Page 53 - Lessons and Activities on Prayer

forms of prayer
thAnkSgiving LeSSon PLan 2
Catechist background
ere are several biblical references that focus on gratitude. one is found in luke 17:11–19. Jesus heals the lepers and asks them to show themselves to the priests. only one returns to give thanks. an- other reference is daniel 2:23. daniel thanks God for giving him wisdom and power. st. Paul tells the essalonians to be thankful for everything (1 essalonians 5:18).
Objectives
□ To review prayers of thanksgiving
□ To create a litany of thanks
□ To know di erent scriptural references that
focus on thanksgiving
materials
□ Variety of old magazines □ Brown paper lunch bags □ 3 x 5 cards
lesson
▪ Gather students around you. ▪ review what it means to be thankful. ▪ share any of the scripture references
above and discuss with the students.
▪ Play soft music and tell children they are going
to look for pictures in magazines of things they are thankful for. each child should nd ve pictures and cut them out. children will do this without talking. (note: if time is limited, reduce the number of pictures to three.)
▪ after everyone has their pictures, gather in a circle. begin by explaining that you are going to pray a litany of thanks. each person will hold up one picture and say, “ i am thankful for _______,” and the rest of the class responds, “ anks, God.” Go around the entire circle until all of the pictures are shared.
▪ after you nish the litany, explain to students that you are going to start a project that they will continue at home with their parents.
▪ Give each student ve 3 x 5 cards. on each card, have the student draw a picture and write either the word or a sentence about what they are thankful for.
▪ on the brown paper bag, the child writes his or her name and the following phrase: “[name’s] Gratitude Grab bag.”
▪ have the child put the cards in his or her bag. ▪ Give each child seven blank cards to take
home. each evening for a week, the family
can create a new card and put it in the bag. ▪ determine a date for all children to
bring their bags back to class. ▪ Predetermine which children are going
to exchange bags. e child takes home a classmate’s bag. each evening, the family pulls out one card and says a thank you prayer based on what is on the card.
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Twenty-Third Publications Sample