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Session 09: Our Catholic School

Overview

Grade: Kindergarten | Duration: 25 minutes | Session: 9 of 17

Students celebrate Catholic Schools Week by exploring what makes their school special and creating a project showing gratitude for their school community.

Session 09: Our Catholic School

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, students will:

  • Identify special things about their Catholic school

  • Show gratitude for teachers, helpers, and classmates

  • Create a community artwork

  • Understand that learning and faith go together

Materials Needed

  • 📸 Photos of school areas and people (optional)

  • 🎨 Large paper for class project

  • 🖍️ Crayons, markers

  • ❤️ Heart cutouts

  • 📦 School building blocks or LEGOs

  • 📋 "I Love My School Because..." sentence strips

Catholic Integration

Saint Connection

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton — She started Catholic schools in America so children could learn about God!

Scripture

"Train up a child in the way he should go." — Proverbs 22:6

Opening Prayer

Dear God, thank you for our Catholic school where we learn about you and about your world. Bless our teachers, our friends, and everyone who helps us. Help us be grateful students. Amen.

Lesson Procedure

Opening Circle (5 minutes)

  1. Celebrate! — "It's Catholic Schools Week!"
  2. What's Special? — "What do you love about our school?"
  3. We pray together
  4. We learn about Jesus
  5. We have kind teachers
  6. We help each other
  7. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton — "She started schools like ours!"
  8. Today's Project — "We're showing why we love our school!"

Main Activity: School Celebration Project (14 minutes)

Part 1: School Building (4 minutes)

  • Small groups use blocks to build "Our School"

  • What rooms do we need? (Classroom, chapel, gym, office)

  • "Our school is a place for learning AND for God!"

Part 2: Community Hearts (7 minutes)

  • Each student gets a heart cutout

  • Draw yourself OR someone you're thankful for at school

  • Teacher helps write: "I'm thankful for..."

  • Arrange hearts around a school drawing on mural paper

Part 3: Thank You Messages (3 minutes)

  • Practice saying "Thank you, [name], for..."

  • Who should we thank at our school?

Wonder Journal (3 minutes)

  1. Draw your school
  2. Add: "I love my school because..."

Closing Circle (3 minutes)

  1. Gallery View — Admire the community mural
  2. Thank You Prayer — Name teachers, helpers, friends
  3. Closing Prayer — "Thank you, God, for our wonderful school. Help us be kind, work hard, and love like Jesus. Amen."

Assessment

Observation Checklist:

  • Named special things about school

  • Contributed to community project

  • Expressed gratitude for school community

  • Participated in celebration

Differentiation

For Students Who Need Support

  • Pre-draw heart with their photo

  • Provide specific prompt: "Draw your teacher"

  • Pair with buddy for block building

For Advanced Students

  • Write thank you note to a staff member

  • Label parts of school drawing

  • List multiple things they're grateful for

Wonder at Home 🏠

Family Activity: Talk about why your family chose a Catholic school. Draw a picture of your school together. Write a thank you note to your child's teacher!

Teacher Notes

  • Coordinate with school-wide Catholic Schools Week events

  • Display community mural in hallway

  • Consider inviting principal or priest to see student work

  • Great week for classroom helper visitors (parents, grandparents)

Previous: Session 08 — Winter Science
Next: Session 10 — Weather Wonder