Included here are two sample lessons from the 1st grade Spirit of Truth teacher’s guide, followed by the corresponding
pages from the 1st grade student workbook.
S P I R I T of T R U T H
Grade 1 Sample Unit 1, Lessons 1 and 2
Order the full Grade 1 books atSophiaInstituteforTeachers.org/SpiritofTruth
UNIT 1, LESSON 1
Connection to the Catechism of the Catholic Church
ӹ CCC 200-202
ӹ CCC 237
ӹ CCC 253-255
ӹ CCC 292
ӹ CCC 422-423
ӹ CCC 571
ӹ CCC 638
ӹ CCC 665
ӹ CCC 681-685
ӹ CCC 747
Vocabulary ӹ Mystery
ӹ Trinity
ӹ Father
ӹ Son
ӹ Holy Spirit
ӹ Shamrock
ӹ Person
ӹ Sign of the Cross
Learning Goals ӹ The mystery of the Holy Trinity is
that God is three Persons in one God.
ӹ The three Persons of the Trinity are God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
ӹ God has revealed Himself to us that He is a Trinity
ӹ The Sign of the Cross and the Glory Be are Catholic prayers that invoke the Holy Trinity.
Who is God? The Trinity
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit.
MATTHEW 28:19
It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
MARK 9:1-11
BIBLICAL TOUCHSTONES
5
Lesson Plan
ӹ Who is shown in this painting? God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), God the Holy Spirit, and angels.
ӹ Ask your students to identify who is who in the image: God the Father is the older bearded figure wearing gold on the right, God the Son, Jesus, is on the left wearing red robes and holding a banner, and God the Holy Spirit is the shining dove in the center of the painting. The angels are the winged “baby-like” figures throughout the painting.
ӹ Why do you think the artist chose to paint God the Father the way he did? God the Son (Jesus)? God the Holy Spirit? Accept reasoned answers.
ӹ What are the Father and the Son standing on? The earth. This shows how all things are “under the feet” of the Father and Son, meaning, that they rule over all things.
Materials ӹ Holy Trinity
ӹ The Shamrock
ӹ God is a Trinity
ӹ God is a Trinity Word Search
ӹ Exploring the Trinity
ӹ Marker, crayons, and/or colored pencils
DAY ONE Warm UpA. Begin by leading your students in the prayer for
this lesson.
B. Project the image from Holy Trinity (page 11) by Hendrick van Balen the Elder. Give students several minutes to quietly view the art before you say or ask anything. Allow them to come up and stand closer to the image to examine the details.
C. Once several minutes have passed, ask:
ӹ What do you first notice about this work of art?
ӹ What do you like about it?
ӹ How does this painting make you feel?
Holy TrinityBy Hendrick van Balen the Elder (1620)
11
Prayer Dear Jesus, I love you very much and know that you love me.Thank you for my friends at school and my family.Bless us all dear Jesus, myself included too.And with the special help you give keep us close to you. Amen.
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LESSON PLAN
D. Explain to your students that this painting illustrates one of the most important mysteries of our Christian Faith: God is one God and yet three Persons. A mystery is something that is true that we can only know if God tells us about it. This painting shows us the mystery that God is three Persons in one God. The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. They are not three separate gods, but one God. We believe in one God, who is three Persons. We call this mystery the Holy Trinity. Trinity is a word that means “three-in-one.”
ActivityA. Have your students turn to The Shamrock
(page 12). Ask your student what the drawing on the page is of. A shamrock.
B. Explain to your students that a shamrock is a traditional symbol of the Trinity. It helps us to remember that God is three Persons in one God, just like the leaves of the shamrock. A saint from Ireland name St. Patrick used the shamrock to teach people about the Trinity. It has three leaves which are each separate from each other. And yet, the three leaves together make up one shamrock. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are each unique Persons, but are also each fully one God, the Holy Trinity.
C. Make markers, crayons, and/or colored pencils available to your students. Have them write on one leaf of the shamrock, “The Father,” on another write, “The Son,” and on the third write, “The Holy Spirit.” Then, have them color or decorate their symbol of the Trinity.
Formative Assessment A. As your students decorate their shamrocks, read aloud Mark 1:9-11 (the Baptism of Jesus) and
John 16:12-15 (Jesus’ promise to send the Holy Spirit).
B. After reading the Scripture passages, ask your students what in each story referred to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In Mark 1:9-11, Jesus, God the Son, was being baptized. When He came up from the water, the Holy Spirit came upon Him, and God the Father spoke to Him from the heavens. In John 16:12-15, Jesus, God the Son, spoke of the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of Truth) who would come to speak the truth and glorify Him. Jesus tells us that everything that belongs to the
Father is His too.
The Shamrock
Directions: A shamrock is a traditional symbol of the Trinity.
On one leaf of the shamrock write, “The Father,”
on another write, “The Son,” and on the third write,
“The Holy Spirit.” Then color or decorate your
symbol of the Trinity.
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UNIT 1, LESSON 1 7
LESSON PLAN
DAY TWO Warm UpA. Begin by leading your students in the prayer for this lesson.
B. Explain to your students that as Catholics, when we pray, we begin by blessing ourselves with the Sign of the Cross. This is a short prayer that asks for the blessing of the Holy Trinity. We make a sign of the cross over our bodies while we say “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
C. Have your students stand up and practice making the Sign of the Cross over their bodies, without saying the words. Use the following reflection to walk your students through making the sign of the Cross:
ӹ First, have your students hold out their right hand and bring together their thumb, forefinger, and middle finger. Then, with the tip of these three fingers together, have your students touch their foreheads. Have them hold this position while you explain the following:
We begin the Sign of the Cross by saying “In the name of the Father…” The Father is the first Person of the Holy Trinity. He is the almighty Creator who made all things by His Word and His wisdom.
ӹ Second, have your students move their hand, finger tips still together, to touch their lower chest. Have them hold this position while you explain the following:
We continue the Sign of the Cross by saying “and of the Son…” The Son is the second Person of the Holy Trinity. He is our Savior who has always existed with the Father. The Father sent the Son into the world to become human in the Person of Jesus Christ. Jesus gave His life on the Cross to save us from sin. He rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven. He will come again.
ӹ Third, have your students move their hand, finger tips still together, to touch each shoulder, first the left, then the right. Have them hold their position on their right shoulder while you explain the following:
We finish the Sign of the Cross by saying “and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Holy Trinity. He makes us holy and guides us to become more like Jesus. He strengthens our faith inside of us.
D. Have your students make the Sign of the Cross again, slowly, while saying the words along with the motions. Do this a few times with your students for practice.
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LESSON PLAN
ActivityA. Have your students work individually to read
God is a Trinity (page 13). Then, have them answer the questions and complete the word search from the God is a Trinity Word Search (page 14). Make markers, crayons, and/or colored pencils available for your students to circle the answers in the word search in different colors.
B. When your students have completed the reading, review the correct answers.
Formative Assessment A. Have your students stand again and make the
Sign of the Cross. Pause at each motion and ask your students the following:
ӹ When touching their foreheads: What does God the Father do? He is the Creator of all things.
ӹ When touching their chest: Who is God the Son? Jesus Christ. What does He do? He saves us from sin.
ӹ When touching their shoulders: What does the Holy Spirit do? He makes us holy.
DAY THREE Warm Up A. Begin by leading your students in the prayer for this lesson.
B. Explain to your students that there is a common Catholic prayer called the “Glory Be” that gives praise and glory to the Trinity. It is very similar to the Sign of the Cross. When we give glory to God, it means that we tell Him how great He is just for being God, and we show Him honor and worship Him.
C. Project the words of the Glory Be on your board and teach them to your students. Then, pray the prayer together.
Glory Be to the Father, And to the Son, And to the Holy spirit. As it was in the beginning,
Is now, And ever shall be, World without end. Amen.
God is a Trinity
God is a Trinity. This means
that God is three Persons in
one God. God is Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit.
The Father is God. He is the Creator. He
is almighty. He made all things by His Word.
The Son is God. He is our Savior. The
Father sent the Son into the world. He became
human in the Person of Jesus Christ. He gave
His life on the Cross to save us from sin. He
rose from the dead and went back to Heaven.
He will come again.
The Holy Spirit is God. He makes us
holy. He helps us be more like Jesus.
13
F A T H E R Q G
W G O D Q T I K
N J T F I R S K
J E S U S I P H
V O N J W N I C
T Y L G T I R T
Z N H Z B T I F
F Z H R D Y T U
Words FatherGodJesus
Spirit Trinity
15
God is a Trinity Word Search
Directions: Fill in the blanks. Then, fi nd the answers in the
word search. Circle the answers in different colors.
1. ____________________________________ is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Circle the answer in yellow.)
2. The ____________________________________ is the Creator. (Circle the answer in green.)
3. ____________________________________ is our Savior. (Circle the answer in red.)
4. The Holy ____________________________________ makes us holy. (Circle the answer in orange.)
5. The ____________________________________ is three Persons in one God. (Circle the answer in blue.)
14
UNIT 1, LESSON 1 9
LESSON PLAN
D. Ask your students the following questions:
ӹ What does it mean that God is a Trinity? He is three Persons in one God.
ӹ Who are the Persons of the Trinity? God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
ӹ Who are we giving glory to in the prayer “Glory Be”? The Trinity: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Activity A. Have your students turn to Exploring the
Trinity (page 16). Project an image of the Trinity diagram from this worksheet as a visual aid.
B. Explain to your students that the image on the page is a diagram of the Trinity. As we’ve already talked about, the Trinity is a mystery, which means it is something that we cannot fully understand on our own. God had to reveal this truth to us. Jesus fully revealed the Trinity to us when He spoke to His Apostles for the last time.
C. Read Matthew 28:19 aloud to your students:
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit,
D. Ask your students the following questions:
ӹ What did Jesus tell His Apostles to do? Make disciples of all nations.
ӹ Whom did Jesus tell His Apostles to baptize in the name of? The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
E. Continue to explain to your students about the mystery of the Trinity. Use the projected diagram of the Trinity to point out the various things you are talking about. Use the following points for your discussion:
ӹ The mystery of the Trinity is that God is three Persons in one God.
ӹ A person is a unique individual. Each of us are persons. We are unique individuals. I am not you, and you are not me. You are you and no one else every can be or will be you.
Exploring the Trinity
Directions: Color the Trinity diagram. Then on the lines below,
write what you have learned about the Trinity.
I have learned that…
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
IS NOT
IS N
OTIS NO
T
GOD
SONFATHER
HOLY SPIRIT
ISIS
IS
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LESSON PLAN
ӹ God as Trinity is three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each are unique individuals. The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Father, nor are they the Holy Spirit. Each is a unique Person.
ӹ Each Person is 100% fully God. God is not three gods, nor is each person only partly God. The Father is fully God, the Son is fully God, and the Holy Spirit is fully God.
ӹ This mystery is difficult to fully understand, how something can be both three and one at the same time. But, we know that with God, anything is possible. He has divinely revealed to us that He is Trinity, so therefore, it is true.
AssessmentA. Make markers, crayons, and/or colored pencils available to your students. Give them a few
minutes to color the diagram of the Trinity from Exploring the Trinity. Then, help them write a brief response on the lines telling in their own words what they have learned about the Trinity in the past few lessons. If needed, have them say their answers aloud.
B. Conclude by praying with your students the Glory Be.
UNIT 1, LESSON 1 11
Holy TrinityBy Hendrick van Balen the Elder (1620)
11
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The Shamrock
Directions: A shamrock is a traditional symbol of the Trinity.
On one leaf of the shamrock write, “The Father,”
on another write, “The Son,” and on the third write,
“The Holy Spirit.” Then color or decorate your
symbol of the Trinity.
12
UNIT 1, LESSON 1 13
God is a Trinity
God is a Trinity. This means
that God is three Persons in
one God. God is Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit.
The Father is God. He is the Creator. He
is almighty. He made all things by His Word.
The Son is God. He is our Savior. The
Father sent the Son into the world. He became
human in the Person of Jesus Christ. He gave
His life on the Cross to save us from sin. He
rose from the dead and went back to Heaven.
He will come again.
The Holy Spirit is God. He makes us
holy. He helps us be more like Jesus.
13
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God is a Trinity Word Search
Directions: Fill in the blanks. Then, fi nd the answers in the
word search. Circle the answers in different colors.
1. ____________________________________ is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Circle the answer in yellow.)
2. The ____________________________________ is the Creator. (Circle the answer in green.)
3. ____________________________________ is our Savior. (Circle the answer in red.)
4. The Holy ____________________________________ makes us holy. (Circle the answer in orange.)
5. The ____________________________________ is three Persons in one God. (Circle the answer in blue.)
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Answer Key
1. God
2. Father
3. Jesus
4. Spirit
5. Trinity
UNIT 1, LESSON 1 15
F A T H E R Q G
W G O D Q T I K
N J T F I R S K
J E S U S I P H
V O N J W N I C
T Y L G T I R T
Z N H Z B T I F
F Z H R D Y T U
Words FatherGodJesus
Spirit Trinity
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Exploring the Trinity
Directions: Color the Trinity diagram. Then on the lines below,
write what you have learned about the Trinity.
I have learned that…
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
IS NOT
IS N
OTIS NO
TGOD
SONFATHER
HOLY SPIRIT
ISISIS
16
Accept reasoned answers
UNIT 1, LESSON 1 17
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UNIT 1, LESSON 2
Connection to the Catechism of the Catholic Church
ӹ CCC 51
ӹ CCC 101
ӹ CCC 214
ӹ CCC 221
ӹ CCC 268
ӹ CCC 271
ӹ CCC 296
Vocabulary ӹ Love
ӹ All-Knowing
ӹ All-Powerful
Learning Goals ӹ God is love and He made us out of love.
ӹ We show God’s love when we love others.
ӹ God is all-powerful and all-knowing.
ӹ Even though God is all-knowing, He calls us to Himself and wants us to share with Him our joys and sadnesses.
The Attributes of God
Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.
1 JOHN 4:8
“Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”
MATTHEW 19:26
BIBLICAL TOUCHSTONES
19
Lesson Plan
Materials ӹ I Am Loved
ӹ Shaun’s Story
ӹ We Love Each Other
ӹ The Rich Young Man
ӹ Nothing is Impossible for God
ӹ Let the Children Come to Me
ӹ Crayons, markers, and/or colored pencils
ӹ Play-Doh, Legos, or blocks
ӹ A shirt with a button missing
ӹ A needle and thread
DAY ONE Warm UpA. Begin by leading your students in the prayer for this lesson.
B. Ask your students to name some people who love them. Accept all answers and consider keeping a list on the board.
C. Explain to your students that there are different kinds of love. We love our parents, our siblings, and other family members. We love our friends. We love our pets. We also love our toys and our things, our favorite movies and TV shows. We even love pizza! The kind of love we have for our parents, for example, is different than the kind of love we have for pizza.
D. Have your students turn to I Am Loved (page 17). On the blank line inside the smaller heart, have your students write the name of one person who loves them. Make crayons, markers, and/or colored pencils available and have your students color and decorate the smaller heart.
E. Next, point out to your students the larger heart. Tell them that the small heart represents our human love, the love we have for each other, our pets, and our things. The large heart represents God’s love. His love is bigger,
I show my love for God when I…
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I Am Loved
___________________ is love.
_____________________________
loves me.
17
Prayer Dear Jesus, I love you very much and know that you love me.Thank you for my friends at school and my family.Bless us all dear Jesus, myself included too.And with the special help you give keep us close to you. Amen.
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LESSON PLAN
deeper, and greater than any other kind of love. God’s love is perfect love! It will not fail, or go away. God’s love is so great and perfect, in fact, the Bible tells us (1 John 4:8) that God IS love. His love is His most important and defining attribute (characteristic).
F. On the blank line inside the larger heart, have your students write “God.” Then, have them color and decorate the larger heart.
ActivityA. Have your students turn to Shaun’s Story (page
18). Working individually, have your students read the short story about Shaun and his new school.
B. When they have finished reading, explain to your students that Shaun really needed someone to love him. When he met the little girl she showed him what it means to have someone who cares. She taught him the value of love.
C. Then, ask your students the following questions:
ӹ Have you ever felt afraid to make new friends? What did you do about it? Accept reasoned answers.
ӹ Who are the people who love you? Accept all answers.
ӹ What do they do to let you know you are loved? Accept reasoned answers.
ӹ Why is it important to show others that we love them? Accept reasoned answers.
ӹ What can we do to show our love for others? Accept reasoned answers.
ӹ How can we help others to be more loving? Accept reasoned answers.
D. Read aloud to your students 1 John 4:8:
Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.
E. Explain to your students that as we talked about at the beginning of the lessons, God is love. God wants us to love one another. When we love each other, we are really making God known to others. Like the Bible says, whoever is without love does not know God. Therefore, when we know love we know God, because God is love.
F. Have your students turn back to I Am Loved. Help them complete the following question on the bottom of the page by writing about a time they showed love for someone at school or at home.
I show my love for God when I __________________________________________________.
been afraid they might not like him. So, he had
pretended he liked to be alone in order to keep
them away. Lydia ate lunch with Shaun and
asked him about his favorite things. They ate
lunch together every day for the next week.
Shaun and Lydia became fast friends.
With her help, Shaun made a lot of new
friends. Shaun felt really happy inside. Now he
enjoyed playing with all his new classmates.
He had his very own friends to love!
19
Shaun’s Story
Directions: Read the story below,
or follow along as your
teacher reads it aloud.
Shaun was a new student in Mrs. Jones’ fi rst
grade class. His family had just moved to the
neighborhood. Shaun didn’t know anyone in
his class yet. He was scared to make new
friends. He spent most of the day by himself.
He acted like he liked being alone so no one
would talk to him.
One day Shaun was eating his lunch all
alone. A girl in his class came over to him. Her
name was Lydia. She pulled up a chair and
sat down. Lydia said, “What are you afraid of?”
Shaun was surprised! She was right! He had
been afraid of making new friends. He had
18
UNIT 1, LESSON 2 21
LESSON PLAN
Formative Assessment Have your students turn to We Love Each Other (page 20). Help your students fill in the blanks with ways that we can show love to each other. Then, have them draw a picture of one way that we can show love to each other.
DAY TWO Warm UpA. Begin by leading your students in the prayer for
this lesson.
B. Distribute to each student Play-Doh, Legos, blocks, or some other medium with which they can build something. Tell your students that they will be given three minutes to make anything they want out of the material you have given to them. Then, set a timer, and allow your students to create using the material given to them. Circulate the room to observe and assist as needed.
C. After your students have finished their creations, have your student turn to a partner and share what they made. Ask them to tell their partner what it is and why they chose to make that thing. Then, call on a few students to share their creation with the entire class. (Alternatively, instead of sharing with a partner, you may choose to have every student stand and share their creation with the entire class.)
D. After sharing, conduct a discussion with your students by asking the following questions:
ӹ How did you create what you made? Accept reasoned answers, which will likely resemble “by using Play-Doh, Legos, blocks, and so forth,” “with my hands,” “by putting the pieces together,” and so forth.
ӹ Did you think this was an easy or difficult task that you were asked to do? Why? Accept reasoned answers.
ӹ Were there some things that you couldn’t do or make with the material you were given? What? Why? The correct answer is yes. Students could not make living things, or fully functional things such as cars, or TVs, nor could they make full size versions of certain things, and so forth. There were clear boundaries of what they could and could not create with the material they were given.
Draw one way we can show love to each other.
21
We Love Each Other
Directions: Fill in the blanks with ways that we can show love
to each other. Then, draw a picture in the box of
one way that we can show love to each other.
When we love each other we:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
When we love each other we:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
When we love each other we:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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LESSON PLAN
ActivityA. Hold up a shirt with a button missing. Tell your students that as you were dressing for school
this morning you put on your shirt and noticed there was a missing button. In your rush to get ready and out the door for school you didn’t have time to repair it. So, instead, you brought it to school with your needle and thread to mend it now. Show your students the needle and thread and attempt to thread the needle. Demonstrate how difficult it is to place the thread in the small “eye” of the needle and ask a student to assist you. Ask for a student volunteer to try. As a student is trying to thread the eye of the needle tell the students that this problem reminds you of a story from the New Testament: a story of a young rich man.
B. Have your students turn to The Rich Young Man (page 22). Read aloud the story of the Rich Young Man to your students as they follow along. Then, ask your students to answer the questions at the bottom of the page.
C. Now hold up the needle and thread and demonstrate again how difficult it is to pass thread through the eye of the needle and ask students how a camel can pass through the tiny hole. Is Jesus saying that the young man will not go to Heaven? As Christians we want to do the will of God, but God understands that we are human and make mistakes. God is telling us that it is possible for the rich man to go to Heaven, because nothing is impossible for God.
D. Project and read aloud to your students Colossians 1:16:
For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, all things were created through him and for him.
E. Ask your students the following questions:
ӹ What does this Bible verse tell us that God created? All things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible.
ӹ What did we learn in the last lesson that God used to create all things? Nothing but His Word. God spoke and it was.
ӹ How is this different from how you made what you made? Your students made their sculptures using already existing material. And they only created one small thing. God made everything out of nothing.
The Apostles were surprised by what
Jesus said. They wondered who could be
saved.
Jesus looked at them and said, “For
human beings this is impossible, but for God
all things are possible.”
1. Why was the young man sad?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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2. What did Jesus tell His Apostles was possible with God?
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Then, the Young man said to Jesus, “I
have done all those things since I was a young
boy. What else do I need to do to?”
Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be
perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the
poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven.
Then come, follow me.”
When the young man heard this it made
him sad. He was a rich man and owned many
things. The young man couldn’t imagine giving
everything he owned to the poor. He turned
from Jesus and walked away.
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Amen,
I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass
through the eye of a needle than for one who
is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
23
The Rich Young Man
Directions: Read the story below,
or follow along as your
teacher reads it aloud.
Then answer the questions
at the end.
A young man came up to Jesus. He asked
Him, “What good deeds must I do to enter the
kingdom of heaven?”
Jesus told him that he must live his life
according to the Commandments.
The young man asked, “Which ones?”
Jesus began to list the Ten
Commandments. He said, “You shall not kill;
you shall not steal; you shall not bear false
witness; honor your father and your mother;
and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
22
UNIT 1, LESSON 2 23
LESSON PLAN
F. Explain to your students that the Bible tells us that God created everything that exists. And that He did so with only His Word. He did not use anything that already existed, like Play-Doh, or Legos. Out of nothing, God created everything. This tells us that God is all-powerful. Because He is God, He has the power to do anything and to create anything. He made everything. Nothing that exists came from someplace else. Which means He is all-powerful, or almighty.
Formative Assessment Have your students turn to Nothing is Impossible for God (page 25). Make crayons, markers, and/or colored pencils available. Have your students complete the sentence “Only God can…” by filling in the blank. Then have them illustrate a picture of something only God can do.
DAY THREE Warm Up A. Begin by leading your students in the prayer for this lesson.
B. Project and read aloud Psalm 139:1-5, 13-14:
LORD, you have probed me, you know me: you know when I sit and stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. You sift through my travels and my rest; with all my ways you are familiar. Even before a word is on my tongue, LORD, you know it all. Behind and before you encircle me and rest your hand upon me. … You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I praise you, because I am wonderfully made; wonderful are your works! My very self you know.
C. Ask your students what this Psalm tells us about how well God knows us? It tells us that God knows everything about us, even from before we were born.
D. Explain to your students that not only is God all-powerful, but He is all-knowing. Since God made everything He also knows everything because He made it. That means He knows you and everything about you. The Bible even tells us that He knows every hair on your head (Luke 12:7)! Sometimes it’s easy to feel small and insignificant. Sometimes we wonder if God hears us or even knows we’re here. But the Bible tells us very clearly the answer to that question is yes! God knows you and everything about you!
Nothing is Impossible for God
Directions: Complete the sentence with something only God
can do and then draw a picture of it.
Only God can…
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
25
© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS24
LESSON PLAN
Activity A. Have your students turn to Let the Children
Come to Me (page 26). Read aloud to your students Mark 10:13-16:
And people were bringing their children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.”
B. Explain to your students that God loves us when we are happy and He shares our joy. God loves us when we are sad and He feels our sorrow. God loves us when we are afraid and He brings us comfort.
C. Ask students what makes them happy? What makes them sad? And what makes them afraid? Have your students write or dictate an answer to these questions on the lines provided on Let the Children Come to Me. As they do so, remind your students that God loves them and calls each of them to come to Him. Remember, that God knows everything about us. He knows what makes us happy, what makes us sad, and what makes us afraid. Even though He knows these things, like the good Father that He is, He wants us to come to Him and tell Him these things. When we do, even though He already knows, it shows how much we trust in Him and love Him.
D. Finally, help students to fill in the last section of the chart: I know God loves me because…
AssessmentA. Explain to your students that we can think of the Bible as a letter from God telling us that He
loves us. Now it’s our turn to write a letter back to God telling Him how much we love Him.
B. Have your students write a letter to God in the space provided at the bottom of Let the Children Come to Me. Tell them that in their letter they should tell God why they love Him. They can look at their answers on the worksheet they just completed for ideas and correct spelling.
Let the Children Come to Me
Directions: Answer the questions below. Then, write a letter to
God telling Him why you love Him.
I am happy when… ____________________________________________________________
I am sad when… ____________________________________________________________________________
I am afraid of… ____________________________________________________________
I know God loves me because... ____________________________________________________________________________
Dear God, I love you because…
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
–Mark 10:14
26
UNIT 1, LESSON 2 25
I show my love for God when I…
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I Am Loved
___________________ is love.
_____________________________
loves me.
17
Accept reasoned answers
© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS26
Shaun’s Story
Directions: Read the story below,
or follow along as your
teacher reads it aloud.
Shaun was a new student in Mrs. Jones’ fi rst
grade class. His family had just moved to the
neighborhood. Shaun didn’t know anyone in
his class yet. He was scared to make new
friends. He spent most of the day by himself.
He acted like he liked being alone so no one
would talk to him.
One day Shaun was eating his lunch all
alone. A girl in his class came over to him. Her
name was Lydia. She pulled up a chair and
sat down. Lydia said, “What are you afraid of?”
Shaun was surprised! She was right! He had
been afraid of making new friends. He had
18
UNIT 1, LESSON 2 27
been afraid they might not like him. So, he had
pretended he liked to be alone in order to keep
them away. Lydia ate lunch with Shaun and
asked him about his favorite things. They ate
lunch together every day for the next week.
Shaun and Lydia became fast friends.
With her help, Shaun made a lot of new
friends. Shaun felt really happy inside. Now he
enjoyed playing with all his new classmates.
He had his very own friends to love!
19
© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS28
Accept reasoned answers
We Love Each Other
Directions: Fill in the blanks with ways that we can show love
to each other. Then, draw a picture in the box of
one way that we can show love to each other.
When we love each other we:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
When we love each other we:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
When we love each other we:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
20
UNIT 1, LESSON 2 29
Draw one way we can show love to each other.
21
© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS30
The Rich Young Man
Directions: Read the story below,
or follow along as your
teacher reads it aloud.
Then answer the questions
at the end.
A young man came up to Jesus. He asked
Him, “What good deeds must I do to enter the
kingdom of heaven?”
Jesus told him that he must live his life
according to the Commandments.
The young man asked, “Which ones?”
Jesus began to list the Ten
Commandments. He said, “You shall not kill;
you shall not steal; you shall not bear false
witness; honor your father and your mother;
and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
22
UNIT 1, LESSON 2 31
Then, the Young man said to Jesus, “I
have done all those things since I was a young
boy. What else do I need to do to?”
Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be
perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the
poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven.
Then come, follow me.”
When the young man heard this it made
him sad. He was a rich man and owned many
things. The young man couldn’t imagine giving
everything he owned to the poor. He turned
from Jesus and walked away.
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Amen,
I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass
through the eye of a needle than for one who
is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
23
© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS32
The Apostles were surprised by what
Jesus said. They wondered who could be
saved.
Jesus looked at them and said, “For
human beings this is impossible, but for God
all things are possible.”
1. Why was the young man sad?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What did Jesus tell His Apostles was possible with God?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
24
Answer Key1. Jesus told him to
sell all he had and give to the poor.
2. All things.
UNIT 1, LESSON 2 33
Nothing is Impossible for God
Directions: Complete the sentence with something only God
can do and then draw a picture of it.
Only God can…
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
25
Accept reasoned answers
© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS34
Let the Children Come to Me
Directions: Answer the questions below. Then, write a letter to
God telling Him why you love Him.
I am happy when… ____________________________________________________________
I am sad when… ____________________________________________________________________________
I am afraid of… ____________________________________________________________
I know God loves me because... ____________________________________________________________________________
Dear God, I love you because…
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
–Mark 10:14
26
Accept reasoned answers
UNIT 1, LESSON 2 35
Notes___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
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___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
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© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS36
Grade 3 Student Workbook
Sample PagesUnit 1, Lessons 1 and 2
plus Scripture Copywork
Holy TrinityBy Hendrick van Balen the Elder (1620)
Unit 1, LEsson 1 11
The Shamrock
Directions: A shamrock is a traditional symbol of the trinity.
on one leaf of the shamrock write, “the Father,”
on another write, “the son,” and on the third write,
“the Holy spirit.” then color or decorate your
symbol of the trinity.
Unit 1, LEsson 112
God is a Trinity
God is a trinity. this means
that God is three Persons in
one God. God is Father, son,
and Holy spirit.
The Father is God. He is the Creator. He
is almighty. He made all things by His Word.
The Son is God. He is our savior. the
Father sent the son into the world. He became
human in the Person of Jesus Christ. He gave
His life on the Cross to save us from sin. He
rose from the dead and went back to Heaven.
He will come again.
The Holy Spirit is God. He makes us
holy. He helps us be more like Jesus.
Unit 1, LEsson 1 13
God is a Trinity Word Search
Directions: Fill in the blanks. Then, find the answers in the
word search. Circle the answers in different colors.
1. ____________________________________ is Father, son, and Holy spirit. (Circle the answer in yellow.)
2. the ____________________________________ is the Creator. (Circle the answer in green.)
3. ____________________________________ is our savior. (Circle the answer in red.)
4. the Holy ____________________________________ makes us holy. (Circle the answer in orange.)
5. the ____________________________________ is three Persons in one God. (Circle the answer in blue.)
Unit 1, LEsson 114
F A t H E R Q G
W G o D Q t i K
n J t F i R s K
J E s U s i P H
V o n J W n i C
t Y L G t i R t
Z n H Z B t i F
F Z H R D Y t U
Words FatherGodJesus
spirit trinity
Unit 1, LEsson 1 15
Exploring the Trinity
Directions: Color the trinity diagram. then on the lines below,
write what you have learned about the trinity.
I have learned that…
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
is not
is n
otis no
tGOD
SONFATHER
HOLY SPIRIT
isisis
Unit 1, LEsson 116
I show my love for God when I…
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I Am Loved
___________________ is love.
_____________________________
loves me.
Unit 1, LEsson 2 17
Shaun’s Story
Directions: Read the story below,
or follow along as your
teacher reads it aloud.
Shaun was a new student in Mrs. Jones’ first
grade class. His family had just moved to the
neighborhood. shaun didn’t know anyone in
his class yet. He was scared to make new
friends. He spent most of the day by himself.
He acted like he liked being alone so no one
would talk to him.
one day shaun was eating his lunch all
alone. A girl in his class came over to him. Her
name was Lydia. she pulled up a chair and
sat down. Lydia said, “What are you afraid of?”
shaun was surprised! she was right! He had
been afraid of making new friends. He had
Unit 1, LEsson 218
been afraid they might not like him. so, he had
pretended he liked to be alone in order to keep
them away. Lydia ate lunch with shaun and
asked him about his favorite things. they ate
lunch together every day for the next week.
shaun and Lydia became fast friends.
With her help, shaun made a lot of new
friends. shaun felt really happy inside. now he
enjoyed playing with all his new classmates.
He had his very own friends to love!
Unit 1, LEsson 2 19
We Love Each Other
Directions: Fill in the blanks with ways that we can show love
to each other. then, draw a picture in the box of
one way that we can show love to each other.
When we love each other we:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
When we love each other we:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
When we love each other we:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Unit 1, LEsson 220
Draw one way we can show love to each other.
Unit 1, LEsson 2 21
The Rich Young Man
Directions: Read the story below,
or follow along as your
teacher reads it aloud.
then answer the questions
at the end.
A young man came up to Jesus. He asked
Him, “What good deeds must i do to enter the
kingdom of heaven?”
Jesus told him that he must live his life
according to the Commandments.
the young man asked, “Which ones?”
Jesus began to list the ten
Commandments. He said, “You shall not kill;
you shall not steal; you shall not bear false
witness; honor your father and your mother;
and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Unit 1, LEsson 222
then, the Young man said to Jesus, “i
have done all those things since i was a young
boy. What else do i need to do to?”
Jesus said to him, “if you wish to be
perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the
poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven.
then come, follow me.”
When the young man heard this it made
him sad. He was a rich man and owned many
things. the young man couldn’t imagine giving
everything he owned to the poor. He turned
from Jesus and walked away.
then Jesus said to His disciples, “Amen,
i say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass
through the eye of a needle than for one who
is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
Unit 1, LEsson 2 23
the Apostles were surprised by what
Jesus said. they wondered who could be
saved.
Jesus looked at them and said, “For
human beings this is impossible, but for God
all things are possible.”
1. Why was the young man sad?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What did Jesus tell His Apostles was possible with God?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Unit 1, LEsson 224
Nothing is Impossible for God
Directions: Complete the sentence with something only God
can do and then draw a picture of it.
only God can…
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Unit 1, LEsson 2 25
Let the Children Come to Me
Directions: Answer the questions below. then, write a letter to
God telling Him why you love Him.
i am happy when… ____________________________________________________________
i am sad when… ____________________________________________________________________________
i am afraid of… ____________________________________________________________
i know God loves me because... ____________________________________________________________________________
Dear God, i love you because…
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
–Mark 10:14
Unit 1, LEsson 226
1 John 4:8
God is love.
Unit 1 Copywork8
Matthew 28:19
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit.
Unit 1 Copywork 9
Psalm 103:8
Merciful and gracious is the LORD, slow to anger, abounding in mercy.
Unit 1 Copywork10