A Floating Axe Head.

First thing first....THIS has been a ROUGH few weeks.  We have had some sort of sickness running rampant through our home.  My oldest son brought it home with him a few weeks back.  Since then we have all seemed to be dropping like dead flies.  I was the last fly to drop....and when I did I dropped hard and fast.  Whatever this sickness was....well, it knocked me for a loop!  I am STILL coughing...however, I am feeling MUCH better.  I said all that to say....I am REALLY running behind this week.  It is CRAZY how far behind the month of December seems to put me.  And, that is when I am feeling well.  With me NOT feeling well...WELL...I am REALLY FAR BEHIND.

This week we are moving on in our Exploration of Bible History.  We are still learning about the Miracles of Elisha...and this week we are going to be learning about the time when Elisha made an AXE HEAD FLOAT!!!  This story comes from 2 Kings 6.

GOD'S AWESOME PLAN FOR MAN----WALL

This story has always amazed me....I love the story of GOD'S power over the Laws of Physics!!!  After all HE created Physics!!!  :-)     However, there is a few other points I want to DRAW OUT from this story.  First off, I want the KIDDOS to understand the importance of Borrowing/Lending.  I want them to understand that IF they Borrow something...they have a responsibility to make sure to take care of the item they borrowed...and to return it to the owner in a timely manner.  I also, am wanting to talk to them about the idea of Lending something....hoping to get them to understand that when we LOAN out items we are taking a chance that we MIGHT not get the item back....and FRIENDSHIPS is much more important than items!!!

To introduce the lesson, I am going to have a pail of water and some "IRON" metal washers.  I am going to let the children drop them in the water....then I am going to ask them if they can now make them FLOAT to the top of the water....so, that I can get them out.    I figure they will all say "NO."  But, I will let them try to float them...LOL.  Then I am going to toss a small stick in the water and ask them if they think that the STICK can make those HEAVY "IRON" WASHER float to the top.  I am hoping they will think I am a it CRAZY!!!! But, that is when I am going to tell them that in the BIBLE we find a STORY where GOD'S PROPHET, ELISHA, made an AXE HEAD FLOAT!!!!!

This week the KIDDOS will be Memorizing Proverbs 22:7.   I chose this verse because I feel it goes well with this story and teaches a very important LIFE LESSON!

We have two new words to add to our WORD WALL.  I figure the KIDDOS understand the principle of Borrowing and Lending....BUT, I want to be able to REVIEW the act of Borrowing and Lending with the KIDDOS in the future....and IT is WONDERFUL to have WORDS up on the WORD WALL that quickly remind us of a BIBLE STORY or  BIBLE PRINCIPLE! 

The KIDDOS "TAKE HOME" ACTIVITY this week is super EASY!!!  Matter-Of-Fact, it is an AX that I purchased at the Dollar Tree--back in the Summer.  I was recently at the Dollar Tree and did NOT see these at this time....HOPING they will bring them back next Summer. 

I wrote the Bible Verse on the AX HEADS with a Sharpie.  I did write the LETTERS in an OUTLINE style....so, the KIDDOS will be able to COLOR them in on Sunday.  I will be letting them color with SHARPIE....SO, there will be LOTS of RULES for them to be allowed to "BORROW" my "special" markers.  I will only "LOAN" them to the KIDDOS willing to FOLLOW the RULES!  :-)  I love it when I get to make something so simple FIT IN with the LESSON!!!!    BTW, these AX HEADS FLOAT!!!!

The FRONT of the AXE HEAD has the verse written on it and the BACK has the Scripture Reference!

I decided to REUSE the VISUALS IDEA from the last lesson.  Since the base already had the "RIVER JORDAN" on it....I thought there was NO NEED to RECREATE the WHEEL.  So, I used the base/backdrop for this LESSON too.  I slid in "sons of the prophets," trees, logs, and Elisha.  I do have the AXE HEAD and STICK stuck on with VELCRO DOTS....SO, I will be able to put the AXE HEAD in the RIVER and toss the STICK into the RIVER too.  

The CLIP ART came from the Cool Clip Art Collection.    http://www.coolclipart.com/clipart-downloads-set-details.php?vol=49    I do NOT receive any incentives, financial support, etc. from this clip art company.  I only LIST it here so that you might be able to FIND this resource.  I did ADD AXES and REMOVE TONGUES of FIRE to these....Just PRINT and CLIP and GLUE!!!  The KIDDOS will never KNOW  who these CLIP ART PEOPLE were SUPPOSED to be...SO, color them in different colors, add accessories,  and you have a WHOLE NEW PERSON!!!!  Blessings of teaching the EARLY CHILDHOOD AGE GROUP!!!!  BTW, the TREES and LOGS were printed from the PRINT MASTER Program Clip Art Collection.  I LOVE this program and have used it for YEARS!!!!

 The KIDDOS will be LEARNING a new song this week.  It goes along with this lesson....It is called DO YOU THINK YOU COULD MAKE AN AXE HEAD FLOAT?   This song is sung to the familiar tune:  "If you're happy and you know it..."

OUR REVIEW GAME will involve a "FLOATING" AXE Head.  The KIDDOS will make this AXE Head "FLOAT" by answering questions from the LESSON.  Every time they answer a question correctly they get to "FLOAT" the AXE Head up to the NEXT LEVEL.  I used VELCRO DOTS as the way to ATTACH the AXE HEAD...BTW,  the little AXE HEAD was purchased at the DOLLAR TREE....They were out of the AXE'S that I was looking for....but, they had these GLOW STICK versions....I was so excited when I figured out the AXE HEAD slides right OFF!!! 

I just WRAPPED the little AXE HEAD in ALUMINUM foil and glued on the VELCRO DOT to the back....It works PERFECTLY!!!!  YAY!!!!!!!!!

Make sure to notice, I glued on a STICK....that way the AXE HEAD can FLOAT!  :-)

NEXT week when we review this LESSON the KIDDOS will make their EXPLORER JOURNAL ACTIVITY!!!  I WORKED REALLY hard to get this to work!!!!  I am so HAPPY with how it turned out!!!!!!  I know the KIDDOS will LOVE making their AXE HEAD FLOAT!!!

I made the little AXE HEADS out of FOIL SPARKLY PAPER.  It is folded over and has a PENNY glued to the inside...that gives the AXE HEAD the needed WEIGHT to SINK!!!  It is also attached to a piece of fishing line that is run through a very tiny hole up at the top of the page.  The fishing line is then tied to a button....so, that it wont slip back through the hole. 

During class the KIDDOS will COLOR the water, glue on the stick and then add the AXE HEAD.....I have the pages pre-sliced so that we can simply add the AXE HEAD, thread it through the hole and tie it to the button.

I have attempted to explain this activity the best I can....but, I decided It would just be easier to SHOW you how the finished product works.  So, we shot a short VIDEO....HOPE YOU ENJOY WATCHING the AXE HEAD FLOAT!!

Blessings,

Ronda