This year we worked on creating a Lord's Prayer visual faith project in the Kindergarten and Young 5's classrooms.
I chose to teach the Lord's Prayer at the beginning of this year because I had a number of new students who didn't attend our preschool last year and whose families do no attend our church. I always want my students to learn the words and be able to pray along when this prayer is used in church and school.
I remembered seeing the Lord’s Prayer Tracing Cross on the Visual Faith Ministry website, so I printed a copy for each student. Every week we did a section or two of the cross, focusing on each petition and talking about what each part of the prayer meant.
I would have liked the students to write different names we use for God, but since we did this at the beginning of the year and many younger students were just learning to write, we just talked about the many names there are for God.
We also listened to two songs with lyrics including some names of Jesus: Emmanuelby Amy Grant and I Am by Mark Schultz. I always like to incorporate Christian music while they are drawing. It adds focus and meaning as we talk about and learn the prayer.
I try to be aware of words they don’t know and make sure we talk about those words and ask if there are any other words that need explaining. The children come up with their own drawings, or copy my example. During our talking, they share and bounce off ideas that come into their minds.
In fact, an idea to draw the devil came from the children! When we pray the Lord’s Prayer, I shake my head back and forth sideways as we say, "Lead us not into temptation." And then I shake my head up and down when we say, "But deliver us from evil."
I have children do it in church sometimes. It helps them remember the prayer!
I believe that the more children use all of their senses in learning, the better they remember what they learn and retain the information longer. It is a blessing to be able to apply these processes in teaching the faith to the children God has placed in my care.
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Lords’ Prayer Tracing Cross designed by Kathryn Stanis
You can read more about other ways to use this free printable resource in a previous Visual Faith Ministry blog here: Lord’s Prayer Finger-Traceable Cross
Lisa Stanley and her dog, Joe
Lisa Stanley has been an educator in Lutheran schools for over 28 years and is currently serving as the Kindergarten teacher at St. Paul Lutheran School in Bay City, Michigan. She often posts on the Visual Faith Minsitry - Lutheran Educators Facebook page about using visual faith in her classroom.
She enjoys contemporary Christian music, going to concerts, and traveling - and especially loves going on mission trips. Lisa has even taken visual faith practices to Poland, finding it a valuable tool for teaching the faith. She says, “The children love it!”
Visual Faith Ministry is delighted to welcome her to our blog today.