New Bible Class Bags!!!

We are beginning  a NEW "QUARTER" this upcoming SUNDAY.  I am already so excited about getting the opportunity to teach the KINGS of JUDAH to the KIDDOS.  I LOVE to start out a NEW "QUARTER" with a LOT of FANFARE!!        When we start a new "QUARTER" we don our EXPLORER HATS and sing our "WE ARE BIBLE EXPLORERS..." SONG.  We "TRAVEL" around the room and view all the exciting changes.  We do a BRIEF,but very exciting overview of WHAT WE ARE GONG TO BE LEANING!!!!  It is truly a special time.    

To make this even MORE special, I wanted to give the  KIDDOS a "SPECIAL BAG" for their Bible Class items.    In the past, I  have had the KIDDOS decorate their own canvas bag. This is always a FUN activity...but, it is also TIME CONSUMING.  I try to use EAA Time for activities like DECORATING a BAG...but, when you have a few "LATE ARRIVERS" it makes it much more difficult to complete during class time. 

Since I have a WHOLE new crop of KIDDOS and I know that KIDDOS love to decorate their OWN BAG, I was considering doing the CANVAS BAGS again.  But, when I went to the DOLLAR TREE, to buy some new canvas bags (THEY HAVE THEM IN ALL SORTS OF COLORS FOR THE SPRING!!), I happened to see these NYLON, BACK PACK bags.

I really LIKED these BAGS.   Then I began to think....HUM, (that is how I think)..."I have NEVER done BACKPACKS for the KIDDOS!!!!"  So, I quickly tossed several of these backpacks into my buggy.  (YES, I know it is called a SHOPPING CART...but, I have ALWAYS called it a BUGGY.)  :-)  I bought blue for the boys and pink for the girls.  

I decided to  do the decorating of these bags.  I wrote the KIDDO'S names on the Back Packs, DREW a BIBLE and Wrote the PURPOSE for the BACK PACK.  I used METALLIC Sharpie Markers.  I think they turned out really SWEET.  I hope the KIDDOS LIKE them!!!  (If the KIDDOS want to further decorate their bags they can color on them outside of class time.) 

The purpose for these BAGS is simple.  When the KIDDOS leave my classroom they often have several things to carry.  They have a MEMORY VERSE card, their TAKE HOME project, their "I CAN TAKE NOTES DURING WORSHIP" sheet, etc.  So, my hope is that this will expedite the getting things from our CLASSROOM to home and back again.  A TEACHER CAN HOPE!!!!!!  :-)

Starting a NEW QUARTER is so exciting and RECEIVING a SPECIAL BAG with their NAME on it should REALLY EXCITE the KIDDOS.  I know I am excited!!!  

BTW, Jeremiah is no longer in my class....but, since he is my son...and he saw what I was making for all my KIDDOS...and he asked me very, very nicely.  I MADE HIM A BAG TOO.  :-)

Blessings,

Ronda 

Working on the Resource Room at the Church Building

It has been a busy few weeks...We have been working on IMPROVING the Resource Room/Library at the church building.  I LOVE organizing....it Just makes me SMILE!!  

Our congregation uses Discovering God's Way Curriculum for all of our classes except for mine. I am being allowed to  WRITE my Curriculum as I teach.  I am so thankful that the elders have allowed me the freedom to Write and Teach my Own material.  I feel very blessed!!! If you are interested in the DGW Curriculum it is available via this link.  http://religioussupply.org/dgw/ 

We have color coded each bag with labels.  The top DOT label tell us, at a glance, the AGE GROUP and the bottom dot lets us know what YEAR that material is for.  Those DOTS are being placed on ANYTHING that GOES along with the MATERIAL.  That way the TEACHERS can FIND VISUALS, ACTIVITIES, etc.  They just need to MATCH the DOTS!!!!  

Just to let you know....The bags over by the FILE CABINET are ABEKA Flash A Cards.  They are beautiful visuals and are suitable for ALL AGE GROUPS.  (Some of my sets are missing as they are currently in USE in classrooms.)  

Border Paper ahh...for me it is a LOVE/LOVE LESS relationship.  We have had it stored in boxes....I do NOT like storing it like that! It is HARD to see.  We had it rolled up an put in a container....I did NOT like that...Have you ever tried to use border paper that WONT STOP CURLING UP?  

I LIKE this way of STORING/DISPLAYING our selection of border paper.  It is easy to see and is really OUT of the way.  This little wall is right behind the door!  

 

We are working on boxing and labeling all the various craft supplies.  I bought all the white lidded boxes at the Dollar Tree.  Since I need MORE BOXES, This is  a WORK in progress!!! 

I LOVE storing TEACHING supplies in these plastic shoe boxes....However, without LABELS I think it would be HARD for us to FIND things we need.  These boxes do NOT have art supplies in them...these have items TEACHERS might need for teaching a lesson. 

We have a shelf FILLED with KIDDO friendly BIBLE STORY BOOKS and COLORING BOOKS.  These are nice to have when you have to SUB for a class with just a few minutes notice.

This area houses several Bible Review Games and Various Supplies for the Teachers. 

We have a variety  of Material: Flannel, Satin, Old Table Clothes, Sheets, Fleece, Fur, etc. 

OH, that SORTER that has various colored construction paper on it---I bought that at a Garage Sale for $3.00!!!!  

We also have a Scrap Paper Box....this is great when KIDDOS get in a drawing mood!!! 

We have the FLANNEL GRAPHS organized in ZIP LOCKS and stored on that ROD.  Just above the Flannel Graphs is a place for Yarn.  Above that is a BUNCH of TEACHER IDEA BOOKS!!!  (I have a book fetish!!!  I LOVE Teacher Idea Books...especially if they are COPYABLE.)

We are making PROGRESS....SLOW and STEADY PROGRESS...but, PROGRESS none the less.  

I am THRILLED to have this CART!!!!!  One of our elders built this for me right after we moved here.  He  even put it on wheels, which makes it easy to move around.  I have these OVER SIZED items stored in LARGE (self made) ENVELOPES.  I just took 2 pieces of Poster BOARD and stapled them together down the side and on the bottom.  Added a LABEL and called it DONE.  I did put them in "BIBLICAL" order. 

Here are some close ups of the LABELS on the "OVER SIZED ENVELOPES." 

Sadly, that AWESOME POSTER about the life of Moses is to BIG to fit into the CART...so we gave it a HOME behind the cart.  It is safe and easy to see. 

This is truly an ongoing project...We are still FILING, FILING, and FILING!!!  That BLUE BASKET, you saw up on the table is VARIOUS ITEMS than need to be filed!  When that is done we have 2 more HUGE STACKS of VISUALS, FLANNEL GRAPH, MAPS, ETC.  to go through and find them a home.  

Keeping It REAL!!!!

THIS is my TO DO LIST!!!  AND IT IS ALREADY WEDNESDAY!!!!  YIKES!!!!!  

I have so many things to GET DONE!!!  

JUST wanted to share this with you today...  

If I did not have a list...I would NOT get anything completed. 

Having a LIST of "TO DOS"  HELPS ME SOOOOOO MUCH!!!!

Hope you are prepping for your Bible Classes.  

Blessings,

Ronda

KIDDOS Draw their FAVORITE STORY from the Kings of Israel

 I LOVE KIDDOS!!!  I LOVE it when KIDDOS draw pictures!!!  I LOVE it when KIDDOS draw pictures about BIBLE STORIES!!!  

I wanted to share with you some of the PICTURES my KIDDOS drew on our REVIEW SUNDAY.  You see, I told the KIDDOS they could draw their FAVORITE STORY  from the Lessons we had on the Northern Nation/Kings of Israel.  

Then I had the KIDDOS tell me WHAT they drew--I label the picture.  Then the KIDDOS had to tell me the STORY from their picture.  I wrote down the words of the KIDDOS. 

This picture was drawn by one of the BOYS in my class.  He just turned 6.  He LOVED the story of NAAMAN!!!   I love that he remembered that the Jordan River was dirty.

This picture is by my oldest KIDDO.  She is 7.  She LOVED the story of Jonah.  I LOVE this picture!!

This picture was drawn by one of the GIRLS in my class.  She really loved the story of NAAMAN.  I LOVE the FLOCK of yellow birds.  (I had to ask here what those were.  :-))

 This picture was drawn by a 5 year old little girl. I was wondering what she was drawing...After, she began to explain her picture, I was so excited.  She drew the story of Elisha making an Axe Head Float.  She even remembered that Elisha tossed a stick into the Jordan to cause the Axe Head to float.  

This picture really excited me.  This little boy is barely 4.  When he began drawing the red circles I was not sure...then he drew the BLUE for Heaven and the Green Man is Elijah and that Square Scribble of blue is his Chariot!!!!  I was in awe as he began telling me the story using his picture as his "visual aid."  

BTW, Just wanted to let you know--I laminated each of these drawings.  They are so PRECIOUS!!!   I am thinking about keeping them long enough to buy some inexpensive 8x10 frames and then FRAMING their ARTWORK and then let them give it to their Dad  as a Father's Day Gift.

Allowing the KIDDOS to FREE DRAW me a story allowed me to TEST the KIDDOS.  I was very PLEASED with their ability to RECALL and RETELL me the stories!!!  This is one HAPPY BIBLE CLASS Teacher!!!!

Blessings,

Ronda

Review Northern Nation of Israel & Conference

WOW!!!!  We have had a WONDERFUL Adventure Exploring through the History of the Northern Nation of Israel.  This SUNDAY brings this series of lessons to a close.  So, we will have a Review and Conference Sunday.  During class time we will review ALL that we covered....AT the end of class I will have a short conference with the parents...and the KIDDOS will get to take home their EXPLORER JOURNALS!  

The KIDDOS were introduced to KINGS and PROPHETS!!!!   We were very busy during these lessons....We learned SOOOO much!!!  I LOVE looking back at what the KIDDOS made as their "TAKE HOME" activity.    

We started out learning about the KINGDOM Dividing and ended up with Israel going into Assyrian Captivity.  This Sunday we will have our REVIEW of ALL the LESSONS we covered on the KINGS of ISRAEL.    I am excited to see what the KIDDOS remember about each story.  

I will also challenge the KIDDOS to recall their PAST Memory Verses.  Since all the MEMORY Verses have been sung to a tune...it should be fairly easy to for the KIDDOS to say them.  I also have the Memory Verses on display for the KIDDOS.  That will help the KIDDOS recall the Memory Verses. 

I  have the KIDDOS past activities on DISPLAY....I also have my 19 LITTLE KINGS of Israel lined up on the FRONT of the TABLE.  This will be handy when we sing the Kings of Israel song.

 

Beneath the TABLE you will see the KIDDO'S Explorer Journals.  They are excited about taking them home this week.  (I let them know this past Sunday that they were going to get to take home their Explorer Journal next week....immediately there was JOY amongst the KIDDOS.)

It is really FUN to see all our PAST ACTIVITES again.  I can't help but SMILE when I see these activites again.  We WORKED so hard and LEARNED so much while really having a "FUN" time learning!!!

 

 

The KIDDOS will also talk about the "Explorer Journal" Activity Display.  I think it is important to display past lessons...after all, I don't want the KIDDOS to forget something that they have learned.  

 

 

 

 

 

To help with our review we have been working on this "CHART."  I have 19 different KINGS stuck to the white board....I wrote a KINGS Name next to each of the little KINGS...and the KIDDOS have helped fill in the BOARD with information they remembered about the Kings.  This has been challenging and fun for the KIDDOS.   They began working on this while I was gone to FLORIDA and we continued working on it once I returned home.  

 

I have enjoyed teaching the KIDDOS the HISTORY of the NORTHERN NATION of Israel.  I was met with a few challenges along the way...These are not necessarily the easiest lessons to teach 4-8 years olds...but, SO WORTH teaching to them.  There has been so many opportunities for me to talk about GODLY BEHAVIOR, OBEDIENCE, DEDICATION, etc.

Blessings,

Ronda