Education Workshop in Nebraska

Attention: LCMC, NALC, and Lutheran CORE members in Nebraska!

This Saturday, October 6th, Trinity Lutheran of Gothenburg will be hosting a free workshop for area congregations, featuring Pastor Steven King, managing editor of Sola Publishing, who will be presenting the topic: “God’s Word in Action: A Workshop on Scripture-centered Bible Study.” 

Pastor King will be talking about what makes Bible Study more than just a book club,  support group, or self help seminar, but a real encounter with the Living Word: Jesus Christ.

The workshop will be held at the Comfort Suites Event Center, 301 Platte River Drive in Gothenburg, NE, from 10 am to 12 noon, with a full display of Sola educational products that you can take a look at after. Coffee and donuts will be provided.  The workshop is free and is open to anyone.  Call Pastor Jeff Cottingham at Trinity (308) 537-2055 for directions.

Activity C1 - Lesson 6: Marshmallow Rock

Sunday Schoolhouse Series Activity - Green Unit C1
Lesson 6: Water from the Rock (Exodus 17:1 - 7)

Moses Figure Template

Create a Marshmallow Rock - Materials Needed:
- copies of the Moses figure to color
  (click on template to the right to enlarge, then download jpg file)
- blue decorative frosting (squeeze tube or canister)
- chocolate flavored marshmallows
- chocolate frosting
- plastic knife
- large paper plate
- markers

Around the edge of the plate, have the children write this Bible verse: "Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" (John 7:38) Each child will need four chocolate flavored marshmallows on their plate. Use a dab of the chocolate frosting to "glue" the marshmallows to the plate and to one another in a pyramid-like shape. Have the children dribble a stream of blue frosting to represent the water coming from the rock. Give each student a copy of the Moses figure and have them color the picture. Then cut out the figure leaving 1/2 an inch of paper to fold at the bottom so that Moses can stand. Use another dab of frosting to glue Moses onto the plate standing near the rocks.

Water Pressure Experiment:
Warning: This will make a mess so you may want to do this over an empty plastic tub or sink. Place a straw in a water bottle fill 3/4 full with water. Then use clay to cover the rest of the opening of the bottle so the only opening is the top of the straw. Blow hard into the straw, then quickly back away. The pressure in the bottle will increase enough to drive the water out of the bottle. 

Activity C1 - Lesson 5: Baby Moses

Sunday Schoolhouse Series Activity - Green Unit C1
Lesson 5: Baby Moses in the Basket (Exodus 1:8 - 2:10)

Baby Moses Egg Carton Craft - Materials Needed:
- Egg carton - cut in individual units
- eggs (hardboiled or plastic)
- raffia (palm fiber strands) or Easter basket grass
- glue, scissors, yarn, markers and fabric

Cut up the egg carton so that each student  has an intact section for their project. Have the children cut off bits of raffia and glue it to the inside of their egg carton section.  Have the raffia stick up so that it looks like straw in a basket. Then have them decorate the egg to look like a baby, by drawing a face, wrapping its bottom in fabric and cutting and glueing bits of yarn for hair. Place the baby egg in the basket. Talk about how fragile and breakable an egg is. Then remind the children how fragile babies are, and why they need others to care for them. As God's children, we all need God to protect and take care of us.

Ice-Cream Pail Lid Review:
You will need ice-cream pail lids cut into rings and small index cards with various words written on them; such as: Moses, Miriam, Jochebed, Midwives, Babies, Pharoah, Hebrews, Reeds, Nile, Basket, etc. Place the cards around the floor. Each student tosses a ring trying to get it to circle one of the cards. The student then needs to ask a question that matches the "answer" on the card.

Activity C1 - Lesson 4: Putting Pieces Back

Sunday Schoolhouse Series Activity - Green Unit C1
Lesson 4: Joseph Forgives his Brothers (Genesis 45:1 - 20)

Activity: Putting Pieces Back Together - Materials Needed:
- one copy of the story coloring pages from the C1 lesson book p. 17
- black construction paper
- crayons, colored pencils, scissors, glue sticks

Have the students color the coloring pages from the lesson book and shade in as much as they can, including the background. When they are done, have them cut the header and footer from the pages, leaving just the picture. After they have finished coloring have the students carefully tear the picture into small mosaic-like shapes, about 1 to 1.5 inches in width. Encourage them to make the shapes somewhat irregular, but not too small. Using the torn papers like the pieces of a puzzle, have them reassemble the picture on top of the black sheet of construction paper. When the picture pieces are in the right arrangement, they should use a glue stick to attach them in place. If they leave a small 1/8th inch gap between the pieces of the "puzzle", it will produce a stained glass window effect.
Like the pieces of a torn puzzle, God brought Joseph and his brothers back together after many years. Use the craft project to remind the children that even when our relationships with others are torn apart, forgiveness allows the change for people to come back together again.

Relationship Web:
Have the children spread out in the room. The teacher begins by holding the end of a ball of yarn. Upon saying their first name, each person throws the yarn ball to be caught by a student across the room, who keeps hold of the yarn and throws the ball to another, until all have had the ball. Start again by having each person say their last name. The result should be an interconnected web of people, reminding the students how God binds us all together in one family.

Activity C1 - Lesson 3: Dream Telescope

Sunday Schoolhouse Series Activity - Green Unit C1
Lesson 3: Joseph's Brothers are Jealous (Genesis 37:1 - 35)

Create a Dream Telescope - Materials Needed:
- paper towel tubes, one for each child
- tape and aluminum foil, craft materials
- a copy of the star pattern on lightweight paper

Print off the star pattern on a sheet of lightweight white paper. Copy enough so each child has one copy. Fold the cut-out circle around the end of the paper towel tube (the paper will look like a cupcake holder). Tape the clip art to the end of the tube making sure it covers the entire opening. Have the children cover the sides of the tube with aluminum foil (taping the edges), and decorate their telescopes with stickers, jewels, markers, etc. When they hold their tube up to the light, they should be able to see what Joseph saw in his dream: the sun, the moon and 11 stars.

Envy Activity:
Ask the class if they now what "envy" means. Ask the students to give examples of when they have felt envious of others, or wished they had something special that belonged to someone else. Brainstorm ideas on how to resist those feelings (e.g. counting your blessings)

Activity C1 - Lesson 2: Noah and the Ark

Sunday Schoolhouse Series Activity - Green Unit C1

Lesson 2: Noah and the Ark (Genesis 6 - 7)

Complete the Animal Pairs - Materials Needed:
- Animal pictures from magazine or internet
- 9x12 construction paper
- scissors, glue, crayons, markers, pencils

From magazines or the internet, collect an assortment of animal pictures, about 8x10 in size. Cut the pictures in half lengthwise. Provide each child with a piece of light-colored construction paper and have them glue the half picture on the paper leaving room for the missing half. Then have the children complete the animal by drawing the other half on the paper. Since the pictures were cut in half, when the students are finished, there should be animal pairs.

Option: Use butcher paper cut in the shape of the Ark (a simple crescent shape would work). Post the animal pictures inside the boat.

Activity:
Animal Alphabet: Have the students stand in a circle. Go around the circle having children name an animal, starting with the letter "A" and going through to "Z". If someone gets stuck, allow others in the class to offer suggestions. But that same student should go the next letter and name an animal before the turn moves on. Examples: A = Ape, B = Buffalo... Y= Yak, etc.

Activity C1 - Lesson 1: Days of Creation

Sunday Schoolhouse Series Activity - Green Unit C1

Lesson 1: Days of Creation (Genesis 1:1 - 2:4a)

Create a Mural - Materials Needed:
- Large piece of "butcher paper" or blank poster
- Miscellaneous art tools and craft items: fabric, craft glue, scissors, feathers, construction paper (including yellow and gray), markers, yarn, paint and brushes, etc.

For this project, have the whole class work together to create a wall mural, following the pattern used by God in the days of creation.
First Day: Start with the lights off in class. Then, to represent the first day, turn on the lights. Present the paper as the canvas for the rest of the activity.
Second Day:  Paint a blue sky in large sweeping brush strokes.
Third Day:  Add the ground and a body of water in the same way. Now let the children dig through the craft supplies provided and make plants, fruit trees and grain, with fabric, yarn and paper. Add them to the mural.
Fourth Day: Use yellow and gray paper to make a sun and moon and put them on opposite sides of the mural. Then cut out little yellow stars to add to the sky.
Fifth Day: Use the craft supplies to make birds (feathers, felt, eyes, etc.) and sea creatures (foam sheets, glitter, etc.)
Sixth Day:  Use fur and felt scraps to make wild animals, reptiles, and people.
Seventh Day:  When all is done, rest and have a treat for the class, remarking on how "good" the class creation is.

Mural Review:
Go back over the mural picture, using a "movie voice" to announce the days: "On the first day God created...."  See if the children can verbally "fill in the blank" by remembering the order of creation.