CONTENTS FIRST SECTION 1. Introduction to the Series
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CONTENTS FIRST SECTION 1. Introduction to the series............................................................................................... 5 How to Use this Book...................................................................................................... 9 2. Classroom setup and Rules.............................................................................................. 11 4. Characteristics of Fifth Grade Students........................................................................... 15 5. Year Calendar........................................................................................................ ........... 16 7. Theological Background................................................................................................... 178 SECOND SECTION: CORE MATERIALS.............................................................................. 19 Fifth Grade Curriculum Theme and Objectives.......................................................... 19 Unit I: God reveals himself to us (5 lessons)................................................................ 21 Lesson 1: God reveals himself to us through nature........................................................... 22 Lesson 2: God reveals Himself through His Son and His Spirit............................................. 26 Lesson 3: God reveals himself to us through scripture........................................................ 32 Lesson 4: God reveals himself through the church............................................................... 36 Lesson 5: We receive God’s Eternal life and forgiveness in the Eucharist............................ 41 Unit II: God Sanctified a people (12 lessons)................................................................. 46 Lesson 6: Introduction.......................................................................................................... 447 1 Lesson 7: God prepared a savior......................................................................................... 50 Lesson 8: God sends the savior........................................................................................... 54 Lesson 9: God prepared to take His people out of Egypt.................................................... 559 Lesson 10: The Passover...................................................................................................... 65 Lesson 11: God baptizes His people: the Red Sea................................................................ 72 Lesson 12: The manna and the quails.................................................................................. 77 Lesson 13: The water from the rock..................................................................................... 83 Lesson 14: The Ten Commandments.................................................................................... 89 Lesson 15: The golden calf and the change of priesthood................................................... 95 Lesson 16: The Tabernacle................................................................................................... 102 Lesson 17: Unit II Review..................................................................................................... 108 Unit III: the journey of lent (6 lessons).......................................................................... 109 Lesson 18: Introduction to Lent and the seasons and days of fasting.................................. 110 Lesson 19: Our Lord Jesus Christ leads us to offer fasting to God........................................ 116 Lesson 20:The power of Fasting........................................................................................... 120 Lesson 21: We Give Gladly................................................................................................... 122 Lesson 22: Holy Week: Part 1...............................................................................................130 Lesson 23: Holy Week: Part 2...............................................................................................138 Unit IV: The Beatitudes (10 Lessons)............................................................................ 144 Lesson 24: Introduction....................................................................................................... 145 Lesson 25: Blessed are the Poor in Spirit.............................................................................. 150 2 Lesson 26: Blessed are those who Mourn............................................................................ 156 Lesson 27: Blessed are the Meek.......................................................................................... 164 Lesson 28: Blessed Are Those Who Hunger and Thirst......................................................... 169 Lesson 29: Blessed are the Merciful..................................................................................... 176 Lesson 30: Blessed are the Pure in Heart............................................................................ 181 Lesson 31: Blessed are the Peacemakers............................................................................. 191 Lesson 32: Persecuted & House on the Rock........................................................................ 197 Lesson 33: Review................................................................................................................ 205 Unit V: God called us to be Holy (6 Lessons)................................................................... 206 Lesson 34: Introduction...................................................................................................... 209 Lesson 35: Our Lord Invites Us to Receive God’s Mercy...................................................... 220 Lesson 36: Our Lord Jesus Called us to Follow Him (Putting on Christ)................................ 227 Lesson 37: God Gave us Laws to Live By.............................................................................. 232 Lesson 38: We Respond to God’s Continuous Invitation to Worship................................... 238 Lesson 39: We Protect God’s Continuous Gift of Holiness................................................... 245 Seasonal lessons. (11 Lessons) 251 1. feast of nayrouz .................................................................................................................................. 251 1. feast of the cross ................................................................................................................................. 260 3 FIRST SECTION PREPARATION MATERIALS: 1. Introduction to the series 2. Classroom setup and rules 3. Themes of grades 1-5 4. Characters of first grade students 5. The year Calendar 6. Teaching Schedule table 7. Theological Background A. Summary of St Athanasius book “on the incarnation” B. Summary of St. Gregory of Nazianza “Orations on the Holy Trinity” C. Summary of “the Revelation of God” 4 + 1. INTRODUCTION TO THE SERIES Although Sunday school is relatively a recent vocabulary in our Church, its existence is very old. The school of Alexandria is the most ancient of all the Christian seminaries. According to church history, the school of Alexandria was established by St. Mark to teach the new converts the faith before it became the famous theological institute. THE RITE OF BAPTISM IS THE MODEL From the rite of Baptism in the Coptic Church, we can identify three stages of “transformation” that must happen to the new converts before they are fully inaugurated as members of the body of Christ. The first is educational, where they get to know the Gospel and get “the Story” as told by the eyewitnesses, the story of Salvation as given to us in both the Old and the New Testament. St Luke writes: “In as much as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eye witnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophorus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.” The Gospel then is the right information, the good news. Whenever the Gospel is told, some would be moved to repentance to be “cut to the heart.” Some would be filled with joy and wonder and speak in tongues. Some would be filled with fear and trembling. Others would be mocking. No one who hears the Gospel can be indifferent. In this first stage, the Church anoints the “catechumens” with the sermon’s oil to guard the mind against all the work of the enemy. It is the work of the Holy Spirit in breaking down all high walls and fortified strongholds that keeps humans away from the light of the Gospel of Christ. The second stage is the stage of the movement of the heart, marked by the oil of Joy, “to be planted in the fruitful olive tree that is the Holy church of God.” The joy of Christ is what carries on with the Christians all their lives. No one can take that joy away from them. It is the joy of Knowing Christ and being in Him. The Joy that fills the heart more than oil and fat can satisfy the body. Our Lord becomes to -the believer in him- the food and the drink of the spirit in the 5 journey through the earthly life. Before the anointment with the oil of joy, the catechumen is asked to make the oath. The oath is renouncing Satan and accepting Christ. The baptized here is a spouse of Christ, pledging fidelity. It