im a sunday school teacher for 4-12 on sunday mornings ai was wondering if u can direct me on some ideas for bulletin board ideas on daniel and the lions den and also how to construct a den for some poster made lions that im doing or to that effect i will be doing this the end of april 23rd.
thank uu for our help. miss tina
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2) Old Testament Books?
Hello,
I am going to be teaching the books of the Old Testament when our Fall schedule starts. We just completed the New Testament and I would like to have some more variety in the way the books are taught in order that the kids stay interested. Any ideas that any of you have would be GREATLY appreciated. I have thought that I can line up various stories from the Bible to go with them but would also like things like "review" games to help them stick in their minds. Any suggestions?
fran at franevrt@sbcglobal.net
--from SSTN: you don't mention the age range, but two excellent Bibles with activities are, the "New Adventure Bible for Young Readers" and the "Adventure Bible". You can locate them in our bookstore by typing the titles into the search box. There's even a "Search Inside" option to get a closer look when you locate them at: http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/bookstore.html
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3) Inexpensive curriculum?
any suggestions on lessons plans for childrens church. I'm looking for active lessons that are fun for the kids, something they will remember and low cost. I would appreciate any input. I teach ages 4-8. my email is brucechigirl@yahoo.com. thanks Peggy
--from SSTN: How about ONE dollar per lesson for the ENTIRE class? which is just about what each of the Hands-On Bible series cost at: http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/curriculum.html
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4) Teaching unchurched kids
Hi. I just wanted to thank you for your letter. It really moved me. I think we all need a reminder sometimes on just how important our job is as a Sunday school teacher and why we are doing this. I printed it off for all of the Sunday school teachers at my church to read. Most of the kids I teach have no church background and do not come from Christian homes. We spend a lot of time explaining the terms and making sure everyone knows the background leading up to the story before we get started. Just be flexible. If all you get accomplished is telling the kids who Moses was and about the Israelites coming out of Egypt before you even get to the story about Joshua then so be it. If the kids are asking questions they are learning. Let the Holy Spirit lead you. Sometimes what I planned on teaching may not be what the kids needed to learn the most. God bless, Misti Bridges
Hello in there---This is 4 Hollie---- I can sure tell u are so burdened about kids knowing about God. And it might make u feel a little better to buy some Bible Story Books at the $ store and send it home with them. Then someones goina have 2 read them the stories and then u are reaching the parents too---- As far as trying to get everything into one lesson---its to much for them to take in. Just teach the most exciting lesson God has givin u to teach---God will lead them along the way OK! God Bless U! Suzanne
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6) Esther VBS?
At our local church we are doing the story of Esther for VBS and I was wondering if anybody had any ideas that my help me. I have the small children. I would appreciate any information that anyone has.
Thanks, Rachel Silvers
--from SSTN: what are the themes for each day? What are the Bible points you want to teach them?
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7) Teaching Unchurched Kids
Thank you for your insight, Sarah, Kari and Teresa. I appreciate it a lot.
I've only been teaching Sunday School since December. I love it so much. I hope I can do it forever. I find it funny, to tell people from other churches etc or other Christians that I teach Sunday School now, and so many people say, "Oh, I used to do that too," as if they're talking about once helping with washing dishes after a luncheon or that they once mowed a lawn. How sad is that?
I have absolute control over my curriculum. The only stipulation I must meet is that it is biblically based. I share teaching duties with an older woman who wants to teach once a month or five weeks or so. We decided in December to go with the God Prints curriculum. It does take 2 weeks on each idea, and I liked the make-and-takes it incorporated etc. However I only taught 2 lessons from it and then asked if I could do my own thing each week. We have years and years' worth of old curriculum in the basement. The Internet is an absolute wealth of information and resource. And with us having just one child many weeks, I didn't see why we couldn't stretch our curriculum dollars by having Myrna use the books when she wants to teach and me not the rest of the time. Do we have to be done with the book in March just because it says in the corner "January - March 2006"? Of course not.
I've been thinking a lot about evangelism and the kids I already have, and the kids I will potentially have. I think about the school system, and how we're strangers in a strange land... and how here we have ESL for foreign students (English as a Second Language) and how now I have children who absolutely have no idea what I'm talking about if I do the normal curriculum or just start in on some chipper thing based on a well-known bible story.... and I want to come up with a CSL program. Christianity as a Second Language. The other things I think about (and I will tell you I'm glad times have changed from my own childhood) are the things I was taught when I was in Sunday School. We were taught that men had less ribs than women. We were taught that the dinosaur fossils being found were actually chicken bones etc and the whole thing was a fake. Of course my normal schooling made an absolute mockery of it. Well, I want to (and thankfully my pastor is backing me 100%) have a science fair. Take various questions - which is stronger? Darkness or light? Test them out, and have a bible verse for our "proof". God did make science, didn't He? And I think it will be a very effective way of driving home biblical truths. I will tell you even as an adult I have had moments where my circumstances are so overwhelming or scary, I forget that God can handle it all. Something as simple as light being stronger than dark no matter what the situation... it's powerful knowledge. I also want to display the results once all our weeks are done, in the foyer or something, and have the congregation visit it and be involved with what we're learning.
I wanted to comment on someone saying they reiterate the bible is true. AMEN. We talked about that a couple of weeks ago, and surprisingly even the home-schooled Christian kids didn't know Daniel was a real person who was actually saved from the lions. Maybe the children see it as a nicer fairy tale book or something. I mean we *do* tell them stories all the time that are not true. They've also been retold for generations too.
Anyway. Even talking about it, it's monumental.
I don't freak out each week. I do pray a lot for the Spirit's guidance and that He would move in our classroom no matter who was there. We do play a lot of games (I usually have all boys) and lots of moving around and keeping things fun and interesting, and we do eat snack. But I want to have a goal. I think we need to have a vision of where things are going and not just plug along with the same old thing regardless of who shows up. Last week was my birthday, so I brought in a birthday cake and we talked about being born again. We played games. We learned our verse. And we ate a lot of cake. I think it went pretty well. At this point really I'm just trying to introduce various ideas before Easter so they can understand why Jesus died. My little unchurched guy, when I mentioned Easter, asked if I was going to dress up as the Easter bunny that Sunday. I have a lot to do.
Thanks again. I appreciate this group very much.
Love Hollie
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8) Something Different
I used Super Heroes of the Bible last Summer on Wed. night ministry. We have Awana during the fall and winter and wanted to do something different. This was a great program, we used different teachers each week and the children really enjoyed the games and crafts.
Ruthann Sayers
--from SSTN: love to hear that, Ruthann! For anyone else interested, you can find Super Heroes at: http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/curriculum.html
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9) Boys ministry
Mr. Morris,
A very important message to teach the boys is "chilvary!" In today's world, we live in a society where many women don't want the help but not all women feel that way. All mothers love the idea that their son is concerned for them and want to help them out around the house by doing what older generations referred to as "mens chores." Teach the boys that "whatsoever your hand findeth to do, do it..." and teach them the values and morals affiliated with chilvary. It invovles much more than opening doors for a female member of their family or society. To name a few things it entails are things like helping the edlerly, the pregnant, the young, those who have a lot in their hands, those who are really too busy to mow their grass right now, stopping on the side of the road ot help someone change a tire, offering to help take out the churches trash or a sunday school teacher to clean their room, and manners such as "yes ma'am," and thank yous and "no sirs'', and many more. The older boys could even learn to ask the younger boys how school is going and see if they are struggling with any acedemic areas thus teaching the boys the art of mentoring, and role-modeling. I live in a rural community with many farmers but I grew up in the city. When an older gentleman comes into my store and greets me with "How are ya ma'am? Thank you ma'am, you have a real nice day!" I feel great, but when I see the farmers sons come in, many of which are still in high school, and they do the same thing, it really FLOORS me! As a wife and mother, I LOVE it when I see young people treat women and children with real courtesy and respect. It's not something most boys know and are taught anymore. God's best blessings for your group!
Kari
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10) Good News chorus?
HI, I am looking for a chrous called "Good New", as a child many years ago we sang it in Sunday School, I can not think of any of the words, I just remember it was printed on newsprint, if anyone has it would you send it to me at mom@fullnet.com I will be ever grateful, thanks so much in advance Lenora Challender Jasper, In.
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