Friday, March 25, 2011

Fruit of the Spirit----Self-Control

I  cannot believe we are coming to the end of our study of the Fruit of the Spirit.  The kiddos have enjoyed this material very much.  They have learned sooo much.  This material was a continual challenge for me....normally I write my material in a chronological fashion....however, with this material we looked at several different Bible examples/stories.  We used events from the OLD and NEW TESTAMENTS so as to "drive" home the meaning of the attribute.  I have enjoyed the challenge of coming up with these lessons.  However, I have more enjoyed the excitement I see in the faces of the children each week.  I am sad to see us finish this study and yet am looking forward to the next EXPLORATION we will be making.  I am in hopes of writing material about Eli, Samuel, Saul, David and Solomon.  This should be a wonderful adventure and I am praying fervently about this undertaking.  :-)
 
 
 
 
We had our lesson on Self-Control this past Sunday.   I decided to use the story of Adam and Eve...and their partaking of the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.  Showing that they LACKED SELF-CONTROL.  I figured that this story would help the children understand the concept of controlling oneself.  IT WORKED!!!!!!    I was so pleased with the kiddos.  They really seemed to understand that SELF-CONTROL IS ---to control your own actions, reactions and behavior.  YAY!!!!!  They made me smile!!!!!!

 
 

To help the kiddos understand Self-Control, I read them this little FLIP Book.  It was great...it allowed me to apply each of the situations to Adam and Eve....asking the kiddos if Adam and Eve had practiced Self-Control.   
 
 
 
 
 
The book reads....
Self-Control means I will...
Think and Pray Before I Act. 
Control My Sudden Desires.
Weigh Consequences.
Make Good and Safe Choices. 
 
I just used computer clip art to illustrate the book.
 
Our TAKE HOME activity was a  coloring book version of the BOOK I read to them before telling them the story of Adam and Eve.  We made it out of Cardstock and copy paper.  Easy Take Home!!!








Our memory verse this week was  the verse Proverbs 25:28.   I explained that a city that was broken into and left without walls was an unprotected city.  Anyone and anything could come into that city.  I then explained that when we do NOT have Self-Control...anyone and anything can take over our mind and actions.  (Kind of deep for the kiddos...but, I think they understood the concept in the end.)  We sang this to the  tune Ten Little Indians.  They all had it memorized very quickly.   Putting a verse to a familiar tune ALWAYS helps them memorize their memory verses.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Our Game/Activity for this week was a game based on the RED LIGHT/GREEN LIGHT game.  Here are the basic rules....
    
 1.  The student answers a question from the Tree of  Good Knowledge...see pic on left. 
 2.   They line up.
 3.   You say:  READY, SET, _____!
 They cannot "GO" froward 1 step until you say "GO."  However, for fun I used all sorts of "G" words.  (Gravy, Goodness, Granny, Grapes, Greek, Giant, etc.)  If they moved before they heard the word "GO" they had to take a step back.  This was sooooo fun.    They could pick a fruit...answer the question...then CONTROL THEMSELVES....waiting till I said, "GO!"  FUN TIME and TEACHES THE CONCEPT!!!!!!   




We added a few new words to our "WORD WALL."  We added the words: Self-Control, Impulse and Consequence.    The children are THRILLED WITH all the words they are learning.  I am glad to have the WORD WALL...it helps me BRING UP the words they have learned in the past.  Progress and Review....Two very important things in my Bible Class!!!  
 
 
 

On  Wed. Evenings the children do an activity that they add to their EXPLORER JOURNAL.  For this story they colored  the picture of Adam and Eve  (I believe this is from a FREE coloring page website)  and added the Serpent in the tree.   We just cut two slits for the snake to be threaded through....the snakes came from Walmart.  They enjoyed  making these and adding them to their NOW COMPLETED Explorer Journal.




 
Next week we will spend our time REVIEWING ALL that we have learned over this study....then the kiddos will get to take home their EXPLORER JOURNALS!!!!  We will have a short (in the classroom) conference with the parents...and the kiddos will get to GIVE their Explorer Journal to their parents.  This is one of MY FAVORITE things to do.  I look forward to "Explorer Journal Presentation Day!!!!!!!!"  I am going to try to remember to take PICS of the children presenting their Explorer Journals....that way you can see their excitement!!!!
 
 
 

Blessings,

Ronda

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Fruit of the Spirit-----Faithfulness

I want to apologize for the delay in  updating you on the progress of our Fruit of The Spirit unit.  I have been very busy as of late.  I made a trip to Indiana for a weekend of edification!!!!  There were 317 Christian Ladies gathered together for the purpose of learning, sharing, encouraging and edifying one another.  I was truly blessed by attending the Ladies Getaway.  
 
With that, I want to show you what the kiddos have been up to lately.  We have been pressing forward in our lessons on the the Fruit of The Spirit.    
 
Our recent lesson on FAITHFULNESS was so fun to teach.  We used the account of Daniel to show what it means to be FAITHFUL.  I pointed out that Daniel lived FAAAAAR away from his home land and was surrounded by "strangers."  I shared the fact that the "strangers" did NOT worship the REAL GOD, but DANIEL STAYED FAITHFUL!!!  We talked about how Daniel did not let the INFLUENCE of the "strangers" pull him away from GOD.  
 

I went on to explain that some of the "strangers" did NOT like Daniel and did not like the way GOD blessed Daniel.  So, the devised a plan to rid themselves of Daniel.  That is when we pretty much told the story of King Darius and Daniel and the lion's den.  The children were enthralled with the story.  I have not met a kiddo yet that does not LOVE the story of Daniel and the Lions!!!!

Our TAKE HOME activity was a set of easy to make "finger" puppets.  We made Daniel and a lion.  These very inexpensive to make.  I used cardstock and clip art to make this "Take Home" project.  The kiddos LOVED these!




Our memory verse this week was  Revelation 2:10.  I explained that MUST ALWAYS BE FAITHFUL TO GOD.  I explained that if we are FAITHFUL we will receive a CROWN of LIFE!  
 





The Game/Activity for this week was "Pin the Tail on the Lion" game.  I purchased this game a long time ago at the local Dollar Tree.  The kiddos LOVED wearing the Daniel Mask!  They had to answer a question from the lesson to get the opportunity to "pin" a tail on the lion.  SOOOO much fun and sooo inexpensive!!!  And very friendly on my time...I did not have to MAKE a game for this story. 




We added a few new words to our "WORD WALL."  We added the words: FAITHFULNESS and EXILES.  The children love learning  "BIG PEOPLE" words. --The WORD WALL is a great way of helping ME remember the WORDS we have learned in the past.  That way I am able to BRING them up in the current story and REMIND the kiddos of the use of the WORD.  
 
 
 
 

On  Wed. Evenings the children do an activity that they add to their EXPLORER JOURNAL.  For this story they colored the picture of Daniel in the Lion's Den...and then they added very fluffy yarn tales to the lions.  They enjoyed  making these and adding them to their Explorer Journal.

 
 


I also had something "special" for the kiddos.  We had a Daniel surrounded by  Lions!  The kiddos LOVED the 3D visual for the story.  The visual was a wonderful aid for me in telling the story too!  I love getting visuals from garage sales, thrift stores and Dollar Tree!!!!  Cheap and effective and the kiddos loved them.  SCORE!!!!!
 
 
 
It takes a great deal of effort to bring BIBLE events to life for the kiddos.  However, I encourage you to think outside the box.  Check your child's toy box, shop the thrift stores, stop at garage sales and check out your local Dollar Tree for inexpensive VISUAL AIDS!  
 

Blessings,

Ronda