SJE Faith Formation Virtual Classroom

                                      "Family of Faith" Resources (Grades 1-6) 2023-24 Next Parent/Student Session  (Attend one with your child): Tuesday, October 3 @ 5PM or 7PM Thursday, October 5 @ 5PM or 7PM Location: Church Link to our 2023-24 Calendar: Family of Faith 2023-24 Calendar Does your child have special needs? Email us at  specialed@sjecmff.org  for tools, tips and more! (Special Needs Volunteer: Christine Capozzolla) GETTING STARTED:  We know our "Family of Faith" program may be a new model for some families. We want you to feel comfortable with the material and to succeed in growing in the faith as a family. To that end, please look over the materials below that are designed to assist you in our "Family of Faith" program. CLICK HERE  to view your "every month" guide on how to plan and experience the "Family of Faith" program. CLICK HERE ...

                                    "Family of Faith" Resources (Grades 1-6) 2022-23  Next Parent/Student Session (Attend one with your child): Tuesday, October 11 @ 5PM or 7PM Thursday, October 13 @ 5PM or 7PM Location: Church Does your child have special needs? Email us at specialed@sjecmff.org for tools, tips and more! (Special Needs Volunteer: Christine Capozola) GETTING STARTED:  We know our "Family of Faith" program is a new model for many families. We want you to feel comfortable with the material and to succeed in growing in the faith as a family. To that end, please look over the materials below that are designed to assist you in our "Family of Faith" program. CLICK HERE  to view your "every month" guide on how to plan and experience the "Family of Faith" program. CLICK HERE  to view our practical guide to getting started in the Family of Faith program....

  A Family of Faith: April 2022 - Grade 3 Grade 3 Coordinator: Dawn Russo Sperandio Click HERE for PDF Version of the Images Below

  A Family of Faith: MARCH 2022 - Grade 3 Grade 3 Coordinator: Dawn Russo Sperandio Click HERE for PDF Version of the Images Below

   A Family of Faith: FEBRUARY 2022 - Grade 3 Grade 3 Coordinator: Dawn Russo Sperandio Click HERE for PDF Version of the Images Below

 JANUARY 2022 SESSION:  "The Eucharist"   For January, please view the video below for our online session on this month's "Family of Faith" topic for grades 1-6 - the Eucharist. FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 1 & 2:  For those with children in Grades 1 & 2, the clip below from the "Blessed" First Communion Preparation program is a great way to engage your children in this month's topic of the Eucharist: Additional Resources:  We encourage you to please refer to the grade-level outlines for this month to help you with activities for your children. The Grade Level Directory can be accessed by clicking on the menu bar (three lines) in the upper left corner of the website. A sidebar will appear with various options, including the Level Directory - click on your child's grade level to access the grade-level content for January. Click on the link below for our "Family of Faith" resources. "Family of Faith" Resources GOOGLE FORM On...

  A Family of Faith: JANUARY 2022 - Grade 3 Grade 3 Coordinator: Dawn Russo Sperandio Verses of the month: 1 Corinthians   5:7: " Jesus answered, 'For our Pascual lamb . Christ, has been sacrificed.'" John 6:51: “I am the living bread that   came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." Saint of the month St Thomas Aquinas                          Words to know ü Altar- The table where a priest offers the sacrifice of the mass. ü Tabernacle – The sacred box where the Eucharist is reserved or housed. The word tabernacle means “dwelling place” ü Translation The change that occurs during the consecration, when bread and wine become the Body and Blood of our Lord,   Jesus Christ. Activities ü When you are at church show them the alter and tabernacle. ü Write out this month’s verse on pg. ...

  A Family of Faith: DECEMBER 2021 - Grade 3 Grade 3 Coordinator: Dawn Russo Sperandio CLICK HERE FOR A PDF OF THE BELOW IMAGE

  A Family of Faith: NOVEMBER 2021 - Grade 3 Grade 3 Coordinator: Dawn Russo Sperandio CLICK HERE FOR A PDF OF THE BELOW IMAGE

  A Family of Faith: OCTOBER 2021 - Grade 3 Grade 3 Coordinator: Dawn Russo Sperandio CLICK HERE FOR A PDF OF THE BELOW IMAGE

Family of Faith: May Event  Outdoor Family Prayer Service May 4  or 6 at 5PM on the Convent Lawn! For those with children in our "Family of Faith" program (grades 1-6), we will be having a special outdoor Family prayer service for the month of May (in lieu of our regular parent meetings). See Fr. John's video invite below and check your email for details. Sign up via the Google Form below if you plan to attend! https://forms.gle/A8yCegC3j7yjz9uR6 Questions? Please email the Office or Faith Formation at faithformation@sjecm.org

   A Family of Faith: April - Grade 3 Grade 3 Coordinators: Linda Scanlon & Anne O’Connor One Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church Review the Apostles’ Creed and then read and discuss the four marks of the church: the church is holy, the church is Catholic, the church is Apostolic, and the church is one.  (Pages 143-144 AB) Fill in the Blank Activity (page 145 AB) can be done together. Practice the Apostles’ Creed (page 207 PG) with your child regularly and discuss the beliefs. Again, this can be done in increments to make it more manageable. Apostles’ Creed Wrap-Up: read the essay (pages 149-150 AB) and discuss together. St. Catherine of Siena: Read and discuss this saint’s life (page 154 AB) color the picture on the following page. Closing Prayer (page 157 AB): perhaps your child could include at least three things he/she has learned in Faith Formation this year. We hope our parents have completed most of the activities outlined in this program. Your c...

  A Family of Faith: March - Grade 3 Grade 3 Coordinators: Linda Scanlon & Anne O’Connor SUGGESTED VIDEO: CONFIRMATION & THE HOLY SPIRIT We wish you all the best during this Lenten season. This month will be focusing on the Holy Spirit - the third person of the Blessed Trinity - & the Church! Our Saint of the Month is St. Peter! Lesson 10 - "I Will Not Leave You as Orphans" Activity 1: I Will Not Leave You as Orphans: Choose one suggestion for discussion from pages 173-174 from the Parent Guide. Rewrite the bible verse on page 122 from the Activity Book (optional). Activity 2: Read ahead and discuss the text on pages 175 – 176 (PG) then have your child color the picture on page 124 (AB). Activity 3: Discuss the Feast of Pentecost (page 125 AB) and then have your child color the picture. Activity 4: The Birthday of the Church: activity A, paraphrase the account of Pentecost, Acts 2: 1-41 (page 178 PG). Birthday Song: Optional Activity 5: Symbols of th...

  A Family of Faith: February - Grade 3 Grade 3 Coordinators: Linda Scanlon & Anne O’Connor Hello Faith Formation families! We wish you happiness and love this Valentine’s Day and every other day as well.  Lent will be here shortly; Ash Wednesday is February 17 th .   You may wish to follow the tradition of abstaining from meat on that day and every Friday thereafter until Easter. We are sure that you will make this holy season memorable and faith-filled with your child(ren). Lesson 8 Activity 1 : The concept of Jesus’ death and His descension into hell may be troubling for your third grader. Try to focus on what is most important: Jesus loves us so much that, as a man, he died for our sins. And because He is God, He was able to rise from the dead on the third day. We celebrate this on Easter Sunday.   Your child may write this month’s bible verse on p. 106 in the activity book. Activity 2 : Read ahead on pages 142-144 in the parent’s guide in order to parap...

  A Family of Faith: January - Grade 3 Grade 3 Coordinators: Linda Scanlon & Anne O’Connor Baptism Video Suggestion from SophiaSketchpad.org :  CLICK HERE FOR BAPTISM VIDEO Happy New Year to all our Faith Formation Friends! As you begin this new year, start each lesson with a prayer. Be mindful that not every lesson goes smoothly, but if your child sees and feels your love of God, all is well. God bless you.   This month we are focusing on knowing Jesus and His glorious miracles. You can begin by reading the essay “Who Is Jesus?” on pages 108-109 (Parent’s Guide) and discussing this important information with your child(ren). You may wish to stop after sections and explain and discuss what is written.   Activity 2 asks you to read ahead on pages 110-111 (PG) to familiarize yourself on the different kinds of miracles. Then explain that Jesus performed these miracles so we know He is God and to show how much He loves us. Read John 9: 1-12 to your child, discus...

  A Family of Faith: December - Grade 3 Grade 3 Coordinators: Linda Scanlon & Anne O’Connor Hello St. John’s Families! This month focuses on the holiness of the Blessed Mother and the Birth of Jesus. My Advent Planner (AB pgs. 65-72) Fill in dates and plan with your child(ren) activities you will include during this time. Suggested saints to know and model are on page 81 in the Parent’s Guide. The Annunciation: Read pgs. 82-84 in the Parent’s guide to prepare for next lesson. You can paraphrase content or read Scripture Reading aloud. The Discussion, Activity, and Prayer will follow using Parent’s Guide and Activity Book. Scripture Memorization (AB p. 64) Explain this quote, memorization is optional. Your child may wish to color Mary Consoles Eve (p. 74). The Immaculate Conception: You may wish to do this lesson on December 8 th . Your child may have difficulty understanding Original Sin. In your explanation be clear that Mary was born without it. Read pgs. 86-87 in the P...

  A Family of Faith: November - Grade 3 Grade 3 Coordinators: Linda Scanlon & Anne O’Connor Hello St. John’s families! We hope everyone is safe and well. This month you may start off by catching up on October’s agenda. We should focus on our prayers: the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Grace before Meals, and most recently the Apostles’ Creed (page 13). This prayer contains the basic beliefs of our Catholic community. When introducing this prayer, read it aloud to your child as he/she follows along. Then break it into small increments to be memorized. You may wish to use a highlighter as your child memorizes portions at a time. Age-appropriate lessons: Starting Off : Begin with activity outlined on page 52 (Parent’s Guide). Then explain how our actions should be Christ-like to reflect God. (Give specific examples of people being kind, sharing, etc.). Then complete page 45 from the Activity Book. Discuss “Body and Soul” found on pages 54-55 (Parent’s Guide). Continue ...

A Family of Faith: October - Grade 3 Grade 3 Coordinators: Linda Scanlon & Anne O’Connor Welcome! You are embarking on the most important role a parent can ever undertake during overwhelming times. We are here to support you and will help you during this journey. Let us be a strong, prayerful community, united by the love of God.   Suggestions: It might be helpful to begin with a review of the Sign of the Cross and remind your child of the Trinity.   Other prayers to review: Our Father, Hail Mary, and the Glory Be. The Grace Before Meals prayer can be led by parents but when your child knows it by heart, he/she will enjoy the honor of leading the prayer with their family. You may want a copy of this prayer posted in plain sight so that your child can readily see the words (perhaps on the frig or wherever is doable for your family).     You may wish to hold off memorizing the Apostles’ Creed until next month. Pray the prayer together. When your...

  October "Pacing Guide" : "Family of Faith" (Grades 1-6) Click the link below for to access a Pacing Guide for the month of October for those participating in our "Family of Faith" program for Grades 1-6. TIP: Start with the "Weekly Learning Goals" (last page) OCTOBER PACING GUIDE - ENGLISH   OCTOBER PACING GUIDE - SPANISH  (*NOTE: It may take a little time to load as you scroll through the pages)  

Welcome back! Now that your child has received the great gift of God's forgiveness for the first time in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and the amazing gift of God Himself in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, your children have the great opportunity to grow deeper in their faith and relationship with God. Be on the lookout in the coming weeks for updates on how you can engage your third grader in our new Family of Faith program!