"The whole trouble is that -- literally -- we do not know what is good for us; and what makes the trouble still worse is that we think we do. We have our own plans for our happiness, and too often we merely regard God as somebody who will help us to accomplish them. The true state of affairs is just the opposite. God has His plans for our happiness, and He is waiting for us to help Him to accomplish them. And let us be quite clear about it: We cannot improve on God's plans." This Tremendous Lover, M. Eugene Boylan, O.C.R.

Friday, October 4, 2013

Salvation History Lesson


Station 1:  
 Today we are learning about how God connected people throughout history.  We call this Salvation History.  So, we are going to play a game where we all will have to say connected!

Game 1:  The Human Knot Game  (best for middle and oldest children)

1.     All participants in the Human Knot game should stand in a tight circle, and put one hand in the center. There should be a large tangle of hands, in which no one can tell which hand belongs to whom, and each person should grab another hand.

2.    Once everyone has grabbed a hand, participants should put their other hand into the circle, and grab another hand.

3.    When everyone is holding two hands, each person should find out who they are holding hands with. If this is being played as an ice-breaker, everyone should introduce themselves to the two other people. Make sure that each person is holding hands with two different people, or the Human Knot cannot be untangled!

4.    Untangle the Human Knot! Step over and under each other's arms, crawl through each other's legs, and whatever else it takes to untangle the knot. The only rule is that participants must hold onto the two other individuals' hands until the Human Knot has been untangled - anything else goes!

At the end of the Human Knot game, all participants should be standing in a circle (or possibly two linked circles). It does not matter if everyone is facing the same direction, as long as they are still holding hands with the same two people. This game should take about fifteen to twenty minutes.


Game 2:  Follow the leader with hands held  (best for littlest children)

                Take the children outside over a rough path, twisting, turning, and climbing.  They have to remain holding hands the whole time.

 

Station Two:  Timeline activity
 

Create a timeline of Salvation History, cut and paste activity.  Children receive timeline with squares that are labeled.  They match the icon to the part of history that it represents and draw themselves in the timeline as well. 

1.       The time line will reflect:

a.       Pre-history:  Noah’s ark

b.      The Israelites:  Moses leading the people out of Egypt

c.       Christ and the apostles: Icon wih Christ at the center surrounded by apostles

d.      Time of the Church:  Icon with early church fathers holding a script

e.      Today:  Draw themselves in the box

f.        Christ will come again:  Icon of Christ in Heaven

                -Oldest children need to read page 13 yellow box and complete activity on their own

                -Middle and Younger children will cut, color and paste with teacher guidance
Station Three: 
Lesson with me reviewing book work (God With Us, grade 6, pages 12-15) and the story of Salvation History.  Focus the children in on the fact that they are also part of salvation history.