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4 Kids Magazine http://just4kidsmagazine.com/advent1.html
This
link focuses on Advent, a time of waiting. It offers a thorough
delivery of the meaning of Advent over the course of 12 days
for primary children. Therefore, it is critical that ample time
is allotted for complete delivery. It goes through the alphabet,
whereby 2 (or 3) letters are focused upon per day. For instance,
on the first day, the emphasis is on the following: A is for
Angels, B is for Baby Jesus. This sets a theme for the day.
The link offers activities (i.e. word scrambles), crafts (i.e.
paper angels), songs (i.e. Hark the Herald Angels Sing), prayers,
and scripture passages that tie into the theme proposed for
the day. It also offers discussion starters that can be used
during carpet time to elicit reflective thinking. This is an
absolutely fantastic website that will greatly assist teachers
in establishing the true meaning of Advent in their classroom.
--Cristina Mariotti
First School Preschool Activities and Crafts http://www.first-school.ws/activities/bible/annunciation.htm
First-School is an excellent website that
features lesson plans and printable activities for teachers.
More specifically, the above site focuses on The Annunciation.
It has a link to the story of the annunciation with corresponding
pictures so that the teacher may offer an alternative medium,
rather than a book, to tell this fascinating and historical
memoir. At the end of the story, it defines the new words used
(i.e. annunciation). This link also lists possible activities
(categorized by age level), and crafts (i.e. hand puppets) that
could be made or used. It also offers coloring pages, suggestions
for possible discussion during storytime, as well as sample
scripture passages. This link is a fantastic, well designed
page that will give teachers the tools needed to deliver the
profound story of the annunciation to primary children. --Cristina
Mariotti
Catholic Online http://www.catholic.org/clife/mary/praymary.php
This website offers various
links to anything and everything Catholic. This link, however,
is strictly devoted to the Blessed Mother Mary. In it, you will
find other links to various other prominent female Catholic
icons. Pertaining to Mary, this site has prayers devoted to
Mary that teachers can use with their students. This would be
especially beneficial if teachers stress prayers of Mary during
the months of October or May. There is also a very interesting
link to a written piece by Thomas Merton, answering the question
of why we should pray to Mary. And lastly, there is also a focus
on the Rosary, the meaning of it and the proper manner in which
it is to be used for prayer. -- David Pimentel
Christian Symbols http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/carolrb/christianity/jesus_teaching.html
This website may be used by both teachers and
students. Right on the home page is several of the more significant
Christian symbols, such as the cross, the dove, Jesus’
letters, and the fish. Accompanying the pictures are explanations
of the meaning of the symbols. Also, there are several links
in the left hand column, under headings such as ‘Jesus’
Life’, ‘Jesus’ Teachings’, ‘Celebrations’,
where one may locate more symbols associated with these various
other topics concerning Jesus and Christianity. There are full
page explanations in each of these links for the symbols, and
these may need some translation/interpretation for the students.
Otherwise, the pictures of the symbols are bright, colourful,
and very appealing. Students are sure to enjoy these visuals.
--David Pimentel
The Season of Advent – Anticipation &
Hope http://www.cresourcei.org/cyadvent.html
This is a great website for giving an abundance
of background information on the Season of Advent. It discusses
many topics in great length. It begins by discussing the colours
of advent and why we use certain colours (their meanings) It
discusses the meaning of the word Advent and what the season
is all about. It explains how the focus of this time is on the
anticipation of the birth of Jesus. This site also discusses
the meaning behind the evergreens and the advent wreath. In
dealing with the advent wreath is speaks specifically about
the colours, the lighting of the candles (and their significance
and how they represent Jesus) and the meaning of each candle
that is lit. This a good site for teachers to use to get some
additional information about the season of Advent. It is very
good for the background information that it provides for this
season and it is very easy to use and understand.
Prayers and Readings for Advent http://www.homiliesbyemail.com/Readings/Advent2001readings.html
This website provides daily prayers for the Advent
Season. This is a great website for getting children involved
in the preparation for Christmas through the Advent season.
The readings and prayers provided are geared toward grade 1
or 2 as they are easy to read. This is a good way of getting
students involved in the reading of scriptures and leading of
prayer. Students could take turns reading each day and the teacher
could then lead a discussion about each prayer following the
reading. This support would take the form of pedagogical support.
The readings talk about helping us to prepare for the Advent
season by allowing us to open our hearts so we are ready to
welcome Jesus as he is born. The prayers offered on this site
are also very helpful in teaching about people who were around
during the time of Jesus’ birth such as: Mary, Joseph,
Zechariah, Elizabeth, John, etc. This could lead to a good discussion
about some of these important historical Biblical people. Students
could be invited to draw a picture each day with the new prayer
to show what meaning the particular prayer has for them.
Advent Calendar http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/7134/Christmas/chradvent.htm
This is an additional website that is good
for getting students on the computer. This site offers little
games, puzzles, etc. for each day of Christmas or Advent. Students
click on each particular day and complete the little challenge.
This is more of a fun website, however it does have some educational
purpose.
Advent Wreath Candles and An Advent Wreath Prayer
http://www.goodshepherdonline.com/youth/index.htm
This website provides teachers with a tool to
help children to symbolically walk through the weeks of Advent.
It provides teachers with a detailed description of the symbols
of Advent. It describes the importance of each candle colour,
and what each candle represents. It also explains why wreaths
are circular, the need for four candles and what a lighted candle
symbolizes for Christianity. This site also includes a blessing
for each Advent candle that can be read by the whole class in
a form of prayer after each candle flame is lit. These blessings
remind students of the promise of Advent throughout each week
as they prepare for the birth of Christ. Resources: 1.) Advent
candles for children to colour, cut and paste onto their Advent
wreaths without the need for a flame. 2.) Symbols of the Advent
wreath. 3.) The name and an explanation of each of the Advent
candles along with a blessing for each candle. – Anna Cecchini
Children Learn to Pray http://www.cptryon.org/prayer/child/mary.htm
The best way to introduce children to Mary is
through her prayer. This website breaks down the Hail Mary and
gives a detailed description of what each line means in reference
to Mary’s life, particularly with respect to the Annunciation.
This is a great complimentary resource when children are being
taught the Hail Mary. It reveals how Mary answers God’s
desire to act as a believer of faith. Through learning the meaning
behind the words of the Hail Mary, students are able to better
understand the Christian community’s tradition of honouring
Mary. Resources: 1.) Hail Mary Prayer. 2.)
An explanation of each line in the Hail Mary and a reflection
on the importance of Mary to a child’s Catholic faith.
3.) A link to the Rosary and a description of its significance
to Mary’s life. – Anna Cecchini
Advent and Christmas Crafts and Activities For
Children http://www.catholicmom.com/advent_kids.htm
Unit number 4 looks at the season of Advent and
the joyful anticipation of Christmas. This website is fantastic
for teachers to use as it lists and explains various Advent
and Christmas crafts and activities for children. In addition,
it has many activities that children can complete at home with
their family. This is an excellent way of connecting the home,
church and school.
Some examples of the activities found in this
website are: making an advent wreath, advent calendar, and a
cotton ball crib, Good Deeds Manager. The Good Deeds Manager
is an excellent craft that incorporates Gospel values. It entails
that at the beginning of Advent a manager with pipe cleaners
near it be placed on the religion table. Before home time procedures,
the class will gather and talk about the good deeds they have
done during the day. For every good deed done, a student places
one "straw" in the manger. Before Christmas Holidays,
when baby Jesus is placed in the manger, he will have a soft
bed to sleep in because the children would have built one with
their good deeds!
It addition, this website has various prayers
and scripture passages that teachers can use in preparing short
liturgies in their classroom. Finally, it offers a list of story
books that can be used in the classroom as means to deliver
the wonderful story of Christmas and the anticipation of our
Saviour.--Cathy Genua
Tomie de Paola http://charlottemason.tripod.com/4realpaola.htm
This is an excellent site for teachers to assist
in bridging Literature, Liturgy, and Language. This website
is an integrated literature unit on advent and Christmas using
Tomie de Paola’s timeless stories. He has enough advent
and Christmas books to carry a classroom from the first Sunday
in advent through Epiphany. The site begins with a brief synopsis
of all the stories used in this author study. Some of the stories
included in this author study are: The Christmas Angel, The
Legend of the Poinsettia, The Clown of God, Mary the Mother
of Jesus, and many more.
The website then outlines a five week program
that thoroughly explains various activities and crafts which
are related to the selected stories of the particular week.
Some of the planned activities include puppet making and a dramatization,
cookie baking, a procession in honour of Our Lady of Guadeloupe
(which requires that a banner be made in the likeness of the
book's illustration), and the sharing of our own Christmas books
(modeled after de Paola's). This is a fantastic website that
is designed to support teachers in curriculum planning and delivery
in ways that creatively connect Religious Education, Language
and the arts --Cathy Genua
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