Getting Ready for Sunday School

Just wanted to quickly share this little poster (I'm not usually a poster person but I quite like this one for starting out the school year) from Really Good Stuff. It is a pdf called How to Be a Good Friend.

How to Be a Good Friend


This is my 3rd year using Waldorf Old Testament Stories (3rd grade block) in my 3rd/4th/5th grade Sunday School classroom. This year I think I am going to really go whole hog with the Waldorf thing. I have been a little unsure in the past about the reception but I think as long as it's clear what Bible story we're doing and there's a play at the end of the year for the congregation to enjoy, I get a lot of free reign. I'm going to try to refurbish one of the rolling bulletin boards to be a chalkboard so we can try out chalkboard drawing! We begin with The Passover which is such an awesome story... I can't wait. Since I'm not homeschooling this year I really get to throw all my energy into SS (until the toddler program begins). I'm also in charge of Special Programs at Tidewater School so that means I can do a lot of cool stuff with all this restless energy I have inside me. :-) Anyway, for S.S. I am going to begin each morning with the candle and verse for grades 1-4 and I think that we'll really focus on a lot of painting and modeling this year. Each child has a MLB but I've not done much with them in the past, which I want to change. I also want to find a way to incorporate Form Drawing if I can. Ambitious. Fun! :-) Since my superintendent wants me to follow the Lectionary it has to be a different story each week but I think we'll do the storytelling at the end of the session, then the recall and the going deeper (art, drama, handwork, etc) at the beginning of the next Sunday and then finishing up the 45 minutes with the next story or section of the story. Many of the weeks go on and on with back-to-back sections of the Bible so it really is like going on with your container story. I also want to begin by sewing beanbags since I'd like to do some of the Waldorf circle time movement to help us memorize Bible verses, something I've failed miserably at before. I really want it in the curriculum, though, and a circle time might be the way to do it.

I only get 45 minutes so we'll see how it all pans out... I wonder if there's a way to choose forms that match the Bible story we're doing. Especially if the Jews are wandering all around on foot. There's waves for Noah and the Ark...

I haven't done well at updating 3rd grade OT with my S.S. ideas so I'll try to work harder on that for this year. It is just such an awesome block.