FORWARD PLANNING DOUMENTS

TERM: TERM 3 AGE LEVEL: 3/4 Years Old LEARNING AREA/TOPIC: Religious Education – ‘Oceans and Rivers’

Forward Planning Documents

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Early Childhood
Topic: Oceans and Rivers
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TERM: TERM 3 AGE LEVEL: 3/4 Years Old LEARNING AREA/TOPIC: Religious Education – ‘Oceans and Rivers’

Early Years Learning Framework

Term 1 Team 2 Team 3 Team 4

Outcomes
Outcome 1: Children have a strong
sense of identity
Children feel safe, secure and
supported
Children develop their emerging
autonomy, inter-dependence,
resilience and sense of agency
Children develop knowledgeable and
confident self-identities
Children learn to interact in relation
to others with care, empathy and
respect
Outcome 2: Children are connected
with and contribute to their world
Children develop a sense of belonging
to groups and communities and an
understanding of the
reciprocal rights and responsibilities
necessary for active community
participation
Children respond to diversity with
respect
Children become aware of fairness
Children become socially responsible
and show respect for the environment
Outcome 3: Children are confident
and involved learners
Children become strong in their
social and emotional wellbeing
Children take increasing
responsibility for their own health
and physical wellbeing
Outcome 4: Children are confident and
involved learners
Children develop dispositions for learning
such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence,
creativity, commitment, enthusiasm,
persistence, imagination and reflexivity
Children develop a range of skills and
processes such as problem solving,
enquiry, experimentation, hypothesising,
researching and investigating
Children transfer and adapt what they have
learned from one context to another
Children resource their own learning
through connecting with people, place,
technologies and natural and processed
materials
Outcome 5: Children are effective
communicators
Children interact verbally and non-verbally
with others for a range of purposes
Children engage with a range of texts and gain
meaning from these texts
Children express ideas and make meaning
using a range of media
Children begin to understand how symbols and
pattern systems work.
Children use information and communication
technologies to access information, investigate
ideas and represent their thinking

Principles
1. Secure, respectful & reciprocal 2. Partnerships 3. High expectations & equity 4. Respect for diversity 5. Ongoing learning & reflective
relationships practice
Practices
Holistic approaches Responsiveness to children Learning through play Intentional teaching
Continuity of learning & transitions Cultural competence Assessment for learning Learning environments

TERM: TERM 3
Prudence
To wonder & become To relate & become loving
awe-filled
To regret & become
To search beyond & forgiving
become wise
Religious Education in the early years
aims to provide students with the
opportunity to discover God in people
and creation by:
Experiencing the created environment,
using all of their senses
Expressing basic ideas about the created
environment in which they live
Sorting and classifying living and non-
living things
Identifying signs of God’s creation
Wondering at what God who created their
world is like
Developing an awareness that by caring
for living and non-living things they are
FORWARD PLANNING DOUMENTS
AGE LEVEL: 3/4 Years Old LEARNING AREA/TOPIC: Religious Education – ‘Oceans and Rivers’
Links to Spiritual Capabilities Links to Religious Capabilities
Justice Fortitude Temperance Faith Hope Charity
To dare & become To fast & become grateful To search for God & To trust & become To give & become
resilient become hope-filled by God charitable like God
To meditate & become mystified by God 
To yearn & become good peaceful To repent & become To act justly & become
 To serve God & become redeemed by merciful like
To enjoy life & become God’s God God
happy witness 
 To follow & become a To respect all people &
To worship God & missionary become tolerant of
become reverent disciple of Jesus others’ beliefs
AIMS OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION – Highlight those items that relate to the planned activities
Religious Education in the early years aims to Religious Education in the early years aims to Religious Education in the early years aims to
provide students with the opportunity to draw provide students with the opportunity to know provide students with the opportunity to live
on human experiences of God by: Jesus by: like Jesus by:
Identifying the many gifts that God has given Wondering at the person of Jesus in the Gospels Naming ways that people can show love and be
them considerate like Jesus
Wondering at Jesus’ love for them
Reflecting on experiences of family, love, care, Identifying ways of including people based on
Hearing and being immersed in stories about the
forgiveness and community how Jesus included people
life of Jesus
Exploring a range of human interactions Exploring ways of forgiving like Jesus
Identifying significant people in the life of Jesus
Demonstrating socialisation into the early years Identifying ways of choosing to do good
Identifying the way that Jesus loved and cared for
community following the example of Jesus
people
Reflecting on experiences of play and work, Wondering at the love that Jesus had for all
Engaging in play experiences based on the stories
likes and dislikes, belonging and celebrations people
of Jesus
Wondering at God in the midst of human Using their special gifts to help others
Responding to stories about Jesus
experiences.
Wondering at the ways they can use their gifts
Exploring and making meaning of Scripture.
to help people
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TERM: TERM 3 AGE LEVEL: 3/4 Years Old LEARNING AREA/TOPIC: Religious Education – ‘Oceans and Rivers’

living as God wants Knowing special people who like Jesus used
their gifts to help others in particular ways
Discovering things about themselves
– Mary, the mother of Jesus
Identifying significant others
– Joseph
Recognising people and places of – Some saints (patron saint of the school or
importance founding order).
Wondering at all the ways God loves them
Developing awareness that by caring for
people they are living as God wants.

Religious Education in the early years aims to provide students with the opportunity to develop a basic understanding of Catholic life, prayer and Scripture by:
Knowing that prayer is the way that people develop a relationship with God.
Recognising religious symbols including the cross, liturgical colours and holy water.
Knowing simple ways of praying – making the Sign of the Cross, joining hands in prayer, singing.
Engaging in informal prayer experiences i.e. prayers of praise, thanks, sorrow, petition, spontaneous prayers or through song or movement.
Participating in rituals (e.g. Children’s Liturgy of the Word, having a set process for coming to prayer).
Appreciating the importance of Christmas and Easter as special celebrations for the followers of Jesus.
Developing awareness that God’s family is called the Church.
Coming to know of the relationship between Jesus and the Father.
Developing awareness that Jesus came to tell people about God’s love.
Meeting the parish priest and knowing of his role in the Church.
Visiting the parish church and learning of its role as the place that gathers God’s family.
Knowing how God’s family celebrates and experiencing liturgies and other appropriate school activities.
Recognising the Bible as the special book that tells people about God’s love.
Observing, manipulating and retelling Scripture stories using pictures and other objects
Participating in ritual to listen to and respond to Scripture.
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TERM: TERM 3 AGE LEVEL: 3/4 Years Old LEARNING AREA/TOPIC: Religious Education – ‘Oceans and Rivers’

Planning Overview
Year: Kindy Theme: Oceans and Rivers
Overview:
Religious education in the early years aims to provide students with the opportunity to discover God in people and creation. The purpose of the religious
education in kindergarten is to nurture spiritual awareness through learning experiences. The focus for kindergarten children is the religious development of the
children through activities that support positive feelings towards themselves and others which can be directly related to the wonderful world that God has
created. In Kindergarten, the Religious Education program links with the Early Years Learning Framework to deliver a play based environment with an integrated
approach across the curriculum. Religious awareness is fostered through God-talk, engaging in role-play and exploring God’s creations. Children should be taught
to develop a growing awareness of their relationship with Jesus Christ in a loving, Catholic community. A successful religious education program should
incorporate a holistic approach, the program should stimulate children’s imagination, wonder and awe through presenting various scripture stories, hands-on
activities and role-play.

RE Learning Outcomes:
 Discovering God in People and Creation: Students discover God and understand his role in their lives through presenting experiences in creation.
 Drawing on Human Experience: Students understand the content of the Christian message and its significance by relating it to examples drawn from
human experience.
 Knowing Jesus: Students identify with the person of Jesus and the model for living out the Christian mission in the world.
 Living like Jesus: Students understand that Catholics are empowered to live like Jesus the Saviour as they draw on the power of God on the power of
God’s Spirit.
 Catholic Practices: Students demonstrate the skills necessary to be a good Catholic through reading and applying Scriptures to their lives and how to
participate in Catholic ritual and prayer.
Ideas for Wonder God in People and Human Experience of Knowing Jesus Living Like Jesus Catholic Practices – Prayer
Questions Creation God Experiences
 I wonder which of  Sensory mystery  Share experiences See Bible Stories  Share  Thank you prayers
God’s creatures bag of things of swimming in chapter for Wonder children’s for the oceans and
live in the ocean? from the ocean the ocean. Questions related to Baptism all the ocean
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TERM: TERM 3 AGE LEVEL: 3/4 Years Old LEARNING AREA/TOPIC: Religious Education – ‘Oceans and Rivers’

 I wonder how or river  Share experiences the stories. photos. creatures.

God makes the  Edicol dye wash- of building sand  Discuss how  Discuss the use of
waves? over of ocean or castles.  Tell the story of the above water during
 I wonder why river scenes.  Share stories of Jesus calming stories Baptism and when
God makes shell?  Classify and sort going fishing. the storm (Baptism) we bless ourselves.
 I wonder how things that  Discuss sun safety  Tell the story of helped Jesus  Display of Bible
God made all the belong in the  What does your Jesus calling the teach about stories showing
wonderful ocean and those family do at the disciples God’s love. pictures of
colours of the that don’t. beach  Tell the story of suggested Scripture
fish?  Discuss caring for Jesus walking stories.
 I wonder if Jesus our waterways – on the water
could swim? not polluting and  Tell the story of
not wasting the loaves and
water fishes
 Tell the Creation  Tell the story of
story. Jesus Baptism
 Tell the story of
the fishermen
casting nets

TERM: TERM 3
Learning and Teaching Program
Week Lesson 1
1 Lesson Objective:
1. Children can recognise that God created
the ocean and all that lives in it.
Focus Wonder Questions:
 “I wonder which of God’s creatures lives
in the ocean”
 “I wonder what God’s favourite sea
animal is?”
 “I wonder if God is scared of sharks?”
Mat Session:
Read Text. ‘Commotion in the Ocean’ By Giles
Andreae. Questions:
 What animals were in the book?
 What is your favourite sea animal?’
 What animal can talk under water?
 What was the scariest looking animal in
the book?
Brainstorm: What animals live in the ocean?
AGE LEVEL: 3/4 Years Old LEARNING AREA/TOPIC: Religious Education – ‘Oceans and Rivers’
Lesson 2
* Ask student to go to the beach and find shells
to bring into class.(Send note asking parents if
they could take their child to beach)
Lesson Objective:
1. Children can name one living and non-
living thing God’s created.
Focus Wonder Question:
 “I wonder why God made shells?”
 “I wonder when you listen to shell if
that is God saying hello?”
 “I wonder what animals live in
shells?”
 “I wonder why God gave some
animals shells and not others?”
 “I wonder what it would be like to
live in a shell?”
Mat Session:
Text: ‘Sharing Shell’ by Julia Donaldson
Questions:
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Lesson 3
Lesson Objective:
1. Children can recall own experience of
going to the beach.
Focus Wonder Question:
 “I wonder how God made all the
wonderful colours of the fish?”
 I wonder if Jesus liked the beach?
 I wonder if Jesus built sandcastles
at the beach.
Mat Session:
Text: ‘Rainbow Fish’ by Marcus Pfister
 Read the book Rainbow Fish
Discussion:
 Ask children to identify ways that
they are different from their peers,
such as different hair and eye
colours
 Discuss the story. Ask questions…
 Why didn’t rainbow fish play
with any other fish?

TERM: TERM 3
Learning Centre Plan: Week 1
* Ocean Themed sensory tray – The tray will be
filled with shells, small animals, sand, rocks and
gems.
* Paper Plate Sea Creatures – Using paper
plates to make different sea creatures of
children choose.
AGE LEVEL: 3/4 Years Old
 Why is it nice to share?
 How can we share with our friends?
 Brainstorm: What animals live in Shells?
 Bring in two real hermit crabs: Explore
what they look like and how they move
Learning Centre Plan: Week 1
*Handprint Hermit crab craft: Children will use
water colour to colour their hermit shells and
will use the hand print for their hermit crab
*Shell Painting With Water Colours - Painting
shells with water colours and paints
*Role Play being Hermit Crabs: Children will
role-play what it is like to have a shell. Using
large cardboard boxes as the shell.
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LEARNING AREA/TOPIC: Religious Education – ‘Oceans and Rivers’
 What did the little blue fish
want from rainbow fish?
 Who did rainbow fish ask to
help him?
 What did octopus tell him to
do?
 How did rainbow fish feel when
he started to give his shiny
scales away?
 What happened when rainbow
fish gave his scales away?
 Use PowerPoint to show children
different fish that live in our ocean.
 Teach children the song: Sea Prayer
Learning Centre Plan: Week 1
*CD Rainbow Fish – Turing CD’s into fish and
decorating with gems and jewels.

TERM: TERM 3
2 Lesson Objective:
1. Children can identify that Jesus was
baptised.
Mat Session:
Read Bible story: Tell the story of Jesus’
Baptism.
 Educator will introduce topic/ritual of
Baptism through a mystery box. i.e. In
the box would be items relating to
baptism (baby, water, candle, white
garment)
 Educator will tell the scripture story
through Godly play.
Learning Centre Plan: Week 2
* Godly play: I would put the items from the
Godly play out on the mat for children to role-
play and retell the story using their imagination.
AGE LEVEL: 3/4 Years Old LEARNING AREA/TOPIC: Religious Education – ‘Oceans and Rivers’
Lesson Objective
1. Children can recall one item of baptism.
(Water, prayer, white garment,
godparents, candle, dove, church, priest)
Mat Session:
Mat Session:
Text: Little Humpty by
Read book: Little Humpty by
Discus: What is special about this story?
 Do you think little Humpty was baptised?
 Why is water important to baptism?
 What does it mean to belong?
 Do we belong to our family?
Learning Centre Plan: Week 2
*Make Blue Jelly: Children will make blue jelly
to represent the water used during baptism
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Lesson Objectives:
1. Children engage in baptism role-play to
develop religious awareness.
 Re-visit bible story (Story of Jesus
Baptism) using puppets/felt board.
 Create a Baptism Word Wall – I will also
have pictures as visual aids for children.
 Look at pictures of children’s baptism
photos. Discuss and talk about the
photos.
Learning Centre Plan: Week 2
 Role-play: Children role-play being
baptised and acting out the ritual of
baptism – include water, baby dolls,
white garments for children to role-
play with.
*Assessment: Observation grid –
Dramatic Corner: Teacher will listen
and watch students playing in the
dramatic corner and write annotated
notes. These will be transferred to an

TERM: TERM 3
3 Lesson Objective:
 1. Children can identify one or more sea
creatures that God created.
Mat Session:
* Ask School Parish Priest to come and talk to
students about baptism.
Text: ‘The Snail and the Whale’ by Julia
Donaldson
 Read text: The Snail and the Whale
- I wonder if the whale knows there is
a snail on his tail?
 Discuss the story. Ask questions:
 Where did the sea snail want to
go?
 What animal asked the sea snail
to go sailing?
 On what part of the whale’s
body did the sea snail sit?
 How big do you think an iceberg
is? Bigger than a bus?
 What are some other animals
that live in the sea?
 Sea Animal movement game:
children have to move like the animal
the educator calls out (i.e. crab)
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AGE LEVEL: 3/4 Years Old LEARNING AREA/TOPIC: Religious Education – ‘Oceans and Rivers’
observation grid and dated.
Lesson Objective: Lesson Objective:
 Children will use their sense to wonder 1. Children participate in a simple ritual.
and experience God’s Creations by 2. Children will engage with age
observing them in real life. appropriate scripture, prayer and song
during a simple ritual.
Mat Session:
 Mystery Bag: Shells, plastic animals, Ritual:
starfish. Using descriptive language * Children will be involved in a simple ritual
children have to describe the item in the about creation. The ritual gives thanks to
mystery bag. creation and the world that God made.
 Ocean Animal game – What lives in the
ocean (children will be standing and the
have to put their hands on their heads if Learning Centre Plan: Week 3
they think the animal lives in the ocean
or their hands on their hips if they think
it doesn’t live in the ocean).
 Play YouTube – Slippery Fish: Children
have to sing along and make the
movements of each animal
* Exclusion to AQWA
I would plan to take children to AQWA to
explore everything that they have been learning
about for the past three weeks. It will allow
students to wonder about creation and
experience the wonders of Gods creations.
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TERM: TERM 3 AGE LEVEL: 3/4 Years Old LEARNING AREA/TOPIC: Religious Education – ‘Oceans and Rivers’

Ritual Practice
 Practice making the sign of the cross. Learning Centre Plan: Week 3
 Re-visit and practice Sea Prayer Song –
This song will be song at the end of the
ritual.

Learning Centre Plan: Week 3

* Assessment: Draw Favourite Sea Animal- This
task will assess students understanding that God
created the ocean and the thing that live in it.

Children will draw a picture of their favourite

sea animal that God had created and orally tell
the educated why this is their favourite sea
creature and why they think God created it. The
educator scribed children’s answers, typed them
up and added them to students work.
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TERM: TERM 3 AGE LEVEL: 3/4 Years Old LEARNING AREA/TOPIC: Religious Education – ‘Oceans and Rivers’

Catering for Learning Diversity:

It is essential, as demonstrated in this plan, to cater for the needs and diversity in learning that might existing in my class by providing scaffolding and
differentiation in all learning experiences. My children’s learning experiences should cater for their different learning capacities and learning styles and invite
children and families to contribute ideas, interests and questions.

Because the students in my class are only very young they may have trouble taking turns and sharing. The focus over the next three weeks will be to teach children
to share and take turns by role modelling to students how we all take turns by modelling language, using manners and demonstrating through my own actions how
to create a caring and sharing environment. In week one, I have incorporated the text “The Sharing Shell” which will allow me to discuss with children why it so
rewarding to share with our friends and ways we can share with our friends. I will also ensure that I am providing the children with very positive feedback when
they take turn or share with their friends.