This Sunday we enjoyed another beautiful, sunny, warm winter day and wonderful lessons. The K-2nd and 3rd-6th graders continued to study Bible stories, the preschoolers learned all about weddings, and the infants and toddlers talked about cause and effect.
In the 3rd-6th grade classroom, Larry was back for the day. Hooray! The kids were so happy to see him. They spent the day talking about the Flood and Noah’s Ark. Larry even had them act it out. Some of the doves came back and some of them didn’t! Then they discussed the message of the story and modern-day versions with which the kids are familiar. Somewhere along the line Bill Cosby’s version was mentioned. The kids don’t really know who he is (such a shame!), but appreciated Larry’s retelling of his stand-up routine. 🙂
In the K-2nd grade classroom, they learned about Cain and Abel. The kids shared what they do when they feel angry and upset. Then they made happy/angry faces and acted out the story. Some of the kids struggled with being Cain – a good thing – but through their scenes they gained a deeper appreciation for the story and its message.
In the pre-K room, the preschoolers learned all about weddings and other services of love and union. They looked at photos albums of weddings and talked about what those services are like. Then they put on their own weddings. First they made rings and decorations. Then Kaia married a toy and Kieran and Luke married each other. It was a day of love and celebration.
In the nursery, the infants and toddlers read If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Then they discussed cause and effect. If you push a block, what happens? It falls over. If you pull on the string, the dog toy comes toward you. If you open the cookie box, you get to eat cookies!
If you would like to extend these lessons at home, here are some suggestions: for 3rd-6th graders, discuss the idea of faith. We know our families love us, but what is that feeling of knowing? How do we really know? For K-2nd graders, brainstorm ways of dealing with anger in healthy, positive ways. For preschoolers, share your wedding albums with them or plan a wedding for their toys. For infants and toddlers, continue to discuss cause and effect. You may even set up a mini Rube Goldberg machine. So fun!