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SSTN # 112 - November 3, 2003


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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:



--> Christmas FunPak!

1) Help! VBS Schedule?
2) David's harp
3) Scuba Bible School materials?
4) Bored in Sunday School

--> Hands On Lessons of the Bible

5) Middle school aged class   
6) SMILE Program?
7) Have Used Materials?
8) David's Harp Craft   

--> Instant Christmas Plays

9) Harp Crafts   
10) Confirmation class
11) Choir Appreciation Banquet
12) Christmas Skit
   

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--> Christmas FunPak!

Great for gift-giving or Christmas crafting fun. Click on the "Christmas
FunPak" link in the "Christmas and Advent" section at:

http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html 


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1) Help! VBS Schedule?   

My husband and I are VBS directors, and do all the planning and scheduling
each year.  We do our own programs and themes.  We need to rearrange our
schedule as we find that there are times when we need another couple of
minutes here and there.  Our program consists of opening exercises, Bible
verse memory, Bible story, mission story, arts and crafts, snack and game
time and song time.  We start at 9 am and finish at noon.  It would really
help if I could see some other schedules from some of my good brothers and
sisters here.  Thank you so much.  Linda S. <><


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2) David's harp

Making a harp like David's.  Several years ago we made harps with the
younger students by first cutting out the shape of a harp from cardboard.
We painted one side of the cardboard pieces, and then put brads through
the
harp at the places where strings would be attached.  We put our rubber
bands, or you could use nylon thread around these and tightened them up.
Because some of the strings will be longer than others, you will get more
than one sound from these harps.  You could also glue two pieces together
for a sturdier harp, and glue the strings in between.  You won't be able
to
tighten the strings as easily that way, but if you let the strings hang
out
the bottom until you are done, leaving the bottom part of the strings
unglued, adjust the tension when the glue is dry between the pieces and
then
hot-glue the strings when you have the sound you want.
Hope this helps with your project.    Karla

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3) Scuba Bible School materials?   

Hello,
This in reference of 5) Scuba Bible School Materials.
I am interested. How much are you charging for the materials?
Please let me know.

Thanks,
Alice

--from SSTN: I am fairly certain that reselling materials would be an
infringment on Group's copyrights. Please make sure before proceeding.

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4) Bored in Sunday School

What I generally do is make that person an occassional helper explaining
that when you see a good attitude, perhaps he/she will be chosen again.


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--> Hands On Lessons of the Bible

KID-tested and teacher approved! Can be used with rotation-type programs!
Learn more at:  http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html 


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5) Middle school aged class   

I had some good ideas come from the kids I taught last year. They love to
play games so we made up Bible versions of TV games.
Bible Millionaire
Bible Jeopardy
Biblewood Squares
You get the idea. We used the previous 5 or 6 weeks of lessons as fodder
for the questions asked.
Good luck!
Judy

--from SSTN: you can also find variations of these in the games section
at: http://christiancrafters.com/page10.html 

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6) SMILE Program?

Our church has started a new Sunday School program called SMILE (Sunday
MornIng LivE).  Our goal is to take the "school" out of Sunday School.
We have several children that come from difficult home situations and have
difficulty with traditional school work.  We have been following this type
of format.
Fun and Foolishness: 15 min.  Students get a snack and play games with
friends and teachers while everyone arrives.  A very relaxed setting.
Showtime:15 min.  The Bible lesson for the day is taught in a creative way
to the whole group. (Nursery to 8th grade and many parents sit in on
this.) We use puppet shows, painting the story, skits, interactive
readings, songs and bible verse memory games.
Shepherding Time: 30 min.  Students gather in their age groups and do
lesson enhancements.  For example:  I teach the 3-6 yr. olds and one
Sunday we acted out the lesson of Elijah and the Widow  and talked about
how God provided for them.
Craft Time:  30 min.  The small groups do an age appropriate craft or game
to enrich the lesson being taught that day.
We have covered Elijah, Elisha, Daniel and Esther and have basically been
creating all of our ideas from scratch or have used ideas that we find
from various resources.  If you have ever done this you know how time
consuming this can be.  Many of our teachers are not interested in finding
and creating all of their ideas from scratch for the next half of the
year.  This format is working out great for us...but we just would like to
find a curriculum that would fit our needs.  We have Nursery, 3-6years,
1-3gr., 4-6 gr. and the 7-8th grade sits in with the group for Fun and
Foolishness and Showtime and then our church denomination has a curriculum
for them.  We need help ASAP as we need to order curriculum for next
semester.  Thanks for taking the time to read all of this.  I know there
are so many of you with awesome ideas!  God bless you all!  Please e-mail
me at bome3@polarcomm.com
Thanks so much,  Melanie Joerger

--from SSTN: most of the major Christian book publisher's, as well as the
individual denominations, produce a curriculum. Check their websites.
Also, check out the Curriculum Creatives page at:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html 


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7) Have Used Materials?

I am in much need of any materials, old or new, that you have leftovers.
When I teach, I work with the poor and needy.  I am also looking for
Christmas for them.  I am on a limited budget since my husband left me and
am struggling.  Anyone that can help would be great.  I would appreciate
it but prayers are always needed.  I send letters each week to my kids
absent and present.  So you see I need stamps and letters.  Tip:  This is
a great way for attendance.  Another idea is that at Christmas, my kids
make a present "for Jesus".  We collect pennies all month from
thanksgiving to Christmas, then we present them to the pastor and lay them
on the altar, as a special offering to Jesus.  We call this "Pennies for
Jesus" and write it on the can.  Also, each holiday, we give a little
something for the pastor.  The Bible says to take care of your man of God
and this is a good way to teach the kids early.  Even if we only make him
a card and sing a song to him, he loves it and it helps the kids learn how
to share.  I am not trying to bug anyone, just suggesting poits and asking
for prayers.
Nancy
My email is:
NancyK803@aol.com


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8) David's Harp Craft   

Using paper plates makes great crafts with a cheap budget.  Take a paper
plate and cut out the middle circle.  Write praise God on the top side and
decorate with musical notes.  Use a ruler to draw equal parallel marks
1/2" to 1" apart at the top and bottom of the harp's opening.  Use a hole
punch to make holes over the marks.  Cut a long piect of yearn.  Tie a
knot at one end and tape the other end to made a "needle".  Thread the
yarn through a hole at the top of the harp.  Pull the yarn down to the
hole below, go through it, and come up throught the hole beside it.  Go
back up to the top, and continue until the last string is in place.  Knot
or tape the string on the back of the harp. Pretend to play the harp as
you sing songs of praise to God.  A great song is "Little David Play On
Your Harp"
Lisa
San Diego, CA

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Instant Christmas Plays

The following easy-to-produce, instant Christmas Plays are available
in our Bookstore - Games & Skits section:

The Mouse's Tale,
Operation Baby King,
The Not-So-Silent Night,
Live From Bethlehem,
Wee Three Kings, and
The Fumbly Bumbly Angels.

AND, when you spend $25 or more in the BOOKSTORE shipping is FREE!
For product descriptions, go to this page:

http://www.christiancrafters.com/bookstore_games.html 

Please remember, by purchasing items from ChristianCrafters.Com,
you help to keep SSTN and the website alive! Tell your friends, won't you?

Thank you!
Your webservant,
Sarah Keith <><


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9) Harp Crafts   

This message is in response to the person inquiring about how to make a
harp with young children. The easiest way to do this is obviously the
shoebox harp (remove the lid, string large rubber bands all the way around
it, pull them tight and play away). If you are looking for an alternative
to the shoebox harp, there is a harp craft that I came up with a few years
ago, that worked really well. You start by purchasing those Ziploc or
Gladlock disposable containers (you can also use old containers you have
laying around (small square and rectangle containers work the best). Then,
let the children paint the inside and outside of the plastic container
(make sure you remove the lids first). If you are working with really
young children, you can choose to use a tissue paper alternative (take
strips or squares of tissue paper in various colors and rip or cut them to
the size you want them, dip them in a solution of two parts glue to one
and a half parts water. You can also "paint" the glue solution on the
container and than just lay the tissue paper on it in the desired
location). Once you have your container decorated, take 6 eye hooks (a job
for an adult that can and should be done in advance if possible, a nail,
and a hammer. Tap the nail gently into the rim of the container near one
corner and then pull the nail out and work the eye hook into the hole. Do
the same directly across from the first eye hook on the opposite rim of
the container. Repeat this 3-4 times in desired locations around the rim
of the container, make sure you put one eye hook on each side of the rim
so that you will have a place to tie the strings when you are finished).
Tie a knot in a piece of fishing line (use the heavier weight fishing line
on one end, lighter weight in the middle, and the lightest weight on the
end) Then tie the fishing line to one set of eye hooks. When your done, if
you used various weights of fishing line, you will get alternating sounds
throughout the instrument. Hope this helps! Love in Christ, Sarah in
California
Give me a sense of humor, Lord, Give me the grace to see a joke, To get
some humor out of life, and pass it on to other folk.


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10) Confirmation class

Holly,
    I have a Confirmation class that has an age range from 13 to 17. Along
with the regular material I use word finds and cross words. Also I have
scriptures for them to look up that relate to class. They look it up, tell
what it means and how it applies to their lives. I also check to see what
celebrations are occurring in the major religions. I feel we need to work
on the similarities before we can overcome the differences.
Terry

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11) Choir Appreciation Banquet

There is a board game called Cranium that has a section kind of like name
that tune.  You are given a song and must hum or whistle it.  Your team
has to guess the name of the song.  You could come up with familiar hyms
and songs and split into two teams to play.


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12) Christmas Skit

>I am looking for a short Christmas Skit that I found last year.  It
>takes place in a Christmas Tree lot and told the story of the Christmas
Tree.

I am pretty sure this is the skit about the trees in the Christmas tree
lot.  We were going to use it last year and had to cancel.  Hope it helps.

http://www.dramatix.org/Christmas/really_christmas.html


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