Fast Pray Give artwork, offers a spiritual focus and personal meaning to the three pillars of Lent. This project covers Common Core Standards for Religion for grades 3-5.
Grade Level
3rd, 4th, 5th grades. This project was created by 4th grade students.
Objective for Fast Pray Give Art
Fast Pray Give artwork, offers a spiritual focus and personal meaning to the three pillars of Lent. This project covers Common Core Standards for Religion for grades 3-5.
Time
4 – 30 min lessons
Materials
- Oil pastels – Pentel Arts Oil Pastels, 50 Color Set (PHN-50) or crayons or colored pencils
- Light Blue Construction paper – PACON – 103063 Pacon Tru-Ray Construction Paper, 12-Inches by 18-Inches, 50-Count, Sky Blue (103048)
- Black Sharpie Marker – Sharpie Permanent Marker, Fine Point, Black, Pack of 5
- 9×12 Watercolor paper – Canson (100510941) XL Series Watercolor Pad, 9″ x 12″, Fold-Over Cover, 30 Sheets
- Brushes – Acrylic Paint Brush Set, 1 Packs / 10 pcs Nylon Hair Brushes for All Purpose Oil Watercolor Painting Artist Professional Kits
- Liquid Water Colors – Sargent Art 22-6010 10-Count 8-Ounce Watercolor Magic Set
- Or this mini version for homeschooling – Sargent Art 22-6210 10-Count 4-Ounce Watercolor Magic
- Glue stick
Inspiration/Artist
I made this project by using the pillars of Lent found on a variety of websites listed in the first step of this lesson.
Instruction with Questions
First
Here is a list of great resources to help teach kids the variety of meanings behind Prayer, Fasting and Alms Giving. These can be difficult to understand unless they have some real life context for how it can look in their everyday lives. You can print one of these resources out, show it on the overhead, or just use them to help guide a good discussion.
#1
Homegrowncatholics.blogspot.com also linked to http://stbrigidsacademy.blogspot.com/
There are four pages of ideas on her site! Here is one example…
#2
Words directly from Pope Francis on pietrafitness.com (which offers a Catholic focused fitness program)
#3
From Kurt Rahn on Tumblr:
#4
Words from Charisministries.blogspot.com
Fasting and Feasting
Lent should be more than a time of fasting.
It should also be a joyous season of feasting.
Lent is a time to fast from certain things and to feast on others.
It is a season to turn to God:
Fast from judging others; feast on the goodness in them.
Fast from emphasis on differences; feast on unity of all life.
Fast from apparent darkness; feast on the reality of light.
Fast from thoughts of illness; feast on the healing power of God.
Fast from words that pollute; feast on phrases that purify.
Fast from discontent: feast on gratitude.
Fast from anger; feast on patience.
Fast from pessimism; feast on optimism.
Fast from worry; feast on divine order.
Fast from complaining; feast on appreciation.
Fast from negatives: feast on affirmatives.
Fast from unrelenting pressures; feast on unceasing prayer.
Fast from hostility; feast on non-resistance.
Fast from bitterness; feast on forgiveness.
Fast from self-concern; feast on compassion for others.
Fast from personal anxiety; feast on eternal Truth.
Fast from discouragement; feast on hope.
Fast from facts that depress; feasts on truths that uplift.
Fast from lethargy; feast on enthusiasm.
Fast from suspicion; feast on truth.
Fast from thoughts that weaken; feast on promises that inspire.
Fast from shadows of sorrow; feast on the sunlight of serenity.
Fast from idle gossip; feast on purposeful silence.
Fast from problems that overwhelm; feast on prayer that supports.
~William Arthur Ward
What will you fast from this Lent in order to more fully turn to God?
What will you feast on this Lent in order to more fully turn to God?
#5
From LooktoHimandBeRadiant.com
Second
Discuss ways that students can use images to symbolize the pillars of Lent. Pass out this handout of visual examples.
Third
Here is where you can decide how to deviate this project. I have done it a variety of ways.
For this example, use a large piece of Light Blue construction paper. Cut rectangles 4-4.5″x6″ from watercolor paper. Students can illustrate each pillar with sharpie and crayon and watercolor the background. Remind them to draw their images, BIG, filling the area. Then, with sharpie they add the words “Fast, Pray, Give” with sharpie and create fun frames around each image.
I made a fast, pray, and give bulletin board. I used a small empty paper plate with a disposable fork for fast; a pipe cleaner bent into a cross for pray; and a hand and paper coins falling into it (I put colored paper over some quarters, ran a color over them and cut them out) for give. My elementary aged kids loved the images and easily understood them.