New Beginnings 

Our first topic this year is based on New beginnings. We have spent time exploring and reflecting on the new beginnings in our lives and appreciating these new beginnings. The children have started to understand that God gives us our new beginnings and is with us as we start those new beginnings.

To describe the many beginnings each day offers us:

We used ‘Finding Nemo’ as an example of a new beginning as he started at school for the first time. The children considered how Nemo would have felt during this new beginning. The children the related to this experience by considering their own new beginning as they started in Year 2.

To recognise the events of the creation story and the order they came in:

The children listened to the story of creation and we explored the order in which God created our world. The children were then able to retell the story and correctly sequence the order of God’s creations. 

To recognise that God was there at my beginning and God is there at every beginning:

As a class we looked at Psalm 139 and recognised that God created us and that God was there at our very beginning in life. The illustrated the favourite part of the Psalm.

To recognise the hopes and dreams God has for us at our very beginning:

Reflecting on our very beginning and how God was there as part of that, the children began to think about the hopes and dreams God has for us at the beginning. 

To recognise the importance of beginning each day with a prayer:

As a class we thought about the different prayers we have throughout the day and their purpose. We discussed why it is important to start the day with a prayer and what we should thank God for. We also considered what we might need to ask God’s help for for our day. The children created their own morning prayers.

To recognise Psalm 19 as a song of praise to God- To describe how God makes the sun rise high in the sky to give us light through illustration:

We explored Psalm 19 and considered it as a song to God. We spent time outside experiencing the wonder of creation. We then used “Morning”- Edvard Grieg to accompany the psalm and as inspiration for illustrating the sunrise God gives us everyday.

To understand the God is always close:

We read and discussed Psalm 8: 3-11 Look at God’s World.

The children used this as inspiration as they worked together to recite a litany.