Note to the parent or teacher: This is the third in a series of lesson plans to encourage the children’s appreciation for the beautiful world God has created and placed us in. This 45- to 60-minute lesson plan is to supplement the two articles of “The Creation of the World” series: “Moving Creatures in the Water” and “Birds in the Sky.” This could be one class or it could be divided into two classes if time is devoted to the art activities included. See the “*” denoting the place where this lesson plan can be divided.

This highlights the lesson objectives:

• “Learn the story of creation” (Christian Life and Faith: Bible Knowledge: Creation 1a),
• “Learn of the wonders of God’s creation and show appreciation for it” (Christian Life and Faith: Bible Knowledge: Creation-1b),
• “Learn the significance of creation, and why it matters who made it” (Christian Life and Faith: Bible Knowledge: Creation 2a).

Read “The Creation of the World: Moving Creatures in the Water.”

Discuss the categories of animals that live full-time in the water. Encourage the children to list the categories of these animals that they can think of (fish, mollusks, crustaceans, echinoderms, protozoans, mammals, etc.). There are even certain animals that live both in the water and on the land (amphibians, reptiles, some mammals).

Watch “Under the Sea: Ocean Animal Moves” for a reminder of the amazing diversity of life to be found in the earth’s bodies of water.

Recall together with the children some of the main Bible stories involving fish.

• Jonah being swallowed by a large fish (Jonah 1–3; or for a short recap, watch “Jonah and the Fish”)
• Feeding the 5,000 (Matthew 14:19–21)
• The coin in the fish’s mouth (Matthew 17:24–27)
• A miraculous catch of fish (Luke 5:1–11)
• 153 large fish (John 21:1–14)

Read Psalm 69:34. Stop for a moment of silent praise for God’s awe-inspiring creation!

Color the “Coloring Page: The Creation of the World: Moving Creatures in the Water,” or cut out and assemble “3D Picture: The Creation of the World: Moving Creatures in the Water.”

*

Read “The Creation of the World: Birds in the Sky.”

Discuss together with the children about the beauty that birds add to the world (hearing their songs and chatter, enjoying their colors and beauty, watching as they flutter or soar through the sky, etc.).

Read “The Benefits of Birds.” (Note: We suggest you read this through first in case you’d like to skip over certain sections.)

Watch “15 Rarest Birds in the World” for insight into some unique birds for which efforts are being made to keep them from going extinct. (Or you can show another documentary of your choosing to the children on birds. The purpose is to help the children reflect on the wonders of birds as part of creation.)

Ask the children what Bible stories involving birds they can recall, Old Testament stories and times Jesus referred to birds in His teachings. Then read the following Bible passages.

• The raven and dove in the story of Noah’s ark (Genesis 8:6–11)
• The ravens feeding Elijah in the wilderness (1 Kings 17:4–6). (For the full story, you can read “A Bible Adventure: Make Me a Cake.”)
• Jesus teaching people about how He will care for them (Matthew 6:26)
• The parable that includes the birds eating the sown seeds (Matthew 13:3-8). (You can also watch the video, “The Parables of Jesus: The Parable of the Sower,” or read the article, “The Parables of Jesus: The Sower.”

Color the “Coloring Page: The Creation of the World: Birds in the Sky,” or cut out and assemble “3D Picture: The Creation of the World: Birds in the Sky.”