3rd Grade Goals & Objectives

 Textbooks Used:

  1. Sharing God’s World

Curriculum Outline:

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

  1. The Holy Trinity appeared to Abraham and Sarah as three angels in the OT.  
  2. God made a covenant/promise with Abraham in the OT.   
  3. God give Moses the Ten Commandments in the OT.   
  4. Jesus reveals Himself as God in the NT.   
  5. The Holy Spirit is the divine power in the Church and guides her and us.   

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

  1. The Book of Acts gives us the history of the early Church.  Identify the key figures and locations discussed in Acts.  
    1. St. Stephen is the first martyr of the Church.  
    2. The Apostles preached the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection.   
    3. Saul becomes the greatest missionary of the Church, St. Paul.  
  2. List the ranks of the clergy from the reader to the patriarch, and identify each by picture.
  3. List the fasting days and seasons.  Begin to Fast and give a reason for fasting.
  4. Introduce the following Feast Days.  Retell each story, identify what occurs in the Icons, identify or sing the Hymn, know if it occurs in Scripture.
    1. Nativity  
    2. Sunday of Orthodoxy  
    3. Pascha   
    4. Ascension  
    5. Pentecost   
  5. Learn about more saints.  Retell their story and list his/her feastday.  
    1. St. Polycarp of Smyrna  
    2. Ss. Cosmas & Damian   
    3. St. Nicholas  

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. Prayers for this grade:
    1. Continue working on the Trisagion Prayers.
    2. Recite “O Heavenly King”.  
    3. Continue the Jesus Prayer
    4. Continue the prayers at mealtime.
  3. Make the sign of the Cross and explain what is done.
  4. Recite and explain the Lord’s Prayer and find it in Scripture.
  5. Continue developing the outline of the Divine Liturgy.  
  6. Trace the development of the Liturgy in Acts.
  7. Identify the sacred vessels used in worship.   
  8. Observe a Proskomidia.  
  9. Make Prosphoro and bring in names of living and deceased for a Liturgy.  
  10. Identify the sections of the church. (Arrange for a tour of the Church)
  11. Identify each piece of the vestments at the altar server, deacon, priest, and bishop. (Ask Father to identify each piece and explain why and how each is used.)
  12. Review morning and evening prayers.  Point out that Orthodox are to pray throughout the day and that families are to pray together.  
    1. Introduce Matins
    2. Introduce Vespers
  13. Introduce the Memorial Service and making koliva.  
  14. Learn more about Hymns. (in this textbook)
    1. Sing the Wealthy can become Poor (blessing of the loaves)  
    2. Sing Nativity Troparion  
    3. Recognize the Troparion for Sunday of Orthodoxy  
    4. Recognize “This is the Day” from Pascha  
    5. Recognize the Troparion for the Ascension  
    6. Sing the Troparion of the Nativity  
    7. Sing the Troparion of Pentecost  
    8. Sing “Praise the Lord”   
  15. Prayers that are to be memorized with each Unit of study.
    1. Unit I: Psalm 100
    2. Unit II: Come let us worship…
    3. Unit III: O Heavenly King
    4. Unit IV: Most Holy Theotokos
    5. Unit V: We praise You, we bless You
    6. Unit VI: Litany

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

  1. Memorize on Bible verse per week. (Tie in with lesson)
  2. Be able to locate books, chapters, and verses in Bible.
  3. List the Ten Commandments.  
  4. Identify the four divisions of the NT: Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and Revelations.
  5. To recognize that the Church unites us through Worship, Doctrine, and Tradition.
  6. To explain how God’s grace is communicated to us via the mysteries/sacraments of the Church, i.e. visible signs of the invisible grace.  
    1. Communion  
    2. Holy Oil  
    3. Holy Water  
    4. Review Marriage from 1st grade.
    5. Review Priesthood from 1st grade.
    6. Baptism  
  7. Learn more about Bible stories. Retell each story.  
    1. Hospitality of Abraham  
    2. Cain & Able  
    3. God calls Abraham  
    4. Hebrews build a Tabernacle  
    5. Jesus speaks in the Synagogue  
    6. Jesus selects the first Disciples  
    7. Jesus feeds the 500  
    8. Jesus is crucified  
    9. Pentecost  
    10. Peter & John preach the Good News  
    11. St. Stephen is martyred  
    12. Saul encounters Jesus 
    13. Isaac’s family 
    14. Cornelius’ family 
    15. Paul’s travels 

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

  1. St. Paul was a great missionary 

VOCABULARY:Akathist Hymn, Disciples, Mercenary, Sunday of Orthodoxy, Alms, Epistle, Missionary,Synagogue, Apostles,Eucharist, Myrrh, Tabernacle, Banners, Fasting, Narthex, Theotokos, Chalice Veil, Golgotha, Nave, Unction, Chanter, Gospel Book, Orthodox, Unmercenaries, Chrismation, Great Entrance, Panagia, Venerate, Christ, Icon, Pascha/Easter, Churching, Iconostasion, Prayer Book,Commandment, Incense, Proskomidia, Council, Jesus Prayer, Prosphoro, Covenant, Lance, Sanctuary, Deacon, Martyr, Seminary, Deaconess, Memorial Service, Subdeacon

 RECOMMENDATIONS:

  1. Utilize the Feast Day Tract Masters.
  2. Utilize maps-point out areas where events happened.
  3. Insure that each child has a prayer book at home and in class.  Suggest “Treasury of Blessings”.
  4. Work on locating Bible stories in the Scriptures (book, chapter, verse) whenever possible.  When an actual reference book is given in the textbook, find it and tell the students where the story is found.
  5. Review the names of all the Disciples.
  6. Expand on the life and work of St. Paul, i.e. that he was not one of the 12, met Jesus on the road to Damascus.
  7. Attend vespers as a class and family.
  8. Encourage regular participation in the Liturgy.
  9. Find the feast day of any saint discussed in the textbook.  This shows the Church’s stress on remembering.
  10. Integrate the Feast Day lessons as they occur in the liturgical calendar.
  11. Focus on Pascha vs. Easter as the day of Resurrection.
  12. Utilize the “Treasury of Blessings” Prayer Book.
  13. Utilize the OCEC’s “Teaching Pictures”.
  14. Utilize the “Come Bless The Lord” Icon Packet.