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SSTN # 91 - November 28, 2006


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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:



Gift Books Under $10

1) Children behaving?
2) Instilling Positive behavior
3) Christmas Parade Float
4) Christmas Parade Float


Bible Card Game: Bible Stack-O!


5) Senior's Nursing Home
6) Basketball Scene?
7) Costumes and Props
8) Costumes and Props
9) Reaching children?



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Gift Books Under $10

Just in time for Christmas! Look for the spinning gift box at:

http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/curriculum_gospelfun.html 
(you may need to copy and paste the link to your browser)

Complimentary USA shipping too!



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1) Children behaving?

Hi,
My mom and I teach a 3 yr old class on Sundays every other month.  It's a
mixture of boys and girls and the girls usually listen and behave.  The
boys on the other hand run around, don't listen, and don't behave.  Is
there a way to make them behave without bribery?  I've tried examples such
as: "Jesus listened and obeyed, we need to obey and listen also; so will
you please stop." 
Serving Christ,
Annie

--from SSTN: There are many techniques for rewarding good behavior and
these shouldn't necessarily be considered as bribery. ;o) Check our
archives for many great ideas. Type "behavior" into the search box at:
http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/archives.html 


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2) Instilling Positive behavior

I sure would like some ideas to help me motivate a boy (8) in my class
please. He's  very bright and we have made a good connection. It's not
that he's bored,,he enjoys the lesson which typically has good interaction
with the kids. He loves crafts.
His problem is he's a wise guy, who makes 'smart' comments and loves to
draw attention to himself. He has a fairly new baby at home.
I did talk to him after class last week and explained how disruptive his
intteruptions are both to the kids and me for telling the story. I did say
that I love having him in our class but he needs to behave or he would
have to go sit outside or down with his 'Papa".
This has bothered me all week as I have no intention to follow up these
ultimatums. I have always preferred working on positive  rather than
negative and although it takes a bit more skill, I feel this is the right
way for me.
My daughter suggested have 3 candy each at the beginning and loose one
when merrited.
Have any of you got any suggestions please that keeps his and my dignity?
Thanks
Joyce

--from SSTN: I love your heart to keep his dignity and yours! Bless you!
Keeping kids actively involved is very important. Give him (and other
kids) "rewards or jobs" to do during class, whether it's holding up a
poster, pointing to an area on a map, reading a skit line, etc. If a child
misbehaves he or she must understand that the "reward / job" will then be
given to someone who will cooperate.

Your daughter's idea is also an effective method.

Sometimes though it might be the best thing for a child to go sit out with
his or her parent or other adult, but don't make a habit of it and only
under the most dire of situations.

Check our archives too for "rewards" or "incentives":
http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/archives.html 

ysic,
Sarah Keith <><
SundaySchoolNetwork.com


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3) Christmas Parade Float

Thanks to all who gave me ideas for our first Christmas float. We
decided to decorate it as an old fashioned Christmas scene. We had
windows made that were 8' by 6'. Without glass of course. Decorated them
accordingly. As you looked through the windows you saw a scene in a room
of a house taking place.  We  had a Christmas tree, gifts wrapped in
brown paper with twine string. The kids made apple sauce cinnamon
ornaments for the tree and strung popcorn for garland. We found an old
chair that one of our men sat on as a grandpa and he read from the Bible
the true story of Christmas while 3 little children sat on the floor in
their pj's listening.  The room was decorate with pointsettas,
packages,old fashioned toys, etc. It really looked authentic when it was
all done. Part of the float was the front yard so we had lights . snow,
trees, presents and a snowman. The rest of the youth walked behind the
float and passed out candy and scrolls of "Twas The Night Before Jesus
Came" and the information about our church services.
Team work was essential to this float and we had an awesome time. Thank
you all for your support and God Bless this Ministry. Sunday School
Network is the best source of info on the internet in my opinion.

Happy Thanksgiving.
Nancy



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4) Christmas Parade Float

Here's and idea for a float: a family sitting in front of a fireplace,
with a Christmas tree nearby a mother rocking a baby with two children
sitting on the floor listening to a story read by the father. The story,
of course,  is the the story of Jesus' birth (which could be played on a
cd player or read  by someone with appropriate background music, during
the parade)The children could have a creche they are setting up under the
tree while the story is being read to them.
Deborah


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Bible Card Game: Bible Stack-O!

Play your cards right and you'll learn the books of the Bible from Genesis
to Revelation, and a summary content of the books too! Great game play for
ages 8 to adult.

Learn more at:
http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/curriculum_gospelfun.html 
(you may need to copy and paste the link to your browser)

Complimentary USA shipping too!



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5) Senior's Nursing Home Suggestion

we have found that slipper socks have been a great gift for the nursing
home residents.  Every single one of them have 'cold feet' and the nurses
like the slipper socks as they have 'skids' on them and are not as
slippery as regular socks.
 

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6) Basketball Scene?

you all are so creative, I am having trouble with one scene in our
Christmas play.  It is a scene where all the kids are playing basketball,
and the music behind it is a song called 'Getch your Head in the Game for
Christ'.  One of the kids is video taping the basketball team as a sunday
school project (among other things like the nativity practice etc.) and
the theme is WHAT JESUS MEANS TO YOU.
Can anyone help with the dialogue?  What should the video teen, say to the
basketball kids?  What should they say back? 
 
Deb Hackett, 
The Salvation Army
debbie_hackett@can.salvationarmy.org



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7) Costumes and Props

Hi Edgar

For Costume ideas do a seach of the archives - last year several of us
gave detailed ideas for costurmes.
 
With props and sets , don't worry about being too detaily - bold items
that suggest the what your trying to put across are best.  No one is
expecting professional theatre so don't make yourself crazy about this
there are too many details to deal with.
 
The most important advice is to accept, and ask for,  as much help as
possible. Too often we hang on to little jobs thinking that aren't worth
passing on, but you end up with a bunch of them and end up overwhelmed. It
also adds to the the community of serving - In addition to the Christmas
program, I have to make sure the reception afterwards happens - I get one
person to be the head decorator and let her pull in some help, get a
couple to make and serve the punch and someone else to do the coffee and
another to set out the desserts. This way no one has too big a job and I
don't get bogged down (I learned the hard way my first year) . This same
idea works for props and costumes. Give parent the ideas for costumes -
and let them put them together - have a costume making day for those who
need help.
 
Focus on why you're doing what you're doing, and making sure the kids
understand that. One of the blessings of kids and Christmas programs is
that even when things go awry, they are so cute that no one cares and they
make some of most memorable moments.

Blessings,
Linda in Edmonds


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8) Costumes and Props
 
>If you have any ideas or websites that teach you how to
>make biblical costumes and stage props please help. If someone
>has any tips they will be much appreciated, anything will help. 

 
One of the ways that I make costumes for children is to go to Wal-Mart or
any yardage store and get their $1/yard fabric.  Depending on how tall the
children are (we have from 3 ft. to 5 1/2 ft) I use the fabric and cut it
on the fold about 2-3 inches wider than their shoulder width and then cut
a hole at the fold for their head to go through.  I use a contrasting
color for the belt and head band.  I cut another rectangle to make a
headcovering.  I made 15 costumes this year for under $10.  If the
covering is not long enough the kids will wear pants.  For a staff, I have
used brown kraft paper and rolled it and then stretched it to make it long
enough. You can then form them.  I have done 5 plays (1 pretty elaborate)
where i used ordinary things for the props.  I had to make a rolling
popcorn machine for one of them and I took a cart and got the corrigated
paper that Wal-Mart uses on display during the holidays and painted the
word popcorn down the side.  I then took a paper towel box cut out four
sides so that they would have a post on each corner and then put saran
wrap down the inside so that it looked like glass and kept the popcorn
inside.  This prop was used for maybe one minute but people still comment
to me about it and the realism that it added to the play.  I use a lot of
either white or brown craft paper to make different walls.  In the same
play, I made a 40 ft wall look like brick by painting the craft paper in
faux finish.  Hope that info will spark some ideas for you.
 
Blessings,
cindyor@yahoo.com
 

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9) Reaching children?

I have taught for many years and for the first time am facing a problem
with reaching children. Ours is a small church that is working with
children from unchurched homes where God is probably no more than a curse
word. We have over 30 children who come on Wednesday to our Bible Club and
do not come on Sunday morning, no matter how much we try to encourage
them to attend…..these are children who do not participate in discussion
or who do not listen – who prefer to pal around and work very hard to
disrupt others who may be trying to listen and participate.  I know the
obvious problem may be myself as I have taught for over 25 years, but I
still feel God wanting me to work with these children.  I try to make
things fun and somewhat entertaining, yet I do try to discuss each lesson
as I present it and feel my teaching is age appropriate, etc.  Advice is
coveted at this point.  My age group on Sunday morning is 3 children one
each in grades 1-3 and rarely a 4th grader…..on Wednesday evening I have
about 12 children in grades 4 + 5.
I guess I want to know:  How do I interest these  children in Bible
Stories and apply it to their lives.

(we have very few children from Christian homes.)   
Thanks for any advice……
Nancy <><


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