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4th Grade Goals & Objectives

 

Textbooks Used:

  1. Growing with God

 

Curriculum Outline:

 

HOLY TRINITY:  To understand that God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

  1. God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit make up the Holy Trinity.  Each is a unique Person.
  2. To identify Jesus as the Son of God, the awaited Messiah, the Good Shepherd and Risen Lord, who died and rose for the salvation of the world.  Jesus is God.
  3. The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed tells us about the three persons of the Trinity.
  4. God gave us free will, the freedom to make choices, in order to grow.
  5. The Holy Spirit is God and guides the Church and us. [VI-4]

 

CHURCH HISTORY & TRADITION: To understand the historical roots of both the Church and Holy Tradition.

  1. Name one’s patron Saint; list the feast date, and why we celebrate that Saint.
  2. Learn more about saints.  Retell the story of the Saints in this Textbook:
    1. St. Vladimir [I-2]
    2. St. Ephraim the Syrian [III-2]
    3. St. Romanos the Melodist [V-3]
    4. St. Katherine [V-4]
    5. St. Andrew [V-5]
    6. St. Ignatius [VI-1]
    7. St. John the Almsgiver [VI-2]
    8. SS. Cyril & Methodios [VI-3]
    9. St. Innocent [VI-4}
  3. Learn more Feast Days.  Retell the story, identify what occurs in the Icon, identify or sing the Hymn, know if it occurs in Scripture. (in this Textbook)
    1. Nativity of the Theotokos [pp.152-3]
    2. Dormition of the Theotokos [pp.154-5
    3. SS Peter & Paul [pp. 157-8]
    4. Twelve Apostles [pp. 157-8]
    5. Transfiguration [pp. 159-161]
  4. Mysteries/Sacraments in this Textbook: Define and give the outward and inward signs of God’s grace.
    1. Communion [I-4]
    2. Marriage [IV-1]
    3. Baptism [IV-3]
    4. Chrismation [IV-3]
    5. Repentance (Partake of confession and repentance and apply to one’s own life.) [IV-4]
    6. Ordination List the function of each rank of clergy. [V-5]
    7. Review Holy Oil/Unction
  1. List the fasting days (Wed. & Fri.) and the four fasting periods, the reasons for their selection, and rules and purpose of fasting. [III-3, 4]
  2. Expand Great Lent

 

WORSHIP & PRAYER:  To understand that going to church is a whole way of life and to appreciate that the Church has a rich liturgical tradition of feasts, festal cycles and worship services.

  1. Recite the Creed.
  2. Learn before and after Holy Communion prayers.
  3. Identify the parts of the Liturgy. [I-2, 3]
  4. The Liturgy takes in all our senses.  List each sense and how it is stimulated.
  5. Prayers to be memorized in each Unit of Study in this Textbook:
    1. Unit I: Psalm 100:1-4
    2. Unit I: Doxology [I-2, p.162, TM pp.158-9]
    3. Unit II: Prayer recited before the Gospel reading
    4. Unit III: Prayer of St. Ephraim
    5. Unit IV: Trisagion
    6. Unit V: Heavenly King
    7. Unit VI: Lord’s Prayer [III-2]
  6. Hymns to learn from this Textbook:
    1. Sing Doxology [I-2, p.162, TM pp.158-9]
    2. Sing Champion Leader [p.163, TM p.160]
    3. Sing Those who have been baptized into Christ [IV-3, p.163, TM p.161]
    4. Sing, “We have seen the true light.” [I-4] Sing the troparion of one’s patron saint.
    5. Sing the troparion of the church.
  7. Introduce the Presanctified Liturgy.  Distinguish between the Divine Liturgy and the Presanctified Liturgy. [III-5]
  8. Introduce the Salutations/Akathist Hymn. [III-5]
  9. Introduce the Supplications of the Theotokos. [III-5]
  10. List the three divisions of the Church. [II-1]
  11. Continue/expand fasting. [III-3, 4, 5]
  12. List how each of the five senses is stimulated during Orthodox worship.

 

BIBLE & DOCTRINE:  To continue to understand the importance of the Bible and Orthodox doctrine.

  1. Review referencing verses in Scripture.
  2. Continue memorizing Bible verses each week.
  3. Examine the four Gospels, particularly John.  Identify the verses that support His deity, death and resurrection.
  1. Recognize the fulfillment of prophecy in the major events of the life of Christ. (Make a book of – determine the number – prophecies.  List the prophecy in the Old Testament and its fulfillment in the New Testament.)
  2. Identify major Old Testament figures and their related themes, ex. Abraham and faithfulness, Passover, Moses, Ruth, David, Joseph, Ester, Daniel, 3 Holy Youths. (Relate and/or illustrate with a drawing.  Share with other classes.  Write a short play and act out for other classes.  Make a matching game using 3x5 cards.  Students match up cards listing the major Old Testament figures with the card listing the related themes.)
  3. Study the Divine Liturgy.  Recognize the close relationship between the Bible and worship.
  4. Locate the Psalms used in Matins and Vespers, and then make a book of this information.
  5. Define “Old Testament”. [II-1]
  6. List the categories of books in the Old Testament. [II-2]
  7. Name the books of the Old Testament; at least the first 5. [II-1]
  8. Identify the four gospel writers. [II-1, 3]
  9. Identify the four divisions of the New Testament (Gospels, Acts, Epistles, Revelation) [II-2, 3]
  10. Recite the Ten Commandments and locate them in the Bible.
  11. Learn more about Bible stories and be able to retell them. (in this Textbook)
    1. Passover [II-2]
    2. Jesus cleanses the Temple [II-3]
    3. Parable of the Sower [II-4]
    4. Temptation in the wilderness [III-3]
    5. Moses brings water from a rock [III-5]
    6. John the Baptist [IV-2]
    7. Repentance of David [IV-4]
    8. Ruth [V-1]
    9. Timothy [V-2]
    10. Transfiguration [pp.160-161]

     

EVANGELISM & STEWARDSHIP:  To know that we are called to help others and tell others about our Faith.

  1. Practice stewardship – from preserving God’s physical creation (these children are great recyclers) to taking care of the needs of the Church and people.
  2. To understand aspects of discipleship such as growing in the faith, witness, and mission.
  3. Identify SS. Cyril & Methodios and St. Innocent as evangelizers.
  4. On a current map, identify locations where there are Orthodox Christians.

 

VOCABULARY: [Glossary pp.166-169]

 

Absolution                                            Epitaphios                                                        Passover

Acts of the Apostles                             Forerunner                                                       Patriarch

Advent                                                 Godparent                                                        Prayer

Akathist Hymn                                    Great Entrance                                                 Presanctified Liturgy

Almsgiving                                            Great Lent                                                        Prophets

Altar                                                     Holy Myron                                                      Psalms

Apostolos/Esquire                                Image                                                               Repentance

Asterisk                                                Incarnation                                                       Revelations

Bible                                                     Lamb                                                               Sanctuary

Chant                                                   Lamentations of Christ                                  Salutations

Chrism                                                 Liturgy                                                              South Door

Chrismation                                          Mercy                                                              Sponge

Consecrate                                           Monastery                                                        Synagogue

Creator                                                Monk                                                               Theotokos

Creed                                                   Narthex                                                            Synod

Cuffs                                                    Nativity                                                            Torah

Cupolas/Domes                                    Nave                                                                Tradition

Dikiri & Trikiri                                     New Testament                                                Trisagion

Diocese                                                North Door                                                      Worship

Dormition                                             Old Testament                                                  Zeon

Eagle                                                    Ordain                                                              Zone/Belt

Epigonation                                          Pantocrator

Epiphany/Theophany                            Parable

 

RECOMMENDATIONS:

  1. Practice referencing the Bible.  Keep a Bible verse log to memorize.
  2. Integrate the Feast Days as they occur during the year.  Utilize the icon, hymn, and scripture reading.
  3. Contact the Orthodox Church Christian Mission Center for active mission sites.
  4. Utilize the “Come Bless The Lord” Icon Packet.
  5. Utilize the “Treasury of Blessings” Prayer Book.
  6. Utilize the OCEC’s “Teaching Pictures”.
  7. Utilize the Tract Master series Set #5 on Feast Days.