GOD'S AWESOME PLAN FOR MAN---BOX 4 Joshua and Judges

 We are continuing our TOUR of our GOD'S AWESOME PLAN FOR MAN Boxes....They really are a wonderful teaching tool.  

This is the Joshua and Judges Box.  

JUST a quick peek....before, I pour it all out!!  LOL

 In this box we have several TOYS that help the KIDDOS remember the LESSONS from the life of Joshua and the time period of the Judges.  

We have a HORN.    The KIDDOS made these horns when we learned about the taking of Jericho.  

We have a DEBORAH (formally MARY from a Fisher Price Little People set.----I got it for FREE at a Garage Sale.)  and a Palm Tree.  Balaam's Donkey.  Samson the Judge.    We have RUTH--notice the wheat...GRAPES for the SPIES to carry back, young Samuel and Hannah.   

A SUN---for when the sun stood still. A WOODEN house with, "As for Me and My House, we will serve the LORD." written on it.  And a sand toy---it is our Jericho!!  

As you can see---I use a variety of items from a variety of places.   The grapes were formally attached to a bottle of grape smelling bubbles.  The wooden house came from one of those sets of wooden houses most of us had back in the early 90's.  Each house has a letter on it---WELCOME.  

The sand toy came from Dollar Tree.  The PALM tree came from a KIDS MEAL that my daughters got when they were little---they now 18, 24 and 25 years old.  :-)

Blessings,

Ronda

Joahua Takes A Stand...."As for Me and My House..."

This week we are learning the story of Joshua's Farewell Address to the Hebrews.  He is wanting them to remain FAITHFUL to God.  He tells them that they must make a choice.  He reminds them of all the blessings God had blessed them with.  He reminds them that God had always been with them.  Joshua tells them, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."  

For our activity this week we made little houses out of milk cartons.  I pre-painted the  milk cartons and glued on the cardstock roof.  (The roof is a clip art picture of roofing tiles...printed on card stock.)  The door and windows are also clip art....however, I laminated them and ran them through my sticker maker...that way they can be quickly applied during class time.

Our memory verse is Joshua 24:15...we have a little tune to sing it too...They will have this one memorized very quickly. 

Our Wednesday "Explorer Journal" activity is a house....The kiddos will add the "pop-cicle sticks" and a picture of their family...I had to plan ahead with this activity...We took family pictures of my students this pass Sunday and Wednesday.  I know they will LOVE making this one...because it will have a picture of their OWN family!  :-)

Our Review Activity will be a game where they all work together to build a house.  They will answer questions from today's lesson...if they get the correct answer then they will add a block to the "house."  Since I teach Early Childhood Ages...I figure we will rebuild it several times.  :-)

Blessings,

Ronda

Joshua, The Day the Sun Stood Still

This Sunday we are learning the story of the day the sun stood still.  This story comes from Joshua 10.  I am excited about this lesson.  I know the children will be excited as well.  They always come into the classroom ready to EXPLORE something new.    I love their excitement!  

I am sure you know this story...Joshua and the Israelites were battling the Amorites at Gibeon.  The sun was going down and Joshua was wanting to get the battle done.  So he asked God for HIS help.  He told the sun to "Stand still over Gibeon" and it did not move for the entire day.  There has never been another day like that day when the sun stood still.  

The kiddos will be making a SUN as their "Take Home" project.  The sun is made from a toilet paper tube and a Styrofoam ball.  It has a string through the back so that the children can hang it up.  Since time is an issue, I have pre-painted the suns and balls...the children will add glitter (red and orange) to the sun to make it sparkle...they will also have to glue on the ball. 

Our memory verse is from Joshua 10:13.  We will sing a song to help the kiddos remember it.  They are so great about memorizing their Bible verses.  I am so impressed at their ability to remember how the verses go.  To me it shows parents are working with them during the week.

Our Review Game will be played sort of like the traditional "Red Light -Green Light" game.  I will hold the sun in my hands...the children will march, hop, skip, etc. towards me.  When I raise up the sun the have to stop moving.  I will ask a question about the story.  If one of them can answer it then the sun will lower and they can again march, hop, skip, etc.  We will repeat it several times.  

On Wednesday evening the kiddos will do their

"Explorer Journal" activity.  They will color the picture of "Joshua" and then glue on the 3D sun.  I know this is a simple activity, but it has a lot of punch!  The sun really pops up from the background and I know they will love gluing it on.  They always love gluing stuff.  :-)

Jericho

This past Sunday we learned about the story of the conquering of Jericho. We made the "Rams" horns as our "Take Home" Activity.  The horns were made before class (see previous post).  During class the children added the chenille stick around the mouth piece and were allowed to color and decorate their horn any way they wanted.    We also used these horns during the review game...but, more on that later.  The kids LOVED these horns.  They were soooo excited about getting to show their parents their "Rams" horn.  

Our memory verse this week was from the book of Proverbs.  We said and sang the memory verse several times during class...and I am sure they will have it memorized by Wednesday. 

Our Review Game was a BLAST (the kiddos were allowed to blow their horns during this game.) I had the children draw card from a pile...if they picked a "Trumpet Carrying Priest" then they were a horn blower....if they picked the "Ark of the Covenant" then they had to follow behind the horn blowers as we marched around "Jericho."  The children had to answer a question from the story in order to pick a 

card. 

This "Review Game" board from the Rahab story served as our Wall of Jericho. We marched around it a total of 13 times...(1 time for each of 6 days and then 7 times for day 7.)  Then the kids blew their horns and shouted.   Because this is a poster board type game board, I was able to let the wall fall flat.  Their expressions were priceless...I love getting them excited about Bible stories.

On Wednesday the children will be making this project for the Explorer Journal.  The horns are Bugles (from the grocery stores chip aisle.)  I coated them with a thick coating of modge podge and let them air dry for several days.  They have become extremly hard and I believe will hold up well in their Explorer Journal...I love the arm on the one Priest...it has motion by adding a brad...I love activities that have the kids do several things with their hands... I believe it will help them remember the story very well.

Blessings,

Ronda

How To Make a "Rams Horn"

As I was prepping to teach the story of Jericho, I decided I wanted to make each student a "Rams Horn."   I wanted it to be a working horn that they could BLOW...so, out came the toilet paper tubes, masking tape, etc. These horns are not hard to make, but they do take a bit of time to completely assemble.  

You will need 3 toilet paper tubes per horn.  (Paper towel tubes will work, but you will need to cut them down to approx. toilet paper tube length.)  You will need a horn mouth piece from a party horn, masking tape, tape and chenille sticks.   

You start by removing the mouth pieces from the party horns.  You will then cut one toilet paper tube length wise and wrap it around the mouthpiece in a cone shape.  Use masking tape to tape it together. Then add the second tube...you will need to manipulate the tube to make it fit inside the cone shaped tube then add the third tube.  Again, you will have to manipulate the tube and make it fit...you should now have a "Rams" horn.  Now wrap it in masking tape.  (My masking tape came from the $Tree so it is yellow and not the traditional cream color.)    After you have it completely wrapped in masking tape you then paint the horns.  I choose gray and brown paint...in hopes to resemble the colors of a real Ram's horn.  

Here are pictures of them in progress....I loved the way they turned out...and the kiddos LOVED them too!!!  They added the chenille stick to the area where the mouth piece and horn joined...and then colored a little extra coloring and markings to their own horn.  

They were wonderful....Make sure to see next post to see what we did with the modged poged BUGLES. 

Blessings,

Ronda

Memorial Stones

This past Sunday we learned about the story of the Memorial Stones.  The stones were picked up from the midst of the Jordan River, from the place where the Priest feet had stood.    Joshua picked 12 men (one from each tribe) to pick up a rock out of the Jordan and carry it on his shoulders all the way to Gilgal.  The rocks were then turned into a Memorial for the Hebrews.  The stones would help remind the Hebrews of all that God had done for them.  

The children made a Diorama as their "Take Home" project.  They LOVED gluing on the 12 stones.  I had already glued the back ground into the shoe box...this helps save a bit of time.  I also asked member to donate shoe boxes months ago.  That way I was insured to have enough shoe boxes for this project.  

Our Memory Verse this week was Joshua 4:7.   We sang the Memory Verse to the tune: "If you're happy and you know it..."  The kiddos did great with the Memory Verse.

For a "Review Game" I had paper mache rocks that the children had the opportunity to pick up and carry on their shoulder to our "Gilgal."  They were soooo cute carrying them on their shoulders, pretending that they were soooo heavy.    They had to answer a question from the Bible story before going to pick up a rock from the "midst" of the "Jordan."  Then they brought the stone over to the other side of the room, by carrying it on their shoulder, and placed it in the pile.  We made our version of a "Memorial."  They had a great time.

On Wednesday Evening the children made a version of a "Memorial" out of 12 stones...This project is in their Explorer Journal.  They are heavy and had to be made of cardstock paper to help support...however, I still suggest you be careful lifting this.   They children loved their "Memorial Stones."

Crossing the River Jordan

This week we are learning about the Hebrews Crossing the Jordan River. This is such an AMAZING story. God stops the Jordan River from flowing...allowing the Hebrews to safely cross on dry ground. For a visual this week I am using my paper dolls from makingfriends.com and home made "Ark of the Covenant." I made my Jordan River out of yellow and blue poster board. It is a simple thing to make and has such a great effect.






The children will be making a stand up picture of the Hebrews crossing over the Jordan.










Our Memory Verse comes from Joshua 3:17...of course we will have a song to sing with this Memory Verse. I love putting Memory Verses to a tune...It make them easier to memorize.









On Wednesday Evening the children will be making this picture of the Jordan River...they will color the front and then add the "water" behind the picture. The water is a metallic tissue paper I found at the local Dollar Tree...it was in the gift wrapping area.










We will be playing a review game called "Crossing the Jordan." However, at this time I do not have a picture to post. It is basically the "Take Home" activity and a game board..the children will answer questions for an opportunity to move the Hebrews across the Jordan. I will post a picture as soon as possible.

Blessings,

Ronda

Wednesday's Explorer Journal Activity for Rahab

This Wednesday the children will be doing the review of the lesson on Rahab and they will do the activity for the Explorer Journal. We had a wonderful class period on Sunday. We had all my students there plus a visitor. I am glad the are all healthy. Hopefully, with the end of winter approaching the children will all stay well.

The kiddos were really into the lesson...I think they love the idea of being a spy! :-) They seem to really get into the fact that the Canaanites feared the Israelites!! They understand with God on our side we will always WIN!!!

The Explorer Journal Activity is a house with a flip top roof....under the roof is the spies....they will add the "flax" to hide the spies. I know they will LOVE this activity.










The kiddos will also be adding a piece to their Memory Verse Map. I know they will all have it memorized by Wednesday.







They loved the "Spies Escape" game... So, they will play it again. They will answer questions from the lesson in order to get to move the spies down the wall.

Hope you are having a wonderful week.

Blessings,

Ronda

Rahab Hides the Spies

This is Lesson 2 in Joshua and the Quest of Canaan, from the EXPLORING BIBLE HISTORY curriculum that I am writing. Last week we learned how Joshua became the new leader of the Hebrews. We learned how he was strong and brave.


This week we are learning about Rahab and the spies. The children will learn about how a Canaanite woman BELIEVED in GOD and helped the Hebrew spies.


The "Take Home" activity for this week is a "Wall of Jericho" with the spies escaping. I change this "Take Home" activity since making the prototype. The children's activity is not a box...but, it is more of a flat wall. However, it is a very sturdy activity...I ended up placing a piece of cardboard (from cereal boxes) between the 2 pieces of cardstock. This makes the project very sturdy. Then I punched a hole in the middle and added a "scarlet" (red yarn) cord . The spies are from a clip art program...I just punched holes in several places and the children will weave the "scarlet" cord through the spies hands and feet...this way it will look like they are holding on to the cord. The spies will then be able to move down the cord by pulling on the back of the project. Sounds kinda complicated...but it really was very easy. That is why I post pics....Pictures are worth a 1000 words. :-)




Our Memory Verse this week is Joshua 2:11. The children will color their Memory Verse Card during class on Sunday morning. We will sing the song that goes with this MV. Most of them will have it memorized before leaving class on Sunday. That is why I always put their MV to a tune. BTW, there is a young boy in my class that has every memory verse I have ever passed out for them to learn. I LOVE IT!!!







Our review game this week is called "The Spies Escape." The kiddos will answer questions from today's lesson...for every correct answer the spies are moved down the wall. I am sure those spies will safely escape Jericho...I teach a really great group of kiddos. This was made by printing an enlarged picture of my "Take Home." Then attatched it to a foam core style board...(this board is actually corregated plastic. I bought it at a local Good Will for a $1.00...I bought several for future projects.) I then attatched a "Scarlet Cord" using red yarn...and velcro dots. The spies have the opposite velcro dot on the back of them...that way they will stick to the wall as they "escape down the wall."


I am looking forward to this Sunday...I know the childre will LOVE this story...especially the boys. Anytime there is "danger," "spies." "escaping." etc. The boys get soooo excited! My girls will love it too....because a "GIRL" helped the spies. God needs both men and women.....Boys and Girls.

Blessings,

Ronda

Joshua the NEW Leader for the Hebrews

Wednesday Evenings are used as a review night. The children review the lesson they learned on Sunday Morning. We have found this to be a great teaching method. It allows us to make sure the children really understand what they learned on Sunday.

The children projects for Wednesday are placed in their Explorer Journal. Their Explorer Journal is kept in the classroom until the end of the quarter. We put every Wednesday Evening Activity in their Journal. We have found that when we collect the children's activities into a book...they become a family treasure.



The first Explorer Journal Activity for this quarter was Joshua the Leader. The children glued on clothing for Joshua....He is standing with the green, lush, and rich "Promised Land" in the background.
The children enjoyed gluing on Joshua's outfit.











Memory Verse are to be memorized and said on Wednesday nights....This quarter the children will be "filling" in a map as they say their Memory Verses. They will want their map complete which will encourage them to memorize their Memory Verses.






Our first MV for this quarter is Joshua 1:9. The children received their MV card on Sunday. They color it during class. We also have a song that we sing with each MV. This helps the children memorize the verses with ease. BTW, I never expect perfection with memorization...if they can tell me what the verse is saying...then I am HAPPY!!!






I think this will be a fun and exciting quarter....we have a whole lot to learn from Joshua and the Judges!!!!


Blessings,

Ronda

Joshua and The Judges

NEW QUARTER -- More EXPLORING!!!!

This past Sunday we began our new quarter in our Exploring Bible History Curriculum. I have been soooo busy writing and producing materials for this new quarter that I have NOT had much time to blog. But, now that the quarter has begun, I will try to let you all know what we are doing in class. Our new Explorer Journals are RED. Each quarter had a different color Explorer Journal. Genesis was blue. Exodus Green and Joshua and Judges will be red. The color match a unique TIME LINE that we have hanging in the hallway of the church building. The children love being able to look at the boards and locate the stories we are learning in class.

This was our first lesson about Joshua. We were truly sad to learn about Moses's death on Mount Nebo. The children really learned a lot from Moses. However, we are excited about Joshua becoming the new leader of the Hebrews.

We focused on the history of the Hebrews...we talked about their LONG journey from Egypt. We then went on to talk about how BRAVE Joshua was...and that God had promised to be with him, as HE had been with Moses.



Our "Take Home" activity was a PLAQUE with Joshua 1:9 on it. The children colored the plaques with crayon and then glued on the laminated verse. They were thrilled with their PLAQUES. They were very excited and began telling me where they were going to hang them. One boy told me he wanted to hang his in his bedroom...to remind him to be brave every day. (Statements like that from children just make this Bible Class Teacher SMILE!)






Our Memory Verse is a portion of Joshua 1:9. We sang (I always put their memory verses to a tune) the memory verse several times in class. We will be filling in an "Explorer's Map" with a sticker, every time they have their Memory Verse memorized.





The Memory Verse "Explorer Maps" are hanging right below their attendance charts. I have found if I hang personal charts together they are more likely to find their own w/o asking me over and over again, "Which one is mine?" Please remember I am teaching the Preschool-1st graders.


Our review game was a very simple game this week. We played a version of "Follow the Leader." I was the first leader....they children had to follow me and do what I did. Then the children had to answer a question from the lesson to get to be the next leader. While they were leading the class around the room we sang a song from the lesson. "Joshua The New Leader." But, for the game we replaced Joshua with the students name that was leading the class. They really enjoyed it!!!!



We are very excited about this new quarter. I will be very busy and hope to bring you some wonderful teaching ideas.

Blessings,
Ronda