Feb 21, 2012

What's for supper?  How about pancakes? Today is Shrove Tuesday!

The long build up to Easter is called Lent. The day before Lent begins is called Shrove Tuesday. 'Shrove' means being forgiven for wrong-doings. It happens on a different date each year depending on when Easter is. This year Shrove Tuesday is today, 21 February, 2012.

Another name for Shrove Tuesday is Pancake Day. Long ago this was a day for feasting and having a good time. People would go to church to confess the bad things they had done and would be 'shriven' or forgiven before the start of Lent. Since rich foods such as eggs were forbidden during Lent, one way of using them up would be to make pancakes.

Many people still make pancakes on Shrove Tuesday!  In France and the United States Pancake day is called Mardi Gras which means 'Fat' or 'Grease Tuesday'.

Tomorrow begins the season of Lent.  The first day of Lent is known as Ash Wednesday. Ashes are something that are left when something is burned. Christians use them as a symbol of being sorry for things they have done wrong and want to get rid of forever. In many Christian churches there are special services where the vicar or priest makes the shape of a cross with ash on the forehead of each person. The ashes come from last year's palm crosses which are burned and mixed with holy water.

If you are available, please feel free to join us for our Ash Wednesday Liturgy in the Gym tomorrow at 12:45 pm.

Lent lasts for 40 days (not including Sundays). It is the time when Christians prepare for Easter by thinking of the things they have done wrong. It is a solemn time which reminds them of the time in Jesus' life when, after giving up his work as a carpenter, he began to teach people about God. Jesus prepared for this by spending 40 days without food alone in the desert.

Lent used to be a time for fasting or going without food as Jesus had done. Nowadays many people give up a favourite thing they enjoy like sweets and often give money to charity.

The colour purple is linked to Lent. In some churches the altar is covered with a purple cloth, the pulpit has a purple 'fall' and the vicar's garments are purple.

Purple is chosen for two reasons. One it is the colour associated with mourning and so it helps Christians think about the sadness of Jesus’ death. The other reason is that purple is the colour linked to royalty and so it celebrates Christ’s coming as a King.

Today we have 5 new No Excuse Words:

1. as
2. with
3. his
4. five
5. purple

In Social Studies today we read the story "I Love You Forever" by Robert Munsch.  

We then talked about what they would say to the man if his Mother passed away.  The kids came up with some very kind words, for example:

1. I will pray for you.
2. Would you like any help during this difficult time.
3. I wish she was still alive.
4. I am very sorry that she died.
5. Can I give you a hug?

In Math we continued learning about grouping objects to make counting easier.  Here is an example:

Happy Pancake Day!