Pre-school Topics, Block 1, Week 10: I am different than gorillas

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The Human Body

Week 10
I am different than gorillas

The Human Body: We begin discovering the preciousness of our humanity by enjoying that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. In this block we explore how we were made in contrast to the grass, plants and trees. God has created us in ways that are unique to other living things.

Point to emphasize
Gorillas move using 4 limbs and make noise with their mouth, but we move standing up and can pick up little things with our thumb and our fingers! (Discover differences in physical appearance, anatomy, locomotion, and functions of physical features)

References
Genesis 1:28; 13:17

Sample content and conversation with children
How many of you have gone to a zoo? Which animals did you see? [Let the children answer.] You know, when I go to the zoo, I enjoy watching Apes like chimpanzees, orangutans and gorillas. They are very smart animals and fun to watch. [Show the children a picture of a gorilla.] Look at these pictures. Does it looks like you? [No]

How are we different than gorillas? [Let the children give some answers and emphasize the following points.]

  • Fur vs. skin – What does the gorilla have all around his body? Right! Gorillas have fur all around the body. I’m so glad that God made me without fur. I can play outside in the sun or going to the beach without me getting to hot. Because you do not have fur everywhere in our body you can live and go places that are hotter or where there is not that much shade and enjoy more of God’s creation.
  • Moving on four legs vs. two legs and standing – [Show a picture of a gorilla on his feet and knuckles. You can also show a short video of a gorilla walking on all fours] How is this gorilla walking? It is on its four legs. Notice how its hands are resting on the knuckles. It looks like the gorilla is very comfortable in this position. Let’s try and see. [Have the children attempt to put his feet and knuckles on the floor.] No one can do that. Gorillas’ arms are longer than their legs. But our legs are longer than our arms. God created the gorilla in a way that it can walk and even run on its knuckles. Gorillas can stand on two feet but not for very long. God created you in a special way so that you can stand all the time.
  • Black eyes vs. white eyes – Look at the eyes of the Gorilla. Do we have eyes like that? The Gorilla’s eyes are all dark while we have white around our eyes. I feel much comfortable looking at another person’s eyes, than looking at a gorilla’s eyes.
  • Hands vs. pincer. [Pictures of gorilla hand and human hand] While our hands look similar they are actually different. Gorillas cannot grasp like we do. (Picking up cheerios or crayons) Human fingers are straight, gorillas are bent. Their thumb is not used like ours at all. Our thumb can come around and meet our fingers to pick up small things. [Show picture of a gorilla grabbing bananas and a human peeling a banana] While our hands look similar, they are actually different. For example, when a gorilla opens a banana it uses its whole hand to grab it and peel it with the help of its teeth. Well we do not have to do that as with our index and thumb we are able to peel the banana. They way that God created your thumb and fingers allows you to do very fine things like pick up small things, coloring and writing, turning the pages of a book, peeling a fruit and much more. I am so happy that God created me with such a wonderful hand!

Suggested activities/games

  • Trace your hand – Help the children trace their hand in a piece of paper. You can label each finger with its name.
  • Thread and String – The children can thread a variety of small objects onto a longer object. Give the children pieces of pipe cleaners, yarn, dry spaghetti, feather, or thread and some items with holes (cheerios, fruit loops, beads, macaroni). Help them to work out their fingers, hand and forearm muscles as they work in this activity. For toddlers, it is best to give them pipe cleaners first so that they won’t have a hard time and get too frustrated with this activity. You can even thread bigger items like cut card board toilet paper and work towards threading smaller things.
  • Play with construction/wooden blocks – As you play with them, converse with the children how they are using their fingers created by God to pick up blocks and build things.

Suggested songs
Never forget that is God who created you
I’m Gonna Stand Up, Sit Down
Oh yes I can stand on two legs comfortably (New Song)

New Song:

//Oh yes I can
I can stand on two legs comfortably. //
God specially
Created me
Oh yes I can stand on two legs comfortably!

//Oh yes I can
I can use my thumb to pick small things.//
God specially
Created me
Oh yes, I can use my thumb to pick small things!

(Tune: Hymns, 1293, O I’m a man)

Pictures and videos

Gorilla knuckle-walking – https://youtu.be/2Npc5QlS6Iw

For reference
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YZKueTwAhM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxbopaxDsf8

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