Tube Nativity

This was a fun and easy way to make a 3-D nativity scene. All you need is a black line master of your favorite nativity scene and enough tubes or parts of tubes for each piece. To make the stable use a lunch sized paper bag. Cut along the corners of the bag until 3-4 inches are left uncut on the bottom of the bag. Fold 3 sides into the bottom of the bag and leave one side flat for the base of the stable. The bag also doubles as a box to store each of the nativity pieces.

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.