ROTATION.ORG WRITING TEAM

PSALM 8
SHEPHERD'S PAGE

PASSAGE

Story: Psalm 8
Key/Memory Verse: Psalm 8

PURPOSE

Bible Background

See Bible Background posting.

Objectives for Rotation

At the end of this lesson, the children should:

Be able to find Psalm 8 in the Old Testament of the Bible.

Know that David wrote Psalm 8; that Psalm 8 is a psalm of worship and praise.

Discuss that God has created the whole world (universe) and humankind.

Understand that God took care when creating the world and each person in it.

Know that we are important to God because we are part of God's creation.

PREPARATION

PRAY - for your work, the work of the teachers, and especially the children you will be serving

REVIEW THE LESSONS - You can be most helpful and effective if you also know what's going to be happening in each workshop. Look for main ideas and activities, ways you can be helpful and reinforce what is being taught. Begin thinking of questions or comments you can add to help focus the children ... sometimes they need someone to "prime their pumps" by being a voice that starts a discussion rolling.

PREPARE YOURSELF - Read the passage and spend time with it. Read the Bible Background provided with the lesson plans. If you have time, and find reading commentaries helpful, read some more! There may be some resources available in your church library, or try a Net search. The following links also provide some possibilities:

---- http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=2034
---- http://www.pbv.thunder-bay.on.ca/NetSermons/Ps8ser.html
---- http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200112/20011223_psalm8.html
---- http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/2279.htm

KNOW YOURSELF AND HOW YOU LEARN BEST - Much of this lesson has to do with helping the children recognize and express feelings of awe and amazement about God. To help them do this, it will be helpful for you to experience some different ways to get in touch with your own "awesome" feelings. The following are suggestions for different ways of doing this (matched with respective ways of learning they support):

Take a young child for an unstructured nature walk. Let the child lead, giving the only instructions "Let's see what we can find in God's world today." Pay attention to how the child seeks things out, what s/he notices, listen to what s/he has to say about each treasure found. (Tactile/kinesthetic learning, visual/movement/nature/interpersonal intelligences)

Cruise the NET. Do a visual Net search for images of nature or space. As you view the images, pay attention to what feelings are aroused. Some suggestions:

---- http://www.hubblesite.org/gallery
---- http://shallows.blogspot.com/2005/05/awful-majesty-of-weather.html (Visual learner, logical/visual/intrapersonal intelligences)

Explore the text using Lectio Divina. This spiritual practice involves reading and rereading selections of scripture in a meditative way. One reads the text through first. Upon the next reading, one pays attention to any words or phrases that seem to stand out for them. One then meditates on the word or phrase, asking God to speak to them through the text. The text is then read again, with the reader paying attention to additional meanings that may impact understanding. Reading of the Psalms out loud is especially encouraged. (visual/auditory learners; visual/verbal/intrapersonal intelligences)

Listen to nature sounds. Find a park, a place in the country, your own back yard, or a recording of sounds of nature. See if you can identify the sounds you hear, recognize any patterns or relationships among the sounds. (auditory learners; verbal/musical/logical intelligences)

COLLECTIONS - As you prepare for this lesson, also keep your eyes open for things that you think the children might like to receive. Concrete, but inexpensive items can be great reinforcers for some kids. Suggestions include:

Stickers -Kids love getting stickers. There are tons out there that can fit this lesson. Anything nature or space related could be a winner.

Pictures -Look through old magazines, books, or even do an image search on the Net and print some off yourself. Pictures can be laminated fairly inexpensively (recommended to preserve them).

Oriental Trading Co. -Usually has a gold mine of small, fairly inexpensive trinkets and doodas that can be tied into almost every lesson ever imagined. You can view their catalogs online at http://www.orientaltrading.com Their Glow in the Dark section has some really cool stuff that would fit well (Metallic Fiber Optic Flashing rings @$14.95/doz, satellite balls @ $14.95/doz, metallic fiber optic light-up key chains @ $5.95/doz, rubber flashing star ball pens @ $17.95/doz), as well as things in their Inspirational section ("He's got the Whole World in His Hands" flying disks @$4.95/24, "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" squeeze balls @ $11.95/doz, "Awesome God" baseball caps @ $19.95/doz).

DID YOU KNOW?? -Develop your own collection of trivia and interesting nature facts to either ask the kids during "down" times, or give them to take home (so they can wow their friends and families).

DURING THE LESSONS

Now's the time to pull out all those questions and discussion starters you developed while you were preparing! Use them to help get the kids involved and keep them there.

Listen to talking kids before you tell them to "Shush!" See if they're trying to figure out something or telling each other something that's relevant to the lesson. If they are, bring it out for the group to hear and process together (one form of the "teachable moment").

When you check in with the children each week, ask them if they saw or heard anything during the previous week that reminded them of the lesson. Or use what stories they bring to you and help them connect these to truths in the lesson. Use these to build on class discussions.(Other "teachable moments")

Suggest or sponsor group involvement in disaster relief efforts. To find out what's needed and being done for recovery from Hurricane Katrina, go to:
---- http://www.networkforgood.org/topics/animal_environ/hur...ews.channel.aol.com/
---- http://pcusa.org/pda/response/usa/hurricanekatrina-index.htm

FOLLOW UP

Send out cards to the children in your group who attended during the lessons, telling them how "awesome" you think they are.

Suggest a group fellowship gathering at a local zoo or planetarium.

CONTRIBUTOR: Ruth Wilcox