Planning Documents

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Early Childhood
University of Notre Dame
Student Name: Emily Ferraro
Student Number: 20162785
 Early Years Learning Framework
Secure, respectful and reciprocal
relationships
Responsiveness to
Holistic approaches
children
1. Children have a strong sense of
identity
1.1 Children feel safe, secure and
supported
1.2 Children develop their
emerging autonomy, inter-
dependence, resilience and sense of
agency
1.3 Children develop
knowledgeable and confident self-
identities
1.4 Children learn to interact in
relation to others with care,
empathy and respect
Partnerships
Learning through
Intentional teaching
play
2. Children are connected with and
contribute to their world
2.1 Children develop a sense of
belonging to groups and
communities and an understanding
of the reciprocal rights and
responsibilities necessary for active
community participation
2.2 Children respond to diversity
with respect
2.3 Children become aware of
fairness
2.4 Children become socially
responsible and show respect for
the environment
High expectations and equity
Learning
environments
3. Children have a strong sense of
wellbeing
3.1 Children become string in their
social and emotional wellbeing
3.2 Children take increasing
responsibility for their own health
and physical wellbeing
Respect for diversity
Cultural competence
4. Children are confident and
involved learners
4.1 Children develop dispositions
for learning such as curiosity,
cooperation, confidence, creativity,
commitment, enthusiasm,
persistence, imagination and
reflexivity
4.2 Children develop a range of
skills and processes such as
problem solving, enquiry,
experimentation, hypothesising,
researching and investigating
4.3 Children transfer and adapt
what they have learned from one
context to another
4.4 Children resource their own
learning through connecting with
people, place, technologies and
natural and processed materials
Ongoing learning and reflective
practice
Continuity of
Assessment for
learning and
learning
transitions
5. Children are effective
communicators
5.1 Children interact verbally and
non-verbally with others for a range
of purposes
5.2 Children engage with a range of
texts and gain meaning from these
texts
5.3 Children express ideas and
make meaning using a range of
media
5.4 Children begin to understand
how symbols and pattern systems
work
5.5 Children use information and
communication technologies to
access information, investigate
ideas and represent their thinking
 Aims of Religious Education
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
Recognising people and places of
importance
Wondering at all the ways God loves
them
Developing awareness that by caring
for people they are living as God
wants.
Highlight items that relate to the planned activities.
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 Religious Education in the early
years aims to provide students with years aims to provide students with
the opportunity to know Jesus by: the opportunity to live like Jesus
Wondering at the person of Jesus in by:
the Gospels Naming ways that people can show
Wondering at Jesus’ love for them love and be considerate like Jesus
Hearing and being immersed in stories Identifying ways of including people
based on how Jesus included people
about the life of Jesus
Exploring ways of forgiving like Jesus
Identifying significant people in the
Identifying ways of choosing to do
life of Jesus
good following the example of Jesus
Identifying the way that Jesus loved
Wondering at the love that Jesus had
and cared for people
for all people
Engaging in play experiences based
on the stories of Jesus Using their special gifts to help others
Responding to stories about Jesus Wondering at the ways they can use
Exploring and making meaning of their gifts to help people
Scripture. Knowing special people who like
Jesus used their gifts to help others in
particular ways
– Mary, the mother of Jesus
– Joseph
– Some saints (patron saint of the
school or founding order).
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. (Formal Assessment).
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.
 EARLY CHILDHOOD RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAM
YEAR: Kindergarten THEME: Rain/Water Cycle
OVERVIEW: This unit explores rain and the water cycle. Over three weeks, children will explore the human experience, links to Jesus and the implementation into
Catholic life. Children will explore their own experiences of rain and rainy days during the first week. They will also look at the ways that they interact with water in
their everyday lives. Once children have explored their own connections to the concept, they will examine Jesus and his relationship with rain and water. Children can
come to know Jesus by learning about his Baptism, the story of his first miracle during the Wedding at Cana and how he calmed the storm. Children will also explore
ways that Jesus used water in his life and how this may be similar or different to how the ways they have established that they use water. In the final week of this unit,
children will focus on the inclusion of water in Catholic practices through exploring Baptism and blessings.

Children will have also already explored the units ‘I Am Me,’ ‘Family,’ Lent/Easter and ‘Growing and Changing’ and will therefore have some background knowledge
on who they are, where they belong, new life, creation and growth. These concepts will provide a foundation for the children to participate in the rain/water cycle unit.
Children will also know about rain from the class weather station which will be reviewed each day. This unit will present children with key understandings which will
assist them in the next unit which will investigate oceans and rivers.
Ideas for Wonder God in People and Human Experiences of Catholic Practices –
Knowing Jesus Living Like Jesus
Questions Creation God Prayer Experiences
Let the Little Children Let the Little Children Let the Little Children Let the Little Children Let the Little Children Let the Little Children
Come to Me: Come to Me: Come to Me: Come to Me: Come to Me: Come to Me:
• I wonder why it • Measure puddles • Share family • Tell the story of • Visit a church to • Prayers of Thanks
rains? and time how long experiences of Jesus calming the look at the – thank you
• I wonder how God they take to doing things in the storm. Baptismal Font. prayers for rain.
knows to send rain evaporate. rain. • Tell the story of the • Discuss how we use • Prayers of Petition
to water the • Explore rainbows • Share things we Wedding at Cana. water in Church for asking God for
plants? as a sign of God’s like doing in the Baptism and rain in places
• I wonder where love. rain. blessing. where there is
rain comes from? • Tell the story on • Wonder how we drought, asking
• I wonder where Noah’s Ark. Make can help people God for rain for
rain goes? rainbows in water who don’t have the farmers.
with oil. enough water in • Demonstrate how
• Create sensory their country and we bless ourselves
experiences of who cannot grow with holy water as
raindrops. their crops. we make the Sign
• Discuss caring for of the Cross.
our waterways.
• Explore ways of
saving water.
Additional Thoughts: Additional Thoughts: Additional Thoughts: Additional Thoughts: Additional Thoughts: Additional Thoughts:
• I wonder why • Exploring coloured • Sharing of what we • Role play of Jesus’ • Wondering about • Exploring when
some places get rice and use water for in our Baptism in the where holy water blessings happen
more rain than experiencing the daily lives. River Jordan. comes from. in the Church and
others? melting process. • Exploring what • Children learn and • Baptism Godly why.
• I wonder what • Eye dropper art. happens to nature make actions to play.
would happen if • Recording the after it rains. match the lyrics of
the rain ran out? rainfall in a moth. the ‘Splish Splash’
• I wonder if there is song by Mary Rice
a place in the Hopkins.
world where it
doesn’t rain?

Religious Capabilities Spiritual Capabilities

Faith – wonder about Temperance –
God who makes rain, being joyful for the
thank God for sending Hope Charity Prudence Justice Fortitude rain, to look at
rain, exploring Jesus’ ways of saving
own Baptism. water.
Catholic World View and Teacher Witness
Pope Francis’ World Water Day 2019 address centred on appreciating water as a precious natural resource and working together with communities to conserve it. The
Pope also calls the Church to use water respectfully in their own lives and to care for plants and animals by providing them with water. In Laudato Si (2015) the Pope
highlights water as a sign of replenishment, an earthly resource that humans can use but must not exploit. Pope Francis proceeds to mention that an injustice against water
or any other earthly resource is an injustice against God himself. Laudato Si proclaims that water is essential to human life and therefore every human person should
have access to clean water.

In my own life, I have experienced rain and water in many ways. When I was younger, I experienced running in the rain and feeling the joy of nature all around me. I
use water in my everyday life in many ways including for drinking, bathing and washing clothes. I have attended Baptisms before and seen water used to cleanse. I bless
myself with holy water every time I enter a church so much so that it has become something I don’t even have to think about anymore.
 LEARNING AND TEACHING PROGRAM
Evaluation and
Colour Code Lesson One Lesson Two Lesson Three Lesson Four Lesson Five
Assessment
Guess What I’m
Experience Think-
Human Describing Game
Pair-Share ‘Who Likes Rain?’ by
Experience The educator uses
Children engage in a Wong Herbert Yee
adjectives, letter
think-pair-share about This text examines how
sounds, rhymes for the
their experiences of We Need Water Sort to dress for rainy
word and situations to ‘The Rainy Day
what they do when it Children think of all the weather and which Sensory chart
Knowing describe rain and the Game’
rains (stay inside or ways we use water animals like the rain. work sample
about Jesus children try and guess Children watch this
outside, what they wear every day and take
what is being described. Peppa Pig episode and
and what they see). turns sorting cards into Drip, Drop We need water
discuss the part of it
true and false groups Children listen to and card sort
Sensory Chart that they relate to the
‘Rain’ by Peter Spier using a Random Name learn the ‘Drip, Drop’ anecdotal notes
Children work with most.
The educator and Generator. rhyme and act out the
each other and the
Understanding students explore this lyrics.
educator to create a
of Catholic life wordless text and
looks like, feels like
reflect on their own
and tastes like chart for
experiences.
rain.
Mystery Bag Jesus Calms the
Splish, Splash Jesus’ Baptism
Human A drawstring bag is Storm Soundscape
Jesus-Water Children listen to and Children get into a Photo taken of
Experience passed around the circle The educator children
Association learn the song ‘Splish, comfortable position, Jesus-water
and children remove musical instruments
Using a photo of Jesus, Splash’ by Mary Rice close their eyes and association with
story prompt items which they are to play
children classify all the Hopkins which explores listen to the educator annotations
from it (bottle of water, at times throughout the
ways that Jesus used the stories relating to tell the story of Jesus’
dolls wedding dress, story. The educator tells
water using pictures water in the Bible. Baptism. The educator Video recording
play food). the story of Jesus
Knowing and separate them from Children listen to the assigns children in the of Jesus calming
calming the storm and
about Jesus some fib cards that are song again and come up class with roles and the the storm
Godly Play the children play their
included. with actions for each story is retold soundscape
The educator performs assigned instruments at
lines of lyrics. dramatically.
a Godly Play story of their aforementioned
 the Wedding Feast at cue (the educator can
Cana incorporating the point at children who
Understanding
items from the mystery have forgotten).
of Catholic life
bag.

Holy Water
Human Discussion
Chant Circle Prayer
Experience Children engage in a
Church Visit The educator creates a
partner share sitting in
The educator takes the beat using a drum or
concentric circles. They Petitions
class visits the local claves. Children go
take time to think about Children think about Video recorded
church and parish around the circle
their response to the someone in their life of chant circle
Godly Play priest. The educator chanting water to the
educator’s question. who needs water and prayer to be
Knowing The educator performs demonstrates blessing beat. Once ‘water’ has
They then turn to the they orally recite a shared at class
about Jesus a Godly Play story themselves with holy been passed around the
person sitting across petition prayer asking ritual
about Baptism. This water and has the circle once, the
from them and take God to bless the person
includes the words, children do the same. educator models saying
turns speaking and e.g. Dear God, please Anecdotal notes
actions and symbols. Children explore the a prayer thanking God
listening. After each bless my Mum who of holy water
baptismal font as ask for water and the
question, the outside needs water to wash the discussion
the parish priest any children go around the
Understanding circle gets up and plates.
questions they have circle doing the same
of Catholic life moves one space to the
about water or Baptism. while the beat is kept
left to get ready to share
constant.
the next question with a
new partner.

Physical
• Children use their bodies
to become raindrops and
behave like them.
CONCEPT: Rain/Water Cycle TERM: 3 WEEKS: 1-3
• What happens if it rains
and we don’t have a
raincoat discussion.
• Jumping in rain puddles.
• Creating the water cycle
using body movements.
• Touching water and
sharing how it feels with
others.
Social/ Emotional
• How do rainy days make
us feel? (Happy, sad,
scared, excited).
• Creating a rain scene as a
whole class.
• Taking turns to use the
drink fountain social story.
• Children pass a container
with water in it around in a
circle and attempt to not
spill anything.
DOMAINS OF
DEVELOPMENT
Spiritual/ Moral
• Looking for any signs of water wastage
and stopping them.
• Sharing water out from a large source
into equal amounts for all the children
in a small group.
• Collecting waste water for the garden.
• Rain fact/fib cards where children must
sort the facts from the fibs.
• Water saving puppet show.
• Good daily water use role play.
• Appointing water monitors whose job it
is to report any leaks or water spills to
the teacher during water activities.
• Following water restrictions in the
classroom and in the playground.
Creative/Aesthetic
• Glitter glue art created to
resemble rain drops.
• Watercolour art where
shapes are painted and
pressed onto paper.
• Water and oil art where
paint and cooking oil are
added to water and paper
is placed on top to make a
print.
• Painting a picture
reflecting the way water
moves.
• Children paint and
decorate a raindrop shape
for their parent using
glitter, stickers and paint.
Cognitive/ Language
• Learning the words that
describe each part of the water
cycle.
• Children sing the ‘It’s Raining,
Raining, Raining’ song.
• Children sing and act out the
‘Umbrella Song.’
• Children learn the names of the
colours in the rainbow in order
by remembering ‘ROYGBIV’.
 LEARNING CENTRE
CONSTRUCTIVE PLAY (BLOCKS) PLAN MANIPULATIVES
• Creating a rain shelter from ©The University of Notre Dame 2010 developed by C McGunnigle • Making a rainbow necklace
blocks. using coloured beads threaded
• Making boats that can float in Week 1 to Week 3 onto string.
the water trolley. • Making and manipulating
• Making rain clothes out of cloud dough.
INVESTIGATION TABLE
newspaper. • Putting loose parts in water
• Water small world play with stones, sticks and
• Making a boat using recycled and seeing if they change.
leaves.
materials. • Exploring and making music
• Sorting items that float and don’t float.
with the rain shaker.
• Ice and rice play, exploring what happens when ice
melts.
• Exploring differences between cold and warm water.
• Adding sugar to water and watching what happens. COLLAGE
PAINTING • Exploring blue items that can
• Using water, dishwashing be used for water (blue velour,
ICT
liquid and paint to create blue mesh, blue ink etc.)
• Plant Nanny app to determine how much water you
bubble art. should drink in a day. • Using cotton wool and blue
• Creating a watercolour paint to make rain clouds.
• Sink or Float game where child drag objects to the
artwork of a rainy day. correct side of the screen. • Using craft items and natural
• Children paint a rainbow materials to create a symbol
• Using Pic Collage to make a rainy day picture.
picture with themselves in it. for each part of the water
• Making a Book Creator about what you do on rainy
• Using an eye dropper to place cycle.
days.
Edicol dye on paper and then
dropping water on top and
swirling to create art.
BOOK CORNER
DRAWING / WRITING CENTRE
• Exploring books about the rain e.g. ‘Who Likes
DRAMATIC PLAY • Drawing a way that you use
Rain?’ by Wong Herbert Yee, ‘Rain’ by Peter Spier,
• Home corner play with ‘water water every day.
‘The Rain Came Down’ by David Shannon and ‘Big
watchers’ whose job it is to • Writing a sentence rain e.g.
Rain Coming’ by Katrina Germein.
stop water wastage. Emily likes rain.
• Creating a rain scene in the book corner using blue
• Dress ups using rain coats, • Drawing the water cycle using
streamers and plastic wind twisters.
gumboots, rain hats, and warm a poster example.
clothes.

CLIMBING AREAS
• Pretending to climb the
fireman’s ladder to put out
the fire.
• Climbing to escape from
‘rising’ waters.
• Exploring what happens
when water is dropped from
up high rather than from an
average height.
MAT PLAY
• Water marker drawings.
• ‘Fishing’ in a plastic container
filled with water where
children have to catch
laminated fish with metal clips
on them using a fishing rod
with a magnet on the end.
• Children put water beads in
water and watch them expand,
when they have expanded
children can use them for
sensory play.
ART/CRAFT TABLE
• Using water and natural materials to
make nature paint.
• Making water and glitter shakers.
• Clay cookie cutter art using water to
shape clay.
OUTDOOR PLAY CREATIVE PLAY
• Children create a raindrop
shape pressing using blue oil
pastels in varying shades.
Week 1 to Week 3 • Children use dot stickers to
create a rainy day in nature
picture.
SAND and WATER PLAY • Children cut out images from
• Making mud pies by mixing water and soil. magazines to create a rain
• Making sand sculptures for a water art gallery. mood board.
• Exploring making holes in sand using different
quantities of water and different pouring containers.
• Making a shower in the sand pit using a bucket, rope
and sticks. INVESTIGATION
• Collecting rainwater over a
month.
• Plant growth comparison
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT (watered vs not watered).
• Caring for creation by watering plants in the • Exploring what happens to
playground. rain when it hits different
• Making sure the hose and sprinklers are turned off surfaces (soil, cement, wood,
during rainy weather. grass etc.)
• Caring for the class vegetable garden by watering it • What happens to water when
when needed and also protecting it from too much it is heated up (ADULT
rain. PRESENT).
BIKE PLAY
• Children create a ‘car wash’ on the
CHILDREN’S INTERESTS/FUTURE lawn for the bikes.
PLANNING
• Using bikes to transport water around
• Shallow wading pool in summer months
the playground.
(ADULT PRESENT).
• Water trolley kept outside with some
small world items and image prompt
cards.
PLANNED ASSESSMENT - One formal assessment that links to a key understanding or learning point, develops higher
order thinking skills and comprehensively assesses student learning.

The following formal assessment is based on the aim about children engaging in informal prayer services. Children explore
two different types of prayer in this unit; thanking prayers and petition prayers. In this lesson, children have been asked to
formulate a petition prayer asking God to bless someone in their lives who needs water. An observation checklist will record
whether or not the child can orally recite a petition prayer and has room for any additional observations or comments.

Legend: ü = Can recite a petition prayer l = Can’t recite a petition prayer

Name: Can recite a petition prayer? Comments:

BOOTH, Owen Asks for God to bless his dog who needs water to
ü drink.

McDONALD, Jemima
ü Asks for water to wash her hair.

STRICKLAND, Charlie Thanks God for making it rain (confused types of

l prayer).