Pre-school Topics, Block 3, Week 28: We wonder why it gets dark

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We Wonder

Week 28
We wonder why it gets dark

[Note: The emphasis in this story is not on the bats or even on why we have day and night. Our goal is not to give the answers to the “Why” but to show that the bats don’t wonder why.  To wonder why is part of the preciousness of humanity. We notice the absence of light. Contrast with bats who live in the night.]

Point to emphasize
We wonder about why we have night and day.

References
Genesis 1:13—And there was evening and there was morning

Sample content and conversation with children

  • Today we are going to talk about how we wonder about night and day.
  • Start by saying “In the Bible it says: (with lights off) ‘And there was evening, (turn the lights on) and there was morning’ Wow, it`s very bright during the day, and very dark at night! I wonder WHY we have day and night! Do you all ever wonder why it gets dark at night? [The question is rhetorical—there is no need to have the children answer the question because the emphasis is not to explain why it gets dark. You can show the picture of the contrast between day and night.] What are some things we do in the day? [Go to school, get dressed, eat meals, play with friends, etc.] Then, what do we do at night? [Take a bath, get in our jammies, sleep, etc.]
  • Also, we may wonder where the sun goes when it gets dark. We notice the sun up in the sky and we notice it’s movement and when it goes down. [Show video] Sometimes people wake up early to watch the sun rise or set. Bats and other animals don’t think about where the sun goes and they don’t enjoy or appreciate sunrises and sunsets.  But we do and we’re so thankful that God made us to wonder and appreciate the sun going up and down!
  • We are awake during the day and sleep during the night. But, did you know that bats sleep during the day and are active at night? [You can show a picture of a bat sleeping during the day and flying during the night.] They do not wonder why it gets dark like we, people, do.  We notice when it gets dark.  We may be playing outside or going for a walk and we notice when the sun goes down.  When we see that, we know it is time to go back inside and/or eat dinner or go to sleep.  Do you think bats wonder why it gets dark or think about those kind of things? NO, they don’t!
  • I’m so glad that I’m not a bat! God made me so that I can go outside day or night.

Suggested activities/games
You can share about a time you went to see a sunset or sunrise and then recommend that the children go watch a sunset or sunrise and talk with them about how wonderful it is that we notice the sun moving and can enjoy/appreciate/wonder about the colors that it creates in the sky, etc.

Activities via Zoom

You can play a game with the children:

  • What’s in the bag? – Put an item in a big and give some clues and have the children guess what’s inside
  • What’s missing? – You can line up some toys and have the children look at it briefly and then turn off the camera and remove one

Suggested songs
God’s Design (just the chorus)
How about the mountains?
God made me

Pictures/Videos:

Video: Time-lapse of a sunset (https://www.youtube.com/embed/q1vN28g7OhI?rel=0)

Picture #1: Day and Night
Picture #2: Bat sleeping during the day
Picture #3: Bat flying during the night

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