Week 17 - 3rd Week of December

Items Needed: Bible
Sandpaper Letters: C, G, O
Books: My "O" Book, The Berenstain Bears Think of Those in Need, What Is the Bible?, God Gave Us Love, God Gave Us Christmas, Big Thoughts for Little People, The Jesus Book
Worksheets: C, G, O, Knowing God Activity Book, Dot-to-Dot, Uppercase "C" Characters, 1 1/2" tracing paper
Game: Go Fish flashcards
CD-Rom: Charlie Church Mouse Preschool
Activities: Christmas cards, crayons, paper, sandpaper letters and numbers, stuffed animal or ball, modeling clay or play dough, pipe cleaners, Cinnamon Ornaments (see below), Christmas ideas (see below), toy phones, water, ice
Video: Veggie Tales: Saint Nicholas
Letter O Activity

Character Trait: Love
Definition: Taking care of others, kindness, patience, and forgiveness
Opposite: Not liking, selfishness
Big Thoughts for Little People: Letter G

Bible Story: God sending Jesus – Christ’s birth
Scripture: Luke 2
The Beginner's Bible: pg 271
My Story Bible: pg 60-67
Through the Bible Felt: pg 153-158

Verse: John 3:16a - For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son.

Bible Song: God Loves Kids
Tune: “Three Blind Mice”
God loves kids (repeat 4x)
He loves me more than I can know (cross arms over chest, point to self, point to head)
I don’t know why He loves me so (shake head and shrug)
I guess I’ll never, ever know (cross hands in front)
Why God loves kids (point up for God, cross arms over chest, point to self)

Information: Dial 911

Math: Opposites – Liquid & Solid

Letters: C, G, O
C - curve around
G - curve and a dash
0 - big curve and close

Ideas:
• Letter & Number Ideas:
Week 17 focuses on the uppercase "C" characters. Start by creating the characters using play dough snakes or pipe cleaners for the bubbles and move to writing the characters on 1 1/2" tracing paper with yellow lines and green and red dots as a guide. If needed, create 3" characters using yellow lines and green and red dots as a transition to the tracing paper. Use the Uppercase "C" Characters worksheet to show the progression of the letters and numbers. Be sure to say the Letter Formation Chant or Number Rhyme as the child creates each character.

• Discuss how to show love:
-Showing affection for parents, siblings, pets
-Remembering to greet family members with affection

• Dial 911
Children need to know how to get a hold of the police department, fire department, and hospital in case of an emergency. Now that the child can recite their phone number and address, the child is ready to practice this. Have the child dial a play phone and tell the "dispatcher" their name, the emergency, and the address of their home. This is also the time to discuss what denotes an emergency and that 911 is never to be called for any other reason than a true emergency.

• Make Cinnamon Ornaments to give away - they make your home smell so good!

• Collection of ABCJLM Christmas Ideas

• Liquid and Solids
- Water and Ice
- While making meals, have your child assist and discuss the different liquids and solids that go into recipes.

• Play Go Fish – use various number or letters
Do you have a letter that says /F/?
Do you have the number 4?
Do you have the uppercase letter “O”?

• Christmas Action Story (Author Unknown)
Read the following story pausing after reading the italicized words. Have the child do the following action when the word is spoken:
Angels - wave arms like angel wings.
Mary - place hands together and place under the chin as in praying
Joseph - show muscles
Baby & Jesus - hold arms and rock back and forth

    People had been waiting for a very long time. As a matter of fact, people had been waiting since the first man and woman had to leave God's special garden because they disobeyed. They were waiting for God to keep His promise to send them a Savior.
    One day an angel spoke to a girl named Mary and told her she was going to have a baby. Then the angel spoke to a man named Joseph, who was going to be Mary's husband. The angel told Joseph that Mary's baby was special. He was God's son, Jesus!
    While Mary and Joseph were waiting for Jesus to be born, they had to go on a long trip. The ruler of the land had made a law that people had to go to their hometowns and write their names in a special book so that leaders could count how many people there were. So Mary and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem to be counted. They had to walk all the way!
    Finally, they arrived in Bethlehem. Mary was ready to have her baby. But Bethlehem was so crowded that they couldn't find a place to stay! Everywhere they went they were told, "There is no room!" Finally, a kind innkeeper said they could stay in his stable. And just in time, too! That night Jesus was born! Mary wrapped the baby with pieces of cloth and laid him in a manger to sleep. All of the angels joined in and said, "Glory to God! Peace on earth to those who love God!"

• Send Christmas Cards – have your child assist you with the cards by helping to sign their name and telling you their address. Demonstrate the proper way to address and stamp a card.

• Using modeling clay or play dough, create your own nativity scene. Have you child tell the story using their creations. This would be a wonderful "Family Night" activity.

• Knowing God Activity Book - A coloring book about "Knowing God Through His Son"

• Play the "Wise Men" adventure and use the coloring sheet on the Charlie Church Mouse Preschool Cd-Rom. Read more...

• View & Read:
Veggie Tales: Saint Nicholas
The Berenstain Bears Think of Those in Need
What Is the Bible? - In simple terms, this book helps you explore what's inside the Bible. Part of the book covers the Christmas story.
   God Gave Us Love by Lisa Tawn Bergren - Little Cub questions why we must love others, even the seemingly unlovable. Available at ChristianBook.com or Amazon
God Gave Us Christmas- A wonderful book that explains the true meaning of Christmas. Available at Christianbook.com or Amazon
The Jesus Book - Read the following pages to help your child better understand the birth of Christ
      pages 10-13 Who is Jesus?
      page 55 - When was Jesus born? (turn back to pages 50-53 to view a Bible time line)
      page 68 - Where was Jesus born?
      page 78 - Why did Mary name her baby Jesus?

• Fine Motor Skills:
Make crayon rubbings
Using the sandpaper letters and numbers, place a piece of paper over the sandpaper and have your child color. They will have a surprise of a letter or number when they finish.