I am a retired Elementary Principal and Catholic School teacher, and offer you these suggestions--
1) The Native-American Woman is Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native-American Saint. Many don't know about her, so she... More
I am a retired Elementary Principal and Catholic School teacher, and offer you these suggestions--
1) The Native-American Woman is Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native-American Saint. Many don't know about her, so she is a great research or art project.
2) I am not sure you can spend a whole day there, unless your group has an activity planned. The votive chapel is standing room only, and would not hold a huge group of people. After seeing the pyramid of votive candles and stained glass, there is nothing to do, and only one wedding-sized kneeler inside. The walk to the rosary trail and doing the rosary would take about 45 minutes. The visit to the pool of remembrance for the Unborn would take 10 minutes. The church is beautiful, and reading about the numerous saints could take half an hour to 45 minutes. The gift shop is small and not really student-centered, and the Last Supper montage takes five minutes. It is a place where the young ones would require supervision, as the paths do wind around the hill side, and golf carts, that handle about 6 at a time, whip around the corners. The cafeteria would hold a large group, but has mission-style chairs that would be tall for a little one, and it has a tasty, but grown-up menu. I am not sure if they have a sack lunch area. I would not have wanted to have our students there, all day, without some additional activities like a seek and find check list, art activity, living rosary activity etc. I think it is a worthwhile place for the students to attend, but I might combine it with an ice cream parlor ending or something to top off the day.
Best of luck to you all. It is great to allow the children to see such beautiful things. Lorri
