Two Great Teachers of the Faith: St. Nicholas of Myra (December 6) and St. Ambrose (December 7)
As Christmas approaches, remember to tell your students not only that Santa Claus is “real,” but that the saintly figure behind the legend is even more of an inspiration than the jolly perennial visitor of mythical renown! On…
Sharing Christmas Memories
You may wish to adapt this short activity to fill-in some extra minutes of class during the final weeks before the Christmas break.
December Days to Honor Mary
Working individually or in small groups, have the students create presentations on either the Feast of the Immaculate Conception or the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe related to what they unearth for understanding Mary.
“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.