Miss Friemel's Music Lessons- and More

Part of my job requires that I visit children in grades Pre-K through 4th and share a "liturgical" music lesson with them. This often consists of singing hymns and psalms from the upcoming mass, talking about the Saint's Feast or liturgical season, or high-lighting some part of the mass and talking about why we do it that way. This all is tied together with reading the scriptures for the week.

Although my lessons are simple due to the fact that I am teaching children, reading and reflecting on the scriptures and lives of the saints, and then hearing input from the children has challenged me greatly in my understanding of the faith. It really is true that in order to say something succintly, you have to have a full understanding and go much deeper with it than what the final product shows.

So, here I will record, whether for private reflection by those who are simple (like me)and simply not theologians or as material for reaching children with profound and succint truths of the faith.


Lesson Objective: Children will identify and discuss how Jesus is the "Word of God". They will learn the Lenten Response "Praise to You, Word of God, Lord Jesus Christ."

Ms. Friemel: "What is the purpose of our words?"
Class: "To communicate so we can understand each other"
Brilliant child/good little Catholic answer: "To show kindness and love through what we say."

Ms. Friemel: "We use our words to tell people who we are. I can tell you I am Ms. Friemel and I like to sing and I am a caring teacher. See, I just told you about myself using my words."

(2-4th grade answer)Ms. Friemel: "That's right. Our words show others what we are like, what's in our heart. If we speak kind words to others, we show that we are kind. If we speak unkindly, we are showing that we need to work on being more loving. Sometimes what we say is not as important as how we say it. Can you think of a time when you said "Thanks a lot" to someone but meant something different? Our tone, or how we say things, also tell people what's in our heart."

(all grades) Ms. Friemel: So, do you think our words have power?

Class: (Puzzled look)

Ms. Friemel: "Yes, they do! Even though words are invisible (we can't see them), we can use them to encourage others or say mean things. Words have power to make someone happy or sad- to help or to hurt."

Ms. Friemel: (to make sure students are coherent) Do words have power?

Class: Yes!

Ms. Friemel: "That's right! And, in the beginning of time, God's word was so powerful, so strong, so full of love, that it became the very person of Jesus! Jesus is God's ultimate way of saying that He loves us!"

(proceeds to teach "Glory to You" on pg. #333 of Ritual Song)