Lent

During lent our prayer table becomes a desert. I display a bare branch in a vase of stones. We also have a bowl of stones and we place one on the prayer table each day as we count the days of lent. I also like to use egg ornaments that display some holy symbols and use corresponding prayers.
Lent began Wednesday February 25th. I find Lent a bit spiritually difficult to teach because I want my classroom to be filled with all that is happy. But as a Catholic School teacher, it is important to teach Jesus' suffering and death and resurrection as a cornerstone of our faith. Here are a few resources that I've found helpful.

god-parenting.blogspot.com is a blog I stumbled across when I was home sick one day. Click on 2008 (March) and find the link for coloring pages to get a fantastic set of color able Stations of the Cross.

The Big Book of Ideas for Children's Faith Formation Edited by Beth Branigan McNamara with Gina Wright McKeever and Sue Robinson has the holy symbols and corresponding prayers that I use on the prayer table. Holy Bells and Wonderful Smells by Jeanne Hunt is another winner for year round liturgical celebrations.