Resources

P3 - Saints

These exemplar narratives follow the core learning chosen by the Taylor and Northern cluster groups/working groups and contained in the diocesan planning exemplars:
P3 Saints short version (click to open)
P3 Saints long version (click to open)

Exemplar narrative 1:

Christ the King, Holytown

- Begin by talking about Jesus’ special friends who were called the apostles. Then read the Apostle story from Luke 2:12-16 from the bible and/or a power point presentation (TIOF). Pupils can then retell the story aloud.

- Have a class discussion about friendship and what a friend is.

- Pupils can then write a paragraph about friends – What you do together, how do you help one another and what are your expectations of one another? Make links with Jesus and his Twelve Apostles. From this, pupils can make a friendship bracelet.

- Look back on the Twelve Apostles and as a class focus on St Peter using pictures, stories or fact cards. Discuss his relationship with Jesus. Pupils can then illustrate this friendship. From this pupils work in pairs to learn about another apostle. They can research them and then produce a power point during I.C.T which they can present to the class.

- Discuss what Jesus called his apostles to do in terms of love, justice and peace. Read the story John 1-15 – the Washing of the Feet where St Peter has a strong role. End with singing Hymn ‘Follow Me’.

- Discuss how St Peter’s faith was strengthened by the Holy Spirit e.g. His death. Pupils can then discuss how the Holy Spirit strengthens them to live a more Christian life. End with singing hymn –‘Spirit of God’.

- Talk about how God calls us to be Saints and that God sends us his Holy Spirit to help us. Pupils then write a paragraph about how the Holy Spirit helps them.

- Leading up to the feast of All Saints pupils can reflect on what they have learned about St Peter and other Apostles. From this focus on another Saint e.g. St Anthony and how the Holy Spirit inspired them. Pupils can then write about that Saint and learn a special prayer to them.

St Patrick’s, Strathaven:

Part one: Picture of a saint

Place a mirror tile into a box in preparation for this lesson.

Advise the children that what they are going to see in this box is a picture of a saint. Ask about what they think the saint will look like, young or old, very holy etc. Let them know that when they have viewed the contents of the box they do not tell anyone what they have seen but should return to their desk and write about this and why they think the picture they saw is that of a saint.
(Editor's note: thanks to Ed Hone and Roisin Coll, All Together: Creative Prayer with Children, Veritas for this idea)

Once everyone has seen the box the following Gospel according to Mark, Chapter 10: 13-16 may be read to the children.

Explain that a saint is someone who loves Jesus and who wants to enter the kingdom of God (heaven). The children are God’s most precious and special gift and something that He truly loves unconditionally.

Children then share what they have written with the rest of the class.

Part two: Jesus’ friends

Children hear about the call of Jesus’ special friends the apostles in Luke 2: 12-16 and choose one of the apostles to research.
(Editor note: useful 2-min animation about the call of the disciples athttp://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/the-twelve-apostles/5958.html)

Part three: A Saint for the 21st Century

Explain the following points to your children:

God is the one who calls people to become Saints;
Saints are people who love God and others - you can't separate one from the other;
Saints show their love for God by loving others;
The love that Saints have for others is an echo, a reflection of the love that God has for others;
Saints find out how God is calling them to love by being attentive to the needs of people in the world they live in;
The lives of Saints tell us something about God: when God calls certain people in certain situations to love in certain ways, God is telling us what is important in God's eyes.

Each generation needs to hear God saying "this is what I care about" - "this is what I find important".

One of the ways God does this is through the persons God calls to sainthood.

If this is true, God is calling people in our present time to be Saints. These 21st century Saints will be God's answer to the needs of 21st century people. What does our world need to hear from God today? What will 21st century Saints look like? What will these Saints do to love others and to be a sign of God's love in our world?

Ask the children to jot down possible answers to these questions? Ask them to share their answers with the rest of the class.

Part four: Our helping hands

Children hear the passage about Jesus washing his disciples’ feet in John 13: 1-15. Children discuss ways in which we can help one another and then this is summed up in one word such as caring, sharing, loving etc. This word is then written on the hand and the hand decorated. A paper fastener is then placed in the centre of all (or a bundle) of the hands and it is opened up to look like a flower. This can then be placed on the wall to remind the children of ways that they can help one another and therefore follow in the footsteps of Jesus which of course would be a separate lesson where you would ask the child to draw round their foot.