Holy Comforter's Schedule for Godly Play 2007-2008
Godly Play ...
- is a method of Christian education that fosters the spiritual lives of children, parents, and teachers. It includes a way of telling Bible stories that invites personal involvement in the story - encouraging an experience of God.
- uses simple, yet beautiful natural materials, sparse language, movement, and quiet, centering response time. Godly Play appeals to children with many different learning styles.
- teaches children ages 3-11 the art of using religious language - parable, sacred story, silence, and liturgical action - to help interpret what happens in their daily lives.
- was developed and classroom tested for more than thirty years by Episcopal priest, author, and teacher Jerome Berryman.
- is being used in churches of many denominations throughout the world.
Ages 3 -5 Godly Play 2007-2008 scroll down for elementary class schedule
Aug 26 Parent Orientation to Godly Play before and after church
Unit I: Fall
Sept 9 Circle of Church Year - Backpack Blessing in church
Sept. 16 Orientation: The Holy Family - Practical Life lesson- Cutting with scissors
Sept. 23 Orientation 3 Lesson: Holy Baptism (intro to open response time)
Sept. 30 Orientation 4: Lesson: Good Shepherd Parable (review open response time)
Oct. 7 Creation (response option: Make own creation cards)
Oct. 14 The Ark and the Flood –Noah (guided exploration with crayons)
Oct. 21 The Great Family Abraham & Sarah (lots of stars for response time)
Oct.28 Joseph and the Dreams (Annual Meeting: video with sacred squares)
Nov. 4 Moses
(Daylight Savings Time Ends)
Nov. 11 Youth Sunday – All in Church; Rite 13 ceremony.
Nov. 18 The Exodus (response option: make mini desert boxes)
Unit II: Winter
Nov. 25 10 Best Ways to Live
Dec. 2 Advent I: The Prophets – make Advent Calendars
Dec. 9 Advent II: Mary and Joseph
Dec. 16 Advent III : The Shepherds Adopt-a-Family; work on Mixes
Dec. 23 Advent IV: The Magi Pageant Costume Fitting
Dec 30 No Sunday School
Jan. 6 The Boy Lost and Found (Mystery of Easter)(Guided meditation from Indigo Dreams)
Jan 13* Jesus is Baptized (Mystery of Easter) (Guided exploration: collage materials)
Jan 20 Jesus is Tempted (Mystery of Easter)
Jan 27 Great Pearl Parable
Feb 3 Good Samaritan Parable
Feb 10 Sower Parable
Lent I
Feb 17 Mustard Seed Parable
Feb 24 Jesus and the Children
Mar 2 Jesus and Zacchaeus
Mar 9 Jesus’ Last Passover
( Daylight Savings Time begins)
Mar 16 Mystery of Easter (entire lesson) with Sacred Squares - Kathleen
Palm Sunday
Mar 23 No Sunday school
Easter
Mar 30 Jesus Appears to Mary
April 6 The Road to Emmaus
April 13 Jesus asks Peter to Follow Him
April 20 Labyrinth Lesson (Outside if possible-- with Sacred Squares)
April 27 Good Shepherd and World Communion (with older class) Sacristy vist without older class
May 4 Outreach Day (with older class) possible spring planting outdoors
May 11 Pentecost (Mother’s Day)
May 18 Youth Sunday/Teacher Appreciation Trinity Sunday
May 25 Ice Cream Social
Grades 1 -5 Sacred Squares: Explorers 2007-2008
( 36 Sundays using Godly Play approach for the first time)
Send out compasses and/or maps as intro to Sunday School
Unit I: Fall Travelers from the Bible
Aug 26 Parent Orientation to Godly Play before and after church
Sept 9 Orientation: The Great Family -- backpack blessing in church -
Sept. 16 Orientation: - Abraham Outdoor (or parish hall) Patriarch Walk
Sept. 23 Orientation, Sarah - Guided meditation with stringing beads
Sept. 30 Orientation, Jacob
Practical Life lesson on Stencils
Oct. 7 Joseph and His Brothers Illumination of – or other prayer
Cols. Day (may use stencils or rubber stamps to decorate prayer)
Oct. 14 Moses Cooperative Games
Oct. 21 The Ark and A Tent outreach project “One” campaign
Oct.28 Ezekiel; make dry bones of Sculpy ® Annual Meeting: video
Nov. 4 Samuel
Nov. 11 Youth Sunday – All in Church; Rite 13 ceremony
Nov. 18 David Response option : Scroll decoration
The Book that Hasn’t Been Written Review of Unit I stories using Charades
Unit II: God’s Light in the World
Winter
Nov. 25 Elijah; non competitive games
Dec. 2 Isaiah– Advent wreaths ; Millennium Development Goals Event
Advent I
Dec. 9 Mary, Mother of Jesus - Adopt-a-Family – make mixes
Dec. 16 Traditions of Christmas -- Adopt-a-Family – make gifts and cards
Dec. 23 Pageant Costume Fitting – Cooperative games
Dec 30 No Sunday School
Jan. 6 Epiphany: Gifts of Magi - Getting ready with finger labyrinth
(Class retells Christmas story together)
Jan 13 Books of the Bible – Bible games - - Bible Sunday in church?
Jan 20 Martin Luther King Jr. - Indigo Ocean Dreams anti-stress meditation
MLK Weekend
Jan 27 Jesus, Part I -- Begin stations of the cross project
Feb 3 Jesus, Part II stations of the cross project
Feb 10 Crosses stations of the cross project
Lent I
Unit III : The Church and the Eucharist
Spring
Feb 17 Good Samaritan – Lent Outreach project -- stations of the cross project
Feb 24 The 12 (Last Supper) stations of the cross project
Mar 2 Great Circle of the Eucharist decorate “order of service” cards on a binder ring
Mar 9 Altar Guild Visit – Vessels and Vestments - Cooperative games
Daylight Savings Time begins
Mar 16 Mystery of Easter (entire lesson) with Preschool – Kathleen -
(Japanese folding books about Easter story)
Palm Sunday
Mar 23 Easter
Mar 30 What it Means to be Episcopalian guided exploration: collage
April 6 What is a Priest? -- (visit from Janice or Allen)
April 13 What is a Bishop?
April 20 Labyrinth Lesson (on canvas Labyrinth) outside, if possible with Preschool
April 27 Good Shepherd and World Communion
May 4 Outreach Day with Preschool
May 11 Pentecost (Mother’s Day)
May 18 Youth Sunday/Teacher Appreciation
May 25 Ice Cream Social