Level 1
Religious Education Curriculum
Church of Saint Katharine Drexel
Theme: Discovering God’s Love
In Level 1, our youngest learners begin their faith journey by discovering who God is and how deeply He loves them. They are introduced to the basics of our Catholic faith in a warm, prayerful, and joyful environment. Through stories, prayer, and activities, they begin to understand that God is our Father, Jesus is God’s Son who teaches us about God, and the Holy Spirit helps us love and follow God every day.
Faith Objective:
To help children grow in awareness of God as Creator, who gives us life, loves us, and promises us eternal life through Jesus.
Core Belief:
“I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.”
Key Faith Words Introduced:
§ Advent
§ Amen
§ Baptism (Sacrament of)
§ Catholic
§ Christmas
§ Church
§ Creator
§ Easter
§ Guardian Angel
§ Lent
§ Liturgical Year
§ Mass
§ Parish
§ Sacred Scripture
§ Saint
Liturgical Symbols and Gestures to Learn:
§ Altar
§ Baptismal Font
§ Genuflection
§ Holy Water Font
§ Kneeling
§ Lectern (Pulpit)
§ Sanctuary
§ Sign of the Cross
§ Tabernacle
§ Tabernacle Lamp
Prayer and Worship Practices:
§ Place a Bible (Sacred Scripture) in a special area of the classroom to show reverence.
§ Use holy water to bless themselves as a reminder of their baptism.
§ Encourage reverence and silence in the church.
§ each children to genuflect or bow before the Blessed Sacrament.
§ Foster a sense of belonging in the parish community through participation in prayer and Mass.
Prayers to Be Taught:
§ Sign of the Cross
§ Our Father
§ Hail Mary
§ Glory Be (Doxology)
Prayers to Be Encouraged at Home and in Class:
§ Morning and Evening Prayers
§ Grace Before Meals
§ Simple Spontaneous Prayer
This year lays a strong foundation for children to come to know God as a loving Father, to grow in friendship with Jesus, and to understand that the Church is a special family where we worship, learn, and belong.
Finding God has wonderful on-line activities, interactive chapter reviews, saint stories for kids and on-line games. It is both informative and fun. Please click on the following link for more information: Families | Loyola Press
