13 Faith-Based Object Lessons

I have really been interested in object lessons lately. They're memorable, fun, and teach great lessons. I have scoured the internet, and these are my top favorite object lessons I have found. Each object lessons include a simple activity with a valuable lesson. Below, I have included the lesson, materials needed, and the link for the activity.

Approximate age range: K-6 (can be used for older grades)

Judging on Appearances

Materials needed: cupcake mix, cotton ball, cupcake cups, cupcake tins,

Being in the world, but not of the world

Materials needed: jar, water, oil, red food coloring

   

Sin Spoils

Materials needed: green food coloring, bread

The Armor of God

Materials needed: two oranges, a glass bowl

Honesty

Materials needed: vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, salt, 3 bowls     

Temptation

Materials needed: old bed sheet, something to write with, pairs of rolled-up socks (or balled up junk-papers)

Sin Revealed

Materials needed: clear drinking glass, can of Coca Cola, spoon, plastic buttons

Why Jesus' Sacrifice Was Necessary

Materials needed: plastic tablecloth, corn starch OR baby powder OR baking soda, tape, black construction paper

House on Sand vs. a Rock

Materials needed: large flat rock, sand, popsicle sticks

Being Slow to Anger

Materials needed: two large bowls filled with water, dishwashing liquid, straw for each person,

Sin and Forgiveness

Materials needed: chalkboard or dry erase board

True Christianity

Materials needed: vase, a fake flower, a real flower

Waiting for Heavenly Awards / Patience

Materials needed: cookie, other "bigger" dessert (cake, banana split)

Know any other good object lessons?

Have you tried any of these?

Let me know! Please comment below!
(Commenting is quick, easy, and it makes my day!) :)

Carried

It's happened twice ~ this feeling of being carried.

When Austin had open heart surgery as a baby, and now.

It's precious to belong to the Family of our Great God.

He sustains.  He carries.  He keeps.

It's all of Him.  He is so good and kind and gentle.

We are blessed beyond measure.

In the past four weeks we have seen the hand of God in our lives.
We have been encouraged by HIS grace.  HIS mercies.  HIS peace.
Oh, there have been moments of sheer terror at the thought
of going on without our precious Austin living here with us.
There have been tears like never before.
Deep anguish that seems like it will overtake.

But, God meets us in our pain.
He encourages through HIS Word and prayer.
And, He sends people to be His hands and feet to us.
We have been carried in so many ways.

I cannot begin to tell you how precious it is.
To belong to HIS wonderful family is overwhelmingly amazing.
We praise Him for His hand upon us in this fierce storm.
He truly does carry and keep and provide.
He does all things well.

I cannot help but think of all that Austin has gained.
He has seen his Saviour face to face.
He has been worshipping Him in perfection for nearly a month.
He does not struggle with self or sin or the evil one any longer.
He is free from pain and suffering.
And, he is rejoicing with the blood bought saints who have gone on before.
Spurgeon, Uncle Johnny, Abraham, Joseph and so many more ~
They all are there together praising our precious LORD.

What a thought!

What more could a Mama want for her child?

In my flesh, I want him here.  With me.  With us.
But, God in His wise purposes has chosen a different path.
And, we must see that it is best.  It is painful, but, it is best.
Only the LORD can give this perspective.
It does not come naturally.  Not at all.

And, it is not easy.

How are we handling these realities?
Moment by moment.  Step by step.  Day by day.
One foot in front of the other.  With HIM.
It's the only way.  There really is no other option.

I continually have to reign in my thoughts.
I am not to imagine the future without Austin here with us.
Because the future here is not mine yet.  I don't own it.
I don't own my next breath ~ God does.
But, in this moment.  There is grace.  There is strength.
It's found in Christ Alone.  Only in Him.

We as Christians are promised a future with our Great God.
Austin has just gone ahead of us.  He lives because HE lives!
As my brother in law said at the memorial service ~
Austin just has had a change of address.
We will go to him one day because we will go to our LORD.
And, we will be together forever worshipping our Great Saviour
for all eternity.  It's a glorious thought!

There are currently three *must have* books on my list for the Christian.
If you do not have these books, might I humbly suggest
that you get your hands on a copy of each one?
The first is the Bible.  The Word of God.  It's our food.  We starve without it.
The second is CH Spurgeon's "Morning and Evening" ~ so rich.  So encouraging.

And, the third?  I've been reading it for the past year off and on.
It's the type of book you could read and read and read again.
So full of Truth and faith building words....really, it's a gem.
"Trusting God Even When Life Hurts" by Jerry Bridges is the book I'm speaking of.
Please get your hands on a copy.  Please read it and drink it in.
It will fortify your soul and encourage your heart.




We all have struggles and trials to face at one time or another.
It's the nature of this life here on this earth.
How can we use these things to the strengthening of our character
and the deepening of our walk with God?
We must go through the valley with Him ~ praying each step
of the way that we would learn what He is seeking to teach.
We must seek Him for strength and grace to trust
Him even when we don't understand and to glorify Him in the midst of it all.

"Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by name;

thou art mine.  When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee;

and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee:

when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned;

neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour."

~ Isaiah 43;1b-3a ~

HE is Faithful.  HE will walk the path with us.
And, no...the waters will not overflow.  The flame will not kindle upon us.
It's His promise to His people.  I can testify that it is true.

Much Love,
Camille

Y'all...it's a 'Bama Blogger Meet-Up!

Reasons I can't WAIT until this Saturday...

1.  I FINALLY get to meet all of my sweet and talented {AL} teacher blogger friends!

2.  Chuy's creamy jalepeno dip...need I say more?  {FYI 'Bama Bloggers--I might need my very own bowl.  I'm a beast when it comes to chips and dips of any kind.}  Ha!

3.  After lunch, we are getting our shop on at Hobby Lobby, and it's going to be GLORIOUS.

See you in a few days, sweet friends!

Quiet Mouse. Shhh--Freebie!

Have you heard of Quiet Mouse?  I was introduced to this wonderfully silly, easy, and rockin' management game when I began teaching first grade.  It is fantastic for keeping all my little chatter boxes quiet in the hallways--while waiting to go into specials, or while waiting for everyone during a restroom break.  

Simple rules:

1.  Choose a new "Quiet Mouse of the Day" each day--and write that child's name on the poster.  {This will be the child that starts the game each time you play it that day.}

2.  During a transition time, the Quiet Mouse of the Day will step out of line, and look carefully for the best behaved, most quiet kid in line.

3.  The "Quiet Mouse of the Day" gently taps a new student to be the "quiet mouse", and this continues  until you stop the game!  

Love it because it's SO EASY and the kids NEVER seem to get tired of it.  It's kind of amazing.  

Get your own copy of the "Quiet Mouse of the Day" poster below:

Challenge 13 - Let's Get Sporty

Here we are again, challenge time.  The theme this time is sports, so let's see your ideas of all things sporty.  The sponsor is That Craft Place, which is a fab shop here in the UK.  The prize is some pretty embellishments of Lisa's choice -

Welcome to That Craft Place 

This is a Shop run By Lisa Horton ..   I  run an actual bricks and mortar shop in Eastbourne, East Sussex 

We have every Kind of craft for sale ...

If you can't find it I will try my best to source it for you. We stock most leading Brands  and have a huge collection  of rubber stamp's, Saturated Canary, Kraftin Kimmie, My Craft Sentiments, Crafter's companion, Indigo Blue, My Favorite Things, CC Designs to name a few . We also stock a large selection of Die's  Memory Box, Sizzix, Spellbinder's, Cherrylyn, Marianne Dies. We  have new deliveries arriving each day.

The design team have been busy getting ideas for your inspiration:

Shirley

ALAN

Kate

CAZ 

Pat K

Patricia

Anne

Donna

 Michelle

I hope you're all raring to go now, here are the rules:

1. Your card must be for a man or a boy.
2. Your card must be new for this challenge and follow the theme set.
3. Your blog post should mention Cards for Men and contain a link back to this post.
4. You may combine your challenge with other challenges up to a maximum of 10 challenges.

The challenge will run from now until midnight BST (British Summer Time) on 7 July 2013.  Leave a link to your card (not just your blog) in the link list below.  If it's not there for some reason, leave a comment and I'll add it in before the draw.  Good luck.

Books Made Into Movies

Here is a list of books made into movies or movies made into books. I have read the book and seen the movie unless otherwise noted.

Sometimes kids books are made into PG-13 moves, and sometimes PG-13 movies are made into kid-appropriate books. All books/movies are for the age range listed. :)

Kids (8 and under)

• SERIES: (has books and movies) Arthur / Curious George / Martha Speaks 
• The Tale of Despereaux (have not seen movie)
• Charlotte's Web 
• Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs (have not read book)
• Babe
• Mr Popper's Penguins (have not seen movie or read book, may have inappropriate content)
• Thumbelina (have not read book)
• Winnie-The-Pooh
• Because of Winn-Dixie 
• Ramona 
• Legend of the Candy Cane
• The Littles (series, have read all the books and seen all the movies!)
• Madeline (have not read book)
• Shiloh
• The Incredible Journey (movie called Homeward Bound)
• American Girl series
• Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (not the movie sequel)
• Mary Poppins (have not read book)
• The Secret Garden
• A Little Princess (great book, OK movie)
• Nim's Island (have not read book)
• Stuart Little (have not read book)

Tweens (9-13)

• A Christmas Carol
• Holes
• White Fang
• The Chronicles of Narnia
• Diary of Anne Frank 
• The Whipping Boy (Disney Channel movie, may have trouble finding)
• I Am David (book originally called North to Freedom)
• Ben-Hur (PluggedIn recommends this movie, I didn't like the book)
• Pictures of Hollis Woods (Hallmark movie, Newbery Honor book)
• Invention of Hugo Cabret (have not read book)
• Seabiscuit (have not seen movie)
• Secretariat 
• Soul Surfer

Teens (12-18)

• War Horse
• The Bible (TV miniseries)
• The Hiding Place
• Left Behind
• Killing Lincoln (made for TV docudrama)
• Killing Kennedy (made for TV docudrama, releasing November 2013)
• The Boy in the Striped Pajamas 
• The Chosen (you can view the movie free on Hulu)
• The Count of Monte Cristo (EXCELLENT Jim Caviezel movie on YouTube)
• Les Miserables
• The Help
• Flywheel, Facing the Giants, Fireproof, Courageous
• The Lost Valentine (Hallmark movie, TEARJERKER!)
• The Woman Who Wasn't There (documentary, book)
• Band of Brothers (haven't read book)

And then there is the children's classics I haven't read but have seen, The Jungle Book, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, etc.
And the adult/teenager classics I haven't read/seen, To Kill a Mockingbird, Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, Animal Farm, Catch-22, etc.

What are some of your favorite book turned movies or movies turned books?

Classy & Co.: A Tiffany Blue Classroom Theme

I was laying out by the pool, not a care in the world, when someone in a Tiffany Blue hat walked by--and I just KNEW that had to be the color inspiration for my classroom this year!  So, I grabbed up my idea journal super quick, and came up with "Classy & Co."  Here is a little preview of some of the items included--number cards, word wall toppers, table numbers, passes, helper chart, calendar headers and numbers, and reading station chart labels (could go along great with the Daily 5).

{Click the cover page above to take you to my TpT shop!}

Here are some other FABULOUS finds through Pinterest that I am using for some Tiffany Blue classroom inspiration:

1.  Frames:  Etsy--apparently, these have been SOLD! And anyway, they are/were expensive! Sad day!  But, maybe if I feel a little crafty, I could try to make something similar?  Love those colors!

Source: Delta Girl Frames--Etsy

2.  Decorative garland:  CUTE!  I have included  round "Welcome" banner letters in my decor kit, but this garland would be a perfect little touch to add to a blank wall somewhere.

Source:  SimplyScissors--Etsy

3.  Wall Canvas:  Um, 2 things:  chevron + tiffany blue=WIN!  Target!  Go getcha one.

What is YOUR classroom theme going to be this year???

Ma Rabu lyrics

I first heard Ma Rabu (How Great) by the Maccabeats on Pandora and bought it on iTunes.

Here are the lyrics to Ma Rabu.
The verses are based off of Isaiah 45:7, the prayer Yotzeir Or. The chorus is from Psalm 104:24. 

Here is a lyric video I created.

Yotzeir or uvorei choshech  (Who forms light and creates darkness)

oseh shalom uvorei et ha-kol (Who makes peace and creates everything)

Yotzeir or Yotzeir or (who forms light, who forms light)

oseh shalom uvorei et ha-kol (Who makes peace and creates everything)

Ma rabu maasecha Hashem kulam bechachmah asita malah haaretz Kinyanecha
(How manifold are thy works! in wisdom, hast thou made them all, the earth is full of thy riches!)

Sources and sites worth checking:

http://www.ourtemple.org/dnn/servicetimes/tabid/YouthEducation/HebrewSchoolPrayers/YotzerOr/tabid/205/Default.aspx

http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Blessings/Daily_Blessings/Yotzer_Hame_orot/yotzer_hame_orot.html

http://www.ou.org/torah/article/4459#.UbtX-jlFAy8

List of Historical Movies & Documentaries on YouTube

Here is a list of educational movies and documentaries on YouTube, as of 6/15/13.

Most of the PG-13 movies are OK for kids 12+, PG 8+, G for everybody, and the Band of Brothers concentration camp scene is for mature teens and adults only.
None of the following films contain any graphic sexual content or a ton of profanity.

Movies

Some movies have been uploaded multiple times - in parts and as a whole. They are somewhat listed by age-appropriateness. I have seen all these movies, except of a few of the Anne Frank ones. I have seen one version, but I can't remember which one.

• American Legends (Disney) - 2001 - G - an animated story of Paul Bunyan, John Henry, Casey Johns, and Johnny Appleseed
• Samantha: An American Girl Holiday - 2004 - G - Great American Girl movie, set in 1904
• Felicity: An American Girl - 2005 - G - American Girl horse movie, set in 1774
• Molly: An American Girl - 2006 - G - Homefront WWII, 1944
• Valiant - 2005 - G - Animated Disney movie about WWII homing pigeons and their contribution to the war
• Miracle of the White Stallions - 1963 - NR - WWII Horse movie for kids, true story
• Dreamer - 2005 - PG - Horse movie for kids, true story
• Fiddler on the Roof - 1971 - G - The classic musical! You can find Plugged In's lesson guide here.
• One Night With the King - 2006 - PG - the biblical story of Esther!
• The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler - 2008 - PG - Hallmark film, true story about a Catholic social worker who rescued 2,500 Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto during WWII. The only sexual content is when Irena and another man (whom she ends up marrying) go and kiss in a closet. Their is no on-screen violence until they end, when the gestapo interrogate Irena. This scene is very sad!! Irena and all of the children she saved survived the war. 
• The Hiding Place - 1975 - PG - The story of a Christian during the Holocaust.
• Sophie Scholl: The Final Days - 2005 - PG - This is not really graphic, and it is a true story. Sophie, her brother, and some friends spread anti-Nazi pamphlets during WWII. This is the incredible true story.
• The Count of Monte Cristo - 2002 - PG-13 - the classic story of revenge, justice, and forgiveness. You can see Plugged In's lesson guide here. There are the other versions on YouTube, but I like Jim Caviezel's version best.
• The Diary of Anne Frank - 2009 - I don't think I have seen
• Anne Frank: The Whole Story - 2001 - the Anne Frank story.
• The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank - 1988 - I have not seen.
• Escape From Sobibor - 1987 - PG-13 - A made-for-TV film about the true story of how 300 out of 600 prisoners successfully escaped a Nazi concentration camp, Sobibor. The only scene I would recommend skipping/fast-forwarding is 45 minutes into it, when Shlomo's brother goes to get gold, and heads face to face with a gas chamber. This scene has full nudity. Other scenes include a hanging and bloody corpses. Other than that, fantastic film worth viewing.
• Pearl Harbor - 2001 - PG-13 - part romance part war film, but the ending has great info about the Pearl Harbor bombing and Doolittle Raid.
• Band of Brothers episode 9, "Why We Fight" - 2001 - R - MATURE TEENS AND ADULTS ONLY! This scene is EXTREMELY graphic, however it is realistic and very sad. There is a lot of profanity. This is the full scene from when they find the camp to giving them food and making the Germans bury the bodies.

This user has uploaded nearly every Anne-Frank related video and movie possible.

Documentaries

*I have not seen all documentaries. The ones I haven't seen I will make an *
If you type "History channel documentaries ww2" and "history channel documentaries civil war" up comes some really great documentaries. The Military Channel, National Geographic, and the History Channel have amazing documentaries.
Most of these aren't appropriate for those under the age of 12.

• Icon of Power: Napoleon Bonaparte - History Channel - Documentary of Napoleon Bonaparte.
• Famine to Freedom* - The Irish Potato Famine
• American Civil War: Lee vs. Grant* - History Channel - American Civil War
• Custer's Last Stand* - History Channel - 1876
• Death of a Dream* - A&E - The sinking of the Titanic
• Secrets of WWI* - History Channel - WWI
• WWI in Color* - WWI colorized
• 42 Ways To Kill Hitler - National Geographic - examining the 42 known assassination of Adolf Hitler
• One Survivor Remembers - HBO - An excellent non-graphic documentary about a Holocaust survivor. 
• Pearl Harbor: The Untold Story* - History Channel - Pearl Harbor
• Hitler's Children - BBC - The lives of children/relatives of Nazis, and how it effects them. (not available in UK)
• Vietnam in HD* - History Channel - Vietnam War
• Saving Ronald Reagan - Military Channel - The attempted Ronald Reagan assassination

Do you know any good historical films or documentaries on YouTube? Have you seen any of the films on this list? Let me know!

Why Homeschoolers should Garage Sale

I love garage sales. I think I should start a GSA: Garage Sales Anonymous. :)  But then I would just go to Goodwill...but ANYWAYS!

My Garage Sale Success Stories

Before garage saleing, I make a mental list of things I need next year for school. Along with curriculum, notebooks, binders, sticky notes and index cards are on this list.

My TI-83+ graphing calculator!

Recently going to a garage sale, I came across a $100 TI-83+ graphing calculator for $20. I knew it was an EXTREMELY expensive calculator, and the best deal online is about $50. I also knew with Saxon Algebra 2, I needed it. Well, the calculator didn't work. I wasn't quite sure if it needed batteries or if it was broke, and I really didn't want to waste $20. I asked the lady if she would take $10, and she said yes. Despite being surprised, I was also thankful when I came home and the calculator worked.

My little sister (Olivia, who will be in kindergarten next year) got her entire kindergarten homeschool for free. The value was over $160, with the books being A Beka. My mom bought a red tablecloth at a garage sale and told the lady it was for our homeschool books so we wouldn't scratch the table. The lady asked which grades, and then GAVE my mom a ton of A Beka curriculum. When my mom insisted on giving her some money for it, the lady declined. She said a lady gave it to her, and so she gave it to us.

Saxon Phonics 1- new - for $20

At another garage sale, we came across the Saxon phonics curriculum, valuing $160. The lady priced it at $20. She hadn't used it, but she had stapled and cut everything that needed to be stapled or cut. It also had two unopened CDs. She had put it all nicely in a box. Of course, we bought it and thanked the lady and God a million times. Between Pinterest and the Saxon and A Beka books, Olivia will be prepared for school this year and possibly next year.

Here is why I believe all homeschoolers should garage sale and Goodwill:

homeschooling supplies - all from various garage sales

1. It's fun. Plain and simple! :)
2. You can get SUPER cheap clothing, home decor, and homeschooling supplies.
3. You can get homeschool curriculum for dirt-cheap.
4. Garage sales are cheaper than Amazon, eBay, etc.
5. I cannot tell you how many perfectly good (or still-in-the-package new) pencils, binders, folders, notebooks, and sticky notes we have found at garage sales.
6. You will learn how to bargain and haggle. 
7. You will find lots of good books and movies!!
8. It's tax-free. (in most places)

Tips for going to Garage Sales:

1. Where I live, clothing prices for decent clothing are typically $1 or less for regular brands and $2-$4 for name-brands such as Justice, Ann Taylor, or Gymboree. Anything more than that is going to get haggled down. If a Justice shirt is $7, no matter the condition, perhaps ask for $5. Yes, Justice is a very expensive brand. `
2. If you buy ten shirts and your bill is $27, you can normally ask if they'll take $25 and most will say yes. (This also works vice versa: If you're having a garage sale, low low low!)
3. Know your brands. If those Ann Taylor pants are mar

   

   Some of our sticky notes - all 25 cents or less from garage sales

   ked $5, it may be for a reason. $5 Ann Taylor pants are a VERY good deal!
4. Don't go to one garage sale and expect to hit the jackpot. Yes, it may happen. But it is RARE. Note it is not even June yet and we have gone to over 60 garage sales this year. We started March 1, and it is currently the end of May. If we would have went to one or two, we wouldn't have got the deals we have gotten. It takes time.
5. You may go to ten junky garage sales before coming to a golden one. BUT when you find that person whose child has the same size as yours....priceless. 
6. Go to neighborhood garage sales. Memorize the ones that have your kids' sizes.
7. Dig. Dig through piles of books and clothing.
8. Need something? Pray! 
9. Don't give up!!! If you're on the hunt for size 8 clothes, don't give up until you find them! 

What are your best garage sale deals? 

Why do you like going to garage sales?