Our Virtue Lessons
They aren't fancy, they're just fun!!
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Our Virtue Lessons
Consideration
Courage
Determination
Joyfulness
Kindness
Love
Responsibility
Thankfulness
How to use Our Virtue Lessons
How to Use Our Virtue Lessons?
"A wise teacher makes learning a joy; a rebellious teacher spouts foolishness." -Proverbs 15:2
Our Virtue Lessons are designed to be used one virtue at a time, on a daily basis, over the course of a month for learners K-6. Each of Our Virtue Lesson pages breaks down the resources used by week. View the core components below to see what you can expect from each of Our Virtue Lessons. The Virtue Lesson for Love is used in the example pictures. Some additional resources can be found on the individual virtue pages and we intend to keep adding to these lessons as time marches on. Feel free to use these lessons in a repetitive sequence of every 2-3 years since children will grow and develop a better understanding of the material as they mature.
Core Lesson Components
What
does this virtue mean? Definition sheet
This is a core sheet for Our Virtue Lessons. Get a clear working definition of the virtue with a few examples plus the opportunity to discuss the importance of the virtue. Use the Cut-n-paste piece sheet at the right to bring this virtue sheet to life.
Cut-n-paste Piece (needed for definition sheet above)
Use this sheet with the Definition Sheet above. Simply cut the piece out and glue it on the sheet above after you have defined the virtue together. This helps to solidify the association of the graphic with the virtue. We have created pages with one or two pieces for your convenience. A two piece sheet is shown above.
Virtue
prayer and examples sheet (Provides both positive and negative examples)
This is a core sheet for Our Virtue Lesson. Use this sheet as a starting point for discussions with older children or a reminder list of what positive and negative examples of this virtue might look like for younger children. We must teach our children how and why to recognize the face of sin in order to be able to make a good confession. Review this list weekly or as needed. When stickers are given or taken away from the incentive progress sheet, it is a good idea to perhaps have your child find which example(s) they are following. The prayer provided at the bottom is for daily use and is usually a little bit longer then the prayer provided on the Reinforcement Prayer Cards. There is only so much you can fit on a little card, eh?! :)
Reinforcement Prayer Card
My
favourite part of the program, this little card offers not only a definition
of the virtue, but a few examples and a prayer as well to help remind and
reinforce the virtue being practiced. Simply print it, cut it, and
glue it. Each child should collect their own set. Laminating it
makes it a great resource that they can turn to over and over again
especially in time of weakness. This piece should be given
out at the
very beginning. Daily prayer before school is always a good thing.
Incorporating these prayers into your daily morning or afternoon prayer
helps keep the task of virtue development at the forefront of their
spiritual development.
Virtue
Progress Incentive Sheet
Use this sheet to help track your child's progress and growth in virtue work. Specify the amount of time you will be practicing this virtue then give a sticker when the virtue is positively practiced. Remove a sticker when the virtue is negatively practiced. I allow my children to earn a specific amount daily and we use this chart for the month that we are learning about and practicing a specific virtue. There is no limit for the amount that can be lost in a day. Feel free to adapt for your own uses.
What
does it look like? Sheet
A great sheet for younger learners, reluctant writers or learners who enjoy art, it asks children to demonstrate through art what this virtue may look like to them in their own lives.
Aesop's Fables Story and Copy/Tracework sheet
Chosen for its simple but effective use of parables to teach morality, Aesop's Fables are used as a core in weeks two and three. Trace copywork is provided in both print and cursive styles as a reinforcement. Excellent discussions can happen with such simple stories. Sometimes the stories selected can fit into other virtues as well as the one presented. Feel free to use them again and again. Although most morals are fairly clear cut, there are a few that require thought as to why they were selected as examples for virtues. Sometimes it is because they provide a good example of the month's virtue; other times it is because they are negative examples of the virtue. Having older learners come up with a reason for why the fable was selected is a great exercise and can even be turned into a simple weekly writing assignment. A story sheet and a cursive copywork sheet is shown above.
Aesop's Fables and novel study resources
Reminder
Half-sheet Poster
Use these cute little half-sheets to help children remember to practice their virtues. Once laminated these mini-posters can last for a very long time. Place in the kitchen on cabinets, on bulletin boards in bedrooms, on the back of the bathroom door or wherever it will be seen regularly. We have created pages with one or two posters for your convenience. A two poster sheet is shown above.
Let's
talk about it Sheet
Use this resource as a discussion sheet or as a reflective tool to help children to evaluate their own lives and how this virtue may live in it through what they read, watch, who they interact with, and how they behave.
My Book About ...Review Project
This project for week four asks children to recount what they have learned and gives you, as a parent, a better understanding of the spiritual progress of your child through the creation of a mini-book. Some of the books have accompanying graphics others do not.
Affix these mini-books to any of our My Book Mini-book Keepsake Pages, add the My Book Mini-book Virtue cover and you have a nice reminder of your virtue work.
Other Resources
We have tried to include other resources to Our Virtue Lessons aside from these core materials including but not limited to Bible scripture references, worksheets, learning projects, reading suggestions, activities, and more. We hope you find Our Virtue Lessons a blessing to your homeschool.
A Note on using Our Virtue Lessons
We gladly share these lessons and materials as long as they are not sold or bundled and republished in any form, under any circumstances. See below for more details. We encourage family, homeschool co-op, or CCD Religious Education use of our materials.
These materials have taken many hours to create and graphics and user licenses have been specifically purchased to be able to share these materials online from our website. Please encourage others to come and get their own copy rather than sharing these resources in listservs, e-mailings, or in ways that would not glorify our Lord.
We hope you find these lessons as fun and useful as our family has. There are fiftteen in all and we will post new lessons as they become web-ready. We hope to add a new one monthly until the complete set it available.