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SSTN # 33 - March 11, 2003


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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:


--> Fresh Midweek Ideas


1) Palm Sunday Song - Verse?   
2) Evolution - Read Genesis
3) Evolution
4) Cavemen and Dinosaurs


--> Armor of God Playing Cube


5) Moses and the Plagues
6) Burned Out   
7) A "Sticky" Behavior Lesson
8) Moses and the plagues
   

--> NEW-LIFE PUPPETS 


9) The plagues
10) Moses and the plagues   
11) Equipping Teachers
12) Moses and the plagues   


--> Egg-shaped Easter Story Cards


13) Teaching the 10 Commandments   
14) Vacation Bible Cruise   
15) A clean slate
16) Praise Craft

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--> Fresh Midweek Ideas

Do you need fresh ideas for your midweek class? Then, check out the
Curriculum Creatives page at ChristianCrafters.Com. Remember, all sales
support SSTN and the website! Go to the following page to learn more:

http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html


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1) Palm Sunday Song - Verse?   

I also teach Sunday School to a small group aged 3-5 yrs old and would
like to do a song or verse for Palm Sunday.  Would anyone have any ideas
that would be appropriate for this young age.  Thank you

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2) Evolution - Read Genesis

I agree somewhat with Helen - There is no proof of cavemen.  In fact the
Bible clearly says that after God made light V.3, divided the waters V.7,
dry land V.9, seeds, fruit & grass V.11-12, sun, moon, stars V.16, birds &
fish V.20-21, cattle & creeping things V. 24 - that verse 26 "Let us make
man in our own image... Ch 2 V.8 "God put the man whom he had formed in
the garden"  Which in verse 19 you find out is Adam.  So where is there room
for cavemen?  God created the earth in six days and rested on the seventh.
Plain and simple.  Read Genesis 1 and 2!  This concerns me that we are
even bringing up evolution as an option... does God or the Bible lie...I think
NOT! (a concerned teacher)

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3) Evolution   

Please excuse me if I did not make it clear in my previous comments.  I do
NOT teach evolution, and I don't believe in evolution.  I only suggested a
website that deals with the issues of creation, evolution, cavemen, etc...
from an "old earth"  Christian scientific viewpoint.   If you visit this
website, you will clearly see that they are not "evolutionists".  The
Reasons to Believe ministry is widely known, and can be seen on the
Trinity Broadcasting Network as well as on many Christian radio stations.
They work very hard to show people how wonderfully well the bible and
science do, in fact, agree and support each other.  Especially with all
the new technology, such as DNA studies.  They address all the major
scientific findings you hear about in the news from a creation
perspective.

In regard to "cavemen," it is widely accepted among Christian and
non-Christian scientists that cavemen existed thousands of years before
Adam and Eve.  The question is, are WE descendants of cavemen?  The answer
is "no."  Cavemen were not a part of God's "special creation" of humans.
Adam and Eve came much later.  Cavemen are classified as "hominids."  They
are a bipedal mammal, created with the other mammals. We have complete
skeletal fossils of hominids and even infant hominids.   They resembled
humans in many ways, but did not possess the Spirit of God, as Adam and
Eve, our true ancestors, did.  They had many physical characteristics as
we do, but they did not worship; they did not have our "spiritual nature",
and there are some physical differences as well, recently noted in studies
done on Neanderthal, which indicate that we could NOT have evolved from
them.  Of course, we never heard about those new studies in the media,
even though, when Neanderthal was first discovered, all they could talk
about was how we had "discovered one of our ancestors".    Now that it has
been scientifically proven that we did NOT evolve from Neanderthal,  we
never see THAT information in the news.

I realize many Christians have not heard this before. The book, "The
Genesis Question" is very good at explaining their viewpoint.  They have a
great book for teens called, "God Said It and Bang! It Happened!"

--from SSTN: both of these books are available in our Bookstore. Type the
titles into the search box to find them:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/bookstore.html

   
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4) Replenish the Earth

Have you ever stopped to consider what these three words, "replenish the
earth", from Genesis 1:28 means? In the King James version of the Bible
this phrase is used when God tells Adam and Eve to be fruitfiul and
multiply and replenish the Earth. This indicates that something was here
before we were. Could this be the time of dinosaurs and cavemen?
Something to think about.

SAM in Florida


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Armor of God Playing Cube

Kids can make it and take it home. A great memory tool!
Only $3.00 to download and print out as many as you need!
Go to the following webpage to get the free lesson and to learn more: 

http://www.christiancrafters.com/game_armor.html


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5) Moses and the Plagues

>I am wondering if anyone has an idea of how to tell the story of Moses
and
>the plagues from exodus...

Sandra:
Go to Christiancrafters.com and hit the archives button and write in
plagues.
There are 19 things you can find and first one is a dandy!
God bless,
Joni

--from SSTN: Joni, thanks for reminding everyone about the Archives! ysic,
sarah <><
http://christiancrafters.com/archives.html

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6) Burned Out   

I have read all the comments made on " Burned Out" and would like to make
a comment as well. I teach Children's Church, am craft coordinator, send
out the cards, sing etc.  I too at one time was suffering from burn out.
I was ready to throw up my hands and quit, thinking if no one else cares
enough to teach the children and help out why should I?
It seemed only two people in the church were keeping things running
smoothly.
Everything came to a head while I was working endless hours preparing
angel wings and costumes for the Christmas play.  I prayed, cried, and
prayed some more for Gods guidance in what I should do.
The night of the play I was so tired, weary still waiting for Gods
direction.  It came immediately that night.  A little girl in my class
came up and handed me a note as soon as she came in.  The note told how
much she loved me, loved being in my class, thanking me for being her
teacher etc.  I went outside tears streaming down my face clutching the
note "God what are you trying to tell me?"  I heard a small voice say "I
have called you to teach my children, come unto me yea who are weary and
heavy laden and I will give you rest".  God was telling me "I can do all
things through Christ which strengthens me".  Why did that little girl
chose that exact time to hand me that note? God knows how much I love the
children and I think He worked through that child.
To the lady who is burned out I say pray then listen.  Sometimes we pray
then get to busy to hear what God has to say.  But is we listen and wait
we will hear a soft voice and know God is speaking.  My prayers are with
you please hang in there God has given you a special anointing.
Your Sister in Christ Rhonda


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7) A "Sticky" Behavior Lesson

> Does anyone know of some lessons (e.g. a lessonbook, curriculum)which
> would teach younger children the way God wants them to act?

Here's an object lesson I used recently. I was having trouble getting the
kids to understand the importance of not disturbing others in church. I asked
for a volunteer, and one of my teen girls raised her hand. (This was a whole
church youth service, so all ages were there.) I asked her to stand at the back
of the room, and to take her shoes and socks off. After she did, I had an
adult helper blindfold her, and then we put several paper plates in the aisle
between she and I. In each plate we put a little pancake syrup. Anything
sticky and gooey will work. I said, "I want you to listen to my voice,
because I am going to guide your feet around the obstacles." I then told the other
youth to try to distract her while she was walking toward me. Of course,
they all wanted to see her put her foot in the syrup, so they gladly accepted
this assignment. As she walked toward me, I watched where she placed her feet
and gave her directions, "...a little closer....OK, step to the left...." I
never raised my voice, but the other kids were screaming and yelling. She got
frustrated a time or two because she couldn't hear, but she finally made
it to the front. When she got there, I pulled her blindfold off and asked her
what the problem was. She said, "Well, everyone was making so much noise, I
couldn't hear your voice." I then explained that it's just as difficult
for God to try to speak to someone if we distract them by talking, making
noise, passing notes, etc. They got the point, and they still talk about this
lesson.


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8) Moses and the plagues   

We have just finished a 6 week Rotation teaching Unit on Moses.  We did
spend some time on the plagues.  We have been teaching the Rotation method
since November 2002.  We began it in our Sunday School hour and have
carried it over to our Wednesday evening hour.  The success on Wednesday
has been phenomenal.  We have a graded children's choir that draws kids
from the local school in who are not members, but who wish to be a part of
our choir.  Thinking that we should "reach them where they are" we have
started a Bible Study Class for these kids and that class is using the
Rotation method.  Last week, with teachers, we had 40 kids!  We use
Potter's Workshop for the literature for our Sunday kids and I have used
Rotation.org to put together the Wednesday lessons.  So, back to your
question.  If you are concentrating on only Moses and the plagues - we
made a Match Game and combined the 10 Commandments as well as pictures of
each of the plagues.  Each grade rotated through it and we had more to
match for the older kids than we did for the younger kids.  We put a
question mark on the outside and taped all squares to a large wall.  Each
group was divided into 2 teams and they tried to make a match.  We didn't
keep score, but you could.  As a match was made, they were allowed to take
another turn.  It was very exciting - and they all learned what the 10
plagues were, as well as the 10 Commandments.  We also let the kids
perform a drama that included the plagues - we xeroxed pictures of frogs
for them to use - about 100 - and they were allowed to toss them around
the room during the drama.  Go to Rotation.org and you will find many,
many ideas.  Good luck - Patty


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NEW-LIFE PUPPET patterns 


When assembled, New Life Puppets turn inside out to change from a tadpole
to a frog, or a caterpillar to a butterfly. They're easy-to-make and
children will learn about becoming new creatures in Christ! Get a free
puppet skit too! In our Curriculum section:

http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html


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9) The plagues   

The plagues defeated the Egyptian gods and showed God's true power over
them. (Ex. Plague of blood in the Nile effected the god Hopi; plague on
livestock effected the bull-gods Apis and Mnevis, the cow-god Hathor and
the ram-god Khnum.)

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10) Moses and the Plagues

>I am wondering if anyone has an idea of how to tell the story of Moses
>the plagues from exodus

I taught Moses and the plagues to my 5 - 7 year olds using a combination
of visual aids (flannel graph pictures) and plastic animals and creatures.
As we went over each plague, I would let each child put a picture on the
flannel graph board and pass around the cows or locusts. For water turned
into blood, I placed some red dye under a stone in a pan and poured water
into the pan so the water turned into "blood". The kids really liked doing
this. PS - I got most of my ideas from the archives section. Hope this
helps. Lorraine

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11) Equipping Teachers

> I am looking for information that I could use to run a seminar or do a workshop with >the techers in order to better equip them to teach the children.

We are in the process of doing our 2nd workshop on March 15th.   We plan
it for 9:00 in the morning to 2:00 in the afternoon with a 45 min. break
for lunch which we provide (Salad, fruit and crackers with can drink or
water).   We start with an opening session for 30 minutes and break into
different classes 30 to 45 min in length which the ladies are free to
choose which one they want.   We have 5 choices in each session with 4 to
5 sessions for the day.   The topics range from:
      Nursery care,   age characteristics of toddlers-   2 & 3's  -  4 &
5's
      Games to play   -      Storytelling (using puppets, felt board,
objects, etc)
      Praise & Worship  -   Transitioning  - Master Teacher   -  Crafts
--
      Safety in classroom

All of these topics are to show the teacher different ways to get the
childrens attention and to help the children remember what they learned
during class.  The Master Teacher class is for anyone interested in being
a Master teacher for a certain class so they know what's expected of them
from getting there 30 min before class, setting up, having craft and color
sheets ready, teaching and cleaning up.   We also have a Master teacher
for 12 - 24 months.  You will be amazed how much these little ones can
absorb at this age.  We give each baby a little new testament and tell
them this is the bible, God gave us this bible, we love the bible (Kiss
the bible and hug and love on it)   Let the kids slobber all over it. It
can be sanitized later.   Show them plastic animals -- telling them God
made the animals let them hold them and discover each animal.   Give them
small flashlights.   God made the light for us to see.
Don't just babysit this age, they will be missing out on a great
beginning.  While they're learning to walk teach them God gave them feet.
They learn so much at this age why not teach them how much we love God and
He loves us.

If anyone is wanting more information about our workshops they may reach
me at Planetsswalker@cs.com

God bless
Stacey

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12) Moses and the plagues   

Sandra
In response to your request, I do have a colouring page I put together in
MS Publisher with graphics and numbered all the plagues, which I can send
to you if you email me at jlp@ihug.com.au.

Also, I had each of the children line up and we had a competition who
could say "Let my people go" the best and the loudest.  You could also
include a memory game of what plague came first, second etc.

   
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Egg-shaped Easter Story Cards

Ten Egg-shaped cards that tell the Easter Story - When the cards
are cut, colored and assembled, players can play Easter Egg Scramble and
learn the Easter Story! Reproducible so your whole class can make a set!

In the Curriculum section: 
http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html


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13) Teaching the 10 Commandments   

My babysitter came up with this idea for her preschool Sunday School
class, and I think it is a great one.  You need to find the book called
"No, David!" by David Shannon.  It is a wonderful children's book in which
the main character, David, is shown doing all kinds of "terrible things"
such as tracking mud on the carper, chewing with his mouth open, etc.  The
text consists of only 2 words--his mother saying, "No, David!" each time
he does something naughty.  However, at the end of the story, his mother
tells him, "Yes, David, I love you."  Once you've read this story, you can
talk about how God has commandments in place because He loves us. I know
this is a pretty simple approach, but the kids absolutely love the David
story (and will join in on the "No, David") and the story puts the idea of
commandments on their level.

Ann
Van Horne, IA

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14) Vacation Bible Cruise   

Group Publishing has a Vacation Bible School program called "Vacation
Bible Ship."  Our church used it several years ago, and the kids really
loved it.  Another bonus is that it was also an easy and affordable
program to use.
Ann
Van Horne, IA


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15) A clean slate   

Here is a short verision of a New Years lesson that could easily be
adapted to Easter, or salvation lesson.
Start with a clean slate board.  Have the children scribble all over it
with chalk.  Talk to the children as they do this explaining that this
represents sin in our lives.  Sin creeps in covering all that we are
affecting all of our lives just as the chalk covers all of the slate.
Jesus died to pay the price for our sin so that we could begin again with
a clean slate... take a red cloth that has been dampened and erase the
chalk marks. As a clean slate we are able to start again and live our lives for Christ.

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16) Praise Craft

I traced each of my 3 daughters' handprints on different colors of felt,
one print each. I then wrote their names and ages on the bottom and sides.
Then I glued them on a larger piece of felt, as upraised hands; on the larger
piece of felt, I wrote with a permanent magic marker, "I will praise Thee, for I
am wonderfully and fearfully made..."-Psalm 139:14  I hot-glued magnets on
the back and put it on the refridgerator. Could be hung on wooden dowel with
yarn attached to either end of (dowel).
-using the diff. colors can teach children that all races are crafted by
the same Hand; -upraised hands stresses the importance of praise; 
-the Bible verse reminds children (and adults) that we are all made
special, because He thought to create us.
-Mrs. John McClaugherty,Jr.


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