Rotation.org's Newsletter
April 2016
www.rotation.org
Recent Lesson and Resource Posts
- Member Diane Turpin updated the "How to Make a Story Bag" discussion in the Ruth Drama Workshop thread.
- Member Jaymie Derden added a Zaccheus Art lesson using a "Crayon Resist" technique.
- Member Sharon Smith added a photo of a craft that visually describes the Trinity.
- Member Jaymie Derden added her changes to her Peter & Cornelius lesson set.
- Member JoHannah Stroud wrote a review of the new Superbook Bible Video series.
- Various members are discusses "when" their church schedule classes on Sunday morning. Join in.
- Various members are discussed storybook versions of Jesus Feeds the 5000 -in the Help Lounge.
- Member Neil MacQueen is asking "which Esther storybook do you recommend?" -in the Help Lounge.
- Member Pamela Bryson is looking for lesson ideas for John 10: "My sheep listen to my voice...."
- Member Luanne Payne "loved" the children's book "I Am: 40 Reasons to Trust God."
- Member Chris Epstein posted a Pentecost idea for making "canister rockets" with alka-seltzer from the book he recommends called, "Beakers, Bubbles & the Bible: Bible Lessons from the Science Lab."
New Resource: How to Download a Video from Youtube or Vimeo
New from the Writing Team!
Paul and the Bright Light
7 Workshops to choose from, including:
A Popcorn (Conversion) Science Workshop, the Amazing Grace Music Workshop, a "Slo-Motion" Drama, a food map of the story, and a footsteps mural.
Read the Lesson Summaries
Did you see the Team's all new
Pentecost: Wind, Fire, Faith! lesson set?
Writing Team Set Update Schedule:
♥ Purim: The Story of Esther (due late April)
♥ Exodus! (due mid-late June)
Our special "Writing Team" Lesson Sets were created over the past 12 years by volunteers for our Supporting Members. Starting last year, we began re-writing them --making them more creative, and adding new workshops.
The Writing Team's special sets are in addition to the hundreds of other great lessons and ideas posted in the Rotation.org Lesson Forum.
What's happening to the "old" Writing Team Lessons?
As we move through the Team's 34 lesson sets, some original content is being preserved or updated in the new lessons, some content is being re-posted to the public forums, and some are simply being retired. Rotation.org is a constantly evolving and improving resource!
Have great Sunday School photos to share? Post them here.
"Open Source" vs "Closed Source"
"Open Source" typically describes software code that is created by a community of dedicated volunteer coders --who then share their code with others. If you use the Firefox web browser, it was created by an open source community.
Rotation.org is "open source."
The opposite approach is called "proprietary" or "closed" source. For example, denominational curriculum is "closed source." Whether in print form or electronic, they don't want to give you the "source code" to make it easy for you modify their work. Why? Because they are trapped in a "publish or perish" mindset, and "product cycle" thinking.
Rotation.org's "open source" model embodies what teachers and churches preach:
...We are better when we share with and inspire each other.
You can print lessons from Rotation.org, and we have invested a lot of time over the past two years to improve their layout for a better printed appearance. BUT....we've always believed that great teachers often just want to COPY the text from our site, paste it into a document, and make it their own. Rotation.org was created by and for those who appreciate having an open source that allows them to "make it their own."
Next year we will celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Rotation.org. It has "taken a village" to create what you see today. If you have not already done so, please consider becoming a supporting villager!