Another Sunday School Post. My classroom.

I'm working on my class.  I want to make it inviting and fun.  It's a work in progress.  I took some pictures today on my phone so the color isn't the best but I am sharing them anyway.

It's the idea that counts right?

View from the doorway

Our current attendance chart

I got this idea from here.  Love her blog!!!

attendance chart up close

"Bible Neighborhood"
The houses are empty food boxes covered in construction paper with Bible "addresses" on them.
Each week we take the strips out, look up the verses and match them to the address. They love to be the one who reads the verse and puts in back in the house. :)

I got this paper for 15 cents on clearance at Wal-Mart after Christmas! Score!
Thank you Lord. ;)

Shelf up close.  I got these popcorn containers at Dollar Tree.
They hold our markers, crayons and pencils.

I would like to get better close ups when I can use my daughter's camera.

Sunday School Artwork

My Sunday school class learned the story today of the "Fantastic Feast".  We've been learning in this unit that "Jesus Does Great Things".  

I had to share this picture because this student's work always amazes me.  First of tall these kids did NOT know how to weave!  But they were eager to learn and they wove these construction paper baskets.  What amazed me about this student is her fish!  She designed, drew and cut these out herself.  And may I add that she's a lefty using righty scissors?

1st and 2nd Grade Sunday school student's artwork

While the other students (and myself) were making the simple little fish you know, like this one...

I love teaching children! It seems like so much work behind the scenes but every single Sunday that I walk in that room and spend time with those kids; God shows up!  He always blesses me. :)

I quote Eric Liddel, "God made me fast. And when I run I feel God's pleasure."

This is how I feel about children's ministry!

I taught K-2nd grade Sunday school at church last summer and we were between curriculum so I decided to finish the summer out teaching about Samuel and David.

I used this coloring book (my absolute fave!!!) for an opening activity.

I know some people don't like coloring pages and I don't always use them but these pages are so fun for the kids.  I have it as one of the activity choices when the children first arrive.  I don't make them color.  I also don't make them color with traditional colors.  If they want to give Samuel pink hair, I don't mind it at all!  We do talk about the fact that he didn't really have pink hair but we can be creative just for fun.

Another thing the coloring pages do is help us establish the story for the day.  They begin to ask questions about the page and helps me introduce the outline of the story.

I also colored a page and pinned it up on the bulletin board.  Instant review!

I always have a corner for books and then a corner for something a little more active like blocks or a game.

So there are usually 3 choices when they first come into class.

Why is it that parents are notoriously 15 minutes late to Sunday School?  So I have to wait 15 min into class to really begin the lesson. Sigh.

My husband's favorite cake

Prune Cake
My mother-in-law's recipe and my husband's favorite cake.  The name sounds weird but really it is one of the most moist and delicious cakes you've ever had.

I copied this from her handwritten recipe and she didn't have all the detailed instructions written down so we just make it from experience. ;)

Cake
1 cup of oil
2 cups of sugar
3 eggs
1 jar of baby food apricots
1 jar of baby food prunes
1/4 t nutmeg
1/2 t cinnamon
1 t soda
2 cups of flour
1/4 t salt

Bake at 350

We use a bundt pan.

Icing
1 cup of sugar
1 T Karo syrup
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup butter

This does need to be cooked but I have no instructions, we just do it until it looks right!

Let the cake completely cool and pour glaze over.

Notes on Habits

Notes from Sonya Shafer @ Simply Charlotte Mason

I was cleaning out paperwork and found a very scribbled set of notes I wrote down on the back of scrap paper. I think I was listening to her CD on Habits.  I'm going to try to rewrite them here and make a little sense out of them!

Charlotte Mason -- "The effort of decision is the greatest effort in life."

(Okay a personal note here.  Ain't it the truth!?! Indecisiveness runs rampant in my family and it is such a waste of time and effort!  I suffer greatly from this just deciding what menus to use or whether to go to the store now or tomorrow, or which math book should we use etc. etc.   I drive myself crazy!  And my daughter is just as bad. She once was asked what she wanted to do when she grew up and she replied, "I can't even decide what candy bar to get at the store!"  True story.  I could write a whole post just on this  subject and maybe I will.  I just can't decide.)


3 kinds of lying:
#1 intentional deception
#2 being careless of gathering facts
#3 careless in communicating the facts
(value of truth)

Habit = railroad track
work on ONE HABIT AT A TIME for 6-8 weeks

The mother who takes pains to endow children with good habits secures for herself smooth and easy days.

1. One at a time: repetition ~neurons sequence/patterns; deal with offences immediately!
2. Motivation: natural consequences; expectant encouragement (someone to cheer you on)

-she has a 250 page book on 60 habits
-top 3 are 1. Habit of obedience 2. Habit of attention 3. Habit of truthfulness/candor

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I need to get this CD out and listen again. And maybe I need the book too.