St George.....Ideas and How we Celebrated

I so wanted to post this in April, and then May but hey, how about June.
There have been too many reasons why really and I lost all my links with my computer but still I do want to keep this for our records and for ideas for next year so hey, lets go back and pretend it is St George's Day.
It is also our Braedon's Confirmation Saint and so we try to celebrate in style..........

Ever had those weeks when you just can't get around to what you wanted to?
Well this week was one of those!
We started back to our formal lessons on Monday with the Feast of St George and I did manage to post about our St George Play but that was all I managed to follow up.
As it was shopping week and I needed a new menu I was busy thinking about this.
To top it all off I managed to get mastitis  and have been quite sick with this.
So after a long wait here is our celebration of St George...........

We set up our display in the first picture with some of our Schleich figures and some other caves, silks and trees. As we did not have the traditional red cross knights we used the Templar knight as a substitute. He is on his way to fight and rescue the princess.
Of course we read St George and the Dragon
Then we continued with the dragon theme and read other dragon books:
George and the Dragon
George, the Dragon and the Princess
Stan Bolivan and the Dragon
Dragon in a Wagon
Drac and the Gremlin

 Here is the next stage of our display with the Dragon being defeated by St George (notice the pool of blood) and St George rescuing the princess
Information on St George

The children did some of the activity and colouring pages as I read to them.
I read them this story:

In the country of Libya in Asia Minor there was a town called Silene, and near the town was a pond, and this pond was the roving place of a monster dragon. Many times had great armies been sent to slay him, but never had they been able to overcome him. Instead, he had driven them back to the walls of the city.
Whenever this dragon drew near the city walls, his breath was so full of poison that it caused the death of all who were within reach of it; and so, to save the city, it was the custom to throw each day two sheep to feed the dragon and satisfy his hunger. So it went on, until not a sheep was left, and not one could be found in the neighborhood.
Then the people took counsel, and they drew lots, and each day a man or a woman and one of their cattle were given to the dragon, so that he might not destroy the whole city. And their lot spared no one. Rich or poor, high or low, some one must each day be sacrificed to the dreadful dragon.
 Now it came to pass one day that the princess herself was drawn by lot. The king was filled with horror. He offered in exchange his gold, his silver, and half his realm if she might but be spared. All he could obtain was a respite of eight days, in which to mourn the fate of the girl. At the end of that time, the people came to the palace and said:—
"Why do you spare your daughter and kill your subjects? Every day we are slain by the breath of the monster." So the king knew he must part with his daughter. He dressed her in her richest apparel, and kissed her, and said:
"Ah, my dearest daughter! what an end is this! I had thought to die and leave you happy. I hoped to have invited princes to your wedding, and to have had music and dancing. I hoped to see your children, and now I must send you to the dragon."
The princess wept and clung to her father, and begged him to bless her. So he did, weeping bitterly, and she left him, and went, like those before her, to the lake where the dragon dwelt.
Now these people of Libya were heathen, but in Cappadocia, not far away, was a Christian named George, and this George was a young man of noble bearing. He heard in a vision that he was to go to Libya, and so he rode his horse toward the city, and he was hard by the lake, when he saw the princess standing alone, weeping bitterly. He asked her why she wept, and she only said:—
"Good youth, mount your horse again quickly and fly, lest you perish with me." But George said to her:—
"Do not fear. Tell me what you await, and why the vast crowd yonder are watching you."
Again she begged him to fly.
"You have a kind and noble heart, sir, I perceive," said she, "yet fly, and at once."
"Not so," said George; "I will first hear your tale."
Then she told him all.
"Be of good courage," said he. "It was for this I was sent. In the name of Jesus Christ I will defend you."
"I do not know that name, brave knight," said she. "Do not seek to die with me. It is enough that I should perish. You can neither save me nor yourself from this terrible dragon." At that moment, the dragon rose with a great bellowing from the lake. "Fly! fly!" said the trembling princess. "Fly, sir knight!"
 But George, nothing daunted, made the sign of the cross, and went forward boldly to meet the dragon, commending himself to God. He raised his spear, and flung it with all his force at the neck of the monster. So surely did the spear fly that it pierced the neck and pinned the dragon to the ground.
Then he bade the princess take her girdle and pass it round the spear, and fear nothing. She did so, and the dragon rose and followed her like a docile hound. George led his horse and walked beside her, and thus they entered the city. The people began to flee when they saw the dread beast, but George stayed them.
"Fear not," said he. "This monster can no longer harm you. The Lord sent me to deliver you;" and so the multitude followed, and they came before the palace, where the king sat sorrowing. And when the king heard the mighty rejoicing, he came forth and saw his beloved daughter, safe, with the dragon at her heels.
Then George took his sword and smote off the dragon's head, and all the people hailed him as their deliverer. But George bade them give glory to the Lord; and he remained and taught  them the new faith, so that the king and the princess and all the people were baptized. And when George died he was called St. George, and it fell out finally that he became the patron saint of merry England. 

Here is an alternate Audio version too

What the younger children did enjoy was making paper swords to 'stab the dragon through the heart' aka pin the tail on the donkey style. This amazing to me was actually one of their favourite activities.

Rogan had drawn this dragon the previous day for us to use

I then simply drew some paper swards and cut them out. The children then decorated them with crayon. You could easily make this a more elaborate craft with cardboard and stick on jewels etc.

Arwen was keen to use hers before the game.

Resouces we used:
St George colouring page
St George colouring page 1
knighted colouring page
Banqueting hall colour page
Medieval Kitchen colouring page
Withdrawing room colour page
knight colouring page
Anagrams
word search
On line word upper case and lower case word match
Knights theme mazes
Castle colouring pages
Elementary grade Reading text
jumbled spelling words
counties of England word search
Cities of England word search
words in alphabetical order
on line word search
on line crossword
Knights theme pages - lots here
Images for children to discuss
Small Unit study
Party Ideas

Of course we had to do a play this year as well

Just before we started I realised we no longer had a St George shield so I quickly made one up using a plastic coated fruit box we had lying around and painting a red cross on the front

Then I cut some elastic and stapled it to the back for a  hand hold and presto we had a VERY durable shield.

Later in the day I found that St George had picked up his Princess and carried her on his horse to safety. Notice there are some other knights in the play scape now. Perhaps they were trying to win the princess's hand, well no mater St George has dealt with them.

After dinner we played 'stab the dragon with the sword.

We didn't get to making our dough bread Dragons but perhaps we will get to it on Michaelmas this year.

Prayer to St George~

Almighty God, who gave to your servant George boldness to Confess the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ before the rulers of this world, and courage to die for this faith: Grant that we may always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in us, and to suffer gladly for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. 


Novena to St George

ST GEORGE PRAY FOR US!!

Blessings to you and your homes,