The Nativity, by Riley, age 4

While working with the Annunciation to Mary, I wondered with Nate, age 5, how we would respond if God asked us to do something, even something that was thought to be impossible. Nate replied, “I would want it to come true,” but that he’d be “worried that it would not.”

After joining a presentation on the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth, Jabria, age 3, prayed, “Thank you God for giving us God.”

Jocelyn, age 6, was working with the Birth of Jesus and the Adoration of the Shepherds material.  When I read the word “delight” in the scripture booklet, she wondered what that word meant.  I wondered how delight would feel.  Jocelyn replied, “It feels delicious.”

Pour Goodness into Herod

Felicity had been working on the Kingdom of Heaven and the Leaven. The following week, she asked about Herod as she again worked with the Leaven, “Why would he kill a baby?” She said, “I wish I could pour this in [the leavened dough into the unleavened]…pour goodness into Herod.”

Naomi was working with the model of the Cenacle on her own. I noticed that she had placed the velvet lining from the box on top of the lid from the box and one figure on top of the lining. When I asked her why she chose to do so, she said, "He is on a blanket on a bed. He is baby Jesus wrapped in...what do you call it?" I asked her if she meant swaddling and she said yes and rolled the velvet lining around the figure.

A group of first graders, all 6 years old, were reflecting on the Annunciation to Mary.  When I wondered how they would respond if an angel asked them to do something that they’d never considered, like having a baby, Naomi responded by gesturing yes with her head (we’d been working a lot with gestures during the previous weeks).  Dora, said, “yes” and made a gesture of nodding her head while holding her hands, palms together, over her heart.  Bailey also said “yes” and signed yes with his hand.

It flys to send messages from God

Edwin, age 4, was participating in a presentation on the Annunciation. When I asked what an angel is, Edwin explained to the others, “It flies to send messages from God.”