WHAT IS AN EXPLORER JOURNAL?

What is an EXPLORER JOURNAL?




Each of my KIDDOS have one of these Binders in our classroom.  We call them Explorer Journals.  

Inside you will find several plastic sheet protectors that we place our activities in with each lesson. 



























Just a reminder, each of our lessons are a two week lesson.  The first week we introduce the lesson, learn the songs that goes with the lesson, teach the memory verse, do a take-home (craft style) project, and play a review game.  


























The second week of the LESSON is when we REVIEW.   This week is important as it gives me opportunity to correct any misunderstandings.  It  also, gives opportunities for the KIDDOS who missed class the first week to "CATCH UP."  

This is also the week that the KIDDOS say their SAY the MEMORY VERSE from MEMORY and we do an ACTIVITY we add to the KIDDO'S EXPLORER JOURNAL.

The EXPLORER JOURNALS stay in the classroom for the duration of our topic. 

By collecting their activities in an EXPLORER JOURNAL it give the KIDDOS a special BOOK to look back through and remind them of all the LESSONS they have learned. 





























If their activity has a moving part, a textured part, etc. I will cut the plastic sleeve so that the KIDDOS can make their activities still do what they did prior to placing them in a plastic sleeve.   






























I enjoy presenting the KIDDOS their EXPLORER JOURNAL at the end of our topic in a special way.  I love to invite the parents to our classroom for a "conference."  During this time we show the parents the KIDDOS EXPLORER JOURNALS and the KIDDOS get to tell their parents all about what they made and what the LESSONS were all about!!  The parents seem to treasure these EXPLORER JOURNALS and those activities did not end up lost, torn up, left behind in the building, or ruined in the floorboard of the car. 























I feel these EXPLORER JOURNALS are a very special addition to our KIDDOS learning and retaining the LESSONS learned.  

BTW, this EXPLORER JOURNAL belongs to one of my KIDDOS.  I LOVE looking back at all the different activities we have done!!  Today, I had a spare moment and had her walk through the entire book with me...she was able to recall EVERY STORY!!! 

Hope you consider making some sort of Journal for saving your KIDDOS handiwork. 


Blessings,

Ronda

Wise Men Visit Baby Jesus

We are making progress in our Lesson about the LIFE of JESUS CHRIST.  Due to so many of our KIDDOS being out of town for the Holidays we "paused" our  study.  We used the last month to REVIEW past lessons, Bible Facts and more.  I am so glad that reviewing is a very important part of learning.  

This weeks lesson is about the WISE MEN coming to visit Baby JESUS.  This is a FUN lesson!!  The KIDDOS get to use several of their SENSES with this lesson!!!  

We added NEW CARDS to our DO You Know?  Wall.  My expectation is for the KIDDOS to be able to answer each of these by the end of the lesson.  

We added a NEW story CARD to our "GOD'S AWESOME PLAN for MAN" wall.    Please note, I have more than three WISE MEN on our story CARD.  The reason for this is that the BIBLE does NOT reveal how many WISE MEN came to visit BABY JESUS.  Therefore, I am very careful NOT to say there was three WISE MEN.    I know there was 3 GIFTS and we will cover that here in a minute.  However, the number of gifts does not necessarily mean the number of guest.    

Speaking of the THREE special gifts....I want the KIDDOS to KNOW what these special gifts were.  So, therefore we used these as our WORD WALL words.  

We have a NEW Memory Verse to learn for this lesson.  We are memorizing a portion of Matthew 2:2.  This is what the Wise Men tell Herod.    To hear the Memory Verse Song click on the link and it should open the Facebook Page of HOBT.  Matthew 2:2 Memory Verse Song

The KIDDOS had a new song to learn.  It goes along with the Three gifts the WISE MEN brought to Baby JESUS.  To hear the song click on the link to open the Facebook Page for HOBT.  WISE MEN CAME TO SEE JESUS song by Ronda L. Duvall

For a visual aid,  I decided to make the 3 Special Gifts.   The KIDDOS LOVED seeing the 3 Special Gifts!!  I used unique boxes, essential oils and candy gold.  I am happy with how they turned out and they were very helpful in teaching this lesson.  

The KIDDOS TAKE HOME activity was a WHEEL...The KIDDOS added the stickers for the 3 GIFTS and the FOAMY star Sticker to the font.  

Our REVIEW GAME was a Board Style Game.  THIS was SOOOO fun to play!!!  The goal is for the KIDDOS to collect the 3 GIFTS!!  They collect them by landing on the "GIFT" and then answering a question from the LESSON.  They enjoyed this game!!!

Next week will be our REVIEW week.  The KIDDOS will be doing the EXPLORER JOURNAL ACTIVITY.  They will color, add the "gold coins, the "myrrh" and some Frankincense oil to their activity page.  These will then be placed in their EXPLORER JOURNAL.   

This was a fun and exciting lesson to teach.  The KIDDOS enjoyed learning this lesson!!  

Blessings,

Ronda

Baby Jesus' Presentation in the The Temple

Our newest lesson is when Mary and Joseph take Baby JESUS to the Temple and they meet Simeon and Anna.   This was a fun lesson to teach.  It was fun to point out that even as a child one can be dedicated to serving GOD.      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 with Simeon, Anna and Baby Jesus on it, to our GOD'S AWESOME PLAN FOR MAN...timeline.  

We had three NEW words for our WORD WALL!!   It was important for the KIDDOS to understand these words so they could understand the lesson. 

The KIDDOS new Memory Verse is LUKE 2:30-31.   If you would like to hear how the Memory Verse Song goes, click on this link.  Luke 2:30-31 Memory Verse

We added the Memory Verse to our Memory Verse Construction Zone!!!  

I decided to use a Visual Aid that I had made a few years ago, when teaching about the United and Divided Kingdom.  The KIDDOS loved this visual and it was great to use to "act" out the story and events.  The little "people" I used came from a set I purchased from Oriental Trading a loooong time ago.   

I did make some modifications to some of the little people....that way they serve the purpose, I needed.  

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.  

Joseph and Mary Took Jesus to The Temple Song--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.   

The KIDDOS TAKE HOME Project was a Simeon and Anna Stand Up Paper Doll set, complete with "baby Jesus."  

















I am please with how these turned out...they were fun to use while singing our "new" song.    

Our REVIEW GAME for this LESSON was a BINGO style Game.  

The KIDDOS would answer a question from the lesson, I would draw a picture out of my bucket and the KIDDOS would put a "MARKER" on the picture on their game card.  By the way, the plastic markers are lids from fruit packets, baby food packets, applesauce packets, etc.    They are perfect for little hands!!!    We had a LOT of fun playing this game and the KIDDOS were ON TARGET answering the questions.    

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 and add 3D Baby Jesus sticker to Simeon's hands!!!

Just a reminder, while the KIDDOS are coloring/working on their EXPLORER JOURNAL activity, we sing the song from the lesson, ask review questions from the lesson, sing the memory verse from the lesson, etc.  Don't want to waste a minute of teaching time----and my KIDDOS LOVE to color!!










I am truly enjoying teaching the LIFE of CHRIST.  I am amazed at how much the KIDDOS are soaking in the lessons!!!  Just makes me smile!!



Blessings,



Ronda