The Shepherds Visit

DO YOU KNOW WALL. 

Our newest lesson is when the Shepherd's Visit Baby JESUS.    This was a very fun lesson to teach...we had so much fun during class and I am hoping they will remember this lesson for all their life!!!    The KIDDOS should be able to answer all the questions from our DO YOU KNOW? Wall, by the end of the lesson.  

We added a new card to our GOD'S AWESOME PLAN FOR MAN...timeline.  

We had a NEW word for our WORD WALL!! We use this term a lot though this lesson.  I wanted to make sure these little ones knew what a Shepherd is and does.  

The KIDDOS new Memory Verse is LUKE 2:14. If you would like to hear how the Memory Verse Song goes, click on this link.  Memory Verse Song Luke 2:14 by Ronda Duvall

Our Visual Aid was simple and fun.  I have these Fisher Price Toys and they were PERFECT for this Lesson and the KIDDOS LOVED THEM!!!  

 

Song By Ronda L. Duvall

We had a new SONG to learn.  I love having a song that goes with each story.  It amazes me how well the KIDDOS remember the lesson when they have a song that goes along with the lesson.   If you would like to hear this song click on the following link.  Shepherd Were In the Field--by Ronda Duvall

We added new QUESTIONS to the KIDDOS "Life Of Christ Questions Cards."  These have made for a wonderful opportunity for our families to review the QUESTIONS from each lesson with their KIDDOS.  

Now to give you a little insight to how my brain works....So, here is the back story about how I decided what to do for a TAKE HOME project for my Kiddos.  You see, I wanted the KIDDOS to have Shepherd's Head Scarves....I even drew it in my PLAN BOOK.  EEK!!!!!

My hubby had a bunch of old shirts he had thrown into a bag---he told me they were not even good enough to donate to our local Goodwill.  I literally squealed with excitement....he, gave me a look like I was absolutely crazy. I seem to get that look a LOT!!!   I explained, quickly, I need those for Bible Class...well, enough said.  He gave me the bag of shirts. :-)  You see, when I was looking at the back of the shirts, I was thinking Shepherd's Head Scarves.  (My husband could not envision it.)  So, I carefully cut the backs of the shirts away from the arms and TA-DA we had the shape of a Shepherd's Head Scarf.  But, how to tie them on to the KIDDOS head.....HUM!!  

Please forgive the selfies...I really do not like having my own picture made....This is about the KIDDOS.  But, sometimes, I have to make sure things are going to work, before having the KIDDOS complete the project.  

I decided to buy black elastic headbands at Dollar Tree.  I knew they would go around the KIDDOS heads and hold on the "scarves."  But, I wanted more!!!  Well, my sister had given me a box of random craft supplies....inside the box was a bunch of these colored tubes of material.  They were already sewn together...I was soooo excited!!!  So, we wrapped a tie around each of the headbands and we had our Shepherds Head Scarves!!! 

BUT, every shepherd needs a SHEEP!!!  What to do??    I thought about a paper sack puppet....I thought about a SOCK puppet...But, I wanted the sheep to be able to WALK with the KIDDOS.  So, This is what I came up with.  I had seen a small sheep made from a tissue paper tube.....well, I decided to make mine from poster board!!  We added strings and the handles....this allowed the KIDDOS to WALK their Sheep!!!  They had SOOOOOO much fun  with this TAKE HOME project and the reaction of the parents was amazing!!!

Now that I had several "Shepherds" in my classroom, these little Shepherds  had to go find Baby Jesus, just as the Angel had said, to do.  

This was our REVIEW GAME for this LESSON.  

On the back of each of those cards, that were "hidden" around the room, there is a question "clue" for what to find next.  

The first question was, "Who was Jesus' Parents?"   So, one of the "Shepherds" answered that question and went off to "find" Joseph and Mary.

On the back of Mary and Joseph what the question, "What type of  building was Jesus born in?"  So one of my "Shepherds" had to find the Stable. 

And so on and so forth went the game, until they finally "found" Baby Jesus laying in a manger. 

  

The KIDDOS had a lot of fun playing this REVIEW GAME!!!   I love REVIEW GAMES....It gives me the opportunity to MAKE sure the KIDDOS really understand the LESSON. 

On our second week of this LESSON the KIDDOS will Review The Lesson, Say their Memory Verse from Memory, and Make their EXPLORER JOURNAL activity.   The KIDDOS will color their page, add 3D star stickers that glitter and 3D sheep stickers...then they will glue on the cotton to give their sheep some FLUFF!!!   

This was an exciting lesson to teach!!!  I love seeing the excitement in the KIDDOS face!!!

Blessings,

Ronda

Cain and Abel Story Telling ACTIVITY

I wanted to SHARE with you all one more "FUN" activity we did with the KIDDOS, while teaching the story of Cain and Abel.  

I have noticed that whenever the KIDDOS are having to LEARN multiple names and they happen to be the same gender, it gets kinda confusing.

So, we came up with an idea...

We had the KIDDOS pick a VEGETABLE and a SHEEP.  The sheep are puppets (I bought them a few years ago at the Dollar Tree--during the SPRING/EASTER season.) They WORE the SHEEP on one of their hands and held their VEGETABLE in the other hand. 

Then as we told the story they would RAISE up the SHEEP if we said, "ABEL" and RAISE up their VEGETABLE when we said, "CAIN."   It was a great way to get the KIDDOS actively participating in the story.  It also helped with the confusion of:   WHO was a farmer?  WHO was a shepherd?  

This worked out so well and the KIDDOS enjoyed it so much, I thought I would share it with you all.  

Blessings,

Ronda 

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David & Psalms 23

Our lesson this Sunday is focusing on David being a "MAN after GOD'S HEART!" 

We are going to be learning about the Psalms that David wrote.  We will talk about a few of the Psalms...but, our primary focus will be on the beloved 23 Psalm.  

I want the KIDDOS to understand the LOVE, TRUST, DEVOTION, GRATITUDE and PRAISE that David had for GOD.  The Psalms are a wonderful way of seeing these attributes in David's life. 

















Since our focus is on Psalms 23, I decided the KIDDOS will be making a Sheep for their TAKE HOME project.  These are made from white fluffy yarn, cardstock and black chenille sticks.    I PRE MADE the PUFF balls,  for the body, and attached the legs ....that way during class the kiddos will be coloring the face and heart and gluing them onto the sheep's body.   (I used white fluffy yarn for the sheep's body.  I wrapped the yarn around some cardboard, secured the yarn, then cut the yarn to make a pom pom.)  You could probably use LARGE Manufactured Pom Poms...but, I could not find any BIG enough to make me happy.    If you look closely at these pics, you can tell the legs are made from popsicle sticks. However, after making my prototype---I decided that black chenille sticks would work better.  So, I decided to change out the legs....I am much happier.  

 

You have probably figured out our Memory Verse....even before looking at this.  I think this verse is a PERFECT choice.  We will sing this verse a few times before the Kiddos leave class this Sunday.  I figure they will all have it memorized before they even leave the classroom.  :)

 We will NOT have a NEW place to add to our MAP.  But, we will be referring to the MAP during the lesson.  BTW, I thought I would share with you one of the ways I review a past lesson.  All those pics around the map are from our Explorer Journal Activities.  I also display the Memory Verses next to the pics.  Makes it easy to review a story or past memory verse if I keep them on display. 

A while back, I purchased this banner at our local Bible bookstore.  It was on clearance for  $1.19!!  I thought this would be a perfect time to display this....since we are focusing on Psalms 23. 



















Our review game will be Psalm 23 Bingo.  The Kiddos will answer a question from the story and then get to pull a card....Then they will MARK their Bingo Card with a Sheep Marker. 


 


Each of the BINGO cards have the SAME pictures....They are just in different places on the cards.  So, each time a card is picked....the every on of the KIDDOS will get to add a sheep to their card. 









The Sheep Markers were CUPCAKE Picks, that I purchased at Hobby Lobby. (I bought them WAY before Easter....using my 40% off coupons.)  They were NOT very expensive to begin with...I think they were around a $1.49 for 30.   I just cut them off and glued them to 1/2 of a Styrofoam ball.  (I made 100 of these markers....first, because I wanted the Kiddos to have a THEMED style marker for their Bingo Card....but, also because I am thinking of the lesson on the LOST SHEEP.---I would need 100 of them for that story...so, I decided to make these to fill that future need.) 







Our EXPLORER JOURNAL Activity, which we will do NEXT Sunday...when we REVIEW the lesson...Is a HAND PRINT Sheep.  This Sunday, I will have my helper trace the KIDDO'S hand on black construction paper...I will cut them out the following week...prior to BIBLE Class. 





During Class the Kiddos will color the back ground...glue on their hand print.  Add Cotton to their hand print.  Glue on an eye and a bow.  We will help add the detail...mouth and feet!! 

I really like this idea....because, the Kiddos will ALWAYS know that their Little Hand Print made the body of their sheep!!!  

One EXTRA activity....I am going to encourage my Wednesday Night Co-Teacher to work with the Kiddos....I want them to be able to recite the 23 Psalm....So, as a way of encouraging the KIDDOS we will use the SHEEP PUPPETS (I bought them at the Dollar Tree...before Easter.) to RECITE the 23 Psalm.  We have a puppet for each of the KIDDOS and a few extra for our Honored Guest....if we are blessed to have visitors this next week.  Kiddos really like puppets....and I think this is a great way to encourage them to LEARN the 23 Psalm. 

 

I am excited about this next few weeks.  I LOVE Psalms 23!!!!  I am glad we will be covering this lesson on Sunday....You see we are in TORNADO Warning Mode here in Oklahoma.....Everyone is on edge this weekend....So, I am reciting this Psalm to myself and my KIDDOS.  Praying GOD will give us peace and comfort through these storms.  

Blessings,

Ronda

 

Fruit of the Spirit Lesson 4 JOY

I can hardly believe we are already on Lesson 4 of our Fruit of the Spirit  lesson material.  The children seem to really be enjoying this material.  Lesson four was all about the attribute: JOY.  So, I decided that I needed to find a story in the Bible that showed someone that went from being unhappy, worried, concerned, etc. to being happy, thrilled, and filled with JOY.  So, I decided to use the Parable of the Lost Sheep to illustrate one who became JOYFUL.  

I told the children the story (put into my own words) from Luke 15:1-7.  We learned that a Shepherd is one that takes care of sheep.  We learned that this shepherd had 100 sheep, but sadly one had become lost.  The shepherd loved his little lost sheep and went to look for him.  He looked, and looked and looked until he FOUND his little lost sheep.  He was sooo, happy that he found his sheep that he carried the sheep home and then threw a big party.  I asked each of the children if they had ever lost and then found something....I asked them how they felt when they found what they had lost.  Then I went on and explained that GOD loves us and never want us to wander away from HIM.  

Our TAKE HOME activity was a DIORAMA.  This was a simple FOLDED PAPER project...We added a PUFF ball sheep and a shepherd.  The children also enjoyed adding paper "grass."  The kiddos really liked their Dioramas....They were soo excited to show them to their parents.  I think they turned out really cute.

Our memory verse this week was John 10:14.  We had a little tune that we sang this Memory Verse too.  The children had it memorized before leaving class...Matter-Of-Fact, they enjoyed singing the Memory Verse song so much that they were singing their Memory Verse going down the hallway.  It made me SMILE!!!!  :-)

One of our sheep is missing!!

We searched until we FOUND IT!!

Our Game/Activity was based on our Memory Verse...  I printed one word of our memory verse onto some sheep.  I had them all set up in a row on the table, but made sure to HIDE one sheep before class time.  We started the game by saying the memory verse to see which little sheep was missing.  The kiddos had SOOOOO much fun searching for the lost sheep,,,,that we ended up playing it several times...I let each student have an opportunity to hide the sheep...and the one that found the sheep had to carry it all the way back to the table on their shoulders.  It was soooo cute!!!!

One of the students carried it home and placed it safely on the table.

 

 

 

I wanted to show you something NEW we have started in Bible Class....It is a BIBLE WORD WALL....I am sure you have seen Word Walls in school classrooms.  I decided that the children were learning so many NEW words that I needed an easy way to REVIEW the words that they have learned.  The kiddos are sooo thrilled about learning "BIG PEOPLE" words.  I let them know that it is important to use these words correctly and to share these words with their Parents.  We will be adding to this WALL each week.  I will refer to this WALL each week...so, I thought it might be a useful thing for others.  When we teach kiddos words that they need to remember I think it is important for them to SEE those WORDS in the classroom.  So, this is a quick and easy way to have those words within the children's  eyesight.   

On Wednesday Evening the children will be making these Very Puffy,and Fluffy Sheep for their Explorer Journal.  They are made out of card stock and cotton.  I love the way they POP UP OFF the page.  I know the kiddos will enjoy making these little sheep. I think they are cute.

I am enjoying teaching this UNIT of the Fruit of the Spirit.  It has allowed the children to lean VARIOUS stories from the Bible.  Since I normally teach in a CHRONOLOGICAL fashion, this is a nice break from MY norm.  It is challenging me to think of Biblical Example that go along with each attribute of the Fruit of the Spirit.  So far, so good.  

Blessings, 

Ronda