RERC Planner: May Primary: 4/5

Month/Season: May Class: Primary 4/5 Level: First/Second

Strands of Faith : Experiences and Outcomes / Core Learning / Learning & Teaching
Class/School/Home/Parish / Resources / Assessment
Hours of God
RERC 2‐15a
I can recognise Mary's significance within the Catholic tradition and I know that celebrating her feast days and praying to God through Mary can enrich my life. / I am learning to pray the Angelus at noon, in honour of Mary, particularly in the season of Advent and during the months of May and October.
I can recognise that Mary is honoured as the first of all believers.
I know that Mary is given the titles ‘Mother of God’ and ‘Mother of the Church’ and I can explain what these terms mean.
I understand what ‘a litany’ means and I can participate in a simple Litany to Mary, or the Litany of the Saints.
I know and understand the structure and terminology associated with the Rosary.
I can name the Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious and Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary, and I recognise that these narratives come from the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life, death and Resurrection. / Class: Teacher explains to the class that the month of May has the liturgical colour of green and asks the children to help in dressing the class altar with a green cloth. Teacher places a statue or a picture of Mary on the altar and explains to the children that the month of May is a special month of the year when we pray to Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Teacher leads the class in praying an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be to the Father around the May Altar.
Class: Teacher explains to the class that during May we praise Mary by singing special hymns in her honour. Teacher introduces the hymn Mary Immaculate Star of the Morning (words attached to planner).
Available on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqjPxmB2IAo
Class: Teacher reminds the class that a way of honouring Mary is to pray The Angelus at noon each day. Teacher explains that The Angelus means angels and Mary has been given the title Queen of the Angels. Teacher shows the children an image of Mary (attached to planner) which portrays her as Queen of the Angels. Teacher explains that the tradition of praying The Angelus has been painted by an artist called Jean Francois Millet, background notes on his painting The Angelus is attached to the planner. Teacher discusses the painting with the children. What had the man and woman been doing? How are they standing? What can you see in the distance? What time of day do you think it is?
Class: Teacher displays the words of The Angelus (attached to planner) and teacher leads the prayer with class.
Class: Teacher distributes bibles and reads Luke 1: 26-38, the story of The Annunciation with the class. Teacher discusses with children the faith and trust Mary had in the Angel’s words. Teacher explains to the children that Mary is honoured as the first of all believers because she said “yes” to God and became the Mother of his Son. Teacher shares with the class paintings by famous artists who painted an image of what they imagined when they read the story of The Annunciation (images attached to planner). These paintings are hundreds of years old and people around the world go to museums to admire their beauty and these paintingscontinue to tell the story of this important event.
Class: Children are given the opportunity to paint a picture of their interpretation of The Annunciation after reading about it in the Gospel of Luke.
Class: Teacher continues to teach the children the hymn Mary Immaculate Star of the Morning.
Class: The children will pray The Angelus in honour of Mary at noon throughout the month of May.
Class: Teacher explains to the class that Mary has many different titles. including ‘Mother of God’ and ‘Mother of the Church.’ Teacher explains that ‘Mother of God’ represents Mary as the mother of Jesus who was both fully God and fully man. The title ‘Mother of the Church’ was emphasised by Pope Paul VI when he said "For the glory of the Blessed Virgin and our own consolation, we proclaim the Most Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of the Church, of the whole people of God, faithful and pastors, and we call her most loving Mother." The Holy Father expressed the hope that this title of Mary, Mother of the church would "lead Christians to honour Mary even more and to call upon her with still greater confidence." He decreed that "from now onward the whole Christian people should give even greater honour to the Mother of God under this most loving title."
Class: Children complete Titles for Mary Worksheet (attached to planner).
Class: Children work in groups to name other titles that Mary has been given and their significance. They come together as a class and present their findings.
Class: Teacher continues to teach the children the hymn Mary Immaculate Star of the Morning.
Class: Teacher reminds the children that a litany is a form of prayer which is a prayer of petitions and responses. Teacher explains that a litany is has three parts:
·  the invocation (addressing God)
·  the petitions (asking God for favours)
·  the responses ("Have mercy on us," "Pray for us," "Hear us").
The class will compile their own Litany to Mary for the month of May.
They will use their findings of titles of Mary from the previous lesson but should be encouraged to make up their own titles for Mary. A layout of a litany and a list of titles for Mary are attached to the planner.
Class: Children are given the opportunity to choose a title for Mary and to write and illustrate it on a large sheet of paper. The finished titles for Mary could be displayed around the May altar or used as part of a Mary assembly.
School/Home: Children participate in a Litany to Mary at a school assembly and/or invite their parents to their class to participate with them in praying a Litany to Mary.
Class: Teacher continues to teach the children the hymn Mary Immaculate Star of the Morning.
Class: Teacher reminds the class that the Rosary is a special prayer to Mary when we ask her to intercede to God on our behalf. Our intercession might be for someone who is sick, upset, lonely etc. When we pray the Rosary we can use rosary beads. Teacher shows the class rosary beads and encourages them to bring their own rosary beads into school. Children are given a copy of Rosary Beads Worksheet (attached to planner) to help them find their way around their own rosary beads. Teacher can display on the whiteboard or give the children a copy of How to Pray the Rosary Worksheet (attached to planner) and explains how to pray the Rosary.
Class: Teacher explains that there are twenty mysteries to the rosary and these are divided up into four sets. These mysteries tell us about the life of Jesus
1. The Rosary begins with the Joyful Mysteries, which are happy stories about the birth of Jesus and his early life.
2. The Luminous Mysteries tell us about the life of Jesus as an adult as he spread the Word of God.
3. The Sorrowful Mysteries tell us about the passion and death of Jesus.
4. The Glorious Mysteries tell us what happened after Jesus died.
The teacher explains that the sequence of prayers at each mystery is called a decade of the Rosary.
A useful website is: http://www.cptryon.org/prayer/child/rosary/index.html
Class: Children complete The Rosary and the Life of Jesus Worksheet (attached to planner).
Class: Teacher reminds the class of the Joyful Mysteries.
1.  The Annunciation
2.  The Visitation
3.  The Nativity
4.  The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple
5.  The Finding of Jesus in the Temple
Class: Teacher reminds the class of the Sorrowful Mysteries.
1.  The Agony in the Garden
2.  The Scourging at the Pillar
3.  The Crowning with Thorns
4.  The carrying of the Cross
5.  The Crucifixion
Class: Teacher leads the children in praying a decade of the rosary each day. Over time, individual children can lead the class praying the rosary.
Class: Over a few days, the teacher discusses each Glorious Mystery with the class and how these narratives came from the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life, death and Resurrection. Teacher will lead the children in reading the narratives from the bible and they will complete the pages of their Glorious Mysteries Workbook by colouring in the images and writing a description of the events. Children will be reminded that The Assumption and The Coronation of Mary are not written about in the Gospels.
1.The Resurrection: Luke 24: 1-12
2.The Ascension: Luke 24: 44-53
3.The Descent of the Holy Spirit: Acts 2:1-13
4.The Assumption
5.The Coronation of Mary
"Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death." The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son's Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians.
Catechism of the Catholic Church 966
The completed workbooks could be displayed on the May Altar.
School/Parish: Children participate in May is the month of Mary assemblies or services.
KEY VOCABULARY: Angelus, Mother of God, Mother of the Church, Litany of Saints, Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary
/ Green Altar Cloth
Statue/Picture of Mary
Words of Mary Immaculate Star of the Morning
Internet
Queen of the Angels Image
Image of The Angelus by Jean Francois Millet
Background notes on
The Angelus by Jean Francois Millet
Words of The Angelus
Images of paintings of the Annunciation by
·  Leonardo Da Vinci
·  Sandro Botticelli
·  Fra Angelico
Paper
Art Materials
Titles for Mary Worksheet
Layout of a Litany
Titles of Mary
Paper
Art Materials
Rosary Beads
Rosary Beads
Worksheet
How to Pray the Rosary Worksheet
The Rosary and the Life of Jesus Worksheet
Internet
Rosary Beads
Glorious Mysteries Workbook
Art Materials
Bibles / Children can pray The Angelus.
Children recognise that Mary is honoured as the first of all believers.
Children know that Mary is given the titles ‘Mother of God’ and ‘Mother of the Church’ and can explain what these terms mean.
Children understand what a litany means.
Children participate in a Litany to Mary.
.
Children know and understand the structure and terminology associated with the Rosary.
Children can pray and lead the rosary.
Children can name the Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious and Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary, and recognise that these narratives come from the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life, death and Resurrection.

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RERC Planner: May Primary: 4/5

Strands of Faith : Experiences and Outcomes / Core Learning / Learning & Teaching
Class/School/Home/Parish / Resources / Assessment
Hours of God
RERC 1‐14a
I recognise the importance of personal prayer and communal prayer in the growth of all people’s relationship with God.
I know a number of traditional Catholic prayers and I have developed an understanding of the meaning of these prayers.
I have participated in different approaches to, and experiences of, prayer.
I can describe how prayer is an important part of the liturgical and devotional life of the Church. / I know a number of traditional Catholic prayers and I have developed an understanding of the meaning of these prayers.
I know the prayers I learned by heart in P1‐P3, and I understand why I should pray them frequently.
I know the Nicene Creed, all Mass responses, and The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary. / Class: Teacher revises all prayers the children learned in P1‐P3:
·  Sign of the Cross
·  Our Father
·  Glory be to the Father
·  Hail Mary
·  Morning and Night Prayer
·  Grace Before and After Meals (Veritas)
·  Act of Sorrow (Veritas)
·  Eternal Rest
·  Confiteor
·  Gloria
Primary 4 have not been taught the Creed yet.
Class: Teacher explains to the class that when we pray we are talking to God and expressing our love and faith in Him. We also feel God’s love for us and how he always loves us no matter who we are or what we do. Teacher discusses with the class what prayers they would say for particular situations e.g. before they eat a meal, asking for God’s forgiveness.
Class: Children complete Prayers I Know Worksheet.
Class: Teacher revises the words of the Nicene Creed (attached to planner).
Class: Children work in pairs to cut out arrange sections of the Nicene Creed in the correct order (Nicene Creed A and Nicene Creed B Worksheets attached to planner).
Class: Teacher gives the class the opportunity to practice all Mass responses (The Order of the Mass is attached to the planner). This will be reinforced the year progresses.
School/Parish: Children attend Mass and participate by knowing all the Mass responses. / Prayers I Know Worksheet
Words of the Nicene Creed
Nicene Creed A and Nicene Creed B Worksheets
Scissors
The Order of the Mass / Children know the prayers learned in P1‐P3 by heart.
Children are developing an understanding of the meaning of the prayers they know.
Children can pray the Nicene Creed.
Children know all Mass responses.

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RERC Planner: May Primary: 4/5

Strands of Faith : Experiences and Outcomes / Core Learning / Learning & Teaching
Class/School/Home/Parish / Resources / Assessment
I have participated in different approaches to, and experiences of, prayer.
I have participated in different approaches to, and experiences of, prayer.
I can describe how prayer is an important part of the liturgical and devotional life of the
Church.
I have reflected on how all of these are different ways of worshipping God. / Class: Teacher revises with the children the different approaches and experiences of prayer e.g. traditional prayer, hymns, speaking to God on your own words. Children work in small groups to make a list of different approaches and experience of prayer and then come together as a class to share their findings.
Class: Teacher explains to the class that during the month of May the Church leads prayer services devoted to Mary. Many people join together either at home or in the Church to pray the Rosary. Schools and Churches dress altars dedicated to Mary and hold May processions, often carrying a statue of Mary and scattering petals. When we pray to Mary we ask her to intercede for us, just like she did at the wedding feast at Cana. In her honour we sing hymns and pray a litany of all her special names.
Class: Teacher reminds the children about the work they did on Litanies to Mary and leads them in praying a litany (Hours of God
RERC 2‐15a).
Class: Children sing Mary Immaculate Star of the Morning.
Class: Children continue to participate in praying the Rosary.
Class: Teacher explains to the class that although we can pray in many different ways, they are all forms of worshipping God. Teacher discusses with the class what form of prayer they might experience in different situations .e.g. we sing hymns at church, we say traditional prayers in school, we pray the rosary with our family.
Class: Children make a simple leaflet on folded A4 paper (template attached to planner) about different ways of worshipping God.
KEY VOCABULARY: Traditional Catholic prayers, liturgical life of the Church, devotional life of the Church, worshipping God, Nicene Creed, ,Mass responses, / Paper
Litanies to Mary written previously.
Rosary Beads
Different Ways of Worshipping God Leaflet Template / Children can describe how prayer is an important part of the liturgical and devotional life of the
Church.
Children develop understanding that through prayer there are different ways of worshipping God.

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