Aim

To make children appreciate the natural world as part of God's creation.

Preparation

Before the lesson read Psalm 148. Photocopy one worksheet for each child.

Lesson

Begin lesson by asking the children how the world came into beginning. Elicit several different accounts before sharing with them the Judeo/ Christian version of events as it appears in the book of Genesis.

Although some Christians believe that creation happened exactly as it is written in the Bible, many believe that it is a story which contains two important truths.

• God made everything.
• God put the human race in charge of Creation.

Ask them to consider what for them are the highlights of God's creation on Earth. Their responses can range from the universally familiar, for example, 'Mount Everest' to the personal 'The bush in our back garden'.

They are to record their responses in each of the six categories at the top of the worksheet. Allow more than one entry in each category. Children can share their responses in small groups or as a whole class.

Are there highlights to be found in the school grounds?

For optional outside activities, see the Teachers' Notes below.

Ask the children to comment on how well they think the human race is doing in its job as the guardian of Creation?

What can we do or stop doing to show our love for God's creation? Children are to list their responses on the bottom half of the worksheet.

Inform the children that a growing number of Christians are involved in environmental projects. For example, an American Christian organization called The Christian Environmental Association raises money to buy areas of rain forest which it then gives back to the people who live there. This stops the rain forest falling into the hands of people who wish to destroy it.

Although Christians are supposed to love nature, they do not worship it. For them, nature is not God but, like people, part of His creation. The writer of Psalm expresses the opinion that the whole world should praise God.

Conclusion

Conclude lesson by reading Psalm 148.

Teachers' Notes

The following activities are taken from the book 'Sharing Nature with Children' by J.B. Cornell.

Sound Journey

In a circle, with their eyes firmly closed, ask the children to listen to the whole range of sounds around them. Ask them to filter out the man made sound, and to focus on the natural sounds, one at a time. Next, they are to imagine themselves in the place, where only those sounds are present Still in that imaginary place, ask them to seek out the source of each noise in turn. After they have finished this task, invite them to slowly re-introduce the man-made sounds and return to their actual surroundings.

Camera

Allow the children some time to explore an area of the school grounds individually, looking for scenes / details which have the potential to make good photographs. After a few minutes, call them back to you and divide them into pairs. Ask them to decide which of them is the camera and which the photographer. Once decided, the camera closes its eyes and is led by the photographer to one of the sites already identified. On the command of the photographer, the camera opens its eyes and takes the shot. An exposure time of ten seconds should be long enough. A series of six photographs is taken in this way. Between shots, the camera keeps its eyes firmly shut. When the film of six exposures has been used up, the children swap roles. Back in class, ask the children to develop all the pictures which they took as cameras.