Paper Rocks Become Altar, Well and Memorial

A "BLAST from the PAST!!!" 

I made these "ROCKS" a LONG time ago.  And, they have been used for so many Bible Lessons.   They may not look impressive here...but, they do get TRANSFORMED...  just keep on reading.  :)

 

  

As you can see they started off as simple paper sacks stuffed with news paper.  Due to the weather the week I made these I was unable to complete them.  I had wanted to Paper Mache them....but, since the weather was rainy and moist it was NOT a good thing to do.  So we just built our "Altar" out of the stuffed paper bags.  The kiddos liked these...but, I still wanted them to be a bit more realistic...sooooooo....

Here they are being used as an ALTAR

As soon as the weather was conducive to Paper Maching, I got after it.  It took several days to complete these "ROCKS," but they are soooo worth the time and effort.   (BTW, I use the starch and newspaper way of paper mache.)    Once they were dry from the maching process....I spray painted them with a textured (rock like) spray paint.  I LOVE the way they turned out!!!  They are light enough for the kiddos to pick up and yet sturdy enough to be used over and over again.  As I have said, I have used these for SEVERAL Bible Stories. 

We have used these "ROCKS" as the WELL where Abraham's servant met Rebekah.    I places blue wrapping paper on the inside of the rocks...to mimic a well. I have some "buckets of water" with questions from the lesson on them inside the well.

We used them for the WELL Where Jacob met Rachel.  We let one of the boy  remove the stone from the top to "help" Rachel.   Inside of the "well" I had placed buckets with questions from the Bible Story written on the back of each of them. (Just like the the time we used it as the "well" for the story of Rebekah.)

I have even used these as the "MEMORIAL STONES" picked up out of the Jordan...which we then made into the "memorial" at GILGAL.    This was so much fun...I loved the way the KIDDOS pretended that these were soooo heavy.  They would "HEAVE" them up on their shoulders and carry them to GILGAL.  (I had set up a corner in our room...and called it Gilgal.)













We will be using these "ROCKS" again soon.  I will be getting them out and using them  when we learn about Elijah on Mount Carmel. 

I LOVE making something that I can use in many different ways....I recommend making a set of these "ROCKS."  They are so useful and so effective.  

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."