Parable of the Net

Okay, this week I had a flash of inspiration. I really liked last week, and how things seemed to really click with the figures and simple retelling, so I thought I'd try to repeat the same method with this week's parable: the parable of the net (or dragnet, as it is specifically mentioned in some Bible translation/versions).

I used our same dollhouse doll man from last week. He was the central figure. Then I had some batik-style fabric in a sea green motif that I spread out for the water. I also had a tan felt strip and a packet of beads I had purchased at a discount store a while back that have fish and shells and seahorses, so I poured them over the fabric underlay. Lastly, we had a small mesh net bag that came from the dollar store which held some purchased item that the girls were using in their play kitchen as a produce bag, and I borrowed it for the net.

Now, I have to say that since this parable is super short, I just ended up repeating the parable to them slowly as I took the net and dragged it through the scene to collect as many beads as I could easily. Then set the man on the "shore" and separated out the fish-shaped pieces and tossed the rest back. I did this quite methodically, carefully noting the "good" fish and laying them in their own pile.

It went across really well, and after the lesson was over they each worked with it on their own.

Because the parable is pretty short, I had lots of coloring and a craft. We had this great coloring sheet from The ClipArt Wizard that depicted the parable with this page (below) on the back (sorry it's huge, but I can't find the original file in a search). I also printed this simple activity from the flip side of the children's bulletin that I posted in the parable of the treasure in the field here.

For our craft, I chose to do a "tissue fish" because it is simple and I had all the supplies on hand. It requires a paper for each child with a fish outline, tissue paper cut in small squares, glue and an unsharpened pencil or dowel rod or equivalent. I liked this also because it uses fine motor skills as the children fold the tissue and hold the pencil/dowel to press it onto the paper. However, I will say that in retrospect, even though it was very bright and colorful, I would do it next time with paper plates or heavier paper, since once the tissue paper is glued on the paper becomes quite heavy, so when the child takes it home it cannot be displayed.

There is another craft, a CD fish with glued on jewels, fins and  mouth ,which was also a great idea, but I would probably choose to use that with older children or if I had supplies for it.

As for a snack, I loved the idea presented by this blogger's picture of little nets with fish. They are pretzel squares with a dollop of frosting (I would use peanut butter, unless we had a nut allergy present) and a fish-shaped cracker. I'm not a purist, so technically goldfish crackers would be okay with me, but I have a child who can't eat wheat, so until I can acquire this cookbook and make my own with a flour that does not offend, I won't be able to make these for our situation, and I wouldn't use colored fish unless I colored them with non-petroleum-based food dyes, just for the record.