filled People: Isaac

Activity: Discover how people share their faith and tell about God’s love.

DAY Focus

DISCOVER

To discover how we learn about God from Jesus and our families Pages 28–29

→ Discover that Jesus help us know God.

Pencils

→ Discover that our families helps us to know God.

Crayons or markers

Catholics Believe: Sign of the Cross

Enriching the Lesson: Teacher Guide, page 77  Who Am I?  Literature Connection: What Is God Like?

Scripture: God loves you so have faith in him (John 14:23). Activity: Trace letters to discover something important about God.

DAY Focus

4 DECIDE To decide on a way to be a kind and generous follower of Jesus Pages 30–31

DAY Focus

5 CONCLUDE To learn and pray the Sign of the Cross

Additional Activities Booklet: Activities 2a and 2b or see BeMyDisciples.com

→ Discover how our Church helps us know God. Faith Words: pray Activity: Draw yourself sharing love with someone. My Faith Choice: Choose how to show my love for God this week.

→ REVIEW Review concepts: Recall, Reflect, and Share. Bible, cross, candle for prayer space, pencils

→ PRAY The Sign of the Cross

Assessment Tools Booklet: Activities 2a and 2b

→ Grade 1 Music CD

Pages 32–34

Preview the With My Family page and the theme of the next chapter. Assign online Chapter Review

Grade 1

BeMyDisciples.com

DAY

Leader

CHAPTER

EXPLORE

Pray → Gather the students in the

prayer center.

→ You will be teaching the Sign

of the Cross at the end of the chapter. Make the Sign of the Cross reverently before the prayer, as an example for the students. Pray:

God

“Dear God, open our hearts that we may know your love for us.”

Loves Us

Ask students to respond: “Amen.”

Reflect

Name the people who know and love you. How do they show you that they love you?

→ Read aloud the opening sentence

and question and invite responses.

The Bible tells us that God loves us. Listen to these words from the Bible about God’s love for you.

→ Read the introductory paragraph

and Scripture passage.

→ Afterward, pause for a moment

Lord, you see me and know me. You know when I sit and when I stand. You know what I think and where I go. You know everything I do.

of silent reflection.

→ Invite students to respond to the

reflection questions.

Based on Psalm 139:1–6

→ Remind everyone that God is

What do these words say about God? 23

always with us. He speaks to us in the Bible.

Focus HUMAN METHODOLOGIES Learning Through the Witness of the Catechist. The National Directory for Catechesis teaches that under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, “catechists powerfully influence those being catechized by . . . the transparent example of their Christian lives” (NDC 29E). During your sessions, be observant as you lead the class in prayer. Model for them the importance of reverence, posture, making the Sign of the Cross, and other prayerful gestures. Help them to appreciate that their respectful attitudes honor God and show their love for him.

Invite students to turn the page to discover how Saint Rose of Lima helped others to know God’s love for them.

Student page 23

DAY

EXPLORE

Introduce

Disciple Power

→ Ask the students if they have ever

heard of Saint Rose of Lima. Let volunteers tell the group what they might know about her.

→ As you read aloud Saint Rose of

Lima, ask the class to listen for the ways she helped others to know God’s love for them.

rch The Chu

Follows

Jesus

Generosity Followers of Jesus are generous. We share our things with others. We pray for them. We are generous to them.

Saint Rose of Lima Rose knew and loved God. She knew that God loved her. She helped others know about God’s love. Rose lived with her family in Lima in the country of Peru. Rose helped take care of the family garden. She grew flowers and food. She sold flowers and gave the money to the poor and the sick. This made them feel better.

→ Read aloud the Disciple Power

feature. Explain that the virtue of generosity was one of Saint Rose’s greatest virtues.

→ Point out that everything Saint

Rose was kind and generous. She helped people learn how much God loved them.

Rose did for people showed them that God loves them.

How did Saint Rose show others that God loves them?

Reinforce Have volunteers re-tell the story of Saint Rose. Ask other volunteers to tell some of the ways Saint Rose shared God’s love with people.

DISCIPLE POWER Generosity. Ask volunteers to name a generous person they know and to provide an example of that person’s generosity. Pair the students up with a partner and have each twosome decide on one way they can be more generous at home, school, or with their friends. After a brief discussion period, invite the students to share their ideas with the class. Affirm their suggestions and encourage them to put them into practice, emphasizing that Jesus’ followers try always to be generous. In the coming weeks, praise the young people for the generosity that you notice in their behavior.

Student page 24

DAY

EXPLORE

Connect

Sharing God’s Love Saint Rose of Lima shows us how to love God and help others. You can pray to Saint Rose. Ask her to help you share God’s love.

Activity

→ Summarize Sharing God’s Love in

your own words.

→ Call attention to the activity and

read the directions aloud, making sure the students understand them.

You can show God’s love. In each flower, draw or write three ways you can be generous to others.

→ Allow ample time for the students

to create their “gardens.”

→ When the students finish,

encourage them to share the people in their gardens with each other.

→ Invite the students to think of one

person with whom they can show God’s love.

Pray → Write the following on the board:

“ Dear Saint Rose, help me show my love to __________.” Then invite each student to pray the words, adding the name of the person for whom he or she wishes to pray.

→ Conclude the prayer by leading the

students once again in the Sign of the Cross.

TEACHING TIP Reading Aloud. Because many first graders are only beginning to read, do not expect all of them to be able to read aloud for you this early in the school year. Read important passages aloud to them. Retell content in your own words or prepare the information so that you can tell it by glancing at the page. Help the students find key words in the book, such as the Faith Words. They may point to key words and highlight them. These actions will help students build word recognition skills.

Student page 25

DAY

DISCOVER

Key Concept The Bible tells us about people who had great faith in God.

Pray Gather the students for prayer. Remind them that God is with them. Invite them to lift their arms and hands and palms up in a gesture of prayer. Have them echo the following: Help me, O God grow closer to you. Help me believe more and more day by day. Amen.

Faith Focus Who helps us to know God and believe in him? Faith Words faith Faith is a gift from God. It helps us to know God and to believe in him. believe To believe means to have faith in God. It means to give yourself to God with all your heart.

We Know God Loves Us God knows us and loves us all the time. God wants us to know and love him too. The Bible has many stories of people who had faith in God. They listened to God. They came to know and believe in him. They loved him with all their hearts. Here is a Bible story about faith. Abraham and Sarah lived a long time before Jesus. God chose Abraham to be a great leader. God made him a promise. God said,

You will be the father of many nations. I will bless you and your wife Sarah. You will soon become the parents of a son.

Teach

Based on Genesis 17:4, 15–16

→ Draw the shape of a large heart on

the board. Print the words Faith and Believe inside it. Read the words aloud, one at a time, and ask the students what each word means to them. Read the Faith Words.

What did God promise Abraham?

→ Share the story of Abraham and

Sarah with the class.

→ Ask the students what God

promised Abraham.

→ Read about Isaac in Faith-Filled

People. Share that Isaac brought joy to his parents in the same way they do.

Reinforce → Write Abraham’s name above the

heart on the board. Remind the students that Abraham and Sarah were people of faith.

→ Have the children find the words

faith and believe in the Glossary on pages 522 and 523 and copy them in the space provided.

Student page 26

FAITH-FILLED PEOPLE Isaac. The story of Isaac is told in Genesis 22. Isaac was born to Abraham and Sarah when Sarah was advanced in age. Isaac was a special gift from God and a fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham that he would be the father of a great nation. Isaac married Rebecca and they became the parents of the twins Esau and Jacob. Jacob was later given the name Israel. (See Genesis 35:10–12.)

DAY DISCOVER Faith in God

G1_SSE_Ch02_27 SarahPENCIL listened to

Abraham and God and did what he asked. They had faith in God and believed in his promises.

DISCOVER

Connect

Faith-Filled People

→ Emphasize that Abraham and

Sarah listened to God, did what he asked, and had faith in God.

Isaac Isaac is the son whom God promised Abraham and Sarah. The name Isaac means “he laughs.” Isaac brought much joy and happiness to his parents.

→ Call attention to the Sharing

Faith activity and read the directions. Tell the class about someone you know who reveals God’s love to you.

→ Ask students to tell a partner one

Activity

way in which they can show that they believe in God. Ask several students to share their answers with the class.

Sharing Faith

Abraham and Sarah told everyone about God’s love. Draw the people who share their faith and tell you about God’s love.

→ Give the students time to draw.

Set a time limit and give a signal, such as ringing a bell when time is up.

→ When the students finish

drawing, allow them to share their drawings with someone who sits near them.

Pray → Gather everyone for prayer and

suggest that they quietly think about the people they drew.

→ Invite them to echo this or

another appropriate prayer: “Loving God, we know you love us. You give us people who teach us about you. Send your blessings to

TEACHING TIP Learning Prayers. Teaching the basic prayers of our Catholic faith is important. Send home a printed copy of each prayer you teach the class, and encourage the families to help their children learn their prayers. A small gift, such as a holy card or small wooden pocket cross, can help reinforce the importance of learning prayers.

____________.”

Ask everyone to say a name out loud. All respond, “Amen.”

Student page 27

DAY

DISCOVER

Key Concept Jesus and our family help us to know, believe in, and have faith in God.

Faith Focus How do we learn about God?

Jesus Helps Us to Know God Many years after Abraham and Sarah died, God sent his Son Jesus to us. Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus helps us best to know God and his love. Jesus helps us to believe in God and have faith in him.

Pray Have the students quiet themselves inside and outside for prayer. Pray the following, inviting the students to respond “Amen”:

Jesus taught over and over how much God loves us. He taught us that God is love. Jesus said,

God loves you. So, have faith in me, and be my followers.

“Lord our God, we believe in you. We hope in you. We love you.”

Based on John 14:23

What did Jesus teach us about God?

Teach → Explain that God sent his Son,

Jesus, to us many years after the time of Abraham and Sarah.

→ Invite volunteers to share what they

know about Jesus.

→ Ask the students to listen for the

faith words they learned yesterday as you share with them the section titled Jesus Helps Us to Know God.

Connect

FINAL ART STILL TO COME

Ask the students to name people who have told them about Jesus. Say a short prayer thanking God for them.

THE TASKS OF CATECHESIS Promoting Knowledge of the Faith. There are three Theological Virtues: faith, hope, and love. The word theological comes from the Greek word theos, which means God. These virtues help us to live as God’s children. We receive them as gifts at Baptism. Faith helps us to believe in God and all that God has told us through Jesus, the Bible, and the Church. Help the students understand that our faith grows as we come to know and love God more. Ask them to suggest different things they can do to grow in their love for and knowledge of God. Possible responses include praying daily, studying our religion books, and listening carefully to the readings and homily at Mass.

Student page 28

DAY DISCOVER Our Family Helps Us to Know God God knows and loves every person. God wants everyone to know him and love him, too. God gave us the gift of a family. Our family helps us to grow in our faith. They help us to know God and believe in him. Our family helps us give ourselves to God with all our hearts. Our family helps us to grow in faith.

Activity

DISCOVER

Reinforce

Catholics Believe

→ Ask: What does Jesus ask us

Sign of the Cross Catholics pray the Sign of the Cross. This shows we have faith in God. We pray, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

to do because of God’s love for us? (to believe in God and to follow him)

→ Have the students find and

underline the words believe and faith in their texts. Remind them that Jesus, the Son of God, and our families helps us grow in faith and belief in God.

Connect

Trace the words. Discover one important thing about God.

God loves us.

Ask the students to name people who have told them about Jesus. Pause and say a short prayer thanking God for these good people.

LITURGY CONNECTION The Sign of the Cross. The phrase Sign of the Cross usually refers to the large cross that Catholics trace from forehead to breast and from shoulder to shoulder when they begin to pray. The priest also uses this gesture at the beginning of Mass. Bishops and priests use this gesture when they impart a blessing. There is evidence that tracing a cross on the forehead and the blessing of objects was common for Christians as early as the second century. As you begin to teach this prayer to the students, be mindful of its ancient significance as a symbol of faith.

Student page 29

DAY

DISCOVER

Key Concept Our Church and parish help us to know about God and to believe in him and his love for us.

Pray

Faith Focus Who helps us to know and love God? Faith Words pray We pray when we listen and talk to God.

Invite the students to quiet themselves for prayer. Slowly and reverently pray the Sign of the Cross.

Our Church Helps Us to Know God We belong to the Catholic Church. Our parish is our Church family. Our parish is our home in the Catholic Church. People in our Church know and love God. They help us to know and love him too. We pray together. We listen to the Bible. We learn about Jesus and God’s love. We help each other. How does your Church help you come to know God?

Teach → Remind the young people that Jesus

helps us know God.

→ Ask the students the Faith Focus

question.

→ Tell the students that this page will

help them learn about other people who help them know and love God.

→ Ask the students the name of their

parish. Write the names (they may come from a variety of parishes) on the board.

→ Introduce the word pray and its

definition.

→ Present Our Church Helps Us to

Know God.

Reinforce Have students respond to the followup question. Then re-read the second paragraph and have them highlight or underline the key action words—pray, listen, learn, help.

Connect Invite volunteers to act out different ways to pray. ( fold hands, raise hands, kneel, sing, and so on) Compliment the students on their sharing.

Student page 30

TEACHING TIP Finding Key Words. Some reading skills, such as locating key words, are used throughout a lifetime. You will need to model the skill before asking the students to highlight the key word in paragraph two on page 30. Copy the first sentence on the board: We pray together. Point to each word as you read it. Ask the class to say which word in the sentence tells what we do. Highlight the word. Then, lead everyone through the second sentence in their book. Be sure each student highlights the word listen. Continue with the last two sentences.

DAY DISCOVER Your family and the Church help you to learn how much God loves you. You can help your family and friends learn how much God loves them. You can treat them the way Jesus asked. You can be kind and generous to them.

Activity

DECIDE

Reinforce

I Follow

Jesus

Remind the class that many people share their love of God with us by helping us grow in faith. Emphasize that they can do that, too.

Respond

Sharing God’s Love

→ Name some of the things the

In one heart, draw people helping you learn about God. In the second heart draw yourself sharing God’s love.

students can do to help others come to know God and his love better. (taking turns, sharing a toy, or telling a friend about Jesus) Explain the activity directions and give the class time to complete it.

→ Invite the students to share their

pictures.

Choose

My Faith Choice

→ Explain that My Faith Choice

gives them the chance to choose how they will help others come to know God and his love.

Check (√) what you will do. This week I will help others know how much God loves them. I will tell others about God.

→ Ask the students to follow along

show my family I love them. thank God for his love. Pray,“Thank you, Holy Spirit, for helping me to show my love for God. Amen.” 31

as you read My Faith Choice aloud. Invite them to look at the three choices and to choose one thing they will do this week. Tell them to put a check mark in the box of their choice.

→ Help the students quiet

SPECIAL NEEDS Finding the Place on a Page. Many first graders are just learning to read. They may not be able to easily find their place on the page, especially when there are several features. When you direct them to a feature on the page, have them point to it first. Then check to see that all have done so before proceeding. If you want the students to highlight a word, print the word on the board first for all to see, and then tell them to count down the lines from the top of the page until they find the word. These simple things will help all students to be successful learners.

themselves for prayer. Invite them to pray silently, asking the Holy Spirit to help them show God’s love to others this week.

Need: All students, especially those with reading difficulties

Student page 31

DAY

CONCLUDE

Pray Begin the session by praying the Sign of the Cross.

Recall → Point out the To Help You

Remember statements that reinforce the main faith concepts presented in the lesson. Read the statements, one at a time and ask students to clap their hands if the statement is true. Turn one of the statements into a negative for the purpose of the game, and then repeat it properly so that all can clap.

TO HELP YOU REMEMBER 1. God’s gift of faith helps us come to know him and believe in him. 2. Jesus is the Son of God. He helps us to know how much God loves us and to have faith in God. 3. Our family and our Church help us to know, love, and serve God.

Chapter Review Recall Complete the sentences. Color the next to the best choice. 1. To

means to have faith in God. believe

hope

is the Son of God. Abraham

3. Faith is a gift from our friends 4.

Jesus . God

helps us best to know God and his love.

Jesus

→ Give the directions for the

The Bible

Reflect

activity and guide the class in completing it.

What are the ways that God shows his love for you?

Reflect → Ask students to think about the

ways that God shows his love for them.

→ Call on different students to share

their reflections.

Share Have students write the name of the person with whom they will share what they have learned. Encourage them to remember to follow through with their sharing this week.

Student page 32

Tell a partner one way you will share your love with God and your family.

TEACHING TIP Learning Within the Christian Family. The National Directory for Catechesis points out that the family is ordinarily the “primary environment for growth in faith” (NDC 29D). In your written and verbal communication with parents, help them to recognize how important it is to participate in Sunday liturgy as a family. Promote weekly liturgy in a positive, encouraging manner. If possible, invite class families to gather together at a regularly scheduled weekend Mass, followed by refreshments. This will give families the opportunity to meet one another and may help them begin to make Sunday Eucharist a weekly habit.

DAY DISCOVER

→ Prepare the class for prayer. Remind

everyone that one way Catholics show their faith in God is by praying the Sign of the Cross. Explain that when we pray this prayer, we say that we believe what Jesus taught us about God.

We pray the Sign of the Cross to begin our prayers. Pray the Sign of the Cross with your class. In the name of the Father,

and of the Son,

CONCLUDE

We Pray

Sign of the Cross

→ Review the form of the Sign of

the Cross with the class. See to it that everyone is making the gesture correctly and is comfortable making it.

and of the Holy Spirit.

→ Divide the class into four groups

and assign each group one of the sections of the prayer. Help each group practice its part. Note: Depending on the students’ reading abilities, you might have to help each group by reading each line and then having the group repeat it after you.

Amen. Leader

O God, we call you Father. You are the God of Love. O God, we call you Jesus, the Son sent from above. O God we call you Spirit. You help us all to know.

All

That we are all your children And that you love us so.

→ Ask the students to quiet

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

→ Lead the class in the prayer.

themselves for prayer time and to remember that God is with them, right here and right now.

LITURGY TIP Active Learning. Working in pairs is a good way for all the students to remain actively engaged in the learning process. Incorporate partner work into your teaching as often as you can. Throughout the lesson, students may turn to someone sitting nearby and quickly share information and opinions. For more complicated projects, they may pair with a partner of their choice. Keep alert to anyone not being picked and quickly intervene. Later in the year, the students may partner randomly by picking a card or colored object and pairing with a match.

Student page 33

DAY

CONCLUDE

Preview → Have the students carefully tear

out pages 33 and 34 along the perforation.

→ Encourage the students to share

these pages with their families, and to complete the activities together.

→ If they did not complete the review

activity on page 32 by the end of the session, emphasize that they can complete it with their families at home.

→ Point out the title and theme of

With My Family This Week . . .

Sharing God’s Word

In Chapter 2, “God Loves Us,” your child learned:

Read together John 13:34–35 from your family Bible or from a children’s version of the Bible. Emphasize that when we treat one another as Jesus told his disciples to do, we show our love for God and for one another. We also show others how much God loves them.

→ God has revealed himself and invites us to believe in him and his love for us. → Jesus Christ revealed the most about God and his love for us. → Jesus is the Son of God. He is the fullness of God’s Revelation. → Our family and our Church help us grow in faith in God and in love for him. For more about related teachings of the Church, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 80–95 and 142–175, and the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, pages 35–47.

the next lesson to the students.

→ Compile a list of the names of people who have helped or who are helping your family grow in faith and in your love for God. Pray for these people at a family meal. → Name the ways your family is generous to each other and to other people. Remind your children that when they are generous they are living as Jesus taught.

We Live as Disciples The Christian home and family is a school of discipleship. It is the first place where children learn to live as disciples. Choose one or more of the following activities to do as a family or design a similar activity of your own.

Visit BeMyDisciples.com

Our Spiritual Journey Generosity is a habit of being a disciple of Christ. Generously sharing our spiritual and material blessings with others, especially people in need, is one of the foundational spiritual disciplines, or practices, of the Christian life. This discipline is known as almsgiving. Make this discipline one of the hallmarks of your family’s life. Pray together: Dear Jesus, give me a generous heart.

→ Take time with the students to explore the many activities and resources available at Be My Disciples Web site.

→ Encourage them to join with their families to discover the many resources available at the Web site. For more ideas on ways your family can live as disciples of Jesus, visit 34

Before Moving On … As you finish today’s lesson, reflect on the following question before moving on to the next chapter. Which students could use more praise from me?

Student page 34

BeMyDisciples.com

PARTNERING WITH PARENTS Building Relationships. You and the parents of your first graders have one goal in common: to help their children grow in faith in Jesus Christ. Demonstrate that commitment by greeting the parents. Know the parents’ names and make it a priority to speak directly to as many as possible before and after class. Collect e-mail addresses and communicate with the parents about class events. If a student is absent, e-mail the family and let them know the chapter you covered during the absence. Assuring parents that you want to help them in their role as their child’s primary teacher in the faith will go far in making this a successful year for the students, the families, and you.

Enriching the Lesson Who Am I? Purpose

Directions

Materials

To reinforce the students’ awareness of the people who help us come to know and believe in God (taught on pages 26–30)

→ Remind the students that many different people will help us

none

come to know and believe in God.

→ Invite the class to play the game “Who Am I?” with you. Give them clues about the people in this chapter who help us grow in faith. As soon as they know who the person is, they are to stand. When a majority of the students are standing, ask volunteers to name the person. Be sure to use Saint Rose, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jesus, parents, and priests. Also include yourself.

Learning from Our Families Purpose

Directions

Materials

To reinforce that our families and our grandparents help us grow in faith (taught on page 29)

→ Brainstorm with the students questions they would like to ask

index cards

their parents and grandparents about God and their faith. Some questions might be: What is your favorite Bible story? Who helped you come to know and love God?

pencils or markers

→ Have each student share with you one of the questions he or she would like to ask their family. As each student responds, print the question on an index card and give it to the student.

→ Invite the students to ask their questions at home during the next week. Tell them to have a family member answer the question and write the response on the card.

→ Remind students to bring their answers to class throughout the week. Begin religion class by inviting volunteers to share what they learned from their family members.

Literature Connection Purpose

Directions

Materials

To reinforce the understanding of the responses to the questions that the students have about God (taught on pages 26–30)

→ Brainstorm with the class questions they have about God and

What Is God Like? by Kathleen Bostrom

list them on the board.

→ Invite students to listen as you read the book What Is God

Like? by Kathleen Bostrom (Tyndale House Publishers, 1998). This charming book uses questions by very young children to answer fundamental questions about who God is and what he is like.

→ After listening to the story, have the students share which one of their questions was answered.

CHAPTER

3 God, Our Father and Creator

BACKGROUND

God, Author of All Life Life is God’s generous gift to humankind. The beauty of creation, the order of the universe, and the intricacies of all living things all point to the wonder of God the Father and Creator.

Biblical Accounts of Creation

Stewards of Creation

Scripture provides two different story formats to communicate the truth of God’s act of Creation. The first account is found in Genesis 1:1–2:4a and moves through the chaos and void that was.

There is a clear message in the biblical accounts of Creation: All creation belongs to God. And God has handed over his wonderful world into the care of humankind.

This account develops the story of six days wherein the Earth and all that is on the Earth was created. The first humans were created in the image of God and blessed. In this creation account we discover that God the Creator rested on the seventh day.

We are charged with the God-given responsibility to be stewards of God’s creation. We are stewards, not owners of Earth and the entire universe. It is our responsibility and privilege to share natural resources with all who inhabit this planet. We are to use God’s gift of creation wisely and justly. We are to build a just world. Most importantly, we are to live in a spirit of thanksgiving and awe at the wonder of God’s gifts. We are to use creation to glorify God.

The second account, Genesis 2:4b–25, is a one-day Creation story. It emphasizes the breathing of God’s own life into the first man and creating a garden in Eden for him and his descendants. Then God created man’s partner and companion from his side and named her “woman.” Both of these biblical accounts of creation follow several patterns found in the creation stories of ancient cultures. The Israelite account of creation provides unique differences from other accounts. First, there is one God, who created everything. Second, all that God created was good. Third, the pinnacle of creation is humanity infused with the divine breath and made in the divine image.

New Adam and New Creation Joined to Christ, the new Adam, our work of stewardship is joined to his work through baptism. We work toward preparing the way for the new creation, the Kingdom of God. We work toward preparing the way for the coming of a new Heaven and a new Earth when the glory of God will be fully revealed.

For Reflection How well do my actions reflect that I am a steward of creation? What can I do to help the students value creation as a gift? 78

Grade 1

Teacher to Teacher Discovering God’s Gifts First graders are naturally curious and fascinated by all of God’s creation. They can be as easily entertained by a fly on the wall as by a display in a planetarium. As you teach this lesson, take time to help the students discover that the gifts of God’s creation are all around them and can be discovered through their five senses. Take time to explore God’s gifts through their use of the five senses of sight, taste, touch, sound, and smell. This will help them begin to experience the world with eyes of faith.

The Church Teaches… “While the content of the faith cannot be reduced to formulas that are repeated without being properly understood, learning by heart has had a special place in catechesis and should continue to have that place in catechesis today” (National Directory for Catechesis, 29F). The stories, sayings, and prayers of Jesus are, therefore, good subjects for the students to begin to learn by heart and become a vital part of their memories. Memorizing will help the students keep Jesus at the center of their lives.

Further Reading and Reflection

The Gift of Life The most important understanding we can give the students is to help them learn that each person is a unique and precious gift from God the Creator. You can do this best by treating each child with respect and making sure that they each treat you and one another with respect as well. Little things, such as listening when others are speaking, taking turns, and sharing, not only make for a more pleasant time together but also teach the students a valuable faith lesson.

For more related teachings of the Church, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 232–248 and 268–314; and the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, pages 53–56, 67–68.

Teacher Prayer God our Creator, the world is such a wonder to your little children. Help me see its awesome beauty through their eyes. Guide me as I help them look beyond creation to see your glory. Amen.

Lesson Planner Chapter 3 God, Our Father and Creator Goal

To learn about God as the Father and Creator

LESSON PART DAY Focus

EXPLORE

→ Proclaim and discuss Psalm 136:4 (The beauty and

To explore how creation shows us that God is Creator

→ Learn how Saint Kateri came to know God’s love.

Pages 35–37

DAY Focus

MATERIALS and RESOURCES

PROCESS

DISCOVER

goodness of God’s world).

Bible Pencils Crayons or markers

Disciple Power: Wonder Activity: Find God’s gifts hidden in the picture.

Crayons or markers

→ Discover that God alone is the Creator of all that is visible and invisible.

To discover how the Bible reveals God as Creator

Faith Words: Creator

Pages 38–39

Catholics Believe: The Our Father

Scripture: God saw that it was good (Genesis 1:31). Activity: Draw a picture of your favorite part of God’s creation.

DAY Focus

DISCOVER

→ Understand that God created people in his image and likeness.

To discover how God created us in his image

Faith-Filled People: Catherine of Siena

Pages 40–41

Faith Words: image of God

Pencils Crayons or markers Enriching the Lesson: Teacher Guide, page 93  Making a Creation Book  Taking a Creation Walk

Scripture: God made people in his image (Genesis 1:26–31). Activity: Complete and pray an “I Am Special” prayer.

DAY Focus

4 DECIDE

Enriching the Lesson: Teacher Guide, page 93 Literature Connection: All Things Bright and Beautiful

→ Come to know God’s love for every person.

To decide on ways to care for God’s creation

Scripture: Jesus helps us to know and believe that God is our Father (Matthew 6:9).

Pages 42–43

Activity: Draw yourself in a puzzle piece taking care of God’s creation. My Faith Choice: Choose a way to care for creation.

DAY Focus

5 CONCLUDE To use pictures to help us pray

Additional Activities Booklet: Activities 3a and 3b or see BeMyDisciples.com

→ REVIEW Review concepts: Recall, Reflect, and Share. Bible, cross, candle for prayer space, pencils

→ PRAY Thank You, God!

Assessment Tools Booklet: Activities 3a and 3b

→ Grade 1 Music CD

Pages 44–46

Preview the With My Family page and the theme of the next chapter.

Assign online Chapter Review

Grade 1

BeMyDisciples.com

DAY CHAPTER

EXPLORE

Pray → Ask the students to close their

eyes and think of some of the beautiful things in the world.

→ Lead the children in the Sign of

the Cross. Pray:

Dear God, we thank you for creating us.

God ,

Have the children respond: “Amen.”

→ Conclude by praying the Sign of

the Cross.

Our Father and Creator

Reflect → Invite the students to look at the

picture on the page.

What is your favorite part of creation?

→ Read aloud the opening question

and invite responses.

Close your eyes and see all the beautiful things in the world. Listen to what the Bible tells us about the world.

→ Tell the students that the Bible

has many prayers and songs called psalms. Ask them to listen carefully while you read one of these prayers for them.

O God, everything you made is wonderful! Based on Psalm 136:4 What do these words from the Bible tell you about the world God made?

→ Read the introductory paragraph 35

and proclaim Psalm 136:4. Invite the students to repeat the words aloud after you.

→ Pause for a moment. Ask

LITURGY CONNECTION Seeing Creation as God’s Gift. All the wonderful things God created help us come to know him and his love for us. Before proclaiming Psalm 136, ask the students to close their eyes and imagine different places and things in the world that God created for us as a gift. To get the students started, give them examples from your own experience of imagining God’s creation. Invite the students to share the created things they recall. Then proclaim the psalm verse aloud. Explain that all of Jesus’ friends praise and thank God for the gifts of creation. Encourage the students to memorize short psalm verses like the ones in Psalm 136:4. This will increase their sense of religious identity.

volunteers to name some of the wonderful things in the world that God has created.

Focus Invite the students to turn the page to discover how Saint Kateri Tekakwitha felt closer to God when she looked at his creation.

Student page 35

DAY

EXPLORE

Introduce

Disciple Power

→ Tell the class that they are going

to hear a story about a young Native American girl named Kateri Tekakwitha.

→ Ask the students to listen for how

God’s creation was important to Kateri.

→ Point out Disciple Power. Explain

rch The Chu

Follows

Jesus

Wonder The word “wonderful” comes from the word “wonder.” Wonder is a special gift from God. God gives us this gift to help us come to know how good he is.

that like Kateri, we can come to know God as we take time to look with wonder at God’s wonderful gift of creation.

Kateri Tekakwitha Kateri was born in the state of New York. When Kateri was four years old, her eyes were harmed by an illness. She could hardly see in the sunlight. The people of her village gave Kateri the nickname Tekakwitha. The name means “The one who walks trying to find her way. ” Kateri loved the outdoors. She helped grow corn, beans, and squash. She picked roots of plants in the forest to make medicines. The beauty of the forest reminded her of God. It filled her with wonder. Kateri went there to talk with God and listen to him.

→ Note that the Church honors

Kateri as Saint Kateri Tekakwitha. The Church honors Saint Kateri on July 14.

The Catholic Church honors her as Saint Kateri Tekakwitha. The things she did and said show us how to live as disciples of Jesus. Why was being in the forest important to Kateri?

DISCIPLE POWER Wonder and Awe. Wonder and Awe is one of the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Traditionally this gift is called Fear of the Lord. When we are in awe of God, we show our thankfulness for God’s love and care for us. Explain that God sees and hears all that we do and say. Encourage the students to show their awe for God by using all their words and actions to tell God that they love him with all their hearts. Talk with the students about how sharing a toy with a friend, helping a classmate, or obeying their parents shows awe for God. Reinforce that all of these actions give praise to God. Ask the students to supply other examples.

Student page 36

DAY Activity

EXPLORE

Reinforce Invite volunteers to answer the question at the end of the story. (The forest was important because it reminded Kateri of God.)

Wonderful Gifts

Some wonderful things are hidden in this forest. Each is a gift from our wonderful loving God. Find and circle each gift: a moon, a bird, a flower, a bee, a fish, and a horse. Then color the picture.

Connect → Have the students think about

the beauty of God’s creation. Ask volunteers to share what parts of creation remind them of God. (a rainbow, a thunderstorm, a forest, the ocean)

→ Read aloud the directions for the

activity.

→ Have the students find and circle

the hidden pictures. (moon, bird, flower, bee, fish, horse)

→ Encourage the students to make

the picture beautiful. Circulate among them to offer praise and encouragement as they work.

Pray

Gather for prayer. Invite the young people to name one part of creation for which they are thankful. As each student mentions something, lead the class in responding: “Thank you, loving God.”

CROSS-CURRICULAR Language Arts. Collect colorful pictures of good things God has created. During language arts, divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a picture. Tell the partners to create a two-or-three line poem about their picture that uses the words God and good. Provide time for partners to read their poems to the class.

Student page 37

DAY

DISCOVER

Key Concept God is the Creator of Heaven and Earth.

Pray Invite the class to stand and echo after you: Men and women, girls and boys, praise our loving God! Based on Psalm 148:12–13

Faith Focus What do the gifts we see and hear in creation tell us about God? Faith Words Creator God is the Creator. He made everything out of love and without any help.

Sweet

and then planted

. up from the earth.

and

came to birth.

God made the

in the waters to swim.

God made the

out on the limb. Soon

and

did appear, then

you read the poem aloud.

, and

→ Have them complete the poem by

and

, and

God made them all. No one else could.

tracing the final word. (good)

God made them and loved them and

→ Slowly read the poem again, having

called them all good.

students name the rebus pictures.

→ Explain that the whole story of

Student page 38

and

shine at night.

God grew the

→ Ask the students to follow along as

light. God made the

and the

rebus art in the creation poem. Have volunteers take turns identifying the pictures. Ask: Who created all these things? (God)

Have the students respond to the follow-up question in the text.

for warmth and

, while up in the sky flew the

→ Invite the students to look at the

Reinforce

God made the

Teach

creation is in the Bible. Say: The creation story tells about the wonderful things God has made.

God Creates a Wonderful World

Based on Genesis 1:1–25

What did God do with all of creation? 38

TEACHING TIP For Students Who Learn by Doing. Invite the class to act out the Bible story of creation. Encourage each student to be one of the things God created: sun, moon, star, earth, tree, bird, and so on. Take the part of a narrator and encourage the students to “shine” like as the sun or moon, to “sparkle” as the stars, to wave their arms as tree branches, to buzz like bees, to run, creep, and crawl as animals, to dive and swim as fish. If you wish, play a recording of lively music as you read the poem.

DAY DISCOVER God the Creator God made our wonderful world. God is the Creator. God alone made Heaven and Earth. He made everything out of love. The Bible tells us,

God looked at everything he made. He saw that it was very good. Based on Genesis 1:31

Remember, God is love. God the Creator is also our loving Father God shares his love with us now and forever.

Activity

DISCOVER

Teach

Catholics Believe

→ Write the word Creator on the

The Our Father The Church prays the Our Father every day. We pray the Our Father at Mass. We tell God we love him. We tell God we know he loves and cares for us.

board. Ask the students to find this word in the Faith Words section. Read aloud the definition on the page. Tell the students that God created the whole world out of his love and without any help.

→ Tell the students to raise their

hands each time they hear the word love as you read the paragraphs on the page.

Think of your favorite part of God’s creation. Draw a picture of it. Share what it tells you about God.

Reinforce → Review the word Creator in

Faith Words. Have the students echo each line of the definition after you.

→ Ask the students turn to page 392

in the Glossary, find the word Creator, and write it in the space.

Connect → As a volunteer to read aloud

the Catholics Believe feature to teach the class more about the Our Father.

CATHOLICS BELIEVE The Summary of the Gospel. The Our Father has been called the summary of the whole Gospel. Saint Augustine said that if you were to read all the prayers of the Scriptures, you would not find anything in them that is not included in the Our Father, also called the Lord’s Prayer. Saint Thomas Aquinas pointed out that the Lord’s Prayer is the perfect prayer because it teaches us not only what things to pray for, but also the order in which we should ask for them. The early Church prayed the Our Father three times a day. The prayer has been a part of the liturgy of the Church from the very beginning. Today we also pray the Our Father in the celebrations of the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist.

→ Explain the directions to the

activity. Have the students complete it and then share their drawing with a partner.

Pray Invite the students to respond “Amen” as you pray: “Creator God, you make all things good. Teach us to love all that you have made. Amen.”

Student page 39

DAY

DISCOVER

Key Concept God creates every person in his own image.

Pray Invite the students to quiet themselves for prayer. Ask them to look at their drawing on page 39 and pray after you:

Faith Focus Why did God create people? Faith Words image of God We are created in the image of God. We are children of God.

God Creates People God is the Creator of all people. He creates every person to be an image of God. In the Bible we read,

God made people in his image. He blessed them and told them to take care of everything he made. God said everything he made was very good. Based on Genesis 1:26–31

How wonderful you are, O God. How wonderful your name. Amen.

God loves every person. We are very special to God. He created us to be happy with him now on Earth and forever in Heaven.

Teach

Why are you special to God?

→ Pass a hand mirror around the class.

Allow each student to look at his or her reflection and then pass the mirror on to the next person.

→ Write the word image on the

board and briefly explain what an image is. Share with the students that when they look at themselves in a mirror, they see an image, or reflection, of themselves.

→ Invite them to listen as you read the

section titled God Created People.

→ Ask the follow-up question to help

the students express what they learned about God’s creation of people. (God creates us to be happy with him forever. People are special because they are created in the image of God.) Take time to find out why each student feels special to God.

→ Point out Faith-Filled People

about Saint Catherine of Siena. Saint Catherine saw creation as an example of God’s love.

Student page 40

FAITH-FILLED PEOPLE Saint Catherine of Siena (1347–1380). Catherine of Siena grew up in a large family in Italy. She joined the Dominican Tertiaries (Third Order) at age sixteen. Saint Catherine served the poor and, after some years, heard a call from the Lord to enter a more public life. Saint Catherine worked tirelessly for peace in her country and in the Church because she realized that the central part of Jesus’ ministry focused on reconciling all people with God. Her writings are considered classics of the Italian language. For more information on Saint Catherine of Siena, go to the Saints Resource at BeMyDisciples.com.

DAY DISCOVER

Activity

I Am Special

Draw yourself in the flower. Write your name on the line. Then pray your prayer. Dear God, You know my name. _____________________________________ ________________________ _____________________________________ I am so special to you. Thank you, God.

DISCOVER

Reinforce

Faith-Filled People

→ Ask each student to stand and

Saint Catherine of Siena Catherine enjoyed the wonders of creation. Things in nature reminded Catherine how much God loves us. This helped her to grow in her love for God. The Church celebrates the feast day of Saint Catherine of Siena on April 29.

Amen.

turn to a partner. Choose a partner for yourself to model the following action and model the following action: put your hand on your partner’s shoulder and say, “God created (name) and God saw that he/she was very good.” Then have each student repeat this action, using their partner’s name.

→ Point out the words image of God

in Faith Words. Have the students turn to page 394 of the Glossary, find the words, and write them in the space.

Connect → Invite the students to look at

the pictures of the children on page 40 and to notice that they are different from one another. Go on to say: Yes, the children are different, but they are also the same in one very important way. God created each one in his image.

→ Give the students time to draw 41

HUMAN METHODOLOGIES Learning Through Human Experience. The National Directory for Catechesis observes that human experiences enable “people to explore, interpret, and judge their basic experiences in light of the Gospel” (NDC 29A). To help the students better understand that each of them is made in God’s likeness, work with them to make a “We Are Images of God” banner on a strip of long white shelf paper. Ask them to bring to class photographs of themselves to glue on the banner. Ask them to print their names below their pictures and to decorate the banner with drawings of flowers and other signs of creation. Display the banner on a wall in the classroom.

themselves and to print their names. Offer help where needed.

Pray Gather the class for prayer. Invite each student to use his or her name in the prayer. Then have the students join hands and repeat after you: “Thank you, loving God, for creating us and making us so special. Amen.”

Student page 41

DAY

DISCOVER

Key Concept God the Creator is our loving Father.

Faith Focus What does the Bible tell us about God?

God Is Our Loving Father Every person is created by God. God the Creator is our loving Father. This is why the Bible tells us we are children of God.

Pray

Jesus helped us to know and believe that God is our Father. he taught us to pray, “Our Father, who art in heaven . . .”

Have the students quiet themselves for prayer. Invite them to stand. Let one student lead the others in praying the Sign of the Cross.

Based on matthew 6:9

God the Father loves us and knows each of us by name. Jesus told us that God the Father cares for all his creation. He cares for people.

Teach → Have the students point to Faith

Focus and read along with you. Ask them to think how they might answer the question. Tell them that this page will help them learn about God the Father.

We show we love God our Father when we take care of ourselves. We show our love for God when we take care of creation. How do we show our love to God?

→ Read aloud the section titled God

Is Our Loving Father.

→ Explain that Jesus taught us the

God Loves Me. I Love God.

Our Father. Have the students turn to page 367 and read the whole text of the prayer along with you.

→ Ask a volunteer to read aloud the

Catholics Believe feature again, to remind the class about the Our Father.

Reinforce Tell the class that we call God, “Father” because Jesus, the Son of God, taught us to do so. Emphasize that as our Father, God loves and cares for us.

Connect → Invite the students to answer the

follow-up question.

→ Invite a volunteer to read the words

in the box. Ask the students to share how they know God loves them.

Student page 42

TEACHING TIP Decision Making. Foster the success of all the students. Some of them may have a difficult time deciding what to draw or what to write when doing an activity. They may be afraid of making a mistake. They may be shy. They may lack experience in being creative. Or, perhaps they are bilingual and have difficulty processing directions. Be aware of these students. Be ready to whisper some suggestions to them or guide them to come up with ideas.

DAY DISCOVER God is wonderful. He is so very good to us. The world is God’s gift to everybody. One way you can say thank you to God is to help take care of the things in the world.

Activity

DECIDE

Reinforce

I Follow

Jesus

Read the opening paragraph to the class.

Respond → Make two columns on the board

labeled God’s Creation and We Care.

Caring for God’s Creation In the puzzle piece draw a picture of yourself taking care of something in God’s creation.

→ Have the students brainstorm

things in creation that need care and what they can do to help care for these things. Print their responses in the appropriate columns.

→ Explain the directions and have

My Faith Choice

the students complete the puzzle pieces activity. Tell them that they may use ideas from the board. When they have finished the activity, invite the students to share their drawings with a classmate.

This week I will take care of God’s creation. I will try to do what I have drawn in the puzzle.

Choose

Pray,“Thank you, God. Thank you for the gift of your creation. Amen.”

→ Read aloud My Faith Choice. → Encourage the students to keep 43

their faith promises this week.

→ Invite the students to pray the

prayer silently, thanking God for his wonderful gift of creation.

THE TASKS OF CATECHESIS Educating for Community Life. Remind the students that at Mass we pray a prayer in which we say that God is the maker of Heaven and Earth. Explain that the word maker means Creator. Reinforce that everything that God made is good. Remind the students that God gave all his disciples the responsibility to care for the gifts of creation. Point out that this is one way we share in God’s work. After the students choose their faith responses, ask for their ideas about how your class can work together on a project showing care for creation. As a group, choose one or more of the activities they suggest and follow through on it in the coming weeks.

→ Finally, lead the class in praying

the Sign of the Cross.

Student page 43

DAY

CONCLUDE

Pray Begin the session by leading the class in saying: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Recall → Read aloud the To Help You

Remember statement, one at a time, leaving out a key word in each statement. Invite the students to call out the missing word after you read each statement.

TO HELP YOU REMEMBER

Chapter Review

1. God is the Creator. He made the whole world out of love.

Recall 1. Jesus

made everything out of love.

2. God created people in the image of God.

2. People

taught us to call God our Father.

Draw lines to complete the sentences.

3. God

are made in the image of God.

3. Jesus taught us that God is our Father.

Circle Yes if the sentence is true. Circle No if it is not true. 4. God is love. Yes

5. Only God is the Creator.

→ Explain the matching activity and

Yes

give the students time to complete it. Check answers.

6. God does not ask us to care for creation. Yes

→ Read directions for numbers 4–6.

Then read one sentence at a time, pausing for the students to circle their choices. Check answers.

Reflect What is one way you will share God’s love with others?

Reflect Invite the students to write how they will be children of God and share God’s love with others.

Share Call on different students to share what they drew in their puzzle activity. As a class, decide on a way the students can act as images of God by caring for creation. (Some examples are: recycling paper, cleaning the classroom or hallway, planting a classroom garden.) Help the class plan and carry out its project.

Tell a family member how you will treat others with kindness this week.

SPECIAL NEEDS Words to Know. Cut six strips of an appropriate length from light poster board. On three of the strips write one of the sentence parts from Column A in the matching activity. On each of the other three strips write one of the incomplete sentences from Column B. Distribute the strips to six students. One at a time ask the students with the strips from Column A to find the person with the words from Column B that will make a correct sentence with the words on their strip. Invite the two students to stand together and hold up their strips. Have the class read the sentence aloud. Then have the students draw the correct matching line in their books. Repeat the exercise with the remaining pairs of students. Need: Students with visual or attention deficits

page 44

DAY DISCOVER

→ Remind the students of the idea of

a rebus. Invite them to guess what each picture in the “Thank You, God!” prayer represents. Make sure they understand that the heart shape stands for the word love.

A rebus prayer uses pictures to help us pray. Use a word for each picture. Pray the prayer together. All

Thank you, God, for your

Reader 1

You made the

All

Thank you, God, for your

Reader 2

You made the

ALL

Thank you, God, for your

Reader 3

You made the

and

All ALL

Thank you, God, for your

Reader 4

You made the

All

Thank you, God, for your

Reader 5

You made all the world’s

All

Thank you, God, for your You made ME!

→ Explain that as they pray they

and the shining

and

CONCLUDE

We Pray

Thank You, God!

Based

will hold the hand of the person to their right every time they say the word love.

→ Choose five students for the Reader

parts of the prayer. Tell the rest of the class that they will read the parts marked “All.” Let the students practice their parts.

→ Practice the song that concludes

the prayer.

→ Lead the class in the prayer. Begin

and end by reverently praying the Sign of the Cross.

. Psalm 148

CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING Caring for God’s Creation. We show our respect for God the Creator by caring for all that he created. Caring for creation is, in fact, a requirement of Christian faith. First of all, we are called by God to show respect for all people, because we are all created in his image. This is the foundation of our human dignity. We are to be stewards of the Earth as well. Christians must measure every choice by the impact it has on human life and on the environment. To honor God and his creation, ask the students to echo this prayer after you: “O Lord, our Lord, how awesome is your name through all the earth!” (Psalm 8:2).

Student page 45

DAY

CONCLUDE

Preview → Have the students carefully tear

out pages 45 and 46 along the perforation.

→ Encourage the students to share

these pages with their families, and to complete the activities together.

→ If they did not complete the review

activity on page 44 by the end of the session, emphasize that they can complete it with their families at home.

→ Point out the title and theme of the

next lesson to the students.

With My Family This Week . . .

Sharing God’s Word

In Chapter 3, “God, Our Father and Creator,” your child learned:

Read together the Bible story in Genesis 1:26–31 about the creation of people. Or read the adaptation of the story on page 38. Emphasize that every person is an image of God.

→ God is the Creator. All God’s creation is good. Everything good exists because God created it out of love. → God created every person in his image. He created people with all their differences. → God is our Father. There is no limit to his love for his children. → We respond to God the Creator’s love by helping to take care of creation. For more about related teachings of the Church, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 232–248 and 268–314, and the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, pages 53–56, 67–68.

→ Invite your child to take part in keeping your home clean. Explain how this is one way of thanking God for his many gifts to your family.

Our Spiritual Journey Prayer is one of the main spiritual disciplines of the Christian life. Giving thanks to God is one of the five main forms of prayer. Invite everyone to close their eyes and see their favorite part of creation. Then think of how much God loves them, and silently pray, “God, you are so wonderful.”

→ God created each person out of love. Take turns sharing what you like about each person.

Visit BeMyDisciples.com

→ Take time with the students to explore the many activities and resources available at Be My Disciples Web site.

→ Encourage them to join with their families to discover the many resources available at the Web site. For more ideas on ways your family can live as disciples of Jesus, visit

BeMyDisciples.com

Before Moving On …

ENRICHING THE LESSON Safety First. If you plan to take a nature walk to reinforce this chapter, remember these three important points:

As you finish today’s lesson, reflect on the following question before moving on to the next chapter.

→ Notify your principal in advance to learn if you need permission

Which students in the class seem to work well together?

→ Plan your route in advance and schedule it at a time to avoid the

Student page 46

forms for the outing.

→ Invite one parent or adult volunteer for every student in your class to act as a chaperone and helper. most traffic.

Enriching the Lesson Making a Creation Book Purpose

Directions

Materials

To reinforce the faith concept that God is the Creator who made everything out of love (taught on page 39)

→ For this activity you will need to cut out magazine pictures of

pictures of creation

nature, for example, mountains, lakes, oceans, and a variety of people, such as mothers, fathers, babies, and children.

→ Pre-label sheets of construction paper with such simple sentences as “God made mountains” or “God made fathers.”

→ Distribute one of the sheets to each student. Have the students paste appropriate pictures on their sheets of paper.

→ Collect all the sheets of paper and make a classroom creation

prelabeled sheets of construction paper paste or glue sticks

book for the students to read. Encourage everyone to take turns taking the book home to share with their families.

Taking a Creation Walk Purpose

Directions

Materials

bulbs or seeds To reinforce the faith → Discuss with the class ways we can take care of creation. Sugconcept that we gest that one way is to plant flowers and shrubs to make areas utensils for show we love God more beautiful. planting our Father when we → Take a walk with the students to find a special spot that needs a take care of creation new plant or shrub. (taught on page 43)

→ Plant flower seeds or bulbs that will blossom in the spring and remind the students each time they come to class to observe how the seeds or bulbs are growing.

Literature Connection Purpose

Directions

Materials

To reinforce the biblical story of creation (taught on pages 38–40)

The Anna Vojtech illustrated rendering of Cecil Frances Alexander’s well-known 1848 children’s hymn All Things Bright and Beautiful (North-South Books, 2004) could provide a fitting conclusion to today’s lesson. Each page presents a verse of the hymn accompanied by an appropriate image of God’s creation. The use of this book would be enhanced by obtaining a CD or MP3 version of the hymn sung by a children’s choir.

All Things Bright and Beautiful, by Cecil Frances Alexander, illustrated by Anna Vojtech

→ Show each page to the students as you read or sing the verse. → Have the students identify their favorite parts of God’s creation from the illustrations.

CHAPTER

Jesus, the Son of

God

BACKGROUND

The Revelation of God’s Love God’s love permeates creation and our lives. His love most fully and dramatically came into our midst with the birth of Jesus, the Incarnate Son of God. The eternal Word of God became flesh, and lived among us. The reality of God’s infinite love for us and his creation was spoken through the words and deeds of the Son of God who took on flesh and dwelled among us.

Jesus, the Incarnation of Divine Love Jesus is true God and true man. He became like us in all things but sin. He is the Incarnate Son of God in whom God is made visible and is most fully revealed. In Jesus’ Paschal Mystery—his Death, Resurrection and Ascension—God’s relentless invitation of love and ready embrace of forgiveness are revealed. Jesus’ whole earthly life—his words and actions, his suffering and silence, his very manner of being and speaking—was the Revelation of God. In his encounters with people, Jesus revealed the expanse of God’s love. God’s love is not a love offered only to a few. God’s love is especially offered to the poor, the oppressed, and the marginalized. God’s love enfolds the sinner and lifts up the lowly.

The Way to the Father Jesus revealed the quality of God’s love when he taught that we are to address his Father, as our Father. The Holy Trinity has spoken to us through the Son, the Second Divine Person of the Trinity. In Jesus’ humanity we discover divine love revealed as saving grace. Jesus, the Incarnate Son of God, came for us and for our Salvation. He came to offer the gift of forgivingreconciling Love to all people, for all times. The resurrected and glorified Christ sits at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. Then the divine pledge of love will be fulfilled. Our hope for everlasting life in communion with Divine Love will be fulfilled.

For Reflection How does my relationship with Jesus reveal God’s love for me? How am I a sign of God’s love for those who watch me and listen to me? 94

Grade 1

Teacher to Teacher Introducing Jesus At the age of six, children often relate everything to themselves. They will see Jesus in the ways that he is like them and in the ways that he is different from them. Talk to the students about how Jesus learned from his parents, played with his friends, and helped with the family chores.

Growing Closer to Jesus If possible, have some artists’ renditions depicting Jesus both as a child and as a grown man available for the students to look at. A children’s Bible and children’s books about Jesus are good sources. Explain that since Jesus lived so long ago, we really do not know what he looked like; so different artists picture him in different ways. You might ask the students to draw a picture of how they imagine Jesus. This is one way to help Jesus become more real to them. The more real you can present him, the more the students will be able to grow closer to Jesus and learn to respond to his message.

The Church Teaches… “The new evangelization is aimed at personal transformation through the development of a personal relationship with God, participation in sacramental worship, the development of a mature ethical and social conscience, ongoing catechesis, and a deepening integration of faith into all areas of life” (National Directory for Catechesis, 17A).

As a teacher you are more than an educator; you are a witness to the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Further Reading and Reflection For more related teachings of the Church, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 422–570; and the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, pages 77–87.

Teacher Prayer Loving Father, help me lead these children to know and love your Son by my teaching and example. Amen.

Lesson Planner Chapter 4 Jesus, the Son of God Goal

To learn the story of Jesus’ birth and about the Holy Family

LESSON PART DAY Focus

EXPLORE

To explore the birth of Jesus Pages 47–49

DAY Focus

DISCOVER

MATERIALS and RESOURCES

PROCESS → Proclaim and discuss Luke 2:1–7 (The birth of Jesus).

Bible

→ Learn about the celebration of Las Posadas.

Pencils

Disciple Power: Kindness

Crayons or markers

Activity: Discover and send a message of kindness to Jesus. Crayons or markers

→ Discover that Jesus is the Son of Mary and the Son of God.

To discover that Jesus is truly God and truly human

Faith Words: Son of God

Pages 50–51

Catholics Believe: Lord, Have Mercy

Scripture: The birth of Jesus (Luke 2:8–17, 20). Activity: Draw a picture telling others about Jesus.

DAY Focus

DISCOVER

→ Connect Jesus’ life to the Holy Family.

Pencils

To learn that Jesus was raised in a human family

Scripture: Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:341–52).

Crayons or markers

Pages 52–53

Faith Words: Holy Family

Faith-Filled People: Saints Anne and Joachim Activity: Write the names Jesus, Mary, and Joseph next to their pictures.

DAY Focus

4 DECIDE To decide a way to live as a disciples of Jesus through kindness Pages 54–55

Enriching the Lesson: Teacher Guide, page 109 Activity: Color hearts next to people sharing God’s love.  Creating a Chain of Kindness Activity: Draw yourself being kind to someone.  Literature Connection: My Faith Choice: Choose a way to be kind to someone. Small Acts of Kindness  Catholic Social Teaching: Making Bird Feeders

→ Connect Jesus to our sharing God’s love.

Additional Activities Booklet: Activities 4a and 4b or see BeMyDisciples.com

DAY Focus

5 CONCLUDE To pray by signing a prayer

→ REVIEW Review concepts: Recall, Reflect, and Share. Bible, cross, candle for prayer space, pencils

→ PRAY Jesus, I Love You

Assessment Tools Booklet: Activities 4a and 4b

→ Grade 1 Music CD

Pages 56–58

Preview the With My Family page and the theme of the next chapter. Assign online Chapter Review

Grade 1

BeMyDisciples.com

DAY CHAPTER

EXPLORE

Pray → Gather the students in the

prayer center.

→ Begin with the Sign of the Cross,

and then pray:

“Dear God, thank you for the gift of your Son, Jesus.”

Jesus,

the

Ask the students to respond: “Amen.”

→ Remind the students that God

Son of God

is always with them and that, he speaks to us through the Bible.

→ Point out that, once again, they

will begin this lesson by listening to a passage from the Bible, God’s own Word to them.

How do you celebrate your birthday? Birthdays are wonderful days. Saint Luke tells us about the birthday of Jesus. He tells us:

Reflect

When Mary and Joseph came to Bethlehem. They had to sleep in a stable. Animals slept there, too. During the night, Jesus was born. Mary wrapped him in cloth. She laid him in a manger. Based on Lu ke 2:1–7

→ Read aloud the opening questions.

Invite responses.

→ Ask the students to look at and

talk about the picture on the page. Ask them to share what they think the picture represents. (the birth of Jesus)

What else do you know about the birth of Jesus? 47

→ Read the introductory paragraph

and Scripture passage aloud.

→ Invite responses to the reflection

questions.

LITURGY CONNECTION Nativity Sets. Before beginning this chapter, use the prayer table to set out a few different styles of Nativity sets for the students to look at. If you have figures that are unbreakable, allow the students to touch them. Discuss the similarities of these sets to the ones they might have at home or the one set up during Christmastime in their parish. Ask the students to think about Jesus and his birthday as you study this week’s chapter.

Focus Invite the students to turn the page to discover how a girl and her family showed kindness to Mary and Joseph.

Student page 47

DAY

EXPLORE

Introduce

Disciple Power

→ Tell the students that they are going

to hear a story about how Daniella and her family celebrate the birth of Jesus.

→ Read aloud the section titled

rch The Chu

Follows

Jesus

Kindness We live the virtue of kindness by treating others as we want to be treated.

We Have Room!

→ Ask: Does anyone celebrate Las

Posadas? Invite those who do to share their experiences with the group.

We Have Room! Daniella and everyone in San Carlos was excited. It was almost time for Christmas. It was time to celebrate Las Posadas. For nine nights, the people walked together in the streets. Two people were chosen to be Mary and Joseph. Everyone walked behind them. They carried lighted candles.

→ For those who are unfamiliar

with Las Posadas, explain that it is celebrated the nine days before Christmas. It enacts the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem and is a popular custom in Mexico and among many Mexican Americans. Tell the class that Las Posadas means “the inn.”

Mary and Joseph knocked on many doors. Joseph said, “My wife will soon have a baby. Do you have room for us in your home?” All answered, “We have no room.” Finally, one family said to Joseph, “We have room! Come in.” Daniella was more excited. Her family was was the one who answered, “We have room! Come in.”

Reinforce

How did Daniella and her familia show kindness to Mary and Joseph?

→ Ask the students to explain how

Daniella and her family showed kindness to Mary and Joseph. (They said, “We have room! Come in!”)

→ Go on to point out the Disciple

Power word. Invite the students to tell about a time when someone was kind to them. Remind them that the actions of Daniella and her family showed kindness to Mary and Joseph.

DISCIPLE POWER Kindness. Kindness is a Fruit of the Holy Spirit, a sign that the Spirit is helping us live our Catholic faith. Before the session, write descriptions on slips of paper of everyday situations to which the students can respond with kindness. For example, a classmate forgets to bring his lunch to school or a friend is being teased by older children. Ask a volunteer to draw a slip of paper from a box. Read the situation aloud. Invite the students to act out how they can respond with kindness. Your first graders will enjoy taking turns acting out the situations in different ways. Conclude the activity by reminding the students that Jesus’ friends act with kindness.

Student page 48

DAY

EXPLORE

Connect

Activity

→ Call attention to the activity. Read

Welcome Jesus!

aloud the directions. Help the students understand what to do with the letters along the way.

Help Mary and Joseph go from door to door. Help them find room at the house of Daniella and her family. Find letters along the way. Write them in order on the lines below. They will help you send a message of kindness to Jesus.

→ When the students finish, have

them together read aloud the message of kindness below the maze (Welcome, Jesus!)

c o

→ Ask the students to name other

words and phrases that show kindness to others. (You can play with us; I will help you; Good job!)

e m

We l c o m e

Jesus!

CROSS-CURRICULAR Mathematics. Tell the class that Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem because they had to report there for a census. Explain that a census is a counting of all the people who are from a town, city, or rural area. Today local governments use information from a census to find out how many people live in their community so that they can plan for the building of schools and other things the community needs. Invite the students to take a census of their families at home and to report to the class. Tally the results on a chart to show the number of adults and children in their families.

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DAY

DISCOVER

Key Concept Jesus is the Son of God and the son of Mary.

Pray

Faith Focus Who is Jesus?

The Son of God

Faith Words Son of God Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus is truly God and truly man.

At Christmas each year we remember and celebrate the birth of Jesus. Jesus is the only son of Mary and the Son of God. Jesus is truly God and truly man.

Quiet the students for prayer. Pray the Sign of the Cross and then have them place their right hands over their hearts and echo you as you pray:

The Bible tells us that angels told shepherds about the birth of Jesus. We read,

Out in the fields that night, shepherds were guarding their sheep. An angel appeared to them and said, “Listen! A savior is born in Bethlehem, God’s own Son.”

“Come, Lord Jesus, we always have room for you. Welcome, Jesus. Welcome to my heart. Amen.”

Teach

The shepherds rushed and found Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. Then they told everyone about Jesus. They praised God for all they heard and saw.

→ Read the Faith Focus question

aloud. Invite the class to think about how they might answer the question.

Based on Lu ke 2:8–17, 20

→ Read the opening paragraph of

What did the shepherds do?

The Son of God while the students follow along. Ask them to raise their hands when they hear a sentence telling who Jesus is. (Jesus is the only son of Mary and the Son of God. Jesus is truly God and truly man.)

→ Invite everyone to get comfortable,

close their eyes, and listen to a story from the Bible about the birth of Jesus.

→ Read the Scripture passage aloud.

If possible, read it from a children’s Bible.

Reinforce → Point out the phrase Son of God

and its definition in Faith Words. Again, emphasize to the students that Jesus is both true God and true man.

→ Have the students turn to the

Glossary page 397, find the entry for Son of God, and write the words on the ruled lines.

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TEACHING TIP Working with Bible Stories. Asking students to imagine themselves within a Bible story helps them remember the story and appreciate the drama of the scriptural event. Assign characters to the students before you read the Scripture story. Ask them to listen for what happens to their characters. If it is a Gospel story, what does the character have to do with Jesus? What does he or she see? Does Jesus talk to their character? This strategy helps young people become more familiar with stories of the Bible by engaging their imaginations.

DAY

DISCOVER

DISCOVER Share the Good News! The shepherds treated Mary, Joseph, and Jesus with kindness. They told others about the birth of Jesus. Then the shepherds shared God’s love with people. We share God’s love when we treat others with kindness. One way we can share God’s love is at Mass when we pray. Think of ways you share God’s love.

Activity

→ Ask the children if they have

Catholics Believe Lord, Have Mercy At Mass we pray, “Lord, have mercy.” Mercy is another word for kindness. Jesus told us that people who are kind and show mercy are blessed by God.

Draw a picture of yourself telling others about Jesus. Do what the shepherds did.

heard the words “Lord, have mercy” at Mass. Ask them to listen as you read aloud the Catholics Believe feature so they can learn more about mercy.

Connect → Ask the students what the

shepherds did after the angels appeared and after they had seen the newborn Jesus. (They ran and told everyone what they heard and saw.)

→ Direct attention to the activity.

Give the students time to draw pictures of themselves telling others about Jesus. Invite volunteers to share their pictures with the class.

→ Encourage the students to share

the good news of Jesus’ birth with their families.

Pray Have the students echo the words of the angels they heard today: 51

“Glory to God in the highest and peace to God’s people on earth.”

TEACHING TIP Exploring Picture Books. When learning about Jesus, first graders would enjoy looking at books that give a sense of time and place. Have picture books of Bethlehem and Jerusalem available to help them create a mental image of where Jesus lived. Let the students explore the picture books that show the kind of clothing people wore and the style of houses they lived in. When time allows, such as during a rainy recess, let the class explore these books on their own or together in small groups.

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DAY

DISCOVER

Key Concept Jesus’ family is called the Holy Family.

Pray

Faith Focus Who is Jesus’ family? Faith Words Holy Family The Holy Family is the family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

Invite the students to quiet them selves for prayer. If you have bells, ring them while you all pray with enthusiasm:

Mary is the mother of Jesus, the Son of God. Joseph is the foster father of Jesus. We call Jesus, Mary, and Joseph the Holy Family. The Holy Family lived in a town called Nazareth. Here is a story from the Bible about Jesus as a young boy.

Jesus was twelve years old. The Holy Family went to the city of Jerusalem to celebrate an important holy feast. When everyone was ready to go home, Mary and Joseph could not find Jesus. They finally found him in the Temple. He was listening to the teachers and asking them questions.

“Joy to the world! God the Father sent his Son, Jesus, to be with us. Joy to the world!”

Teach → Talk with the students about their

When Jesus saw Mary and Joseph, he went with them. They began their trip home together. Based on Lu ke 2:41–52

families. Ask them to share the size of their families and their favorite family activities.

→ Read aloud the Faith Focus

Who is the Holy Family?

question. Ask the students for possible answers. Tell them that these two pages will help them learn more about Jesus’ family. FINAL ART STILL TO COME

→ Read aloud the first paragraph

of The Holy Family. Then call attention to the Faith Word Holy Family. Have the class read the definition aloud together.

The Holy Family

→ Read Faith-Filled People to the

students. Remind them that Mary also had loving parents. They were Jesus’ grandparents.

→ Invite the class to listen to the

Bible story about a time Jesus got separated from his family. Point out that some of the students will act out the story after you read it to them. Read the story.

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FAITH-FILLED PEOPLE Saint Anne and Saint Joachim. Anne and Joachim are the parents of Mary. From them, Mary learned to love God and others. They are also the grandparents of Jesus. Our grandparents care about us and hand on the faith of the Church to us. They tell us about our families. Jesus, the grandson of Saint Anne and Saint Joachim, taught us how to pray and to trust God the Father, who always cares for all people. For more information on Saint Anne and Saint Joachim, go to the Saints Resource at BeMyDisciples.com.

DAY DISCOVER Sharing Love Mary and Joseph showed their love for Jesus. They took very good care of Jesus as he was growing up. Jesus grew in his love of God and of people. How did Mary and Joseph take good care of Jesus?

Activity

DISCOVER

Reinforce

Faith-Filled People

→ Either retell the story yourself,

Saint Anne and Saint Joachim Anne and Joachim were the parents of Mary. They were the grandparents of Jesus. They helped Mary to love and trust God. The Church celebrates the feast day of Saint Anne and Saint Joachim on July 26.

Write the names Jesus, Mary, and Joseph under their pictures.

or have a volunteer retell it while other students act it out. Conclude by asking what the story tells them about Jesus. Affirm all appropriate responses.

→ Afterward, ask the students how

they think Mary and Joseph took care of Jesus. (In the Holy Family, Mary and Joseph shared God’s love with Jesus, gave him food and clothes, kept him safe.)

Connect → Ask the children to share how

their families help them to grow in their love of God and others.

→ Have the students look at the

three pictures and complete the activity.

Pray

Joseph Mary Jesus

Gather the class for prayer. Ask them to repeat after you:

“Dear Jesus, bless my family with lots of love. Amen.”

HUMAN METHODOLOGIES Learning Within the Christian Family. The National Directory for Catechesis teaches that the family is the “place in which the word of God is received and from which it is extended” (NDC 29D). Ask the students to name extended family members, such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, or cousins who are signs of God’s love for them. Show the class how to fold a half-sheet of construction paper to make a card. Invite each student to decorate a card for one of their relatives whom they named. The card is a thank-you for helping them to know and love God and others. Assist the students with the wording on the cards by writing sample sentences on the board for them to copy. Conclude this activity by offering a prayer for all those who show us how to live as Jesus taught.

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DAY

DISCOVER

Key Concept Jesus shared God’s love with everyone.

Faith Focus What does Jesus do to show us how to live?

Jesus Shares God’s Love When Jesus grew up, he taught others about God. He shared God’s love with everyone. Jesus showed us how to treat people. Jesus treated everyone with kindness and respect. Respect means to treat every person as a child of God.

Pray Gather the students for prayer. Ask them to repeat after you:

We are to treat everyone with kindness and respect. We are to share God’s love with people.

“Dear Jesus, you were once a child like me. Help me be the best I can be. Amen.”

Why should we treat every person with kindness and respect?

Teach

Activity

→ Ask the students to share about

someone who teaches them how to treat other people with kindness. Summarize by pointing out that when people treat us with kindness, they are sharing God’s love with us.

Color the s next to the pictures of people showing kindness and respect.

→ Read aloud Jesus Shares God’s

Love. After reading, have the students point to the words that tell how Jesus wants us to treat others. (with kindness and respect)

Reinforce → Remind the class that Jesus treated

all people with kindness and respect and that he wants us to do the same.

→ Have the students look at the

pictures then complete the activity. Afterward, ask them to share their work with a partner.

Connect Discuss other ways that students can show kindness and respect for each other.

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TEACHING TIP Living the Message. First graders often cannot make the connection between the concepts that they learn and how they behave. Take the time to point out their kind and respectful actions. Be specific in describing the actions. In the weeks to come, continue to point out and affirm their kind and respectful behaviors.

DAY God is always kind to people. Jesus shared God’s kindness with people. You are a disciple of Jesus. You are kind to people. You treat them with respect. When you do these things, you are a sign of God’s love.

DECIDE

Reinforce

I Follow

Jesus

→ Remind the students that Jesus,

the Son of God and the son of Mary, shared God’s love for us by all that he said and did.

→ Read the introductory paragraph

to the class.

Activity

In the kite draw yourself being kind to someone.

I Am

→ Remind them that Jesus, the Son

of God, taught us to share God’s love with others.

Kind

Respond Introduce the activity and explain the directions. Encourage the students to choose one way to help people know God’s love. Write their responses in the kite.

My Faith Choice

Choose This week, I will do what I drew in the kite. I will

→ Introduce My Faith Choice. → Remind the students of ways they

are signs of God’s love to people. Invite them to write down their choices. Encourage them to put their choices into practice this week.

Pray,“Thank you, Holy Spirit, for helping me to be kind to others as Jesus taught. Amen.”

THE TASKS OF CATECHESIS

→ Use the prayers to invite the

students to pray the prayer together. Invite them to thank the Holy Spirit who helps them to be signs of God’s love and followers of Jesus.

Educating for Community Life. Talk with the students about some of the many ways in which your parish and school reaches out to others with kindness and respect. Mention specific activities and services, such as making Thanksgiving Food Baskets for the poor, the parish food pantry, a Christmas “Giving Tree,” or the Saint Vincent de Paul organization. Help the students understand that when many people in the parish join together in acts of kindness, they are sharing Jesus’ love with others.

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DAY

CONCLUDE

Pray Begin by leading the class in praying the Sign of the Cross.

Recall → Hand each student an index card

printed with one of these three words or phrases: Jesus, Holy Family, God. Also write the words on the board and make sure the students understand the terms.

TO HELP YOU REMEMBER 1. Jesus is the only son of Mary and the Son of God. 2. The family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph is the Holy Family. 3. Jesus shared God’s love with everyone.

Chapter Review Recall Circle the word that best completes each sentence. 1. Jesus is the

of God.

Son 2.

Anne 3.

Angel

is the mother of Jesus. Mary

is the foster father of Jesus. Joachim

Joseph

Draw lines to complete the sentences. 4. Jesus is Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

→ Phrase each To Help You

Remember statement as a question. Invite those with correct answers to hold their cards up.

5. The Holy Family is

true God and true man.

→ Ask the students to repeat each

6. We are to treat others with

kindness.

→ Introduce the activity. Read each

Reflect

statement after you.

statement aloud, and have the students circle the correct answer.

How you will treat others this week?

→ Explain the directions for the

completing the sentence activity. Slowly read through the sentence parts in the left column and all the sentence parts in the right column. Allow time for students to draw the lines to form correct complete sentences. Check their work.

Talk with a classmate about two ways you can be kind and welcome others.

Reflect Ask: How will you treat others this week?

Share Share and discuss what the students decided on how they will share God’s love and kindness.

TEACHING TIP Evaluate. Take a few moments to evaluate this week’s lesson. I feel about this week’s lesson (circle one): a. very pleased b. OK c. disappointed The activity the students enjoyed most was . . . The concept that was most difficult to teach was . . . It was difficult because . . . Something I would like to do differently is . . .

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DAY DISCOVER

→ Share with the students that some

prayers may be signed, or said without words spoken out loud. See if anyone has experience with signing. If so, invite that student to teach the signs shown on the page.

We show that we love Jesus by treating people as he did. Pray this prayer together as a class.

All

Leader

Let us pray together that our families find ways to help each other. Let us share Jesus’ love and tell him that we love him too.

→ Ask the students to close their eyes

and remember that Jesus is always with them. Invite them to tell Jesus that they love him.

Families help each other. Families share their fun. We work and pray together. Jesus makes us one. Jesus makes us one. Let us learn to sign this prayer:

CONCLUDE

We Pray

Jesus, I Love You

Leader

→ Begin and end the prayer by praying

the Sign of the Cross together.

→ Have the students open their eyes 2

and then lead them in signing and saying the prayer.

“Jesus, I love you.” Pray the prayer in the morning and at night. Teach your family to sign the prayer. Ask them to pray it with you.

Jesus

I love you.

LITURGY CONNECTION Signing Prayers. Signing short prayers adds a bodily dimension to prayer and also makes the students aware that signing is a means of communication. Sometimes it is difficult for young people to understand the visual directions for signing when there is more than one movement in an illustration. The word Jesus, for example, is signed by first touching the middle finger of the left hand to the middle of the right palm. The action is then repeated, using the right middle finger and touching the palm of the left hand. Help the students practice the signing so that can confidently sign each word during the prayer.

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DAY

CONCLUDE

Preview → Have the students carefully tear

out pages 57 and 58 along the perforation.

→ Encourage the students to share

these pages with their families, and to complete the activities together.

→ If they did not complete the review

activity on page 56 by the end of the session, emphasize that they can complete it with their families at home.

→ Point out the title and theme of the

next lesson to the students.

With My Family This Week . . .

Sharing God’s Word

In Chapter 4, “Jesus, the Son of God,” your child learned:

Read together Luke 2:8–20 about the shepherds who rushed to see the newly born Jesus. Or read the adaptation of the story on page 50. Emphasize that Jesus is truly God and truly man. He is the only son of Mary and the Son of God.

→ Jesus is the only son of Mary and the Son of God. → Gabriel announced to Mary that she would become the Mother of the Savior, the Son of God who she was to name Jesus. → The Son of God became truly human without giving up being God. This mystery of faith is called the Incarnation. Jesus is truly God and truly man. → We call Jesus, Mary, and Joseph the Holy Family. Jesus’ life in the Holy Family prepared him for the work the Father sent him to do. For more about related teachings of the Church, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 456–478 and 512–560, and the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, pages 77–87, 143–149.

We Live as Disciples The Christian home and family is a school of discipleship.It is the first place children learn to be disciples. Choose one or more of the following activities to do as a family or design a similar activity of your own. → Talk together about the ways that family members are kind to each other. Explain how acts and words of kindness show a person’s love for God.

→ Choose to do a family activity that shows kindness to people who are not members of your family. For example, as a family visit someone who is lonely or help an elderly neighbor.

Our Spiritual Journey The Great Commandment is the guiding precept of the Christian life. It is the summary or foundational principle of human as well as Christian living. In this chapter your child signed an act of love using American Sign Language. Encourage you child to teach you to sign the prayer on page 57.

Visit BeMyDisciples.com

→ Take time with the students to explore the many activities and resources available at Be My Disciples Web site.

→ Encourage them to join with their families to discover the many resources available at the Web site. For more ideas on ways your family can live as disciples of Jesus, visit 58

Before Moving On … As you finish today’s lesson, reflect on the following question before moving on to the next chapter. What more can I do to make sure that each student is involved in class activities?

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BeMyDisciples.com

THE LAST WORD Celebrating Learning. As you conclude Unit 1, affirm the students for all they have learned in the first four chapters of the year. You may want to invite volunteers to name some of the new words they learned (for example, Bible, faith, believe), or you can encourage the first graders to recall a favorite Scripture story or activity from the unit. Remind the students that Jesus, God’s only Son, came to share God’s love with all people. Emphasize that Jesus invites all of us to be his disciples. Reinforce how happy Jesus is when his disciples share God’s love with others, especially families, friends, and neighbors.

Enriching the Lesson Creating a Chain of Kindness Purpose

Directions

Materials

To reinforce that Jesus treated everyone with kindness and respect (taught on page 54)

→ Discuss the many ways the students can be kind to one another

strips of colored paper cut into 1” x 8” strips

and to their families and friends this week.

→ Begin to develop a chain of kindness for the classroom. Have each student tell you one way he or she has been kind to someone. Then invite the students to take a strip of colored paper, form it into a ring, and glue it closed. Have another student slip a second strip through the ring and glue it closed in the same way.

glue sticks

→ Display the chain on a board in the classroom. Remind the students each week that you will ask them to share their acts of kindness. The chain will get longer and longer as the year goes on.

→ The students could also introduce this activity at home.

Literature Connection Purpose

Directions

Materials

To reinforce that Jesus shows us how to treat others with kindness and respect (taught on page 54)

The simple but delightfully written book Small Acts of Kindness by James Vollbracht (Paulist Press, 1995) illustrates how one small act of kindness can have unexpected effects.

Small Acts of Kindness by James Vollbracht

→ Discuss the many ways people have been kind to the students this week. Ask them to identify ways they have been kind to others.

→ As you read, have the students listen to how a small act of kindness can lead to more acts of kindness.

→ Invite the students to retell the story and act out the various acts of kindness.

Catholic Social Teaching: Making Bird Feeders Purpose To reinforce the teaching that we show our love for God when we care for his creation (taught on page 54)

Directions

Materials

→ Remind the children that birds are part of God’s creation.

An aluminum pie pan

→ Demonstrate the following procedure for making bird feeders, allowing several volunteers to assist you.

→ Tell the volunteers to first put several small round stones in the pan to weight it down so birds will not tip it over.

→ Have them distribute bird seed in the pan. If possible, place the feeder outside in a protected place.

Several palm-sized smooth stones Bag of wild bird seed for each child

→ Give each child a packet of wild bird seed so they can make feeders at home with their families.

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Catholic Social Teaching—Unit 1 Pray Retell the biblical account of creation. Have the students respond, “Thank you, God the Father and Creator.”

Teach → Point out and read aloud the

Catholic Social Teaching principle in the We Care for God’s Creation box.

→ Emphasize that the Church teaches

that God wants us to take care of his gift of creation.

→ Invite students to name some of

the wonderful things that God has given us as a part of creation. Write words or draw pictures symbolizing them on the board.

→ Ask the students what God wants

Catholic Social Teaching The Big Clean-up One morning the first grade teacher at Santa Sophia School asked her students, “How can we make our room beautiful?” The children looked around the room. They saw paper and pencils, crayons and markers scattered on the tables and desks. Books and worksheets, art supplies and flash cards crammed the shelves. The classroom was a mess.

WE CARE FOR GOD’S CREATION God has given us a special job. God wants us to take care of the wonderful gift of his creation. We are to help keep the world beautiful.

The children said, “We need to clean up our room!” They also decided to brighten up the room with signs of nature. The class set to work. As they were cleaning, the students and teachers made a plan to recycle too. They used separate trash cans for paper and plastic. This way some of the trash can be reused. Now the classroom looks beautiful and they are caring for God’s creation.

us to do with the gift of creation he has given us. Tell them that they are going to listen to a story about taking care of the things around us.

→ Read the story aloud.

→ Invite the students to share what

suggestions they would give the first graders at Santa Sophia School for making their room more beautiful.

BACKGROUND: CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING Responsibility for the Environment. Chapter Ten of the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church (CSDC) speaks to the Church’s teaching on safeguarding the environment. It teaches: “Care for the environment . . . is a matter of a common and universal duty. . . . This perspective takes on a particular importance when one considers . . . the context of the close relationships that bind the various parts of the ecosystem” (CSDC 466).

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DISCOVER

Making Connections

God wants us to keep the world beautiful. One place we can start is in our classroom. We can bring God’s creation inside.

with MATH AND SCIENCE Plant seeds in potting soil. Use milk cartons cut in half. Find a place in your classroom where the plants will have plenty of light. Measure the plants each day. Keep a chart of the plants’ growth. Watch how the plants add beauty to your classroom.

with LANGUAGE ARTS Use a chart to write down the steps for taking care of the plants. Keep a classroom diary. Take turns writing down sentences to tell how the plants are growing. Describe what they look like.

with CREATIVE ARTS Act out how plants make God’s world a more beautiful place. Show how to take care of plants. Share what happens to the plant if it does not have enough water and sunlight. Show what happens when you take good care of the plants and God’s creation.

Faith Action

God wants us to take care of his creation. You can help keep God’s world beautiful. I will

TEACHING TIP Activity Centers. You can organize the cross-curricular projects by creating activity centers. Be flexible and creative when choosing how to process the activities. The students can rotate in small groups to each center. During the weeks after the seeds are planted, students can return to the centers. Some could make observations and record what they see. Others could assess how well the steps to take care of the plants are being followed. Others could act out what they see happening to the plants. Take into account your personal teaching style, your lesson plans, and your students.

Catholic Social Teaching—Unit 1 Reinforce Read aloud the introductory paragraph on page 60 and have the students name ways they might make their own classroom a more beautiful place.

Connect → Introduce the activities to the

students and invite them to choose the activity they would like to work on.

→ Math and Science: Give each

student some seeds and a container with soil. Step-by-step, show them how to plant their seeds in the soil. Explain how to chart the growth of their plant.

→ Language Arts: Let the students

discuss how they will take care of their plants. Show the students how to make a chart and show them how to record the steps they will take to care for their plants.

→ Creative Arts: Invite the students

to work in pairs on a skit showing how plants make God’s world beautiful.

→ Read aloud the Faith Action text.

Invite the students to write one way they will help keep God’s world beautiful.

Pray Lead the class in praying a selection of verses from Psalm 148. Have them echo the verses after you.

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Unit 1 Review The Unit Review provides the opportunity to assess the students’ understanding of the concepts presented in the unit and to affirm them in their growing knowledge and love of God. Here are a few suggestions for using these pages.

Unit 1 Review

A. Choose the Best Word Complete the sentences. Color the circle next to the best choice

→ Provide time for the students to

ask questions.

→ Have the students complete the

review alone or with a partner.

→ Encourage the students to share

the Unit Review pages with their families.

A. Choose the Best Word

God’s

1. The Bible is

own Word to us.

the Church’s

God’s

2. Faith is a gift from God that helps us to know

→ Share with the students that the

next two pages are an opportunity to stop and review what they have learned.

Name

God and to

believe

in him.

love

believe

3. Jesus treated

all

people with respect.

all

some

4. Jesus is the

Son

of God.

Man 5.

Mary

Son is the Mother of Jesus.

Mary

Anne

B. Show What You Know Circle the numbers next to the words that tell about Jesus. 1. Son of God 2. Holy Spirit

This section reviews the main concepts of the unit.

3. Loving Father

→ Read the directions for section A.

5. shared God’s love with everyone

4. taught others about God

Complete the first question together. By working together on the first question, you are teaching the students a strategy for answering these types of questions.

→ When the students have finished

this section, invite volunteers to share their answers. Review any questions that the students have difficulty answering.

B. Show What You Know This section reinforces what the children have learned about Jesus. → Read the directions to the students

and invite them to complete the section.

→ Invite volunteers to share their

answers.

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TEACHING TIP Assessing Learning. Throughout the year, use multiple forms of assessment at the end of each unit. Students learn and communicate their understanding in multiple ways. Some forms of communication (for example, writing paragraphs) work better for some students. Other forms of communication (like artwork and verbal responses) work better for others. Asking questions, observing small group interactions, and using different activities throughout the chapter will provide you with multiple ways of identifying the students’ understanding of the truths of the faith.

DISCOVER C. Connect with Scripture What was your favorite story about Jesus in this unit? Draw something that happened in the story. Tell your class about it. Answers will vary.

C. Connect with Scripture → Help the students review the

Scripture stories in the unit, beginning with the Unit Opener story. You may wish to write the names of these stories on the board to assist them.

→ Ask volunteers to share their

favorite stories with the class.

→ In the space, invite them to draw

D. Be a Disciple 1. What Saint or holy person did you enjoy hearing about in this unit? Write the name here. Tell your class what this person did to follow Jesus.

Answers will vary. 2. What can you do to be a good disciple of Jesus?

Answers will vary.

something that happened in the story. Invite volunteers to share their drawings now, or at the completion of the Unit Review.

D. Be a Disciple → Ask the students to remember their

favorite stories of saints or holy people that they learned about in this unit. Refresh their memories as needed, and write their responses on the board.

→ Give each student time to write the

name of their favorite Saint or holy person on the line. Ask volunteers to share the reason for their choices.

→ Lead a discussion about the actions

that make us good disciples of Jesus. Give the students time to write on the lines their ideas of what they could do.

TEACHING TIP Sensitivity to All Learners. As you complete this unit review, be sensitive to all types of learners. Those students with special learning needs, as well as those who may be hesitant to share their ideas aloud in a group, may need particular encouragement and support. Remember that this unit review is only one way to assess the students’ understanding of the faith concepts as presented in this unit. Alternative assessments can be found online at BeMyDisciples.com.

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