Grade 4 – Curriculum

Unit 1 – The Goodness of God

Theme – All of our moral teaching stems from the fact that we learn goodness from God, who is the perfect good. God is revealed through creation and through the people of God in the Old and New Testaments.

Chapter 1 – God’s Goodness

· Realize that God created the world

· Understand that God first reveals himself through the Trinity

· Describe how we respect and care for God’s creation

· Praise God with a blessing prayer

Chapter 2 – Praise and Thanksgiving

· Name special gifts that God has given us

· Learn the Scripture story of the Last Supper

· Explain ways Jesus Christ is present in the Mass

· Understand that at Mass, we give thanks and praise to God, especially for the gift of Jesus

Chapter 3 – The Commandments and God’s Covenant

· Recognize that our relationship with God is based on the first three commandments

· Explore ways to respond to the presence of God in our lives

· Learn the Ten Commandments

Chapter 4 – Our Father in Heaven

· Learn how Jesus taught us to pray

· Discover how prayer leads us towards God’s kingdom

· Understand the meaning of the Lord’s Prayer. This prayer leads us towards the kingdom of God

Unit 2 – Jesus Is the Son of God

Theme – Jesus Christ is a perfect image of God, sent to show us divine goodness and human potential for good.

Chapter 5 – Jesus, the Image of God

· Understand that Jesus, our role model, was both human and divine

· Learn that sacrifice is part of the Christian way of life

· Explore ways of following the example of Jesus Christ

Chapter 6 – Baptism in Christ

· Realize the significance of the gift of Baptism

· Understand our call to live Christian lives

· Celebrate the life, death, and resurrection of Christ

Chapter 7 – The Commandments and the Beatitudes

· Understand why Jesus wants us to follow the Ten Commandments

· Learn the Beatitudes from Matthew’s Gospel

· Discover ways to live out the Beatitudes

Chapter 8 – Thy Kingdom Come

· Identify that we are a part of the kingdom of God, especially during Mass

· Realize that we are called to live holy lives

· Explore how worldly justice and Godly justice differ

· Pray for the coming of God’s kingdom

Unit 3 – The Holy Spirit

Theme – Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit to be our guide and our source of strength as we keep out eye on the Kingdom of God and our responsibility to proclaim it to all.

Chapter 9 – The Holy Spirit Guides Us

· Learn about Pentecost and the Holy Trinity

· Recognize the gift of the Holy Spirit that guides us and forgives us

· Explore ways to lead lives that reflect God’s goodness

Chapter 10 – Confirmed in the Spirit

· Understand the special link between Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist

· Learn about the Sacrament of Confirmation and the gifts of the Spirit

· Suggest ways to use the gifts of the Spirit in everyday life

Chapter 11 – The Commandments and the Law of Love

· Learn the fourth through sixth commandments

· Understand that following the commandments leads to a happy life with God

· Name ways Christians show love for people

Chapter 12 – Thy Will Be Done

· Learn that Mary, Jesus’ mother, accepted God’s will in her life

· Understand that Jesus taught by example, how to accept the will of God

· Identify ways in which we can help others

Unit 4 – The Church

Theme – Our moral lives are lived primarily through the Christian community, where we are both inspired and supported. Our relationship with God is strengthened through the sacraments.

Chapter 13 – Sacraments in the Church

· Apply what we know about the seven sacraments to the moral life of the Church

· Learn how the Church carries out Christ’s mission in the world

· Identify ways in which the sacraments nourish and strengthen us

Chapter 14 – The Sacrament of Reconciliation

· Learn about the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick

· Understand the gift of the sacrament of Reconciliation

· Review the steps in receiving the sacrament of Reconciliation

Chapter 15 – The Commandments and Forgiveness

· Learn the meaning of conscience and how it is formed and developed

· Understand that sin separates us from God and each other

· Examine ways to be reconciling and forgiving

Chapter 16 – Forgive Us Our Trespasses

· Use Bible readings to reflect on God’s mercy and forgiveness

· Name ways Christians share God’s forgiveness with others

· Learn how God’s peace and forgiveness is celebrated through liturgy

Unit 5 – Social Justice

Theme – Morality in its fullest sense extends to our responsibilities in a wider context than our own lives and families. God’s justice is advanced through a caring community.

Chapter 17 – Our Vocation to the World

· Know that Christians have a responsibility to help the poor and suffering in the world

· Identify vocations that allow us to serve one another

· Explore ways in which we may determine our possible vocations

Chapter 18 – The Eucharist

· Learn about the Last Supper and its link to the Eucharist

· Discuss ways in which the Eucharist is central to our faith

· Understand the priest’s role in the liturgy and in the parish community

Chapter 19 – The New Commandment and the Works of Mercy

· Respect others and share what we have with one another

· Learn the corporal and spiritual works of mercy

· Identify ways we can take care of the needs of others

Chapter 20 – Deliver Us from Evil

· Learn to appreciate the power of prayer

· Explore ways to work for justice and peace in the world today

· Learn how prayer helps us bring God’s love to others

Other Activities

** Advent

· Learn more about ourselves, others, and Jesus

· Understand that Advent is a time of waiting and preparing

· Come to know the Jesus of history, mystery, and majesty

** Christmas

· Discuss their experiences of Christmas in relation to family and to Jesus

· Celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Light of the World

· Look at the many traditions of Christmas in the world and in the Church

** Saints

· Realize that our choices in thought, word, and deed can make us saints of today

· Learn about the life of Saint Martin de Porres

· Appreciate the sacrifices that were made in the past to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ

** Lent

· Realize that Jesus is always there for us as we make our journey through life

· Understand that Lent is the church season in which we recall Jesus’ sacrifices and anticipate new life

· Remember Jesus’ journey to Calvary by praying the Way of the Cross

** Holy Week

· Commemorates the events of Jesus’ Passion, death, and Resurrection

· Understand that the Church waits on Holy Saturday for the Risen Christ

· Recognize the Easter Vigil as a celebration of the Resurrection

** Easter

· Relate experiences of joy and celebration to the Easter joy

· Celebrate the meaning of Easter, the Church’s greatest feast

· Understand the new life in Christ that comes with every Easter

** Holy Days

· Recognize that the Holy Spirit has been given to them as a helper

· Realize that the Holy Spirit was sent by God at Pentecost to guide the Church

· Understand that Pentecost celebrates and reminds us of the birthday of the Church

** Mary

· Recognize that Mary wants us to depend on her

· Learn about the Magnificat, Mary’s song of praise

· Develop a relationship with Mary, the Mother of God

** Holy People

· Recognize the people we admire in our lives and why

· Know Mother Teresa and the role of holy men and women in the Church

· Grow in awareness of our need to be involved in positively influencing others by imitating Christ