Lent ~ Papal Conclave

What's Schoolin'?

We've set out our Stations of the Cross candles on the mantle.  Now I just need to find my handy dandy booklet that goes with them!  I may just have to print something from online. [Scroll down a bit at this post to see our Stations candles.]

For our Catholic group we are hosting this week we plan on making individual crowns of thorns using salt dough and tooth picks.  When you do something nice or make a sacrifice you take out one of the thorns.  I think the idea is to trade it out for jelly beans on Easter morning to surprise the children.  I need to start searching for dye-free jelly bean options. [Update: Since they will each have individual crowns this year I can easily exchange them for small bags of Sunspire Sun Drops Chocolate Candies. No dyes.]
[You can find more dye-free treat options HERE.][Surf Sweets has organic jelly beans HERE, but I have never seen them locally.]

We'll also be doing a very simplified version of 'Hide the Alleluia.'  I'm just printing some outlined Alleluias on cardstock with a fold so they can stand up.  The children will decorate with markers and glitter.  Ideally they would color it gold and sprinkle gold or silver glitter but I'll let them just decorate however they wish.  Then they will hide their sign in an envelope.  Using a purple color/marker they will write "Open After Lent" on the outside of the envelope.  I was going to say "Do not open until Easter" but wanted to use the word Lent instead of Easter on the envelope.  On Easter they can take it out and display it.  Here is my inspiration:
http://ebeth.typepad.com/reallearning/2009/02/hiding-the-alleluia.html

This explanation of the Papal election and Conclave is perfect to read aloud to the group of such varying ages that we'll be hosting.
http://www.catholicinspired.com/2013/02/learning-about-election-of-new-pope.html

This coloring page from Happy Saints will also be available for anyone in the group that wants to color it.  Ours are already displayed on our kitchen cabinets.  If you use a dark color for the background that the white really pops out :).
http://www.happysaints.com/2013/02/pope-benedict-xvi-coloring-page.html

Other Papal resources:


This outstanding lapbook is really making the rounds in cyberspace!  It's beautiful.  Amazing. We'll be doing it as a family as soon as my oldest gets through the SAT next Sat (sigh - poor thing is starting to stress - prayers appreciated!). If you don't follow her blog yet, you won't be disappointed!
http://showerofroses.blogspot.com/2013/02/papal-unit-study.html


Please visit this blog for some of the below ideas and more:

http://catholicicing.com/2013/02/pope-activities-for-catholic-kids/


I also plan on using this with our family - great board game!
http://catholicblogger1.blogspot.com/2013/02/electing-pope-file-folder-game.html

We'll watch this also:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpJghs5ypkU&sns=em

Here is a great election of the Pope trivia quiz for olders:
http://coolstuff4catholics.blogspot.com/2013/03/election-of-pope-trivia-quiz.html








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