This week the RE kids explored the topics of strength, shadows, and St. Patrick’s Day. The 3rd-6th graders discussed Samson and Delilah along with the Greek myth of Hercules. The K-2nd graders talked about David and Goliath. The preschoolers learned about shadows. And, the infants and toddlers celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with their room grandparents.
In the 3rd-6th grade class, they discussed Samson and Hercules. The kids were just enrapt as Larry read the story of Samson and Delilah from Judges (modernizing the language). Then they went from a Hebrew myth to a Greek myth, and the kids already knew a good bit. The story Larry told was of Hercules rescuing Hesione and Maeve said, “That’s Perseus and Andromeda!” So Larry explained that stories get recycled. After Hercules (Clara) rescued Hesione (Maeve) from the sea monster (Larry), Hercules jumped down the monster’s throat and into his belly where he stayed for three days before the monster died in agony on the floor. “What story does that remind you of?” And they jumped right in: “Jonah and the whale.” When Larry remarked that when Hercules came out he had lost his hair, they recognized a touch of the Samson story. This kind of story was common in near sea cultures (Marduk and Tiamat, for example). The group concluded their lesson by harking back to the opening questions about who is strong and how does one use that strength. After mentioning Hercules (Maeve) and football players (Indigo), Clara brought up Obama, saying he was strong, even if he didn’t seem to have much muscle. And Larry stressed that each of them has strengths, not necessarily muscles, but strengths that they will have to figure out how to use as they grow. A great lesson!
In the K-2nd grade class, the Bible story of the day was David and Goliath. They began their lesson by talking about not being allowed to do things because they are “too little.” The kids had lots of examples. Burke said his older sister could ride her bike alone but he can’t. Then they traced and cut out a life-sized David and Goliath. Thanks to Dick Beeman for being the Goliath template. Jocelyn was the David. The group talked about how they would feel if a huge armored warrior was screaming at them and daring them to fight! Molly asked the kids why it was OK for David to use his slingshot and why it wouldn’t be OK for them to do that to a bully today. Lots of great responses including, from Leah, “He lived in a different place where there were different rules.”
In the pre-K room, the preschoolers played with shadows. The sun wasn’t out so they made shadows with their hands and a lamp inside. They made a spider, snail, bird, dog, and elephant! And when they jumped up and down they made a monster! But it’s just a shadow so they weren’t scared. They also made some puppets… a horse, a princess, and a butterfly. Best of all, the nursery shared their vanilla pudding with us – and it was GREEN! Yum!
In the nursery, the infants and toddlers celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with their room grandparents, the Oldfathers. They read Green Eggs and Ham, made four-leaf clovers, and ate yummy green treats like green pudding! Fun times!!
If you would like to extend these lessons at home, here are some suggestions: for the K-6th graders, continue their classroom discussions about strength. What are your children’s strengths? How do they best use them? For the preschoolers, take them outside on a sunny day and play with their shadows on the sidewalk. You could even trace them with sidewalk chalk! For the infants and toddlers, continue the St. Patricks’ Day festivities by eating green food this week. Kale, broccoli, kiwi, and green apples are so yummy! Then join the rest of the RE gang this Saturday at the Aggieville St. Patrick’s Day parade.