Teaching About The Eucharist - Help!

[Byzantine]

I have to put together and teach a lesson to second graders about the Eucharist. To put it mildly, this is going to be difficult. I have ~45 minutes to teach them as well as convince a kid that It still looks and tastes like wine... He seems to think that it changes to look and taste like blood... Oh yeah and they want me to involve the Byzantine Rite of Preparation as well.

[font=georgia,serif][size=8]HELP!!!![/size][/font]

[MarysLittleFlower]

hmm.. how is it going so far? maybe introduce the basic concept that an object can be one thing, but look like another, and then say how the Eucharist looks like bread and wine, but is actually Jesus. Are you going to use anything like pictures, videos, etc? Also explain how before the priest prays, it's still bread and wine, it only changes during the consecration. You can simplify the language so they understand, but keep the concepts, ie: it's really Jesus, we can pray to Him in the Eucharist, visit Him, etc. I'd teach the kids how to genuflect, teach them that they need to do this when they enter church, why we keep silence there, why it's good to pray after Communion (we receive many blessings, etc) - instead of teaching them a lot of theology maybe make it sort of devotional, but on a grade 2 level (Jesus is glad when we visit Him in Church, He's always in the Tabernacle, etc. Concepts like that could help to build good habits for them). Hope it goes well, prayers also, say a Hail Mary with them before the lesson! so Mary could help them understand more. If this is your class, it might even be razzle dazzle to organize a trip to church with them, for example to Adoration. Kids are not too young to learn about things like that, imo, it helps them in the future.

[BarbTherese]

I thought that MarysLittleFlower gave you some good ideas. I thought that a visit to a Church during Adoration, if possible, was a wonderful idea - as is to pray to Our Lady before your address to your class. A video too is an excellent idea I thought especially if you are having trouble covering 45 minutes (or even if you are not). A 45 minute address is not at all an easy task. If you Google I am sure you will be able to come up with a video that is helpful.

Prompt cards to use during an address can be very helpful indeed. You could put a watch beside your prompt cards so you can check out at the same time how the time factor is progressing. Once you have prompt cards written and your thoughts gathered, it can be a good idea to give the address a 'practice shot' to an adult or adults you know and get some feedback. A short question time at the end of the address can be useful, although it is also risky - depends on the type of questions asked and one's ability to answer.

I learnt as a child that bread and wine is really and truly changed into the Body and Blood of Jesus (in those days we did not receive under both species). We were told that the bread still tastes like bread (and for children nowadays that the wine still tastes like wine) but that it really and truly is changed into the Body and Blood of Jesus at the Consecration during The Mass. There are a few complex theologies surrounding The Blessed Eucharist but I think children are too young to grasp these - we certainly were at around 7yrs of age then. I still cannot quite grasp some of these theologies while intellectually understanding the words to describe a theology or theologies. As we grow older, I think, we can learn about these different theologies having grasped the reality actually before us: that bread and wine truly becomes the Body and Blood of Jesus. And certainly by the time I received my First Holy Communion, I thoroughly grasped this and with awe.

We were taught that transubstantiation (not using that word, we were too young for it then) was a miracle performed at every single Mass with the words of Consecration, which of course it is. We also learnt the words of consecration. We knew what a miracle was by then and perhaps this is the way to get the reality across to your pupil who thinks the wine should taste like blood. Just prior to our First Communion, we were allowed to taste an unconsecrated host, so that we would know what to expect as far as our human sense of taste was concerned and that what we were tasting was truly bread; however, after the Consecration at Mass, although it still looked and would taste the same, it would be the Body and Blood of Jesus. Perhaps you could give your class an unconsecrated host and a small sip of wine. Were it me I would be giving each child a small glass each with just a tiny taste in it.

We also learnt in simple terms each part of The Mass and what it means - in very simple terms however. I think the more information one gives to a child, the more confusing a matter could become to a child.

I know nothing about the Byzantine Rite, but if you Google it, there are quite a few websites that may give you some helpful information.

God's blessings on your endeavours and may He grant you a happy reward and fruit both in the 45 minute talk and in the results.

___________________

Our parish, incidentally, has a written course of lessons that involves the parents and points to cover at home with their child or children and how to go about getting those points across. There are regular meetings with our parish priest with parents on a parent/priest basis during the extended period of prepartion.

Edited February 16, 2012 by BarbaraTherese