Spellings

Make sure you know them, and get an adult to test you on Friday. favourite, February, forwards, fruit, grammar 1) Do ‘look/say/cover/write/check’ to practise each word 2) Note your mistakes and re-write. You could use coloured writing, pyramid writing and other strategies you have learned to help you. 3) Write each word in a different sentence. Make your sentences as interesting as you can. Avoid starting each sentence in the same way.

It was lovely to see some of your maps for your Anywhere Island last week - what a fantastic job you did.  This week you will be using your senses to create descriptions of your island.  I am looking forward to seeing what ambitious vocabulary you come up with to describe your island.  Have fun!

Come and See

LEARNING FOCUS 1:  Two sons make choices.

When he was teaching the people, and trying to help them, Jesus told this story about two sons who made choices. Choices always have consequences. Listen to the story:

There was once a man who had two sons. He went to the older one and said, “Son, go and work in the vineyard today.”

 “I don’t want to,” he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing.  “Yes, sir,” he answered, but he did not go.

Which one of the two did what his father wanted?

Now Jesus was in the Temple teaching when he told this story, so he said to the people who were listening, “What do you think? Which of the two sons did what his father wanted?”  And they all said, “the first.”

Matthew 21: 28-31

SOME KEY QUESTIONS

The first son

1. What was his first choice?
2. Why do you think he chose as he did?
3. How do you think he felt?
4. Can you think of some of the consequences of his choice?
5. Can you think of reasons why he changed his mind?  How did he feel?
6. Do you think that was easy?  Give reasons.
7. Have you ever done something like this?  When?  Why?

The second son

1. What did the second son choose?
2. Why do you think he changed his mind?
3. How do you think he felt?
4. Have you ever done something like this?  When?  Why?

The father

1. How do you think the father felt about his two sons?
2. Why did the father react like this?

LEARNING FOCUS 2: The meaning of sin and the examination of life (conscience).

Discuss with someone in your house what you think conscience is.  If you can, listen to the song “Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket – Always Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide”.  Christians try to live as Jesus lived.  Choosing wisely is important.  There are some things that will help in making a good choice:

• to pray and ask for help.
• to get advice from someone you trust and know makes good choices.
• to think about the possible consequences of the choices.  
• will it have a good effect on yourself and on others?

Many Christians pray every day for the help they need to make good choices.  Every day, usually before going to sleep, many Christians ‘examine their life’ (‘conscience’).  This means that they think about what has happened during the day and how they have tried to be the kind of person that God who loves them, wants them to be.  They think about what they have done during the day – the good choices they have made for which they say thank you, and the bad choices for which they are sorry.  The wrong choices which are done on purpose are sins – that is something that spoils or breaks friendship with God and with other people.  Sin is anything that breaks God’s law of love.  It is always something that has been done on purpose, not accidentally, or it is something we should do and purposely do not do it.  This is the process of examining your life, conscience.

SOME KEY QUESTIONS

1. When would be a good time to examine your life (conscience)?
2. How do you think this helps you?
3. How would you describe a sin?
4. How would you know your action was good or wrong?
5. How would you set about putting it right?
6. Think of ways in which you can make amends for your wrong choices.

• Write an explanation on how to make good choices, including what it means to examine your life (conscience).
• Read this prayer which asks for help and guidance: pray it with actions. Look at each line, give examples of how this prayer helps to examine life (conscience)

Holy Spirit, you are with us when we choose.  

For our good choices and the joy of making them, we thank you.  

For the joy they bring us and others, we thank you.
For our wrong choices, we are sorry. 

For the hurt we have done to others, we are sorry.

Help us to take time to think about the consequences of our choices. 

We ask you to help and guide us.  Amen.