BUILDING BRIDGES
REMEMBER REJOICE RENEW
EARLY YEARS
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REMEMBER
Using the display
children may be able to
contribute to the following
pointers by use of
discussion, role play,
drama, art, cue cards etc.
…….. (Name) is my friend?
Who is my friend in school and other places
What they do with their friends
Who are the friends of Jesus?
what Jesus and his friends did together
What did Jesus say about being friends?
REJOICE
Plan
With the children decide from all they have remembered what will be
included. At the end share some refreshment.
THE FOLLOWING IS ONLY A SAMPLE IDEA
GATHER
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LISTEN
Choose a suitable place
Help the children build a prayer focus, using pictures and
drawings of friends, include a picture of Jesus and his friends
(see God’s Story CD). Open God’s Story 1 at pages 32-33
friendship bracelets (can be made from sticky paper or thread)
Teacher lights the candle
 Hold hands in a circle of friendship and sing an appropriate verse
of Thank you for friends’ (31) from Rejoice One (or something
similar).
 Read whichever scripture story from the topic the children like best
RESPOND
Prayer of thanks: A prayer to listen to or join in with. Response: ‘Thank
you, God!’
For friends who sit by me
For friends who share with me
For friends who play with me
For friends who look after me
For friends who help me
GO FORTH
Let the children take a friendship bracelet to wear as the symbol of being
friends
Sing a friendship song
RENEW
The teacher helps each child to make an individual response hold on to and make their own, what
they have understood of their own experience and of the experience of the Church community.
Apply their learning.
‘What shall I do with my friend today?’
Some sample ideas
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Give each child the opportunity to choose a partner,
ensuring no one is left out, and let them spend a
short time of play together
At the end let them talk about how they were friends
together
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Teacher evaluation: is ongoing
and will inform future teaching and
learning, which will include
assessment for learning
YEAR ONE
Remember
Using the display,
Church’s Story CD
children may be able to
contribute to the following
pointers by a variety of
activities
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How friends can fall out and make friends again
How the children felt when that happened
What Jesus says about how to be good friends
What Jesus said when his friends argued
Isaiah’s advice
Rejoice
Plan
With the children decide from all they have remembered what will be
included. At the end share some refreshment.
THE FOLLOWING IS ONLY A SAMPLE IDEA
GATHER
Together with the children prepare the prayer focus, candle, flowers, a
drape, petal or flower shapes with kind words on them, rough shapes with
unkind words.
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Sing a song ‘We’ve a Friend’ (52), ‘Fill Us With Your Gift’ (50)
‘With All My Heart (48), ‘Patching Up a Quarrel’ (51) all from
Rejoice One. Or something similar
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Role play an incident which breaks friendship, consider the
feelings, then role play making up and think about the good
feelings
LISTEN
Isaiah 58: 9-11, after hearing that put the unkind in the bin and make
flower shapes out of the kind words
RESPOND
Quiet reflective music
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Think of times they have spoilt a friendship
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Offer the children the opportunity to say sorry in their hearts
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Say together:
Dear God,
I’m sorry for the times I’ve not been friends with someone;
Times when I’ve shouted, screamed or snatched something.
I’m sorry for the times I wouldn’t play or wouldn’t let someone else
play.
I’m glad when I make friends again.
This could be on the white board
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Sing a song ‘We’ve a Friend’ (52), ‘Fill Us With Your Gift’
(50) ‘With All My Heart (48), ‘Patching Up a Quarrel’ (51) all
from Rejoice One. Or something similar
GO FORTH
Stand up shakes hands and sing ‘if you are happy and you know it.. add
suitable verses like if you are sorry and you know it
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RENEW
The teacher helps each child to make an individual response hold on to and make their own,
what they have understood of their own experience and of the experience of the Church
community.
.
Apply their learning
‘Is there somebody I need to make friends with
again?’
Some sample ideas
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Each child pick up a petal with a kind word
on it which they give to another on their
table
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Draw someone I would like to say sorry to
and add the word sorry
Teacher evaluation: is ongoing and will
inform future teaching and learning, which
will include assessment for learning
YEAR TWO
Remember
Using the display
children may be able to
contribute to the following
pointers by a variety of
activities,
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Friendships they have which have broken down
How friendship was built up again
How they felt in both situations
What Jesus says about being ready to forgive
A simple act of sorrow
What Paul told the Colossians about God and forgiveness
A good way to end the day.
Rejoice
Plan (a suggestion is
offered)
With the children decide from all they have remembered what will be
included. At the end share some refreshment.
THE FOLLOWING IS ONLY A SAMPLE IDEA
GATHER
Together with the children prepare the prayer focus, candle, flowers,
drape, Bible open at Colossians 3: 12-13 or God’s Story 2 page 87.
Pictures on the white board for Church Story CD pages 44-49
Stone shapes with words on them which build up friendship.
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Gather together singing something from Rejoice One like
Seven times Seven-O’ (55), ‘Patching Up A Quarrel’ (51), ‘We've
a Friend (52), ‘One Golden Rule’ (49) and ‘Fill Us With Your Gift’
(50); or something similar
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Everyone place their stone near the prayer focus to form a bridge
LISTEN
Use of appropriate
pictures from Church’s
Story pages 44-49
To either When Paul was writing to the Christian family in Colossae, or
from Luke or Matthew, whatever the children chosen as their favourite
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Quietly reflect on the message of the reading and think about
what they may have to be sorry about.
RESPOND
Say together:
I'm sorry dear God, forgive me, please do.
I'll try to do better and always love you.
Amen
This prayer could be on the white board
3
GO FORTH
Stand and offer each other a sign of peace
Sing a song of peace and love
RENEW
The teacher helps each child to make an individual response hold on to and make their own,
what they have understood of their own experience and of the experience of the Church
community.
.
Apply their learning
Next time I feel like falling out with my
friends, what should I remember?
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Some sample ideas
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Quietly reflect on one thing from the
words of Jesus that can help them
to build a bridge of friendship
Make a friendship badge which says
I am a bridge builder
Teacher evaluation: is ongoing and will
inform future teaching and learning, which will
include assessment for learning
YEARS 3 AND 4
Remember
 Start the session with a
moment of quiet reflection
possibly with music.
 Children may be able to
contribute to the following
pointers by a variety of
activities, such as talk
partners mind mapping.
Consider the following points
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How they made friends, how they keep their friendship
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Jesus came to build bridges between us and God; he shows
us how to build bridges towards others and to God
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Recognise an act of contrition
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How bridges are built at Eucharist and at the sacrament of
Reconciliation.
Write on a stone shaped piece of paper what they remember about
building bridges of friendship together construct a bridge
Rejoice
Plan (a suggestion is
offered)
With the children decide from all they have remembered what will be
included. At the end share some refreshment.
THE FOLLOWING IS ONLY A SAMPLE IDEA
GATHER
Together with the children prepare the prayer space, candle, a purple
drape, a bridge, Bible open at the text to be used, picture (s) on the white
board form Church’s Story 3 CD, basket with symbols of peace in it
Opening with a song about love building bridges
LISTEN
‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and
with all your mind and you must love your neighbour as yourself’ (Matthew
22:37-40). Or another text from the topic which has been chosen by the
children
Quiet reflection with or without music while the children reflect on ways of
building bridges towards other people.
RESPONSE
Prayer together one of the prayers used in the topic
You take away the darkness of our sins,
Lord have mercy.
You are loving and forgiving,
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Christ have mercy.
You are like the brightness of the sun,
Lord have mercy.
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share some sign of peace
GO FORTH
Sing ‘Let love be shared among us’ or something similar, with signing,
whilst each child takes a symbol of peace to help them Remember and
Renew
RENEW
The teacher helps each child to make an individual response hold on to and make their own, what
they have understood of their own experience and of the experience of the Church community.
.
Apply their learning
Is there someone I need to build a bridge
towards today?’
Some sample ideas
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Reflect quietly one someone to whom
you need to make a bridge
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How could you do that?
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Write in journals
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Choose one piece of work to go into
their profile
Teacher evaluation: is ongoing and will inform
future teaching and learning, which will include
assessment for learning
YEARS 5 AND 6
Remember
Start the session with a
moment of quiet reflection
possibly with music.
Children may be able to
contribute to the following
pointers by a variety of
activities, such as talk
partners, mind or concept
mapping.
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Ways of getting to know people better
How friendship is like a bridge
How to love other as Jesus loves
Recognise our failure to do good
Opportunities to the Church offer for reconciliation
Rejoice
Plan (a suggestion is
offered)
Decide from all the children have remembered what will be included,
share some refreshment at the end
THE FOLLOWING IS ONLY A SAMPLE IDEA
GATHER
Either as a class or whole
school
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Gather with quiet music or O Lord hear my prayer… (Taize)
Have a picture(s) on the white board of symbolising
forgiveness ( Church’s Story 3 CD)
Gradually construct the prayer focus. On the prayer focus
have a symbol of reconciliation, candle, drape(could be
purple), copy of the scripture
LISTEN
Choose one of the scripture passages used during the topic, to read and/
or dramatise
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RESPOND
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GO FORTH
Offer on opportunity to examine their conscience about any time
they may have broken bridges
Invite children to say together an Act of Contrition
Sing a hymn about peace
Share a sign of peace ( background of quiet peace music)
RENEW
The teacher helps each child to make an individual response hold on to and make their own, what
they have understood of their own experience and of the experience of the Church community.
Apply their learning
….Who do I most need to build a bridge
Some sample ideas
towards?
 Reflect on how I might build a
bridge towards someone I have
not shown love to
 Identify how I might build bridges
in my life
 Make an entry in my journal
Teacher evaluation: is ongoing and will inform
future teaching and learning, which will include
assessment for learning
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