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Becky Parker
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Joined: May 23 2005
Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Feb 29 2012 at 6:56am | IP Logged
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Can anyone help me combine my kids for faith studies? Next year I will have children in grades 8, 6, 3 and K (plus a two year old). The 8th grader is my only dd and she will be separate, but I'm trying to think of a way to combine the 3 boys so we can do religion all together as part of our morning time. Our Religion lessons consist of four areas (done on different days of the week):
Bible
Saints
Baltimore Catechism
Faith and Life
For Bible, I would use a book of Bible Stories for my K'er, the Knecht Bible History book for my 3rd grader, and actual Bible reading for the 6th grader.
For saints studies I would use Once Upon a Time Saints books and Catholic Mosaic for the K'er, The Book of Heros for the 3rd grader, and the Young Peoples Book of Saints for the 6th grader.
The 3rd grader will be in B C #1 and the 6th grader in B C #2.
The 3rd grader will use F&L 3 and the 6th grader F&L 6. I'm trying to decide if I even need anything else for the K'er.
The 8th grader will be seperate from her brothers, but still require time from me.
I have all these books on hand, so I don't need to buy anything, but, if there is some way I could combine using a new resource, I am willing to buy it.
It's all so overwhelming!  I really like the idea of using one resource for some or all of the above and have our morning time include Religion. I just can't seem to make it all work together.
Any ideas, or am I crazy to think this is possible  ?
__________________
Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
Academy Of The Good Shepherd
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Feb 29 2012 at 8:24am | IP Logged
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Here's how I would work it, Becky....using the items you already have. Mostly combining the 3rd/6th grader. The 8th grader should be able to work almost entirely independently on her work, but could certainly listen in and join in Catechism time and Bible history time....and even picture book time.:
Bible
:: For 3rd and 6th grader ::
Read Child's Bible History aloud 1x/week.
:: Kindergartner ::
Read from children's Bible during a special quiet time 1x/week
Saints
:: For K, 3rd, 6th grader ::
I'd organize my reading aloud by liturgical year, not book type. Remember, the mark of a living book is that it really has no age limits, therefore, it's fine to read living picture books to older students! If you have a picture book that coordinates with the liturgical year, I'd read it aloud to everyone. When you're not reading a picture book, choose one of the other books you mentioned above and read it aloud 1x/week. When you finish that book, move on to reading aloud from the next one. Have 6th grader read a Vision book or other similar type book on a saint independently during the week.
Baltimore Catechism
:: For 3rd and 6th grader ::
Put them both in either #1 or #2, move very slowly through the lessons. (I take 3 years to teach and complete the entire Baltimore Catechism.) ** If you use #2, your 3rd grader may not pick up on everything from the lesson, but the lessons are the same from #1 to #2, it's just that #2's explanations (and answers in the formal catechism Q & A section) go a little deeper for a slightly older student.
** If you use #1, I think that would be fine for the 6th grader. Just plan on moving him to #2, which will mostly be review so you'll be able to move through it quickly, in 8th grade as part of Confirmation preparation. Faith & Life:
Faith & Life is a worthy and very solid Catholic religion program based on the CCC (so what I'm about to say is in no way a reflection on the program!!). You are already teaching Catechism, Bible History and Bible stories, as well as reading with the liturgical year, so it would be fine (in my opinion) to consider if F & L is something you want to continue including, or rather, to add in more living books on saints, liturgical year, life of Christ, etc. If you want to continue to include it, I'd probably look into the online version and have the kids use the program online and move through it independently and not as part of the together work. (But I'm not familiar at all with that online program...I think MaryM might use it??? And I know there is a thread here somewhere discussing it.)
Catechism of the Catholic Church:
Now, when they're older (like for your 8th grade dd), I like to assign meaty topics for them to research and look up in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC). Here are some topics I've had my high schooler research in the CCC:** Respect for the integrity of creation/stewardship of God's creation
** Dangers of directing affection to animals which are only due to persons
** Topic of evolution juxtaposed with 7 day creation view
** Various virtues, especially: faith, charity, prudence
** Seven Sacraments These are just my own off-the-cuff ideas, Becky! Take anything that might be useful! Someone else may have some better ideas. Good luck! Combining your students in many topics is completely do-able!!
__________________
Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Topic: combining kids
