Springfield, Virginia, October 14, 2024
Photo: oca.org
The Orthodox Church in America’s Department of Christian Education has released the first five lessons of a new comprehensive school-age curriculum, “Blessed is the Kingdom,” for Preschool, Kindergarten through Second grade, and Third through Fifth grade.
Middle and High School lessons will be released later.
Based on themes from the “Essential Orthodox Christian Beliefs,” the curriculum uses the Divine Liturgy as a framework to present key Orthodox doctrines and practices, enabling a parish-wide coordinated educational program, reports the OCA.
Author Kelly Potteiger is creating this series using the format of previous successful lessons. Fr. Thomas Soroka, Project Manager for the OCA Departments, notes this as a needed step in developing new Church School material, responding to requests for fresh, interactive lessons.
The lessons emphasize scripture and liturgical texts, provide clear instructions for teachers, and are scripted to assist novice teachers. They are designed to be highly interactive, using questions, activities, and crafts to engage young students effectively.
All the published lessons are available here.
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