- Idea of the Month

Idea of the Month: January

nospam@example.com (CATECHIST magazine) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:14:21 -0500

Finding Secret Valentine Messages in the Bible
by Patricia Banner

Are you looking for a fun project for Valentine’s Day? Invite children to make valentine puzzles with secret messages from the Bible.

Catechist Patricia Banner uses these valentine puzzles to teach children how to find passages in the Bible. And here’s how she does it.

Continue reading "Idea of the Month: January"

IDEA OF THE MONTH: Share Your Ideas!

nospam@example.com (CATECHIST magazine) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:53:00 -0500

Your Teaching Idea Can Win You $100!

Share your ideas with your fellow catechists and collect $100 if your idea is chosen as the Idea of the Month. Your teaching idea can be a simple prayer experience, a catechetical activity, or a lesson project appropriate for (or adaptable to) learners in kindergarten through sixth grade.

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Idea of the Month: December

nospam@example.com (CATECHIST magazine) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 15:09:00 -0500

Traveling Vocation Tote Bags
by Donna Stachulski

Vocation Tote Bags are the invention of DRE Donna Stachulski and are intended to increase vocation awareness at St. Linus Parish in Dearborn Heights, MI. Eight Vocation Tote Bags travel throughout the year to families of the children in the religious education program at St. Linus.

Continue reading "Idea of the Month: December"

Idea of the Month: November

nospam@example.com (CATECHIST magazine) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:11:00 -0500

Prepare Your Hearts—An Advent Prayer Service*
by Sister Jenada Fanetti, SDS

In this prayer service, Jeremiah, Ruth, and John the Baptist come to life and share their stories to urge children to prepare for Jesus’ coming by finding everyday ways to follow him.

Sister Jenada Fanetti, SDS, pastoral care minister for St. Isidore Congregation in Mount Calvary, WI, has written scripts for each of these biblical figures. She wants children to see that God continues to send prophets to prepare the way for the Savior. Sister Jenada has played the roles of all of the biblical figures. But you may wish to ask adult leaders or older students to take the parts of Jeremiah, Ruth, and John the Baptist.

Continue reading "Idea of the Month: November"

Idea of the Month: October

nospam@example.com (CATECHIST magazine) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 11:15:10 -0400

The Saints Go Marching!
by Kelley Van Lanen

The saints go marching into church for the All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day celebration at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Bark River, MI.

Preparation for the celebration begins when DRE Kelley Van Lanen has each grade in the parish’s program choose a saint to study. Each group prepares a presentation on their saint and one or more students from each group dress up as the saint they studied.

Continue reading "Idea of the Month: October"

Idea of the Month: September

nospam@example.com (CATECHIST magazine) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 07:17:00 -0400

Practice Kindness! Make It a Habit!
by Fran Battipaglia

Catechist Fran Battipaglia has found a way to
encourage her students to practice acts of
kindness until kindness and helping others
become a habit. In her own words, here's
how Fran gets her students excited about
doing good deeds!

Continue reading "Idea of the Month: September"

Idea of the Month: August

nospam@example.com (CATECHIST magazine) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 15:34:00 -0400

Prayer Place Mats
by Tina Westergaard

Catechist Tina Westergaard found a fun and easy way for her first graders to learn their prayers. She makes prayer place mats that her students can take home as a reminder to practice their prayers at every meal.

To make prayer place mats for you students, follow these simple instructions.
Continue reading "Idea of the Month: August"

Idea of the Month: July

nospam@example.com (CATECHIST magazine) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 11:45:48 -0400

Sacramentals Memory Game
By Joanne M. Sheehan

Here’s a fun way to introduce students to some sacramentals and other items familiar and important to Catholics. Catechist Joanne Sheehan created The Sacramentals Memory Game, which uses a tried and true baby shower game and turns it into classroom fun. Here are Joanne’s directions.

Continue reading "Idea of the Month: July"

Idea of the Month: June

nospam@example.com (CATECHIST magazine) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 09:19:17 -0400

Creation Cadence
by Susan Powell

Catechist Susan Powell was looking for a fun way to teach about how God created the world. She came up with a cadence, or rhyme, to help her students learn and understand the creation story.

Continue reading "Idea of the Month: June"

Idea of the Month: May

nospam@example.com (CATECHIST magazine) — Wed, 18 May 2011 07:51:50 -0400

Teach About the Different Forms of Prayer with I P-R-A-Y
by Bill Donovan

When catechist Bill Donovan wanted to introduce the different kinds of prayer to the class he teaches with Anthony Laverdi, he remembered the ACTS mnemonic formula that he had once learned – Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, Supplication.

He noticed that in many lists of the types of prayer, Intercession has also been included. Wanting to include Intercession in his lesson, Bill developed his own mnemonic formula to help his students understand and remember the types of prayer.

Continue reading "Idea of the Month: May"

Idea of the Month: April

nospam@example.com (CATECHIST magazine) — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 11:11:08 -0400

Kindergartners Say “Yes to God!”
by Bridget Banner

When spring fever invades your classroom, you’ll recognize the signs, especially the restlessness. Catechist Bridget Banner devised this fun game that fills her kindergarteners' need to get outside!

Continue reading "Idea of the Month: April"

Idea of the Month: March

nospam@example.com (CATECHIST magazine) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:08:26 -0400

Seeing Lent Turn into Easter
by Kathleen Brulc

Teacher Kathleen Brulc has found a way
to bring a powerful visual reminder of the
Lenten experience into her classroom.
“All you need,” she explains, “are branches
cut from a dormant forsythia or pussy
willow. On Ash Wednesday place the
branches in water in a simple vase on
your prayer table. A purple table covering and simple crucifix make this a stark but meaningful prayer focus.”

Continue reading "Idea of the Month: March"

Idea of the Month: February

nospam@example.com (CATECHIST magazine) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 08:04:00 -0500

Kindergartners Learn Each
Is a “Child of God”
Dorothy DiGiovannantonio

Each child in Dorothy DiGiovannantonio’s
kindergarten class can look forward to
his or her own week to be recognized
as a “Child of God.” Because Dorothy
wants to be sure the children know
they are each special and unique in
the eyes of God, every child gets an
opportunity during the year to be
highlighted in this way.
Continue reading "Idea of the Month: February"

Idea of the Month: January

nospam@example.com (CATECHIST magazine) — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 08:38:00 -0500

A Chain of Intentions
by Jami Burns

Catechist Jami Burns uses a “prayer chain” to teach her eighth grade students the power of prayer. Thanks to Jami for sharing this wonderful idea and congratulations to her for winning $100 as the January Idea of the Month winner.

Continue reading "Idea of the Month: January"

Idea of the Month: December

nospam@example.com (CATECHIST magazine) — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 10:08:00 -0500

Winning Tickets
Lori DeAngelis

There’s a new and effective rewards program for sixth grade religious education students at St. Denis Church in Westwood, MA. As catechist Lori DeAngelis explains, “I simply instituted a ‘ticket system’ that my sixth grade class has totally embraced.” Thanks to Lori for sharing this wonderful idea and congratulations to her for winning $100 as the December Idea of the Month winner.
Continue reading "Idea of the Month: December"

Idea of the Month: November

nospam@example.com (CATECHIST magazine) — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 09:37:00 -0500

A Gift for Baby Jesus
Vicki Pavalko

With the help of catechist Vicki Pavalko, third
graders at St. Nicholas Church in Struthers,
OH, wrap their Advent good deeds up into a
gift for Baby Jesus. Thanks to Vicki for sharing
this wonderful idea and congratulations to her
for winning $100 as the November Idea of the
Month winner.

Continue reading "Idea of the Month: November"

Idea of the Month: October

nospam@example.com (CATECHIST magazine) — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 10:56:33 -0400

An All Saints’ Day Surprise
Marlene Kelly

Congratulations to Marlene Kelly of
Schwenksville, PA. Marlene's submission
has been chosen as the October Idea
of the Month!

Marlene won $100 for sharing how she
combines her lesson on All Saints’ Day
with a lesson on Baptism and creates a
booklet containing the baptismal saints
of all her students.

Continue reading "Idea of the Month: October"