Hi Godly Play Teachers! Welcome to Knowing Jesus in a New Way 3: Known in Doubt, our lesson for May 11. Are you as captured as I am by the expression of Thomas on the story tile for this week? He looks so worn and ashamed of his doubt, wanting to believe, yet in such need of seeing the wounds for himself. I love the way the story script tells the story from Luke 24:36-43 and John 20:19-29. It describes the mood of the group of disciples gathered-with the doors shut, afraid for their lives. And then suddenly from within the group someone says, "Peace be with you," and they realize it is Jesus. They think he's a ghost but then he eats a piece of fish. He wishes them peace again and he's gone. Thomas comes to the group and hears the story of what happened but can't believe. I like that the script does not find fault with this. "And why wouldn't he doubt? Their minds were stretching, stretching to be big enough to know Jesus in this new way." Then eight days later the disciples are again in a locked room and Jesus appears, this time with Thomas present. Thomas doesn't have to ask. Jesus approaches him and shows him the scars, inviting him, "Touch me." Of course he falls on his knees. When Jesus says, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe," goosebumps rise on my arm. Yours too? I bet children will identify with Thomas, particularly the older ones. They've been told so many things and have been disappointed to find they were duped. Proof makes belief so much easier. Older children might like to talk about belief and doubt. We shouldn't be afraid to share our own experiences and hear theirs. For younger children, this is a great story to have in their back pocket, so that when times of doubt and questions do arise when they're older, they remember one who loved Jesus and whom Jesus loved who experienced the same feelings. So, how do we help the children process the story? If you are in a classroom where all the materials are near available to the children (if you aren't, I'd love to help change that--there's money for shelves for your circle) I hope you'll consider going along with the Godly Play script and letting the children gather items that help tell the story. It will be interesting to see the connections they make. Here are our wondering questions for the lesson: 1. I wonder what is your favorite part of the story. 2. I wonder what the disciples thought when Jesus appeared to them in the locked room. 3. I wonder why Thomas needed to touch Jesus' wounds. 4. I wonder what Thomas thought when Jesus appeared and came up to Thomas and said, "Touch me." 5. I wonder if you've ever had doubts about anything. I wonder how that feels. 6. I wonder what we can do when we have doubts about believing. Some Thoughts on Our Gift to God Time: How can we help the children to re-live this story? Here are a few ideas: 1. Retelling the story through art or drama a) Kids could act out the story in your classroom. Make it dramatic. Shut the doors. Do the acting out in candlelight. Each child could play a part. The camera in the drawer in the hallway can videotape, if you want to do that. b) Kids could draw the scenes of the story. The first appearance of Jesus. His eating of a piece of fish. Thomas's skepticism of the story. Then Jesus' appearance to Thomas and his touching Jesus. This could be done with markers or paint or three dimensionally with clay. It could be a class project on a mural or done individually. c) There is also a craft ideas for responding to this story with art here . 2. Digging into the theme of the story of believing without seeing. a) Children could make a banner for the classroom or a bulletin board that says, "Blessed are those that do not see, but still believe. John 20:29"-or whatever verse or message they pick that they feel tells the story. What illustrations would they want to decorate it with? I'm sure they'd have ideas. b) Kids could make an illustrated list of ways to handle their doubt. What do they do when they doubt? Read the Bible? Talk to their parents? Talk with their teachers? Pray? Think hard about it? Or they could illustrate the statement: I can ask God for help with my doubt. c)Children could discuss what faith really is and illustrate "What faith in Jesus means to me." or make an "I Believe" door hanger or sign and decorate it however they like-with stickers or sequins or markers. We have some foam stickers in the game room on the craft table if you want to use them. Enjoy! And thank you!
A DIY tutorial for a puppet that moves and wiggles just like a snake to celebrate the Chinese New Year and The Year of the Snake.
Sensory bags are easy and fast to make, gives the kids something to explore, and they're entertaining for toddlers! This nature sensory bag is no exception.
I can't remember where I saw this...Teacher Wife perhaps? Yes, Teacher Wife just posted on this HM Unit in 2nd Grade, which BTW was my favorite unit when I taught 2nd grade. (*sigh* I miss having HM...). See her post here. Just thought I'd document my attempt. The pics are all out of order! Blogging from my phone has its disadvantages I guess... My daughter just came up with a great idea, project a forest background and find a crackling fire sound file to play. Genius! Happy Wednesday everyone! My favorite sitcom night everrr. I so heart Modern Family and Happy Endings!!! P.S. Here are some other ideas I have found... Click on the picture for the source.
For Easter and the spring season beyond, browse our best centerpieces to decorate your table including flowers, eggs, and more.
This article about the classic game includes some new art for yours truly. Try them out and enjoy!
Again I went MIA for a little while..sorry! Things get hectic and while I have tons of ideas and things to share with you it always means st...
On July 29-31, I attended the Godly Play Core Training at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland. Those of us participating all learned a great deal about helping children with their religious formation. At the same time, the training was a spiritual retreat and an opportunity for everyone involved to grow in faith and personal insight.
Use ping-pong balls to practise letter names and sounds with a fun fishing and matching alphabet game for pre-schoolers!
When the good people at our church decided to begin a group they call “Soul-Journers,” they asked me if I would be first of the “wide variety of speakers [who] talk with us about …
Use items in nature to create beautiful nature resist art and t-shirts. This is a wonderful project for people of all ages.
Well, all good things come to those who wait, right? My grandfather used to always say "weight is what broke the wagon." And that is kind of what has happened, waiting for the dust to settle at school has my teaching assignment for the upcoming school year changed yet again - or my joy wagon broken, but only partly. When I left school in early June, I would be teaching four science classes. Then a couple of weeks ago because of my AIG certification, I would now be teaching one language arts class and three science classes. I can say I wasn't mad about that. As of yesterday, I will now be teaching two language arts classes and two science classes. At first, I can honestly say I was slightly disappointed but after some reflecting, realized it was a GREAT plan. I will be on a four person team with three other AWESOME teachers and because of the certification of two of us, we have worked out a(n) great amazing schedule for our kiddos - kiddos that I love and am very excited to be looping up to 7th grade. The other teacher and I will both teach two language arts classes and two science classes. We will both be teaching language arts our first two blocks and science our last two blocks - meaning all of our students will be taught language arts before lunch! This is like a dream to me (us) since they will be fresh in the mornings. Yay to the school year starting out on a good note and for a fabulous team that has been assembled. And the best part, school hasn't even started and we are all working together and in the best interest of our students. Explains it all right now!
These leaf people are so fun to make during fall. Gather a bunch of autumn leaves and make this fun and easy craft with your kids or at school.
This is a GREAT first week of school art project for kinders! It allows them to practice letter recognition while helping the teacher remember their names!!! It's a win-win! I already had their names written on the black paper before they came to art class and set them at their individual spots so they know where their art seat is. I also read the book "Too Much Glue" to the class before we began. Let me tell you...I had 2 out of my 3 classes use gluesticks because the glue bottles weren't ready yet, and that was definitely the way to go! Less mess and all around better works of art. Lesson learned!
We are at a strange place in our lives - for the first time in years we don't go to church each week. We left a big church in Inverness to be part of a wee church community here in our village. As yet that just meets monthly on Sundays, although we do get together in between times. In the meantime we also wanted to spend more time together as a family, to discover God's path together. It isn't always straightforward - it feels we left the familiar and known - but we sense it is right for now. We explore and learn and play together. I'm often surprised by how the boys respond - very much as boys (!) - but with glimpses of God too. J has been very faithful in keeping me going through Nehemiah, which I don't think I've read for ages, but has really touched me. We introduced them to the Godly Play lesson about the circle of the church year. Coming from a non-liturgical background, I wasn't sure how they would respond, but they were very interested - loving the idea of clock that tells the time in colours - especially red hot Pentecost! So, it's a bit unconventional, a bit of walking by faith, but it's a good, green, growing season in our lives.
Find out how to make fizzy baking soda stars. A great first way to explore chemical reactions.
This week we are having ocean themed fun every day!! Today we are sharing a simple shark alphabet game that all three of my kids (ages 6, 3, 1) enjoyed. They even helped me adapt
Here's a really easy sorting activity I put together for Little A. Something similar was set up at our ECFE (Early Childhood Family Education) class this winter, and I kept it in mind for a rainy day (or snowy, like it was this morning). Supplies: Fuzzy Craft Balls Colored Paper Cupcake Tin I got rainbow colored fuzzy craft balls, and punched circles out of matching pieces of cardstock. I set the circles in the cupcake tins, and put the fuzzy craft balls in a bowl and put Little A to work. This kept her busy for a long time. I had 80 fuzzy craft balls, and after she got them all sorted, she asked for more! I call that success!!
Ideas on how to get started with the Montessori-based Godly Play program at home plus ideas for Old Testament Godly Play lessons for a variety of settings
A Mural of Noah's Ark. Many children contributed to this and worked on it for a couple weeks. After we enjoy the story, we can't possibly keep it to ourselves. The Expression Time is when the children do their own work of their choosing, something generated from the interaction of the story with his or her own creativity. This activity becomes a thank you prayer to God. This is often the scariest part of Godly Play to new teachers because they're still thinking in terms of giving the children a "craft" to do, and the Godly Play books contain no craft ideas. Nope, it's not a craft we give the children. We want the children to be completely invested in their work, and the only way that this happens is if they have a big part in choosing what it is that they do, so that their own creativity is tapped. A Materials Table So how do teachers do that? Just turn them loose with a table full of craft materials and see what they come up with? Not exactly. That might work with a few children, but most need gentle guidance in figuring out what they want to do. Younger children (first grade, maybe, and younger) probably will need choices of a limited number of options so they don't feel overwhelmed, with more details spelled out. When I'm telling the story, I give a good bit of thought to this and try to come up with a good list of 3 or 4 good jumping off ideas from which they can springboard. These might include ideas from the following categories: 1) Create items from the story so that each child, in effect, makes her own Godly Play set which can be used to retell the story at home. For instance, with the parable of the Good Shepherd, you could have boxes on hand and plenty of materials for them to make the parts of the parable. Instead of telling them how to make the individual things, you would ask them, "I wonder which of the materials you could use to make a sheep? What about the fence? The pool?" Kids are so much more excited about their work when it comes from their own ideas. Plus their ideas are often so much more creative than mine! Children creating their own Tower of Babel It is helpful to have fresh, plentiful materials (markers that aren't dried up, etc.) and to introduce new materials from time to time. 2) Make part of the story in a three dimensional way. Create a temple out of pieces of wood. Make the tower of Babel. Children Make a Boy Jesus for the Lenten lesson about Jesus in the Temple 3) Retell the story in a two dimensional way. Children could: draw, do a watercolor, paint the story, work with a group to make a mural on butcher paper, make a cartoon book of the story, see how big they could make the tree that comes from the mustard seed, for example. Write it up as a newspaper story. 4) Retell the story in drama. If several children want to work together to do this, let them act out the story and videotape it. Or let them play characters in the story and interview each other about what just happened. 5) Think about themes from the story that have to do with their own personal lives, and encourage them to choose work around a particular theme. For instance, with the story about Jeremiah, we talked about Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." In our wondering questions we asked what kind of future God might want for us. During the Expression time, some children made individual collages using photos from a magazine about what they thought might be the answer to that question. As they worked the children had interesting discussion about the value of possessions, and what God would really want for them. Other themes might include forgiveness, being a good friend, what to do when we make a mistake, trust, love, grace, etc. Can we keep on working? Our most common problem is that we run out of time. We've designated one table in our room as the Works in Progress table, where our children can safely leave projects that they're not finished with yet. They can continue working on them as long as they need to. They don't have to rush. Our Works in Progress Table
Spring is a beautiful time for creative projects to work on with your kids. Here is a Spring flower fine motor tray activity for your preschooler.
Silver and Gold • Simple Silver • DIY Menorah • Something for the Kids • Dinosaur Menorah • More ...
