LEGO Ideas :: Ancient History Inspired Mini City

While I was up in Portland last Saturday, Ranger sent me some pictures of a miniature LEGO Architecture style Parthenon he was building inspired by his Metal Earth Parthenon. (You can see a picture of him building it here - he was so little! - and also see it on his bookshelf here.)  By the time I got back home on Sunday evening he had completed a whole little mini city to submit to LEGO Ideas. 

There were a few things that he should have fixed... For example, the Parthenon is in Greece, not Rome, and he titled his idea "Ancient Rome."  Whoops! I need to make sure that history teacher of his starts incorporating more maps and geography! ;)  ... but overall I thought it turned out really neat!

Some of the LEGO he used for this creation came from Lincoln Memorial and the Louvre.

You can find the rest of his pictures {and support his project!} over at LEGO Ideas. 

You can find more of his past original LEGO creations in the archives including: 

LEGO Cathedral Phase 1 and Phase 2

The Easter Story {LEGO Edition}

We Have A Pope! :: Lego Edition

A LEGO Perplexus

Blessed Trinity Shamrock "Glory Be" Prayer Poster {Catechism Craft with Free Printable!}

“According, therefore, to the measure of one’s faith in the Trinity, one should proceed without holding back from danger to make known the gift of God and everlasting consolation, to spread God’s name everywhere with confidence and without fear.” 

~ from the confession of St. Patrick

What do we mean by the Blessed Trinity? According to My Catholic Faith, “By the Blessed Trinity we mean one and the same God in three Divine Persons. The Father is God and the First Person of the Blessed Trinity. Omnipotence, and especially the work of creation, is attributed to God the Father. The Son is God and the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. To God the Son we owe our redemption from sin and eternal death; by His death He gave us life. The Holy Ghost is God and the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity. He manifests Himself in us particularly in our sanctification. The word “Ghost” applied to the Third Person means “Spirit.” The three Divine Persons are perfectly equal to one another, because all are one and the same God. We believe in the mystery of the Blessed Trinity because God Himself revealed it to us.”

There are several popular legends about how St. Patrick used the shamrock to help explain the mystery of the Trinity, comparing the single plant with three leaves to the One Triune God with three separate and distinct Persons.

We honor the Blessed Trinity every time we make the sign of the cross and also when we say the “prayer of praise”: “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.”

The following craft combines St. Patrick’s Shamrock with the “Glory Be” prayer, creating a poster to help us remember to always profess our faith in the Blessed Trinity.

Supplies:

• Black Cardstock
• Construction Paper in Various Shades of Green
• Glory Be Prayer Worksheet (Holy Spirit, Holy Ghost, Latin - download my free printable pdf documents for personal or classroom use)
• Pens or Pencils
• Markers, Crayons, or Colored Pencils
• Scissors
• Glue Sticks

Directions:

1. Trace the “Glory Be” prayer on the provided worksheet, color, and cut out.

2. Glue the shamrock and the rest of the “Glory Be” prayer onto the black cardstock poster.

3. Tear pieces of green construction paper, in a variety of shades of green, and glue them onto the black cardstock surrounding the “Glory Be” prayer.

Additional Reading, Coloring Books, and Songs about the Blessed Trinity:

Manners in God's House: First Prayers and First Missal (pictured below)
Illustrated Catechism for Little Children (Section on the Blessed Trinity)
My Path to Heaven: A Young Persons Guide to the Faith
Three Persons in One God from 24 Catholic Songs for Children Coloring Book
Three Persons in One God from Sing-a-long Songs for Catholic Children (DVD and CD)
The Saving Name of God the Son
Books for St. Patrick's Day

Glory be to the Father,

Who by His almighty power and love created me,

making me in the image and likeness of God.

Glory be to the Son,

Who by His Precious Blood delivered me from hell,

and opened for me the gates of heaven.

Glory be to the Holy Spirit,

Who has sanctified me in the sacrament of Baptism,

and continues to sanctify me by the graces I receive daily from His bounty.

Glory be to the Three adorable Persons of the Holy Trinity,

now and forever. Amen.

Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us!

Additional Catechism Crafts from the Archives:
Seven Sacraments Stained Glass Window
Ten Commandments Lap Book 

Word to Caesar

Beowulf: A Hero's Tale Retold and Word to Caesar

The other day I was scrolling through the camera roll on my phone and ran across this photo. I took it one afternoon last September and never did get around to sharing...  I had just made my lunch - an AIP approved salad with lettuce, turkey, avocado, carrots, and sauerkraut, topped with olive oil and raspberry balsamic vinegar - and was getting ready to read aloud from some of our history books for the month. 

Anyway, the reason I am sharing it now is because my older kids have been reminding me that, if anyone is looking for book recommendations, I "must recommend Word to Caesar!" 

"Set in Imperial Rome at the time of Emperor Hadrian, a teenaged boy travels across the Empire from his home in Britain to seek an audience with the Emperor. Along the way he meets up with the villains who are trying to stop him, a famous charioteer who helps him, apathetic solicitors who won't help him, and finally the Emperor. At every step of his adventure, he remains loyal, demonstrates courage and prudence, and does not give up even when it seems impossible."

Originally published in 1965, Word to Caesar has been republished by Hillside Education.

Word to Caesar was actually one of the books that our oldest received in his Stack of Books on Christmas morning (2014). I love sneaking some "school books" into Christmas gifts and Easter baskets.  I read it aloud and there were a couple parts that I edited a bit for my younger listeners, but overall we enjoyed it tremendously. I do agree with the four-star reviewer over at Amazon that the beginning is "a little bit unneeded" and that "sometimes the author doesn't focus enough on important facts, and sometimes he focuses a little bit too much" but at the end of each chapter (following the discussion questions included in this reprint from Hillside Education) the kids would beg me to read "just one more chapter... please!!!!" 

P.S. Today is the last day to enter this year's Baskets of Books for Easter Giveaway!

St. Jerome and the Lion

J for SAINT JEROME, a learned old Priest, 

Who left his own country to live in the East. 

One day as he walked in the desert he saw

A lion that limped with a thorn in its paw. 

So he pulled out the thorn, and the lion, content

With his doctor and friend, went wherever he went. 

The birds loved him too; with the lion and them

He lived in the stable at sweet Bethlehem, 

And there where our LORD and His Mother once trod

He translated the Bible that tells us of GOD. 

- Excerpt from An Alphabet of Saints

(This post includes affiliate links.)

Every once in a while our history studies line up perfectly with the liturgical year. Our core text readings for today (with my youngest students) happened to be "Christians Writers Defend the Church" (Founders of Freedom, Unit Four Chapter III) which includes a section about Saint Jerome, whose feast is celebrated today. I love it when that happens!

I pulled out a couple awesome coloring books (The Fathers of the Church and The Legend of Saint Jerome and the Lion are both currently OOP), as well as a picture book about St. Jerome, for story time, discussion questions using Catholic Mosaic, and narration.

Bud's narration was basically just a loud roar.... Perfectly acceptable for a preschooler, right? ;) 

Our leftover Michaelmas Cupcakes were once again transformed into a lion for our afternoon snack.

God, our Teacher, help us to give our whole soul in studying our catechism as St. Jerome gave his soul to study the Bible. 

Happy Feast of St. Jerome! 

The Ten Commandments Lap Book {Catechism Craft with Free Printables!}

And Moses returned from the mount, carrying the two tables of the testimony in his hand, written on both sides, and made by the work of God; the writing also of God was graven in the tables. 

~ Exodus 32:15-16

Our seven year old is currently preparing to make his First Confession and First Holy Communion. At the beginning of the school year we spent some time studying the Seven Sacraments and creating a "Seven Sacrament Stained Glass Window." He has also been working on studying and memorizing The Ten Commandments.

The Ten Commandments were written by God on stone tablets and given to Moses on Mount Sinai. The first three commandments show us what we must do for love of God and the remaining seven show us what we must do for love of neighbor. In addition to our daily prayers and kind deeds, we love and serve God by keeping His commandments and those of His Church.

Back in 2009 I posted pictures of our first Ten Commandments Lap Book which I made back then with one of the older boys.  Last November I decided to make some modifications and printable documents for my current 2nd grader. At the time it also tied in nicely to our History studies (we had just finished reading the chapter on "The Law of Moses" from Augustus Caesar's World) so the girls all asked if they could make Ten Commandment Lap Books too. I'm finally getting around to posting pictures along with the links to my documents to share!

This Ten Commandments Lap Book provides a perfect opportunity for reviewing the commandments with children, as well as a helpful resource for memorization!

Supplies (For Each Student)

• One File Folder (trim off the tab to create a straight edge) 
• Two sheets of Grey Cardstock (cut into 10 – 5.5”x3” rectangles) 
• Black Pen or Pencil 
• Colored Pencils, Markers, or Crayons
• Scissors and Glue Stick
• List of the Ten Commandments (download and print my document) 
• Bible Verse or Quote about Ten Commandments (download and print my document) 
• Moses or Ten Commandments Coloring Page (I used a coloring page from St. John the Baptist Religious Education) 

Directions

Open the file folder and find the midpoint. Fold each side in to meet that point creating a “shutter fold.” Trim the top edge to resemble stone tablets.

Title the cover of the Lap Book with “The Ten Commandments” or you may choose to use a coloring page, glued to only one of the front flaps, to create an image for the cover.

Create 10 small “mini-books” with the 5.5”x3” rectangles of grey cardstock. Fold each rectangle in half and then fold each side in to the midpoint. Trim the top edge of each to resemble stone tablets.



Write, trace, or glue the Ten Commandments inside the ten grey tablets.

1. I am the Lord, thy God; thou shalt not have strange gods before Me.
2. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
3. Remember to keep holy the Lord's Day.
4. Honor thy father and thy mother.
5. Thou shalt not kill.
6. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
7. Thou shalt not steal.
8. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
9. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife.
10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods.

Write, trace, or glue a bible verse, prayer, or quote to include inside the file folder. We chose Exodus 32: 15-16.

Glue the tablets to the inside of the file folder in order from 1-10, leaving extra space in the center bottom for a bible verse. Glue the bible verse to the inside of the folder.

Number the outside of the each tablet.

A few more pictures of the completed Lap Book… 

The Ten Commandments Song

~ Sing-a-long Songs for Catholic Children (DVD and CD)

First, I must honor God, 

Second, honor His name, 

Third, honor His day, keep holy, this will be my aim. 

Forth, I must be obedient, 

Fifth, be kind and true, 

Sixth, be pure in all I say and see and hear and do. 

Seventh, I must be honest, 

Eighth, be truthful in all things I say. 

Ninth, be pure in mind and heart, in all I think and desire each day. 

Tenth, I must be satisfied, not be jealous, come what may. 

These are God's Ten Commandments, these I must obey.

Additional Reading, Coloring Books, and Songs on the Ten Commandments:

The Ten Commandments by Lawrence G. Lovasik
Ten Commandments: God's Laws for Us by Daniel A. Lord
I Believe: The Creed, Confession, and the Ten Commandments for Little Catholics
My Confession for Little Catholics
A Little Book about Confession for Children
My Confession Book
Living the Ten Commandments for Children
Exodus
Old Testament Scenes Stained Glass Coloring Book
The Commandments Coloring Book
The Ten Commandments Coloring Book
24 Catholic Songs for Children Coloring Book
Sing-a-long Songs for Catholic Children (DVD and CD)
The New Catholic Picture Bible
The Catechism In Pictures (pictured in top photo)

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of Hell, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life. Amen.