Christ Our Life God Is Good ® SCHOOL EDITION Teacher’s Guide GRADE 1 SAMPLE
www.christourlife.com 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 VTL 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Imprimatur In accordance with c. 827, permission to publish is granted on October 17, 2022, by Most Reverend Robert G. Casey, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Permission to publish is an official declaration of ecclesiastical authority that the material is free from doctrinal and moral error. No legal responsibility is assumed by the grant of this permission. In Conformity The Subcommittee on the Catechism, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, has found this text, copyright 2024, to be in conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Acknowledgments Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition, copyright © 2010, 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. The English translation of the Order of Penance © 2019 International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL); excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal. Copyright © 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation Inc. (ICEL). All rights reserved. Excerpt from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for the United States of America copyright © 1994 United States Catholic Conference, Inc.—Libreria Editrice Vaticana. All rights reserved. The prayers Sign of the Cross/Signum Crucis, Glory Be to the Father/ Gloria Patri, Lord’s Prayer/Pater Noster, Hail Mary/Ave Maria, Hail Holy Queen (Salve Regina) come from the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. English translation copyright © 2006, Libreria Editrice Vaticana. All rights reserved. Exclusive licensee in the United States is the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The Prayer to One’s Guardian Angel comes from the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults. Copyright © 2006, U.S. Conference Catholic Bishops. All rights reserved. Excerpt from Laudato Si copyright © 2015. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. All rights reserved. Excerpt from Evangelii Gaudium copyright © 2013. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. All rights reserved. Loyola Press has made every effort to locate the copyright holders for the cited works used in this publication and to make full acknowledgment for their use. In the case of any omissions, the publisher will be pleased to make suitable acknowledgments in future editions. Cover and interior design: Loyola Press Cover illustration: Chiara Fedele 978-0-8294-5286-0 Copyright © 2024 Loyola Press All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher. Manufactured in China Art Credits i Chiara Fedele. iv(t) Vivian Imbruglia/Iconographer; (b)kookookoo/ iStock/Getty Images. vi Anni Betts. vii ajt/iStock/Getty Images. viii (br) Svetlana Vorotniak/Shutterstock.com; (b) kirstypargeter/ iStock/Getty Images. OV-3(t) Davyd Volkov/iStock/Getty Images; (b) FatCamera/iStock/Getty Images; SDI Productions/E+/Getty Images. OV-8 monkeybusinessimages/iStock/Getty Images. OV-10(t) AzLa/Shutterstock.com; (b)jhuting/iStock/Getty Images. OV-12 JGI/Jamie Grill/Tetra images/Getty Images. OV-14 Capelle.r/ Moment/Getty Images. OV-15 (t)) Johner Images/Johner RF/ Getty Images;(b) Warling Studios. OV-16) Nongkran_ch/iStock/ Getty Images. OV-18) Klaus Vedfelt/Digital Vision/Getty Images. OV-21) colematt/iStock/Getty Images. OV-23 Cultura Creative RF/Alamy Stock Photo. OV-30 Anna Khomenko/iStock/Getty Images. OV-33 and2DesignInc/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images. OV-36 (left to right, top to bottom) Loyola Press; bubaone/ DigitalVision/Getty Images; Loyola Press; Shams Suleymanova/ iStock/Getty Images; bortonia/DigitalVision/Getty Images; appleuzr/DigitalVision/Getty Images; bortonia/DigitalVision/ Getty Images; TotemArt/Shutterstock.com; Nadiinko/iStock/Getty Images. OV-37 elenabsl/Shutterstock.com. OV-39 Warling Studios. OV-40 adriaticfoto/Shutterstock.com. OV-41 FatCamera/E+/Getty Images. OV-42 Warling Studios. OV-43 (t) Phil Martin Photography; (b) Loyola Press. OV-44 Ariel Skelley/DigitalVision/Getty Images. OV-45 amtitus/DigitalVision/Getty Images. Continued on page T485. SAMPLE
v Contents Digital Resources Easily access the robust digital resources included with Christ Our Life by visiting digitallibrary.loyolapress.com. Contact your administrator for your login credentials. God Is Our Good Father T1 Chapter 1 Jesus Is Our Friend. . . . . . . T2 Day One Jesus Loves Children T4 Day Two Jesus Invites Us to Be His Friends T6 Day Three The Cross Is a Sign of Jesus’ Love T10 Day Four The Sign of the Cross T12 Day Five Extending the Chapter T15 Chapter 2 God Is Good. . . . . . . . . T16 Day One Creation Tells Us God Is Good T18 Day Two The Bible Tells Us God Is Good T20 Day Three We See God’s Goodness in Creation T22 Day Four We Care for the World T24 Day Five Extending the Chapter T29 UNIT 1 Chapter 3 God Is Our Father. . . . . . . T30 Day One God Made Us Like Himself T32 Day Two God Our Father Shows His Love T34 Day Three God Our Father Cares for Us T36 Day Four God Is Our Good Father T38 Day Five Extending the Chapter T41 Chapter 4 God Our Father Is Holy. . . . . T42 Day One God Is the All-Holy One T44 Day Two The Church Is a Holy Place T47 Day Three We Visit God’s House T49 Day Four We Remember God’s House T51 Day Five Extending the Chapter T53 Chapter 5 God Shares His Life with Us. . . T54 Day One Water Is a Gift from God T56 Day Two We Receive New Life at Baptism T59 Day Three We Celebrate Our New Life in Baptism T62 Day Four We Live as God’s Children T64 Day Five Extending the Chapter T67 Chapter 6 God Speaks to Us. . . . . . . T68 Day One God Speaks to Us in Silence T70 Day Two When Quiet, We Hear God Speak T74 Day Three God Speaks to Us in the Bible T76 Day Four God Speaks to Us Through Helpers T79 Day Five Extending the Chapter T81 Chapter 7 We Pray God to God Our Father. . T82 Day One We Listen and God Listens T84 Day Two We Talk to God in Prayer T86 Day Three We Thank God T90 Day Four We Pray Every Day T91 Day Five Extending the Chapter T95 Chapter 8 Jesus Teaches Us to Pray toOurFather. . . . . . . . .T96 Day One Jesus Prays the Our Father—Part I T98 Day Two Jesus Prays the Our Father—Part II T102 Day Three Review T106 Day Four Unit 1 Test and Celebration T108 Day Five Extending the Chapter T110 Program Overview. . . . . . . OV-1 Welcome OV-1 Program Overview OV-2 Spiral Curriculum OV-23 Scope and Sequence OV-24 Media at a Glance OV-30 The Catechist’s Handbook . . . OV-31 The Vocation of a Catechist OV-31 The Role of a Catechist OV-32 Knowledge and Skills of a Catechist OV-34 Inclusion: Diverse Learners OV-39 Multicultural Awareness OV-44 Profile of a First Grader OV-45 SAMPLE
vi Jesus Shows Us He Is Good T169 Chapter 13 Jesus Calls the Apostles. . . . T170 Day One Jesus Calls the Apostles T172 Day Two Jesus Calls Disciples Today T176 Day Three Jesus Tells Us, “Do Not Be Afraid.” T178 Day Four Disciples Serve in Special Ways T180 Day Five Extending the Chapter T183 Chapter 14 Jesus Shows God’s Love. . . . T184 Day One Jesus Cured the Paralyzed Man T186 Day Two Jesus Raised the Daughter of Jairus T189 Day Three Jesus Helped the Sick Man T191 Day Four We Care About People T195 Day Five Extending the Chapter T197 Chapter 15 Jesus Teaches Us to Love God. . T198 Day One Jesus Teaches Us to Love God T200 Day Two We Show God We Love Him T202 Day Three We Offer Everything to God T204 Day Four We Love God with All Our Heart T207 Day Five Extending the Chapter T209 Chapter 16 Jesus Teaches Us to Love Others. . . . . . . . .T210 Day One Everyone Is Our Neighbor T212 Day Two Jesus Teaches Us to Love God as He Did T214 Day Three Jesus Teaches Us to Give to Others T217 Day Four Children Need Our Help T219 Day Five Extending the Chapter T223 UNIT 3 God Sent His Son as Our Savior T111 Chapter 9 God Promised a Savior. . . . .T112 Day One God Made People to Be Like Himself T114 Day Two God Promised a Savior T117 Day Three God Keeps His Promises T119 Day Four We Can Choose T122 Day Five Extending the Chapter T125 Chapter 10 God Chose Mary and Joseph. . .T126 Day One God Chose Mary T128 Day Two Mary Visited Her Relative Elizabeth T131 Day Three God Chose Joseph T134 Day Four God Chooses People to Care for Us T136 Day Five Extending the Chapter T139 Chapter 11 Jesus, Our Savior, Was Born in Bethlehem . . . . . . T140 Day One The First Christmas T142 Day Two The Angels and Shepherds Rejoice T144 Day Three The Wise Men Visit Jesus T147 Day Four We Give Ourselves as Gifts T150 Day Five Extending the Chapter T152 Chapter 12 Families Share Life and Love. . .T154 Day One Jesus Belonged to the Holy Family T156 Day Two We Belong to a Parish Family T159 Day Three Review T163 Day Four Unit 2 Test and Celebration T166 Day Five Extending the Chapter T168 UNIT 2 SAMPLE
vii Chapter 21 Jesus Sends Us the Spirit. . . T284 Day One Jesus Returns to His Father T286 Day Two Jesus Sends the Holy Spirit T289 Day Three We Receive Gifts at Baptism T292 Day Four We Live in the Holy Spirit T295 Day Five Extending the Chapter T297 Chapter 22 Jesus Is with Us in His Church. . T298 Day One The Church Is God’s Family T300 Day Two Jesus Chose Peter to Lead T303 Day Three We Belong to the Catholic Church T306 Day Four We Live As God’s Family T309 Day Five Extending the Chapter T311 Chapter 23 Mary Is the Mother of the Church. . . . . . . . T312 Day One Mary Is Our Mother T314 Day Two Mary Helps Us Follow Jesus T317 Day Three The Church Honors Mary T320 Day Four We Honor Mary T323 Day Five Extending the Chapter T325 Chapter 24 The Holy Spirit Helps the Church. . . . . . . . . T326 Day One The Holy Spirit Helps Us Know Jesus T328 Day Two The Spirit Helped the First Disciples T331 Day Three The Holy Spirit Helps Us Be a Light T333 Day Four The Holy Spirit Always Helps Us T335 Day Five Extending the Chapter T339 Chapter 25 We Give Glory to God. . . . . T340 Day One We Glorify the Blessed Trinity T342 Day Two Kind Words and Deeds Glorify God T345 Day Three Review T349 Day Four Unit 4 Test and Celebration T352 Day Five Extending the Chapter T354 Chapter 17 Jesus Calls Himself the Good Shepherd. . . . . . . .T224 Day One Shepherds Care for Their Sheep T226 Day Two Jesus Is Our Good Shepherd T228 Day Three We Pray to Our Good Shepherd T231 Day Four We Make Loving Choices T233 Day Five Extending the Chapter T237 Chapter 18 We Come to Our Good Shepherd. . . . . . . .T238 Day One We Prepare for Our Good Shepherd T240 Day Two Review T243 Day Three Unit 3 Test T246 Day Four We Celebrate T247 Day Five Extending the Chapter T250 Jesus Shows His Great Love T251 Chapter 19 Jesus Gives the Gift of Himself . .T252 Day One Jesus Enters Jerusalem T254 Day Two Jesus Gives Us the Gift of Himself T258 Day Three Jesus Dies on the Cross T261 Day Four Jesus Shows His Great Love T264 Day Five Extending the Chapter T267 Chapter 20 Jesus Is Risen . . . . . . . .T268 Day One Jesus Is Risen T270 Day Two The Risen Jesus Met His Friends T274 Day Three Jesus Gave Us the Gift of Peace T277 Day Four We Bring Peace to Others T279 Day Five Extending the Chapter T282 UNIT 4 SAMPLE
viii Saints and Feast Days T457 September T459 October T459 November T460 December T461 January T462 February T463 March T463 April T464 May T465 June T465 July T465 August T466 Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . T467 Index..............T475 Scripture Index . . . . . . . . . . T483 Special Seasons and Lessons T355 The Year in Our Church T357 1 Feast of All Saints T358 2 Advent T363 3 Christmas T371 4 Lent T376 5 Holy Week T382 6 Easter T394 7 Pentecost T399 8 The Holy Guardian Angels T404 9 Thanksgiving T408 10 The Presentation T411 11 Saint Blaise T414 12 Saint Joseph T417 13 Planning a Mass T421 14 End-of-the-Year Activities T425 What Catholics Should Know T431 Prayer and How We Pray T433 Stations of the Cross T440 The Seven Sacraments T444 Holy Days of Obligation T448 The Commandments T449 Making Good Choices T450 The Bible T451 Showing Our Love for the World T452 Student Book Cover Prayers T455 SAMPLE
Media in This Unit When preparing to teach the unit, determine how you will use the media. Media that enhances each chapter can be accessed by scanning the QR codes found on the student pages. All media resources are available to you through the LP Digital Library (digitallibrary.loyolapress.com). Contact your administrator for your login credentials. UNIT 1 God Is Our Good Father Goals • Children will know and express that God the Father created them and that his Son, Jesus, invites them into friendship with him. • Children will pray the Sign of the Cross and the Lord’s Prayer. 1 Jesus Is Our Friend Jesus invites us to be his friends and to enjoy his presence, just as he welcomed the little children of Galilee. Children learn that Jesus’ Death on the Cross showed the depths of his love for us. The crucifix reminds us that Jesus died but is risen and is still with us. Children learn how we pray the Sign of the Cross to remind us of Jesus’ love. 2 God Is Good The goodness of creation leads us to give thanks and praise to our Father, the source of all life and goodness, who lets us share in bringing all creation to fulfillment. Children learn that God made everything and that living things grow best when they are given good care. 3 God Is Our Father God continually invites us to grow and deepen our relationship with him and others. God gives us unique gifts and calls us to use them to give human expression to God’s loving, forgiving care for every person. Children learn that they are made in God’s image and likeness. 4 God Our Father Is Holy God speaks to us and is available to us so that we can experience joy, support, and strength in God’s friendship. Children enter the sacred space we call church, the place where God meets us and where we ponder God’s ways. They learn how we, in word and gesture, acknowledge the presence of the all-holy One who remains with us as Christ our Lord and Savior in the Blessed Sacrament. 5 God Shares His Life with Us God the Father shows the greatness of his love by giving us a share in his own life at Baptism. Children learn that our newness of life calls us to live by the Spirit we received when we were incorporated into God’s family, the Church. 6 God Speaks to Us God’s Word enlightens and guides those who choose to follow his path of peace and love. Children learn how we can hear God’s gentle voice in created wonders and providential care, in the Bible, in the teaching of the Church, in the directives of those God has chosen to care for us, and in the silence of our own hearts. 7 We Pray to God Our Father In prayer we consciously open ourselves to God’s dwelling in our souls and come to recognize God’s loving hand in all that happens to us. Children learn how to listen to God and talk to God by sharing their deepest thoughts and desires. 8 Jesus Teaches Us to Pray to Our Father Jesus taught us to call God “Our Father” and to acknowledge with confidence our dependence on God’s faithful, forgiving care for us. Children learn about the solidarity of the human family and our relationship with God as they come to understand the meaning of the Lord’s Prayer and learn how to make it their own prayer. See page T67 for STREAM activity. T1 SAMPLE
CHAPTER 1 Jesus Is Our Friend Listening “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. … I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you.” John 15:12–16 Reflecting Jesus came to bring salvation to the world, not only as our Lord and Savior but also as our friend. The Lord who is above all, who is incomprehensible, and who is Holy Mystery desires our friendship. Jesus Christ is our friend. He loves and cares for us and longs to be one with us. Jesus considers himself a friend to us when he says, “You are my friends if you do what I command you.” (John 15:14) The Gospels are rich with stories about Jesus’ friendship with people from all walks of life. Jesus especially loved children. Faith Focus Jesus, our Savior, invites us to be his friends. Reflecting on the Faith Experience Take a few moments to reflect prayerfully before preparing the lesson. Responding Jesus, help me guide the children I teach in deepening their friendship with you. Scripture for Further Reflection Ephesians 1:3–10 The Father’s plan of salvation is fulfilled in Christ. Hebrews 12:1–2 We are encouraged to persevere and to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who endured the Cross. It is not uncommon in Catholic Tradition to speak of Jesus as a friend. Saint Ignatius of Loyola taught his followers that prayer should be like one friend speaking to another. Saint Teresa of Ávila, a Doctor of the Church who taught about prayer, wrote often of Jesus as a true friend. Jesus will never reject us or abandon us, even when we are troubled or distressed. Pope John Paul II, in his speech at World Youth Day XII, called young people to talk with Jesus as they would a friend. In being our friend, Jesus models how we are to relate to one another. Just as he calls us friend, so are we to call each of our sisters and brothers friend. We are to care for one another as Jesus cares for us. How do I welcome the Lord in the children I teach and in the other people and events I encounter on the path of my daily life? T2 Unit 1 God Is Our Good Father SAMPLE
Preparing for the Faith Experience Day One Jesus Loves Children Day Two Jesus Invites Us to Be His Friends Day Three The Cross Is a Sign of Jesus’ Love Day Four The Sign of the Cross Day Five Extending the Chapter The following pages present a plan for teaching this chapter in five days. Adapt the lessons and pacing to suit your program. Church Documents Catechism of the Catholic Church. The themes in this chapter correspond to the following paragraphs: 425, 617–618, 2157. Directory for Catechesis #75. The goal of catechesis is to develop communion and intimacy with Jesus. Angelus, August 30, 2020 (Pope Francis). The Gospel demands love and self-surrender. The way of Christ is the way of the Cross. Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy #128 (Congregation for Divine Worship). The Cross expresses Christ’s triumph over the powers of darkness and is therefore a sign of blessing when made upon oneself. Media in This Chapter Determine in advance if you will have children experience the media during class or at home. This media can be accessed by scanning the QR code with a webenabled smartphone or tablet. Families in Mission Send home the Families in Mission pages after teaching the chapter so that families can further explore the teaching, grow in faith, and be inspired to go forth as missionary disciples. Enriching the Faith Experience Use the activities at the end of the chapter to enrich a lesson or to replace an activity with one that better meets the needs of your class. Bulletin Board A suggestion for a bulletin-board design for this chapter is pictured. Post pictures of children inside the heart. Scripture in This Chapter Mark 10:13–16 Blessing of the Children Luke 18:16 Jesus calls the children to himself. John 15:14 Being Jesus’ Friend Matthew 28:20 Jesus is always with us. Mark 16:15 Share the Good News. Catholic Social Teaching Family and Community * Post pictures of the children. Jesus Is Our Friend Chapter 1 T3 Inclusion Scan the QR code for Inclusion articles or access them from the LP Digital Library. SAMPLE
Day One Jesus Loves Children LEARNING OUTCOMES Children will be able to • tell the story of Jesus and his love for little children. • explain that the stories of Jesus are found in the Gospels. • express an understanding of how much Jesus loves them personally. Materials • Bible • Picture of Jesus (optional) • Name card for each child, placed where he or she will sit • Card with Jesus written on it • Floor mats (optional) • A song about Jesus and children for Sharing #4 Before You Begin 1. Children encounter the Lord through people who reflect his love in their daily lives. When we express kindness and concern in our eyes, our tone of voice, and our words, gestures, and actions, we are making the Lord’s presence visible. 2. Children are sensitive to signs of love and acceptance. This lesson introduces children to Jesus, inviting them to be his friends and to enjoy his presence. The welcome song permits each child to sense his or her uniqueness. The song also helps children become aware that they are part of a group whom Jesus loves. 3. Children are invited to respond personally to Jesus in prayer. They are encouraged to share their experience of Jesus with their families and friends. Centering 1. Warmly welcome children and introduce yourself. 2. Help children get to know one another through a name song sung to the tune of “Where Is Thumbkin?” Invite them to stand. Where is (Name)? Where is (Name)? Here they are. Here they are. Welcome here today, friends. Welcome here today, friends. Please sit down. Please sit down. • Give all children an opportunity to sing or say their names and show their name cards. Encourage children to join in singing. • We know one another a little better now because we know everyone’s name. 3. Gather children around you in a semicircle, calling each child by name. • You may want to place mats on the floor ahead of time. • Because our religion lesson is such a special time, we sometimes gather together for it in a special place. Sharing 1. Introduce the story of Jesus and the little children. • Show children a picture of Jesus, either the one you brought or the one on page 3 of the Student Book. • Here is a picture of Jesus. This is his name card. [Show the card with Jesus written on it and read it aloud.] Jesus invites us to be his friends. Let’s all be good listeners as I tell a story that we learn in our holy book, the Bible. This story shows us that Jesus is a friend to children. 2. Tell the story of Jesus and the little children. (Mark 10:13–16) Jesus and the Children People brought little children to Jesus for him to bless. Jesus’ friends, the disciples, told the people to go away because Jesus was tired. Jesus did not like that the disciples were sending the children away. Jesus said, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Then Jesus put his arms around the little children and gave them his blessing. (From Mark 10:13–16) T4 Unit 1 God Is Our Good Father SAMPLE
3. Guide children to realize that Jesus is a friend to children. • Why did the people bring their children to Jesus? (for him to bless) • Why did Jesus want the children to come to him? (He liked being with them and wanted to bless them.) • Who did Jesus say belong to the Kingdom of God? (those who are like children) • How do you know that Jesus wanted the children to be his friends? (Jesus wanted the children to be with him; the children were welcome in the Kingdom of God; Jesus hugged and blessed the children.) • Does Jesus want you to be his friend? How do you know that? (Yes. He loves little children.) 4. Play a song of your choice about Jesus and children. Discuss the lyrics. Invite volunteers to dramatize part of the story while you play the song again. If your class is large, repeat until each child who wishes to has had a chance to participate. 5. Show and briefly describe the Bible and tell children what Jesus said in the Gospels. • I want to talk to you about the Bible, our holy book. • The Bible has many stories about God’s people and how God spoke to them and helped them. The Bible also tells us what Jesus said and did. These stories are found in the part of the Bible called the Gospels. • In the Bible, Jesus calls us friends. He said, “You are my friends.” (John 15:14) Jesus also said, “I am with you always.” (Matthew 28:20) [Pause.] • What did Jesus call us? (his friends) Friends like to be together. What did Jesus promise he would do? (be with us always) Jesus is with us always. It is very good to have Jesus for a friend and to know that he is with us. [Pause.] 6. Have children complete sentences that you begin. • Jesus is our friend. He loves children. Let’s remember some of the things Jesus said to us today. • Try to finish these sentences. • “Let the children _______.” (come to me) • “You are my _______.” (friends) • “I am with you _______.” (always) Acting 1. Lead children in personal prayer. • Let’s bow our heads and think about how Jesus loves us and invites us to be his friends. [Pause.] We can speak to Jesus deep in our hearts because he is always with us. • Maybe you would like to tell Jesus that you’re happy to be his friend. [Pause.] • You might like to thank him for being your friend. [Pause.] • You could thank him for all the friends you met at school today.[Pause.] • You might want to tell Jesus that you love him. [Pause.] • Now tell Jesus anything else you’d like. [Pause.] 2. Invite children to share what they learned with their family and friends. • Tell your family and friends the story of Jesus and the children. • Tell your family about the new friends you met today. CHECKPOINT Were the learning outcomes achieved? How do children express the conviction that Jesus loves them? Jesus Is Our Friend Chapter 1 T5 Day One SAMPLE
Centering 1. Announce that each child will receive a book. • Through the joy in your voice, help children realize that this is an important occasion. • I’m happy you’re here today because we are having a celebration. You will receive your religion book. This book will tell you many things about God the Father, his Son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. It will show you ways you can show love for others. You can share the book with others, especially with your family. Because it is such a special book, you will want to receive it and hold it reverently and with respect. [Let a child or two demonstrate.] • You will have time to look through the book later. 2. Hold a short celebration for the reception of the Student Book. You may wish to play soft music during the ceremony. A child might do the reading from page 4. Opening Song Sing the song about Jesus and children from Day One, Sharing #4. Short Reading Reader: Jesus said, “Let the children come to me.” Comments by the Catechist Blessing of the Books (if a priest is present) Distribution of the Books Call each child by name and present the book in a reverent manner. • [Name] This is your own book about God. It will help you better know God the Father, his Son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Closing Song Sing the song of your choice. Day Two Jesus Invites Us to Be His Friends Student pages 1–4 LEARNING OUTCOMES Children will be able to • explain how Jesus invites each of them to come to him. • describe ways to be with Jesus today. Materials • Device with internet access (optional) • Copies of the Student Book (with children’s names on the covers) • Table • Song about Jesus and children from Day One • Song of your choice for Centering #2 • Crayons or markers Before You Begin 1. Determine whether the media will be experienced during class or at home. 2. Download from the LP Digital Library Reproducible 1a, Pre-test/Post-test. Experiencing a sense of belonging helps us know our personal worth. Being part of a group helps us grow and learn and brings out our better qualities. In each lesson, you can develop children’s sense of belonging, as well as each individual child’s sense of importance in the group. Calling each child by name is an effective way to foster a feeling of belonging and importance. 3. Encouraging children to think about the nature of friendship and their relationships with others is a way to express the Church’s social teaching on Family and Community. Good relationships, especially within the family, are central to our faith and to a healthy society. Family and Community 4. With ritual, children will receive their copies of the Student Book in this lesson. Ritual speaks to children, but preparing them for the ritual will heighten the meaning of the presentation of the books. 5. Ask a priest to bless the books before the lesson or invite him to join you and children for the ritual, where he can bless the books. 6. You may wish to administer Reproducible 1a as a pre-test. Use the test to assess children’s familiarity with faith concepts being covered this year. You then can use the results to plan your lessons for the year. Save the tests. At the end of the year, give the test again as a post-test. Lead children to see how much they have learned. T6 Unit 1 God Is Our Good Father SAMPLE
3. Explore the Student Book with children. • Have children look at the cover. Read aloud the title of the book, Christ Our Life, and have children repeat it. Then let them look through the book. Comment on the pictures. • How can you take good care of your religion book? (Turn pages carefully; do neat and careful work in it; protect it from becoming wet or soiled; put it away after use.) Sharing 1. Have children turn to page 1. Read aloud the title of the unit, God Is Our Good Father. We will learn about God the Father and his Son, Jesus, in this unit. What did we learn yesterday about Jesus? (He loves us. He invites us to be his friends.) 2. Have children find the Scripture at the bottom of page 1. Tell them that these are words from the Bible, our holy book. Read aloud the Scripture passage. 3. Discuss the pictures on page 1. • [Point to the top left picture.] What are the two children doing? (praying) • [Point to the top right picture.] What is the name of the building shown here? (church) • [Point to the bottom picture.] This picture shows people inside a church. Church is where we go to worship God. In this unit, we will learn more about God and some of the holy things we see at church. 4. Direct children to the QR code at the bottom of page 1. Explain that you will be inviting them to access media behind the code, either in class via computer or tablet or at home via smartphone, computer, or tablet. A Letter Home At the beginning of the unit, have children tear out page 2 and bring it home or send the entire Student Book home. Ask children to read this letter with their parents and use the QR code found on the page to experience and discuss the media before your next class meeting. A Letter Home God Invites Us Our loving God is always inviting us to deepen our relationship with him. We can trust in the faithful, forgiving care of our Father, the source of all life and goodness. At Baptism, we are united with God as his children, and we receive new life in Christ. We receive our call as disciples to put away our old selves and “put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth.” (Ephesians 4:24) The Holy Spirit fills us, and we are welcomed into the family of the Church. The Word of God guides us to follow his path of peace and love. We can hear God speaking to us in the wonders of his creation, in the teachings of the Church, in the Bible, in the people who love and care for us, and in the silence of our hearts. In prayer, we consciously open ourselves to God’s presence in our lives. We recognize his loving hand in all that happens to us. He faithfully calls us to encounter him, to lift our minds and hearts in prayer, and to respond to his Word in everything we do and say. In this unit, children learn that they were created in the image and likeness of God and that his Son, Jesus, died and rose for them. They learn to pray the Sign of the Cross and the Lord’s Prayer and to explore the many ways that God speaks to them. Children revisit chapter content, complete a Your Turn activity, and undertake an interactive chapter review in the Review section of each chapter. At the end of each chapter of this unit, children will bring home the Families in Mission pages so that you can further explore the chapter content, grow in your faith, and be inspired to go forth as a family of missionary disciples. The last chapter of each unit includes a unit review, where you will find a QR code to scan to play the Stump the Shepherd unit review game. LOOKING AHEAD Scan the QR code with a web-enabled device to view a video about Saint Ignatius of Loyola together as a family. You will learn more about this 16th-century saint in the Families in Mission pages for Chapter 8. 2 Unit 1 Christ Our Life® For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. Romans 8:14 God Is Our Good Father UNIT 1 1 Jesus Is Our Friend Chapter 1 T7 Day Two SAMPLE
• Jesus blesses us and loves us today, but it is different from the way he blessed and loved people long ago. • When our parents and others love and care for us, Jesus blesses us. • When our teachers help us learn, Jesus blesses us. • When we go to church, Jesus blesses us. • When we see how beautiful the world is, Jesus blesses us. 5. Refer children to page 3. Read aloud God Gives Us Friends and have children answer the question. 6. Remind children what it means that Jesus is our friend. Have children look at the picture of Jesus and the children on page 3. Invite children to describe and comment on the image. Point out that Jesus is smiling kindly at the children and blessing them. Note the posture of the children, which shows they are friends with Jesus and with one another. 7. Read aloud God’s Son, Jesus on page 4. 8. Explain how Jesus is with us. • Gather children around you. As you speak, focus on each child for a short time so that each one feels you are speaking personally to him or her. • It would have been nice to be with those children who saw Jesus long ago. But Jesus loves us, too, and he calls us to come to him. We can come to him even though we cannot see him. Help me say what Jesus said, “I am with you _______.” (always) • Here are some ways we come to Jesus. • We come to Jesus when we pray. • We come to Jesus when we learn about him from others. • We come to Jesus when we go to church and speak to him there because he is present in church in a special way. • We come to Jesus when we care for others as Jesus would. CHAPTER Jesus Is Our Friend God Gives Us Friends We love our friends. We like to be with our friends. We like to talk to them. They do kind things for us. They make us happy. Friends show us they love us. God is good to give us friends. How can we show our care to our friends? 1 3 Jesus Is Our Friend Chapter 1 T8 Unit 1 God Is Our Good Father Day Two SAMPLE
9. Have children do the Jesus and Me activity on page 4. 10. Have children review page 4. • Who is Jesus? (the Son of God) • By what name is he also known to us? (Jesus Christ) • What does Jesus invite us to be? (his friends) • What did Jesus say to let us know he likes to be with us? (“Let the children come to me.”) • When is Jesus with us? (always) Acting 1. Lead children in silent prayer. • Look at the picture on page 4. Jesus is happy when he is with children. He is happy to be with us. He calls us to come to him. He blesses us. He loves us. • Perhaps there is something you would like to tell Jesus now. Let’s be very quiet so that we can speak to Jesus deep within us. You may wish to tell Jesus how happy you are that he loves you. [Pause to allow children time for silent prayer.] 2. Invite children to share their religion books with their families. Remind them to take care of the books and to bring them back to the next class. They might ask their parents to cover the book with clear plastic wrap. 3. Distribute Reproducible 1a, Pre-test. Use the test to assess children’s familiarity with the content that will be learning this year. Name Score REPRODUCIBLE Christ Our Life® All Rights Reserved Christ Our Life® Reproducibles w3154 www.christourlife.com GRADE 1 Chapter 1 1a Page 1 of 2 Pre-test/Post-test On the line, write the letter of the term that best completes each sentence. Use the terms from the box. 1. I can pray the Sign of the C . p. 7 2. I can love God with my whole A . p. 131 3. In the Bible, J speaks to me. p. 50 4. Jesus calls me to help people all over the G . p. 143 5. I can let my D shine. pp. 40, 213 6. We go to E to worship God. p. 32 7. I can love others as Jesus loves H . p. 134 8. At Mass, B become the Body and Blood of Jesus. p. 170 9. I can F to God every day. p. 60 10. I know Jesus is I with me. pp. 6, 187, 223 A. heart F. pray B. bread and wine G. world C. Cross H. me D. light I. always E. church J. God CHECKPOINT Were the learning outcomes achieved? What did children’s drawings of themselves with Jesus reveal? God’s Son, Jesus Jesus is the Son of God. He is also known to us as Jesus Christ. He invites us to be his friends. He likes to be with us. Jesus said, “Let the children come to me.” Luke 18:16 Jesus blessed and loved the children when they came to him. He blesses and loves us too. God the Father is good to give us Jesus. He is always with us. Jesus and Me Draw yourself with Jesus. 4 Unit 1 God Is Our Good Father Jesus Is Our Friend Chapter 1 T9 Day Two SAMPLE
LEARNING OUTCOMES Children will be able to • explain that a cross or crucifix is a visible reminder of Jesus’ love as shown through his Death and Resurrection. • name ways that they can bring Jesus’ love to others. Day Three The Cross Is a Sign of Jesus’ Love Student page 5 Materials • Pictures of people showing kindness • Crucifix enthroned on a table • Song about Jesus’ love for Acting #1 • Crayons or markers • Construction paper (optional) Before You Begin 1. “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13) Jesus showed the depth of his love by dying on the Cross for us. This lesson presents the Paschal Mystery, the passage of Christ from Death to life, in a simple way: Jesus died on the Cross for us, and he was raised from the dead. Now Jesus is in heaven with his Father, but he is with us too. 2. The catechesis given helps children understand why two types of crucifixes are common. Christ not only died for our sins. He is risen, and many crucifixes depict him as our glorious high priest. Centering 1. Lead children to understand that being willing to do something for someone, even when it is difficult, is a sign of love. • Who are some people who love you? How do you know that these people love you? • Who are some people you love? How do you show love for these people? • When we truly love someone, our love makes us willing to do things for that person, even things that are hard. 2. Share a personal experience in which you made a sacrifice for someone you love. • Today we will learn about how much Jesus loves us. • Jesus was willing to do something for us that was very hard. Sharing 1. Reverently pick up the crucifix and hold it while you proclaim the message. • This is a crucifix. It is a cross with the image of Jesus on it. [Pause.] Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He came to show us God’s love. [Pause.] Jesus died on the Cross for us. He gave his life for us so our sins can be forgiven and we can one day live with God in heaven. • After people took Jesus down from the Cross, they put his body into a tomb. The tomb was like a cave. Then they rolled a big stone in front of it. [Pause.] But three days after Jesus was buried, he was raised from the dead. He came back to life with a new life, a risen life. [Pause.] • Now Jesus is in heaven with his Father, but he is with us too. Jesus said, “I am with you _________.” (always) Jesus is alive and with us in the Holy Spirit, whom he gives to his people. [Pause.] Whenever we look at a cross or a crucifix, we can remember that Jesus died for us, is risen, and is with us now. 2. Show pictures of people being kind and loving. Explain that one of the ways that Jesus is with us is in the people who bring us his love. Display the pictures. Let children take turns selecting a picture and telling how it shows Jesus’ presence. 3. Have children turn to page 5. Read aloud Jesus’ Love. If we are Jesus’ friends, we want to follow him. We want to be like him and love others. 4. Engage children in role-playing to help them realize that they are able to choose to act like Jesus. • Introduce the activity. Provide an opportunity for each child to take part, but do not force participation. • Jesus showed love for other people. Do you think we can be like Jesus and show love for others? Let’s perform some skits. I will tell what is happening in each skit. You will decide how to finish the skit in a way that shows love for others. Each of you will have a chance to be in a skit if you want to. T10 Unit 1 God Is Our Good Father SAMPLE
• You are on the playground playing in a group. You see Jennifer by herself with no one to play with. • You are playing ball with your friends during recess. A ball from another class rolls into the place where you are playing. • You are at the lunch table with Marcus and some other children. Marcus has no lunch because he forgot it at home. • The bell has rung, and the class is lining up. If you run a little, you can get ahead of Emma and be the first in line. • Did the skit show people who chose to do things the way Jesus’ followers would? How were those people like Jesus? 5. Comment on the role-playing activity: • Remember that Jesus is with you in a special way when you show you are his follower. • Jesus asks you to love others as he did. Acting 1. Lead children in prayer. Gather children around you. Reverently hold a crucifix while you and children sing a song about Jesus’ love. 2. Have children do the Someone I Love activity on page 5. Encourage children to also draw something loving they will do with the person. Invite volunteers to share and talk about their drawings. CHECKPOINT Were the learning outcomes achieved? How are children making efforts to be loving? Jesus’ Love Jesus loves everyone. We want to follow Jesus. We want to be like him. When we act like Jesus, we bring his love to others. We are loving, caring, and helpful. Someone I Love Draw a picture of someone you love. Read the sentence below your picture. I love you. Jesus Is Our Friend Chapter 1 5 Jesus Is Our Friend Chapter 1 T11 Day Three SAMPLE
LEARNING OUTCOMES Children will be able to • describe the Sign of the Cross as a prayer that Jesus’ followers pray to remember Jesus’ love. • pray the Sign of the Cross with reverence. • demonstrate an understanding of the key concepts in this chapter. • define Sign of the Cross. Word to Know Sign of the Cross See the Glossary for definition. Materials • Device with internet access (optional) • Crucifix enthroned • Crayons or markers • Reproducible 1b Before You Begin 1. Determine whether the media will be experienced during class or at home. 2. Download from the LP Digital Library Reproducible 1b, Chapter 1 Quiz. 3. The sign that Catholics use to begin and end prayer, to offer their work to the Lord, and to ask God’s blessing on an activity can easily become so routine that it loses its meaning. This lesson introduces children to the Sign of the Cross, which shows our love for God— Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and like the crucifix, reminds us that Jesus died for us, is risen, and is with us now. The devotion with which you pray the Sign of the Cross will be reflected in children’s blessing of themselves. Likewise, demonstrating an awareness of the presence of a crucifix in the classroom can help children sense its importance. 4. When practicing the Sign of the Cross with children, move slowly and deliberately from gesture to gesture. Check for correct placement at each step. 5. When planning today’s lesson, keep in mind that Day Four is when children take the chapter quiz and reserve time for this assessment at the end of class. The quiz can also be administered on Day Five. Centering A Moment with Jesus 1. Lead children in praying A Moment with Jesus on page 6. • A Moment with Jesus is an opportunity for children to turn to God in the quiet of their hearts. This is a time for personal, internal prayer. You may wish to use a soft chime or other musical tone to let children know when prayer time begins and ends. • Invite children to begin the lesson by spending a few minutes with Jesus in silence. Then lead them in praying A Moment with Jesus. Day Four The Sign of the Cross Student pages 6–8 Jesus Shows His Love Jesus shows us how much he loves us. He died on the Cross for us. He gave his life so that our sins can be forgiven and we can live with God in heaven. The Cross reminds us of Jesus’ love. Jesus’ followers pray the Sign of the Cross. A Moment with Jesus Jesus is always with us. We can tell him anything. Talk to Jesus in the quiet of your heart. Word to Know Sign of the Cross The action of blessing oneself in the name of the Holy Trinity— Father, Son, and Holy Spirit Unit 1 God Is Our Good Father 6 T12 Unit 1 God Is Our Good Father SAMPLE
2. Conclude the prayer by reverently praying the Sign of the Cross. • What am I doing? (praying the Sign of the Cross) • Where have you seen people make this sign? (at Mass; when people pray) • When have you made this sign? • We often begin and end our prayers by praying the Sign of the Cross. • Today you are going to learn about the Sign of the Cross, a prayer that shows our love for Jesus. Sharing 1. Direct children to page 6 and read aloud Jesus Shows His Love. Point out the Word to Know feature. Explain that throughout the book there are important words that children will learn and review at the end of the chapter in the Word to Know section. Word to Know Read aloud or invite a volunteer to read aloud the definition of Sign of the Cross from the Word to Know feature. Children can further explore the meaning of the word in the Glossary. 2. Help children associate the Sign of the Cross with the crucifix. • Show a crucifix to children. • When we pray the Sign of the Cross, we are drawing a cross on ourselves. When we do this, we remember Jesus’ love. We remember that he died on the Cross and rose for us. He gave us the gift of forgiveness from sin and life with God. • Make the Sign of the Cross. • We give Jesus our mind [touch forehead], heart [touch chest], and whole body [touch shoulder to shoulder]. 3. Read aloud The Sign of the Cross on page 7 and teach children the gestures for the Sign of the Cross. • Ask children to look at the pictures on page 7. • Now it’s your turn to pray the Sign of the Cross. This prayer has two parts: gestures and words. We are going to begin with the gestures. • We are going to do exactly what the children in the pictures are doing. • Ask children to raise their right hands. Make sure each child has raised the correct hand. Then make the five gestures for the Sign of the Cross with children. Move slowly from gesture to gesture, watching to be sure that children understand. Repeat reverently as many times as needed. 4. Present the words of the Sign of the Cross. • Now we are going to add the words to the gestures. • Repeat the above procedure very slowly, adding the words that accompany each movement. Repeat as needed. 5. Tell children that we use the Sign of the Cross as a blessing. • When we make the Sign of the Cross on ourselves, we bless ourselves by asking God to bless us. To bless someone or something is to ask that the power of God’s goodness come upon that person or object. 1 2 3 4 5 In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. The Sign of the Cross When we pray the Sign of the Cross, we remember that Jesus loves us. We pray the Sign of the Cross in words and gestures. Praying this prayer shows that we believe in God the Father, Jesus the Son of God, and God the Holy Spirit. Jesus Is Our Friend Chapter 1 7 Jesus Is Our Friend Chapter 1 T13 Day Four SAMPLE
• When have you been blessed by someone? Have you seen someone or something being blessed? [Remind children that their religion books were blessed.] • When can you bless yourself? (the first thing in the morning and the last thing at night; at meals; anytime) 6. If feasible, have children scan the QR code on page 7 using a handheld, web-enabled device to experience the media. 7. Allow time for children to practice praying the Sign of the Cross. 8. Direct children to the Review on page 8. • I have two questions to ask you from a section of your book called We Remember. [Ask the We Remember questions several times.] Try to memorize this section every week. • Read aloud the Word to Know. • Have children look at the We Respond section. Explain that it always has a prayer. Invite children to pray the prayer aloud after you: I love you, Jesus. • Allow time for children to complete the Your Turn activity. • At the end of class, have children tear out and take home page 8. 9. Distribute and administer Reproducible 1b, Chapter 1 Quiz. • Use this opportunity to assess children’s understanding of the main concepts in the chapter. • If there is not sufficient time for children to complete the quiz, consider moving it to Day Five. [Note: Read aloud all quizzes for children until they can read.] Name Score REPRODUCIBLE Christ Our Life® All Rights Reserved Christ Our Life® Reproducibles w3154 www.christourlife.com GRADE 1 Chapter 1 1b Chapter 1 Quiz Circle T if the sentence is true. Circle F if the sentence is false. 1. Jesus invites us to be his friends. p. 4 T F 2. Jesus wants children to come to him. p. 4 T F 3. Jesus is with us only sometimes. pp. 4, 6 T F 4. God is good to give us friends. p. 3 T F 5. Jesus died on the Cross. He loves us. pp. 5, 6 T F 6. To be like Jesus, we should love others. p. 5 T F 7. The Sign of the Cross begins “In the name of Jesus.” p. 7 T F 8. As Jesus’ followers, we pray the Sign of the Cross. p. 6 T F Write the word that completes each sentence on the line. 9. Jesus died on the for us. p. 6 10. We pray the word at the end of the Sign of the Cross. p. 7 Cross Amen Acting 1. Remind children that they can bless themselves. Point out the Sign of the Cross prayer on the inside front cover of the book and tell children that they may color the cross above it when they know it by heart. A copy of this prayer is also available on page T453. 2. Alert children to pray of the Sign of the Cross in church. • Watch during Mass for times when the priest prays the Sign of the Cross as a blessing. • Watch during Mass for times when we bless ourselves. • Remember to bless yourself with holy water when you enter and leave the church. 3. As an option, have children undertake the interactive chapter review by scanning the QR code on page 8 and send the results to you. CHECKPOINT Were the learning outcomes achieved? REVIEW Your Turn Color the cross. Then trace the words. Jesus loves me. Word to Know Sign of the Cross pp. 6, 278 We Remember Why did Jesus die on the Cross? Jesus died on the Cross to show how much he loves us. What is the Sign of the Cross? The Sign of the Cross is a prayer. When we pray this prayer, we remember that Jesus loves us. We Respond I love you, Jesus. CHAPTER Jesus Is Our Friend 1 8 Chapter 1 Chapter Review T14 Unit 1 God Is Our Good Father Day Four SAMPLE
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