Our Response to God's Gifts: Grade 2: School Edition (Finding God 2005, 2007) - Softcover

Campbell, Barbara F.; Campbell, James P.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0829418288 ISBN 13: 9780829418286

Publisher: Loyola Pr, 2004

Synopsis

Finding God  Grades 1­–6
It’s prayerful. It’s personal. It’s powerful.
A faith-formation program for children in grades 1–6 and the significant adults in their lives. The program mentors children, parents, and adults in cultivating a special place in their hearts to meet with God. Preview samples online at www.findinggod.com/preview.

Program features
· Empowers catechists and teachers to lead children in prayer
· Offers high-quality sessions with a strong   presentation of Church doctrine
· Connects technology and faith through online activities, planning tools, and assessments
· Integrates multisensory opportunities to experience Scripture, music, and prayer
· Provides an abundance of prayer that allows children to nurture a lifelong conversation with God
· Equips parents and adults with components that correspond to the structure of the children’s program

Children’s Book
· Opens every unit with the story of a saint
· Presents doctrine, Scripture, and Tradition through engaging four- to eight-page sessions
· Connects the lesson with their living faith by offering opportunities for reflective prayer, links to liturgy, reading God’s Word, and much more
· Provides three prayer opportunities in each session as well as additional prayer services
· Encourages knowledge of the faith by providing an extensive supplement, Prayers and Practices of Our Faith

Catechist Guide
· Provides clear, concise preparation for each session
· Addresses various learning styles through variety of lesson options
· Offers extensive online resources and support
· Models different ways of praying with opportunities to put them into practice
· Includes reproducible blackline masters with activities and assessments

In the first year of adoption, a free guide is included with every 25 children’s books purchased. 

www.findinggod.com
Online resources for program users
· Family E-Newsletters
· Additional assessments for each session
· Detailed session-planning tool
· Hundreds of additional activities
· Activity Finder searchable by grade level, subject, or learning style
· Sunday Connection linked to readings and activities
· Seasonal resources
· Articles and activities for families
· Additional prayer resources

About this title

About the Author:

Barbara is Vice President for Catechesis and Faith Formation for Loyola Press. Her role involves her in the development of faith formation resources and services designed for the benefit of parishes and schools. Prior to accepting her position at Loyola Press, Barbara served as the Associate Executive Director of NCEA's Department of Religious Education, working primarily in service to members of NPCD, NCEA's national membership association serving parish catechetical leaders. Her experience also includes diocesan and parish work in Religious Education and Youth Ministry as well as extensive teaching experience at high school and college levels. She completed her Doctor of Ministry degree at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, IL. She also holds a Master of Divinity degree from Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, MO.

Jim Campbell is Staff Theologian for Loyola Press. His role includes planning and development of catechetical and faith formation materials to be used in parishes and schools. Jim also reviews material from the text editorial and trade divisions. Jim has been a teacher, writer, and administrator in the field of catechesis for over 30 years. He has served as Consultant for Curriculum Development for the Office for Catechesis in the Archdiocese of Chicago. He was Director of the Orange Catechetical Institute, the adult ministry formation program for the Diocese of Orange, California. Jim has taught religious studies courses at Chapman University, Orange, California and the Aquinas Institute of Theology, Dubuque, Iowa. Jim was the General Editor for Harper’s New American Bible Study Program. He has written Mary and the Saints: Companions on the Journey, Understanding Scripture: The Genesis Creation Story; Stories of the Old Testament: A Catholic’s Guide  and Serving the Catechetical Mission of the Church, all for Loyola Press. Jim has a Doctor of Ministry in Christian Education and Master of Arts in Theology from the Aquinas Institute of Theology. He also has a Master of Arts in European History from the Monterey Institute of International Studies.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.:

Unit 1
God Loves Us

Saint Isidore the Farmer
Saint Isidore the Farmer cared for the earth, the plants, and the animals. Although he was poor, Saint Isidore shared what he could with others.

Saint Isidore the Farmer
Saint Isidore and his wife, Saint Maria de la Cabeza, lived on a rich man’s farm. Isidore worked for this man his whole life. He took care of the man’s land with love. While Isidore worked, he prayed.
Isidore is the patron saint of farmers, farm animals, and farming communities. He is also the patron saint of picnics!
In many places farm animals and crops are blessed on Saint Isidore’s Day.

Session 1
God Creates Us

God is the Creator. He made heaven and earth. He created them to show how much he loves us.
God loves everything he makes. What are some things that God has made?

Prayer
God, help me know that you have made all things so I can see how good and wonderful you are.

God Made Heaven and Earth
At first there was no earth. There was no warm sun during the day. There was no glowing moon at night. No bright stars were shining in the sky. There was only God—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Then God made the world. He made the sky, the sun, and the moon. He made the sea. God filled it with different kinds of fish. He made the land. He filled it with many kinds of animals.

Then God said, “Let us make someone special.” So God made a man and a woman. He blessed them and told them to have children. He told them to take good care of the earth.
God looked at everything he had made. God was pleased with all he had done.
adapted from Genesis 1:1-31

What Did God Make?
Fill in the blanks to name things God has made.
These things are shown in the picture.
bi__d    _ree   s__y   c__oud   __u__

God’s Blessing
Rosa asked her grandmother, “Abuela, why did God make us?”
“Because God is full of love,” said Abuela. “He wanted someone to give his love to. He made the world and all things in it. The sun warms the day. Rain makes things grow.”
“Yes,” said Juanita, Rosa’s sister. “There are fruits and plants to eat. There are many wonderful animals to see!”
“People are also part of God’s creation,” said Abuela. “God wants all people to love and care for one another.”

Our Loving God
We have been created by a loving God. God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is called the Trinity. God loves us and cares for us. That is why he stays close to us and in
our hearts.
Think of the beautiful story of creation. Picture the good things in the world. Remember that God has loved us from the beginning of the world. We can be holy because he loves us.

Reading God’s Word
Everything that God made is good. We are thankful for all that God has given us.
adapted from 1 Timothy 4:4

A Center for Caring
God created the earth. He created the plants and animals. He created the sky, land, and water. God wants us to care for his creation.
Members of the Catholic Conservation Center remind us to take care of God’s creation. The Center was started by a Catholic named Bill Jacobs. His message is to treat the earth with respect.
The Catholic Conservation Center spreads this message. The Center reminds us that we show love for God by respecting his creation.
As Catholics, we all are called to care for God’s creation. We all can follow Bill Jacobs’s example of caring.

Caring for God’s Creation
The Church teaches us to care for the earth. We love God, so we should not harm his creation. We should take care of all things found in nature.
We also help each other when we take care of the earth. We have better water to drink if we keep trash out of streams and rivers. We enjoy cleaner streets and fields if we do not litter.
What Can You Do?
With a partner think of three things you can do to take care of the earth. Write or draw your ideas.

Prayer
God made many things. We praise him with the Glory Be to the Father.
As you pray the Glory Be to the Father, think about how much God loves you and cares for you.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Think about the things we praise God for. Thank God for creating you. Thank him for loving you.

Living My Faith

Faith Summary
Because he loves us, God made many things. All of them are good. God wants us to take good care of the world.

Words I Learned
creation   holy

Ways of Being Like Jesus
Jesus loves all of us and everything that God made. You are like Jesus when you love all of God’s creation.

With My Family
Have a picnic with your family so you can enjoy God’s world. Talk about God’s creation.

Prayer
Thank you, God, for all you have made. Help me love you by taking care of your creation.

My Response
Draw a picture showing what you will do to take good care of the world this week.

RAISING FAITH-FILLED KIDS: A Parent Page

Focus on Faith
God Says That the World Is Good
Children love surprises. They soak up new experiences every day and ask many why questions about the way things work. It may not always benefit your child to hear these questions—such as “Why is the sky blue?”—answered only with scientific explanations. Instead, a story about how the blue color of the sky reminds us to honor Jesus’ mother, Mary, might sound just right to your child. The first chapter of Genesis is filled with this kind of wonder. God is the great craftsman who created the sun, moon, and stars and said that they are very good. Perhaps even more amazingly, God keeps everything going day after day, and we awake each morning delighted to see that he has done it again. Children are God’s happy surprises, and they remind us not to take things for granted.

Dinnertime Conversation Starter
Share your memories of a time when your family discovered something wonderful or beautiful about the world.

Spirituality in Action
Take your child to the zoo or a lush park. Encourage your child to use all of his or her senses to notice the surroundings. Ask your child to make observations about the animals or plants. Then share with one another an appreciation of these wonders that God has made.

Hints for at Home
Work with your child to create a collage representing the natural wonders that God has created. Use magazine clippings, poster board, and other materials to create the collage. Hang it in a special place in your home.

Focus on Prayer
Your child is learning to pray the Doxology, or Glory Be to the Father. Pray the prayer together often as a family to facilitate memorization. Begin the Glory Be to the Father with the Sign of the Cross.

 

About this edition

• Publisher: Loyola Pr
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0829418288
• ISBN 13: 9780829418286
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 368