Creative 360 Degree

Teaching a Bible verse is perhaps one of the most important things a Sunday School teacher can do. After all, the Bible tells us

"..And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:15 KJV)

Invent

Whatever methods you choose to use, always leave enough time for your class to repeat the verse 3 to 6 times. Say it in groups. Say it as individuals. Learn it. Explain it. And yes, memorize it. You can make this part more interesting with several strategies listed below. Some are very simple and require no preparation. Others are slightly more involved.

1. Grouping

Simply by getting different 'groups' within the class to repeat the verse with other people in their group, you will be able to do rote repetition more effectively. Group the class by boys, girls, those with blue eyes, brown eyes, older sisters, younger brothers, colored socks, etc. etc. Of course, don't forget to ask for individual volunteers who have already memorized it.

2. Speed or Volume

Some children are actually better at remembering a verse if you get them to repeat it as fast as they can. Give it a try, if only for the sake of variety! Try to repeat the verse in a whisper or in loud voices.

3. Write it

As simple as it sounds, simply have your students write the verse on their own paper. After practicing together a few times, ask the students to write as much as they can from memory without looking at the original. Then reveal the white board to the class again to correct their mistakes. Writing a word uses a new thinking process other than the verbal exercises. Also consider asking one of your students before class to write the verse on the board for you.

4. Sticky Note Scramble

Write each word of the verse an a 3M PostIt note and paste them to the white board in their correct order.

a. Pull the words off the board and have a student re-assemble the words in their correct order.

b. Alternatively, you could randomly hand out the sticky notes, each paper to a random student. Ask "Will the person with the next word in the verse please come to the board and place the word on the board?" Or say "Everyone please place your sticky note on your shirt, come to the front of the class and form a line with the words in correct order."

c. Start (or resume) with the full verse on the board. Eliminate the words, one or two at a time, and recite the verse each time until all the words are gone. Let a student decide which word(s) to eliminate by eliminating a word that contains the first letter of the student's name. e.g. Jenny would eliminate all words that contain the letter "J".

5. "Eye Exam" the verse

Write the memory verse about 6 or 7 times on poster board or large pieces of paper. However, each time you write, gradually make the words smaller. The words on your last card should be as small as you can possibly write them. You can use a computer word processor to write fonts very small - smaller than 8 point font - if you type the number into the font size choice instead of simply select it with the mouse.

Show your first card (Biggest words) to your group, and have them say the verse. Then simply work your way through to the last card - children repeating the words each time. As you get to the smaller words, start to compliment the group on their eyesight. Act amazed when they manage to "read" your last card. Then say "I think you are trying to fool me. I don't believe you can really read this last card. I think you have memorized the verse. I think you can repeat the verse without any card at all" - And they will!

6. Invisible Writing

Write the verse with a white crayon on white cardboard or paper. Get volunteers to gradually paint over the cardboard with red food coloring. The words will then 'magically' appear as the food coloring adheres to the crayon. This is a good way to teach verses concerning the blood of Jesus

7. Wheel of Fortune - Guess the letter.

This is another popular method, but it does take a little longer than most other ways. Write out your verse by putting "blanks" for letters e.g.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Luke 19.10.

The idea is for the children to guess the correct letters that make up this verse. As they do so, fill in the blanks.

There are two ways of using this method.

Competing teams (e.g. boys v. girls). One person from each team guesses a letter in turn. If team 1, for example, guesses 'n', and there are three n's, they get three points. If team 2 guesses 'e', and there are six e's, they get six points etc. The team with the most points when the verse is complete is the winner.

The class competes against 'teacher'. Explain that if they guess a letter and it is not in the verse, you get a tick. If you get four ticks before the verse is completed, you win.

8. Mirror image

Write the verse backwards, so that you could only read it properly by looking at it through a mirror. (Ensure that the individual letters are written 'the wrong way round'). Get the children to try and read the verse. In my experience, most children do not have any trouble doing this.

9. Decipher Codes

Perhaps appropriate more with a small group of students at table instead of a large audience only in chairs, decipher codes can be used for students to "solve" the verse and write it correctly.

a. Extra letters. Write the verse on the whiteboard adding two extra letters between the words. Leave no gaps. Here is an example:

ThegxsonkbofswmanqkcamerptoooseekzjandfrtouwsavexrthegglostaaLukejy19.hh10.

b. Jumbled letters. Jumble up the letters of each word. Example:-

"het sno fo mna acme ot eeks dna ot aves het tlos." Lkeu 19.10.

c. Substitutions - Write the verse with a number of deliberate mistakes. See if the children can spot them all.

e.g. The brother of God arrived to find and shave the poor. Matthew Chapter ninety verse eleven. (Luke 19.10. - Mistakes included).

d. Use Spoonerisms- to add humour to the presentation. (for eg- "the speed of light becomes - the leed of spite" or "go and shake a tower"...go and take a shower.

"The mon of san is some to ceek and to save that lich was whast." Luke 19:10

10. "Drop Out" Game

Arrange the students in a circle or around a table. Randomly choose a student to start the game by saying only the first word of the verse. The student to the left says the second word. The next student says the third word and so on. No hesitating is allowed. If a child cannot say the next word, they "drop out". Once the verse is complete, get them to do it again, only faster! Alternatively, you could make the make the game a team effort by saying the verse perfectly as a group two or three times in order to receive a reward or earn "best time" status (using a stopwatch).

And finally, a bonus method, number eleven.

11. Sing It

Invent a tune to carry the words in the student's mind. Choose a sing-songy tune such as "wheels on the bus" or "Peter peter, pumpkin eater" or better yet invent your own. Remember, the goal is not to become the next Mozart, but to teach the words of the verse. Putting words to a tune is an extremely powerful memorizing technique for children.

Creative Ways to Teach a Bible Verse to Your Sunday School Class - 10 Ideas

Shad Sluiter is a missionary who has lived in Mexico and now resides in the United States. He has produced hundreds of free Sunday school worksheets, classroom activities, games and Power Point projects which are available for download at http://www.gospelhall.org/sundayschool Additionally, you may visit his Online Bible Verse Finder at http://www.gospelhall.org/bible

Shoebox Dioramas are a part of every school year and in just about every grade they serve as a wonderful learning tool. They are used to learn the arts and crafts of making things and they are used to also learn about subjects. This article shows you some creative ideas from both the arts and crafts aspect and the learning aspect.

The Arts and Crafts of Shoebox Dioramas

 

There are a lot of common ways to make a shoebox diorama and they include tape, glue, construction paper and all the regular assortment of arts and crafts stuff but there are a few things you can do to make a diorama just a little bit special. Here is a list of ideas:

Creative

• If you are doing an underwater scene you can cover the front of the box with Saran Wrap or thin plastic. This gives the diorama an underwater feel


• Use string to utilize the full three dimensions inside the box; suspend objects from strings or tie strings from side to side and top to bottom and attach objects to the strings. This works well for flying objects like bird, pterodactyls or even clouds and stars.


• Cut slots in the back and top of the box and use this to insert objects that you can move across the diorama. Make a bird, boat, comet or some other type of moving object then attach a tab to the back of it. Insert this tab in the slot then you can grab the tab from the back and slide the object across the diorama. This adds a nice little interactive element. This works well with all kinds of things from a rising sun, flying bird, erupting volcano or just about anything else that would move.


• Think outside the shoebox! There is no need to run out and buy a new pair of shoes if you don't have a shoebox. A more than adequate box can be made from scraps of cardboard or even a few cereal boxes cut and taped together. And there is no need to make a typical shoebox shape. Be creative in the shape you make. It adds a dimension of interest to the project. Half round, amphitheatre shapes are commonly used for dioramas and look great.


• Achieving Depth - The most common trait of an average shoebox diorama is that it has a decorated background and objects placed on the bottom surface.  You can add an attractive touch by decorating a strip of paper that is about two inches wide with a foliage pattern then attach this to the inside bottom of the diorama about an inch from the back wall - it reaches all the way from the left side to the right side. This adds a lot of depth and makes it look much more interesting.


• Using alternate materials - You don't have to use cardboard or boxes. As an example, if you are doing a polar bear or penguin diorama you could use white packing Styrofoam.  If you are doing a desert scene you can apply glue to the bottom of the diorama and sprinkle real sand on it.

Theme Ideas and Learning Tools

 

The biggest point of a shoebox diorama is to show a natural habitat of something. In the process of drawing and cutting out the various objects a child is learning about the habitat. This is great but you can take it to new levels with a little thought and a little creativity. 

• Freezing a moment in time - A diorama is a moment in time and you can focus on this. Some good examples are you can have a meteor streaking across the sky of a dinosaur diorama; this explains a theory of extinction. Or you can show a large predator fish about to eat a smaller fish as it is eating something even smaller. This dramatic moment in time is a good display of the food chain.


• Interactions in a habitat - The focus of a diorama is often to correctly identify and place the right objects for a natural habitat but you can take this to a new level by focusing on the interactions within the habitat. The upper layer of canopy in a rainforest blocks out sunlight from the lower layers and this is an important aspect of the rainforest. A coral reef provides shelter for many creatures in the sea and a diorama can display this.


• Adding a Fact Sheet - This is a great tool that should be added to every diorama. You should make a fact sheet that can be glued to poster board and stood up near the diorama. The sheet explains the basic facts of what the diorama is about.

Diorama Ideas

 

Here are some ideas you can use as a theme for your diorama:

• The Natural Habitat of just about any creature like fish, polar bears, black bears, penguins, wolves, humans, dinosaurs, camels, lions, tigers, monkeys, elephants, dolphins, and well you get the idea!


• A Desert theme complete with pyramids, mummies and camels is fun


• A Rainforest is a good diorama for teaching about diversity and the interaction of species


• An astronomy diorama complete with sun, planets, comets, and stars in the background


• A medieval Castle scene complete with catapult or dragon


• Underwater scenes are always popular


• Arctic themed dioramas are fun because of the creative options for snow and icebergs

Whatever diorama you choose to make you should take a little time to make it different and unique and there are lots of creative ways to do that. Have fun with your project!

Creative Shoebox Diorama Ideas For the School Season

Visit the author's diorama site where you can find lots of videos, tutorials, and ideas for making dioramas. Diorama Man

School is back in session and you're looking for a creative after school activity for kids. Whether you're a parent or after school care provider, keeping kids busy, happy and safe can be a challenge. Between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. is when kids need fun activities to keep them from being bored. I have listed ideas for after school clubs that are easy to plan and fun for kids to do.

Organize a cooking club to make a nutritious snack for everyone. Make a healthy trail mix with granola or cereal, peanuts, pretzels, seeds and dry fruit. Mix up fruit smoothies in a blender with low-fat yogurt, fresh fruit, honey and ice. Put together mini-pizzas with small bagels, pizza sauce, and cheese. Review math concepts such as fractions, addition and subtraction with the cooking lesson.

Creative

Physical fitness is an activity to plan each day. Kids need about an hour of physical exercise each day. Have a fitness club to organize a team sport such as dodge ball, softball, and volleyball to play with everyone. The club can also plan relay races and fitness and movement games. If weather is rainy or snowy, play indoor volleyball, basketball or set up an obstacle fitness course.

Putting on a play or puppet show is an activity that can be ongoing for several weeks or more. Have a drama or puppet club, which meets twice per week. The kids will pick a story or play that they like, design costumes or puppets, create props, and practice their parts. Pick a date for the performance and invite other students, friends and family to come see their production.

Eight more great after school club activity ideas:

• Science Club: do experiments and record results


• Chess Club: have tournaments


• Book Club: read a book, discussion, and write book reviews


• Dance Club: learn dance steps from all over the world


• Language Club: learn sign or a foreign language


• Photography Club: take photos of other clubs


• Journalism Club: put together a monthly newsletter


• Art Club: drawing, painting, sculpture, and cartooning

Plan on each club being between one half to one hour in length. Offer sessions so everyone can have an opportunity to participate in many of the activities. A different club or activity can be offered each day. Have kids sign up for a club that they are interested in. Involve the kids in the planning, preparation, and even leading the club. The more the kids are involved in the activity, the more successful the activity will be.

Creative Club Ideas For a Kid After School Activity

As a mother, grandmother, and child development professional, Nancy Johnson, shares over 20 years experience working with children and planning activities on her website, Creative-Child-Activity-Notebook.com. Check it out for more school age child activity ideas including party, outdoor, fall, nature, and child learning activity ideas.