Dr. Pat's Orthodox Super Sunday School Curriculum

CHURCH SCHOOL

THE LIFE OF JESUS – THE GOSPELS

AGES 8-10

This file is provided as a resource for Church School directors. Feel free to plug in your own dates and your own teachers.

TEACHERS:

GENERAL NOTES

Classroom supplies: Each class is supplied with the following items:

Paper plates, small and large               Scissors                                               Stapler/Staples

Paper, plain and construction              Tape and dispenser                             Paper bags

Glue or glue sticks                              Crayons and/or markers                     

Popsicle sticks                                     Chenille (colored pipe cleaners)

If you use the last of something, please either replace it or let me know so I can replace it. If you need special craft supplies for your lesson, submit the receipt to me for reimbursement.  Each student will have a Bible and should either leave it in class or bring it each week. There are a couple of copies in the classroom for teachers and guests. Please make use of the great maps and timelines in this Bible.

Teaching Schedule: We all know that there will be last-minute needs; trade with someone if you cannot teach on your assigned day and let the director know!

Insurance: Each of us must “apply” each year for our volunteer position of teacher. Please be sure not to send small children to the bathroom unattended and accompany your charges back to the Social Hall after class.

Opening Exercises: The Church School director will supervise this time, or delegate it when she is absent. Church School children and teachers are dismissed first from Liturgy; children come straight across for snack during opening exercises. These are an integral part of the curriculum – reviewing material from previous weeks, presenting additional Old Testament characters, rehearsing plays, hearing memory work, and playing quiz games.

Curriculum: The Scripture reading for each lesson is listed; if the students are good readers, they can take turns reading; if not, the teacher can read the lesson to them. There are also a craft ideas and discussion questions. Finally, a game suggestion to reinforce the learning in a fun way is included. The lesson plan is one that will work, but feel free to be creative. If you have a good idea for another way to approach the lesson, another craft, etc., go right ahead. Share your idea in writing for inclusion in the next version of the curriculum!

Hand Outs: Feel free to use the coloring pages and puzzles in the Parents' Guide for hand-outs each week. These take homes will reinforce and supplement your lessons.

Movie Nights and Parties: We will have supper after vespers on Saturday night while showing a small children’s movie. Older children should bring a sleeping bag for a lock-in with “feature” presentation on marathon movie night only. We have several of our usual parties planned: All Saint’s, 3 Kings, Easter Egg Hunt, and, this year, the St. Nicholas Festival. All are invited; please bring friends for an outreach opportunity.

RECIPES

                            CLAYS                                                                  PAINTS

SALT DOUGH                                                         FINGER PAINT (4 WAYS)

2 cups flour                                                                 Use pudding with food coloring!

1 cup salt                                                                     Mix liquid starch and food coloring.

about 1 cup water                                                       Mix 3 T sugar, ½ cup cornstarch, and

food coloring                                                                          2 cups cold water. Cook over

bath oil, vegetable oil, peppermint oil                                    low heat, stirring, till thick.

            Mix flour and salt. Add water                                     Pour into muffin tin. Add

slowly and mix with your fingers until                                   food coloring to each cup.

it makes dough. Knead in a few drops

food coloring and a splotch of oil (if                          SAND PAINT

desired). Store in air-tight container.                          Add dry tempera paint to corn meal.

                                                                                    Sprinkle over areas “painted” with thinned white glue.

SELF-HARDENING CLAY              

1 cup sand                                                                   for a sand effect. Shake off excess.

½ cup cornstarch

1 tsp powdered alum                                                                          PASTES

¾ cup hot water                                                          PRIMARY PASTE

Food coloring if desired                                             Mix ½ cup water and 1 cup flour

            Mix sand, cornstarch and alum                                   in a bowl. Spoon into a jar

in large pot. Add hot water and stir                                       or squeeze bottle to store.

vigorously. Add food coloring if

desired. Cook over medium heat                                PAPIER MACHE PASTE

until thick, stirring constantly.                                    3 cups water

After cooling, store in airtight container.                    1 ½ cups flour

                                                                                                Mix flour with cold water until lumps are gone.

SAWDUST CLAY                     

2 cups fine sawdust                                                     Dip strips of  newsprint in paste and mold around

1 cup flour                                                                   surface to be shaped. Air dry.

            Mix sawdust and flour in bowl

or bucket. Add a little water at a time,

stirring till it is stiff but pliable. Knead

till it’s elastic and easy to shape. Store

in airtight container. Air dry.

CORNSTARCH DOUGH

2 cups cornstarch

4 cups baking soda

2 ½ cups water

            Mix cornstarch and soda in large

pot. Add water. Cook, stirring, over medium

heat until thick like mashed potatoes. After

cool, knead on wax paper for 5 minutes. Store

in an airtight container. Air dry.