5th Grade

“Journey of Faith” is the theme for the 5th-grade Sunday School as it follows the students through a comprehensive exploration of key events in the Orthodox Church Liturgical Calendar, connecting them to the Nicene Creed. The lessons guide students on a spiritual journey of understanding and faith, deepening their knowledge of the significance of each event in the life of Jesus Christ and the Church. Through these lessons, students not only learn about the Liturgical Calendar but also how to apply these teachings to their daily lives, fostering a stronger connection to their faith and beliefs.

Learning Outcomes

This list summarizes all the learning outcomes a child should know at the end of this Grade and at this age. For more information on this approach of "what a child should know?", we recommend reading "The Goals and Objectives of Education in the Orthodox Church", by Rev. Fr. Dr. Anton.

Annunciation of our Lord (Suboro)

G5.LO1 - Understand and reflect using the references in our Liturgical and prayer hymns about the significance of St. Mary's role in the Annunciation (Lesson 2)

Nativity of our Lord (Yeldo)

G5.LO2 - Examine the Nativity of our Lord. (Lesson 3)

G5.LO3 - Identify incarnation as salvation. (Lesson 3)

G5.LO4 - Establish a solid understanding that Jesus is fully man and fully God. (Lesson 3)

Circumcision/Naming of our Lord (Gazurthe)

G5.LO5 - Interpret how circumcision was a covenant in the Old Testament. (Lesson 4)

G5.LO6 - Explore the deeper meaning of the name(s) of Jesus. (Lesson 4)

Baptism of our Lord (Denaha)

G5.LO7 - Examine how Denaha is not just a historical event but the manifestation of the Holy Trinity. (Lesson 5)

G5.LO8 - Explain how the blessing of the water symbolizes the purification and redemption of the entire fallen world. (Lesson 5)

Presentation in the Temple (Ma'altho)

G5.LO9 - Analyze the Icon of the Presentation in the Temple. (Lesson 6)

G5.LO10 - Correlate the Presentation to the Temple to the bringing of children to the Church for the first time. (Lesson 6)

G5.LO11 - Dramatise Saints Simeon and Anna. (Lesson 6)

G5.LO12 - Breakdown St. Simeon's words to St. Mary and relate to what St. Mary must have gone through as the Mother of our Lord. (Lesson 6)

G5.LO13 - Investigate why doves were brought to be offered. (Lesson 6)

Entry of our Lord into Jerusalem (Ooshaino)

G5.LO14 - Explore how the Triumphal Entry fulfills Old Testament prophecy. (Lesson 7)

G5.LO15 - Explore the event in Biblical context and salvific history. (Lesson 7)

G5.LO16 - Explore the differences between a king riding on a horse and Christ riding on a donkey. (Lesson 7)

Passover (Pesaha)

G5.LO17 - Relate the Feast of Passover to the Angel of Death passing over the Children of Israel and the children of Israel passing over the Red Sea. (Lesson 8)

G5.LO18 - Examine how, through Passover, the children of Israel were delivered from bondage and suppression to freedom and deliverance. (Lesson 8)

G5.LO19 - Examine how the lamb of God takes away the sin of the world in the context of the Feast of Passover. (Lesson 8)

G5.LO20 - Identify the importance of the blood of the lamb on doorposts in connection with the Feast of Passover. (Lesson 8)

G5.LO21 - Examine the significance of Jesus celebrating Holy Qurbana. (Lesson 8)

G5.LO22 - Explain how washing of the feet symbolizes the humility of Jesus. (Lesson 8)

Great Friday (Arubtho Rabtho Dazqeephutho)

G5.LO23 - Summarize the events of each hour of Holy/Great Friday. (Lesson 9)

G5.LO24 - Examine why Jesus took on Death for our sake. (Lesson 9)

Holy Saturday (Shabtho d'sbartho)

G5.LO25 - Associate the narrative where Joseph and Nicodemus receive the Trisagion Prayer from the Holy Angels with local Syriac tradition. (Lesson 10)

G5.LO26 - Explain how Jesus died a real death on the Cross, but at no point in time before, during, or after does He stop being God. (Lesson 10)

G5.LO27 - Interpret how Holy Saturday connects with Sabbath, the day of rest in the story of Creation. (Lesson 10)

Resurrection (Qyamtha)

G5.LO28 - Analyze the verse from the Maneetho of Mar Severios ("He trampled death by His death and destroyed our death"). (Lesson 11)

G5.LO29 - Understand and analyze the references to how Christ brings life in the hymns of the Resurrection Liturgy and Qymtha morning prayers. (Lesson 11)

Ascension (Sooloqo)

G5.LO30 - Analyze Ascension through Scripture, Icons, and Liturgical prayers/hymns. (Lesson 12)

G5.LO31 - Contrast the theology in the Icon of Ascension with that of the common Western painting. (Lesson 12)

Pentecost (Siom Boorke)

G5.LO32 - Explain Apostolic Succession in relation to Pentecost. (Lesson 13)

G5.LO33 - Examine the meaning of the sprinkling of water. (Lesson 13)

G5.LO34 - Investigate the meaning behind the tongues of fire. (Lesson 13)

G5.LO35 - Discuss the sending out to preach the universal Gospel after Pentecost. (Lesson 13)

Transfiguration (Mtale)

G5.LO36 - Illustrate how Transfiguration is a symbol of sanctification. (Lesson 14)

G5.LO37 - Explore how Transfiguration is the manifestation of the Holy Trinity. (Lesson 14)

G5.LO38 - Analyze the icon of the Transfiguration. (Lesson 14)

Assumption/Dormition of the Theotokos (Shoonoyo)

G5.LO39 - Explain the significance of Jesus entrusting St. Mary to St. John the Evangelist: "Woman, this is your son, and here is your mother", as well as perceive St. Mary's life in Ephesus with St. John. (Lesson 15)

G5.LO40 - Identify St. Mary in connection with her death and translation/assumption into heaven. (Lesson 15)

G5.LO41 - Capture the Tradition of St. Thomas visiting St. Mary’s body midair and the gifting of her girdle to him, while coming from India, followed by St. Thomas' arrival in Jerusalem and the discovery of the empty tomb. (Lesson 15)

G5.LO42 - Discover that St. Mary’s body was buried, and angels carried her body to heaven. (Lesson 15)

Feast of the Holy Cross (Sleeba)

G5.LO43 - Interpret the Feast of the Holy Cross. (Lesson 16)

G5.LO44 - Explain the presence of the Holy Cross in the Old Testament. (Lesson 16)

G5.LO45 - Understand and interpret the discovery of the Holy Cross by Queen Helena. (Lesson 16)

G5.LO46 - Recognize how "The Holy Cross is a sign of peace, a sign of victory, by the Holy Cross we all are saved and in it we all glory". (Lesson 16)

G5.LO47 - Explain how the Holy Cross is a protection from all evil. (Lesson 16)

Liturgical Calendar

G5.LO48 - Examine how the Liturgical Calendar helps us grow as Christians. (Lesson 1)

G5.LO49 - Discuss the different grades of Feasts. (Lesson 1)

G5.LO50 - Contrast the West Syriac Liturgical calendar with that of other Orthodox Churches. (Lesson 1)

G5.LO51 - Explain the importance of the Liturgical calendar in the Orthodox Church, and give an overview of the seasons of the Church. (Lesson 1)