Stories Around The Campfire - A Midyear Review

Happy New Year everyone! Hope there are still a few of you out there and that you feel fresh and renewed after a lovely break!

Sunday January 6th was our thirteenth session together. Can you believe we are half-way through already?! This week we used the session as a midyear review of what we have learned. In preparing for the session, I created an activity and coloring book where I re-used as many phrases and pictures as I could from our previous sessions, and created activities similar, but not identical to, activities we have completed in those sessions. I did this only partially to be lazy ~ really! The real goal was to provide reinforcers for the lessons we have already covered. In this way, each lesson's theme (pictures, phrases) will have been presented to the children 3 times (the original lesson, the unit review, and the midyear review).

Packing Light: You can find the activity book here. It has coloring, word searches, mazes, stickers, and other pencil puzzles. (It is a large file and may take a minute or two to open.)

When we met in the common area for the whole group activity, we learned that Pragmatic Tiger and Fair Cheetah would not be joining us this time. But we had some good news: Courtly Polar Bear, Effusive Jaguar, and Rocking Horse all received "perfect attendance" awards for December! Way to go!

Once we were in our room, we talked about whether we had fun over Christmas and what our favorite gifts were. We also discovered that some of us were able to stay up late on New Year's Eve and even made it to the new year! Wow!

The children settled in surprisingly quickly given the long break, and it wasn't long before they were clamoring for some coloring to do... what a coincidence since what I had with me was... coloring! But first, we talked about how we were half-way done with our learning already! And so, today we were going to review everything we have talked about so far.

I distributed the review books and sticker packs, and together we looked over each page and remembered what we talked about. We tried to find the right sticker to go with each page, and took turns reading from the stickers. The children did a great job with it, and really seemed to recall the key messages (or at least the activities we did) for each lesson:

From Unit 1, We Gather As Believers, we have

Our Church Welcomes Us - we remembered that we are a community and we come together to celebrate. Rocking Horse said she remembered making the church doors and the Welcome inside.

We Belong to The Church - we remembered that we have Baptism to show we are members. We talked about the 4 symbols used during Baptism: water, oil, white clothes, and candles. Sweet Pea Elephant remembered them all!

Our Church Shows Us How To Live - we remembered that we have holy people like priests and deacons to give us examples, and Saints as role models. The children definitely remembered tracing their footsteps!

We Praise And Thank God - we remembered how we can pray by saying our prayers or by singing. Earnest Eagle remembered the story about King David and how he was so strong and won lots of battles and sang lots of prayers.

From Unit 2, We Ask God's Forgiveness, we have

We Can Choose What Is Good - we remembered that we make choices, and that God wants us to make good choices. Effusive Jaguar remembered that this is when we talked about Max and we were all Wild Things!!

We Celebrate God's Forgiveness - we remembered the ways we can ask for and seek forgiveness. Everyone remembered the 4given card game!

We Think About Our Choices - we remembered the rules are called "commandments". We reviewed them together. Courtly Polar Bear remembered "that game" we played with them (fortune teller/cootie catcher).

We Say We Are Sorry - we remembered that Reconciliation is a way to say we are sorry. Rocking Horse remembered being in the puppet show!

Then, we had a review of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The children remembered the little room and we read through the prayers and activities that happen when we participate in the sacrament.


After we finished reviewing the lessons, the children each chose which lesson they liked the best (or all of them), and wrote about it in their journals.

Then at last, we had one more segment to review: I reminded them that there were other things we have been learning too, about Mass:

We learned to notice what color the priest is wearing, and know that something special happens when he wears a different color. (And there was great discussion over why the priest was wearing white with red today and not just all red or all white!)

We learned to participate in the Penitential Rite, and notice that sometimes it is short like an answer and sometimes it is like a long prayer. (And there was indecision about how we did it today, but I reminded them that today we said the 'long' version)

We learned to participate in saying the Gloria, and notice that sometimes it we say it and sometimes we sing it. (And we just said it today, and Effusive Jaguar noted that we always just say it when Fr. C says the Mass. She likes the version we sing at Christmas and she and the others started to sing it! Wonderful!).

We learned to participate with the Holy, Holy, Holy, and notice that sometimes we say it and sometimes we sing it (today we not only sang it, but we are still using 'that new way' that we started using).

We learned to participate in the Our Father, and notice that sometimes we say it and sometimes we sing it (again today, we apparently just said it because that's the way Fr. C likes it ~ I reminded them that it is not just what the priest likes but also whether the community likes it and what is happening in the Mass and so forth).

The children finished up the session coloring (finally!) and working the puzzles. It was wonderful to see the children today and they were all in such good spirits. Next week we will be starting Unit 3, which focuses on the Bible as the word of God, the Liturgy of the Word section of Mass, works of service, and Prayer of the Faithful section of Mass.

Side Trips: if you want more information, activities, and games...

• follow any of the links above to find the activities and worksheets for the original lessons!

Revisiting Covered Ground

Sunday December 2nd was our twelfth session together. This week we had a unit review for Unit 2, "We Ask God's Forgiveness". In preparing for the session, I wanted to again focus on phrases and images we have already used in our sessions together. The lesson plan for the session includes the topics discussion and craft activity. There is no activities worksheet for this week.

Packing Light: (The whole session was "light" - so just check out the end-of-unit review sheets from the Blest Are We workbook!)


As usual, we met in the common area for the whole group activity. We sang happy birthday to some children in other grades who have birthdays soon! We also learned Sweet Pea Elephant would not be joining us today as she is on a special camping trip. We missed her but hope she had fun!

We had a little excitement at the room because it was locked, so we found ourselves traipsing around the building looking for a room, but then found someone who had the key. Once in the room I had not even formed the words asking about mass when the children bombarded me with questions about why the priest was wearing purple today!

So we spent some time discussing how today was the first day of our Church year, and the first day of Advent. We talked about Advent and how it is a time of preparing for and waiting for Jesus to come. We talked about the Advent wreath and looked at an Advent calendar. We decided we would like very much to count down the days by coloring one star each day!

Then of course, I was curious about the rest of the Mass...

"What else did you notice at Mass today besides the purple robes? Did you all say the Penitential Rite like you promised?"

"(Some hemming and hawing on this one, but Rocking Horse definitely remembered that we said the whole thing instead of that short "Christ Have Mercy" version!)

"And how about the Gloria?"

"I'm guessing but we probably sang it"." (said Effusive Jaguar) "I don't know, I don't even think we said it today but that doesn't sound right." (said Rocking Horse)

"Oh, but you are right! During Advent we will not sing or say the Gloria! That way it can be extra special when we sing it on Christmas! And how about the Holy, Holy, Holy?"

"I do remember that - we sang it!" (said Rocking Horse, who was apparently my shill today!)

"Yep, you got it."

"Yeah, and today Saint Jan wasn't there except he did show up for a little while. That was different." (said Effusive Jaguar)

"Yes, Father Corry offered the Mass for us and Father Jan came to help minister Holy Communion. That is different for us, but it is nice, isn't it?"

(general agreement)

So then we proceeded with our primary focus for the day: we worked on some review booklets and read together the things we want to remember about forgiveness. The children colored their booklets and matched up the stickers. Some of them chose to start coloring their advent calendars instead. They each chose their favorite page to add to the gallery.





And then the big surprise was that the children took pictures of ME this time! This provided untold joy in the clasroom. My goodness! Turn about is fair play I guess. I would like to say that the photos didn't come out very well, but maybe it was the subject ;-) They made me promise to post them...














Next week we will be having a special session focused on the Sacrament of Reconciliation, so there weren't any Family Time pages, although I did hand out the Good News pages for the upcoming weeks. You can enjoy following the mass with them throughout December.

Side Trips: if you want more information, activities, and games...

• If you just have a bit of time, go for any of the online or printable activities for the chapter if you missed them the first time - they can be found at Blest Are We
• If you have two-bits of time, check out the check out the advent activities at CatholicMom.com
• For more in-depth activities, check out some of the links in the lesson plan from Unit 2, Chapter 6 there are many activities related to forgiveness and the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Fidgety Flock Figuring Out Forgiveness

Sunday November 4th was our ninth session together. This week we covered Unit 2, Chapter 6 "We Celebrate God's Forgiveness". In preparing for the session, I established the focus as ways we seek and obtain forgiveness. The lesson plan for the session includes the topics discussion, the activities worksheet, and craft activity.

Packing Light: If you just want the activity sheet for this session, you can find it here. It has a story activity, coloring, and word search activity.

When we met in the common area for the whole group activity, we learned that once again we have so many 2nd graders with perfect attendance for the prior month: Courtly Polar Bear, Effusive Jaguar, Sweet Pea Elephant, and Rocking Horse! Way to go 2nd graders! Today we had everyone join us!

Today we were fidgety. So fidgety. Could the wake of Halloween have left us all in the doldrums? Will we go mad waiting for a favoring wind? No! We can't wait for a fair wind, we have to make our own locomotion out of this place! And so I rowed through the session...

We talked about our discussion on choices from a couple of weeks ago, so we could remember what we talked about. We remembered that when we make a bad choice, we have to admit it and say we are sorry. Effusive Jaguar said it best: "And you have to mean it and try not to do it again, you can't just say it. I did something and so I told my mom I was sorry but then I just went and I did it again and then we talked about it and that is how I learned my lesson!"

Ok, so one thing for forgiveness is to admit we were wrong and ask for it from others.

Then we talked about how at Mass we also have a chance to ask for forgiveness. We read the Penetential Rite together. We looked through the Missalette to see where we find it during Mass and discovered it is right after the Priest welcomes us. (The children were very concerned that I had a copy of the Missalette from Church and had I asked if I could borrow it first?!!). We all promised that we would try to remember to say this out loud at Mass whenever we go. It gives us a chance to think about our week, say we are sorry, and start "fresh" again!

"Speaking of mass..."

"Before you even ask, we sang everything!" (said Effusive Jaguar) "That's right!" (said Sweet Pea Elephant)

"Color?"

"Green - definitely green. And, we had 2 priests up there today - Father Corry and Saint Jan!" (said Effusive Jaguar)

"Father Jan. He's the pastor."

"Yeah - him!" (said Effusive Jaguar)

Back to topic...row, row, row...

Ok, so now we have 2 ways we've talked about for obtaining forgiveness: say you are sorry to whoever you hurt, and ask for it at Mass during Penitential Rite.

What is a 3rd way? What is that sacrament we keep hearing about sometimes?

"You mean that one with the long name?" (asked Effusive Jaguar)

Yes, can anyone remember it?

"[something resembling 'reconciliation']?" (said Courtly Polar Bear))

So we talked just a bit about the sacrament and how we talk with the priest and he helps us get forgiveness for our sins.


Row, row, row... taking on water, sir!

OK, we have 3 ways covered: say we are sorry to others, say we are sorry at Mass, and say we are sorry at Reconciliation. Let's just talk about one more: we have to forgive others. Jesus says that we have to be forgiven if we want to have our sins forgiven.

The conversation didn't last long, we were too fidgety. It was early yet, but I brought out the craft activity: a card game called "4given".

Alright, we talked about 4 ways we can seek forgiveness, so now we have a card game called "4given" to help us learn and remember those 4 ways. ("Oh, I get it! 4 ways, forgiven!" said Fair Cheetah).

Now we're seeing that familiar eagerness! The children pounced on the decks of cards with gusto.









After speedily decorating the boxes, they immediately settled into groups of two to play the game! A quick question of ways to play - I mentioned "like matching or concentration" and they were off! I hadn't thought of a concentration-ish-version for 2-players, but they played several rounds. Two of the girls tried a "go fish" version. I wasn't sure how that would work, since there are only 16 cards in the deck, but they seemed to enjoy it nonetheless. The children happily obliged my requests to read out loud the card whenever they found a match. They all continued to play in various versions of the game for the remainder of the session.

This material is an important concept for us to master. I encouraged the children to be sure to read the BlestAreWe workbook pages and the regular activities worksheet and do the activities on them (which, as usual, Pragmatic Tiger had nearly completed already!). I suggested they read and play the 4given card games together, and maybe learn how to look up and read the Bible verses referenced.

I handed out the Family Time pages for Unit 2, Chapter 7.

Side Trips: if you want more information, activities, and games...

• If you just have a bit of time, definitely go for the online activity for this chapter at Blest Are We
• If you have two-bits of time, check out the forgiveness activity at forgiveness activity.
• For more in-depth activities, check out some of the links in the lesson plan there are many articles and activities on Prodigal Son and Good Shepherd.

Where The Wild Things Are - We Can Make Choices

Sunday October 21st was our seventh session together. This week we covered Unit 2, Chapter 5 "We Can Choose What Is Good". In preparing for the session, I established the focus as God gives us free choice and wants us to make good choices. The lesson plan for the session includes the topics discussion, the activities worksheet, and craft activity.

Packing Light: If you just want the activity sheet for this session, you can find it here. It has a coloring activity, maze, and word search activity.

When we met in the common area for the whole group activity, we learned that Courtly Polar Bear won "Religious Ed", our fancy jack-o-lantern! Congratulations!

We started off saying the opening prayer from the workbook pages, a paraphrase from Deuteronomy 30:20

"Love the Lord, your God, and obey His word."

"Do we have to obey God?"

"Yes!"

"Why? Who makes us?"

"God!" "Your Parents!"

"I don't know about that, is there someone standing and pushing you all day saying 'you have to be good' or 'you have to do that'?"

"No way, that would be crazy!"

"Right. God gave us free choice. We can make choices. We make choices every day. Now of course God would like us to always make good choices, but he doesn't make us make the choices"

And so we proceeded to review choices that were hard and choices that were easy. (There was some dispute as to whether choosing what clothes we are going to wear was an easy choice or a hard choice~)

"How do we know when we made a bad choice? How do we know how to make good choices?"

(MULTITUDES of answers!)

"Well, let's read a story together and talk about it. We're going to read 'Where the Wild Things Are' by Maurice Sendak."

"Yeah! I love that book!" (said most) "But that doesn't have anything to do with church or Sunday school" (said Rocking Horse)

"Read it with me and let's see."

And so with each child taking on a different role, we proceeded with the Reader's Theatre. I thought I might need to do a lot of prompting and helping the children figure out "where are we?" - but Rocking Horse, our Narrator, quickly took on that role and was terrific at it! We had a rollicking rendition, complete with plenty of rolling of terrible eyes, gnashing of terrible teeth, and showing of terrible claws!


"Why do you think Max's mother sent him to his room?"

"He was being really mean and nasty!"

"Did Max make some bad choices? What choices did he make?"

"He was being mean to his mother." "He ran away."

"Why did Max return home?"

"He was hungry!"

"Is that the only reason?"

"Well, he was lonely too." (said Effusive Jaguar)

"And beside being hungry, what did the smell of dinner remind him of?"

"His mother was at home!"

"Exactly. And how do we know that his mother forgave him and was happy for him to come home?"

"She made his dinner" "Even though he was not supposed to have dinner because he was mean" (said Sweet Pea Elephant) "And it was still warm!" (said Fair Cheetah)

"So she forgave him even before he asked her to?"

"Yes!" "Just like God!" (said Sweet Pea Elephant)

"Let's read another story together. Jesus told this one."

"Yeah!"

So we read through the BlestAreWe Prodigal Son story, with the children shouting out the words whenever we encountered a picture.

"What did you think of that? Another son who didn't make very good choices!"

"Hey, that father wanted him to come home just like Max's mom!" (said Courtly Polar Bear)

"He sure did, even though the son made some bad choices. What bad choices did the son make?"

"He took all the money" "He ran away from home" "He lost all the money"

"But still his father forgave him. Just like God will forgive us when we make a bad choice. Does anyone know what a 'conscience' is?"

"I do! It's like an invisible person that stays with you and tells you what your mom would want you to do" (said Rocking Horse)

"Very good! God gave all of us a conscience. And when we need to make a choice, we should listen to our conscience and it will tell us the right choice to make. This is hard! And Jesus knew it would be hard so he gave us something else. Does anyone know what else Jesus gave us to help us?"

"Jesus?" "er, ah" etc.

"Remember, from Baptism?"

"Holy Water!" (said Pragmatic Tiger)

"He gave us the Holy Spirit. When we need to make a choice, the Holy Spirit and our conscience will help us know what to do"

And so then we drew pictures of monsters, as a reminder that when we are making bad choices, it's like we are a monster just like Max.



















Then we cut out some pictures of Max and his monsters, and we stuck them all over a plastic sack that we can use for Halloween trick or treat!



While the children were coloring, I continued to pester:

"By the way, what color was Father wearing this week?"

"Green!"

"And did we sing the Gloria or just say it?"

"Sing it!" "And I was horrified because I don't know it" (said Sweet Pea Elephant)

"And how about Holy, Holy, Holy?"

"Definitely sang it!" "I am finally getting use to that" (said Effusive Jaguar)

"You guys are awesome!"

I sent home the Family Time pages for Unit 2, Chapter 6, which we will be discussing next session.

I am so glad the children seemed to enjoy today's session. I have been looking forward for WEEKS (like a kid at Christmas!) to using one of my favorite books!

Side Trips: if you want more information, activities, and games...

• If you just have a bit of time, definitely go for the online activity for this chapter at Blest Are We
• If you have two-bits of time, check out the coloring, crossword, and word search activities on the Prodigal Son at Catholicmom.
• For more in-depth activities, check out some of the links in the lesson plan there are many articles and activities on Prodigal Son and Good Shepherd.