“A good school provides a rounded education for the whole person. And a good Catholic school, over and above this, should help all its students to become saints.”
– Pope Benedict XVI, Address to Teachers
Religious Curriculum
Our Catholic Identity is the cornerstone to the formation of students at St. Thomas, enriching both their academic and spiritual lives. Each grade has a dedicated religion class that forms the foundation of our students’ religious education. Building on religion class, Christ’s teachings are alive in all aspects of our school community.
For details on the sacramental life for our students, click here.
See below a breakdown of our religious curriculum by grade level:
Kindergarten
Our Kindergarten program is designed to prepare children for a lifetime of learning through a balance of spiritual, academic, and social learning.
We navigate learning opportunities within the principles of our Catholic faith. We learn to forgive others as God forgives us. We develop confidence in knowing God created us in his image and He loves us. We pray daily for protection. We keep Jesus in our heart.
1st Grade
- Explain how God reveals himself to us
- Prayers to be Mastered: Sign of the Cross, Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, and Grace Before Meals
- Tell and understand the stories of Jesus’ parables and mysteries
- Participate at Mass
- Understand the Sacrament of Baptism (First Sacrament)
- Know and understand what sin is and forgiveness
- Learn about different Saints
- Study the Christmas story and Easter story
- Learn about Advent and Lent
2nd Grade
- Second grade is a sacramental year-two sacraments: First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion
- Much of our year is spent in preparation for these two beautiful sacraments
- The Ten Commandments
- Understand what sin is-choosing to do something we know is wrong
- Steps to a good confession
- Prayers: Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Act of Contrition, Guardian Angel
- Parts of the Mass: Liturgy of the Word and Liturgy of the Eucharist
- Understand what happens at the consecration
- Understand what the Eucharist is
- Define the Blessed Trinity
- Saints-learn about different saints and their importance
- Explain what we celebrate during Advent and Lent and the significance of each
3rd Grade
This year our focus is on the main truths Catholics believe and express in The Apostle’s Creed. Students will need to work on The Apostle’s Creed memorization, as well, as a few others prayers this year. We will be completing a Saint Book, as the year progresses, focusing on each Saints time and talents. As our liturgical year progresses, we pause to celebrate our religious seasons.
GRADING – includes daily work or homework, open book quizzes, quarterly prayers, and small projects in class.
4th Grade
Students focus on the Ten Commandments and Beatitudes and how to incorporate them into their daily life.
Each lesson integrates Scripture, Catholic doctrine and tradition, and the church’s social teachings.
Students pray a daily decade of the rosary along with personal intentions.
5th Grade
In fifth grade religion class, we pray daily with and for each other.
We also extend our prayer petitions to include our school, the greater Crystal Lake community, and the world.
Our curriculum focuses on worshipping as Catholic Christians, the Sacraments, Christian Living, and the Church’s seasons and Holy Days.
We live out our Catholic faith by mentoring our Kindergarten prayer partners, as well as participating in our school’s service projects, such as Hope for Haitians.
Junior High
The Jr. High Religion Classes are an integration of Scripture, Tradition and action. Scripture is centered between themes of Catechism of the Catholic Church, Creed, Sacraments, Morality, Catholic Social Teachings and Prayer.
6th Grade Focus – God Calls a People – The Old Testament
7th Grade Focus – Jesus the Way the Truth, and the Life – Jesus Christ
8th Grade Focus – The Church Then and Now – Church History and The Holy Spirit
