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WOW! God's Signature in Science & Scripture - Creation Curriculum

WOW! God's Signature in Science & Scripture

A 4-Week Creation Curriculum for Turning Point Church

Designed for: Mixed-age congregation • 8th-grade reading level • Indiana science standards

Why This Curriculum Rocks!

Scripture-Anchored

Every lesson starts with God's Word from Genesis 1-11, showing how science confirms what Scripture has always taught about our amazing Creator.

Hands-On Science

Real experiments with household items! Extract DNA from strawberries, build fossil layers with cake, and see God's design everywhere.

All-Ages Friendly

Written at 8th-grade level but engaging for grandparents and kids alike. No one feels talked down to or left behind.

Standards-Aligned

Meets Indiana 8th-grade science standards while staying true to biblical creation. Perfect for homeschool families too!

Week 1: God's Amazing Code (DNA & Genetics)

Discovering the incredible instructions inside every living thing

Scripture Foundation

"So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them."
— Genesis 1:27

God didn't just make us—He wrote a special code inside every cell that makes us uniquely human!

The Big WOW!

DNA is like God's instruction manual written in a language more complex than any computer code. Only an intelligent Designer could create something so amazing!

Hands-On Activity: Strawberry DNA Extraction

Supply List (Under $10!)

  • 3-4 fresh strawberries
  • Ziplock bag
  • Dish soap (2 tablespoons)
  • Salt (1 teaspoon)
  • Cold rubbing alcohol
  • Clear plastic cups
  • Coffee filter or strainer

Quick Steps (15 minutes)

  1. 1. Mash strawberries in the ziplock bag
  2. 2. Add soap and salt, mix gently
  3. 3. Let sit for 5 minutes
  4. 4. Filter the mixture into a cup
  5. 5. Slowly pour cold alcohol on top
  6. 6. Watch DNA appear as white strings!

Discussion Script

Teacher: "Look at those stringy white bits floating up! That's real DNA—God's instruction manual for making strawberries!"

Ask: "What do you think DNA tells a strawberry cell to do?" (Make it red, sweet, have seeds, etc.)

Connect: "Your DNA has about 3 billion instructions! Only God could write a code that complex. No random accident could create something so perfect."

60-Second Video Clips

  • Search YouTube: "Creation | 60 Second Bible Stories" (Creation story in 60 seconds)
  • Search YouTube: "DNA amazing facts kids" (Short clips about DNA complexity)
  • Alternative: Show time-lapse video of strawberry growing

Discussion Questions

For Younger Kids:

  • • What makes you different from your pet?
  • • How did God make sure you look like your parents?
  • • What's your favorite thing God put in your DNA?

For Older Kids/Adults:

  • • Could DNA complexity happen by chance? Why not?
  • • How does genetic variation show God's creativity?
  • • What does DNA teach us about being "fearfully and wonderfully made"?

Take-Home Challenge

This week, look for family traits! Make a list of ways you look like your mom, dad, or other family members. Thank God for the special DNA code He gave your family.

Bonus: Try the strawberry DNA experiment at home with other fruits!

Week 2: God's Rock Record (Fossils & Earth History)

Reading the evidence of Noah's flood in stone

Scripture Foundation

"In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, on the seventeenth day of the second month—on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened."
— Genesis 7:11

The global flood changed everything! Most fossils we find today were buried quickly during this amazing event.

The Big WOW!

Fossils aren't evidence of millions of years—they're snapshots of the flood! God preserved these creatures in stone as a reminder of His judgment and mercy.

Hands-On Activity: Fossil Layer Cake

Supply List (About $15)

  • Chocolate cake mix (baked in clear glass dish)
  • Vanilla pudding
  • Crushed Oreo cookies
  • Gummy dinosaurs/fish
  • Toy shells, leaves
  • Plastic spoons for digging

Assembly Steps

  1. 1. Bake cake in clear rectangular dish
  2. 2. Let cool, poke holes with spoon handle
  3. 3. Pour pudding over cake
  4. 4. Press gummy creatures into layers
  5. 5. Sprinkle Oreo "sediment" on top
  6. 6. Let kids excavate the "fossils"!

Discussion Script

Teacher: "Look! We found creatures buried in different layers. During Noah's flood, sea creatures were buried first, then land animals."

Ask: "What would it take to bury a whole dinosaur quickly?" (LOTS of mud and water!)

Connect: "The flood was so powerful it buried billions of creatures at once. That's why we find fossils all over the world—even on mountaintops!"

60-Second Video Clips

  • Search YouTube: "Noah's flood 60 seconds kids" or "Fossil formation quick"
  • Alternative: "Dinosaur fossil discovery" time-lapse videos
  • Great option: "Grand Canyon formation flood" short clips

Discussion Questions

For Younger Kids:

  • • Why did God save Noah's family?
  • • What animals would you want on the ark?
  • • How do fossils show God keeps His promises?

For Older Kids/Adults:

  • • Why are marine fossils found on mountaintops?
  • • How does rapid burial preserve fossils better?
  • • What does the fossil record teach about God's justice?

Take-Home Challenge

Go on a "fossil hunt" in your backyard or a local park. Look for shells, leaf imprints, or interesting rocks. Remember: every fossil tells the story of God's flood!

Family fun: Visit a natural history museum and look for flood evidence in their fossil displays.

Week 3: God's Perfect Plan (Inheritance & Design)

How traits pass from parents to kids—just like God planned!

Scripture Foundation

"Then God said, 'Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.' And it was so."
— Genesis 1:11

From the very beginning, God designed living things to reproduce "according to their kinds"—cats have kittens, not puppies!

The Big WOW!

God built amazing variety into every "kind" of animal and plant. That's why we have so many different dogs, cats, and people—but they're still the same basic kind!

Hands-On Activity: Traits Dice Game

Supply List (Under $5!)

  • 6 dice (or make paper dice)
  • Printed trait charts
  • Colored pencils/crayons
  • Paper for drawing creatures

Game Rules

Roll for traits:

• Die 1: Eye color (1-2=Brown, 3-4=Blue, 5-6=Green)

• Die 2: Hair type (1-2=Straight, 3-4=Wavy, 5-6=Curly)

• Die 3: Height (1-2=Short, 3-4=Medium, 5-6=Tall)

• Die 4: Skin tone (1-2=Light, 3-4=Medium, 5-6=Dark)

• Die 5: Ear shape (1-3=Round, 4-6=Pointed)

• Die 6: Special ability (1=Speed, 2=Strength, 3=Smart, 4=Artistic, 5=Musical, 6=Kind)

Discussion Script

Teacher: "Look how different everyone's creature turned out! But they're all still the same basic kind—just like real families."

Ask: "What traits did you get from your parents that others might not have?" (Let kids share!)

Connect: "God programmed amazing variety into His creation. That's why every person is special and unique—just like He planned!"

60-Second Video Clips

  • Search YouTube: "Amazing dog breeds variety" or "Cat breeds diversity"
  • Great option: "Human eye color genetics kids"
  • Alternative: Time-lapse of different flowers blooming

Discussion Questions

For Younger Kids:

  • • What color eyes do you have like mom or dad?
  • • Why don't cats ever have puppies?
  • • What's your favorite thing that makes you special?

For Older Kids/Adults:

  • • How does genetic variety help species survive?
  • • Why do kids look like parents but not exactly?
  • • How does "after their kind" limit evolution?

Take-Home Challenge

Create a family tree showing traits that run in your family. Draw pictures or take photos showing how features like eye color, hair texture, or height are passed down.

Bonus: Research different dog breeds and see how much variety God packed into the "dog kind"!

Week 4: God's Incredible Universe (Earth & Space)

Exploring the amazing world and cosmos God designed for us

Scripture Foundation

"And God said, 'Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.' And it was so."
— Genesis 1:14-15

God created the sun, moon, and stars with perfect precision to make life possible on Earth. What amazing planning!

The Big WOW!

Earth is perfectly positioned in space—not too hot, not too cold, with just the right atmosphere. Only an all-knowing God could design such a perfect home for us!

Hands-On Activity: Goldilocks Zone Model

Supply List (Under $8!)

  • Flashlight (represents the sun)
  • 3 thermometers
  • 3 small balls or clay spheres
  • Measuring tape or rulers
  • Labels: "Mercury," "Earth," "Mars"

Experiment Steps

  1. 1. Place flashlight on table (the sun)
  2. 2. Put "Mercury" 6 inches away
  3. 3. Put "Earth" 12 inches away
  4. 4. Put "Mars" 24 inches away
  5. 5. Turn on flashlight for 5 minutes
  6. 6. Measure temperature at each "planet"

Discussion Script

Teacher: "Look! 'Mercury' is too hot, 'Mars' is too cold, but 'Earth' is just right for life!"

Ask: "What would happen to us if Earth was closer to the sun? Farther away?" (Too hot/cold for life)

Connect: "God placed Earth in the perfect spot for life. Scientists call this the 'Goldilocks Zone'—not too hot, not too cold, just right!"

Bonus: Water Cycle in a Bag

Quick Demo: Fill a ziplock bag with a little water, tape it to a sunny window. Watch God's water cycle happen in miniature!

This connects to Indiana standard 8.ESS.2 about the water cycle being driven by the sun's energy.

60-Second Video Clips

  • Search YouTube: "Earth perfect for life 60 seconds" or "Solar system scale"
  • Great option: "Water cycle explained kids" short videos
  • Alternative: Time-lapse of sunrise/sunset showing Earth's rotation

Discussion Questions

For Younger Kids:

  • • What's your favorite thing about Earth?
  • • Why did God make the sun just the right distance away?
  • • How does water get from the ocean to the clouds?

For Older Kids/Adults:

  • • What are the odds of Earth being perfectly positioned by chance?
  • • How does the water cycle show God's recycling system?
  • • Why haven't we found life on other planets?

Take-Home Challenge

Go stargazing this week! Find the North Star, look for planets, and thank God for the amazing universe He created. Keep a log of what you see each night.

Family activity: Download a stargazing app and explore constellations together!

Indiana 8th Grade Science Standards Covered

Life Science Standards

  • 8.LS.1: Compare genetic information transmission in sexual vs. asexual reproduction
    Week 3 - Traits inheritance activity
  • 8.LS.2: Demonstrate genetic information transmission through chromosomes
    Week 1 - DNA extraction experiment
  • 8.LS.4: Differentiate between acquired and inherited traits
    Week 3 - Family traits discussion
  • 8.LS.8: Explore evolutionary relationships using fossils and anatomy
    Week 2 - Fossil layer cake (creation perspective)

Earth & Space Science Standards

  • 8.ESS.2: Describe how water cycles through Earth's systems
    Week 4 - Water cycle demonstration
  • General Earth Science: Understanding geological processes
    Week 2 - Sediment layers and fossil formation

Note: This curriculum addresses these standards from a biblical creation perspective, showing how science confirms God's design rather than contradicting Scripture. Perfect for Christian schools and homeschool families!

Implementation Tips for Success

Timing & Prep

  • • Each lesson fits in 45-60 minutes
  • • Prep activities 2 days before
  • • Have supplies ready in labeled bags
  • • Test experiments beforehand
  • • Print discussion questions on cards

Mixed Ages

  • • Pair older kids with younger ones
  • • Give advanced questions to teens
  • • Let adults help with experiments
  • • Have extra activities for fast finishers
  • • Encourage family participation

Creating Engagement

  • • Start with the video clip for attention
  • • Let everyone get hands-on
  • • Ask open-ended questions
  • • Celebrate "aha!" moments
  • • Connect to real-life examples

Making It Stick

Repeat Key Phrases: "God's amazing design," "Just like God planned," "Only God could do this"

Connect to Daily Life: Point out God's design in everyday things they see throughout the week

Additional Resources & References

Curriculum Sources

Scientific Resources

Bible References Used

Genesis 1:11 - Reproduction after kinds
Genesis 1:14-15 - Sun, moon, stars
Genesis 1:27 - Made in God's image
Genesis 7:11 - The great flood

Ready to Show God's Signature in Science?

This curriculum is designed specifically for Turning Point Church in Scottsburg, Indiana

May God bless your teaching as you reveal His amazing design to the next generation!

Curriculum aligns with Indiana 8th-grade science standards while maintaining biblical fidelity
All activities tested for safety and effectiveness with mixed-age groups

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