Grade 5

The Grade 5 Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ program follows the flow of the liturgical year, respecting the different seasons with all the moods and colours found in them. Drawing on various stories from Scripture, students will learn the mood and meaning of all of the Church seasons. Each season has its own theological emphases, guiding us through the story of our salvation.

The content of the units informs and forms our students. Using their gifts and witness of faith, teachers evangelize as they hand on the faith. The Grade 5 Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ program fits nicely within the Church’s evangelizing mission as it highlights and references the liturgical celebrations in the parish for each of the liturgical seasons and connects to the faith and cultural celebrations in the home.

Themes

The Grade 5 Resource is comprised of the following five units. The length of the unit is based on the number of weeks in the liturgical season.

Unit 1: The Gift of Our Faith begins in the midst of Ordinary Time. Students will explore the importance of developing their belief, knowledge, and trust in God in the context of the Old Testament covenants and their fulfillment in Jesus. Students will learn more about Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition as the foundation of the Catholic faith and the role each Person of the Trinity plays in nurturing faith. Through the grace and inspiration of the Holy Spirit and the lives of the saints, students will discover how they can demonstrate their commitment to the teachings of Christ. Students will also study the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds as statements of faith.

Chapter 1: What Helps Us Grow in Faith?

Lesson 1: How does believing, knowing and trusting God develop our faith?
Lesson 2: What lessons of faith can we learn from Scripture?

Lesson 3: How does God demonstrate His unlimited love for us?
Lesson 4: How does Jesus fulfill God's plan for salvation?

Saints: The Archangels (St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael)

Chapter 2: What Tradition Strengthen Our Faith?

Lesson 5: How does Sacred Tradition help us understand our faith?
Lesson 6: How do the parts of the Mass support our faith?

Chapter 3: How Does the Holy Spirit Support Our Faith?
Lesson 7: How were people in the Old Testament inspired by the Holy Spirit?

Lesson 8: How does the Holy Spirit inspire us to love through action?

Chapter 4: How is Our Faith Inspired by Others?

Lesson 9: How do the saints inspire our faith?
Lesson 10: How do role models of faith draw us to God?

Saints: St. John the Evangelist and St. Francis de Sales

Unit 2: Called to Gather in Faith  In this unit, students will explore how the Church supports them as they prepare for the three comings of Christ during Christmas and Advent. They will reflect on the events leading up to Jesus’ birth through the rituals of Advent. They will examine the ways that He is present in the Church and their lives today. They will also explore how they can prepare their hearts for when Christ will come again in glory. Students will discover how the virtues of faith, hope, and charity help them fulfill their baptismal mission and how participating in the traditions of the Advent and Christmas seasons helps them spread the Good News to others.

Chapter 5: How Does the Church Help Us Prepare for the Comings of Christ?

Lesson 1: How does the waiting for the coming of Christ during Advent bring us hope?

Lesson 2: How do symbols and prayers draw us closer to God during Advent?

Chapter 6: How is Jesus an Example of How We Express Love?

Lesson 3: How does following Mary’s example of faith and trust in God lead us to charity and joy?

Saints: St. John of the Cross, Mary, Our Mother

Chapter 7: How Does Tradition Help Us Live Out Our Baptismal Mission?

Lesson 4: How do Sacred Tradition and rituals gather us in faith?

Lesson 5: How does our baptismal mission call us to action in our lives?

Saints: Blessed Marie Rose Durocher

Unit 3: Called to Live a Moral Life marks the beginning of the calendar year. Students will explore the concepts of morality, conscience, and the importance of using the gift of free will to choose the light of God’s grace over the darkness of sin. By delving into Jesus’ healing miracles, students will extend their understanding of how Jesus heals not only our bodies but also our souls. Students will learn about the five precepts of the Church and the importance of witnessing their beliefs in their daily lives to help develop the living Body of Christ. Students will explore diversity within the Church, the value of interfaith dialogue, and working for the common good.

Chapter 8: What Helps Us Follow God’s Will?

Lesson 1: How does God’s will makes us truly free?

Lesson 2: How does Jesus guide us to live a moral life?

Saints: St. Augustine of Hippo

Chapter 9: How Are We Able to Overcome Sin?

Lesson 3: What helps us live as children of light?

Saints: St. Blaise and St. Marianne Cope

Chapter 10: How Do We Show Respect for Human Dignity?

Lesson 4: How do we build the living Body of Christ?

Lesson 5: How does the Church work toward the common good?

Unit 4: Celebrating the Paschal Mystery focuses on the seasons of Lent and Easter. Students explore the symbols, rituals, and traditions of the seasons and how they can grow in faith and holiness with the help of the Church and God’s grace. They explore coming closer to God through vocal, meditative, and contemplative prayer—the three main expressions of prayer in the Tradition of the Church. During Holy Week and Easter as they think deeply about Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection, they appreciate more fully how they are called to serve others and spread the Good News. The Unit ends with the celebration of Jesus’ Ascension and the birth of the Church at Pentecost.

Chapter 11: How does the Church help us seek God’s grace during Lent?

Lesson 1: How does the Church guide and support us during Lent?

Lesson 2: What helps us answer God’s call to holiness?

Lesson 3: Why should we communicate with God through different expressions of prayer?

Saints: St. Teresa of Avila and St. Katharine Drexel

Chapter 12: How is Lent a Time for Healing?

Lesson 4: How does God’s grace work within us?

Chapter 13: How Holy Week inspire us to be holy?

Lesson 5: How do we remember Jesus’ love and sacrifice during Holy Week?

Chapter 14: How do Easter and Pentecost unite us in holiness?

Lesson 6: What do Easter and Pentecost teach us about our own faith journey?

Unit 5: Rooted in Dignity and Living Our Faith is based in Ordinary Time. In this unit, students will focus on how our understanding of human dignity affects the way we live our faith. Students will learn how we are all born with human dignity because we are God’s children, made in His image. Students will explore Catholic social justice principles taught by the Church and examine how these principles are based on human dignity. Students will learn how these principles call us to love and respect everyone, to respond to the needs of all people, particularly those who are poor and vulnerable, and to protect the dignity of each person.

Chapter 15: How does understanding human dignity shape our action?

Lesson 1: How does understanding human dignity help us understand the Catholic social justice principles?

Lesson 2: How can understanding solidarity help us to respond to the needs of others?

Lesson 3: How can we live out our responsibilities to God and others?

Saints: Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati

Chapter 16: How do we answer God’s call to help others?

Lesson 4: How does the Church teach us to respond to the needs of those who are poor and vulnerable?

Lesson 5: How does living a life of charity help us grow in our faith?

Lesson 6: How can we respond to human dignity through charity and service?

Saints: Mother Élisabeth Bruyère

Students will also be learning the prayers:

Act of Faith

O my God, I firmly believe that you are one God in three divine Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I believe that your divine Son became man and died for our sins, and that He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths, which the holy Catholic Church teaches, because you have revealed them, who can neither deceive nor be deceived.

Amen.

Act of Hope

O my God, relying on your infinite mercy and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of your grace, and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer.

Amen.

Act of Love

O my God, I love you above all things with my whole heart and soul, because you are all good and worthy of all my love. I love my neighbour as myself for the love of you. I forgive all who have injured me, and I ask pardon of those whom I have injured.

Amen.

Memorial Acclamation

1. We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and
   profess your Resurrection until you come

1. When we eat this Bread and drink this
   Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until
   you come again.

1. Save us, Saviour of the world, for by
   your Cross and Resurrection you have
   set us free.

Nicene Creed

I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.

Litany of the Saints

Litany of the Holy Spirit (adapted)

Eucharistic Prayer: Doxology

Through him, and with him, and in him
O God, almighty Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honour is yours,
forever and ever. Great amen.

St. Andrew Christmas Novena

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment
in which the Son of God was born
of the most pure Virgin Mary,
at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold.
In that hour, promise, O my God,
to hear my prayer and grant my intention,
through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ,
and of His Blessed Mother.
Amen.

If you have any questions about the content of this program, please contact LeeAnn Arsenault, Faith Permeation Lead Teacher for Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools at leeann.arsenault@rdcrs.ca.