This project has been a long time in the works. And of course, we could kick ourselves for not taking a BEFORE photo. Not that the room was horrible but like many church workrooms, it can easily become a catch-all place for donated items, or items left scattered about after large events like VBS and things can get out of hand quickly. We wanted it to be more user-friendly and aesthetic when you walk in.

We've found it helpful to have an independent activity for early arrivals, as described in our original post here. After moving into our new building, we updated and revamped all of our worksheets and storage methods. We changed the size from 11x17 paper to 8.5x11 cardstock for easier storage and used a puzzle book from our resource room for most of the worksheets. I also wanted to categorize and color code them by topic for easier organization:

Excited about our new wall space, we looked for cost-effective alternatives to traditional bulletin boards. We decided to try starching fabric directly onto the wall. Here's how we did it:

We've officially moved into our brand-new building! It's been a whirlwind, but we're so grateful for everyone who came together to make it happen. We're excited to use this new facility to spread God's word.  

I wish I had taken before pictures of my classroom to show the amazing blank wall space. We're thrilled about the teaching possibilities it offers!  

We started by planning furniture arrangements and the placement of our soon-to-arrive magnetic dry-erase board. Then came the fun part!  

Our

congregation

We had a blast helping with VBS this year, which had the theme "Digging Deep into God's Word." After much deliberation, we chose Esther as our favorite Bible character and had a wonderful time preparing for the activities. Despite God's name not being explicitly mentioned in the book of Esther, we see the story of Esther unfold and witness the power of God over the plans of men.  We started by letting each child decorate their crown to wear during the storytelling. We gathered around a banquet table and enjoyed a feast of grapes, crackers, and cheese at the appropriate point in the narrative. Towards the end, each child received a signet ring like the King's, along with a piece of clay to make their own seals, just as the King issued a new decree. We also used

Betty Luken's felt figures

As avid planners, we rely on a lesson plan template for a concise overview of our weekly Bible class content. This template is a valuable tool, reminding us of necessary preparations and accommodating new visuals, ideas, or activities as we adapt our lessons throughout the year.  Feel free to download and utilize our blank Bible Class Planner Template (.pdf) to enhance your Bible class preparations.

I'm excited to share my first attempt at creating fun and interactive visuals for our Bible class. This bulletin board game will be used during our study of the kings during the United Kingdom, (Saul, David, and Solomon). I enlarged the patterns and used chalk pastels to add vibrant colors before laminating them for durability. We also crafted crowns featuring questions about these three kings. The inspiration and patterns came from

Ideashop

We discovered a fantastic timeline resource in our church's resource room and decided to adapt it for individual student use and reference. Melissa suggested shrinking the timeline and printing it on cardstock, a brilliant idea that allows each student to have an up-close timeline at their desk.  While it was somewhat time-consuming to prepare, the end result was worth it! We used clear contact paper to attach and protect the timelines on the desks. Though it was challenging to capture a photo without glare, we hope you can appreciate the outcome of our efforts. This individualized approach enhances each student's learning experience and provides a valuable reference tool throughout our Bible lessons.

To track memory work progress, we created simple graphs printed on vibrant Astrobrite paper. At the start of each quarter, children personalize their charts with their name and chosen color. Every Sunday, they earn a sticker for reciting or arranging the memory verse on our

memory work board

We've just started assembling our classroom timeline, and it's already looking exciting! We'll continue adding events as we journey through the Old Testament.  We're also excited to incorporate maps into our lessons, despite our geographical challenges. These visual aids, from

Bible Study Guide