2018-19 Elementary Lesson Guide

Grade 5 – Catechist Guide

Text: Finding God: Our Response to God’s Gifts

Finding God Resources: There are also Black-Line Masters in the back of each teacher manual that you can use to reinforce the chapter at the beginning or the end of class. There are also CDs with songs and readings suggested for each lesson. There is an easel of Art prints for every grade level which are referenced in every chapter.

Date

/ Lesson / Focus

9/8

/ Open House
And Opening Mass / Open House 9:30 Session 1
10:00 Mass
Open House 11:00 Session 2
9/15 / Unit 1: Creator and Father
Unit Saint: St. Augustine
Chapter 1 – God Creates Us
Make nametags
Pass out
books and folders / Theme: God creates and upholds the world through the power of His Word.
ENGAGE: Story (St. Augustine); Thinking about favorite things, created by God. that we enjoy in our lives; Short prayer (p. 3).
EXPLORE: Story of Creation (Genesis 1:1-2 on p. 4);
All that exists is the work of the Trinity: God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; Each person of the Trinity is revealed with a distinct mission: The Father created the universe, and he upholds it through his Son; the Holy Spirit gives us the grace to believe and to understand God as our loving Father and Jesus as the Son of God.
REFLECT: Meditative prayer with Sign of the Cross review (p. 8).
RESPOND: What you will do this week to show that you care for God’s creatures and creation?
9/22 / Chapter 2 – God Saves Us / Theme:From the beginning, we have been promised a savior to free us from original sin.
ENGAGE: Thinking about some of the problems that exist in the world; Short prayer (p. 11).
EXPLORE: Story (St. Peter Claver); Adam and Eve’s fall resulted in Original Sin; Original Sin influences our power of free choice, making it subject to error and inclined toward sin; REFLECT: Listen to Recorded Guided Reflection “Making Good Choices” (CD 1, Track 6).
RESPOND: What is one action you will take to help others who are being treated unfairly?
9/29 / Chapter 3 – God’s Revelation / Theme: God’s covenant with Abraham finds its fulfillment in Christ.
ENGAGE: Remembering people and stories of the Old Testament; Short prayer (p.19).
EXPLORE: The story of Abraham (Genesis 12:1-17:16). The Old Testament is a record of the covenant God made with the human family through Abraham and Sarah; This covenant, which has never been revoked, is renewed through Moses, to whom God gave the Ten Commandments; The Ten Commandments tell us what it means to belong to God’s loving community.
REFLECT: Lord’s Prayer (p. 24).
RESPOND: What is one way that you will live the Ten Commandments in a positive way?
10/6&10/13 / NO CLASS / Columbus Day and Confirmation for Grade 8
10/20 / Chapter 4 – God Directs Our Lives
Chastity Lesson
Taught by DRE or CRE / Theme:As a sign to the world of God’s goodness, Jesus calls us to live in His Kingdom.
ENGAGE: Thinking about ways we depend on others; Short prayer (p. 27).
EXPLORE: Story (St. Philip Neri); God desires a child-like faith in him (Matthew 18:1-5); The Old Testament Law is completed in the New Testament; Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of God, the way to happiness, in the Beatitudes; the Beatitudes are part of Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-12 in your Bible, not in the text)
REFLECT: Morning Offering (p. 32).
RESPOND: Choose a Beatitude that has a special meaning for you. What is one way you can live that beatitude?
10/28 / Seasonal Sessions: All Saints Day / Parent Child Activity
Saint Research : I will provide resources
11/3 / NO CLASS / FCPS Holiday
11/10 / Chapter 8 - Baptized Into Christ / Theme: In Baptism we enter into life in Christ.
ENGAGE: Thinking about how someone becomes a member of the Church; Short prayer (p. 59).
EXPLORE: Peter’s Call for Repentance and Baptism (Acts of the Apostles 2:1-13, 22-28); Baptism unites us with the death and resurrection of Jesus and welcomes us into the Church; Baptismal signs are water, oil, a candle, and a white garment; As members of the Church, we share our time and talent for the good of the community; We work for peace and social justice.
REFLECT: Baptismal ceremony prayer (p. 64).
RESPOND: What will you do to share your time, money and goods, or talent as a member of the Church?
11/17 / Chapter 6 – New Life in Jesus / Theme:Jesus sends the Spirit to give us new life.
ENGAGE: Story (St. Alphonsus Liguori); Thinking about images we have seen of Jesus; Short prayer (p. 43).
EXPLORE: The mystery of the Incarnation, the Son of God becoming man, fulfills God’s plan of salvation; Jesus established the Church to continue his mission on earth; We are called to be living signs of Jesus on earth (Ephesians 2:19-22 on p. 45); The Holy Spirit gives us sanctifying grace to fulfill this mission; the Apostles’ Creed summarizes our beliefs as Christians.
REFLECT: Listen to Recorded Guided Reflection “The Incarnation” (CD 1, Track 7).
RESPOND: How will you try to be closer to Jesus this week?
11/24 / NO CLASS / Thanksgiving
12/1 / Unit 4: Meeting Jesus
Unit Saint: St. Bernadette
Chapter 18 – Celebrating Reconciliation
Advent Reconciliation at Church Grades 3-6
Advent Session / Theme: In the Sacrament of Penance, we celebrate God’s forgiveness, receive absolution for our sins, and are reconciled with ourselves, God, and the Church.
ENGAGE: Thinking about times when you were called on to forgive; Short prayer (p. 139).
EXPLORE: Jesus helps us to stay friends with God through the Sacrament of Penance; Even though we sin and offend God, we can heal our relationship with him and others by being sorry for our sins, confessing them to a priest, and receiving absolution; The risen Jesus appeared to the Apostles, bringing peace and forgiveness (John 20:19-23); We are sharing the peace that Jesus shared with the disciples when we share the “Sign of Peace” during Mass; The Rite of Penance (p. 142).
REFLECT: Act of Contrition prayer (p. 144).
RESPOND: What will you do this week to fix a broken relationship?
12/8 / Immaculate Conception / Mass at 8:30 Holy Day of Obligation
Mass at 10:30 Holy Day of Obligation
12/15 / Seasonal Session: Christmas Chapter 15 / See Back of Textbook for Christmas Session.
Lessons and Carols led by Grade 6
12/22 / NO CLASS / Christmas vacation
12/29& 1/5 / NO CLASS / Christmas vacation
1/12 / Chapter 12: Called to Holy Orders / Theme: Through the Sacrament of Holy Orders, men are called to exercise ministerial leadership in the Church. ENGAGE: Thinking about ways we and others give service to the community; Short prayer (p.91).
EXPLORE: Sacraments at the Service of Communion include Holy Orders and Matrimony; There are three kinds of participation in the Sacrament of Holy Orders: bishop, priest, and deacon.
REFLECT: Listen to Recorded Guided Reflection “The Prayer of St. Ignatius” (CD 1, Track 8).
RESPOND: How will you serve the Christian community?
1/19 / NO CLASS / Martin Luther King Holiday
1/26 / NO CLASS / Fairfax County Holiday
2/2 / NO CLASS / Fairfax County Holiday
2/9 / Chapter 14: God Calls Us / Theme: Jesus calls everyone to serve God and others, and Mary is the model of how to respond.
ENGAGE: Thinking about the role of Mary in the Church and in our lives; Short prayer (p. 107).
EXPLORE: We can serve God in a number of ways – as a priest, religious community member, married or single person; Mary humbly accepted her vocation to become the Mother of Jesus. REFLECT: Meditative Prayer (p. 112).
RESPOND: What you will do this week to use your talents in service?
2/16 / NO CLASS / President’s Day
2/23 / NO CLASS / OLGC Basketball Tournament
3/2 / Unit 2: Son of God, Son of Mary
Unit Saint: St. Alphonsus Liguori
Chapter 7 – Meeting Jesus / Theme:A sacrament is a sign by which Jesus shares God’s life – grace- with us.
ENGAGE: Thinking about how we make connections with others; Short prayer (p. 51)
EXPLORE: Jesus healed people and brought them life and peace; Jesus heals Jairus’ Daughter (Mark 5:21-24, 35-43 on p. 52); Jesus shares God’s life and grace with us in the sacraments; The sacraments (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony) celebrate Jesus’ presence among us in both word and sign.
REFLECT: Meditative prayer (p. 56).
RESPOND: What is one thing you can do this week to share Jesus’ life with another person?
3/9 / Chapter 9: Growing in the Spirit
Seasonal Sessions: Lent Chapter 20 / Theme: Confirmation strengthens our relationship with Christ.
ENGAGE: Thinking about our responsibilities in life; Short prayer (p. 67).
EXPLORE: The Story of Pentecost (Acts of the Apostles 2:2-4 on p. 68); Confirmation strengthens our relationship with Christ; In Confirmation we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, completing what we received in Baptism; Confirmation calls us to accept more responsibility to lead holy lives dedicated to God and to the mission of the Church in proclaiming the Gospel.
REFLECT: Prayer to the Holy Spirit Prayer (p. 72).
RESPOND: How will you try to live a holy life?
3/16 / Chapter 13: The Domestic Church / Theme: Jesus calls husbands and wives to form a domestic church with their children.
ENGAGE: Thinking about how your family is like a small community; Short prayer (p. 99).
EXPLORE: The Child Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:42-52); The Sacrament of Matrimony, the commitment of a man and a woman to a lifelong love, reflects the enduring love between Jesus and the Church; A couple, together with their children, make up the domestic church – a place for growing in grace and love, prayer and service.
REFLECT: Prayer Before Meals and Prayer After Meals (p. 104).
RESPOND: What will you do this week to help or do something special for a member of your family?
3/23 / Seasonal Session:
Holy Week and Easter Chapter 25
Lent Reconciliation at Church Grades 3-6 / See seasonal chapter and Resources available
Schedule to follow
3/30
4/6 / Chapter 19 – Jesus Heals Us
NO CLASS / Theme: In the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, we celebrate Jesus’ healing power.
ENGAGE: Thinking about how others have acted as healers to you and how you can bring healing to others; Short prayer (p. 147).
EXPLORE: In the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, a priest anoints with oil the ill, injured, and aged – as a result, they receive forgiveness for their sins, comfort in their suffering, and spiritual (and sometimes even physical) healing; Jesus unites our suffering with His passion and death; Rite of Anointing of the sick (p. 150).
REFLECT: Meditative prayer (p. 152).
RESPOND: What is one way that you can help a sick person?
Eucharist Retreat for Grade 2
4/13&4/20 / NO CLASS / Holy Week and Easter
4/27 / Chapter 17 – Celebrating the Eucharist / Theme: In the liturgy, Jesus Christ is present in his Word, in the assembly, and especially in the Eucharist.
ENGAGE: Thinking about favorite celebrations in our families; Short prayer (p.131).
EXPLORE: The real presence of Jesus Christ is in the bread and wine when we celebrate the Eucharist; to receive the Body and Blood of Christ worthily, we should not have had anything to eat for one hour before Communion and we should have confessed any mortal sin that we have committed.
REFLECT: Listen to Recorded Guided Reflection “The Eucharist” (CD 1, Track 9); Tantum Ergo prayer (p. 136).
RESPOND: What is one thing you can do to live in harmony with and share with another person?
RESPOND: What you will do this week to show that you appreciate the gift that Jesus gives us in the Eucharist.
5/4 / Unit 5: Living Like Jesus
Unit Saint: St. Isaac Jogues
Chapter 21 – Making Moral Decisions
Chapter 22 – Living a Moral Life / Theme: Jesus is the foundation of a moral life.
ENGAGE: Story (St. Isaac Jogues); Thinking about choices we make in our everyday life; Short prayer (p. 163).
EXPLORE: The life of St. Francis of Assisi is a wonderful example of holiness (p. 164); Jesus is our firm foundation in life (Matthew 7:24-27); As Christians, we are called to make moral choices that influence our relationship with God and others; Our new life in Jesus calls us to follow his teachings and to be like him; Our consciences, which must be formed, help us to make good choices.
REFLECT: Meditative prayer (p. 168).
RESPOND: What steps will you take to help you best respond the next time you have a difficult choice to make about doing right or wrong?
Theme: Jesus helps us to act responsibly toward others.
ENGAGE: Thinking about how others’ words affect you; Short prayer (p. 171).
EXPLORE: Old Jewish folktale about the effects of spreading rumors (p. 172); The wrong use of words (James 3:3-8, 17-18); Although we often make selfish and sinful choices, Christian life commits us to truth in deeds and words, following the eighth commandment; The presence of sin helps explain the existence of the world’s evils;
REFLECT: Psalms prayer (p. 176).
RESPOND: How will you try to use words for a good purpose in the next week?
5/11 / Closing Mass / Closing Mass at 9:00AM for all, led by Grade 6. Parents are invited and encouraged to come.Celebration to follow in DeSales Hall.

9/29/2018