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

Jesus Was Born in Bethlehem

As we move forward in our study of the Life of Christ we are learning all about JESUS and HIS Birth!!!  This is a fun lesson to teach.  All the KIDDOS were excited about learning about BABY JESUS!!!

This is our DO YOU KNOW? Wall.  These are the questions the KIDDOS should be able to answer at the end of the lesson.  If they know how to answer these questions, I feel they have really LEARNED the information I feel they should know.  

We added a NEW card to our "GOD'S Awesome Plan for Man" timeline.  

We add a new card with each lesson.  This makes a great Review Tool as time progresses!!  It helps the KIDDOS remember the past lessons as we EXPLORER new lessons.  

This lesson brings on NEW Words for the KIDDOS to learn and add to our WORD WALL!!

I promise to get a picture of our WORD WALL as we continue to add more words to the wall.  

Our Memory Verse for this Lesson is Luke 2:7.  The KIDDOS were a little apprehensive since this seems like a long verse....but, once we said it a few times and we SANG it several times...they pretty much had it memorized before leaving class this past Sunday.  Makes a teacher very happy!!!     

We sang this verse to the tune:  "B-I-N-G-O"

To hear the memory verse sang click the following link:  Luke 2:7 Memory Verse

With each lesson I like to have a song that goes along with the story. I truly believe KIDDOS will remember the story better, if they have a song to sing that goes along with the story.  So,  here is this weeks song.  

To hear the song click the following link: Jesus was Born in Bethlehem---by Ronda Duvall

The KIDDOS were excited about their TAKE HOME activity!!!  Each of the KIDDOS received a "manger" and they got to add the hay, wrap the baby in swaddling cloth (this is an old shirt that my hubby was going to throw in the give away box...so, I grabbed it along with several other shirts---future plans!!!) and then lay him in the manger. 

 I pre-made the mangers out of cardboard.  I thought the cardboard gave them a "wood" look.    I glued on the "tongue depressors" with the intent of the KIDDOS getting to color on them with a brown crayon.  However, time did not allow for that....we had a LOT of information to impart to the KIDDOS...and since the "tongue depressors" are tan...I think they were OK uncolored.  

In this picture, I laid a pencil near the manger for a size reference.  I really like how these turned out!!!  The KIDDOS were in LOVE with them!!!  They were so excited to carry these out of class with them!!!  And I must tell you---we found absolutely NO "HAY" laying around the church building....meaning the KIDDOS did not drop any or if they did they stopped and picked it up.  

Our 3D VISUAL AID is  the city of Bethlehem.  It was fun to see the KIDDOS so excited to find BABY JESUS in the stable!!!

I am also using these VISUAL AIDS....I love the details in these pics....and I have them hung next to the area I teach the lesson from....right near my table.  

This weeks REVIEW GAME is a MATCH GAME.  We play this with the KIDDOS drawing a question (based upon today's lesson)  from a bucket...after they answer the question they get the opportuinity to turn over two cards---attempting to make a MATCH!!

Next Week is our REVIEW WEEK:  The KIDDOS will be making these and adding them to their EXPLORER JOURNALS.   I have the "mangers" already glued together and the "stable" already glued to the page.  The KIDDOS will add the hay, Baby JESUS, stable animals, and star.  

Blessings, 

Ronda

Life of CHRIST---Angel Gabriel's Announcement

 I am so excited about this "NEW MATERIAL."  I have been working on LESSONS on the LIFE OF CHRIST for a while, now.  I am NOT done writing the LESSONS, but I feel I have enough LESSONS written that we can march forward in EXPLORING the LIFE of CHRIST!!!  

As always, I teach my lessons based upon the DO YOU KNOW? plan.  That is what I call the WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHERE? WHERE? WHY? AND HOW Is this important to me?  way of learning.  If my KIDDOS can answer these questions, then I know they LEARNED the LESSON and can hopefully GROW in their relationship with GOD.  

Please remember, I teach young KIDDOS.  They range from 4 1/2 year old to 7.  They move in to my class as a PRE-Kindergartner and move out of my class when they finish 1st grade.  This is a precious age!!!  They are truly little sponges and SOAK up everything they are being taught!! 

We have our first LIFE of CHRIST Card up on our "GOD'S AWESOME PLAN FOR MAN." Timeline Wall.    It is the Angel Gabriel Visiting with Mary. 

The KIDDOS were given their new MEMORY VERSE.  I love this VERSE and think it is a great verse for KIDDOS to memorize!! Truly a FAITH building Memory Verse.  We sang this verse to the tune:  "If you're happy and you know it..."

If you would like to hear how we sang it click here.  Memory Verse Song Luke 1:37

To help my KIDDOS remember the lessons they have learned, I love to have a song that goes with each lesson. Please understand, these are songs by me.  Some are to traditional tunes while other songs are to tunes, I have made up.   It is amazing how quick the KIDDOS can recall lessons when you start singing a song.  Singing is an AMAZING teaching tool!!!  

If you would like to hear this song click here.  Good News Song, by RONDA DUVALL

I love having a WORD WALL in our classroom. I love teaching KIDDOS new words!!!  It is wonderful to see their understanding and vocabulary GROW from the time they enter my classroom. One of my favorite things is hearing the KIDDOS react during the sermon.  I love it when my hubby, our preacher, uses a word that the KIDDOS just learned in class.  Several of the KIDDOS sit near us and I love hearing their little gasps, giggle, or wow!!!  

Our TAKE HOME project was a paper plate angel. His name is GABRIEL. We traced each of our KIDDOS hands onto peach paper. (We were able to trace most of the KIDDOS hands last Wednesday evening. However, we had a few new KIDDOS hands to trace this class period. So, my classroom helper did this for me right as KIDDOS arrived for Bible Class.)  

The KIDDOS colored Gabriel's Clothing, Glued on his Wings, and glued on his head.  After we completed this, the KIDDOS were able to PRETEND to be Gabriel and told Mary she was going to have a baby boy, named JESUS.  

Our REVIEW GAME is a fun one!!  The KIDDOS had to answer questions from the LESSON for an opportunity to Pin The Wings on Gabriel.  It is play much like Pin the Tale on the Donkey. However, before they attempt to Pin on Gabriel's Wings, they had to answer a question from the Lesson correctly.  

Next Week is our REVIEW week.  That is when the KIDDOS make something to add to their EXPLORER JOURNAL.  So, after we review the lesson, the KIDDOS will be adding THIS page to their Explorer Journal.    The speech bubble and wings are actually 3D!!  They will color the picture then add the 3D items to the pic.  We store these in their Explorer Journal until we finish the Topic We are Studying.  I LOVE seeing the KIDDOS EXPLORER JOURNALS grow!!!  It also, makes a great and easy way to review PAST LESSONS!!!

Well, now I want to show you around the ROOM!!!  We have SEVERAL VISUALS for this STUDY!!!   Plus, I love getting IDEAS from seeing other's classrooms.  

This is our current, INFORMATION WALL!!! It is filled with INFORMATION the KIDDOS will be learning!!!!  It also, has our MAP on it!!  We will circle areas and cities of importance!!!  

Our KIDDOS will be memorizing the 12 APOSTLES, The Basic Theme of each GOSPEL book, the BEATITUDES, the GOLDEN RULE and so much more!!!  This INFORMATION WALL is a great resource for the KIDDOS!!

This Bethlehem Village was a gift from a friend!!!  It needed some repair work done on it....and I was happy to do it!!    I feel BLESSED to have this as a teaching tool It is an AWESOME VISUAL AIDE!!  The KIDDOS LOVED seeing the ANGEL come and talk to MARY!!! Of course, I had my helper bring Mary and the Angel to me at my teaching table....as, Mary was not in Bethlehem at this time....she was in Nazareth.  

This is a WIDE shot of our TEACHING TABLE. The KIDDOS gather here for the STORY and ACTIVITIES. 

See, those EXPLORER HATS....We put them on and Reminded the KIDDOS they are now BIBLE EXPLORERS!!!

This is another WIDE shot of our room.  In the far left corner of the picture you will see a Fisher Price Little People set.  I was given that, as a gift from my mother.  It was the last Christmas, prior to her passing away.  I love knowing that my MOM knew I would use this TOY to teach KIDDOS about the Birth of Christ.  I have found a few extra WISE MEN to go with this set....Since we are unsure of how many Wise Men came to visit JESUS, I always use more than three!!  

Here is a WIDE SHOT of our CIRCLE TIME area. From this area we SING SONGS, REVIEW LESSONS, READ STORY BOOKS, PLAY our REVIEW GAME and VIEW our WORD WALL WORDS.  

I have several KIDDOS that are Early Arrivers. Therefore, I love having various EAA, that stands for Early Arrivers Activities. This Weeks EAA were,  BOOKS about the LIFE of CHRIST or Play Time at the Activity Table.  I am always amazed to see which KIDDO chooses which EAA. They are never consistent....so, that assures me the need to CHANGE up EAAs.  

This is our door...the KIDDOS call it a TRAP door....because of it being able to OPEN in the MIDDLE.  (Dutch Door)  I love having this style door.  It is great at KIDDO pick up time!!!!  

Mary and Joseph are adorning our door.  It is a great place to decorate....just as the KIDDOS are getting up and gathering their "stuff" to leave...I can point to MARY or JOSEPH and ask the KIDDOS questions about the lesson.   

Right next to the DOOR, I have a place for the WEEKLY NEWS LETTER.  I love sending home a NEWSLETTER.  It gives the parents insight into WHAT we are doing, learning and focusing on during Bible Class.  It is truly a great communication tool!!!

Blessings,

Ronda