“The Bethlehem Explosion”
The following lesson centers around the poem "The Bethlhem Explosion" by acclaimed author Madeline L'Engle. The accompanying background material and lesson is taken from The Catholic Spirit: An Anthology for Discovering Faith…
Prayer to the Virgin of Guadalupe
December 12 is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas, Queen of Mexico and Empress of the Americas. On his first journey as pope in 1979, St. John Paul II went to Mexico "to invoke on my pontificate the motherly…
Advent/Christmas Icebreaker Idea
This Christmas-themed icebreaker encourages students to share remembrances of fun holiday celebrations.
Guided Meditation: The Announcement of the Birth of Jesus
"Hail Mary, full of grace." These words were spoken by the angel Gabriel to Mary to announce the birth of Jesus. This meditation will place your students in the role of Mary: listening to the angel, responding and trying to understand.
Matching Quiz: Early Advent Saints
This fun quiz encourages students to contemplate the lives of these saints who have feast days in early December.
Advent Ideas for your Classroom
Ave Maria Press editorial assistant Barbara Brutt reminds teachers of some traditional Advent ideas appropriate for classroom additions and students of all ages.
Light for the World Prayer Experience
The Advent candles remind us that Jesus himself is the "light of the world" (Jn 8:12). Follow the directions for short prayer service you can use with your class in the weeks before Christmas.
Marian Projects
As part of the celebration of two upcoming Marian feasts—the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe—ask your students to complete one of the following exercises.
Advent Meditation: The Birth of Christ
With the simplicity and wonder of the shepherds, we find God, who is one like us, born of the flesh. Inspired by Luke 2:6-20, this guided meditation is written by Fr. Thomas Catcci.
The Digital Story of the Nativity
The Good News of Christmas never changes, no matter how it is delivered. In case your students haven't seen this creative video, have a look.