Vocations + Blessed Trinity Activity

This Sunday we celebrate the glory and the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity.  

A few weeks ago as I was teaching about the Sacrament of Marriage, I realized that I was missing something.  We had read the chapter in our textbook, had completed a good class discussion and filled in these notes, but they needed more.  With the current attack on marriage in pop culture, media, and politics, my 5th graders needed more depth to explain the meaning of marriage.

As I planned the lesson, I thought about some of the things that I have taught and explained to students I have had in Youth Group over the years.  I thought about how I could bring more of this lesson into a 5th grade classroom.  I thought about my emphasis with the kids this year that they are all called to a Vocation, and those vocations are about love (the real kind) and service.

And then I had a duh! moment.  While trying to bring the lofty topics of vocation and marriage down to their level, I had unintentionally watered it down a bit.  I didn't want to make it too confrontational, or introduce them to mis-truths about these Sacraments.  And it hit me that I could use a simple but profound model that I have used with both teens and adults- it would work with ten-year-olds, too.

"We love because He first loved us." ~1 John 4:19

A love is modeled after the Trinity.  The complete gift of self between the Father and the Son yields the Holy Spirit.  This union is founded on love- true communion- and we are made in the image and likeness of this model.  That means that our Vocations are called to be life giving unions that bear fruit and are created by self-sacrificing love.

Incredibly theological? Yes.  A mystery that can't fully be understood this side of heaven? Yes.

But something that can't be shared with children?  I think not. CCC 237

So I decided to try a new activity and see how they responded, if it helped them understand the Sacraments of Matrimony and Holy Orders, as well as the call to be a Religious Sister.  CCC 260

• We started with each student taking four blank triangles.  I asked them to name the Three Persons of the Blessed Trinity.  We wrote their names in each corner of one triangle.  I then asked them how the Trinity was united and we were able to summarize it as a communion of love.  We drew a heart in the center and drew the arrows between each person.  I told them that it was a great mystery, but that the love between the Father and the Son is so strong and so real that it actually revealed by a third Person, the Holy Spirit. CCC 243-248
• I then asked if they could represent the Sacrament of Matrimony on the next triangle.  They wrote husband and wife in two of the corners.  I then asked them to draw a heart in the center and arrows between the couple.  I asked what would be revealed if the couple shared self sacrificial love, and they said "children!" We wrote that down, but also talked about how some couples are unable to have children, so together they are able to become spiritual fathers and mothers and share their gifts with the Church. CCC 1601-1620
• Next up was the Priesthood.  We wrote down the priest, and following the model of marriage, the kids figured out that the other corner would be the Church, the Bride of Christ.  (this is also a great example to talk about why men are called to be priests and not women).  I asked what the fruit of this Vocation was, and the kids named things like the gift of the Sacraments, grace, and Spiritual fruit. CCC 1544-1553, 1577-1585
• Finally, we included the vocation of consecrated single life, specifically nuns and sisters.  The kids were quickly able to figure out that the sister's Bridegroom is Christ.  They mentioned again things like grace and Spiritual fruit as the revelation of this Vocation. CCC 922-933
• We then glued the four triangles onto a notebook page and added the title "All Vocations are Modeled After the Trinity."  I also had them add the Fulton Sheen quote "All love tends to become like that which it loves."

By using the model of the Trinity, I think I was able to show the kids that Vocations are not something that humans make up the rules for.  It helps show why marriage is between one man and one woman.  It explains why couples must be open to having children.  It reminds us how real love really requires sacrifice.

It was a great discussion, and a memorable teaching lesson for me.  I hope to continually find ways to share great and glorious and mysterious truths in meaningful ways with the students in my classroom.


The students had the freedom to arrange their notebook page however it made sense, so we had some different set ups, like this one:

And this one:

You can get the quote cards by clicking on the image below:

If you don't want to do the cut-and-glue thing, you could also use these printable notes and have the same discussion.

Click here for a blank version of the notes:

And click here for a filled in version of the notes:

What do you think?  Do you have any great resources or lessons about sharing the truths of marriage and vocations with kids?  I'd love to hear about them!

(originally posted May 25, 2015 here)

Anointing of the Sick

In continuing the series of how my class reviewed the Sacraments while we studied the life of Fulton Sheen, this was our notebooking activity for the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick.

We connected Anointing of the Sick to the idea that Jesus is our Divine Physician, so I used a doctor's bag as the basis for the notes.

Inside the doctor's bag we drew and labeled the items that a priest would typically use or take with him to an anointing, including a stole, oil oleum, Book of Prayers, aspergillum, crucifix, and a pyx.

Using our textbook as a resource, we took notes on an index card about the basic steps involved in the Sacrament, and we also wrote out the text of James 5:14-15 on another index card.

Click below for a printable of our Anointing of the Sick notes.  You could just give the kids the outline of the doctor's bag and have them draw the items inside like we did, or you can print the document two sided so the items are already in the bag.  I also included the steps of the Sacrament notes and the verse from James in the printable.

(originally posted July 29, 2013 here)

Sheen as Minister of the Sacraments

In celebration of Sheen's birthday, we made these mini books with my kids for their Sheen Notebooks, remembering that as a priest, Sheen played an integral role as a minster of the sacraments for thousands of people.

A picture is worth a thousand words, so I found a photo of Sheen that either demonstrated or personified each sacrament, as well as one of his quotes (we do love Sheen's quotes) that could help us understand each.  Here is what we found:

“I don’t want my life to be mine, I want it to be Christ’s.”

 

 “As a man must be born before he can begin to lead his physical life, so he must be born to lead a Divine Life. That birth occurs in the Sacrament of Baptism. To survive, he must be nourished by Divine Life; that is done in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist."

 "It does not take much time to make us saints. 

It only requires much love.”

 “Sometimes the only way the good Lord can get into some hearts is to break them.” 

“Unless there is a cross in our lives, there will never be an empty tomb; unless there is a crown of thorns, there will never be the halo of light; unless there is a Good Friday, there will never be an Easter Sunday.”

 "In every friendship hearts grow and entwine themselves together, so that the two hearts seem to make only one heart with only a common thought. That is why separation is so painful; it is not so much two hearts separating, but one being torn asunder.”

“Show me your hands. Do they have scars from giving?

Show me your feet. Are they wounded in service? 

Show me your heart. Have you left a place for divine love?”

Click here for a printable of the mini book complete with pictures and quotes:

(originally posted May 9, 2013 here)

A Bishop's Coat of Arms

As we continue to explore the seven Sacraments in my 5th grade class, we are currently studying the Sacrament of Vocation.  Last week we covered Holy Orders, with a special emphasis on what it means to be a Bishop.  (You can visit this post for the printable notes we used on both topics, as well as how we incorporated making origami miters!)

I would be remiss to not talk about Fulton Sheen's role as a Bishop during this portion of our study, so we also spent a class exploring Sheen's coat of arms.  The kids enjoyed figuring out that every symbol and color had specific meaning.

"Coat of Arms?" you may be wondering...You can read all about Ecclesiastical Heraldry here.

This was Sheen's coat of arms, and we were able to talk about the meaning of his Latin motto, the double barred cross signifying his role as an Archbishop, the dove and globe as a nod to the meaning of his name as well as a desire for peace in the world, etc.

Click here for a set of coloring notes with details about the meanings of the symbols on FJS's coat of arms:

(my info on the symbols was taken from a book that we use in our classroom called Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, a Man for All Media.)

Click here for the plain coloring notes without the written details: (this would be if you just want the kids to color in the coat of arms, or if they will have to copy their own notes like mine did...because I am a big meanie)

I am going to use this as a springboard for an enrichment activity for some of my students.  After learning about the meaning of a bishop's coat of arms and specifically looking at Fulton Sheen's, I am going to send them on a quest to find the meaning behind our own Bishop's heraldry.  You could easily do the same, and have your students share what they find with their classmates.  It also would be interesting to look for similarities and differences them.  They could also think about what would be included on their own personal coat of arms if they were able to create one.  Lots of possibilities!

 

For example, here is where I will send my students to start researching Bishop Daniel Jenky's Coat of Arms (from our home Diocese of Peoria).

 Here is an exploring sheet with some guiding questions for them to look for as they research: (You could make something very similar for your own Bishop if you are not from the Diocese of Peoria)

 

 Click here for the key to that document:

 You also could have the students design their own coat of arms.  Here is a blank outline to start with (this one happens to be for an Archbishop) or they could make their own.  Encourage them to use symbols and colors that would represent the kind of leader that they would want to be.  Have them come up with a motto from a favorite Scripture verse or quote.  Then have them present it to you or the class and explain their choices!

(originally posted February 17, 2014 here)

Fulton Facts

You know those little nuggets of info that need to be shared with your students, but they are not necessarily included/covered/taught somewhere else?  Of course, you could just tell them...during which time it would go in one ear and out the other...

As I am teaching my students about Fulton Sheen, I am trying my best to do things that appeal to a variety of learners, and one thing that I know is that kids do better when they can see something as well as hear it.  So I decided to supplement our regular work with some "Fulton Facts"- not lessons in and of themselves, but important info that will help them get to know Sheen.

This set has eight facts, and the kids can put them where ever in their Sheen Notebook that they want.  Some of the facts fit well in certain areas, like this one on the Mary page...

and this one on the prayer page...

and some of them can just fill in random blank pages.

We'll add more later, and the kids are welcome to write anything interesting that they learn.

Click here for a printable of these Fulton Facts

(content originally posted April 6, 2013 here)

Fulton Sheen Timeline

"Show me your hands. Do they have scars from giving? Show me your feet. Are they wounded from service? Show me your heart. Have you left a place for Divine Love?" ~Fulton Sheen

The natural summary of a person's life?
A timeline, of course.

So after watching the film about Fulton Sheen's life, I challenged my students to take a stack of post-it notes (one of my favorite educational resources, btw) and create a timeline of FJS's life.  Important items only.  Had to be events, not just facts.  And had to be placed in chronological order (with a little help from me supplying dates they did not know off the top of their heads.)

The result:

I was pretty impressed, considering that I only gave them five minutes.  And I know that you can't read them, but they were very accurate and specific with their events.

As a reward, I told them that I had something to add to our Sheen corner, which has been gradually growing in one spot of our classroom.  So far it has newspaper articles, photos, prayers, student artwork about Sheen, and even a copy of a letter that one kid wrote (her own idea!) to Sheen's niece who lives in New York.  The big pockets have more items to read or view, ranging from articles to a couple of his books to the documentary that we watched as a group.

I pulled out the timeline that I created and drew illustrations for and hung it at the top. (it is that lame looking white strip above everything.)

And they oohed and aahed, and then I showed them the one in my awesome notebook:

 And they flipped out a bit.

 Because then they got their own.

It is impossible to get a close up picture of the whole thing, but the timeline has 16 events in the life of Sheen from his birth to him being declared Venerable last summer.

When printed back to front from the file available below and then cut into strips horizontally, it can be taped into a two sided strip that is in order.  (Chronological order being the challenge for the kids).  We then accordion folded it so that it would neatly fit into our notebooks, but could still be pulled out and seen from both sides.

 You also could copy it back to front and cut it into 8 individual panels and then staple it together like a mini book, or print single sided to make a timeline for a wall like I had above.

However you use it, here is the link for the printable:

(content orginally posted March 24, 2013 here)

Fulton Sheen Lapbook

Some of you might like the idea of making a Fulton Sheen Notebook, but know that a project of that size is not practical or the best use of the time that you have with your kiddos.

Another option to still do some of the activities and have them in a user friendly place would be to make a Fulton Sheen lapbook.  This might be an option if you want to make it a shorter unit in a school classroom or for use in a CCD program.

Start with a regular file folder.  Colored ones are always nice.

To make it a little more interesting, create a lapbook that opens from the center.  Fold one side of the folder to the middle of the inside.

 Then fold the other side to the center also.

 Using the cover from the Sheen notebook, create a cover for the lapbook.  Glue the printable to a piece of cardstock, and then glue the cardstock to only one side of the folder flaps.  This allows the lapbook to have a closed cover...

 ...but still can be opened to the inside.  It also extended the space inside by a few inches.

 Next choose the activities that you want to include.

 I used these activities:
-Spiritual Adoption Bookmark
-Non Fiction Notes about Canonization Process
-Sheen and the Sacraments Mini Book
-Fulton Facts
-Journaling Topics
-Fold Out Timeline
-Canonization Process Post It Notes
-World Mission Rosary
-Holy Card and Prayer Requests

I had to adapt the way some of the activities were include to save space.  One nice lapbooking or notebooking tool is making pockets.

Here is my favorite way to make paper pockets:

1. Collect the stack of items that you want to include in the pocket.  It is easiest to just use them for the size so that the pocket isn't too tight or too lose, causing things to fall out.  Cut a piece of paper, preferably cardstock, that is about an inch longer than you want the finished pocket to be and is about three times the width of the items.

 2. Fold one side of the paper over, somewhere between the middle and edge of the items in the pocket.

 3. Fold the other side over and trim off the excess, making sure that there is an overlap with the first folded side.

 4. Here it is with the excess cut off.

 5. Now move your items and unfold the soon-to-be pocket.  Fold up the bottom edge to the depth you want the bottom of the pocket to be.

 6.  Unfold and do some trimming.  You are going to cut along the bottom fold line to the side fold lines, and then down.  I like to cut down at a slight angle so that the sides don't show from the back.  Here is a picture of where to cut:

 7.  Place your items back on the pocket.  This is important for fit.  Fold the two sides in and tape with scotch tape.

 8. Fold the bottom flap up and tape.

 9. Your filled pocket can now be placed in a lapbook or notebook.

 10.  I like to label the outside of my pockets to make it easy to know what is inside.  I created pockets for Fulton Facts, Non Fiction Research, and Journal Starters.

 A lapbook can get nice and thick with layers, and that is ok.  Here is the Fold Out Sheen Timeline.

 Here is how I adapted the Canonization Overview.  Instead of post its attached to a whole page, I used a stack of five post it notes to make a mini flip book with the same info as before.

 I included a Sheen Prayer card with room for prayer requests.

 There wasn't room for the World Mission Rosary Notes, so I just drew and labeled one in an empty spot of the folder.

The back of the folder is still empty, which means it is in need of something! No reason to have an empty surface :)

I hope that this shows you how you can adapt notebooking or long curriculum activities to create a lapbook that becomes a center for learning and a memorable keepsake.


(content originally posted June 11, 2013 here)