After reading the parable I do a little experiment making the recipe of 3 Tbsp of flour, 1 tsp yeast and 2 Tbsp of warm water in one glass bowl. You stir the mixture until it clumps and all liquid is gone, then you make a ball out of it. The wooden cutting board is so you can knead the dough.
In the other small glass bowl I do the recipe again but without the yeast. I pass each one around to see if the children notice the difference in smell. Then I cover the two bowls with a white cloth and say to them that we will check on them at the end of class to see if the yeast helps it to rise. As you can see in the photo below, there is a significant difference.
Notice it triples in size. Of course, the Scripture message is that we can't see our faith growing inside us but it does as we grow in grace through prayer, receiving the sacraments, and growing in love with God and serving others with love.
A thermos filled with hot water is necessary for this work. I used the kitchen electric pot, cooled it down, and poured it into the small metal pitcher for the children to handle. I let two children work on this at the same time and so each had a plastic tablespoon, plastic teaspoon and a small spatula for stirring. I usually have 15 children in each class and this makes it go more quickly. It takes the entire class, for them to finish. Our classes are 1-1/2 hrs. long. Usually the presentations take 20-30 minutes and then they have the remainder of the class to do their work. Often two children like to sit and watch the others while they wait their turn. Every child wants to do this work.
I used clear plastic cups for the children to keep their dough to take home and bake. I usually go through nine packets of yeast for each class and keep them refrigerated. I generally buy the fast-acting yeast. I also bring in an extra canister of whole wheat flour (as shown above in the materials) as we easily go through two of those small glass canisters for each class. I haven't tried to bake one of these but the children do and some have been successful they tell me. I think this year I'll experiment baking it so I can give them instructions for success. They love to taste their yeast and are so proud and excited to try it.
(left photo) The Kingdom of God Parables are kept on two bookcases. Here you see "The Mustard Seed" on the top shelf. The seeds from Israel are kept in the wooden box. The second shelf has "The Pearl of Great Price" and the bottom shelf is where "The Leaven" is kept.
In the above photo "The Kingdom of God and the Seed" is on the first shelf. There are tracing packets for all the Bible stories of the Kingdom shared by both Levels. "The Sower" is the second shelf and on the bottom is "The Mystery of Life and Death" or "The Grain of Wheat". These Bible stories are very deep and thought provoking and bring out all sorts of interesting discussions. They force me to study a lot before presenting them, especially "The Mystery of Life and Death." When you only do the presentations once a year, you do forget things and really need to study your album page and make notes on changes. None of my album pages are the same as they were when I started this work 15 years ago. It is also with this work that we plant seeds with the children for the last three or four days at the end of the year. They love this work and I cover the floor with clear plastic trash bags (shown above).
I always save "The Grain of Wheat" and "The Leaven" at the end of the year for the last three or four classes in case some were absent and, of course, everyone wants to do them that day. It's a nice way to end the year.
A thermos filled with hot water is necessary for this work. I used the kitchen electric pot, cooled it down, and poured it into the small metal pitcher for the children to handle. I let two children work on this at the same time and so each had a plastic tablespoon, plastic teaspoon and a small spatula for stirring. I usually have 15 children in each class and this makes it go more quickly. It takes the entire class, for them to finish. Our classes are 1-1/2 hrs. long. Usually the presentations take 20-30 minutes and then they have the remainder of the class to do their work. Often two children like to sit and watch the others while they wait their turn. Every child wants to do this work.
I used clear plastic cups for the children to keep their dough to take home and bake. I usually go through nine packets of yeast for each class and keep them refrigerated. I generally buy the fast-acting yeast. I also bring in an extra canister of whole wheat flour (as shown above in the materials) as we easily go through two of those small glass canisters for each class. I haven't tried to bake one of these but the children do and some have been successful they tell me. I think this year I'll experiment baking it so I can give them instructions for success. They love to taste their yeast and are so proud and excited to try it.
(left photo) The Kingdom of God Parables are kept on two bookcases. Here you see "The Mustard Seed" on the top shelf. The seeds from Israel are kept in the wooden box. The second shelf has "The Pearl of Great Price" and the bottom shelf is where "The Leaven" is kept.In the above photo "The Kingdom of God and the Seed" is on the first shelf. There are tracing packets for all the Bible stories of the Kingdom shared by both Levels. "The Sower" is the second shelf and on the bottom is "The Mystery of Life and Death" or "The Grain of Wheat". These Bible stories are very deep and thought provoking and bring out all sorts of interesting discussions. They force me to study a lot before presenting them, especially "The Mystery of Life and Death." When you only do the presentations once a year, you do forget things and really need to study your album page and make notes on changes. None of my album pages are the same as they were when I started this work 15 years ago. It is also with this work that we plant seeds with the children for the last three or four days at the end of the year. They love this work and I cover the floor with clear plastic trash bags (shown above).
I always save "The Grain of Wheat" and "The Leaven" at the end of the year for the last three or four classes in case some were absent and, of course, everyone wants to do them that day. It's a nice way to end the year.
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