Kindergarten Religion Curriculum            
                                                                      
Awareness of Others

Community: Developmental

 

•       Realizes names are good, as many people are named after saints.

•       Describes self as special and lovable.

•       Appreciates self and recognizes that God loves us as we are.

•       Appreciates the gifts of his/her senses.

•       Appreciates the gift of life as God’s blessing and values the lives of others.

•       Recognizes that to be a member of the community means to participate in Sunday Mass.

•       Recognizes that community members help one another.

•       Builds friendships on respect and love of self and others.

•       Names different kinds of work people do in his/her community.

•       Lists experiences he/she had that show family love.

•       Explores ways friends relate to and enjoy one another.

 

Awareness of God

Message: Doctrinal

 

•       Perceives God as Father, as a loving friend and creator.

•       Expresses his/her love for Jesus.

•       Recognizes that formal prayers begin with the sign of the cross.

•       Learns that God made all things (creation is a gift).

•       Recognizes that life comes from God, our creator, and that death is part of life.

•       Describes God’s people as church/his gifted family on earth.

•       Describes the church building as a place where God is especially present and God’s family gathers.

•       Knows Jesus was born on Christmas, died on Good Friday, rose from the dead on Easter Sunday.

 

Message: Historical 

 

•       Learns that outer space is good and a part of all creation.

•       Recognizes how God is Father and Jesus is God’s Son/our brother.

•       Identifies Mary as mother of Jesus, our Savior, friend and brother.

•       Recognizes saints are God’s special friends.

•       Identifies his/her parish (name, building, staff, etc).

•       Recognizes appropriate behavior in the church building and during rituals.

Awareness of Values

Morality: Personal

 

•       Identifies the laws of God as commandments to live by.

•       Names and explores feelings, learning the proper way to respond to feelings.

•       Learns to think before choosing.

•       Realizes it is not always easy to do what is right, but Jesus said, “I will be with you always.”

•       Understands that choosing what God wants is good and brings him/her happiness
shows an understanding of the importance of caring for one’s body as a gift from God.

 

Morality: Social

 

•       Recognizes honesty and how to treat others.

•       Learns the importance of sharing.

•       Recognizes each person is equally and uniquely created by God.

•       Respects people and all forms of life.

•       Describes the world as a gift from God.

 

Morality: Service/Witness

 

•       Desires to share with those in need.

•       Identifies Jesus as God’s Son, who teaches him/her the way to care for others and things.

•       Recognizes loving actions of adults.

•       Understands forgiveness.

•       Demonstrates his/her love for God by being helpful at home and school.

 

Awareness of Spiritual Development

Worship: Scriptural

 

•       Identifies the Bible as God’s word and a holy book.

•       Learns about Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection.

•       Learns about God’s love from God’s storybook.

•       Inserts themselves into New Testament stories and experiences the feelings of the characters.

•       Recognizes that the Bible teaches that Jesus wants him/her to be kind.

•       Understands that at Mass we remember and celebrate the story of God’s love for all people.

 

Worship: Prayer

 

•       Understands there are many ways and times to pray.

•       Recognizes that prayer is communicating with God.

•       Participates in formal prayers.

•       Formulates spontaneous prayers of praise, thanksgiving, for family and needs.

•       Recognizes the sign of the cross as a special prayer.

•       Participates in simple prayers and songs.

 

Worship: Sacraments

  

•       Learns that God gave us special gifts called sacraments.

•       Learns about the 12 Apostles.

•       Becomes aware of the Mass and what it means.

•       Expresses the meaning of baptism (becomes a child of God and a member of God’s family).

•       Knows God always forgives us when we are sorry for wrongdoing.

•       Knows that out of respect he/she does not talk in church as in other places.

 

Worship: Liturgical

 

•       Recognizes sacramentals as sacred signs of the church’s heritage e.g. crucifix, statues, rosary.

•       Identifies symbols, gestures and rituals as expressions of faith e.g. Advent wreath etc.  

•       Recognizes the classroom and one’s home as blessed and marked by the sign of the cross.

•       Celebrates Thanksgiving as a day of praise for our gifts and blessings.

•       Celebrates Advent as a time of eager anticipation for the coming of Jesus.

•       Celebrates Christmas as Jesus’ birthday.

•       Celebrates Easter as a time of new life for all things.

•       Realizes we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus at Easter.

 

 Projects

 

•       Prayer partnering with pre-kindergarten

•       Bibles stories

•       God made me special/five senses/feelings

•       Family project:  “We Are Thankful …”

•       Advent wreath/Advent tree with symbols

•       “Build the Stable” with pictures, objects, stories of Jesus’ birth

•       Children illustrate the Stations of the Cross.