Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Creation Numbers

I really love the Old Testament.  I love reading about the covenants.  I love the dramatic and sweeping stories.  I love the typology and finding connections with the New Testament.  However, this is a fairly recent love that I have found.  When I was younger, I thought nothing could be drier, longer, weirder, or more boring.  But I realize now that I didn't like it because I didn't know it well enough.

Kids don't know the Old Testament.


Sure, they might be able to tell you that Noah took two of every animal onto the ark, or that David used a slingshot to best Goliath.

But do they really know the stories beyond the superficial coloring-book page?
Do they know how the people fit into the grander picture of Salvation History?
Do they know how the message of the story always points to Christ?
Do they know how the Scriptures teach them about their relationship with God?

I think that the answer is usually no.

Not that I think that I can fix this problem, but I would like to create some opportunities for kids to learn about the Old Testament in a meaningful, applicable, and challenging way.  My plan for this summer is to work my way through the Old Testament to create some activities that bring a little more meaning to the normal CCD lesson.

So, as Maria Von Trapp would say, let's start at the very beginning...

Creation Numbers Coloring Book

Yes, I know that I just complained about coloring pages above, but I hope that this one is a little bit different.  I think that the target audience would be Pre-K through 1st grade, depending on how it was used.  It has emphasis on numbers, so there are some nice opportunities to tie in some math.  There is a page for each day, with pictures and words about what God created on that day.  I also wanted to help kids understand more about the ascending order of creation and God's plan.

For example, God gave the world form (light and dark) and filled the void (sun and moon).

The last page of the book emphasizes that pattern:

I also included a set of blank numbers.  These could be used for more hands-on teaching.  For example, you could work on some tactile skills and make a series of collages:

Day 1: Just torn yellow and black construction paper, showing light and dark.
 
Day 2: Strips of paper, add some yarn for waves of the sea and cotton for clouds of the sky.
Day 3: This one is hard to see in the picture, but it has the sky and sea, and some pictures torn out of magazines for land, trees, and plants.
Day 4: Cellophane sun, metallic fabric moon, star stickers.
Day 5: I am sure that you can come up with something better, but I cut out a bunch of fish and birds that the kids could glue on their number five.  No comments about how my birds look like mustaches.

Day 6: Collage of magazine pictures and stickers of people and animals.
Day 7: Collage of the Sabbath- This one has a pretty sunrise, a church, priest celebrating Mass, and a girl raising her hands in praise.  It also has glitter to emphasize that the seventh day is set apart from the rest.
I am sure that you can come up with lots more creative ways to connect numbers with the first story of Creation.

Here is the link to the coloring book:

And here is the link to the plain numbers:

57 comments:

  1. I LOVE what you did with the numbers!
    Eilis
    GrowinginPreK

    ReplyDelete
  2. I was thinking I would have to come up with all my own material but this is perfect for a camp I'm working at this summer. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're welcome! Hope the camp goes well!

      Delete
    2. Thank you for the great idea of drawing or collage on the numbers! I teach the creation story every year in my Prep class and I love finding new and creative ways of presenting Bible stories. Thank you!

      Delete
  3. This will be a great addition for our class materials. Thank you for posting this.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you so much! My four-year old will love coloring these while we read the Bible verses.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you like it! Hope that your little one does too :)

      Delete
  5. Thank you for this resource! Love it!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. awesome! thanks for the blank numbers too!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I have been looking for 2 days for exactly what you have so generously shared. I will be using the coloring book for a class I teach about "God and Me"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so glad! Feel free to share my blog with others!

      Delete
  8. Do you have a colored version of the Creation House printable? I'd love to use it as a take home handout rather than a coloring page.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do not have a color version of this. Were you just looking for the "God Created a Beautiful Home for Us!" page? If so, it wouldn't be a big deal to rework that page in color- I could do it sometime this week. Let me know!

      Delete
    2. Yes, just the beautiful home, but I need it by today or tomorrow. Thanks for being willing, but I know that the notice is short. I will just make due with the black and white version

      Delete
    3. I'm sorry! I really would have been willing to rework it with color, but I have been super busy and out of town this weekend. Hope the black and white version will serve the purpose. If something similar comes up again, don't hesitate to ask.

      Delete
  9. I love this. Thank you so much.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thank you so much for your creative ideas! That is excactly what I was looking for.

    Greetings from Germany,

    Judith

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow, Germany! Blessings on you & the kids you work with, Judith!

      Delete
  11. Thank you for this...:)

    ReplyDelete
  12. You bless me sista! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  13. This has been a great tool to teach my toddler Sunday school class about creation! We have used the blank numbers as their take-home project each Sunday. They colored the coloring page each week, and I saved them. I will be putting them together as a book that they can take home in the end and can "read" anytime that they want.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I clicked on the blank one to download the numbers and I get a blank screen. What am I doing wrong? Thanks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I just double checked the links, and they are all active. If you are still having trouble, email me at katherine (dot) bogner (at) gmail (dot) com and I can send you the file.

      Delete
    2. I am getting a blank screen also- could I email you to get the file please?

      Delete
    3. Yup, my email is above! Sorry you are having trouble!

      Delete
  15. Thank -you very very much ! Going to use it for our first Good News Club meeting of the new school year . : )

    ReplyDelete
  16. I would love to use these for my Nursery at church. Is that cool?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Of course, Chrissy! Blessings on you and those little ones!

      Delete
  17. Thank you so much for sharing :). It's perfect for my Sunday School kids. They're 7 and 8 and I think they'll enjoy this during class :) :)..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so glad, Julia! Thanks for the work you do!

      Delete
  18. Katie, I just found your blog while searching ideas for my homeschool creation lessons. Thanks for sharing and making this available. It has helped out this busy mama of 7 and blessed are little artists. Blessings! Danielle

    ReplyDelete
  19. These coloring pages are just what I've been looking for to work with my kiddos! I found the 1st and 4th day coloring pages but I can't seem to find the other days. Am I missing the link somewhere? Thanks for your help and thank you SO much for putting time and effort into creating this project!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Mandy! I'm so glad that they will be useful to you! The whole coloring book, as well as a set of blank numbers, are linked as pdfs to the two very last pictures in the post. If you click on the picture, it will take you to the whole nine page document. Let me know if you have trouble.
      Thanks!

      Delete
  20. Hi! Can I link your page in my blog? I use it to teach my kids and want to share about it (I just want to link your blog)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are welcome to add a link to your blog. Thanks for sharing!

      Delete
  21. This is very awesome! Thank you so much for this. I surely will share this to my fellow Sunday school teachers! xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  22. I love this resource and so many others you have created. I have used them in my RE classes many times.

    I had a question about the creation coloring book printable...specifically the third day. In the bible it says that God created the land and sea and plants. On your page it just says the land and sea. Just wondering why and if there is anyway you can add plants to your printable?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi A! I'm so glad that you have found lots of good things here to use in your RE classes!
      I've got the plants included in the illustration for day three. The reason they're not listed on the graphic organizer is because it is a summary of the pattern God followed in Creation- that on days 1-3 He made a place for everything, and on days 4-6 He filled the places with something good. I understand your question, but I didn't put an exhaustive list for any of the days- the purpose is to draw attention to the theme. If you want to make sure your kiddos know all of the things created on each day, you definitely could have them read Genesis 1 & 2 and add in a more specific list of everything created that day. Hope that helps!

      Delete
    2. Oh, and you also could look at it that the plants are a part of the land that was created, not necessarily a separate category. Kind of like the "lights" in the sky on day 4 include the sun, moon, and stars.

      Delete
    3. Thanks Katie! I can't wait to use this with my first grade RE class tomorrow. :)

      Delete
  23. Do you by any chance have this in Spanish?

    ReplyDelete
  24. Do you by any chance have this in Spanish?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Ruthy! No, I don't have it in Spanish, and my own Spanish is too rudimentary for me to translate it. If you want to send me a translation of the text of each page to looktohimandberadiant (at) gmail (dot) com, I could certainly make a Spanish version for you!

      Delete
  25. Perfect, well done, thanks! :-) xox

    ReplyDelete
  26. Thank you for sharing these are wonderful ideas for young children.

    ReplyDelete
  27. I love the creation story, & of all the choices out there, yours was the one I liked the best, done just the way I would have done it in the days when I had more time. It is simply beautiful - I am using it for children's church but will also give copies to my grandchildren, who love to color with me! Thank you so much for sharing!!!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Katie, I use this one with my 3rd graders, but turn it into a foldable booklet. My favorite part is the last page, which shows how God made a place for everything first...the way one builds upon another. Such a good, concrete way to demonstrate Divine Providence. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete