Level I      First Week of Advent

The boy in the photo above, was drawn to the little altar today and he worked for a very long time doing this work.  The other two boys, were creating things as gifts for family and friends for Christmas.  I tell them that everything they make has to be about Jesus in the atrium.  

Last week I presented the two "Prophecies of Light and Names" and read The Annunciation.  Today we read The Visitation and learned how to fill the Cruets.  Usually the class can't wait to work with these materials but every class is different with a different personality.  Pernella, the girl in the forefront can write and so wants to write letters to Jesus to thank Him.  Her thoughts are beautiful.  I started a prayer journal for my Level II classes as they can read and write.  However, I've promised her that I'd bring in a prayer journal for her which I've made and have cut out religious art for them from cards.  They can choose any pictures they want for their prayer journal.   The class is small today as it's close to the holidays.  I have a family of three children and another with a brother and sister.  So when they are absent that is five children.   Today six are present but are out of view.

Level II    Beautiful Advent 

Advent is a great time of year for the children.   So I love to decorate the atrium in purple.  The small table in front of the prayer table is for the Nativity Narratives which I will present to the class.  I always do one or two prophecies before each Bible story. Here you can see The Lion and the Lamb, my favorite prophecy, also called "The Peaceable Kingdom."   We have already finished reading The Annunciation the week before and on this particular week we read The Visitation. 

When we do The Adoration of the Shepherds and Birth of Jesus, the prayer table cover is changed to white for the celebration of the feast of Christmas.   Last week we read The Presentation in the Temple and tonight we did The Magi.  Next week is our last Nativity Narrative and it is the Flight into Egypt.   After that we will be getting ready for the children's First Reconciliation and the prayer table cover will be changed back to green.

Below are some of the many activities that the children choose to do.  There is a variety of art work to choose from as well.    

This girl is creating an altar with all The Articles of the Mass: 

 the crucifix, chalice, purificator, cruets, corporal, lavabo, towel, paten, bookstand, missal, lectionary, and lectern.  

 

 

 

They also learn the articles by working with the small altar as shown below.



 















 
 The girl on the left is working with a prayer puzzle to help her learn.  If the children learn a prayer, they get to choose a prize from a basket.  It's always something religious such as a rosary or medal.   The boy on the right is enjoying seashells from The Gifts of the Kingdom.  There are drawers where I keep Blue Boxes of seashells; Green Boxes of seasonings, tea, plant parts, cocoons, etc. and Red Boxes with a good variety of rocks and geodes.  I've made a rock book that they can look up the rocks to name them.  They love this activity and usually it becomes a group work because they like to share and discuss the many items. 

    The girl (right) is working on an Advent Wreath.

                                                                 

 

 

 

 

This girl (below) enjoys working alone doing a prayer puzzle.   She's working on the Act of Contrition.

This boy (right) is working on the Liturgical Calendar.






Of course, during Advent the children are always 
working with the Nativity Narratives.  They are expected  to read the Scripture as well as work with the materials.