RK Home Connection: Story 010: Genesis 25; 27
Biggest Storybook Bible (Purchase)
Bible: Genesis 25; 27
Big Truth: God blesses his people even when they keep getting things wrong.
Memory Verse: Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger. - Genesis 25:23 ESV
COLD CASE CHRISTIANITY (4TH AND 5TH GRADE)
Cold Case Christianity 4th & 5th Graders:
Chapter 6 Summary
This chapter helps kids explore the idea of "thinking critically and acting like detectives" by examining evidence, drawing conclusions, and testing hypotheses. The goal is to help children understand the importance of evaluating evidence with a skeptical eye and to apply these skills in learning about faith. The chapter provides activities and examples that help kids learn to distinguish good evidence from poor evidence, to look for corroborative support, and to avoid jumping to conclusions without sufficient proof.
Weekly Instructions for Families
Discuss Evidence in Everyday Life:
Begin by talking about what "evidence" means and why it's important in making decisions, such as in detective stories or even family decisions. Ask your children to give examples of when they’ve seen evidence influence decisions.
Practice Observation Skills:
Select a common household item (like a key or a toy) and place it in a room. Ask your kids to observe it for a minute and then remove it. Later, ask them to describe it in detail. This exercise reinforces their observation and memory skills, which are key detective tools.
Evaluate Sources Together:
Pick a fun topic or a simple mystery (such as a story from history or a Bible story), and gather two or three sources of information about it (like a book, a video, or a website). Discuss which sources seem the most reliable and why. This helps kids understand the importance of seeking corroborative support from multiple sources.
Introduce Hypothesis Testing:
Introduce the idea of a hypothesis: a statement that can be tested. Create a simple hypothesis related to an interest of your child (like "a plant grows better with sunlight than without"). Discuss what evidence would support or challenge this hypothesis, and if possible, do a quick experiment to see it in action.
Connect to Faith:
Talk about how these detective skills can help them explore their faith, too. Share examples where you’ve had to investigate questions or seek understanding. Encourage them to ask questions about faith and discuss how seeking answers can be a positive, faith-building process.
Weekly Reflection:
At the end of the week, have a reflection time where each child can share something they learned about gathering evidence and investigating. You might also share a Bible story, discussing how people in the story sought and evaluated evidence (e.g., Thomas needing to see Jesus’ wounds to believe).