Creation Day 5

Bible Truth: God created birds and fish.
Bible Story: God created all kinds of birds to fly in the air, and all kinds of fish to swim in the sea.
Bible Study: Genesis 1:20-23

teach

As has been the routine, open your Bible to Genesis 1:1, and review the memory verse with your preschoolers.  Use actions to for them to copy as they repeat, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

Before class, tuck a picture of a bird and a picture of a fish inside your Bible.  Pull the pictures out of your Bible to introduce the animals that God created on Day 5.  Here are several ways that you and your preschoolers can further explore all kinds of flying and swimming creatures.

picture book walk

Visit your local library, and check out a collection of books with great pictures of all varieties of birds and sea creatures.  Let the children explore the books as you discuss the animals that God made on Day 5.

animal sounds

Download a free animal sounds app onto your phone or tablet.  Play the sounds of various birds and sea life for the children to identify and discover.  This could work well as a game with the picture books, or even animal cards, if you have them.  Play the sound of an animal, and see who can find a picture of that animal.

habitat sort

This works well on a flannel graph board with a tree, sky and water scenery.  Give each child either a bird or a fish flannel piece.  One by one invite them up to the flannel graph board to place their animal in an appropriate habitat.  You could employ the same concept many different ways, using whatever resources you have available.  For example, you could use animal cards and a simple hand drawn poster as I did here.

I picked up the pack of animal sorting cards in Target's Red Spot dollar section a while ago.  It was a very worthy $1 investment for some great animal pictures!

aquarium life

If you or someone you know has fish, or a bird, or water turtles (as I do!), ask if they would be willing to bring them in for the kids to watch and observe!

sing

• God Created - this week sing through verse five

craft

habitat sticker sort

This craft is similar to the concept I suggested as a learning activity.  

You will need:

• light blue and dark blue construction paper
• this Day 5 heading
• bird stickers or clip art
• sea creature stickers or clip art 
• scissors
• glue

To prepare, print and cut out the Day 5 heading.  Cut blue construction paper in half, and then cut the dark blue in half again in a wavy shape for water.

In class, help the children glue the heading and water to a piece of light blue construction paper.  Provide bird and sea creature stickers or clip art for the children to place on their craft in the appropriate habitat.  

I cut the bird stickers pictured above from address labels that were sent to me, and didn't need.  (They are a great source of free stickers!)  The sea creatures are foamie stickers that were donated to us, and I've been saving them for this craft.

fanciful fish

This is a simple, open, ended fish craft.  Explore books of colorful fish with the children to admire all the different colors and shapes of the fish that God created.  Then give them their own opportunity to create a unique fish.

You will need:

• paper plates
• ribbon, sequins or jewels, etc.
• googly eyes
• scissors
• stapler
• glue

To prepare, cut a pie piece shape out of a paper plate.  Staple the piece to the opposite end of the fish as a tail.

In class, provide materials such as ribbon, sequins or jewels for the kids to decorate and create fanciful fish. Add a googly eye as well.  These make a great colorful display for the wall in your classroom if you choose.  

fine-feathered friends

These adorable little birds can be made into finger puppets, as suggested on the template.  They can also be displayed as mural in your classroom.  Look at pictures of beautiful and exotic colored birds found in creation before the children create their own beautiful birds.

You will need:

• this template
• feathers
• crayons
• scissors
• glue

To prepare, print and cut out a template for each child.

In class, provide crayons and feathers for children to color and decorate their birds.  Encourage them to use a variety of colors. 

I found the feathers pictured in the example above at the dollar store.  They had limited colors in stock, but I would suggest checking there before you head to a craft store.  If prep time is short, children can simply color and add feathers to a coloring sheet of a bird!