There are some great resource pages that I have drawn our plans from that any parent who has a child that is preparing for First Communion should check out:
After looking over the suggestions from these sites I've picked out several that I think will be the most meaningful and memorable for Bean. While she has been attending a religious education class all year (which has been excellent!), Kevin and I still want to drive home the things she has been learning, and exercise are our God given blessing to be the first and main catechists in our child's life.
The Plan
For the backbone of our preparation we will be using the Little Catechism on the Eucharist, (LCE) which was given to Bean by one of our FOCUS mission partners just last week. (Thanks Heather!) It is the PERFECT addition to the plans I've been working on and can't believe I haven't heard of it until now! I'm super excited about this book if you can't tell. It. Is. Awesome. While Bean has been learning her Catechism over the past few years with the St. Joseph Baltimore Catechism (No. 1), Part I of LCE pulls out the most important teachings from the Catechism for a First Communicant and puts them into one place with kid friendly illustrations and diagrams.
Part II of the book is filled with 15 "Eucharist Miracles" stories and Part III has 16 "Saints and the Eucharist" stories. During our two week intensive Bean will read roughly one story per day from each section.
Also, each day she will complete a few pertinent components of The Sacrament of Holy Eucharist Lapbook from Lapbooks for Catholics. (Use the code APRIL to receive a 15% discount for April 2014!)
Finally, while Bean is working on the craft projects in our plans, we will be listening to short audio stories from True Stories for First Communicants and First Communion Days. Both of these books are out of print, but they have been recorded and are available to listen to for free on Librivox! (Thanks Josette for pointing these out!)
And now for the lessons.
Lesson 1 - The Truths of the Faith (LCE - pg 3-10)
(Lessons 1 and 2 review the basics of the faith. Rather than dive into one of the many lightly covered topics, we are going to begin work on her lapbook and banner after completing the review.)
Supplemental Activities:
- Lapbook:
- Faith Folder Cover
- “Communion Vocabulary” File Folder Shape Book
- “Communion Prayers” Pocket & Cards Set
- “Eucharistic Phrases” Heart Shape Book
- Back Cover with Pocket Pouch
- *The rest of the lapbook will be completed throughout the rest of our study as indicated in each supplemental activities list. The only exception is the “My First Communion” Memory Book, which will be completed after Bean's First Communion.
- Read one "Eucharist Miracles" story and one "Saints and the Eucharist" story from LCE.
Supplemental Activities:
- Craft: Banner Kit
- Lapbook: “Eucharist Questions” Q&A Set and “Holy Days of Obligation” Graduated Pages Book
- Read one "Eucharist Miracles" story and one "Saints and the Eucharist" story from LCE.
Supplemental Activities:
- Craft: Jesus in the Eucharist: Catholic Inspired
- Lapbook: “Scripture Stories” Open-Up Book Set (Jesus Speaks on the Bread of Life)
- Read one "Eucharist Miracles" story and one "Saints and the Eucharist" story from LCE.
Supplemental Activities:
- Make Unleavened Bread (We will be doing this lesson on Holy Thursday, so fitting!)
- Lapbook: “The Words of Consecration” Pentagon Book and “Scripture Stories” Open-Up Book Set (The Last Supper)
- Read one "Eucharist Miracles" story and one "Saints and the Eucharist" story from LCE.
Supplemental Activities:
- Craft: True Presence in the Eucharist Printable: Catholic Icing (This is so cool!)
- Lapbook: “Benediction and Adoration” Square Fold-Up Book
- Read one "Eucharist Miracles" story and one "Saints and the Eucharist" story from LCE.
- Complete My Own Mass Booklet (Given to Bean at RE class - it's pretty short.)
- Lapbook: “Sacred Vessels” Triple-Decker Book Set and “The Holy Mass” Pick-a-Tab Book
- Read one "Eucharist Miracles" story and one "Saints and the Eucharist" story from LCE.
Supplemental Activities:
- Book: The Weight of the Mass
- Craft: Perler Bead Holy Eucharist Pattern: Catholic Inspired
- Lapbook: “Sacramental Grace” Open the Doors Book and “Scripture Stories” Open-Up Book Set (The Tradition of the Eucharist)
- Read one "Eucharist Miracles" story and one "Saints and the Eucharist" story from LCE.
Supplemental Activities:
- Study Bl. Imelda Lambertini
- Glory Stories CD Vol 1: Blessed Imelda Lambertini: Holy Heroes
- Craft: Paint a Bl. Imelda Wooden Doll (I did this tutorial a while back and now I'm going to let Bean paint her own version. Alternatively you could have your child color a picture from Saints to Color.)
- Lapbook: “Blessed Imelda Lambertini” Unfolding Rectangle Book
- Chapter Book: Patron Saint of First Communicants: Blessed Imelda Lambertini (Bean is a reading maniac, she'll finish this in 2-3 days, but not every kid has her enthusiasm for reading, so you may want to give them the book earlier.)
- Lapbook: “Preparing to Receive Jesus” Multiple Flaps Book
- Read one "Eucharist Miracles" story and one "Saints and the Eucharist" story from LCE.
Well, that's all! I'll let you know how it goes!