Name: Katie McCurdy

Cohort: B1

Lesson Plan
Lesson Title: Advent Week 2 Grade: 4 Date: Monday December 7th 2015
Subject/Strand: Religion Unit: Preparing for the Birth of Jesus Location: School Chapel/Classroom Time:
(length in minutes): 20 minutes
Lesson Plan Description

(What are you teaching? How does it fit into the context of the unit? What are the big
ideas/essential/enduring understandings?)

For todays religion class we will be heading down to the schools chapel to celebrate the second
week of advent with a small prayer service. I will be introducing the Advent Candle song to the
students, we will sing the versus for candles one and two. Advent is the first season in the church
calendar. Advent is the celebration leading up to birth of Jesus.
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
Ontario Curricular Overall Expectations

(numbers from documents and details)

CL3: Understand how the Church creates sacred space for the celebration of the sacraments and
uses symbols, rituals, words, to reveal the action of Christ in our lives (Paschal Mystery). [CCC nos.
1179-1186; 1113-1130; 1167-1179]
Celebrating - Seek to understand the multi-fold meaning of the biblical narratives, symbols and
ritual actions associated with the five seasons of the Liturgical year
Ontario Curricular Specific Expectations

(numbers from documents and details) selected & listed from the Ont.
Curriculum, refined when necessary, has verbs that are observable & measureable, has realistic number of expectations (1 to 3), have
expectations that match assessment

CL3.1 Examine scripture passages of the Old Testament and New Testament which are
proclaimed during specific Liturgical Seasons (Advent), and communicate what it reveals about and
celebrate in in Jesus life.
Learning Goals

Discuss with students: What will I be learning today? (clearly identify what students are expected to know
and be able to do, in language that students can readily understand.)

Today I will learn

The name of the first Advent candle

The name of the second advent candle

The Advent Candle Song

ASSESSMENT and EVALUATION

Success Criteria

Discuss with students: How will I know I have learned what I need to learn? (Clearly identify the criteria
to assess students learning, as well as what evidence of learning students will provide to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and
thinking, in language that students can readily understand).

I can: name the first advent candle as the candle of hope

I can: name the second advent candle as the candle of preparation
I can: sing along to the Advent Candle song
Assessment How will I know students have learned what I intended?

Achievement Chart Categories (highlight/circle the ones that apply):

Knowledge and Understanding;
Thinking;
Communication;
Application
Assessment For, As, Of Learning (Circle One) (Describe way(s) you and/or your students will assess.)
Assessment Mode
Written, Oral, Performance
(Write, Say, Do)

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Assessment Strategy and

Task for Students- What are the

Assessment Tool - Instrument used

to assess task and record learning

students doing to show their learning?

e.g. turn and talk, role play/individual,
cooperative, etc.

e.g., rubric, checklist, observation sheet,

turn/talk, role play etc.

Oral/Performance students
We will be having a small
will be participating in a small
discussion about the meaning
liturgy within the schools chapel. of the wreath and the
Students will have various parts
representation of each candle. I
in this liturgy, but everyone will
will be fostering participation
be singing the Advent Candle
from the students. Then we will
song.
head down to the chapel for a
CONSIDERATIONS FOR PLANNING

I will have an observation sheet with

me that I will use in reference to the
students participation in the class
discussion as well as in our small
prayer service.

Prior Learning: Prior to this lesson, students will have

* Been introduced to the Advent Liturgical Season
* Been introduced to week ones Advent rituals
* Been educated on the preparation of our saviours birth

Differentiation: Content, Process, Product, Environment, Assessment/Accommodations,

Modifications
All students can participate in this class discussion as well as the small prayer service we will be having
in the chapel.
Learning Skills/Work Habits Highlight/circle ones that are assessed: responsibility, organization, independent
work, collaboration,

initiative,

self-regulation

Vocabulary (for word wall and/or to develop schema)

Liturgical Calendar the year separated into the religious events such as Advent, Christmas, Ordinary
Time, Lent, Three Days, & Easter
Resources and Materials /Technology Integration List ALL items necessary for delivery of the lesson. Include any
attachments of student worksheets used and teacher support material that will support communication of instruction. Include the use
of Information Technology (ICT) in your lesson plan where appropriate.

sheets with the prayer service, computer to play music, wreath & candles, lighter

Learning Environment

(grouping; transitions; physical set up)

Will be in the form of a discussion within the class as well as transitioning to the chapel within the
school for a small prayer service.
Cross Curricular Links
Three Part Lesson
Identify what the students are expected to think about or do. Write the lesson description with
enough detail that another teacher could replicate the lesson without a personal discussion.
What Teachers Do:
What Students do:
Minds on: Motivational Hook/engagement /Introduction (5-15 min)
Establish a positive learning environment, connect to prior learning, set the context for learning, pre-determine key questions to guide
lesson.
Time: 2:20-2:25 (Indicate time breakdown of instructional
elements)

Since we are now onto our second week of

Advent I thought it would my important to
talk about the symbols and items used to
represent Advent. Can you think of some
examples?
Yes very good, but we are going to go into a
deeper conversation about these symbols
and items. To begin the wreath is made out
of a circle of evergreen branches laid flat to
symbolize eternal life. There are typically
five candles in the wreath. Four are on the
outside and one is in the middle. During the
season of Advent one candle on the wreath
is lit each Sunday until all of the candles,
including the fifth candle, are lit on
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Children reply saying the wreath and candles.

Three colors of candles = purple, pink, and white.

Christmas Day. Each candle represents an

aspect of the spiritual preparation for
the celebration of the birth of our Lord, Jesus
Christ. Most Advent wreaths use three main
colours, do we know what they are?
Awesome those are the 3 colours typically
used for the advent wreath. The first purple
candle is called the candle of hope. We can
have hope because God is faithful and will
keep the promises made to us. Our hope
comes from God. The second purple candle
is known as the candle of preparation. God
kept his promise of a Saviour who would be
born in Bethlehem. Preparation means to
get ready. Help us to be ready to welcome
our Saviour. These are the two candles we
have lit so far because we have only just
passed the second Sunday of Advent. At this
time could I please get everyone to quickly
and quietly line up at the door because we
will be going down to the chapel for a small
advent prayer service.

Students transition to the chapel downstairs.

Action: During /Working on it (time given for each component, suggested 15-40 min)
Introduce new learning or extend/reinforce prior learning, provide opportunities for practice & application of learning.
Time: 2:25-2:35 (Indicate time breakdown of instructional
elements)

At this time I will lead the class in a small

Advent prayer service within the chapel.
Beforehand I will ask for volunteers to read
small parts within the service. I will be
attaching a sheet with the prayer service on
it for the students to read and reference.
After we have concluded our prayer service
we will return upstairs to pack our bags.

Students transition back upstairs.

Consolidation & Connection (Reflect and Connect) (5-15 min.)

Help students demonstrate what they have learned, provide opportunities for consolidation and reflection.
Time: 2:35-2:40 (Indicate time breakdown of instructional
elements)

Thank you for being so reverend and

respectful during our prayer service
downstairs in the chapel. Can someone tell
me something new that they learned today,
for example the reason for the evergreen
wreath or the names of the first two
candles?
Great work, thanks again for your
participation and involvement in todays
prayer service you may now back your
bags.

Students share eternal life, candle of hope, and

candle of preparation.
Students begin to pack their bags for home.

Extension Activities/Next Steps (where will this lesson lead to next)

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On Thursday of this week the whole school will be bused to SJV Church to celebrate in a advent
themed mass.
Personal Reflection (what went well, what would I change, what will I have to consider in my next lesson for this subject/topic)
The Lesson:
The Teacher:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRWdY1MbMMU

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