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🎁 Week 12: Giving Season Making

Lesson Overview
Grade Level Grades 5-6
Duration 45 minutes
STREAM Focus E (Engineering), A (Arts), R (Religion)

Week 12: Giving Season Making

🎯 Learning Objectives

STEM Objectives

Students will be able to: 1. Apply user-centered design principles 2. Use maker skills for purposeful creation 3. Consider accessibility and adaptability in design 4. Create functional items that serve real needs

Faith Integration Objectives

Students will be able to: 1. Practice the virtue of generosity 2. Design with the recipient's dignity in mind 3. Connect making to Corporal Works of Mercy

Week 12: Giving Season Making

🙏 Faith-Reason Integration

Catholic Teaching Connection

Corporal Works of Mercy — The Church calls us to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, visit the sick and imprisoned, and bury the dead. Our making can directly support these works of mercy.

Scripture Connection

"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms." — 1 Peter 4:10

Saint Connection

St. Martin de Porres — Known for his care for the poor and sick. He used practical skills to serve others, including medicine and gardening. He found God in serving others through action, not just prayer.

📚 Materials Needed

  • Cardboard and cardstock

  • Sewing supplies (optional)

  • Recycled materials

  • Little Bits or simple electronics (optional)

  • Craft supplies

  • Design planning sheets

📝 Lesson Procedure (45 minutes)

Opening Prayer & Introduction (5 min)

Prayer: "Lord, You gave us the greatest gift in Your Son. Help us use our gifts to give to others. May what we make today bring joy and meet real needs. Amen."

Giving Season context:

  • "Advent is a season of preparation and giving"

  • "We can MAKE gifts that show we truly know someone"

  • "Making for others is a spiritual practice"

Corporal Works of Mercy:

  • Which works can our making address?

  • Feed hungry → Food organizers, recipe holders

  • Clothe naked → Wearable items, fabric crafts

  • Shelter homeless → Comfort items for shelters

  • Visit sick → Cards, sensory items, games

  • "How can our skills serve others?"

Design Challenge Introduction (8 min)

Choose a project type:

Option A: Comfort Item for Hospitals/Nursing Homes

  • Busy boards for elderly with dementia

  • Sensory items for children's hospitals

  • Large-button devices for those with limited mobility

Option B: Practical Item for Families in Need

  • Coupon organizers

  • Simple toy for children

  • Helpful household item

Option C: Accessibility Item

  • Large-print book holders

  • Easy-grip tools

  • Adaptive items for specific needs

Option D: Custom Gift for Someone You Know

  • Based on THEIR needs

  • Shows you truly know them

  • Solves a problem they have

User-centered design principles: 1. Who is this for? (Specific person or group) 2. What do they need? 3. What limitations might they have? 4. How can I design for dignity?

Design Phase (7 min)

Planning requirements: 1. User profile — Who is this for? What are their needs? 2. Sketch — What will it look like? 3. Materials list — What will you need? 4. Accessibility check — Can your user actually use this? 5. Dignity check — Does this treat the user with respect?

Share plans with partner:

  • Get feedback on usability

  • Consider what you might be missing

  • Improve before building

Making Phase (20 min)

Construction time!

Stations available:

  • Cardboard construction

  • Fabric/sewing (if available)

  • Electronics (Little Bits)

  • Art materials

  • Recycled materials

Teacher circulates:

  • "How does this meet your user's need?"

  • "Have you considered accessibility?"

  • "What would make this more useful?"

Encourage iteration:

  • Test as you go

  • Willing to change approach

  • Quality over speed

Sharing & Reflection (5 min)

Share creations:

  • Who is this for?

  • What need does it address?

  • How does it show you thought about THEM?

Faith Connection: "St. Martin de Porres served God by serving people with his practical skills. When we make something for someone else — really thinking about their needs, their dignity, their situation — we're doing the same thing. Our hands become God's hands."

Closing Prayer: "Lord, bless these items we've made. May they bring comfort, joy, and help to those who receive them. Help us always use our gifts to serve others as You served us. Amen."

✅ Assessment

  • Identified specific user and need

  • Applied user-centered design principles

  • Created functional, thoughtful item

  • Considered accessibility and dignity

  • Connected making to faith

📎 Home Connection

"We made gifts for others using design thinking! Ask your child: 'Who did you design for?' 'What need does your gift address?' 'How did you think about their dignity?' We connected making to the Corporal Works of Mercy. As a family, consider how you can use your skills to serve others this giving season."

Lesson Version: 1.0 | **