We have JUST begun our NEW UNIT!!!!!! We are going to be EXPLORING and learning about Eli, Samuel, Saul, David and Solomon. We are going to be VERY BUSY over the next quarter. This is the way I "CONTAIN" my teaching materials....I use a BIG BINDER and plastic sleeves----LOTS OF PLASTIC SLEEVES!!!!!! I am PRAYING fervently about this undertaking. It is a little more challenging to come up with activities, review games, etc. for the material we are about to EXPLORE......so, I am STRETCHING my brain as I work on these lessons. :-) This is what my classroom looks like!!! I am blessed to have a LARGE ROOM....with plenty of room for the kiddos activities!!! We have 'TABLE TIME" & "CIRCLE TIME." Our EAA, which stands for EARLY ARRIVAL ACTIVITY is a PUZZLE and then a DRAWING activity. I made this puzzle using frames from the Dollar Tree!!! I call the puzzle "GOD'S AMAZING PLAN!" It is truly a puzzle with each TIME PERIOD OF THE BIBLE in each puzzle piece. The kiddos worked together to get the puzzle in the correct chronological order!!! After they completed the puzzle I allowed them to draw in "white boards." These boards are cut from wall board that I purchased at LOWES.. $11.96 gave me 32 white boards!!!! I have shared them with ALL the other Bible Classes!!!! I had coded the white boards with various BIBLE characters and events. The kiddos had to draw me a picture of what they could remember about the character of event. THEY LOVED IT!!!!! All kiddos love to draw on the white/chalk board so, I decided to use this to MY ADVANTAGE!!!! I will post some pics of what they drew----They amazed me!!!!! We have NEW cards to add to our WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHERE? WHY? and HOW? WALL!!!! We have a "NEW" map up on the wall. We have already added two locations!!!! The kiddos LOVE to add new locations to the map. This is our NEW bulletin board. BTW, I just use the WALL!!! We have 3 CROWNS and 3 MEN that would be KING. We will write (with a sharpie) information about each KING on each crow. BTW, the pictures came from DOLLAR TREE...I bought them last year....I sure hope they come out with MORE BIBLE related visuals! Hannah Praying Hannah's Answered Prayer! Our first lesson was about Hannah. Hannah prayed fervently for a baby boy. The kiddos were very engaged with this story. I explained how Hannah went to GOD through prayer. I let them know that GOD really wants us to let HIM know our wants and needs. They seemed to really get IT!!!! YAY!!!!! This was the kiddos "TAKE HOME." Our Memory Verse was Psalm 38:15. "For in YOU, O LORD, I hope. You will hear, O Lord my GOD." I felt this was an appropriate verse for the subject we were EXPLORING. We sang the verse to the tune: "One Little, Two Little, Three Little Indians." Our REVIEW Game was called "PIN THE BOTTLE ON SAMUEL" Each bottle had a question about the lesson written on it. If the kiddo answer correctly (which they ALL did) they had to opportunity to "pin" (we used double stick tape) the bottle to Samuel. They really enjoyed this!!!!! On Wednesday Evening the kiddos colored a picture of Samuel...added a "real" rattle and 3D blocks that spell SAMUEL. They all turned our soooo sweet. The kiddos added this to their NEW EXPLORER JOURNAL. (The rattles came from the DOLLAR TREE and we made the BLOCKS using little square wooden pieces and foamy 3D letters.) I told you we are going to be busy.... :-) And, I would NOT have it any other way!!!!! I feel soooo blessed to be a BIBLE CLASS teacher!!!! I am looking forward to sharing our EXPLORATIONS with you over the next few months!!!! Blessings, Ronda