Dr.Seuss’ many stories with their rhyming words and funny pictures can be used for much more than simply teaching children how to read. Many of his works are based on themes which explain in a simple way the things that are truly important in life. His words give us pause to think about ourselves in different ways and are a wonderful way to illustrate biblical principals.
How do I see Dr. Seuss being used in the church? This unit could be the curriculum for a summer Sunday school class for a multi-age group of children. In many cases, churches do not follow the same curriculum used throughout the year in the summer and children’s classes are combined. With some additions of more detailed art activities, music, recreation, and snacks, the unit could be an alternative to the many annual curriculums sold each year for summer Vacation Bible School Programs. If used in this manner, activities for youth and adults could also be developed for each lesson so that all age groups could learn from Dr. Seuss.
This unit is a “work in progress” nd there are four lesson plans associated with this unit based on the following books: Yertle the Turtle, Bartholomew and the Oobleck, Horton Hears a Who and Daisy Head Mayzie. Each lesson will be posted separately so come back later to look at the others.
Dr. Seuss Goes to Church: Yertle The Turtle. On what foundation do we build our lives? Yertle can help us think about that.
Prepared by Marcia A. Rauch, MA in Christian Education (MACE), Entering cohort: 2006