Liturgical Year – Lent
Early Level RERC Exemplar
CONTEXT FOR LEARNING
These experiences took place during the liturgical season of Lent. Throughout the year, pupils had already gained essential knowledge that underpinned this work
such as daily prayer and an understanding of reverence.
During Lent, pupils participated in a variety of opportunities within Infant assemblies, class work and whole school liturgical celebrations to develop a basic
understanding of Lenten practices, particularly prayer and almsgiving.
Due to the nature of Early Level experiences, a significant amount of evidence is captured through the learners’ voice. The teacher’s notes are recorded on the left
side of the page with pupils’ comments on the right.
Core Learning selected for focus
Hours of God
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RERC 0-17a
I have experienced liturgy as a community event
1. I have been given opportunities to celebrate liturgy as part of my class, my school and my parish.
RERC 0-14a
I know that when I am praying I am speaking to God
2. I remember that, when I pray, I can ask God to help me and others and I can thank God and honour God.
Reign of God
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RERC 0-20a
I know that God invites us to show love to others
3. I am beginning to understand that God loves everybody and wants me to show love to others.
4. I can show God’s love by being kind and respectful to my friends and family.
RERC 0-21a
I can respond to stories that reflect Christian values.
5. I have experienced opportunities to listen and share my responses to stories that reflect the Christian values of friendship, caring and love that God
shows his people.
6. With the help of my teacher, I can identify times when these values have been shown in my playground, home and classroom interactions.
7. I know that when I demonstrate these Christian values of friendship, caring and kindness, I am living as God wants me to live.
1.
1.
We went to Church to get our ashes on Ash
Wednesday. The whole school went and Father Martin put
a black cross on our head and told us to be a friend of
Jesus.
All pupils attended a service on Ash
Wednesday at the local parish church. Pupils
understood that this service marked the
beginning of the season of Lent. Pupils also
noticed the change of colours in the church
and in the sacred space within the class.
1.
The whole school went to Church to get their ashes on
Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is the start of Lent.
3. & 5. The story of the Good Samaritan
was read in assembly as an example of how
Jesus wants us to live. This was followed up
in class in a number of ways such as role play
activities. As a group, pupils then sorted a
variety of images into examples of “Showing
Love” and “Being Unkind”. Pupils selected an
image and spoke about what they thought
was happening in the picture and then
decided which group it belonged to and
where that might happen. Through
discussion, pupils were able to give other
examples that the teacher scribed. It was
evident through discussion that pupils
understood that “Showing love” was the way
that God wanted us to live.
4,5&6
3. & 5. At assembly, we heard the
story of the Good Samaritan where
Jesus tells us to be nice to each other.
3. & 5. After assembly, our
teacher showed us some pictures
of people being nice and some
not. We had to sort them out and
think of some other ideas too.
3, 5. & 7. It’s better to be kind to people.
God wants us to show love to everybody.
Pupils were also able to think of example of not showing love, a
First level concept.
5. As a response to the story of the Good Samaritan and the challenge to show
love to others, pupils had the opportunity to create prayers for those in need and
contribute to whole school fundraising activities.
2.
I asked God to help people who have no
homes because they got flooded.
7. The pupils were able to identify some
groups of people that needed help, with
some pupils recalling recent news events.
Pupils were able to say that one way we can
help people is to pray to God to ask for his
help.
2. You can pray to God anytime
‘cause he’s always there.
This lent, I promise to pray for
This lent, I promise to pray for
5.
I gave 50p to SCIAF and I get to soak my teacher! My
money will help poor people in Africa get to grow food so
they can eat.
6. Pupils had the opportunity to contribute
to fundraising activities. Following an
assembly from the local SCIAF
representative, pupils knew that the money
was used to help people around the world
and were able to give examples of some of
the work SCIAF do.
5. Some boys and girls don’t get to go to school. SCIAF can
help them go so they can learn.
5. Poor people are just the same as us really. God loves
everybody just the same.
NEXT STEPS IN LEARNING: Pupils went on to familiarise themselves with the events of the Easter story.