BEATITUDES WITH ATTITUDE

Begin your year by having your children follow Jesus, WWJD, through the use of the Beatitudes.

MONTHLY ACTIVITIES WITH BEATITUDE ATTITUDE

~ BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT, THE REIGN OF GOD IS THEIRS.

   (Center our lives on values important to Jesus - being friends with all – becoming Disciples of Jesus)

1.  Making a new friend in class

2.  Choosing someone new to eat lunch with

3.  Inviting others to be part of our games at recess

4.  Lining up next to different people

5.  Changing desks to get to know and work with other people

6.  Sharing our ideas with others

~ BLESSED ARE THEY WHO MOURN, FOR THEY SHALL BE

   COMFORTED.

   (Sharing in the Heart of God by comforting others and feeling sad over evil things)

1.  Listening to those who are sad before we try to cheer them up

2.  Being compassionate by mentioning Children's worries in class prayer

3.  Being aware of what you are watching on TV and listening in Music - is it God

     approved?

4.  Praying for Global Disasters and those in need

~ BLESSED ARE THE MEEK, FOR THEY SHALL INHERIT THE LAND.

   (Respect the right of others and follow Jesus as a disciple)

1.  Listening to others without ridiculing those who make errors

2.  Taking good care of things

3.  Following the rules without looking for ways out

4.  Being careful not to litter and to recycle

~ BLESSED ARE THEY WHO HUNGER AND THIRST FOR JUSTICE, THE REIGN OF GOD IS THEIRS.

    (Work for truth and justice)

1.  Finding and using as models people who work for truth and justice in our city

2.  Discussing injustice in our society as we hear it on the news

3.  Praying for those who are imprisoned unjustly (hostages, kidnapped children)

4.  Praying for children in war torn countries

~ BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL, FOR THEY SHALL RECEIVE MERCY.

   (Having forgiving HEARTS and SPIRITS, never holding grudges, saying “sorry” first)

1.  Apologize when we do or say something wrong

2.  Don’t expect everyone to be perfect – forgive ourselves

3.  Look for opportunities to give others a second chance

~ BLESSED ARE THE PURE OF HEART, FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD.

   (Sincere and Truthful)

1.  Playing and sharing with others to get to know them better

2.  Resolving conflicts by talking things through with another person (adult) present

3.  Learning the harm in ruining another’s reputation through lies

~ BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO ARE PERSECUTED FOR JUSTICE’S SAKE, THE REIGN OF GOD IS THIERS

    (We could be persecuted or ridiculed for being good as Jesus was)

1.  Instead of being jealous of those who are good, compliment them good you see

2.  Discussing the difficulty of making right choices especially with peer pressure

3.  Praying for those who suffer in any way

4.  Learning ways that people grow through suffering – becoming strong characters

     (Incorporate CHARACTER COUNTS)

ANGEL CEREMONY

This is an incredibly moving service to begin the year of your Religious Program.  Credit for this ceremony is given to Donna Emnett.
My Third Graders received both sacraments, so this was always a special beginning for our school year.  We purchased angel food cake the night before and prior to the service cut it into 1" chunks so everyone would get a piece.  I made note cards that had the Guardian Angel Prayer on the front and a letter from the Guardian Angel on the back.  Assign some readers for the ceremony.  Everyone should have a copy of the prayer service.  Go on UTUBE and get the song "Angels Among Us" by Alabama.  There are many choices.  I liked to see the visuals that accompanied the song.  I put my choice  on CD, so I would always have that copy.  Or you could use just the music.  Make sure you give the students a copy of the song, so they can sing along.  I attached the angel feather to the little poem below.  I printed the poem on soft blue card stock.  Students  took every thing home that day after the ceremony.  It  made an impressive beginning to our school year.

This is an ANGEL FEATHER

Sent from GOD above.

To serve as a reminder

Of his precious love.

It’s from your GUARDIAN ANGEL

That GOD assigned to you.

It fell out in her struggles

As she protected you.

TEN COMMANDMENT MEMORY DEVICE

SAINT REPORT

This is a great report that is tied into 6 Trait Writing.     We usually assigned this early September and did
the reports late October near Halloween.  Then our
Third Graders dressed as their saint for the school
Halloween Parade and we would parade from class to class carrying a tape recorder playing AS THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN.
We backed the written report and the picture of the
saint with dark blue construction paper.  The left side had the drawing of the saint and the right side had the report.  It looked very nice lining the hallway of the school
                                        building.

SUMMER REVIEW PACKET

Here are a few of the pages I send home at the end of the year to help parents work with their student in preparation for the next grade level.  Children need to keep the skills learned in school sharp, by doing a little bit every day in reading, math and writing.

MILK JUG EASTER BASKETS

This project started with the students drawing Easter pictures and designs on milk cartons.  (I had parents cut the cartons into the shape needed.)  Then, we started making the traditional Easter Bunny Basket.  All baskets looked more or less alike.  Finally, we extended the project to students having a choice of which basket to make.
We would do one type of basket a day.  The students who wanted to make that basket would meet in a center with a parent volunteer.  It might take a week to complete all the baskets.  Once the baskets were complete, we planted grass.  You can make this into a science project.  The grass needs about 5-6 weeks to grow.  It helps the seed germinate, to put the baskets in plastic bags (from grocery stores) for a few days.  Watch that you take the bags off before the project gets moldy.  I used grow lights on cloudy days.  On nice days, we put the baskets outside.  I would monitor the baskets.  If some weren't growing, I would add grass.  If it gets too long, let the children used scissors to give it a "haircut".  They love this concept!

DIRECTIONS FROM THE INTERNET:

Gather your supplies and start about three weeks before Easter.  We started earlier to make sure everyone had Easter Grass.

Find a shallow container that's just big enough to fit inside the basket you want to use. (Make sure the pot has drainage holes.)

Fill the container with potting soil and sprinkle grass seed on top.  I asked the nearest garden shop what to use.  Some years, I would even get the material donated!

Place it outdoors in the sun or on a sunny windowsill.

Water it daily.  We used a spray bottle.  Each child was in charge of spraying their own each day.

Wait until the grass has grown a few inches high and then tuck the container into a basket and let the Easter Bunny fill it with springtime treats.  See DECORATIVE EASTER EGG posting.

NOTICES SENT HOME:

~ Please send in 3 or more blown eggs by March 1^st.  We plan to work on our eggs the week we take the ITBS.  We will make cascarones from the eggs and put them in our Easter Basket.

~ Please send in gallon plastic milk jug as soon as possible so we can get them cut for our Bunny Baskets.

~ We need parent volunteers to help us make our Bunny Baskets the week of ITBS.  If you can help please let me know.

THE DIPSYDOODLE

Sometimes you just want to have fun in your classroom.  This is such a cute poem for Spring.  Young children love it.  While you memorize it, explain what the problem is.  Also look for rhyming words, contractions, adjectives....You can extend this to writing projects about Dipsydoodle.
The Dipsydoodle isn't brainy-
He plays outside when it's cold and rainy.
If he'd only learn to use his noodle.
He wouldn't be called The Dipsydoodle.

EASTER GIFT CARD

When you need to send a card/cards to someone in a hurry, this idea is quick and cute.  Use a large cutout for the center picture, give the students a 2x2 piece of paper to make a fingerprint picture.  For ideas, use Ed Emberley Print Books.  Emberley is best known for his children's book work - particularly instructional drawing books. Emberley believes that everyone can learn to draw. His drawing books for children feature clear step-by-step instructions employing numbers, letters, and shapes graded to the early elementary school level.  Emberley has illustrated or contributed to over 50 books, many of which were first published between the 1960s and 1980s.   You can find the books at any bookstore.

APRIL BULLETIN BOARDS

The first bulletin board is showing off student work.  The next two are listing student names.  The final board is vocabulary for science and writing.

6 TRAIT EVALUATION FORM

This form is an easy way to evaluate your students' writing without making comments on their documents.  Cut the sheet in half and mark which trait you are scoring.  Give the score and write your comments on the lines provided.  Attach the form to the student work.
Writing is one of the easiest work to differentiate.  You can base your score on the student's improvement from prior evaluation and explain the improvement in your comments.
See more forms below.