Jesus and Paper Clips

Continuing our study of Jesus Calms the Storm, our kids will be doing science in Children's Church on Sunday. They will experiment with waves, momentum, and paper clips discussing fear and the storms of life. Hopefully they will more fully understand the peace that Jesus gives us in our storms.

Here is the paper clip experiment they will do, based on water surface tension:

Paper Clip Float

• Drop a paper clip in a cup of water. What happens?
• Tear off a piece of paper towel that is slightly larger than the paper clip.
• Place the piece of paper towel on top of the water.
• Gently place another paper clip on the piece of paper towel. Wait a few seconds. Now what happens?

Explanation:
If you drop a paper clip in water, the paper clip sinks. But if you put the paper clip on a piece of paper towel after about 30-45 seconds the paper towel sinks and the paper clip floats. This is because water particles are attracted to each other in all directions, making them "stick" together.

However, because there are no water particles above them, the water particles at the surface "stick" only to particles next to and below them. This makes the surface act as if it had a thin "skin". This is called surface tension. The paper towel helps you to lower the paper clip onto the surface gently without breaking the surface tension.

Comparing:
Do you ever feel like the first paper clip? “sunk” when there’s trouble or a problem? If you’re the second paper clip and the paper towel is Jesus, how does Jesus keep you “afloat”?

You can find great teaching ideas just like this one at rotation.org!

Overheard

This account comes from my son's children church teacher...

Upon discussing God's desire for us to share and viewing a picture of children sharing their toys, Jodan says...

"I have a hard time sharing my toys. I think I need to talk to God."

He immediately folds his hands and prays silently while the stunned class looks on.

With a big smile, "OK. I feel better now!"

Where did this child come from?????

Oh that I could do business that quickly and simply with God!

Jesus and Marbles

Marbles, paint, posterboard shapes, metal pans, and magnets. That's what our 2nd through 6th graders will get to play with this Sunday in Children's Church. All in the hopes of learning about Jesus calming the storm.

How so, you might ask. Can you control where a gloppy, messy marble rolls while tilting your metal pan?

Neither can I.

Nor can I control the storms in my life. The disciples surely couldn't control the storm on the Sea of Galilee.

Some of these children find themselves in the midst of pretty scary storms: divorce, abuse, neglect, lack of self-worth, and bullying just to name a few.

Those rolling, messy marbles will make a beautiful design on each child's posterboard shape. And while the marbles roll we will discuss how Jesus can bring calm and beauty to our storms.

If we let Him.

This idea and more like it are available at rotation.org.

Children's Church & Plaster of Paris

I am the Children's Ministry director in our church. This past Sunday I taught a combined group of kids ages 1st through 6th grade a lesson on the Tower of Babel.

Teaching is often a humbling experience, especially when your card tower doesn't work correctly. Or when one of the boys has decided to make everything into a joke.

But I did learn something new on Sunday. Kids love to mix their own plaster of paris!

Plaster of paris. That stuff has been around since Billy Graham was in diapers. Maybe longer. Do you remember it? If you're over 30 and went to VBS anytime in your childhood you will have come in contact with plaster of paris.

One year I painted and decopauged an open Bible. Another year I painted (badly) praying hands. Another year I tried to fit the 10 commandments on that white form.

I have always thought the stuff was cheesy and boring. But the adults of 30 years ago were holding out on us... There's a whole 'nother side to plaster of paris that you and I never got to see.

My curriculum said to make bricks with the kids using plastor of paris. These bricks were to be a reminder to give God the glory, not ourselves.

In the spirit of being a "hands-on" class, I decided to let the kids mix their own plaster. Each kid got 1 1/2 cups of plaster paris and 3/4 cup of water in an aluminum foil bread pan. They stirred it with a tongue depresser. I helped get the lumps out, but basicly they did it themselves.

You would've thought I brought the Wii to class.

They loved the mess. They loved the stirring. They loved how quickly it set up. They loved the warmth the plaster gave off.

Let me tell you. One teacher to another. Don't write off plaster of paris.