Sunday Schoolhouse Unit B2 Released!

The second installment in the the "Red Year" of the Sunday Schoolhouse series has just been released.  This unit covers the second half of the Old Testament, under the subtitle: "Stories of Prophets and Kings."  If you are using the Red series this year, you are now set with lessons through the end of December.

For those who are counting — maybe it's just me — the three-year cycle of Bible Story Lesson Books is now halfway complete!  I'm pleased to say that Sola has published its Sunday School installments on schedule, according to our three plan.

When the basic three-year Sunday Schoolhouse series is complete, I look forward to adding a matching workbook for older elementary students.  Our plan is to produce a "digging deeper" edition to match the Sunday Schoolhouse series, which will include Bible history, geography, and text study for question/discussion, aimed at the 5-7 grade level.

Activity B1 - Lesson 4: Cow Paper Tube Craft

Sunday Schoolhouse Series Activity - Red Unit B1
Lesson 4: Joseph Explains Pharaoh's Dreams (Genesis 41:1 - 45)

Cow Paper Tube Craft - Matierals Needed
- two empty toilet paper cardboard tubes per child
- black construction paper
- yarn, craft glue, markers, scissors
- copies of the cow face provided

Cut one of the cardboard tubes in half the short way to make the cows legs. Cut the other cardboard tube in half lengthwise. One of the halves will be the cow's body. Take the other half and cut it again the short way, this quarter piece will be the head. Using black marker, color a line around the bottom of each of the two short tubes that make the cow legs - these are the hooves. Cut black construction paper in the form of patches and glue them randomly onthe cow's body and legs. Glue the cow's body onto the top of the legs using thick craft glue. Use yarn to make a tail and glue it to the underside of the body. Older children can braid the yarn. Glue the cow faces onto the quarter piece of tube and use craft glue to attach it at an angle to the front of the cow's body.

Go HERE for a Cattle Head pattern sheet.

Ball Toss Greeting Activity:
Have the children gather in a circle. Using a small soft ball start tossing gently to each child saying, "Good morning (name that person)." The child that catches the ball replies likewise and tosses to someone else until each person has been greeted.

Activity B1 - Lesson 3: Family Tree Craft

Sunday Schoolhouse Series Activity - Red Unit B1
Lesson 3: Abraham and Sarah Promised a Child (Genesis 18:1 - 15)

Family Tree Craft - Materials Needed
- fair amount of small branches
- blue, brown, green construction paper
- green tissue paper
- glue and scissors
- pencils and markers

Use the blue construction paper as the background. Have the children cut a tree trunk out of brown construction paper and glue it onto the blue paper. Have the children cut out enough leaves from the green construction paper so that they have one per family member. Write the names of the children and their family members on the leaves. Glue the small branches above the tree trunk making the branches of the family tree. Glue the small leaves near the branches. To make the tree appear full, glue small pieces of green tissue paper around the tree top by wrapping a small piece on the erasor end of a pencil, dipping it in glue and pressing it onto the paper. Use markers to make wood grain lines on the trunk.

"Find the Verse" Race Activity:
Break the class into two teams. Pick a Bible verse, whichever team can find the verse and read it first gets a point. Highest points wins the race.

Activity B1 - Lesson 2: Sin is at the Door Craft

Sunday Schoolhouse Series Activity - Red Unit B1
Lesson 2: Cain and Abel (Genesis 4:1-16)

Sin is at the Door Craft - Materials Needed:
• white and black construction paper<
• photocopy of door pattern (thick paper)
• scissors, glue, crayons, markers

In the middle of the white paper trace an old looking door. Cut out three sides of the door so that it will stay connected to the paper on the “hinge” side. Glue the black paper to the back of the white paper so that when the door opens you can see the black paper. Using a white crayon write the word “Sin” inside the door. Outline the door frame using yarn and use straight vertical pieces of yarn on the door to make it look like it is made of wood planks. Color the door to make it look like wood grain. For a reproducible door pattern, go HERE. 

On the rest of the white paper help the kids brainstorm different ways to cool off when people get angry; ideas that would help us not to open the door to sin, but keep it closed i.e. reading a book, exercising, talking to a friend. Younger children can draw pictures around the door representing these ideas, while older children can write their ideas in a little more detail around the door.

Circle Greeting Activity:
Start your morning with circle greetings; for example, the shoe greeting. Everyone stands in a circle, each child puts one of their shoes inside the circle. Take turns grabbing a shoe and saying, "Good morning (naming that person)". The child returns the greeting and grabs a shoe until all the shoes are chosen and everyone has given and received a greeting.

Activity B1 - Lesson 1: Class Animal

Sunday Schoolhouse Series Activity - Red Unit B1
Lesson 1: Creation of Humans and Animals (Genesis 2:4 - 25)

Create a Class Animal — Materials Needed:
• sheet of paper, scissors, glue, tape
• decorative craft supplies: fabric, yarn, imitation fur, googlie eyes, colored pipe cleaners, etc.

God made all the animals, some of them quite strange. Think of what God did with the platypus and see what the class can create. Have students contribute one of the animal’s attributes to create a whole new animal.
a. Body: hairy, scaled, feathered, etc.
b. Legs & Feet: hooves, claws, toes, webs, etc.
c. Arms & Hands: fingers, wings, claws, pincers, etc.
d. Face: nose, teeth, beak, trunk, snout, ears, etc.
e. Head: horns, antenna, mane, hair, etc.
After making a list, have each student make one part of the animal out of marker drawings, fabric, etc. Just like Adam named the animals, have the class come up with a name for their new animal. (Option: Instead of just one animal for the whole class, have each child may make their own animal. Encourage them to take their time and be very creative.)

God's World Cookies:

Start the new Sunday school year with a treat. For the cookie craft you will need plain sugar cookies - 1 for each child, green and blue frosting, several plastic knives and spoons, small paper plates, and animal crackers. Each child will decorate their cookies like Earth with blue water and green land; then place an animal cracker on the cookie.

Free Stewardship Materials for 2011

That we may Sow & Reap in the Word ...

For congregations planning a Fall Stewardship emphasis, Sola Publishing is providing free downloadable materials on our Sola website.  The theme for this year's Stewardship Emphasis comes from Jesus' words to his disciples in John 4, where he speaks of our calling to "sow and reap" by serving his mission in proclaiming God's Word in our daily lives.

Look on the Sola website under the tab menu "Free Sola Resources" or go directly to the Stewardship Page HERE for these downloads:

a) Color Theme Poster (like the one right)
b) Bulletin Insert-Devotional
c) Giving Plan Card
d) Sample: Time and Abilities Sheet
e) Children’s Story Page
f) Children's Stewardship Plan
g) Black and White Logo
h) Full Color Logo

Permission is granted to reproduce these materials for local congregational use.

Ten Commandments Book - Now Available!

SOLA CONFIRMATION SERIES:
Ten Commandment Workbook
is now available!

This ten session book spends one session on each Commandment, based around several Scripture texts from Old and New Testaments, with: examples, object lessons, in class questions, catechism, and prayer.  The Scripture focus for the series is on Moses and the Exodus, with lessons in the Bible study section primarily from the Pentateuch.

Click the link HERE to order from the main Sola website.