The Liturgy of the Eucharist and the Nativity Narratives with maps

On these shelves are the Liturgy of the Eucharist.  We begin by showing how the cruets are prepared with the water and wine.  I tell my Level II children that this prepares them if they want to be altar servers.  They are eligible once they have received their First Communion.  They learn all the gestures of the priest such as the "washing of hands," the "Doxology," and the "Epiclesis."  The 7 to 9 year olds can read and are expected to read the words of the priest as they imitate the gestures.  In the "washing of hands" they can work together with one child being the priest and the other acting as the altar server.

Finally, they learn how to do the "Preparation of the Chalice."  And again, the words must be read.  I love hearing their voices across the room reading softly these words.  They take it very seriously, as they should.

Later, we do the entire Liturgy of the Eucharist with a presentation called the Synthesis of the Mass which I will describe at a later time.

 

This bookshelf holds all the Nativity Narratives.  There is a Scripture booklet for each material.  This is so the children can read the Bible Story as they work with the material.  In Level II the children often can be seen reading to each other the Scripture passage while one moves the materials, the other reads.

These are the Tracing packets that go with each of the Nativity Narratives.  The children like to trace and make their own booklets and color them.  The large packets are for the  younger children in Level I and the small packets are for the older children.  However, they sometimes use either.


There is also a geography area in the atrium.  There are small wooden puzzle maps of Israel in Jesus time.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is also a Topographical map (left) which helps the children learn where the angel appeared to Mary in Nazareth; where Jesus was born in Bethlehem and where He died in Jerusalem.