Advent Lights · Week 1 · Grades 3–5
Guided Notes: St. Nicholas
- Name
- Date
- Class
Follow along as your teacher presents. Fill in each section when its slide is on the screen.
A bishop by the sea
Nicholas lived about 1,700 years ago. He was the bishop of blank 1, a town near the sea in the land we now call Turkey.
blank 2 says he was born in the nearby town of Patara. It says his parents died when he was young and left him a lot of money.
Nicholas did not keep the money for himself. He used it to help people who were poor, sick or in trouble.
Words to know
Write what each word means.
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Bishop | Write your answer |
| Tradition | Write your answer |
| Patron saint | Write your answer |
| Feast day | Write your answer |
Three bags of gold
The most famous story about Nicholas tells of a poor father with three blank 3. He had no money to help them marry, and their future looked very hard.
Tradition says Nicholas came at night and tossed a bag of gold through the window. He did this three times, once for each daughter.
He wanted no one to know the gift came from him. Other stories say he saved sailors in a storm and spoke up for people who were punished unfairly.
Quick check
Where was Nicholas a bishop? Circle one.
- A Rome, in Italy
- B Myra, in today’s Turkey
- C Athens, in Greece
- D Amsterdam, in Holland
Giving like Nicholas
Nicholas gave so that the other person was helped, not so that he looked good. Sort each choice. Check one box for each.
| Item | Giving for others | Giving to be noticed |
|---|---|---|
| Leaving a kind note with no name on it | ||
| Helping someone only when a camera is on | ||
| Sharing your snack without telling anyone | ||
| Posting a video to show how nice you were | ||
| Sending a kind message to a lonely classmate | ||
| Giving a gift, then asking for lots of thanks |
Quick check
In the famous story, why did Nicholas give the gold at night? Circle one.
- A He was too busy in the day
- B He was hiding from soldiers
- C The family asked him to
- D He wanted to give in secret
Think, pair, share
Nicholas helped people without wanting credit. Think of home, school and online. What is one kind thing you could do this week that nobody would know came from you?
Think: my idea before we talk
Sentence starters: “One secret kindness I could do is ...”“It is hard to give in secret because ...”“Online, I could be kind by ...”
Pair: something my partner said
Let us pray
Loving God, every good gift comes from you.
Teach us to give quietly and to notice people in need.
St. Nicholas, pray for us.
Amen.
My own prayer or intention:
Well done!
The feast of St. Nicholas is December 6. In many countries children set out their shoes the night before. The name Santa Claus comes from Sinterklaas, the Dutch name for St. Nicholas.
One thing I learned today:
One question I still have:
Challenge: Do one secret kindness before next week. Do not post it, and do not tell anyone who did it.