I would guess that we are of an average sized congregation. We do not include 7th, 8th, or 9th grade students in our workshops. We are very new to this rotation thing (we are coming to the close of our first year of Rotation Workshops). Our workshops end at the 6th grade level. Incidently, we do not include our Pre-School children in rotations, however, our Pre-School teachers does teach them on the same topic as the K-6 grades. She sometimes will take some of the information or activities that are used in our other workshops (Drama & Theater, Games & Activities, Cooking & Kitchen, Arts & Crafts, and Story Room) and will try to incorporate them for the Pre-Schoolers so that the material is at their age levels (ages 2-4). Sometimes this has been rather difficult, and other times it has been an easier task for her. We keep our Pre-School children in the same room each week and do not "rotate" them. We just rotate some of the material. One week they may do an arts / craft, another week they may do something similar to the kitchen. For our Jonah rotation, our Pre-Schoolers made Peanut Butter Sandwiches, then took Whale shaped cookie cutters and cut the "Whale Sandwich" out of the white part of the bread, leaving the crusts to break up and serve to the birds. our Pre-Schoolers don't do the Drama / Theater things because they have a hard enough time trying to learn the songs and memory verses that go along with each topic. It is our goal to try to have the children perform / sing songs during church at the end or close of each 5 week rotation.

We have talked about including our 7th and 8th grade students in rotations, but we have a more difficult time recruiting teachers and have determined that our 7th and 8th grade students need to be instructed more in the preparation for 9th grade. Our 9th grade students really choose not to be a part of our Sunday School - and are thus being instructed toward Confirmation instead. I think that if there was a curriculum out there to be used for 7th and 8th grades, that would be helpful. I do think it would be great if we could find some Pre-School aged (2-4) curriculum for that age level - as trying to fill an hour with not much of anything for their age can be trying.

I am so new at this position (I just took over the Superintendent / Youth Activities Director position as of January 2004 - so am still trying to learn the Rotation Workshop things.) I was not aware that there was a curriculum out there for any Rotations. I've tried to help my teachers by pulling information of the Internet as much as I could. I don't even know where to begin for setting up the Rotation Schedule for the fall / Winter / Spring classes for 2004-2005. I may be misguided, but curriculum to me means - books! Are there workbooks or something on that order out there for the Rotation Curriculum or is it just the lessons that are posted under the Ideas & Exchange? I will take any help I can find that makes my job and my teachers jobs easier.

Terri B. - onetypist2000@yahoo.com
First United Church of Christ, Belleville, Wis.