WHAT DOES GOD LOOK LIKE TO A FIVE YEAR OLD?

Mrs. Forbes' Kindergarten Class

 A Telecollaborative Project

A compilation of classroom prayers, resources, significant child centered celebrations, and resources for teachers and parents!

Together with the parent, the teacher and school work together to build a strong spiritual foundation for the children in Kindergarten.

What does this foundation look like?  It includes “talk” times or “sharing” times where questions are raised and answered and discussions take place within the Kindergarten classroom and in the school.  There are a number of excellent resources; awesome, inspiring, faith-filled stories that can be shared with five year olds.  There are celebration times within the classroom and within the school where five year olds play an active role.

Every child is a gift from God.  Every child is unique, an original.  It is their “specialness” that makes them who they are.  Everyday is a celebration of life.  Every child will be valued and treasured and the environment will meet the needs of all learners.

CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT:

Enter Text and Pictures here.

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PRAYERS:

A PRAYER FOR SPRING

Dear Lord of Creation,

as the Earth awakens around me,

and all the creatures rejoice with the Spring,

let me too, rejoice.

Let my heart be filled

with thanksgiving,

let me count my many blessings.

Go forward with me

through the year

knowing You are near,

and will always be my friend.

(Lisa Messelden)

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THE TWELVE GIFTS OF BIRTH

By Charlene Costanzo

At the wondrous moment you were born,

As you took your first breath,

A great celebration was held in the heavens

And twelve magnificent gifts were granted to you.

The first gift is STRENGTH.

     May you remember to call upon it whenever you need it.

The second gift is BEAUTY.

May your deeds reflect its depth.

The third gift is COURAGE.

May you speak and act with confidence and use courage to follow your own path.

The fourth gift is COMPASSION.

May you be gentle with yourself and others. 

May you forgive those who hurt you and yourself when you make mistakes.

The fifth gift is HOPE.

Through each passage and season may you trust the goodness of life.

The sixth gift is JOY.

May it keep your heart open and filled with light.

The seventh gift is TALENT.

May you discover your own special abilities and contribute them toward a better world.

The eighth gift is IMAGINATION.

May it nourish your visions and dreams.

The ninth gift is REVERENCE.

May you appreciate the wonder that you are and the miracle of all creation.

The tenth gift is WISDOM.

Guiding your way, wisdom will lead you through knowledge to understanding.  May you hear its soft voice.

The eleventh gift is LOVE.

It will grow each time you give it away.

The twelfth gift is FAITH.

May you believe.

Now you know about your twelve gifts of birth.

But there is more to the secret…..

Use your gifts well and you will discover others, among them a gift that is uniquely you.

See these noble gifts in other people.

Share the truth and be ready for the miracle to unfold as the prophecy comes true.

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JUST BE YOURSELF

To be who you are

Is to be enough.

To share who you are

Is to share enough.

To do what you love

Is to do enough.

There is no race to win

And nothing to be proven,

Only dreams to be nurtured,

A self to be expressed,

And love to be shared.

Never doubt your worth,

And always know,

Without any doubt,

That you are truly valued.

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Lord, you have made these children

as varied as the flowers of a garden.

You have blessed each one uniquely.

And each fragile, growing child

is infinitely precious in your sight.

You have trusted me to nurture them.

And blessed me with the joy of seeing them grow.

Lord, I teach in reverence.

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> > >  > May today let there be peace within you.

> > >  > May you trust God that you are exactly where

> > >  > you are meant to be.

> > >  > May you not forget the infinite possibilities

> >  > that are born of faith.

May you use those gifts > > >  > that you have received, and pass on the love that > > > has > > >  > been given to you.

May you be content knowing that > > >  > you are a child of God.

Let His presence settle > > >  > into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to > > >  > sing, dance, and to bask in the sun.

It is there > > > for > > >  > each and every one of you.

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Dear Student

I am giving you this very special necklace as a reminder of things that happened a long time ago and also as a reminder about whom you are.

A very important star appeared in the sky above Bethlehem.  When you wear this star necklace, you can remember the story of that very special night so long ago when Jesus was born.  That star led many people to Jesus’ birth.  It shone so bright then and I believe it is still shining today.

You are like the brightest, shiniest stars in the sky.  I know the world is a better place because of you.  I couldn’t imagine the world without you.  I know you can do anything if you set your mind to it.

So, when you wear this star necklace, you can think about that very special night so long ago and you can also remember that you are like a beautiful star in my life!

Merry Christmas!

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You are a wonderful, worthy

and loveable person.

Appreciate that about yourself.

No one has ever been or ever will be

quite like you.

You are an individual,

an original,

and all those things that make you

uniquely you,

are deserving of love and praise.

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CELEBRATIONS:

FRIENDSHIP CELEBRATION

Opening Song:  FRIENDS ARE LIKE FLOWERS

Theme:  Valentine’s Day is a time to show the people we love that we really care about them.  Take time out to think about how wonderful it is to be loved and to love others.  We have come together to celebrate our love for each other and to tell Jesus that we love Him too.  The hearts we share are signs of our love.

Let us now begin our celebration of love.

In a moment we are going to listen to God’s word.  Before we do, we will begin our celebration by lighting our Earth Light and our classroom candle.  They are a sign that Jesus is with us.

Reading

Dear friends, let us love one another, because love comes from God.  Everyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.  The person who does not love does not know God, for God is love.  God showed his love for us by sending his only son into the world, so that we might have life through Him.

Leader:      Thank you God for loving us.

All:         Thank you God for loving us.

Leader:      Thank you God for sending your only son.

All:         Thank you god for sending your only son.

Leader:      Thank you God for showing us how to love.

All:         Thank you god for showing us how to love.

Gospel:  John:13;33-35

Jesus said,

My little children

I give you a new commandment:

Love one another just as I have loved you.  You also must love one another. 

By your love for each other everyone will know that you are my friends.

Let us think about what Jesus is asking us:  Do you love Jesus?  Do you really love Jesus?

Song:  Oh, How I love Jesus

Litany of Love

Leader:      Love is patient; love is kind

All:         Love is patient; love is kind

Leader:      Love is generous and courteous, easy to be with.

All:         Love is generous and courteous, easy to be with.

Leader:      Love forgives and forgets others wrongs.

All:         Love forgives and forgets others wrongs.

Leader:      Love lasts a long time.

All:         Love lasts a long time.

Petitions: 

Response:  :  HELP US TO BE REAL FRIENDS

That we may love and be kind to our friends, we pray to the Lord …. Response

For all the lonely people who need a friend, we pray to the Lord…..Response

That we may see Jesus in all the people that we meet, we pray to the Lord….Response

Offerings:  

We take up our valentines to show our love for God and our friends.

We take up the Bible to show that Jesus is our friend.

We take up a mirror.  When we look in a mirror we see ourselves as we really are – that special person God made.

Closing:

We have told Jesus that we love him and when we leave here, we want to keep on loving Him and each other.

When we love others we know that we will be happy.

Let us sing as a sign of our happiness and love.

Song:  Joy, Joy, Joy

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I AM SPECIAL CELEBRATION

Sing: WELCOME, HELLO Song

Jesus says “I am the Light of the World.”  We light our Earth Light as a symbol of the light of Jesus and the light inside us.  Let our lights - our specialness, our goodness shine by the good things we do. The more we shine, the more we will inspire others to shine, to share their gifts, their talents, their goodness and their "specialness" with each other.

Theme:  God made each of us.  That makes us special.  God is like the potter that forms the clay.  He makes each mold special and different.  Some of us here are small and some of us are tall.  Some have dark hair, some have light hair.  We look different and feel different things, but God knows each of us very well because he made us.  Let’s celebrate our own specialness today.

Reading:  Ephesians 1:3-5, 11-12

Blessed be God our Father who has given us everything.  Before the world was made, God chose to be holy and to live in love.  We belong to God.  He chose us from the beginning.

Responsorial Psalm:  139:1-2, 13-14, 23-24

Refrain:  YOU KNOW ME!  YOU PUT ME TOGETHER

My God, you know me very well.  You know if I am standing or sitting.  You read my thoughts from far away.  You know everything about me. 

YOU KNOW ME!  YOU PUT ME TOGETHER

It was you who created me.  You put me together. I thank you for the wonders of myself.  I thank you for all your works.

YOU KNOW ME!  YOU PUT ME TOGETHER

God, you know my heart and my thoughts.  Make sure I always follow your way.  Always be there to guide me. 

YOU KNOW ME!  YOU PUT ME TOGETHER

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God, as I grow I can do many things:  I CAN …………. (responses from children) 

Sing:  I’M A V.I.P. Song

Gospel: John 10:14-15

I am the Good Shepherd.  I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father.

Petitions

Response:  LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER

RYAN - That we can be like Jesus this year... we pray to the Lord.

AMY -That we will be kind when we play....we pray to the Lord.

THOMAS - That we thank God for our specialness...we pray to the Lord.

HALEY - For all the people in our families ...we pray to the Lord.

MATTHEW S. - That we may love and be kind to our friends...we pray to the Lord.

ALL PARENTS - For all the people in our school, our community and the world who belong to the family of God...we pray to the Lord.

Preparation of the gifts:

For our offertory gifts, we take up some playdough as a symbol to show that God made us.  He is like the potter that molds the clay.

We take up a BOOK, CRAYONS, PUZZLE and a BALL to show that we will work and play cooperatively together this year.

Sing:  IF I WERE A BUTTERFLY

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EPIPHANY CELEBRATION

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OPENING SONG:  THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE

OPENING PRAYER:  God of gladness, your laughter is heard in the gleeful sounds of our youth and the pleasant chatter of our elders.  Fill this coming year with blessings that enrich the soul and give meaning to our lives.  Help us learn attentively, work joyfully, live fully and serve God passionately in one another.  We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord, in the love of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

All:  AMEN

Leader:  Father, you revealed your Son to the nations by the guidance of a star.  Lead us to your glory in heaven by the light of faith.

READING:  ISAIAH 60:1-6

Arise, Shine for your light has come and the glory of God your Lord has risen upon you!  For darkness shall cover the earth and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you. And his glory will appear over you. 

Nations shall come to your Light. and kings to the brightness of your dawn.  Lift up your eyes and look around; they all gather together.  They come to you; your sons shall come from far away and your daughters shall be carried on nurses’ arms.

Then you shall see and be radiant.  Your heart shall thrill and rejoice because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you; the wealth of the nations shall come to you.  A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come.

(At the conclusion of the reading)  The Word of the Lord.

ALL:  THANKS BE TO GOD.

REPSONSORIAL PSALM

LORD, EVERY NATION ON EARTH WILL ADORE YOU.

Give the King your justice, O God. (R)

May God judge the people with righteousness. (R)

May prayer be made for God continually. (R)

May blessings be invoked for God all day long. (R)

May his name endure forever.  (R)

May His fame continue as long as the sun. (R)

May all nations be blessed in God. (R)

May they pronounce him happy. (R)

Leader:  Alleluia.  Alleluia.  The Lord sent me to bring good news to the poor and freedom to prisoners.  Alleluia.

GOSPEL:  Matthew 2:1 – 12

In the time of King Herod after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem,  asking, “Where is the child that has been born King of the Jews?  For we observed his star at his rising, and have come to pay him homage.”…………The gospel of the Lord.

ALL:  Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

INTERCESSIONS:

Leader:  Gathered in Christ, lest us offer prayer for our world, our churches and ourselves, through the spirit who intercedes for the saints.

Lord, hear our prayer.

For the church, light of the nations, witness to the gospel of Christ Jesus, we pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

For respect and acceptance among the members of all faith communities, we pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

For our parish, example of family to all, we pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

For peace of mind, for all who suffer, we pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

For peace in our world, the peace Jesus brought, we pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

For our loved ones and for all children of God, we pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

For us, God’s people, yearning to follow the Light of Christ, we pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

For this community, gathered to open our heart to Jesus’ presence, we pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

ALL:  THE LORD’S PRAYER              OUR FATHER……

CONCLUDING PRAYER: 

God has called you out of darkness, into his wonderful light.  May you experience his kindness and blessings, and be strong in faith, in hope and in love.

AMEN

Because you are the followers of Christ, who appeared on this day as light shining in the darkness, may He make you a light to all your sisters and brothers.

AMEN

The Wise Men followed the star, and found Christ, who is Light from Light.  May you too find the Lord, when your pilgrimage is ended.

AMEN

Our celebration is ended.

CLOSING SONG:  JOY TO THE WORLD.

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First Week of Advent

Theme:  We hear the glad sounds around us of people preparing for the coming of Jesus.  We thank you Jesus for coming each year in a special way.  Through prayer, help us to keep this feeling of JOY all year long.  God, the Father has sent you to us…to know, to love and to serve you.

·        Listen/Sing: LIGHT THE ADVENT CANDLE

·        Light one purple candle.

·        Read prayer: Lord God, We come to you with excited and grateful hearts as we begin a new church year and season. Thank you for this Advent time.  It’s exciting to be nearing Christmas!  And it’s good for us to slow down and enjoy each other more.  Fill us with your peace.  Make us better and better people.  Teach us to more deeply appreciate one another.  Help each of us to tell the others more often how much they mean to us.  Make us aware that you walk with us each day.  Help us to be grateful and joyful.  Make our hearts strong and brave and generous.  We love you, Lord.  AMEN

·        Read:  "The Christmas Story".

·        Listen/Sing: WALKING TOWARDS CHRISTMAS

·        Print and/or draw comments in the JOURNAL.  There are two pages (left and right side of the page) for each family.  Every family member can print and/or draw pictures or comments.  Please share with us traditions or customs that are carried on in your home as you prepare for Jesus’ birthday.

·        Share the treat.

·        Return the contents to the box.  Refill the treat tin and return the box to school the following day so that the next child may have his/her turn.  Thank you.

Second Week of Advent

·        Theme:  Oh God, thank you for this day you have made.  Help us to be kinder to one another in our home and friendlier to the people around us.  Help us to make the right choices.

·        Listen/Sing: LIGHT THE ADVENT CANDLE

·        Light two purple candles

·        Read prayer:  God of Hope, your world needs you more than ever.  We need to know that we count, that you care, that there is a reason for things that happen.  Christmas time makes us think about important things: like giving, and sharing, and families and friends, and the poor and the forgotten, and the left out and the unclothed.  Christmas makes us think of hope, and about who gives hope, and who takes it away.  Help us give hope, or help us give it back.  God of hope, your world needs us more than ever.  We know we count, because we care.  AMEN. 

·        Read:  "The Christmas Story".

·        Listen/Sing: WALKING TOWARDS CHRISTMAS

·        Print and/or draw comments in the JOURNAL.  There are two pages (left and right side of the page) for each family.  Every family member can print and/or draw pictures or comments.  Please share with us traditions or customs that are carried on in your home as you prepare for Jesus’ birthday.

·        Share the treat.

·        Return the contents to the box.  Refill the treat tin and return the box to school the following day so the next child may have his/her turn.  Thank you.

Third Week of Advent

·        Theme:  Prayer is like the window through which the Light of God shines through.  Dear Jesus, help us to know you better, love you more and follow your rules.  When we look at the lights of the Christmas tree, help us to think and to know that you are the Light of the World.  Help us to remember that you are with us to guide us and to cheer us.

·        Listen/Sing: LIGHT THE ADVENT CANDLE

·        Light two purple candles and one pink candle.

·        Read prayer: God of joy, the earth is full of hurt and sadness.  But you have given us a reason to sing about joy.  The poor and the less fortunate are the majority when we count all the world’s people.  But you have given the world a reason to hope.  Our world feels old and tired.  But you have taught us to sing about new birth.  Teach us to rejoice in you always.  Again we say it:  Teach us to rejoice!  Jesus is coming to our world again, to teach us to sing about JOY!  AMEN.

·        Read:  "The Christmas Story".

·        Listen/Sing:  WALKING TOWARDS CHRISTMAS

·        Print and/or draw comments in the JOURNAL.  There are two pages (left and right side of the page) for each family.  Every family member can print and/or draw pictures or comments.  Please share with us traditions or customs that are carried on in your home as you prepare for Jesus’ birthday.

·        Share the treat.

·        Return the contents to the box.  Refill the treat tin and return the box to school the following day so that the next child may have his/her turn.  Thank you.

Fourth Week of Advent

·        Theme:  Dear God…Christmas is almost here.  Once more we give you the gifts of our hearts.  We wrap ourselves in grace and love and tie our gift with a big effort to do good always.  Help us Lord to give you more and then on Christmas morning we can say, “I did this for you Jesus and now I give myself to you!”

·        Listen/Sing: LIGHT THE ADVENT CANDLE

·        Light three purple candles and one pink candle.

·        Read prayer: God, we think of you the way we think about the good people we know:  You are like a mother to us.  And Jesus taught us our favourite prayer: the Our Father.  All of these “pictures” of you are found in this one word: FRIEND.  You are our friend!  What a wonderful idea: our friend.  Real friends tell us the truth – even when it hurts.  Real friends don’t give up on us – no matter what!  Real friends challenge us to be better and better.  Real friends put us ahead of themselves, which makes us want to return the favor.  Real friends are rare.  Dear God, thanks for your friendship – and for teaching us to return the favor.  AMEN.

·        Read:  "The Christmas Story."

·        Listen/Sing:  WALKING TOWARDS CHRISTMAS

·        Print and/or draw comments in the JOURNAL.  There are two pages (left and right side of the page) for each family.  Every family member can print and/or draw pictures or comments.  Please share with us traditions or customs that are carried on in your home as you prepare for Jesus’ birthday.

·        Share the treat.

Return the contents to the box.  Refill the treat tin and return the box to school the following day so that the next child may have his/her turn.  Thank you.

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MID LENTEN CELEBRATION

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Each teacher is asked to choose 3 students from their class. 

·        One student will carry the class candle.

·        One student will be saying the petition.

·        One student will carry a food bank item.

Kindergarten will carry in the cross and bible.  Kindergarten students will come to each classroom to lead each class to the gym.

Grade One’s will choose 4 or 5 students to re-read some of the footsteps.

PROCESSION

OPENING SONG:  God is Our Father

THEME:

We are still in the season of Lent.  Has it begun to seem long?  Lent is 40 days long.  We count the 40 days from the first Sunday of lent through Holy Thursday.  The four days from Ash Wednesday to the First Sunday of Lent are a kind of "Invitation" to keep the season.  We are now halfway to Lent.  That means we are halfway to Easter.  Have we forgotten some of the things we were going to do during Lent?   Now is the time to renew plans and refresh our energy.

The number 40 appears in the Bible many times.  The most important 40 is the 40 years that the Hebrew people lived in the desert after they left their lives as slaves in Egypt and before they moved to the promised land. 

Do you remember the story of Noah and his ark?  In that story, the rain fell for 40 days and nights. 

Jesus spent 40 days and nights in the desert before he began his preaching.  Maybe God was giving him a chance to become strong before his work began. 

Has God been making us strong during Lent?  Our 40 days are not over yet, so it is not too late to make a fresh start.

FOOTSTEPS TO EASTER:  Mrs. Miller's 4 or 5 students will re-read footsteps. 

After each footsteps we respond:  LORD, OPEN OUR HEARTS.

Prayer: 

LEADER:  Let us look back over our day and ask forgiveness for anything we did that was harmful or wrong. 

LEADER:  To you Lord, I lift up my soul.

ALL:  In you, my God, I put my trust.

I confess to almighty God,

And to you my brothers and sisters,

That I have sinned through my own fault.

In my thoughts and in my words,

In what I have done,

And in what I have failed to do.

And I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin,

All the angels and saints,

And you, my brothers and sisters,

To pray for me to the Lord our God.

AMEN.

READING: LUKE 15:11-20,22,24

Listen to the words of the holy gospel according to Luke: 

Jesus told this story:  Once a man had two sons.  The younger son said to his father, "Give me my share of the property."  So the father divided his property between his two sons.  The younger son packed up everything he owned and left for a foreign country.  He had spent everything when a bad famine spread through that whole land.  He went to work for a man in that country and the man sent him to take care of his pigs.  He would have been glad to eat what the pigs were eating, but no one gave him a thing.

Finally, he came to his senses and said, "My father's workers have plenty to eat and here O am. Starving to death!  I will go to my father and say to him, "Father, I have sinned against God in heaven and against you.  I am no longer good enough to be called your son.  Treat me like one of your workers." 

The younger son got up and started back to his father.  But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt sorry for him.  He ran to his son and hugged and kissed him.  His father said to his servants, "Hurry and bring the best clothes and put them on him.  Give him a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet.  This son of mine was dead, but has now come back to life.  He was lost and has now been found."

The Gospel of the Lord. 

REFLECTION:  Mrs. McGee/Child Care International.

PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL:

Response:  MAY OUR MERCIFUL GOD BLESS

AND PROTECT US.

Kindergarten:  Lord, be with those who believe in you.  Lord hear our prayer.

Grade One:  Lord, be with those who take up their cross and follow you.  Lord hear our prayer.

Grade Two:  We have sinned against you and against each other.  Forgive us God.  Lord hear our prayer.

Grade Three:  Sometimes, we feel lost and alone.  Be with us God.  Lord hear our prayer.   

Grade Three/Four:  Sometimes we are afraid and do not know where to go.   Guide us God.  Lord hear our prayer.

Grade Four/Five:  Sometimes we turn away from God and lose our direction.  Lord hear our prayer.

Grade Five/Six:  Help our family to walk together through difficulty and hardship.  Lord hear our prayer. 

Grade Six:  Help our school family and our own family, to live with you daily in our lives.  Lord hear our prayer.

CLOSING:

My brothers and sisters. during Lent God invites us to be renewed in our thoughts and actions and to open our hearts to others.  We ask your forgiveness for all our sins.  We turn our hearts toward you.  We ask your blessing on us during Lent.

CLOSING SONG:  Children of the Lord.

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BOOKS/SONGS AND RESOURCES:

IF I WERE A BUTTERFLY (Carey Landry)