ADAPTIVE OPPORTIES: TEACHING TO STRENGTHS Catechist For a Child 1 1 Visual/Spatial page 1 SAINT 1 2 3 3 A story about creation, such as At Break of Day by Nikki Grimes 5 Paper, pencils, 6 CD 1, Track 6 9 Paper, pencils, crayons and markers 10 Poster board, magazines, art 12 page 12 or copies of the prayer Act of Faith 15 CD 2, Track 1; page 220 Musical, 16 CD 1, Track 1 17 Paper, pencils, crayons and markers Communication Physical, Vision Physical, Attention Vision, Chronic Lead the children in exploring and discussing the picture of Saint Teresa of Avila, who spent her life writing about prayer and teaching people to pray to God. Read aloud a children s story about creation. Discuss the primary themes presented in the story. Ask the children what evidence of creation they see every day. Divide the children into groups. Invite each group to make a list of all the things God has created. Ask each person to choose their favorite gift from God. Then invite each group to brainstorm things we can do to take care of God s gifts. Invite the children to quiet themselves as they enter into prayer. Play the recorded guided reflection God s Wonderful Creation [CD 1, Track 6]. Remind the children that Jesus is always there for them and loves spending time with them. Ask each child to draw a tree and write the name of a different family member on each branch. Then have the children write on the branches one nice thing they can do for each family member. Say: Doing nice things for our family members is one way to show them love and respect. Have the children work in pairs to find pictures in magazines that represent God s gifts to the world. Have each pair create a collage of these gifts. Discuss ways we can care for these gifts. Say: Today we are going to pray the Act of Faith together. When we profess our belief in God, we profess our belief in the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. I invite you now to pray aloud with me or pray silently in your heart. Pray the Act of Faith aloud. Play Song of Love [CD 2, Track 1]. Have the children sing along using page 220. Then ask small groups to work together to make up actions that demonstrate the meaning of the verses. Have groups perform their actions. Play Adam and Eve [CD 1, Track 1]. Discuss and explore what they heard in the Scripture story about Adam and Eve. Have children make picture books of the story of Adam and Eve for younger children to enjoy. Children can draw scenes and include a brief caption for each illustration. Arrange a time for children to share their books with a younger group of children. Finding God Adaptive Opportunities 1
ADAPTIVE OPPORTIES: TEACHING TO STRENGTHS Catechist For a Child 1 5 21 Newspapers, scissors, tape 23 Construction 232 Art Print 27 Colored sidewalk chalk 27 Construction 29 Volunteers who serve in liturgical ministry, Physical, Communication, Chronic Attention Draw on the board a T-chart with the headings Good Choices and Bad Choices. Distribute newspapers and ask children to cut out stories of people making good choices and bad choices. Ask children to tape the stories under the correct heading. Discuss making good choices. Ask your parish office for a list of children who will be celebrating a sacrament. Tell the children they will make prayer cards for these children. Remind them to include in the message that they will be praying for this person. Give children time to study the Art Print Dove of the Spirit. Then ask the children to close their eyes and imagine they are with the Apostles at Pentecost. Say: Look around. Ask: What do you see? What do you hear? How do you feel, knowing the Holy Spirit is with you? Give the children a few moments to pray silently and close with the Sign of the Cross. Take the children to a large area of concrete or blacktop. Have children use sidewalk chalk to work together and make a liturgical calendar using words and symbols. Invite children to write and decorate family prayer books. Encourage children to include traditional and original prayers in their prayer book. Coordinate with your catechetical leader to have volunteers who serve in liturgical ministry visit the class. Have the volunteers share the role they serve in, describe, and act out what they do. Finding God Adaptive Opportunities 2
ADAPTIVE OPPORTIES: TEACHING TO STRENGTHS 2 Catechist For a Child 31 Visual/Spatial page 31 SAINT 6 7 8 9 33 Mural 33 Paper, pencils, 3 CD 2, Track 5; page 223 Musical 39 Paper, pencils, 1 Paper, pencils 235 Art Print 7, paper, art 5 Access to your church, Vision, Attention Lead the children in exploring and discussing the picture of Saint John Baptiste Vianney, a parish priest who listened to and helped many people. Divide the children into small groups. Ask the groups to make murals that show how people can share Jesus love with others. Ask groups to caption their murals. Ask children to list rules they are asked to follow. Discuss how the rules we are asked to follow help us show love and respect for others and help us be more like Jesus. Have children work together to make a list of rules that Jesus disciples are called to follow. Have groups write why each rule helps us live as Jesus disciples. Play Open Your Ears, O Faithful People [CD 2, Track 5]. Invite the children to sing along using page 223. This song reminds us to keep our hearts open to Jesus. Ask small groups to work together to write their own recipes for living happy lives. Encourage groups to include attitudes and behaviors that help build up the Kingdom of God. Have the children brainstorm a list of random acts of kindness that they could complete. Invite volunteers to share their ideas. Remind the children that when we serve others, we are living out the Beatitudes. Invite the children to study the Art Print Removing the Thorn. Ask each child to draw a picture of himself or herself practicing the Beatitudes. Encourage children to caption their artwork. Invite volunteers to share their completed drawings. Take the children on a tour of your church to locate statues, stained-glass windows, or paintings that show Jesus birth, life, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension. Give children time to examine and reflect on these works of art. 6 CD 1, Track 2 Auditory Vision Play Jesus on the Cross [CD 1, Track 2]. Discuss and explore what they heard in the Scripture story about Jesus death. 236 Art Print 8 51 Newspapers, 52 Paper, pencils, crayons and markers, page 52 237 Art Print 9, Attention Physical, Communication Invite the children to study the Art Print The Ascension. Ask each child to draw their own picture of the Ascension. Suggest that the children draw their reactions to watching Jesus ascend into Heaven or Jesus himself. Allow volunteers to share their drawings. Distribute the newspapers and ask children to look for articles about people in need. Invite volunteers to share what they find. Remind the children when we help people in need, we build up the Kingdom of God. Read page 52 with the children. Explain that children are going to make a storyboard, a chronological series of images, depicting Aeneas s healing. Encourage children to include four to six images in their storyboards. Invite volunteers to share their storyboards. Invite the children to study the Art Print Meal. Divide the children into groups to prepare and present short skits about how people can follow Jesus example by caring for people in need. Encourage children to emphasize ways to live out the Corporal Works of Mercy and the Spiritual Works of Mercy. Finding God Adaptive Opportunities 3
ADAPTIVE OPPORTIES: TEACHING TO STRENGTHS 2 Catechist For a Child 57 Cardstock, paper, pencils, art 10 59 Poster board, art 238 Art Print 10,, Physical, Invite the children to make an Advent calendar. For each day of Advent, have children write one way they can prepare to celebrate Jesus birth. Arrange to hold a collection for people who are homeless or in need. Invite the children to make signs asking parishioners to donate toiletries. The children should draw pictures of specific items on their poster such as soap, shampoo, and toothpaste. Hang the posters in the church vestibule. Invite the children to study the Art Print The Procession. Point out that the Art Print shows a community of people participating in a Las Posadas celebration. Invite the children to draw a picture of an Advent tradition they celebrate with their family. Finding God Adaptive Opportunities
ADAPTIVE OPPORTIES: TEACHING TO STRENGTHS 3 Catechist For a Child 61 Visual/Spatial SAINT page 61 11 12 13 1 63 None Physical, 6 CD 2, Track 9; page 225 Musical 66 CD 1, Track 8 Vision, Vision, Chronic Lead the children in exploring and discussing the picture of Saint Louis IX, who worked to strengthen the Church. Invite the children to think about all the communities they belong to. Ask: How were you welcomed into these communities? How do you show that you are active members of these communities? Today we are going to talk about what it means to be a member of the universal Church. Play Two by Two [CD 2, Track 9]. Invite the children to sing along using page 225. Play Go Forth [CD 1, Track 8]. Discuss and explore what they heard in the Scripture story about being disciples of Jesus Christ. 70 Paper, pencils Physical Invite the children to write a letter to the pastor, thanking him for everything he does for the parish community. 20 Art Print 12, 72 page 72 or a copy of the Morning Offering, paper, pencils 75 Luke 15:8 10, paper, pencils 78 CD 1, Track 3 79 page 79 or paper, pencils 82 Paper, pencils, 22 Art Print 1 8 Copies of the song Hail, Holy Queen Musical, Auditory, Vision, Attention Vision, Physical Vision, Invite the children to study the Art Print Holy Apostles. Ask the children to think about someone they know who carries on Jesus work in the world today. Ask the children to draw a picture of that person doing something that carries on Jesus work. After praying the Morning Offering together, invite children to write their own prayers about the works, joys, and sorrows that they can offer to God. Read aloud a parable such as the lost coin. Remind the children that a parable is a story that uses symbols to teach a religious lesson. Divide the children into groups and invite them to write a parable that teaches a lesson about God s love and forgiveness. Invite the groups to share their parables. Play The Forgiving Father [CD 1, Track 3]. Discuss and explore what they heard in the Scripture story about forgiveness. Have the children write an acrostic about forgiveness. Tell them to think of a word or phrase that begins with each letter in the word forgive. Ask children to imagine that they are reporters assigned to write a news article about the Annunciation. Encourage children to answer the questions who, what, where, why, and how in their articles. Invite the children to study the Art Print The Virgin. Ask the children to pray a silent prayer to Mary, honoring her for being the Mother of the Church. Encourage children to ask God for the strength to follow Mary s example. Remind children that singing is a form of prayer. Sing aloud the song Hail, Holy Queen, asking the children to sing along with you. Finding God Adaptive Opportunities 5
ADAPTIVE OPPORTIES: TEACHING TO STRENGTHS 3 Catechist For a Child 15 87 Paper, pencils, 89 Paper, pencils, Musical 23 Art Print 15, Physical Invite the children to write a paragraph about their memories of previous Christmas celebrations. Invite volunteers to share their paragraph. Invite the children to write a new verse for a Christmas hymn or carol that speaks of peace. Invite the children to study the Art Print Adoration of the Magi. Have the children make Christmas ornaments for parishioners who are elderly or homebound. Have them include a Christmas message on the ornament. Finding God Adaptive Opportunities 6
ADAPTIVE OPPORTIES: TEACHING TO STRENGTHS Catechist For a Child 91 Visual/Spatial page 91 SAINT 16 17 18 19 93 None 95 Construction 96 CD 1, Track 99 Items used during a family meal 102 page 102, paper, pencils, crayons and markers 103 page 103, paper, pencils, crayons and markers 105 Volunteer in liturgical ministry for those who are sick Vision, Chronic Vision, Spectrum Communication Physical Vision 106 Paper, pencils Physical, Chronic 108 CD 2, Track 13; page 227 Musical Vision, 111 Paper, pencils Physical 113 Guest speaker who is a deacon or priest 11 CD 1, Track 9 Vision Lead the children in exploring and discussing the picture of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, who founded a religious order called the Society of Jesus. Ask pairs of children to role-play situations in which one person might apologize to another. You may wish to give children suggestions, such as making up after a disagreement or apologizing for breaking a favorite toy. Ask children to advertise upcoming opportunities to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation in your parish. Hang the posters around the parish. Play The Lost Sheep [CD 1, Track ]. Discuss and explore what they heard in the Scripture story about God s love and forgiveness. Pass around the items used during a family meal. Discuss the times our families have special meals. Remind the children that Jesus invites us to a special meal every Sunday at Mass. After praying aloud the reflection on page 102, invite the children to draw images of what they imagined while they prayed. Review the list of Holy Days of Obligation on page 103. Have the children create holy cards for one of the days. In pairs, have the children share their card and why they chose that day and what their images represent. Invite a guest speaker who visits parishioners who are sick. Ask the speaker to describe their ministry and to encourage children to find ways they can help those who are sick. Have the children brainstorm to make a list of ways they can help. Remind the children that one way to help people who are sick is to pray for them. Invite the children to write prayers for people they know who are sick or for people around the world who are suffering. Play When Jesus the Healer [CD 2, Track 13]. Invite the children to sing along using page 227. Discuss the importance of Jesus healing. Invite children to write a paragraph about what they want to be when they grow up. Ask children to include how their choices will allow them to serve God and the Church. Arrange with your catechetical leader to have a priest or deacon speak about the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Allow time for the children to ask questions. Invite the children to quiet themselves as they enter into prayer. Play the recorded guided reflection A Walk in the Vineyard [CD 1, Track 9]. Remind the children that Jesus is always there for them and loves spending time with them. Finding God Adaptive Opportunities 7
ADAPTIVE OPPORTIES: TEACHING TO STRENGTHS Catechist For a Child 117 page 202, paper, pencils, crayons 20 118 Paper, pencils, Have the children turn to page 202 and review the Stations of the Cross. Say: During Lent many people pray using the Stations of the Cross. Invite the children to write their own prayer books, writing each station and drawing a picture to go with it. Say: What can you do during Lent to be a more faithful disciple of Jesus? Invite the children to write two or three promises on a sheet of paper. 119 None Physical, Vision Arrange with another catechist to pair children from the two classes. Explain to the children that they will serve as prayer partners for each other during Lent. Say: During the season of Lent, remember to pray for your prayer partner. Know that your prayer partner is praying for you. Finding God Adaptive Opportunities 8
ADAPTIVE OPPORTIES: TEACHING TO STRENGTHS 5 Catechist For a Child 121 Visual/Spatial page 121 SAINT 21 22 23 2 123 Poster board 126 Paper, pencils, 127 Paper, pencils, crayons and markers 130 Paper, pencils, crayons and markers Visual/Spatial Visual/Spatial 130 CD 1, Track 5 131 CD 2, Track 15; page 228 135 Construction 137 Poster board, art 251 Art Print 23,, watercolor paint Musical Visual/Spatial 11 Paper, pencils 252 Art Print 2 1 CD 1, Track 10, Physical, Attention Vision, Chronic Vision, Vision Lead the children in exploring and discussing the picture of Saint Francis Xavier, who traveled to distant lands to teach people about Jesus. Post rules and routines on the poster board. Keep the rules and routines consistent. Ask small groups to come up with as many words as possible to complete the following sentence: The Holy Spirit gives me. Have groups share their responses. Ask children to think of their favorite superheroes. Invite children to make comics in which the superheroes help people resist temptation and make good moral choices. Invite children to illustrate the story of Jesus and the scribes. Encourage children to include a caption that summarizes the Great Commandment. Play The Great Commandment [CD 1, Track 5]. Discuss and explore what they heard in the Scripture story and how they can practice the Great Commandment. Play The Great Commandment [CD 2, Track 15]. Invite the children to sing along using page 228. Invite the children to make coupons for their family members. Say: Decorate each coupon and write one action you can perform to show love for your family members. Arrange the children in pairs and have them make posters reminding people to respect all life. Encourage children to draw pictures and use catchy slogans. Invite the children to study the Art Print Love Your Enemies. Remind the children that the artist used a heart to symbolize love. Have the children make their own piece of art that symbolizes love and forgiveness. Have children write an acrostic about cooperation. Tell them to think of a word or phrase that begins with each letter in the word cooperation. Remind children that they can follow God s plan by cooperating with others. Invite the children to study the Art Print The Promised Land. Invite the children to make Keep-the-Covenant posters in which they draw ways people can keep the Covenant by obeying the Ten Commandments and following Jesus example. Invite the children to quiet themselves as they enter into prayer. Play the recorded guided reflection The Ten Commandments [CD 1, Track 10]. Remind the children that Jesus is always there for them and loves spending time with them. Finding God Adaptive Opportunities 9
ADAPTIVE OPPORTIES: TEACHING TO STRENGTHS 5 Catechist For a Child 17 Guest speaker, pictures of the Easter Vigil 25 17 Gospel Acclamation 253 Art Print 25,, paint Musical, Auditory Visual/Spatial Vision, Arrange with your catechetical leader to have a guest speaker talk to children about the Easter Vigil. Show the pictures of an Easter Vigil. Allow time for the children to ask questions. Sing with children an Alleluia your parish uses as a Gospel Acclamation during the Easter season. Remind the children that the word alleluia means praise God. Invite the children to study the Art Print Easter Morning. Have the children paint or draw a picture that represents the hope and joy we feel during the Easter season. Finding God Adaptive Opportunities 10