Fun unit study for kids about Joyfulness

Our Virtue Lesson About Joyfulness

A Unit Study to Help Young Catholics Learn About Being Joyful

The Lesson

This lesson celebrates the virtue of joyfulness and is intended to help Catholic kids practice and live their faith in a real way. It is designed to be used daily, over the course of a month. With a weekly core lesson, daily reinforcement with scripture discussions, prayer, and the incentive progress sheets, children learn quickly how to recognize and begin practicing the virtue of joyfulness. Additional worksheets and activities extend the learning fun.

This unit focuses on topics such as joy as a fruit of Holy Spirit, the soul enables us to be joyful, and how to share joy and happiness with others.

Unit Summary

Grade Level: K-6
Age: 6-10
Focus: Virtue Lesson Unit Study
Theme: Joy & Joyfulness

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Virtue Lessons

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Step 1. Download the Lesson Packet

This small packet contains the teacher info as well as the main lesson and activity sheets needed for students.

Download Our Virtue Lesson About Joyfulness Unit Study

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Step 2. Download the Support Materials

With a goal of training young learners to develop habits to form and live virtuous lives, we focus on the virtue of joyfulness. This unit study helps to meet this goal by incorporating a variety of fun and engaging components. Each is listed below along with additional support materials to accompany and extend each lesson component.

Aesop’s Fables Materials

Aesop’s Fables provide simple but effective use of short stories to teach morality.

This unit study incorporates the use of moral tales. These short fables by Aesop highlight the work of Milo Winter, and they are used in weeks two and three of this unit study. This resource has over-sized text and a color image, which make it appealing to young readers. Excellent discussions can occur with such simple stories. Sometimes the stories selected can fit into other virtues as well as the one presented. Feel free to use them repeatedly.

Although most morals are relatively clear-cut, there are a few stories that require thought as to their selection and inclusion in this unit study. Sometimes it is because they provide a positive example of the highlighted virtue, other times it is because they are a negative or contrary example of the virtue. Having older learners come up with a reason for why the fable was selected is a great exercise and can even be turned into a simple writing assignment. Writing paper featuring the thematic image for this particular virtue is provided. For younger students, trace copywork reiterating the moral is offered in both print and cursive styles for reinforcement.

Download the Aesop Materials Below.

Aesop's Fable: The Spendthrift and the Swallow
Enjoy a printable version of this timeless fable from Aesop designed to help teach lessons in virtuous behavior and morality. This resource has over-sized text and a color image, which make it appealing to young readers. Aesop's Fable: The Spendthrift...

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Aesop

Aesop Copywork Set for the Spendthrift and the Swallow
Focus on the moral truth from Aesop's Fable of the Spendthrift and the Swallow. Find two copywork sheets in this set. There is one to trace in cursive and the other in manuscript. Generous writing area has been provided as well as an image to accompany...

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Aesop handwriting Worksheet

Aesop’s Fables Montessori Cards Set 11
Set 11 of Aesop's Fables Montessori Cards Playing, reading and moral training don't usually go together, but they do in the case of our Aesop's Fables Montessori cards. Use these cards to help children explore, ponder, and remember all the great moral...

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Aesop Montessori Cards

Aesop's Fable: The Stag and His Reflection
Enjoy a printable version of this timeless fable from Aesop designed to help teach lessons in virtuous behavior and morality. This resource has over-sized text and a color image, which make it appealing to young readers. Aesop's Fable: The Stag and...

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Aesop

Aesop Copywork Set for the Stag and His Reflection
Focus on the moral truth from Aesop's Fable of the Stag and His Reflection. Find two copywork sheets in this set. There is one to trace in cursive and the other in manuscript. Generous writing area has been provided as well as an image to accompany...

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Aesop handwriting Worksheet

Aesop’s Fables Montessori Cards Set 7
Set 7 of Aesop's Fables Montessori Cards Playing, reading and moral training don't usually go together, but they do in the case of our Aesop's Fables Montessori cards. Use these cards to help children explore, ponder, and remember all the great moral...

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Aesop Montessori Cards

Scripture Suggestions for the Virtue of Joyfulness

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice.” – Philippians 4:4

“Always rejoice. Pray without ceasing. In all things give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you all.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

“Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye just, and glory, all ye right of heart.” – Psalms 31:11

“A wise teacher makes learning a joy; a rebellious teacher spouts foolishness.” – Proverbs 15:2

Additional Passages:

Psalm 19:8
Romans 12:15
Psalm 97:6
James 1:2-3
Psalm 47:1
Romans 15:13
Luke 15:7
Hebrews 12:2

The quotes and references provided above are taken from the Douay-Rheims version of the Holy Bible.

Ideas for Studying Scripture Using This Unit Study

Choose a favorite scripture passage about joyfulness from your own collection or the selection above to discuss with students. You may wish to use a passage for copywork or handwriting practice. Writing Paper is provided featuring the thematic image for this particular virtue.

Alternately, students may be encouraged to study about the virtue of joyfulness with a fun, hands-on activity F3 (Flip, Flap, Fold) Tab Booklet. Learners cut out tabbed pieces, arrange them in order, and staple to finish construction. Students can then write in the book. The scripture notation is written on the tabbed edge, and the body of the text is written on the piece. Children may copy a Bible verse presented by the teacher featuring this virtue, or they may give a narration of a favorite verse they may have studied previously.

This tabbed F3 piece can accommodate up to five different scripture passages. Versions are provided in black-and-white as well as color and feature the thematic image used throughout the unit study. Finished books can be glued into a notebook or blank F3 Folder.

Read our article with pictures on How to Assemble an F3 Bible Verse Piece.

F3 Tab Booklet - Bible Verses About Joyfulness
Make Scripture Study About the Virtue of Joyfulness a Hands-On Activity with Our Bible Verse F3 Piece. This little F3 (Flip, Flap, Fold) Piece encourages Bible study about joyfulness. Learners cut out tabbed pieces, arrange them in order, and staple...

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Bible F3 Graphic Organizer Joyfulness Virtues

Virtue of Joyfulness Writing Paper
Writing Sheet Prompts Thoughts About Joyfulness. This writing sheet has just the right amount of cuteness to draw young writers to share their thoughts about joyfulness and being happy. This printable includes a black-and-white and color version...

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Joyfulness Notebooking Virtues Writing Paper

Reading Activities and The Book List

Select a book from the list below to read to or with your students to help them see some examples of this virtue in action. Each title incorporates or focuses on the virtue of joyfulness in some way – either in the theme, plot or through a specific character. Some characters will provide a positive example of the virtue while other characters seem to lack the virtue at times.

Don’t forget that picture books are great for any age group and present ideas very clearly. Children can use the “Reading Log Bookmark” included in this unit to help them keep track of their reading.

Use the “Dr. Virtue’s Discussion Questions” cards to help learners make connections between the stories and the virtue being studied. Older learners may enjoy being led in a book discussion using the question cards as prompts. Alternately, cards may be dispensed to students to answer on their own as a writing assignment or proof of learning.

Some learners may enjoy doing a book report or review about a specific book. Use one of our fun templates below to guide young readers or new writers.

Look through the selection of reading suggestions below. Feel free to use other titles as well.

Picture Books That Can Teach About Joyfulness

The Little Fir Tree by Margaret Wise Brown
The Little Brute Family by Russell Hoban
The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle
How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids by Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer
The Best Nest by P.D. Eastman
My Little Golden Book About God by Jane Werner Watson and Eloise Wilkin
I Wish I Had Freckles Like Abby by Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook
I Wish I Was Tall Like Willie by Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook
I Wish I Was Strong Like Manuel by Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook
I Wish I Had Glasses Like Rosa by Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook
It’s Not Easy Being a Bunny by Marilyn Sadler

Easier Chapter Books That Can Teach About Joyfulness

Freckle Juice by Judy Blume
James Herriot’s Treasury for Children by James Herriot
The Adventures of Grandfather Frog by Thornton W. Burgess

Chapter Books That Can Teach About Joyfulness

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Graham
The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden
The King of the Golden City by Mother Mary Loyola
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater
Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter

Download the Additional Reading Aids Below.

Virtue of Joyfulness Reading Log Bookmark
Help Young Catholics to Learn About Joyfulness as They Track Their Reading Progress. Young readers can easily keep track of the books they read with this fun bookmark that reinforces the virtue of joyfulness. With each completed book or story,...

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Bookmark Charts Joyfulness Reading Virtues

Blank Simple Book Review for Beginners
Simple Book Review Helps Children Explore Reading and Sharing Their Opinions with Others Do you have a learner who likes giving their opinions about anything and everything? You could easily use that to your advantage with this simple book review. Using...

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Reading

Recipe Book Report
Book Report Brings Smiles and Fun and Is a Fun Alternative to a Traditional Book Report Do you have a child who likes to cook? Are looking for something completely different to use to pick apart your child's favorite read? Look no further. This cool little...

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Reading Writing Paper

Blank Detailed Book Report
This Six-Page Resource Is Ready Fun for Beginning Readers and Writers Many times when we think of book reports, we think of something cut and dry; perhaps something full of research, or something, dare I say, boring. Yikes!! You won't find anything...

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Graphic Organizer Reading

Book Report for Freckle Juice
Extend the Fun of Freckle Juice by Judy Blume This fun book report was one of my very first creations years ago and has recently been re-edited. It focuses on the plot of the book and the characters as well. Opportunities for grammar practice, virtue...

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Reading

Saint Study

Saint study is important. This is why we have incorporated it into this unit study. Every saint uniquely encounters Christ. From living simply to doing pious works, shepherding the Church to evangelizing to the nations, the saints followed a path to our Lord. We, too, can follow a path to Christ by studying their lives. When kids learn about the holy heroes of the Faith, they can feel encouraged to grow in a variety of virtues, including joyfulness.

Help children to better understand the virtue of joyfulness by learning about St. Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians. The What Can St. Cecilia Teach Me About Joyfulness Worksheet is included in the lesson packet to help guide students on a simple study of this saint.