March Radiant Roundup

Lent begins on the late side this year, but it is still seems to have snuck up on me! Time to get planning, both for myself and my classroom. Here's a list of ideas to help you and your kids have a holy and purposeful Lent, as well as celebrate some of the important March Feast Days for St. Patrick, St. Joseph, and the Annunciation.

Lent Begins- Ash Wednesday: March 2nd

Lent: Ideas for 40 Days* (Round-up Post of Links)

What Lent Looks Like* Coloring Page/Printable
What the Triduum Looks Like* Coloring Page/Printable
Lent: Pray, Fast, Give Foldable* (Also in Spanish)
Lenten Prayer Challenge Board* (Also editable)

Lent Family Weekly Plan*- Pray with Sunday Gospels and Fasting/Giving using the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy (editable)

Books for Lent and Holy Week for Kids and Adults

Stations of the Cross Sunset & Silhouette art project
Practical Ideas for Lenten Acts of Mercy using the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy *
Lent Notes Foldable*
Lent Word Cloud*

Lent Looks Different (Classroom decorations)
Using the Stations of Cross as Inspiration for Acts of Charity Foldable*
Connecting the Passover and the Passion*- A Youth Bible Study
Give Up & Take Up*: Lent Youth Group Lesson, Videos, and Resources
The Sound of Lent: A Lent Playlist
Videos for Lent, Holy Week, and Easter: A playlist
Passion & Resurrections Peg Doll Set
Lent Youth Group Resources
Lenten Art Gallery Walk & Visio Divina

Paschal Candle Craft for Kids

Holy Week Family Retreat & Journal* (In English, Spanish, and French, and with an editable schedule)

Feast of St. Patrick: March 17th
St. Patrick's Breastplate Prayer Cards*

The Month of St. Joseph

Solemnity of St. Joseph: March 19th

St. Joseph Idea Collection*

St. Joseph Mini Study

St. Joseph Clickable Activity Menu

St. Joseph Summary Post*

Litany of St. Joseph Printable* 

Litany of St. Joseph Slideshow

St. Joseph Block Print*

Quick and Easy Saint Joseph Shrine* 

St. Joseph Memorare Prayer Cards* 

Pure Heart of St. Joseph Coloring Page*

St. Joseph Color-a-Novena* 

Sleeping St. Joseph* 

Sleeping St. Joseph mini printable* 

Celebrating St. Joseph Day 
Seven Ways to Celebrate a Patron Saint Day 

St. Joseph Digital Scavenger Hunt

St. Joseph Prayer for Fathers*

Solemnity of the Annunciation: March 25th

The Annunciation and Spiritual Adoption*

Who is the Holy Spirit? Intro or Review (Editable for Google Classroom!)

 

Confirmation season is drawing near in my neck of the woods, so the Holy Spirit has been on my brain quite a bit! Regardless of when the Sacrament of Confirmation takes place in your school or parish, it's never a bad time to help your students grow closer to the Third Person of the Trinity.

Using this Catholic Central video (which is less than five minutes long), I set up some slides to help provide a quick intro to the Holy Spirit (or this could also function as a great review!). I really like using the Catholic Central videos in my classroom because they are short in addition to being both informative and entertaining. The videos make great tools as a quick overview for important material that can then be taught with more depth based on what we are studying.

The accompanying slides are meant to slow down the info and record the content shared within the video. The students could also do their own research (even using their own Bible or Catechism to complete the questions). Simple, but effective!

If you'd like to assign the Google Slides to your students, remember that you have to make a copy in order to edit. This is just a template. That also means that once you make a copy you can edit to your heart's content, making it just right for your students. Not a Google Classroom user? You also can download this as a PowerPoint and share through other classroom sites. And I also have a printable version too if you want to go low-tech (which I try to do as often as possible!).

Click here for the Google Slides version:

Click here for the pdf of the handout with the same questions, or here for an editable version of the handout in Google Docs.

If you are using this activity as part of Confirmation prep, I have lots of other resources you might like!

Gifts of the Holy Spirit Retreat, including Lectio Divina Journal and digital resources:

Tons of Confirmation Saint Graphic Organizers- including printables on the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit:

A Saint Scavenger Hunt (fun for All Saints Day, or in the early days of researching Confirmation Saints). This one is on paper:

And here's a Saint Scavenger Hunt in a digital version with lots of links to help with research:

Come Holy Spirit!

Miraculous Medal Embroidery Pattern (and other resources!)

 

After sharing this Miraculous Medal inspired embroidery project (which was part of my Through the Year with Mary giveaways), lots of people asked about offering a pattern. I am a make-it-up-as-I-go embroiderer, and also a very-very-rudimentary-pattern-maker, but I have it ready to share with you today! The pattern contains a color photos of my hoop, a supply list, suggested steps, a key to the stitches I used, patterns to print and trace, and a few ideas for other options when using the design.

If you aren't familiar with basic embroidery stitches (I often use the straight stitch, backstitch, lazy daisy, spiderweb roses, satin stitch, and French knots) I totally recommend watching youtube videos to get the hang of them.  The beauty of this pattern is that you can make it your own, with your unique style, colors, and details.

If you decide to make your own Miraculous Medal embroidery, I'd love to see it!  Email me at looktohimandberadiant (at) gmail (dot) com, or if you post it on Instagram tag me @katherine.bogner and use #miraculousmedalembroidery.  I can't wait to see what you create!

Click here for the free printable pattern:

P.S.- If you love the Miraculous Medal like I do, you might be interested in the resources that the Association of the Miraculous Medal offers. In addition to other items available in their online gift shop, they send free Miraculous Medals out around the globe! They sent me a generous box with resources for all of my students, including cards with a blessed Miraculous Medal attached (top) and the Marian easel (right). I used the Miraculous Medal reflection from my book Through the Year with Mary (affiliate link) for the lesson in my classroom before I gave out the medals! It was the perfect summary and also helped introduce/review the purpose and use of sacramentals. The coloring page I found here. If you'd like to get your own Miraculous Medals for your family or students, you can order up to 25 on their website, or can call 1.800.264.6279 for more than 25. My students were thrilled to have their own, and I was so happy to be able to share this devotion with them!

P.P.S.- If you are looking for more embroidery ideas, I also have a free pattern for the Holy Family Hearts available here:

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

February Radiant Roundup

Happy February! We welcome in the month of the Holy Family during this short chunk of Ordinary Time. Here are some resources to enrich your home or classroom this month, including a look ahead at Lent, which begins on March 2nd!

Resources with a * mean that they contain free printables (or shareable digital files).

Month of the Holy Family:

Holy Family Coloring Page*
Holy Family Hearts Coloring Pages and Prayer Cards*
Holy Family Hearts Embroidery Pattern*
50 Ways to Pray with Your Kids in 5 Minutes or Less*
Ten Ways to Encourage Parent Involvement*

The Presentation: February 2nd

Simeon and Anna Coloring Page*

Joseph, Lover of Poverty Print (Two Turtledoves)* (Scroll to the bottom)

St. Abigail (St. Gobnait): February 11th
St. Abigail coloring pages*

St. Valentine: February 14th
Saintly Friends Bingo Game*
Psalm 26:4 Coloring Page*
Proverbs 17:17 Coloring Page** 
Owl Love Valentine's Exchange Bag 
Holy Family Hearts Coloring Pages and Cards* 

Sacred Heart of Jesus Coloring Pages* 

Sacred Heart of Jesus and Anima Christi Prayer Cards*

Lent:

While Lent begins on March 2nd this year, I know many of you will be planning ahead!

Lent: Ideas for 40 Days* (Round-up Post of Links)

Lent Looks Different (Classroom decorations)
What Lent Looks Like* Coloring Page/Printable
What the Triduum Looks Like* Coloring Page/Printable
Lent: Pray, Fast, Give Foldable* (Also in Spanish)
Lenten Prayer Challenge Board* (Also editable)
Holy Week Family Retreat & Journal* (In English, Spanish, and French, and with an editable schedule)

Books for Lent and Holy Week for Kids and Adults
Stations of the Cross Sunset & Silhouette art project
Practical Ideas for Lenten Acts of Mercy using the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy *
Lent Notes Foldable*
Lent Word Cloud*
Using the Stations of Cross as Inspiration for Acts of Charity Foldable*
Connecting the Passover and the Passion*- A Youth Bible Study
Give Up & Take Up*: Lent Youth Group Lesson, Videos, and Resources
Paschal Candle Craft for Kids
The Sound of Lent: A Lent Playlist
Videos for Lent, Holy Week, and Easter: A playlist
Passion & Resurrections Peg Doll Set
Lent Youth Group Resources
Lenten Art Gallery Walk & Visio Divina

Lent Family Weekly Plan*- Sunday Gospels and Fasting/Giving using the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy (editable)