Are you seeking an engaging Bible lesson for kids in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades this Thanksgiving? Teaching the story of Jesus Healing Ten Lepers is a powerful way to help kids understand the importance of gratitude. This miraculous healing not only shows Jesus' compassion but also highlights the significance of giving thanks, as only one of the ten healed lepers returned to express gratitude. Discover creative ways to teach this story through kid-friendly videos, engaging activities, fun crafts, and lesson plans. These resources will help children grasp the key lessons of thankfulness and the joy of expressing gratitude to God.

The Story of the healing of ten lepers

In Luke 17:11-19 we are told the story of when ten lepers approached Jesus as he was traveling on his way to Jerusalem. Along the road, ten lepers approached Jesus and said, “Jesus, have mercy on us.” Jesus told them to go and present themselves to the priest. As they were walking away, they were healed! Only one of the men returned to thank Jesus, throwing himself at Jesus’ feet with gratitude. 

Thanksgiving Bible Lessons for Kids

Are you looking for an easy way to teach about gratitude this Thanksgiving? Grab a scripted lesson, easy activity, and printable craft perfect for 3-8-year-olds.

(See the preschool/kindergarten version HERE!)

shop the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade version

What is Gratitude and Why is it Important? 

Gratitude is feeling thankful and appreciative of the good things in your life. It is taking time to stop and think about things that you can be thankful for, such as physical items, people, and even life circumstances.

The most common way to express gratitude is by saying “thank you” and showing appreciation with your actions. However, showing gratitude for a gift isn’t just saying “thank you; it’s also treating the gift with care.

What the Bible Says About Gratitude

The Bible clearly outlines that gratitude is important. Here are just a few verses:

• “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

• “Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.” Psalm 95:1-2

• “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17 NIV. 

  • God gives good gifts, and He is worthy of our thanks!

brainstorm things to be thankful for

For many kids, the question, “What are you thankful for?” can be quite overwhelming. I suggest breaking it down into categories to help your kids think through all of the blessings in their lives. I like to talk about…

• People we are thankful for

• Things in nature that we are thankful for

• Things in our house that we are thankful for

• Things in our community that we are thankful for

• Something we are thankful that we can do

Try writing these down on a piece of paper or adding them to a thankful tree. This particular tree template is a part of this Thanksgiving Lesson for 1st-3rd Grade.

Printable Thankful Craft

After we have brainstormed everything we are thankful for, it’s time for a printable craft! In this craft, kids will cut out the pieces to make a flower. On each petal, they will write (or draw) one thing that they are thankful for. This printable craft is included in both the Preschool/Kindergarten thanksgiving lesson as well as the 1st-3rd grade version.

more activities to build thankfulness and gratitude

• Sing Songs: There are some awesome songs about giving thanks to God. Here are a few examples:

• Thank You, Lord, for Making Me by Vince Parlow is a delightful song for preschool-aged students.

• Thankful from Roar! VBS by Group Publishing

• Elevation Worship’s Grateful

• Elevation Worship’s Praise

• Thank You Cards: Take a moment to write (or draw) a thank you card to God, telling Him all the things you are thankful for

• Thankfulness Popcorn: Do a quick activity where kids crouch on the ground. Then, they take turns popping up like popcorn and saying something they are thankful for. The beauty of this activity is kids can take multiple turns or stay silent, but it will help them brainstorm ideas.

• Thankful Journals: Take time to have kids write about or draw pictures of what they are thankful for.

YouTube videos About the Ten Lepers

When teaching the story of Jesus Healing the Ten Lepers, it’s always fun to have a video on hand. These are some of the best video versions available.

• Check out Crossroads Kids Club’s God Story: Jesus and the Ten Lepers for a great story overview. The video also delves into ways to say thank you.

• Crossroad Kids Club has another video about this story, entitled "We can thank God!" This slightly longer video explains the importance of giving thanks and also explains the story of the Ten Lepers.

• The Thankful Leper by Saddleback Kids is a short video about the story.

Whether it’s at home, in a faith-based school, or Sunday School, thankfulness is such a beautiful concept for kids to learn and the story of the Ten Lepers is a great reminder of the importance of showing gratitude to God.

The Fruit of the Spirit is a familiar concept to Christians and, as Christ-followers, these are qualities we should be shining into the world. It can sometimes feel daunting when it comes to teaching our children Biblical truths, but it doesn’t have to be. So here are some fun ideas and crafts for teaching children all about the Fruit of the Spirit.

What is the Fruit of the Spirit?

To start, the Fruit of the Spirit is not a checklist of things that we should be. The Fruit of the Spirit are qualities that God grows in our hearts as we deepen our relationship with Him. Choosing to stay close to God can help us to show the Fruit. Just like a friendship takes time to strengthen and deepen, we need to put the time in to strengthen and deepen our relationship with God. This can be done when we sing worship songs, pray, read the Bible, and attend church. 

Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (NIV). I learned the word “patience” instead of “forbearance”, and depending on which translation of the Bible you use, it will say “patience”. 

Everything You Need to Teach the Fruit of the Spirit

Are you ready to teach the Fruit of the Spirit? Grab 9 scripted lesson plans and engaging printable crafts with this set of lessons perfect for preschool to third grades. (See the 1st-3rd grade version here.)

shop the preschool and kindergarten version

How do you explain Fruit of the Spirit to kids? 

The Holy Spirit transforms us to be more like Jesus. The Fruit of the Spirit are things that Jesus exhibited while here on Earth. 

In our Fruit of the Spirit 9-lesson set, we use seeds and dirt as an object lesson to teach this concept. (A full script and materials list is available in the complete lesson plans).

As a group, plant some seeds in little pots of dirt. Remind students that plants need sun, water, soil, and air to grow. It takes time, and plants don’t magically appear moments after planting a seed. Similarly, the Fruit of the Spirit requires time to grow. When we spend time with God, the Fruit of the Spirit grows in us.

kid-friendly fruit of the spirit definitions

The 'Fruit of the Spirit' teaching posters break down the definitions of each characteristic into kid-friendly terms. They're included in BOTH the preschool/kindergarten and 1st-3rd grade lesson sets. 

Many of the Fruit of the Spirit are concepts kids will understand because they are words they have heard and used. Some words will require some extra explanation. For example, what is the difference between kindness and goodness? What is the difference between gentleness and self-control?

Love: Caring about someone, helping them, and keeping them safe.

Joy: Gladness knowing that God is in control of all the details. He is always with us!

Peace: Living together with other people in harmony.

Patience: Waiting calmly and keeping going when things are hard.

Kindness: Being thoughtful and putting the needs of others first, even when they are not being kind to you.

Goodness: Showing others kindness, generosity, and love for the right reason.

Faithfulness: Being trustworthy and standing up for what is right, even when it is hard.

Gentleness: Being calm and tender in what you say and do. It is making sure that what you say and do does not hurt others or yourself.

Self-Control: Listening and doing what God wants you to do, rather than doing what you want to do.

They’re also available in the 1st-3rd grade version.

---

videos about the fruit of the spirit

These age-appropriate YouTube videos are a great way to supplement your lessons on the Fruit of the Spirit. As always, I suggest watching them in their entirety before playing them for your class. Keep an eye out for tricky YouTube ads.

• Uncle Charlie Ministries - Fruit of the Spirit Song - A fun, fast-paced song to teach students the Fruit of the Spirit

• Crossroad Kids’ Club God’s Story: Fruit of the Spirit - This short video gives a good overview of the Fruit of the Spirit and explains the importance of thinking, talking, and acting like Jesus. 

• Crossroad Kids’ Club also has videos for each Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

• Douglas Talks are fabulous videos that define and give examples of each Fruit of the Spirit. Check them out: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

---

Nine weeks of hands-on fruit of the spirit lessons and crafts

Incorporating stories, visuals, crafts, and activities is a great way to engage students while they learn about the Fruit of the Spirit. This is true for both preschoolers and bigger kids.

Crafts from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade version. 

Our complete Fruit of the Spirit units include Bible stories, printable crafts, coloring pages, and a take-home page so parents and caregivers can be welcomed into the teaching. This Fruit of the Spirit unit for Bigger Kids includes the same features but also includes the crafts and activities that are appropriate for older children, and journal writing pages.  

---

fruit of the spirit Crafts and Activities

There are a myriad of crafts and activities that can go along with teaching the Fruit of the Spirit. Here are just a few examples:

• Find specific Bible stories to pair with each of the Fruit. For example, pair the story of the Good Samaritan with love. Pair the story of Paul and Silas in jail (Acts 16:16-36) with joy. From there, choose activities and crafts that match the specific Bible story.

• This Simple Home has some fabulous Fruit of the Spirit object lesson ideas. One of the ideas is to make a real fruit salad, but have vegetables ready to dump in. Kids will be dismayed that vegetables might go in the fruit salad. Explain that these represent things that do not come from God - things like anger, gluttons, and greed.

• The Sunday School Network has a cute idea for creating a fruit loop bracelet to help students learn the Fruit of the Spirit.

• Draw or Paint a Fruit of the Spirit tree. Have kids create a tree using crayons, pencils, or paints. Then draw various fruits and label them with the Fruit of the Spirit.

• Children’s Ministry Deals has created a list of hands-on games for each Fruit of the Spirit. For instance, they suggest playing a game of Apple Tower when learning about self-control. This is a game where players stack apples on top of each other to see who gets the tallest tower. Apple Tower takes control, just like it takes self-control to do the right thing. Be sure to check out their other ideas!

Galatians 6:9-10 says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (NIV). So let’s teach our children how to shine Jesus to others through the Fruit of the Spirit.

Autumn is a great time to welcome new students, start new classroom routines, and jump into the Science curriculum. There are many fabulous science lessons and activities to teach in the fall. These hands-on science and reading activities are such a fun way to learn about apples, pumpkins, and leaves in second and third grades.

Which science topics are great for fall?

Aligning your science lessons to the season around you is a great way to make real-world connections. Fall is often filled with warm days, crisp nights, and many familiar sights. In the fall we often study apples, pumpkins (Hello, thanksgiving!), leaves, decomposition, and seasonal animals like turkeys or deer.

The easy way to teach pumpkins, apples, and leaves…

Plan your fall science units in a snap with these three hands-on, engaging science and reading units all about pumpkins, apples, and leaves. They’re perfect for 2nd and 3rd grade and integrate science and literacy standards. Just click and print!

check out fall science

LEAVES

Leaves are changing on the trees and falling from their branches. Students see this and might be wondering why this is happening. Jump feet first into some fabulous activities about leaves. These might include getting outside to become observers/detectives of leaves, conducting an experiment to answer the question “Why Do Leaves Change Color?”, doing art projects with leaves, and much more.

Check out this blog all about leaves activities.

APPLES

Apples are a such fun fall topic. There are many awesome books and YouTube videos about apples to engage students as they begin learning. Have students experiment to find out why apples turn brown. Take a look at and compare the nutritional information of various products made with apples. Learn about the life cycle of apples and create a spinner craft.

This blog has more details and ideas for teaching the topic of apples to second and third-grade students.

PUMPKINS

Pumpkins are another fall-tastic topic. Whether it’s watching YouTube videos, reading about pumpkins, learning the life cycle, or doing math with pumpkin seeds, there are plenty of activities to engage students as they learn about pumpkins.

For more details on these ideas, check out this blog about pumpkin activities for second and third grade.

Autumn is a natural time to teach apples, pumpkins, and leaves. Have fun engaging in these topics and teaching students to love science (and fall).

A classic symbol in elementary school is an apple. Apples are put on “Welcome Back” bulletin boards, teacher newsletters, and classroom walls. There are endless examples of activities about apples for Kindergarten, but Apples are also a great unit of study for older students in second and third grades! Explore the best apple science and literacy activities sure to engage 2nd and 3rd grade students.

WHY do APPLES TURN BROWN?

Get hands-on with apples and conduct an experiment to see which substances will keep apples fresh the longest. This science experiment is also a great way to teach the scientific method.

Left Brain Craft Brain provides step-by-step instructions to answer “Why Do Apples Turn Brown?”

The EASY way to teach about apples in 2nd and 3rd grades.

Are you ready to explore apples this fall? In just a few clicks you can print all the science and literacy pieces you need: nonfiction reading, comprehension activities, apple life cycle crafts and worksheets, and more!

see the apple unit

exploring apples with youtube videos

Learn all about apples with these engaging videos that are perfect for older elementary students. Even I learned new things about apples!

1. Check out these fun Apple Facts by Hey! Guess What?

2. Peterson Farms Inc. shows How Applesauce is Made in the Factory.

3. Check out this Apple Time Lapse by Mountainview Orchard Inc.

4. Follow along with SciShow Kids as they experiment with making caramel apples. This video mostly teaches chemical reactions, the Maillard Reaction, and food science, but it could be a fun way to integrate other Science topics into your lessons on apples.

learning about apple anatomy

Have you ever tried to dissect an apple? Exploring the inner anatomy of an apple is a great way to get hands-on without having to spend too much money. Grab some local apples, help students cut them in half, and learn about what’s going on inside an apple.

READING ABOUT APPLES

Reading about apples is another way to engage students. There are some fabulous information books and storybooks about apples. These are a few that come to mind:

• Gail Gibbon’s “Apples” gives some historical information about apples and describes how farmers grow apples today. (Click here for the Amazon.ca link to Gibbon’s Apples) 

• The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall is a story about an apple tree through each season.  

• The Apple Orchard Riddle by Margaret McNamara engages students as they try to discover the riddle about an apple orchard. (Click here for the Amazon.ca link to The Apple Orchard Riddle)

Students can also read this age-appropriate printable nonfiction reading passage about the life cycle of an apple. After reading, complete two engaging comprehension activities so kids can show what they’ve learned.  

LIFE CYCLE SPINNER

Teach a lesson on the life cycle of an apple and complete an apple spinner craft to display each life cycle stage.

There are three versions: the first asks students to color the pictures, the second has space for students to create their own drawings, and the third is nearly blank so students can color/label their own pictures. Check out the template by clicking on the link above. 

APPLE POEM CRAFTIVITY

The Applicious Teacher has a fabulous Apple Poem Crafitivity. This project would be a good way to integrate Literacy and Science (specifically the five senses).

apple nutrition

Ask students to raid their recycle bins to find various packaging for products made from apples such as apple sauce, apple juice, and apple crisps.

Take time to compare the nutritional value of each item. Try to compare the sweetened and unsweetened apple products as well. Students might be surprised by what they find!  

Explain that all foods fit into a balanced diet, so it’s not bad to eat certain foods occasionally. However, we can be mindful of how much sugar is added to apple-related products.

---

Fall is here, so apples are here. Enjoy teaching some lessons about apples to your second and third-grade students!

Pin me for later!

Leaves change color to become vibrant reds, oranges, yellows, and browns. Leaves fall from the trees. Piles of leaves are found on lawns. These are all good indicators that fall is here! So it’s also a great time to teach about leaves. There are some fabulous science activities for second-grade and third-grade all about leaves.

CONIFEROUS AND DECIDUOUS TREES

There are a wide variety of trees, but they all fall into one of two categories: deciduous or coniferous. Coniferous trees keep leaves on their branches all year round. Deciduous means ‘falling off’, so these trees shed their leaves every fall to conserve energy in the winter. 

The EASY Way to teach about leaves in 2nd and 3rd grades.

Ready to learn about leaves this fall? In just a few clicks you can grab all the science and literacy pieces that you need: nonfiction reading, comprehension, science and math integration, and a fun art project!

see the unit

the anatomy of a leaf

Did you know that there are many different parts to a leaf? These ‘anatomy’ of a leaf teaching posters are a great way to learn the parts of a leaf. Then, head outside and grab your own!

YOUTUBE VIDEOS about the science of leaves

Learn even more about leaves with these engaging videos that are perfect for 2nd and 3rd-grade students. These are some of my favorite YouTube videos to show in class:

• SciShow Kidz - Why Do Leaves Change Color? 

• SciShow Kidz -  Trees that Never Lose Their Leaves. 

• Colossal Cranium - Why Do Leaves Change Color?
  
  
  

READING ABOUT LEAVES

Reading about leaves is another way to engage students. Learn about how leaves decompose in the Fall with this printable reading passage. Then follow up the reading with comprehension questions. 

---

get outside and explore autumn

Bundle up and head outdoors. Give each student a clipboard with paper, a crayon, and a pencil. Have students record their observations about leaves like shape, color, texture, etc. Then have students do leaf rubbings of a variety of leaves. 

While students are out making observations, have them collect leaves from a variety of trees. Give each student a small basket or Ziploc bag to contain their leaves. These leaves can be used for more leaf activities in the classroom. 

---

LEAF DETECTIVEs

Become leaf detectives and engage students’ observation skills. Use magnifying glasses to take a closer look at the fine lines and details on a leaf. Challenge students to draw what they see. 

Examine leaves and discover the differences between coniferous and deciduous trees. Check out SciShow Kidz’ Guess that Tree for info about telling the difference between some common coniferous tree needles.  

Do leaf pressing by getting students to press leaves in a book, or get fancy and create leaf press bookmarks like these ones from Buggy and Buddy. 

teaching symmetry with leaves

Teach a lesson about symmetry. Students will take a leaf, cut it along the line of symmetry, and glue it to a piece of paper. Next, they will sketch in the missing half and use pencil crayons to color/shade so it’s symmetrical.

Students can also use a variety of collected leaves and arrange them to create a land art installation, or have them glue the leaves to a piece of paper.

ART WITH LEAVES

There is an abundance of leaf art activities to be done in the fall. Read Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert. (Click here for the Amazon.ca link)This is a book where all the pictures are created with leaves. Then have students glue leaves into various configurations to make leaf creatures. Read the book Leaf Man to get students thinking about what their creation might look like. 

Create a leaf garland like this one from Hands on As We Grow 

Follow along with these instructions by Elementary Art Rocks and paint leaves using lines and repetition. 

WHY DO LEAVES CHANGE COLOR EXPERIMENT

The word ‘chromatography’ means a technique to separate the compounds of mixtures. Leaves get their color from different pigments like green, yellow, orange, and red. 

To engage students with a hands-on experiment to separate the color pigment in leaves, check out this experiment about Leaf Chromatography by Home Science Tools. This experiment doesn’t use any fancy equipment. The materials needed are common house items like coffee filters, plastic wrap, and rubbing alcohol. 

Teaching about leaves can be simple, yet engaging. Have fun teaching your second and third-grade students all about leaves this fall!

The season is here for sweaters, scarves, jack-o-lanterns, pumpkin pies, and pumpkin spice lattes. Families head to the pumpkin patches in droves and there are orange pumpkin decorations in many stores. So what better time than this to teach about pumpkins? Explore these activities and experiments about pumpkins that are perfect for kids in 2nd and 3rd grades.

pumpkin science - videos

Start your learning on pumpkins with some engaging videos that are perfect for older elementary students. These are some of my favorite pumpkin videos on YouTube

1. A Pumpkin Grows by Scholastic - Introduces the lifecycle of a pumpkin

2. SciShow Kids, “Why Do Pumpkins Get So Big?”

3. SciShow Kids, “Dissect a Pumpkin!”

4. Explore the question “Are Pumpkins a Fruit?” with Hey! Guess What.

The EASY Way to teach about pumpkins in 2nd and 3rd grades.

Ready to learn about pumpkins this fall? In just a few clicks you can grab all the science and literacy pieces that you need: nonfiction reading, comprehension, and an engaging STEAM project!

see the unit

FUN FACTS

It can be fun to sprinkle in fun facts while learning about a topic. Barton Hills Farm has compiled a list of 25 Fun Facts about Pumpkins. They also put together a detailed description of the life cycle of a pumpkin.

pumpkin literacy activities

After doing some initial learning about pumpkins via videos, have students read about the life cycle of a pumpkin with a grade-appropriate reading passage. This nonfiction reading passage explores each stage in the life cycle of a pumpkin using age-appropriate scientific vocabulary.

---

When you’re done, follow up with a pumpkin life cycle flipbook. This project uses the information from the nonfiction reading passage to create a fun and informative flip book project.

carve a pumpkin

Many students have fond memories of carving pumpkins with their families. It may be difficult to have each child carve a pumpkin in class, but YOU could carve a pumpkin while students act as guides.

Have students draw out potential designs and vote on which design to create on the class pumpkin. 

Before carving, read “How to Carve a Pumpkin” with these differentiated reading passages. Complete the comprehension booklet where students sequence the steps of pumpkin carving and get to sketch out a design for a jack-o-lantern.

Want to take it a step further and carve a class set of pumpkins? Try using parent or older-buddy volunteers to help prepare the pumpkins (open the top, remove the seeds) and then carve in small groups! (The other group can work on the nonfiction reading activity above).

I’ve had success asking local grocery stores or farms to donate the pumpkins to our class. Many will do it for free/cheap if you’re willing to wait until the day before/of Halloween.

pumpkin math

The book How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? by Margaret McNamara is an engaging way to open a lesson that integrates math and science. 

Before opening the pumpkin, have students estimate how many seeds they think are inside. Record these guesses. After opening the pumpkin, show students the contents and have them reestimate. Some students might be surprised at how many seeds there are in a pumpkin!

Next, have students count the pumpkin seeds. Try grouping the seeds together and skip count the piles by 2’s, 5’s, 10’s, etc. Compare the actual seed count to the students’ estimations. Discuss if their estimations were reasonable. Why or why not?

Try drying the seeds overnight. Give students a handful of seeds to color using markers. Let students make patterns with their coloring pumpkin seeds!

Don’t forget to roast some seeds so students can eat some 🙂

art integration - the journey of a pumpkin seed

To get students thinking creatively, have them make a comic that shows a pumpkin seed’s journey as it turns into a ready-to-harvest pumpkin! The template for this is included in this resource about the pumpkin life cycle.

There are plenty of fun and engaging pumpkin activities for second-grade and third-grade students. Enjoy this season! And as the saying goes…“When life gives you pumpkins, make pie.” 

I spend a lot of time reading Bibles designed for little kids. It’s partially because I have a 5-year-old at home, and partially because I write and design Bible lessons for preschoolers. I’ve read at least a dozen kids’ Bibles cover-to-cover, and they aren’t all created equally. I’m often asked if I can recommend a favorite Children’s Bible for preschoolers and kindergarten students, so I thought I’d put together a post of my current favorites.

Please note: None of the links in the post below are affiliate links. Most link to the publisher or official website for each book.

What do you look for in a children’s bible?

The first thing I look for in a children’s Bible, especially when reading to kids kindergarten-age and younger, is text that can easily be understood by younger kids. Is the theology broken down in a way kids will understand? Are the sentences simple enough that I’m not having to recap the story at the end of every paragraph?

It’s also important to me that the children’s Bible is written with age-appropriate takeaways from each story. While all of scripture is God-breathed, some of the stories and ideas are best suited for older children and adults. My 5-year-old is easily frightened and tends to fixate on the scarier parts of a Bible story, so we look for a kids’ Bible that doesn’t dive too deeply into the ‘scary’ moments of the Bible.

52 Weeks of Preschool Bible Lessons

Looking to make the Bible come alive for 3-6 year olds? These preschool Bible lessons and printable crafts are the perfect compliment to any children’s Bible.

see it on etsy

Jesus Calling Bible Storybook by sarah young

The Jesus Calling Storybook is hands-down my favorite kids’ Bible. The storytelling is excellent, it’s easy to read, and it summarizes stories in a way that is perfect for preschoolers. It does such a great job at keeping the stories age-appropriate. I was particularly impressed with how the story of Abraham and Isaac was written. It highlighted God’s mercy and the foreshadowing of the Lamb of God without completely terrifying my 5-year-old.

Most stories also end with a section that is very similar to the adult versions of ‘Jesus Calling’. These short passages are written in first-person from God and help to explain the main takeaways. My daughter loves them!

The Beginner’s Bible from Zondervan Kids

This Beginner’s Bible is a classic. I believe I even had a version of it in my childhood home in the 90’s. It’s been around forever, and for good reason! This is the very first Bible I ever read to my daughter. It does a great job of retelling most of the Bible in very simple terms. It doesn’t do any interpretation of the stories, or connect them to the larger story of Jesus, but it’s a great starting point for preschoolers. I highly recommend this one for kids in the 2, 3, and 4-year-old range. It’s a great starter Bible and the perfect way to introduce these stories for the first time.

The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones

The Jesus Storybook Bible is one of the most popular kids’ Bibles on the market, and with good reason. The book beautifully retells many classic Bible stories in a way that connects them to the overarching story of Jesus and redemption. It’s a beautiful book for both children and adults.

That being said, I don’t recommend it for kids under 6 or 7 years old. The stories are long, sometimes too long for a preschooler’s attention, and it draws connections and parallels that go above their heads. If you already have this version, I’d hang on to it until your kids are in grade school. (Spoiler: It’s my top choice for that age group!)

If you would like some more preschool-friendly materials by Sally Lloyd-Jones, she has a board book series of psalms written in kid-friendly language. The series is growing, but some of the titles include Near: Psalm 139, Found: Psalm 23, Strong: Psalm 1, and Happy: Psalm 92.

Sally Lloyd-Jones also has a board book called Loved: The Lord’s Prayer. But I should mention that this book refers to God as ‘Daddy’. And I know people have differing opinions on using that language when referring to God,

The Ology by Marty Machowski

Surprise! This final book is NOT a children’s Bible. Well, not really. I know that this is a list of the best Bibles for kids… so why am I including something else on this list?

As a parent and Sunday School teacher, The Ology is one of the best books I’ve ever read, and it’s deeply impacted how I explain the Bible to children. The book breaks down most Biblical theology into kid-friendly terms and does it in a way that’s so easy to understand.

If you’re a parent or teacher of preschoolers, I highly recommend reading this book as background knowledge. Preschoolers are full of so many questions about the Bible, and this is a great source to run to if you find yourself unable to explain trickier Biblical concepts. As your kids grow, this also becomes the perfect book to read aloud to your older kids.

---

I’d love to know if you have any children’s Bibles you absolutely LOVE that you think I should add to this list. Please add them in the comments, or message me directly.

Robert Frost once said, “You can’t get too much winter in the winter”. So why not go all out and do some fun winter-themed science lessons? Winter is a great time to teach topics like snow, ice, insulators, thermal energy, and extreme weather. There are some simple and engaging winter science activities that third-grade students will love!

explore SNOW AND its HAZARDS

To be sure, not everyone experiences snow in winter, but for many people, winter and snow go hand-in-hand. For some people, blizzards are a regular occurrence during the winter.

To teach about snow and its hazards, there are plenty of great activities. Some of them include reading age-appropriate materials about the topic, doing snowflake art, and creating a plan to prepare for a blizzard. Another fun snow activity is to design a device that will launch a snowball (cotton ball) across the classroom.

For more details on these snow activities, click HERE.

learn about ICE AND its HAZARDS

Ice is another phenomenon that many people experience during the winter. There are some fun ways to teach about ice.

Read about ice and its hazards, then create a city safety plan. Experiment with melting points to see which substances will melt ice the fastest. Complete a STEM challenge using matchbook cars, sandpaper, and ice to teach how slippery ice is. Don’t forget to incorporate art by creating colored ice cubes so students can paint with them.

For more ideas and details about these activities, check out this blog about ice and its hazards. 

what are insulators?

Whether it’s watching a YouTube video, reading nonfiction passages, or doing a STEM challenge, there are plenty of ways to engage students while learning about insulators.

Plus, students can study polar bears and learn how insulators help these arctic animals. Be sure to conduct the experiment where students pretend to be a polar bear by covering their finger or hand with some lard and plunging it into ice water.

Check out this blog for more details and science lessons about insulators.

thermal energy in the winter

For a deeper look at insulation, radiation, and conduction check out this blog all about thermal energy.

Drink a cup of tea or hot cocoa with your students and talk about how the heat transfers from the mug into their cool hands (conduction). Sit around a space heater to get warm (radiation). Make ice and have students melt it in their bare hands so they can experience heat transfer.

There are many fun and budget-friendly options for teaching thermal energy. 

wintertime extreme weather

For many places around the world, winter brings extreme weather. This could take the form of extreme wind, rain, snow, or hail. There are plenty of activities for teaching extreme weather.

Research extreme weather and how people prepare for it. Have students construct a weather-resistant bridge in a Tupperware container and test it to see if it will withstand water being poured around it.

Challenge students to design a weather-resistant shelter that you will “attack” with your hairdryer to simulate extreme wind.

For more details and ideas click HERE and read about Extreme Weather activities for 3rd grade. 

These topics feel natural to teach in the winter since students will likely be seeing these phenomena happening around them. Winter science activities are fun! Enjoy!

Pin Me for Later!

When a cold snap hits, there’s nothing I enjoy more than cuddling with a warm blanket and sitting by a fire with my hands wrapped around a warm beverage. This is an image your students might be able to resonate with as they learn about insulators and conductors. There are some great lessons and hands-on activities to teach the concept of insulators and conductors in third grade.

What is an insulator? What is a conductor?

Thermal energy is energy that comes from heat. Simply put, insulators don’t allow heat to move easily. The thermal energy stays where it is. Conductors allow heat to move easily from one object to another. The thermal energy moves.

The EASY Way to Explore Insulators

Ready to learn about insulators in a way that’s engaging and fun? In just a few clicks you can grab all the science and literacy pieces you need: nonfiction reading, comprehension, and an engaging  STEM challenge all about insulators.

grab the lessons

YouTube Videos

Many of the videos out there about conductors and insulators tend to be about electricity. It’s a little trickier to find videos about heat conductors and heat insulators. But here are a couple that I found:

1. This conductivity experiment by Generation Science will give students a great visual. You might even want to conduct this experiment yourself (pun intended!)

2. Here’s another experiment by Next Generation Science to compare the heat conductivity of glass and metal. 

hunt for conductors and insulators

Take a walk around the classroom or the school to search for conductors and insulators. By seeing real-life examples, students will get a better understanding. You might find things like:

• Insulated mugs

• Jackets and cool-weather gear

• Thin clothing, like a t-shirt

• The classroom windows (Feel them! Are they letting out the heat? Is it coming in?)

polar bears demonstrate insulation

Polar bears have a thick fur coat to help keep them warm, but they also have a solid layer of blubber under their fur to retain more warmth. Their black skin absorbs the sunlight which also helps them stay warm. This age-appropriate reading passage about polar bears is a great way to teach students about insulators.

polar bear insulation experiment

After reading about polar bears, it’s time to become a polar bear! Fill a large bowl or basin with water and ice. Then have students cover their finger or hand with lard…that’s right, it’s time to break out the Cristo!

Students can submerge their fingers or hand into the ice water to see how the lard insulates. Then have students stick their “un-larded” hand into the bowl to feel the temperature difference. While this is a messy experiment, it’s fun and it’s memorable!

experiment - testing insulators

Learn about insulators and conductors - then test your knew knowledge in a STEM challenge!

Doing hands-on activities is a great way to reinforce learning. Have students insulate a beaker full of hot water using various materials, such as felt, fabric, tin foil, newspaper, and Styrofoam.

By following the scientific method, students can test a variety of materials to see which is the better insulator. For a more detailed description, check out Insulators and Conductors.

Slow Melting

Insulators and conductors can also keep things from thawing. By doing this insulator experiment from TeachEngineering, students can test which insulators will keep ice frozen the longest.

While the topic of conductors and insulations might initially seem complicated, real-life examples and hands-on activities are a great way to demonstrate the concept to kids. Have fun!

What do you think about when you see snow in the forecast? Snowflakes falling from the sky? Children building snowmen? A snow day closure at school? Back pain from shoveling? Terrible driving conditions? Snow has its ups and downs for sure! Regardless of your thoughts about snow, there are some awesome science activities about snow for third grade!

What is Snow? Why is it Hazardous?

Snow is made from water vapor (a form of gas) in clouds high in the sky. When temperatures in a cloud drop below freezing, the water vapor freezes to form crystals. If the cloud gets too heavy, these crystals will fall as snow.

While snow is beautiful and fun to play in, it also creates hazards. These hazards include dangerous driving conditions, damage to homes and powerlines, and whiteout conditions.

Ways to prepare for these conditions could be staying inside, dressing warmly, having flashlights handy, and having a supply of non-perishable food and bottled water. 

Snow Science and Literacy

Learn all about snow with this easy-to-teach lesson set.

Scripted lessons… check!
Nonfiction Reading… check!
Hands-On Science Experiment… check!
Assessment… check!

grab the lessons

Videos about Snow

Here are a few videos about snow and snow hazards:

1. Peekaboo Kidz - The Dr Binocs Show “SNOWFLAKES”

2. SciShow Kids - Where Do Snowflakes Come From?

3. SciShow Kidz - What is a Blizzard?

4. FreeSchool - What Makes it Snow?

Snow and Blizzards Nonfiction Reading

Reading about snow and blizzards is a great place to start. Check out these grade-appropriate reading passages on Snow & Its Hazards, and Blizzards.

Each passage also comes with comprehension questions. The blizzard passage comes in two reading levels and two versions of the reading comprehension activity. 

Art Integration -Snowflake Art Projects

There are some amazing snowflake art projects that you could do with your students. Here are a few ideas:

1. Wax Resist Snowflakes: This is a simple project that has radical results. Have students use a white crayon or oil pastel to draw a snowflake on a white piece of paper. They will have to press hard to get the best result.

   After they’ve finished drawing the snowflake, use watercolor paint to paint over the crayon. The oil from the crayon or pastel will resist the paint and the snowflake will pop. If you look up Wax Resist Snowflake Art on Google, there will be dozens of examples. 

2. Catching Snowflakes Art: This is a classic art project where students draw themselves catching snowflakes.

3. Pattern Block Snowflakes Art: This is a great way to combine science, art, AND math,

Snowball Fight STEM Challenge

In this snowball fight STEM challenge, students are challenged to design a device that will launch a cotton “snowball” the furthest distance. Students will design, test, and execute their launch in this fun take on a snowball fight!

weather-related hazards, BLIZZARD PREPAREDNESS activity

A fun way to engage students in determining ways to prepare for a blizzard is to create a shopping list and a To-Do list. You could do this as a whole group or have students create their own lists by using the snow preparedness To-Do list template in this resource. 

These are just a few of the fantastic ideas out there for teaching snow and its hazards. Have fun!

---

Pin me for later!

When someone says the word ‘ice’, I can’t help but think about Elsa’s “Let It Go” song as she builds her ice castle. Am I the only one? Maybe I’m unique in that, but that’s OK. Ice is an exciting topic for kids to explore, and there are some awesome science activities for third grade to teach about ice and its hazards.

What is Ice? Why is it hazardous?

Ice is the solid state of water. Water will freeze when temperatures reach 0 degrees Celsius or 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Black ice is a thin layer of transparent ice and is a hazardous form of ice.

To help negate the effects of ice, trucks can sprinkle sand, dirt, or salt on the roads. People can also put snow tires on their vehicles to keep them from slipping as they drive.

The Easy & Fun Way to Explore Ice

Ready to explore the hazards of ice AND meet science and literacy outcomes? In just a few clicks you can grab everything you need: nonfiction reading, comprehension, and an engaging  science experiment.

check it out

Ice, Icicles, and Frost - Videos for Kids

Here are a few engaging videos to help spice up any lessons about ice!

1. Where Do Icicles Come From? by SciShow Kids is a fun video about icicles and how they form when snow melts and refreezes.

2. Where Does Frost Come From? by SciShow Kids

Reading about Ice

Reading about ice is a great way to incorporate literacy into science. Students will read about the science of ice. They will also read about some of its hazards and ways to stay safe when the conditions are icy.

After reading, they will have the opportunity to answer comprehension questions.

Integrating Art - Ice Cube Painting

For a way to incorporate art into science lessons about ice, Thimble And Twig has a fun idea for making colored ice. Add food coloring to water and freeze it in an ice cube tray. Make sure to add a popsicle stick before freezing. Then students can paint on paper using the frozen cubes.

science experiment - Melting Mayhem

Experiment to see which substances help ice melt. Use substances like salt, baking soda, hot water, etc. Or have students brainstorm things they’d like to try.

While experimenting, review states of matter and have students record their findings. For step-by-step instructions and templates, check out the resource linked above. 

science experiment - Slick as Ice

To teach students how slippery ice can be, experiment to see how far an object will slide. The night before the experiment lesson, freeze water on a long cookie sheet. Collect materials like a piece of carpet, cloth, and sandpaper. Gather straws and a small car.

To execute the experiment, lay the cookie sheet, carpet, cloth, and sandpaper on a flat surface. Have students take turns using the straw to blow the car across each surface. They will see that the cars travel more easily on the ice than the other items.

This isn’t a ‘proper’ experiment because there are uncontrolled factors like students using different-sized breaths while blowing through the straw, but this will help demonstrate that roads can be slippery when icy. 

How Cars Lose Control on Icy Roads

The UCAR Center for Science Education has a similar experiment, focusing on cars losing control on ice roads.

City Safety Plan

Plan for a weather-related hazard in a fictional city with this quick and fun activity.

After learning about the hazards of ice, have students imagine they are in charge of a community that has never experienced a cold snap. Their job is to create an ice safety plan for their city so they can demonstrate their understanding of the topic. To save you time creating the template, check out the template in the resource. 

The topic of ice can be quite exciting for our students. Have fun teaching about ice to your third-grade students!

---

Pin me for later!

Albert Einstein once said, “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” And I find that curiosity abounds among First Graders. The science curriculum in Grade One naturally makes students curious about things around them. Take a look at my favorite experiments and ideas for making the first grade science curriculum come alive.

WHAT ARE THE TOPICS IN GRADE 1 SCIENCE? 

Here in BC, our science curriculum is guided by the BC Big Ideas. The BC Big Ideas for Grade 1 Science are…

• Living things have features and behaviors that help them survive in their environment

• Matter is useful because of its properties

• Light and sound can be produced and their and their properties can be changed

• Observable patterns and cycles occur in the local sky and landscape

When teaching these big ideas, I generally break it down into 6 distinct topics: Space, Matter and Materials, Light and Sound, Animals, Weather, and Seasons.

So many of these topics also cross over with the NGSS and several other state-specific standards. These ideas will work well in any classroom with little scientists!

Everything You Need to Teach Grade 1 Science

A complete (scripted) unit for every single grade 1 science unit in BC. Lesson plans, vocabulary, projects, experiments, activities, and more!

Click and print. Planning is really that easy.

check out the units

Teaching About the Weather

Weather is the perfect topic for younger students because it is all around them! They can understand the concept of sun, clouds, rain, and snow (in some parts of the world) because they have personally experienced these things.

There are some fabulous activities for teaching the weather: keeping a weather journal, charting the weather, and exploring weather in other parts of the world. For even more hands-on (and potentially messy) learning, you can make shaving cream clouds or homemade rain gauge.

Check out this blog post to see details on these weather lessons and activities and more.

Lessons about Seasons and How They Change

Like with weather, seasons are something little learners experience regularly. Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer can look unique in different communities, and it’s the perfect chance to explore where you are. Remember to keep the lessons simple, engaging, and interactive. Check out this blog post for ideas about videos to watch, reading passages to use, and activities to implement. 

Planets in Our Solar System - Activities and Projects

Looking into the sky at night brings wonder and awe! Kids tend to have a lot of questions about space and the solar system. For fun ideas about teaching the solar system and space, click here. Some ideas include an art project about sunsets/sunrises, making straw rockets, watching videos about living on the International Space Station, and a game to teach the difference between an ‘orbit’ and a ‘rotation’.

learning about light and sound

There are many natural phenomena when it comes to light and sound: rainbows, stars, the sun, lightning, thunder, animal noises, music! Whether it’s watching YouTube videos, playing a game of “Guess the Sound”, hunting for noise and light sources, or doing experiments, there are plenty of ways to engage students while learning about sound and light. This blog is full of ideas for experiments and lessons that will engage your students. 

Properties of Matter and Materials

If you’re looking for ways to teach about the properties of matter and materials to Grade One students, check out this blog post.

Some of my favorite matter and materials activities are included

• Sorting the States of Matter (printable game)

• Matter in My World printable project

• The BEST YouTube videos

• Hands-On Properties of Matter Stations

How do living things adapt and survive?

Animals and plants are fascinating topics for Little Learners, and keeping the focus on ‘animals’ is a high-interest way to teach about how living things survive and adapt. Try focusing in on a single animal to really help your students become adaptation and survival experts!

---

Grade One Science is full of wonder, excitement, curiosity, and…well….it can get messy with Little Learners. But, as Ms. Frizzle from Magic School Bus always says, “Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy.” So have some fun while teaching science to your Grade One students!