Planning

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Early Childhood
University of Notre Dame

TERM ONE
OUTCOMES
OUTCOME 1:
Children have a strong
sense of identity
Children feel safe, secure,
and supported
Children develop their
emerging autonomy, inter-
dependence, resilience and
sense of agency
Children develop
knowledgeable and
confident self-identities
Children learn to interact in
relation to others with care,
empathy and respect
PRINCIPLES
1. Secure, respectful &
reciprocal relationships
PRACTICES
Holistic approaches
Continuity of learning & transitions
Use colours to show when each aspect is being covered
TERM TWO
OUTCOME 2:
Children are connected with
and contribute to their world
Children develop a sense of
belonging to groups and
communities and an
understanding of the
reciprocal rights and
responsibilities necessary for
active community participation
Children respond to diversity with
respect
Children become aware of
fairness
Children become socially
responsible and show respect for
the environment
2. Partnerships
Responsiveness to children
Cultural competence
TERM THREE
OUTCOME 3:
Children have a strong sense
of well being
Children become strong in their
social and emotional wellbeing
Children take increasing
responsibility for their own health
and physical wellbeing
3. High expectations & equity
Learning through play
Assessment for learning
EARLY YEARS LEARNING FRAMEWORK
TERM FOUR
OUTCOME 4:
Children are confident and
involved learners
Children develop dispositions for
learning such as curiosity,
cooperation, confidence,
creativity, commitment,
enthusiasm, persistence,
imagination and reflexivity
Children develop a range of skills
and processes such as problem
solving, enquiry, experimentation,
hypothesising, researching and
investigating
Children transfer and adapt what
they have learned from one
context to another
Children resource their own
learning through connecting with
people, place, technologies and
natural and processed materials
4. Respect for diversity
Intentional teaching
Learning environments
OUTCOME 5:
Children are effective
communicators
Children interact verbally and
non-verbally with others for a
range of purposes
Children engage with a range of
texts and gain meaning from
these texts
Children express ideas and make
meaning using a range of media
Children begin to understand
how symbols and pattern systems
work.
Children use information and
communication technologies to
access information, investigate
ideas and represent their thinking
5. Ongoing learning & reflective
practice
Links to Spiritual Capabilities Links to Religious Capabilities
Prudence Justice Fortitude Temperance Faith Hope Charity
• To wonder • To relate • To dare & • To fast & To search for God & To trust & become hope- To give & become
& become & become become become grateful become filled by God charitable like God
awe-filled loving resilient • To meditate & mystified by God To repent & become To act justly & become
• To search • To regret • To yearn become To serve God & become redeemed by merciful like
beyond & & become & become peaceful God’s God God
become forgiving. good To enjoy life & Witness To follow & become a To respect all people &
wise. become happy To worship God & missionary become tolerant of others’
become reverent disciple of Jesus beliefs

AIMS OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION – Highlight those items that relate to the planned activities
Religious Education in the early years
aims to provide students with the
opportunity to discover God in people
and creation by:
Experiencing the created environment,
using all of their senses
Expressing basic ideas about the created
environment in which they live
Sorting and classifying living and non-living
things
Identifying signs of God’s creation
Wondering at what God who created their
world is like
Developing an awareness that by caring
for living and non-living things they are
living as God wants
Discovering things about themselves
Identifying significant others
Religious Education in the early years
aims to provide students with the
opportunity to draw on human
experiences of God by:
Identifying the many gifts that God has
given them
Reflecting on experiences of family, love,
care, forgiveness and community
Exploring a range of human interactions
Demonstrating socialisation into the early
years community
Reflecting on experiences of play and
work, likes and dislikes, belonging and
celebrations
Wondering at God in the midst of human
experiences.
Religious Education in the early years
aims to provide students with the
opportunity to know Jesus by:
Wondering at the person of Jesus in the
Gospels
Wondering at Jesus’ love for them
Hearing and being immersed in stories
about the life of Jesus
Identifying significant people in the life of
Jesus
Identifying the way that Jesus loved and
cared for people
Engaging in play experiences based on
the stories of Jesus
Responding to stories about Jesus
Exploring and making meaning of
Scripture.
Religious Education in the early years
aims to provide students with the
opportunity to live like Jesus by:
Naming ways that people can show love
and be considerate like Jesus
Identifying ways of including people based
on how Jesus included people
Exploring ways of forgiving like Jesus
Identifying ways of choosing to do good
following the example of Jesus
Wondering at the love that Jesus had for
all people
Using their special gifts to help others
Wondering at the ways they can use their
gifts to help people
Knowing special people who like Jesus
used their gifts to help others in particular
ways

Recognising people and places of – Mary, the mother of Jesus

importance – Joseph
– Some saints (patron saint of the school or
Wondering at all the ways God loves them founding order).
Developing awareness that by caring for
people they are living as God wants.
Religious Education in the early years aims to provide students with the opportunity to develop a basic understanding of Catholic life, prayer and Scripture by:
Knowing that prayer is the way that people develop a relationship with God.
Recognising religious symbols including the cross, liturgical colours and holy water.
Knowing simple ways of praying – making the Sign of the Cross, joining hands in prayer, singing.
Engaging in informal prayer experiences i.e. prayers of praise, thanks, sorrow, petition, spontaneous prayers or through song or movement.
Participating in rituals (e.g. Children’s Liturgy of the Word, having a set process for coming to prayer).
Appreciating the importance of Christmas and Easter as special celebrations for the followers of Jesus.
Developing an awareness that God’s family is called the Church.
Coming to know of the relationship between Jesus and the Father.
Developing an awareness that Jesus came to tell people about God’s love.
Meeting the parish priest and knowing of his role in the Church.
Visiting the parish church and learning of its role as the place that gathers God’s family.
Knowing how God’s family celebrates and experiencing liturgies and other appropriate school activities.
Recognising the Bible as the special book that tells people about God’s love.
Observing, manipulating and retelling Scripture stories using pictures and other objects
Participating in ritual to listen to and respond to Scripture.
 PLANNING OVERVIEW – TERM 3
Year Level Unit Title Salvation Topic Aspect of Human Development
1 We Make Choices Penance Wondering at the creator of the ability to choose.
Overview
This unit will address the following understandings:
In our lives we all make many choices every day, sometimes those are choices we make for ourselves, and occasionally choices are
made for us by the people who care for us (A1.1). Some choices are easy ones to make, however, some choices demand careful
consideration and we can either spend time delving within ourselves for the answer, or looking to those around us to help us make
these important choices (A1.2). We can also spend time wondering at why people choose one thing and not another, or why they may
make choices that are different from our own (A2). The important thing is that we all have the ability to choose, God gave us this ability
because he loves us (A2). God loves us so much that he wants us to be free to make our own choices, and for this we can celebrate
God’s love and be thankful for it (A3).

Jesus shows us one kind of choice when he chose his first four disciples (Mark 1:16-20), he models for us how we can show love to others
by being kind and inclusive to those around us. By learning this Gospel story, and understanding it’s meaning, we can start to use the
lesson to try and live as Jesus did (B1). Jesus wants all people to be his friend and he shows us how we too can choose to treat our
family, friends and the people of our community as God would want (B2).

Sometimes people make choices that don’t show love for one another. Choices can be either loving or unloving and people need to
think carefully about the choices they are making, and how they will affect those around them (C1.1). It can be hard to always make
loving choices, so God has given us the ability to say sorry. God wants us to recognise if we have made an unloving choice and make
penance for those choices (C1.2). When we make loving choices, and when we use our ability to choose we are also living as Jesus
did, and when we continue to make choices that show love for other people we are living as Jesus taught and, therefore, as God
wants (C2, C3).
Key Understandings and Learning Points
A. Wondering at the Creator B. The Promise of Christian Salvation
A1 Wondering at the ability to choose.
A1.1 Explores the types of choices they
make and their reasons for these
choices.
A1.2 Explains and describes a strategy
that may be useful in helping to make
difficult choices.
A2 Wondering at God who created
people with the ability to choose.
A2.1 Expresses wonder at God who
created the ability to choose.
A3 Attribute: God loves us.
A3.1 Celebrates that God loves us.
Links to General Capabilities
Literacy Numeracy ICT
B1 Jesus made choices.
B1.1 Represents the Gospel story in
which Jesus chose the first four
disciples.
B2 Jesus came to help people make
choices.
B2.1 Expresses what the family, class
and school would be like if people
chose to be friends like Jesus.
Critical and Ethical
Creative Thinking behaviour
C. Christian Response
C1 Sometimes people need to say sorry.
C1.1 Identifies choices that show love and do not
show love for others.
C1.2 Recognises that God wants people to say sorry
when they have made the wrong choices.
C2 Jesus wants his followers to use the ability to
choose to show love.
C2.1 Identifies choices followers of Jesus make that
show love for themselves and others.
C3 Continuing to wonder at how people can choose
to love and to say sorry as Jesus taught.
C3.1 Reviews and expresses what they have learned
throughout the unit.
Personal Competency Intercultural
Understanding
LEARNING AND TEACHING PROGRAM
Week Lesson 1 Lesson 2 Lesson 3 Lesson 4 Lesson 5

A1.1 Explores the A1.2 Explains and A1.2 Explains and A2.1 Expresses wonder at A3.1 Celebrates that God
1 types of choices they describes a strategy describes a strategy that God who created the loves us.
make and their that may be useful in may be useful in helping ability to choose. Mat Session
reasons for these helping to make to make difficult choices. Mat Session Class discussion.
choices. difficult choices. Mat Session Ask…“What choices do Ask… “I wonder what life
Mat Session Mat Session Brainstorm some of the you think God would want would be like if no-one could
Ask… “What choices Read The Very choices they can make. us to make?” make any choices?”
do you make during Cranky Bear by Nic Activity “What must God, who Lead towards: God lets us
the day?” Bland. Discuss choices Groups of 3. created us to be able to make choices because he
Brainstorm ideas. made in book. Construct a poster make choices, be like?” loves us.
Activity Activity depicting the choices that Activity Activity
Think, pair, share: As a class apply the may be made for one Complete and illustrate the Children write down some
choices made today. STAMP strategy (see situation from the following sentence: I think choices they would like to
Community circle: appendix 3) to The brainstorm using the God must be… thank God for.
one choice that Very Cranky Bear STAMP strategy (see Compile work into class Big Conclusion
someone who cares (Modelling Lesson). appendix 3). Book of Wonder. Closing Prayer- Children place
for them makes for *English *English *English ‘choices’ in a thank you bowl
them. Conclusion Conclusion ** Visual Art and say out loud one choice
Conclusion Closing Prayer- Students present their Closing they are thankful for. (Let
Closing Prayer- Choosing to Thank strategy to the class. Read out 3 children’s children know that these slips
Choosing Prayer, God, Page 25 (see Learner Diversity sentences for the others to will be read and put together
Page 23 (see appendix 2). Extend/Support- Choose consider. in a ‘Thankyou Garden’
appendix 1). Learner Diversity groups of mixed ability, Learner Diversity display.)
Learner Diversity Extend/Support- be students are supporting Extend- Students can add Learner diversity
Extend- Ask to careful to choose and extending each a ‘because’ element to Extend/Support- Students can
consider, why? different students for other. their sentence. choose to write or draw their
Support- Prompt to discussion who had Support- Scribe for those thankful choices. Students
make sure an answer not participated in who cannot express their can also choose to verbalise
is ready. last brainstorm. ideas in writing. them or not.
Diagnostic Assessment
A1.1- Use slips collected from Lesson 5 and record on the checklist (see appendix 9) whether child understands what choices are and can
express at least one choice they can make.
Key:
M(Meeting) N(Not Meeting) W(working towards)
For those that are ‘not meeting’ make time throughout the next lessons to have conversations about choices with the child. Children need to
understand the concept of what a choice is in order to successfully move through the unit.
 B1.1 Represents the B1.1 Represents the B2.1 Expresses what the B2.1 Expresses what the B2.1 Expresses what the family,
2 Gospel story in which Gospel story in which family, class and school family, class and school class and school would be like
Jesus chose the first Jesus chose the first would be like if people would be like if people if people chose to be friends
four disciples. four disciples. chose to be friends like chose to be friends like like Jesus.
Mat Session Mat Session Jesus. Jesus. Mat Session
Read Mark 1:16-20 Revise Mark 1:16-20. Mat Session Mat Session Bring out yesterday’s
(see appendix 4). Think-pair-share- talk Ask… “How do you think Listen…. brainstorm. Recap.
Ask… “Why might about the story, what Jesus would treat his https://www.youtube.com/ Activity
Jesus have chosen happened? family?” watch?time_continue=2&v Students draw a picture of
these friends?” Activity “What is family like when =EcXURC_nNhc themselves on a puzzle piece
Discuss. In groups create a we choose to be friends?” Activity and underneath it write how
Activity simple drama to Discuss. Ask… “What would the the class and school is better
Children illustrate the represent how Jesus Activity class and school be like if when they choose to be
story and write a asked people to be Children create everyone chose to be friends like Jesus.
caption in response his friend. representations of their friends and work together Puzzle pieces can go together
to the key question. Conclusion families from clay. Children like Jesus?” to create a wall display
*English Perform dramas for can show them being Create a ‘Choose to be showing how when we
** Visual Art the rest of the class. together and choosing to friends’ and ‘Don’t choose choose to be friends we all fit
Conclusion Ask… “How does it be kind to one another like to be friends’ T chart. together better.
Mindful meditation- feel when someone Jesus. Take photos on the Conclusion *English
Light a candle in the chooses you to be iPad to record. Ask everyone to think of Conclusion
middle of a circle their friend?” *English one way that the class and Sit together in front of the
and as the children Discuss ** Visual Art school is better when class puzzle and fill in self-
look at the candle Learner Diversity Conclusion everyone chooses to be reflection forms.
they can reflect on Extend/Support- Finish this sentence. friends like Jesus. Closing prayer- Making
whom they choose Choose groups of Ask… “I choose to be like Listen to song again while Choices, page 41 (see
as their friends. mixed ability, students Jesus by …” students reflect. appendix 5).
Learner Diversity are supporting and Learner Diversity Learner Diversity Learner Diversity
Extend- Students can extending each Extend- Question children Extend- Ask students to Extend- Add a ‘because’
add the types of other. No student is to think deeper, why? share their reflections. element to their writing.
friends they would forced to perform, it is Support- Be sensitive to Support- Quiet reflection is Support- Scribe for students
choose. only encouraged as a different family concepts a method of supporting who cannot express their
Support- Scribe. safe place. in the class. students. ideas in writing.
Formative Assessment
B2.1- Use sentence finisher conclusion in lesson 3 (along with general observation of lesson) to gauge where students understanding is. Take notes
on the checklist about their understanding and mark the students who will need extra attention in the last two lessons of the week.

B2.1- Self-reflection forms about how they would feel if everyone chose to be friends like Jesus. Also mark on the checklist.
 C1.1 Identifies C1.2 Recognises that C2.1 Identifies choices C3.1 Reviews and C3.1 Reviews and expresses
3 choices that show God wants people to followers of Jesus make expresses what they have what they have learned
love and do not show say sorry when they that show love for learned throughout the throughout the unit.
love for others. have made the themselves and others. unit. Mat Session
Mat Session wrong choice. Mat Session/Activity Mat Session Each group tells the class the
Read The Very Mat Session Use ‘Lucky Dip Choices’ Review one thing everyone choice they have chosen for
Cranky Bear by Nic Brainstorm all the (see appendix 7). Children has learned using “I am, I their mural and why.
Bland good things people are invited to pick a slip of have” game. Activity
Identify the choices can do once they paper out of a bag. Class Activity Finish off murals and put them
the characters made have done wrong. decides if what is written In groups children choose on display.
that were loving and Talk with the children on the slip is a loving or one of the loving choices **Visual Art
those that weren’t. about God wanting unloving choice. Choices picked out of the bag Conclusion
Activity people to say sorry. that are loving are kept, yesterday. Students use Sit together facing the art we
In groups, construct a Activity those that are unloving paint on butchers paper to have just created.
retell comic strip of Children write ways to are torn up and thrown create a mural depicting: We Make Choices: A Prayer
the characters show they are sorry away. 1. Someone making this Service (see appendix 8).
making loving on leaf templates. Conclusion good choice
choices. Conclusion Discuss… When we make 2. Someone feeling good
*English Children place their loving choices we because of the loving
Conclusion leaf on a friendship become closer to God choice.
Each group can tree one at a time who loves us. 3. God loving everyone
share their comic and say “God help Learner Diversity because of the good
with the class. me make choices Support- No child is put on choices they are making.
Class prayer- Thinking that are loving”. the spot, the whole class **Visual Art
of Others, page 41 Learner Diversity supports and discusses Conclusion
(see appendix 6). Support- Scribe for ideas. Gallery walk of work done
Learner Diversity students who cannot so far.
Extend/Support- express their ideas in Learner Diversity
Groups based on writing. Extend/Support- Choose
ability. Teacher can groups of mixed ability,
extend and support students are supporting
whole groups. and extending each other.
Formative Assessment
C3.1- Observe and interview each student during mural making.
Key questions:
1. What good choice are you painting this person making?
2. How does it make others feel when you make loving/unloving choices? Why do they feel like this?
3. What can you do if you make an unloving choice?
4. What kind of choices does God want you to make?
Record conversations and use checklist to mark students achievement. Address gaps in knowledge before final test. Use key from A.
Summative Assessment
Children complete a test to assess their knowledge and understanding of the content covered.
Test will be written to assess the following specific outcomes:
A1.1 Explores the types of choices they make and their reasons for these choices.
A1.2 Explains and describes a strategy that may be useful in helping to make difficult choices.
B1.1 Represents the Gospel story in which Jesus chose the first four disciples.
B2.1 Expresses what the family, class and school would be like if people chose to be friends like Jesus.
C1.1 Identifies choices that show love and do not show love for others.
C1.2 Recognises that God wants people to say sorry when they have made the wrong choices.
C2.1 Identifies choices followers of Jesus make that show love for themselves and others.

(see appendix 10 for full test).

Links for integration into other learning areas

* English ** Visual Arts
Language Making
Explore different ways of expressing emotions, including verbal, visual, body Exploration of, and experimentation with, the visual art elements of shape,
language and facial expressions (ACELA1787) colour, line, space and texture (ACAVAM106)

Understand how to spell one and two syllable words with common letter
patterns (ACELA1778) Exploration of different materials, media and/or technologies, when creating
artwork (ACAVAM107)
Recognise that texts are made up of words and groups of words that make
meaning (ACELA1434) Display of artwork (ACAVAM108)

Explore the different contribution of words and images to meaning in stories

and informative texts (ACELA1786) Responding
Appreciation of different types of artwork, and where and how it is displayed
Recognise that sentences are key units for expressing ideas (ACELA1435) (ACAVAR109

Know how to read and write some high-frequency words and other familiar Personal opinions, feelings and ideas about artwork they view and make
words (ACELA1817) (ACAVAR109)

Understand that words are units of meaning and can be made of more than
one meaningful part (ACELA1818)

Literature
Retell familiar literary texts through performance, use of illustrations and
images (ACELT1580)

Recognise that texts are created by authors who tell stories and share
experiences that may be similar or different to students' own
experiences (ACELT1575)

Share feelings and thoughts about the events and characters in

texts (ACELT1783)

Identify some features of texts including events and characters and retell
events from a text (ACELT1578)

Literacy
Create short imaginative and informative texts that show emerging use of
appropriate text structure, sentence-level grammar, word choice, spelling,
punctuation and appropriate multimodal elements, for example illustrations
and diagrams (ACELY1661)

Write using unjoined lower case and upper case letters (ACELY1663)

Construct texts that incorporate supporting images using software

including word processing programs (ACELY1664)

Engage in conversations and discussions, using active listening behaviours,

showing interest, and contributing ideas, information and
questions (ACELY1656)

Use interaction skills including turn-taking, recognising the contributions of

others, speaking clearly and using appropriate volume and pace (ACELY1788)

Make short presentations using some introduced text structures and language,
for example opening statements (ACELY1657)