Camp Creation Day 5 – Birds and Sea Creatures
Note: Click here for the Day by Day List of Materials (PDF)
1. Theme of the Week: Creation Song (Song and Motion)
2. Welcome, Prayer, Song and Smile
David Fremo, Director/Superintendent, Catholic Education Ministries
Smiles: Speaking of Birds and Sea Creatures…
3. Bible Story: Day 5 of Creation
Then God said: Let the water teem with an abundance of living creatures, and on the earth let birds fly beneath the dome of the sky. God created the great sea monsters and all kinds of crawling living creatures with which the water teems, and all kinds of winged birds. God saw that it was good, and God blessed them, saying: Be fertile, multiply, and fill the water of the seas; and let the birds multiply on the earth. Evening came, and morning followed—the fifth day.
4. Activities
Activity 1
Let’s go fishing! Create a fishing pole, ‘bait’ and go fishing for the following sea creatures. Download the template here!
Activity 2
Paint, color and create a paper plate depicting a bird and sea creature (fish) (see Illustration 1) from https://ithappensinablink.com/creation-day-5-birds-and-fish/
Activity 3
Experiment: How do Fish Breathe?
Materials needed:
- a clear plastic cup
- coffee filter
- rubber band
- water
- coffee or sand
Put the water and coffee (or sand) in the plastic cup. Tell the children that the coffee (sand) is like the oxygen in the water, and the open cup is like the fish’s mouth. Water and oxygen goes into the fish’s mouth when they “breathe.” Then cover the cup with the coffee filter and secure it with the rubber band. Tip the cup over a sink and watch the water drip out while the coffee (sand) stays in. What it means: the filter is like the fish’s gills, the oxygen (coffee or sand) stays in the fish, while the water goes back out. Here is a video explaining how fish breathe:
Activity 4
Make a Bird Feeder! You will need:
- A toilet paper or paper towel cardboard tube
- Peanut butter and knife or spoon
- Birdseed
- Plate
- String or yarn (optional)
Directions:
- Spread out your bird seed on a plate.
- Spread peanut butter on the outside of a toilet paper roll using a knife or spoon.
- Roll the toilet paper roll in the bird seed. The seeds will stick to the peanut butter!
- Option 1: Slip the toilet paper roll directly onto a tree branch.
- Option 2: loop the string through the toilet paper roll and hang it on a tree.
Watch your bird feeder and try to identify the birds that come to feed. Take pictures!
5. The Wonder of God’s Creation
6. Lesson and Reflection
-
What special gifts did God give fish that allow them to live in the water?
-
What special gifts did God give birds that allow them to be able to fly?
-
Why are birds and fish important?
-
What special gifts did God give you? Why are you important?
-
How will you use your gifts to give glory to God? How will you use your gifts to help others?
7. Psalm Response
Let us Pray:
Leader: Tender God, we thank you for all of your Creation!
Let us pray together (based on Psalm 148).
Praise the LORD from the earth,
you sea monsters and all the deeps of the sea;
and birds that fly.
As we remember Jesus’ words calling us to be lights of the world, let us pray for those who need help and prayers:
(Invite all to express what they would like to pray for, and think of how you can be a light in their world)
Response to each petition (Psalms 119:105): Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path.
Leader: We pray this as we pray all things, in the name of Jesus Christ, the one through which you made your love known to us in human form. Amen.
8. Dessert with Fr. Doug
Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive from thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen
Gold Fish crackers, celery and cream cheese
(Image credits: Kelli Foster)
9. Outdoor Activity
Activity 1
Backyard Bird Watching
This activity is easy and fun to do. Just go outside and watch for birds in your yard any time of day or evening. This link from the Audobon Society (https://www.audubon.org/news/get-know-these-15-common-birds) will give you 15 of the most common birds. They have a photo to help you identify and you can click on the sound to hear the bird’s song. They also have a brief description of each bird and their behavior
For added fun make a pair of binoculars beforehand to make you look like a professional bird watcher!! All you need ar 2 toilet paper rolls; duct tape or heavy tape; yarn; scissors. See photo for how to create.
Activity 2
Take a walk outside and imagine that you are a bird that needs to make a nest. What do you think you will need? See what natural materials you can find, such as leaves, twigs, and maybe even human-made materials like string, paper, etc. Once you have your nest-making materials, collect some dirt. Stir in enough water to make it sticky. Mix in the materials you collected and mold it into a nest! Place your nest in a tree. Do you think birds will live in it? Why or why not?
Activity 3
Field Trip!
Where can you see fish? Take a trip to the nearest lake, river or stream and identify as many fish as you can.
If possible, go wading or swimming with your parents and pay attention to how the water feels. How do you think fish feel out of water? Have you ever felt “out of water” by being someplace that made you want to be back home? Say a quick prayer telling God why you are grateful for your family and home.
10. Share with others a Photo or Text mentioning what you learned today
This page contains a Padlet. Share what you learned about Dark and Light/Night and Day by clicking anywhere to upload a photo, or take a picture of something your made today, or simply post a text about how you will be a Light to the World today. Perhaps you want to share a prayer.
Click here to go to the VBS Day 5 Sharing Padlet
11. Closing Prayer
Let us conclude our time by giving thanks to the God who created us by praying together with the words Jesus gave us:
Our Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy Will be done,
on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.
While Day 6 – Animals and Humans is not a formal part of our Vacation Bible School, we offer a page with the Bible story and prayer so that your family can go about your usual Saturday routine, but maybe looking at everyone and every animal with a renewed appreciation for God’s wonderful gifts to us.