3rd Grade - Hide the Word - January - Ephesians 4:31-32

This is the mail-out game for January.  To prepare, die-cut 10 hearts per child.  They can be any color combination.  Write verse phrases on each heart.  If you look closely, you will notice that the first 4 hearts are very crumpled up and the last 6 are crisp.  This is to symbolize that the first few are "trash" and the last ones are "treasure." Place in a verse labelled baggie and mail.

3rd Grade - Hide the Word - January - Ephesians 4:31-32

This is an in-class activity for January.  Once again, the sample in on 12x18 construction paper, but we recommend using a length of butcher paper.  Before class, the teacher needs to prepare the poster.  To prepare the poster, write the words of the verse at the top of the paper.  Then glue on a picture of a trash can on one side and a big heart on the other side.  I used Bing images to find the trash an by searching "trash can coloring page."  The heart is cut free-hand.

Also before class, print out the word strips that are on the teal paper.  These are the words from the verse.  In class, discuss the verse and together, glue the teal word strips onto the correct side of the poster.  Then give each child 4 post-its.  Have each child 2 trash attitudes and 2 treasure attitudes on the post-its.  Then let the kids come up and stick their post-its on the correct side of the poster.

Hang in the hall so that all the parents can see their child's work and be proud!

3rd Grade - Hide the Word - November - Ephesians 4:25

This is another in class activity for November - Ephesians 4:25.  For the sample we used 12x18 construction paper, but in class we recommend using a length of butcher paper.  Before class, die-cut several lips.  In the sample we used the Ellison die-cut machine, but Cricut also has lips on several cartridges.  Each child needs 4 and the teacher needs at least 4.  We also recommend writing the full verse at the top of the poster.

In class, give kids several die-cut lips.  Let them write examples from the Bible of people who told the truth and people who told lies and list when they did each act.  For example, one the top lip write “Peter” and on the bottom lip write “when preaching” or “when denying Jesus.”  Sort and glue lips onto t-chart poster.  The kids may come up with some of the same people and that is fine.  The poster below just shows a handful of examples.  Let your kids go wild!!!

Hang this in the hall for all the congregation to enjoy and be proud of your kids!

3rd Grade - Hide the Word - October - Ephesians 4:23-24

 This is the mail-out activity for October.  It can be prepared in several different ways.  This sample is done with the Mini Accents purchased from a local teacher store.  Most teacher stores also sell small notepads that you can use.  You can also die-cut or Cricut butterflies.  I liked using the Mini Accents because they are colorful and made of thicker card stock.  They are about $2.50 for 36 butterflies.

To prepare, decide which butterfly shape you want to use.  They write a verse phrase on each butterfly.  Since these kids are fluent readers, you may want to only put one or two words per shape.  Place in a baggie with the scripture reference written on it and mail.

3rd Grade - Hide the Word - November - Ephesians 4:25

This verse focuses on putting off falsehoods and speaking truthfully.   Take 2 paper plates. Label one “speak truthfully” and the other  “falsehoods.” As a class, generate a list of examples for both and record the responses on construction paper.  Cut up the list of responses.  Distribute response strips evenly among the kids and have the kids glue strip onto correct plate.

 This sample we generated, so the list that is cut-up is not shown here.  The kids may think of other ideas, this is just to get your mind going in case you need to prompt some responses.

Using plates to sort adds an added "aaaahhhh" factor and makes it something new!

3rd Grade - Hide the Word - July - 1 Corinthians 10:24

We found these in the Dollar Spot at Target.  You can do multiple things with them!  One idea is to write one word of the verse on each star.  You can hang them in the classroom OR make a set for each child.  You could also use them to sequence in class or decorate a verse poster.  It's a great buy!

3rd Grade - Hide the Word - October - Eph. 4:23-24 Butterfly Footprints

Ephesians 4:23-24 – to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

 

 

This is one of those crafts that mommas will save and have hanging up on their walls forever!  Many have developed their own footprint methods.  We bring sponge brushes, the paint and a lot of baby wipes.  Sit the kids in a chair and the teacher is sitting on the floor.  Paint the child's foot, then firmly press in the foot down on the paper that is laying on the ground.  Make sure to press each little toe!  Gently lift the foot.  The teacher then gives the foot a good wipe-down with a baby wipe.  Then give the child a baby wipe and let them go sit somewhere else make sure they got all the paint off their foot.

This craft can be done in a variety of colors, but we liked the neutral look best.

 To do this particular craft, make the footprints.  Then lightly draw a pencil line around the edge of the footprints.  This is the line that you will write on.  We recommend writing the words in pencil first, then tracing them in a fine-tip pen.  The kids do the writing!  Make sure to have a sample so that they can see the spacing of the words.

This sample is of a 15 month olds foot, so you may need the paper to be turned vertical.  Try it first at home.

3rd Grade - Hide the Word - July- 1 Corinthians 10:24 Mail-out Game

This is the mail-out game for 3rd Grade July.  To prepare, Cricut 8 spy-scopes per child.  We used the Paper Doll Dress-Up cartridge, Pirate Girl, Accessory 2.  We cut 12" size and they are actually about 4 inches long.  Write verse phrases on each spy-scope.  Place in a baggie and mail to the kids.  The children then sequence the spy-scopes in order to make the whole verse.

3rd Grade Hide the Word - July - 1 Corinthians 10:24

 Before class, gather star stickers and 1 sheet of 9x12 black construction for each child.  Also use the Cricut to die-cut the spy-scopes.  The spy-scope is from Paper Doll Dress-Up, Pirate Girl, Accessory 2.  It is 12" size.

In class, have the kids write the verse using a white crayon, silver Sharpie or glitter marker.  Then they can affix star stickers.  On the spy-scope, the kids write the scripture reference.

Elijah Windsock from 2 Kings

We made these windsocks in our summer program this year.  The age range is 2-9 and all the kids really had fun making them!

To prepare, I cut posterboard into 8 inch x 24 inch strips.  Then I printed the word "Elijah" in a large outline font.  I copied one coloring sheet of Elijah in the chariot of fire for each child.  I trimmed it to be about a 6x6 inch square.  The kids started by coloring in the name and coloring sheet of Elijah in the chariot.

 After the kids colored, they glued in 9 streamers.  Each child got to have 3 red, 3 yellow and 3 orange party streamers.  I cut them to be about 24 inches long.  We used glue stick to glue them in.

 Then the kids glued on the name, color sheet and verses onto the flat poster board.  After they were all glued on, an adult bent the poster into a cylinder and stapled it at the top, bottom and in the middle.  AN adult also used a single-hole punch on each side and inserted a pipe cleaner to be the hanger.

 This is the up-close view of the words from the Bible.

It is super cute and the kids loved making them!  Happy crafting!

Jacob and Esau sort

In class we were learning about Jacob and Esau.  We talked about their differences.  I made pocket chart cards to sort in the pocket chart during our lesson.  Then for our craft, each child got a 12x18 piece of construction paper and 2 paper doll die-cuts.  They made one look like Jacob and one look like Esau.  They also labeled each side and glued on the man.  The word strips were pre-cut and in baggies.  We would all search for the same strip then glue it on the correct side.

Hide the Word - organization

We think in folders and spreadsheets!  To organize of Hide the Word materials for first grade, we made a file box.  The whole year of verses fits in this box. At first we also kept the 3-D leftovers, but it got too full.  Each blue tab is a new month.

 Within each month, there are three file folders.  They are labelled "to be mailed home", " to be used in class" and "in class activities."  In the "to be mailed home" we keep the verse card, letter for that month, and any flat game pieces.  In the "to be used in class" folder we keep the song sheet of that verse, the copied Bible and monthly idea sheet.  In the "in class activities" folder we keep worksheets for class, games that are not mailed home, craft instructions for in class crafts and other game "stuff."

Hide the Word - supply box

As you begin making games each month, you will have some leftovers.  This is not the best way to store them, but it is what we have for now with the space we have available.  It is a fairly large basket from Michael's.  Inside we have each month's leftovers in a gallon baggie.  Within the gallon baggies, there are also sandwich baggies with smaller pieces.  

Hide the Word - record keeping race track

There are oodles of different ways to keep records of your children who say their memory verses.  In our three year old class, they use this adorable race track.  The track goes around the whole room!  The cars are an Ellison die-cut, but I'm sure Cricut has a car too!

The teacher writes the child's name and scripture reference on a car each and every time they say the memory verse.  So in June, they get one car each class time.  Then in July, if they say both the June and the July verse, then they get 2 cars.

 Each month, the teacher also puts up a van/bus with the verse on it.

Jericho activity

This year when we learned about the battle of Jericho, we got to act it out in a new way!  I got little army men from the dollar store and a bunch of mini marshmallows.  As a class, we built the town of Jericho out of big and little marshmallows.  Then we each took our army men and walked around the city, one time for six days.  Then on day seven, God knocked down the walls (read Mrs. Kim jiggled the table) and the army men took the city.  Each child got to bring home a baggie of men and marshmallows.  I can attest to the fact that 6 year old boys LOVE this and will almost drive their mommas crazy telling and retelling this Bible account with their baggie of fun!

Tower of Babel craft

This craft came mostly from pinterest too!  In class, we built a tower together and the kids were allowed to talk and communicate verbally.  Then we told them to build a tower again, but this time, they had to be silent.  This was HARD!!!

 

 

 For our craft, we made paper towel tube towers.  Before class, glue the paper towel tube to a small paper plate.  Then the kids color the plate green for grass or brown for dirt.  They also draw on brick lines on their tube.

I did not get a good photo, but if you look behind this child, you will see a brown circle.  This is cut in a spiral.  We also printed a sentence and cut it up for the kids to clue onto the spiral.  This took a while. Next time, we will write some of the words and leave blanks for the cut-up words.

 

 After the words were all glued, then we taped on end of the spiral at the top of the tube and wrapped the spiral around the tube to make a "ladder/steps" up to the top.  Tape the spiral at the bottom too.    Here's two darlings with their finished towers.

 

 

This was a HUGE hit!!! My two kids (those adorable ones above!) have it still in a place of honor in our house over a month later.

These last two photos show the Tower up close so you can see the word strips a little better.

 

 

Tower of Babel words  - Again, when we do this again, we will do a fill in the blank instead of having the children glue all the words on the tower.

 

We didn't have time to glue cotton ball clouds to the top of the tower, but hope we'll get time to do so next year!

Noah food craft

Noah is one of those topics that there are a zillion ideas for!  I wanted to do something new, so I turned to pinterst for help.  This came straight from pinterest and the kids loved it!

First we painted half a paper plate to the the rainbow. Some kids painted with their fingers, others used q-tips.

 As the paint dried, I retold the Biblical account of Noah.  Then all the kids gathered on the floor.  I gave each child a pre-cut ark to add the wood slat marks and glue onto the paper.  After they glued on the ark, then I gave them a big handful of animal crackers.  I got the slightly more expensive Nabisco Barnum ones because they have more details!  The kids made pairs of one male and one female animals.  They traded with each other to make pairs.  Then they glued their pairs and ate the rest!

Days of Creation Step Book

We made the coolest step book for days of creation!  Before class, I assembled the books and gathered the supplies for each page.  Then the we all worked together to make the booklet.

At the bottom of each step, I glued a strip that said "On day ___, God made ____."  To save time, I filled in the blanks before xeroxing them.  Here's what went on each page...

Day 1 - black square of paper and white square of paper

Day 2- cotton ball clouds

Day 3- grass strip at bottom that the kids cut along the top to make it "fring-y", tree trunk and tree top die-cut, flower foam stickers

Day 4 - sun and moon die-cut, glitter star stickers

Day 5 - torn-edge strips to be water, fish stickers in the water and bird die-cuts in the sky

Day 6 - various animal die-cuts to choose room (lion, camel, cow, cat, dog, etc) and everyone got one man

Day 7 - empty