Activity B3 - Lesson 1: Weather Vane Cross

Sunday Schoolhouse Series Activity - Red Unit B3
Lesson 1: John the Baptist Points to Jesus (John 1:19-34)

Create a Weather Vane Cross - Materials Needed:
- Styrofoam cup for each child
- straw for each child, long enough to stick out of the cup
- tag board so each child can cut out two arrows and two crosses
- Plastic Jewels self stick to decorate with
- transparent tape, scissors, and craft glue
- aluminum foil

Turn the Styrofoam cup upside down. Teachers can use the scissors to poke a hole in the bottom of the cup just large enough to push the straw through. Remove the straw and cover the cup with aluminum foil. Wrap the foil and tuck it under the cup. Poke the straw through the aluminum foil into the hold already made in the cup. This is the base of the weather vane and the pole to hold the arrow and cross. Use transparent tape to secure the straw to the top of the cup so it stands fairly straight. Take the tag board and cut out two matching arrow shapes (arrowhead on one end and feather shape on the other) approximately 5 inches long. Using the craft glue attach the arrows horizontally on the straw about 1.5 inches above the cup. Glue them parallel to one another. Next cut out two crosses from the tag board. Decorate the crosses with the stick on plastic jewels, then use the craft glue to attach crosses to the straw above the arrow. The weather vane is complete.

Laundry List Memory Verse Activity:
String a clothes line from one end of the room to the other. Print this lesson's memory verse on cards or heavy paper using one card for each word. Pass the cards out to the students. See if the children are able to clip their word to the clothes line in the proper order. If time allows, have them take the words back down mix the up, pass them out and see if they can do it faster!

New Music CD by Peter Churness

My Messiah — A Celebration of Jesus Christ

LCMC Pastor Peter Churness has just released a music CD called “My Messiah — A Celebration of Jesus Christ,” inspired by Handel's Messiah. This guitar-based version uses the same words (all taken from Scripture) but with a contemporary-folk musical style.  It can be purchased from his website at: www.mymessiah.org  or downloaded from iTunes, Amazon MP3, CDBaby, etc.

The website also has more information about the project, as well as sample songs you can listen to.

Activity B2 - Lesson 7: Psalm 23 Book Craft

Sunday Schoolhouse Series Activity - Red Unit B2
Lesson 7: The Lord is My Shepherd (Psalm 23)

Create a Psalm 23 Book - Materials Needed
- 8.5x11 sheet of craft foam for each student
- two sheets of copy paper for each student
- crayons or markers and pens or pencils
- yarn and scissor
- copies of Psalm 23 for each student
- hole punch

First cut the craft foam in half so the you have two 8.5 x 5.5 sheets, this is the front and back cover of the book. Cut the copy paper in half the same direction and stack it inside the covers. Using a hole punch, punch three holes on the long left side of the book, make sure to punch the inside pages as well. Cut bits of yarn, string through the holes and tie loosely to hold the book together. Write the title on the front of the book, "Psalm 23", underneath write "Illustrated by: (add child's name)". Younger children may need the psalm printed and cut into sections to paste in the book. Older children can write the psalm using their copy for reference. The children will illustrate the pages following the imagery of Psalm 23. Suggested outline: Page 1 - verse 1-2a; Page 2 - verse 2b-3a; Page 3 - verse 3b; Page 4 - verse 4; Page 5 - verse 5; Page 6 - verse 6. The back page can be used to give a biography of the illustrator: name, age, where they live and how they spend their days.

Activity: Find the Verse
Race to see who can look up a given Bible verse the fastest. Have students sit with their Bibles closed in front of them. The teacher then reads off a book, chapter, and verse and students race to look it up. The first student to find the verse in the Bible reads it aloud. That same student gets to choose the next book, chapter, and verse to look up.

Activity B2 - Lesson 6: Shield Craft

Sunday Schoolhouse Series Activity - Red Unit B2
Lesson 6 - Nehemiah Rebuilds Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2 and 4)


Make a Shield - Materials Needed:
- each child will need a piece of cardboard or
  tag board big enough to make a shield
- scissors, tacky glue, and packing tape
- aluminum foil
- construction paper
- permanent markers

Cut a strip of cardboard about three inches wide and ten inches long and set aside. From the remainder of the cardboard trace then cut out the shape of a soldier's shield. Wrap the shield in aluminum foil to give it a metallic look. Use the tacky glue to glue down the sides of the aluminum on the back of the shield. Take the strip of cardboard previously set aside; using the packing tape attach each end of the strip vertically to the back of the shield so that the children can put their arms through and hold the shield from behind. Using the construction paper cut out a cross and glue it to the front of the shield. Use the permanent markers to write, "Do not be afraid - Remember the Lord who is Great and Awesome." You may want to have this typed for the smaller children to paste on their shields.

Activity: Acrostic Prayer
Make an acrostic prayer based on the theme word "Responsibility". Use each letter of the theme word as the starting letter in each word of the prayer.

Activity B2 - Lesson 5: Furnace Diorama

Sunday Schoolhouse Series Activity - Red Unit B2

Lesson 5: The Fiery Furnace (Daniel 3:1 - 30)

Create a Furnace Diorama - Materials Needed:

- large empty cereal box for each child

- copies of the drawings of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego for each child

- grey/red/orange/yellow construction paper

- cotton balls

- scissors, glue, black markers and markers or crayons

Cut out a large arched entrance from the front of the box. It should be large enough to allow the picture of the men to be added inside. Cover the outside of the box with grey construction paper and glue it into place. Cut tongues of fire out of the red/orange/yellow construction paper and glue them to the back of the box so they can be seen through the opening. Add some tongues of fire to the foreground by folding and gluing a tab on the bottom of the flame allowing it to stand upright. Color the pictures of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Cut out the drawings leaving about one inch under their feet. Fold over the extra paper under their feet and glue that onto the floor of the box so that they are standing inside the furnace. Pull the cotton balls gently so they flatten somewhat, color the tops lightly with black marker and glue to the floor around of the furnace. Decorate the furnace adding lines for stones on the grey construction paper.

Activity - Sound Effect Drama:

Read the drama provided for this lesson adding as many appropriate sound effects as the kids can think of, i.e. crumple up paper for the sound of the flames when the furnace door opens. Be creative and resourceful!

Free Electronic Calendar from CPH

Last month, Sola Publishing released its new Liturgical Calendar for Lectionary Year B: 2011-2012.  It has been very well-received.


In helping to make the break from ELCA resources, many people have expressed thanks that Sola is recommending the LCMS version of the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) along with the use of the ESV Bible (English Standard Version).

PDF copies of the color and grayscale versions of this calendar may be downloaded HERE for free; hardcopies may be ordered through Sola for a nominal charge HERE. Permission is granted to photocopy these sheets for local congregational use.

Our friends at Concordia Publishing House have also released a free electronic version of the Lectionary Calendar for iCal (a mac-based calendar program).  Go to the CPH website at:

http://www.cph.org/t-resources-ical.aspx

There are links to download the Lectionary B series (starting on Nov. 27) as well as the Lectionary C series -- for those who like to plan way ahead. Year A will be uploaded soon.  

This Calendar will list the same Scripture texts that are found on the Sola lectionary calendar and the new Sola "Word of God" Scripture Inserts.

Activity B2 - Lesson 4: Jonah Activities

Sunday School Series Activity - Red Unit B2
Lesson 4: Jonah Flees from God's Calling (Jonah 1 & 2)

Jonah Swallowed by a Big Fish - Materials Needed
- Hard boiled peeled egg
- dry glass bottle with an opening a little smaller than the egg
- two matches
- clear tape, paper and scissors (optional)

This science experiment is a fun way to illustrate Jonah being swallowed by the big fish. Set the end of the egg on top of the opening of the bottle to show the children the egg will not fit into the bottle. Light the two matches and drop them into the bottle. Place the egg quickly over the opening once again. The burning matches will change the temperature of the air in the bottle in turn changing the air pressure in the bottle causing the egg to go into the bottle/swallowed like Jonah. If you'd like, decorate the bottle with paper fins prior to the experiment to give it the look of a fish.

Jonah Spit Out Activity - Materials Needed
- long piece of string (two spots to tie the string)
- straw
- balloon
- tape
- picture of Jonah
Tie one end of the string to a chair or door knob, thread the straw onto the string and tie the loose end to another solid object (i.e. door or chair) so that the string is taut. Blow up the balloon holding the opening shut, but not tying it. Tape the picture of Jonah to the side of the balloon. Tape the balloon to the straw so that the opening of the balloon is facing the nearest tied end of the string. Release the balloon, Jonah will go flying across the length of the string as if he has been spit from a large fish.

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Saturday November 5th 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Pacific Time

Saturday November 12th 8:30 p.m. to Sunday November 13th 1:00 a.m. Pacific Time

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