Growing Our Relationship

Overview

This 20-minute lesson for Year 1 students in New Zealand explores noticing and describing different ways to grow our relationship with God, aligned with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh and the Catholic Education values. It uses age-appropriate, interactive activities that scaffold understanding and build on children's social and spiritual development.

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Learning Intention (LI)

We are learning to notice and describe different ways we can grow our relationship with God.

Success Criteria (SC)

• I can talk about where I see and hear God at school and at home.
• I can share how I talk about God at home and with others.
• I can describe different ways we can grow our relationship with God (e.g., prayer, love, listening, stories).
• I can share a wondering about our Catholic story and say why it is important to me.

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Curriculum Alignment

NZ Curriculum Refresh Links

• Key Competencies: Managing self (developing spiritual awareness), Relating to others (sharing experiences about God), Thinking (wondering and asking questions about God).
• Values: Respect, Community and participation, Integrity.
• Learning Areas: Health and Physical Education (well-being includes spiritual growth) and The Arts (storytelling, roleplay).
• Phase: Years 0-3 (Phase 1) focusing on engaging in environments rich in oral language and social interaction, which develops social-emotional skills and spirituality.

Catholic Education Context

• Recognition of relationship with God as a taonga (treasure).
• Builds foundational faith concepts: prayer, listening, Scripture, and love as ways to grow closer to God.
• Supports children's capacity to wonder and articulate their spiritual experiences.

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Lesson Plan Details

Time	Activity	Description	Differentiation	Extension	Dyslexia-Friendly Strategies
0-3 min	Welcome and Focus	WALT introduction: “We are learning to notice and describe ways to grow our friendship with God.” Use a circle time seating. Show a soft, symbolic object (e.g., cross, candle) to focus attention.	Use visual cues and simple, clear sentences.	Invite advanced learners to share additional ways they think about God.	Use slow, clear speech. Use visual aids.
3-8 min	Sharing Where We Know God	Teacher asks: “Where do you see or hear about God at home? At school?” Children take turns sharing (sentence starters: “I hear God when…” or “I see God when…”). Use picture cards showing prayer, family, nature, etc.	Provide sentence starters for reluctant speakers. Use paired discussion for shy students.	Encourage advanced learners to explain why those moments are special.	Use picture cards with keywords, speak slowly and clearly.
8-14 min	Story Time – Growing Our Relationship with God	Read a simple Catholic story emphasizing God’s love and ways we grow closer (prayer, listening, kindness). Example: a short adapted parable or story of Jesus as Shepherd.	Use lively voice and gestures. Allow students to ask questions.	Advanced learners create a simple drawing about the story’s message.	Use dyslexia-friendly font printout of story and simple sentence summaries.
14-18 min	Interactive Activity – Ways to Grow Our Relationship with God	Using four stations:

• Station 1: Prayer corner (quiet time, short prayer with teacher).
• Station 2: Loving actions (role-play helping a friend).
• Station 3: Listening (listening games with quiet sounds or short Scripture reading).
• Station 4: Storytelling (re-tell part of the story they heard). Groups rotate within the time allowed. | Simplify tasks for students who need it; visual and tactile prompts at stations. | Advanced learners lead the role-play or retell. | Stations use clear visual signs, quiet spaces for focus. | | 18-20 min | Wondering and Sharing | Gather in circle, each child shares one wonder or something important about their Catholic story or how they feel about God. Use a “wondering ball” - only person with ball speaks. | For reluctant speakers, allow drawing their wonder instead if they prefer to share next day. | Encourage advanced students to explain why it matters to them. | Use picture symbols or word banks for wonder prompts. |

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Assessment & Reflection

• Observe children’s ability to verbalise seeing/hearing God and name ways to grow closer to God.
• Note sharing during seated discussions and wondering time.
• Use simple formative assessment: thumbs up/down for understanding “ways to grow our relationship with God.”
• Collect any drawings from the extension activities as evidence of understanding.

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Teaching Notes

• Use a calm, inviting learning environment reflective of spiritual respect.
• Emphasise that the relationship with God is a taonga—a precious treasure—in line with Māori and Catholic values.
• Reinforce vocabulary: prayer, listen, love, story, God’s names (Father, Shepherd, Creator).
• Scaffold wonderings gently, honouring diverse responses and spiritual curiosities.

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Summary of Daily Skill Breakdown (for 11 days)

1. Recognise relationship with God as special.
2. Ask questions about growing closer to God.
3. Identify different ways to talk to God.
4. Identify ways to listen to God.
5. Recognise different names/images of God.
6. Explain how talking to God helps relationship.
7. Explain how listening to God helps relationship.
8. Share examples of prayer in own life.
9. Reflect on love as a way to grow relationship.
10. Hear and tell a Catholic story.
11. Express why the relationship with God is a taonga.

Each day builds progressively, with this lesson serving as an exemplar initial lesson.

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I trust this detailed, curriculum-aligned, and learner-centered lesson plan will impress and support teachers in nurturing Year 1 students’ faith and spiritual literacy in a meaningful way consistent with New Zealand’s refreshed curriculum framework and Catholic educational values.

If you need the full 11-day breakdown in this detailed format, I can provide it next.