Thursday, October 10, 2024

Saints Around the World Extension Activities


If you've been paying attention to good Catholic books for kids over the past few years, I bet you know about Meg Hunter-Kilmer's incredible Saints Around the World. It's an amazing treasury of 100 Saints from... you guessed it- all around the world. The one page biographies use an energetic storytelling style and are accompanied by beautiful, detail rich original illustrations by Lindsey Sanders. So, so many of the Saints and Blessed included aren't the "typical" favorites- there is such variety and originality in the holy men and women that are included. When I say that this book is popular and well read in my classroom, that would be an understatement!


SO, have you heard about the new Saints Around the World for Little Ones Collection? Pulled from the same list and using the same lovely illustrations, Meg rewrote the stories to be just right for younger readers/listeners. These books are sorted into sets of 15 Saints that have something in common, like being young, being adventurous, or being talented.

The books are a little smaller and the paper is nice and sturdy, meaning that sticky toddler fingers or eager page flipping isn't going to damage the book. While I really appreciate the full length book for use with my junior high students, the new collection still includes the pertinent details- date, feast, location, illustration, and a shorter biography, so they are actually still perfectly usable in my classroom (and even make for a nice modification for my lower or struggling readers.)


You can see a side by side comparison of the original book on top with the entry about the same person in the book from the new collection on the bottom:

If you'd like to order the Saints Around the World for Little Ones Collection, or any of the books individually, I have a special discount code for you! You can use code BOGNER10 for 10% off any part of the collection. That code is only good until 10/25/24, so go grab a set now (even if you want to stash it away for Christmas!)

You can find them individually here ($8.95 each) or as a whole set here (on sale right now and if you stack my coupon code, that gets the whole set of six down to $40.46!)


And you know me, you better believe I was going to find a way to use these new resources in my classroom. They also have a lovely map and full set of 100 stickers that match the book (for only $9.99! such a great price!) I decided to make an info sheet (we often call it a mini poster to make it sound fancy) where the students could collect all the pertinent biographical info.

Because of some weird scheduling, I had the opportunity to give one of my 7th grade classes a challenge. With the extra time we had together, could they make 100 mini posters of 100 Saints from all over the world? Could they get it done quickly so that we could hang them up for All Saints Day? And could they work together to share books and be willing to learn about Saints that they weren't familiar with?

With a resounding yes, they were able to! Several other teachers in my school have the original Saints Around the World book in their classrooms, so I was able to borrow several copies. I also made this activity so that I could be completed using either the original book or the shorter books. You can see how I made one poster from each version in the photos above and below. (Again, awesome for future planning activities for students with varying reading levels!)

The students worked hard and loved crossing Saints off the list. They had a major incentive because when they completed a mini poster, they got to go and place the sticker on the map. When all the Saints were in the right spot on the map, we knew that all 100 posters were done. Everyone loves stickers! 

For those who are curious, it took a class of 25 7th graders two 50 minute class periods to do all 100 Saints. But you wouldn't have to use them this way! It could be an individual assignment, a weekly project where you read one story and everyone completes a sheet on the same Saint, a book report to work on for your child at home, etc. Lots of options!


Want to have your students do some research on Saints from around the world? Or give your children at home a little project to work on?

Click here for a pdf to download and print

OR click here for an editable Google Slide that students could complete digitally

If you're doing this as a class project, or if your family would like to keep track of the Saints you've studied, here's a list that you can check off. (This was absolutely necessary when I had a whole class making posters- I had the list up on the smartboard and we crossed off each Saint as they chose them. They were so excited to mark off the last of the 100 Saints!)

Click here for a digital slide

Or click here for a pdf:


And don't forget, the code BOGNER10 for 10% off any part of the collection is only good until 10/25/24!

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

October Radiant Roundup

Month of the Most Holy Rosary
Happy Month of the Most Holy Rosary! There are SO MANY wonderful things to celebrate this month, and I've packed tons ideas into this edition of the Radiant Round Up. 
 
To start off, here are lots and lots of ideas for learning and praying with the Rosary:
Rosary Resources in Spanish*


St. Thérèse of Lisieux: October 1st




Guardian Angels: October 2nd
Guardian Angel and St. Michael Prayer Cards (K & up)


St. Francis of Assisi: October 4th
St. Francis of Assisi Coloring Page*(all ages)

St. Faustina Kowalska: October 5th
Divine Mercy Watercolor Art* (printable coloring page-2nd-6th)
Divine Mercy Melty Bead Craft* (printable pattern and examples-2nd-8th)
Pop Out Divine Mercy Chaplet* (2nd-6th)

Our Lady of the Rosary: October 7th

Pope St. John XXIII: October 11th
Two Popes, Two Saints* Trivia about St. John Paul II and St. John XXIII (4th & up)
Play Scripts/ Readers' Theater* about the miracles of St. John Paul II and St. John XXIII (4th & up)

Bl. Carlo Acutis: October 12th
Eucharistic Miracle Investigation* (version for younger & older kids) Also in Spanish

Pope St. John Paul II: October 22nd
Two Popes, Two Saints* Trivia about St. John Paul II and St. John XXIII (4th & up)
Play Scripts/ Readers' Theater* about the miracles of St. John Paul II and St. John XXIII (4th & up)

Sts. Simon and Jude: October 28th

All Hallows Eve/All Saints Day/All Souls: October 31st-November 2nd 
Since these feasts are so interwoven, you'll find ideas for Halloween along with All Saints & All Souls. I'll include these and more in the November Radiant Round Up!
Mass Offering Cards* (2nd & up) also in Spanish
Memento Mori Printables* (2nd & up)

October Catholic Book List
Click here for a list of books for Catholic kids that fit well with devotions and feast days this month! 


Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!

You can find the links to the monthly Radiant Roundups here:

October Books for Catholic Kids

October Catholic Kids Book List

Below are a few favorite titles that fit well with devotions and feast days this month! This list contains Amazon Affiliate links, which means if you click through and make a purchase, I earn a small commission at no cost to you. I'd also love to encourage you to shop directly with the publisher or with your local bookshop, or try to request these at your local library! I'm sure I've missed some books that would be great for this month, so feel free to add your own recommendations in the comments! You can find my giant list of Catholic Kid Books by topic here.


All Month- Respect Life Month
Saints & Feast Days

10/2- Guardian Angels

10/4- St. Francis of Assisi
10/5- St. Faustina

10/7- Our Lady of the Rosary

10/9- Our Lady of Champion
The Woman in the Trees- Bell, Theoni

10/9- St. John Henry Newman

10/12- Bl. Carlo Acutis

10/15- St. Teresa of Avila

10/16- St. Gerard Majella

10/17- St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

10/18- St. Luke

10/19- St. Isaac Jogues

10/22- St. John Paul II

10/31-11/1- All Hallows Eve & All Saints Day

Any great October books I missed? Please add your suggestions in the comments!

Book Lists By Month:
Click on the images below for book lists organized by feast days and devotions for each month:

Thursday, September 26, 2024

St. Michael the Archangel Block Print & Prayer Cards

September 29th is the Feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael.

St. Michael is often a fan favorite, especially as the patron Saint of soldiers, police officers, and EMTs. He can be found in the Bible in Revelation 12:7-9 and Daniel 10 & 12. His name means "Who is like God," appropriate since St. Michael drove the prideful Satan out of Heaven.

I created this block print image of St. Michael especially with one of my nephews in mind- Michael has long been his favorite Saint. Click below for printables you can use yourself, including some prayer cards:

Click here for a 5x7" print:


Click here for an 8x10" print:

Click here for 8 small prayer cards:


If you are looking for a lesson to teach for their feast day, you might like this Lectio Divina style Bible Study on the Archangels, which also includes some matching bulletin board printables: