Are you interested in teaching unit studies? Would you like to save time and teach multiple subjects at the same time? Maybe even teach multiple ages at the same time? Is your child always on the move and can’t sit still? Well, this post is for you!

This creation unit study combines fitness, science, vocabulary, spelling and writing in an enjoyable way that gets the kids moving and learning at the same time. As they learn they are given a task to complete before they get to move on to the next thing.

About two years ago a friend of mine asked me to write a unit study combining these two topics:

• The seven days of creation
• Being healthy and active

You see, they were planning a trip to visit the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky and so she wanted them to be ready for their vacation. However, one of her goals for her family was to make healthier choices and she was looking for a resource to combine the two.

At first, I was a little intimidated but as I thought about it, ideas began to come to me and I was able to put together a unit study called Racing Through Creation. This post today is all about the first day of creation when God created the heavens and the earth.

Foundational Principles

Every unit study I write I always outline the foundational principles. These are the focus points that I want the students to walk away with. These are the principles of this study:

• God is sovereign.
• God made all of us unique and equal.

God is Sovereign

Do you know what the word sovereignty means? It means that there is a supreme power and authority. It means that God is the creator of us all of us and He knows what is best for us. We can truly trust Him and His plan for our life. He knows what He is doing.

God Made All of Us Unique and Equal

One of the things I want my children to know and understand is that God made us all unique but equal. He makes us all different because if we were all the same, well, life would definitely be borning. I want my kids to embrace who they are with confidence so they can grow up to do what God has planned for their lives.

Check this post out for another great way to teach your child how to embrace being different!

How I Taught the 8 Great Smarts to My Kids

In this creation unit study, these are the following activities that go along with our fitness theme:

Warm-Up

During the warm-up task, they will memorize and practice their memory verse. Then they will play a game to make sure the verse sticks into their brains.

Big Picture Book of Planet Earth

This book will take young readers on a spectacular journey around the world, from the highest mountain peaks to the very bottom of the ocean. Full of fascinating facts, this book uses jaw-dropping landscapes and richly illustrated maps to explain the wonderful secrets behind Planet Earth. Full of rich vocabulary, quicklinks also will add virtual tours, reconstructions, games and other homework help.

Starting Point

The Starting Point task is the vocabulary portion of this study. They will have one word they will look up in the dictionary and write the word and its definition on index cards. Then there is a game they will play which will demonstrate the meaning of their vocabulary word. Basically, they will act it out.

Planet Earth

Workout

The Workout task is designed for them to use what they have learned in a hands-on activity. They will have the opportunity to experience something we are talking about.

Interval Training

The Interval Training task is the spelling part of the study. They will learn to spell the vocabulary word and then play a game with it too.

Keeping Us Healthy

Aid Station

The Aid Station was my kiddo’s favorite part because it is all about food! Well, maybe not all about food because we also talk about what it means to live a healthy life.

Writing

This is the writing assignment portion of the study. I love to have them write about what they are learning because they are experiencing it firsthand. I find that the students have a much easier time writing when they are getting to experience what we are talking about.

Secrets of Our Earth – Shine-a-Light

In Secrets of Our Earth, we’ll journey to the polar lands, dive beneath the ocean waves and explore rain forests and deserts to see the wonders of our beautiful planet.
 
Shine a flashlight behind the page or hold it up to the light to reveal what is hidden in and around each landscape, and discover a world of amazing surprises.

Finish Line

The finish line is all about reviewing what we have learned so far in this study. Of course, we need to add some movement to it so they get to play a game while they take their “test.” It’s so much fun that they don’t even realize they are being quizzed.

Planet Earth Crosswords

Marathon

The Marathon task is the field trip portion of this study. This is a chance for them to go out and explore what we have learned! These experiences add so much fun and excitement to the child’s learning.

Supplies Needed:

So let’s jump into the unit study! It is available as a FREE PDF download for you to print and share with your family!

Racing Through Creation: What God Created on Day One

Read Genesis 1:1-5

In Genesis 1:1 notice the word beginning. What does the word beginning mean? It means the point and time when something starts. Look at the verse closer, what is it this verse saying? It all started with God’s creation.

“Warm-Up” Task Card: Toss It To Your Neighbor

Memorize Genesis 1:1- “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (NIV)

Supplies needed: Task Card for every person/team, Bible, and a ball

Game Directions: Pick a partner and toss a ball back and forth while each of you says one word of the memory verse. To make it more challenging, time yourselves and try to beat your previous time.

“Starting Point” Task Card: Start at the Beginning

Look up the vocabulary word beginning in the dictionary. Get two index cards and write the word beginning on one card and then write the definition on the other card. Place them in an envelope to use another day.

Supplies needed: Task Card for every person/team and yarn or rope

Game Directions: To begin means to start something. You are going to create your own racetrack to run. Take some yarn or rope and mark a starting or beginning line and a finish line. Run as fast as you can from the beginning to the end. Time yourself and do the race again and see if you can beat your previous time.

“Workout” Task Card: The Layers of the Earth

Watch this video:

Supplies needed: Task Card for every person/team, red, orange, yellow, brown, blue, and green playdough

Activity Directions: How would you like to make a model of the layers of the earth out of playdough? Start with a small ball of red playdough as the Inner core. Wrap the orange playdough around the red playdough ball for the Outer Core. Wrap your playdough ball with yellow playdough as the mantle. Cover that with a thin layer of brown playdough as the crust of the earth. Cover it all with the blue playdough as the oceans and add some green playdough for land. Once you are done, cut it open and explain to someone what each layer is.

“Interval Training” Task Card: Obstacle Spelling

Your spelling word for today is beginning. Practice it now.

Supplies needed: Task Card for every person/team, obstacle course (designed by the child or team)

Game Directions: Set up an obstacle course. It can be as simple or as challenging as you want it to be. Start at the beginning and think about how to spell the word we learned today. Spell it out loud for your leader and then run through the obstacle course. Repeat as many times as you want!

“Aid Station” Task Card: It’s Never Too Late To Begin

Do you struggle with making healthy choices? Guess what? We all do! However, it’s never too late to begin making the next right choice. So the next time you go to grab for a cookie, stop and think about it. Is there a healthier option available?

Watch this video:

Supplies needed: Task Card for every person/team, rice cakes, flavored cream cheese, blueberries (halved), grapes (halved), and utensils for spreading

Activity Directions: Today, you are going to make the “earth” using green grapes, blueberries, cream cheese, and rice cakes. First, spread cream cheese on the rice cake. Arrange the blueberries to look like the ocean and the green grapes to look like the land.

Sovereignty of God

The word sovereignty means supreme power or authority. God is the ruler over everything and is in complete control. He always has our best interests at heart, and we can trust what He has planned for our life.

Watch this video:

Writing

Write a short paragraph about one thing God can do that you cannot.

“Finish Line” Task Card: Go Back to the Beginning!

Remember our starting or beginning line that you created in the “Starting Point” Task Card? Go back to the starting line and your leader will meet you there for your review game instructions.

Supplies needed: Task Card for every person/team and the track that the students created from the “Starting Point” Task Card.

Review Game Directions: Have the students answer the following questions. When they answer correctly, they will get to do the action listed in the parenthesis from the beginning line to the finish line.

1. Name one layer of the earth. (Hop like a bunny to the finish line) Answer: Crust, Mantle, Outer Core, or Inner Core
2. Name one thing that God created on the first day. (Hop like a frog) Answer: The heavens or the earth
3. Say the memory verse. (Twirl to the finish line) Answer: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
4. What does the word beginning mean? (Skip to the finish line) Answer: Beginning means the point and time when something starts.
5. Name one thing that God can do that you can’t. (Run backward to the finish line) Answer: Various

“Marathon” Task Card: Exploring What We Have Learned

Now is your chance to explore what you have learned. God made the heavens and the earth on the first day. Go enjoy the great outdoors and explore the earth He created.

Supplies needed: Task Card for every person/team and a park or outdoor space

Field Trip Directions: Take the kids to a park to explore God’s creation.

Suggested Read Aloud:

Download the Racing Through Creation Unit Study Part One: Heavens and Earth for FREE by signing up for our newsletter below.

Thank you for reading! This study was an amazing time with our family and my kids still talk about it. I am so excited to share it with you!