Little Hands to Heaven Teacher's Guide

Carrie Austin, author of popular literature curriculum Drawn into the Heart of Reading, has turned her talents and experience to the early childhood realm. Little Hands to Heaven is a complete, biblically-based preschool curriculum combining Bible stories and activities, fingerplays, letter activities, music, art activities, active exploration, devotions, dramatic play, and math activities into each daily lesson. The lessons follow Bible stories, presented in chronological order from Creation through Paul's missionary journeys. The activities included in the lesson correlate to the Bible story, forming a complete, Bible-based lesson with plenty of activity for those busy youngsters! Each of the 33 units is designed to be used one per week, and no seasonal content is included so you can begin at any time. Each unit is laid out very simply, with the activities organized into different boxes on the page with short and simple directions given for each.

An example of a lesson from Unit 13 features the Bible story of David and Goliath. Children will perform the fingerplay "David Will Be King" which is given at the beginning of the week, and focuses on the letter 'K'. They read the Bible story of David and Goliath, and then participate in a math activity where they arrange three objects or toys from smallest to biggest, and then they continue finding objects that are bigger and bigger, reinforcing the idea that Goliath was so much bigger than David, but David won the fight, with God's help. The letter activity focuses on the letter 'K' as well, and has the children placing objects on a large 'K' taped to the floor while they make the 'K' sound. The Bible activity features students drawing a slingshot while following directions, reinforcing the Bible story and the day is done with a song. Not every subject mentioned above is completed in one day, although each is worked into the week, which means the lessons will not take much time to complete - about half an hour to an hour each day, depending on how involved you may get. The appendix, included at the end of the book, contains masters to copy for use with several of the lessons. Although supplies required for the program are few and consist of objects you probably have around the house or in the art area, there are several resources that you will need to use with the program. These include your own personal Bible, a children's Bible, such as the suggested Child's First Bible by Kenneth N. Taylor, or The New Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes by Kenneth N. Taylor. Suggested devotionals are also recommended such as Big Thoughts for Little People by Kenneth N. Taylor, Teach Them to Your Children: An Alphabet of Biblical Poems, Verses, and Stories, or My ABC Bible Verses by Susan Hunt. Music selections included in the lessons are based on Focus on the Family's Singing Bible, which you will need to do the music segment of each lesson. All in all, a very easy-to-implement, Bible-based curriculum that you should easily be able to fit into your day, and the youngsters should love to do every day. - Jess