A four lesson learning sequence about baptism for grade 1 students from a catholic lens

Welcome! It's wonderful to help you plan this lesson sequence. To make sure we customize this to your exact setup, are you a teacher planning for a whole classroom, or a parent/catechist working with a smaller group?

I'm a parent or catechist with a small group.

That is so helpful to know! Teaching a small group lets you create such a warm, intimate atmosphere for these lessons.

Your path

Symbols and Actions of Baptism

The Story of Jesus' Baptism

Living as Part of God's Family

To kick off our first lesson, we start with the big picture: explaining to Grade 1 kids that is a of initiation—the special, holy doorway that welcomes us into the Church.

Give me an idea for an opening activity to start Lesson 1

A wonderful way to begin is by grounding the lesson in their own everyday lives. You can start with a short discussion around the concept of welcome.

Ask the children to share a time when they felt warmly welcomed somewhere—like walking into a new classroom, joining a team, or visiting a friend's house. You can ask them: 'How did it feel when someone smiled and invited you in?'

This helps 6- and 7-year-olds connect the warm feeling of belonging in their daily life to the spiritual welcome we receive in God's family.

What if they mention bring-and-tell items or family photos?

That is an absolute home-run idea for 6- and 7-year-olds! Bringing in family photos or special keepsakes makes abstract concepts instantly warm and relatable.

You can ask the children to show their photo or item and share a quick story about it. Emphasize that these items show how much they are loved by their own families—which connects perfectly to how Baptism welcomes us as loved members of God's big family.

To anchor this, you can show a picture of a baptism and ask: "What do you think is happening here?"

This sets up the core definition of the lesson: is the "sacrament of welcome"—the special initiation where God and the Church community throw open their arms to invite us in.

Make a worksheet for Lesson 1

Coming right up! A simple, engaging worksheet is a fantastic way to solidify these key ideas about welcome and family for your Grade 1 group.

SHEET

Worksheet

I've generated a customized worksheet focused on the theme of welcome and belonging in God's family. You can print this out for your kids to draw and complete at the end of Lesson 1.