Scripture: Genesis 1-2
Learning Objectives:
- Students will review the story of Creation, paying special attention to Adam naming the animals
- Students will learn/review the concept of initial letters in words and the sounds they make
- Students will play a game using animal names to practice identifying initial letters and sounds in words
Guiding Question: For each letter of the alphabet, can you think of one or more animals whose name starts with that letter?
Materials: No special materials needed. (Although, you may want animal photos for review.)
Procedure: Review the story of Creation, focusing especially on Adam naming the animals. Review with students the idea of letters corresponding to sounds. Give examples of animals and the initial sound and letter of each (Tiger=T). Depending on the size of the group and the mastery of the skill, place students in one or more circles. Have students slap their knees, clap their hands, snap the fingers on their left hands and then their right. (Depending on the age of the students, you may have to vary this to omit finger snaps and replace with clapping or another easier motor skill.) Once students are in the same rhythm, have the first student say “My name is Adam and I named the [alligator or other animal that starts with an ‘A’] with an ‘A’.” The next student would have the letter “B” and would say, “My name is Adam and I named the [bear or other animal that starts with a ‘B’] with a ‘B’.” Players continue going around the circle and progressing through the alphabet.
Additional Questions:
- Can you sound out the other letters in the name of each animal?
- How many animal names can you spell from memory?
Supplemental Activities:
- Increase the speed of going around the circle to make the game more difficult.
- Have one student be “it” and stand in the center of the circle. Have “it” randomly point at students in the circle and give them a letter of the alphabet. If the student can’t name an animal starting with that letter, he/she becomes “it” and the student who was “it” takes a place in the circle.