preschool - Vacation Bible School

Transcription

L E A D E R ’ S
PRESCH
ISBN 978-0-7847-7773-2
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03 0096
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VacationBibleSchool.com
020902716
G U I D E
OOL
BIBLE
STORIES
LEADER’S GUIDE
Preschool
Using This Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Playtime Centers and Other Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Decorating Tide Pool Playland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A Day at Tide Pool Playland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Getting to Know Preschoolers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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7
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SESSION 1
SESSION 2
SESSION 3
SESSION 4
SESSION 5
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God KNOWS Me! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
God knows Noah’s heart.
Genesis 6–9
God HEARS Me!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
God hears Jonah pray.
Jonah 1–3
God STRENGTHENS Me!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Jesus strengthens Peter in the storm.
Matthew 14
God LOVES Me! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Jesus loves the disciples—and everyone!
John 21
God SENDS Me!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
God sends Paul to tell His story.
Acts 13 & 14
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Bible Stories Leader’s Guide: Preschool is published by Standard Publishing, Cincinnati, Ohio,
www.standardpub.com. Copyright © 2015 by Standard Publishing. All rights reserved. Printed in the United
States of America. Permission is granted to the original purchaser of this material to
reproduce this book for ministry purposes only—not for resale.
Deep Sea Discovery Team: Lindsay Black, Karen Cain, Laura Derico,
Standard Publishing Creative Services Team, Phil VanMilligan—theme design,
Kristina Fenimore—cover design, James Bernardin—illustrations, Amy Simpson—writer.
Using This Guide
This guide is designed to help you let preschoolers experience each Bible story in a
new and relevant way. Kids will be challenged to KNOW, EXPLORE, and SERVE as
they discover that God is with them wherever they go!
GET STARTED
Look through and get an idea of how things will work. At the start of each
session you’ll find the Life Focus—the main idea kids will take away, the Bible Story
reference, and the Bible Memory—use all of the passage or a shortened form. Bible
Story Overview helps prepare the leader’s heart and mind. Talking points throughout
are easily seen in bold type.
GET HELP
Team up with creative volunteers who love preschoolers. (See some characteristics
of preschoolers and of preschoolers with special needs on pp. 9, 10.) You’ll need
helpers to plan, prepare, and pull off the activities, as well as crew leaders to engage
kids during Bible time.
GET A PLAN
5 to 10 minutes: Play the Worship Music CD and greet children as they arrive.
Choose a song to serve as a cue to your preschoolers that Bible time is about to
begin. As kids arrive, talk about the focus of the session and invite them to explore at
the Tide Pool Centers. These centers help them become familiar with the Bible story
and theme through Art, Science, Touch, and Movement.
10 minutes: Next comes the interactive Bible Story Time. Kids will be involved in a
wide variety of roles to hold their attention and engage their imagination.
8 to 10 minutes: Bible Review and Bible Memory help the Bible story to stick.
Point to Jesus is a quick connection between each Bible story and the gospel message. It’s also a great transition to My Book Look, when kids will look in their student
books and do an activity from that session’s pages. End each time by helping the kids
Choose to Serve when they go home and inviting them to join in a Closing Prayer.
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DEEP SEA DISCOVERY
Tide Pool Centers
Tide Pool Centers give leaders the chance to interact with children in small groups,
where kids can get more attention and time to explore God’s love. They serve as an
introduction to the session’s theme and story concepts.
Each session includes opportunities for children to learn through four centers:
• Art
• Science
•T
ouch
• Movement
Before setting up your centers, consider these points:
• Space: Divide the space into distinct areas and label centers clearly. Use the
Color-Coded Center Signs provided (see Preschool CD) or make some. Use
a plastic tub to hold each center’s supplies so you can move them around as
needed. Kids may be on the floor, sitting at tables, or moving around.
• Abilities: Consider the abilities and interests of the kids you have and open only
the centers that will suit your group.
• Order: Set ground rules. Print out the Center Cards (on CD) for the
3-in-1 Lanyards to identify which children are going to which centers during a
session. Kids can turn in cards and get others to move to a different center. If all
the cards for a center are gone, a child must make another choice.
• Watch: Make sure kids move in and out of the centers smoothly when they finish
an activity. Have leaders/helpers keep an eye on the flow of kids and make sure
everyone gets a chance to do each kind of center, as time allows.
• Time: You can spend as little or as much time as you want on these centers,
depending on your needs. Short on time? Just let kids pick one center
activity. Time to fill? Let kids travel to each center before the Bible story. Then
after the Bible story, let them revisit their favorite ones.
Special Needs Tip: Once you have identified a child’s general
preferences and the way that he or she seeks stimulation, consider selecting
and holding out a particular center card. It is important to still use the card system
with kids, even if you are making selections for them, since in this way they will learn
classroom expectations.
Also take note of which center a child with special needs prefers. It may be good to
keep this center’s supplies on hand in the Breakaway Bay sensory site as a relaxing
one-on-one activity for later in the schedule.
BIBLE STORIES LEADER’S GUIDE
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Preschool Student Book
Bring it all together with a student book designed just for preschoolers! This fullcolor resource will grab kids’ attention and draw them into fun activities and Bible
reviews. A variety of learning activities will help the youngest deep sea divers KNOW,
EXPLORE, and SERVE together.
Here’s what you’ll find:
• fun, interactive Bible story reviews
• engaging application activities
• service suggestions
• games and mazes
• colorful stickers
This book will be a tremendous resource for you as you reach and teach kids for
God. The MY BOOK LOOK section of each session helps you help kids make
the most of this resource.
At the end of every session, kids will CHOOSE TO SERVE in
age-appropriate, specific ways based on the theme of the day. Write each
kid’s choice on a large address label. Each kid will peel off the label and
add it to his shirt as a reminder of what he plans to do back at home.
In your CLOSING PRAYER, pray with the kids about how they can
serve God and thank God for being with them wherever they go!
Encourage kids to put their
student pages for the session
in their 3-in-1 Lanyards, if
they have them, or just set
their pages aside with the
Family Newsletters to give
to their parents/guardians
at pick-up time.
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DEEP SEA DISCOVERY
Leader’s Cards & Cooper
The Activities & More Leader’s Cards for Tide Pool Playland are an important
part of the preschool program. They provide the directions, supply lists,
and application questions to go with these age-appropriate activities:
• puppet skits • crafts & science
• service projects • snacks & games
Be sure to make use of the puppet skits. Cooper is a friendly,
adventurous pup who loves to explore, and sometimes finds
himself in sticky situations. The puppet skits are super simple
to perform—no theatrical experience required—and are a great follow-up to the Bible
stories. Cooper’s adventures offer kids a fun and friendly way to relate to the Bible
story themes.
Special Needs Tip: Cooper can be a helpful tool for use with
older kids with special needs as well. Cooper puppets are available through Standard
Publishing.
More information about these cards can be found in the Preschool Director folder on
the Preschool CD, in the Age-Level Resources Disc Set. Complete PDFs of these
cards are in the same folder, in case you need to print out more.
Special Needs
Tips & Options
Tips and options for helping children with special needs get
the most out of their Deep Sea Discovery experience are provided throughout all of
the materials. Keep an eye out for the Special Needs Friendly symbol (shown above).
Even more ideas and information, however, are provided in both the Director’s Guide
and the Special Needs information on the CDs in the Age-Level Resources Disc
Set, which comes with your kit. Be sure to check out this information to help you
with everything from asking discussion questions to handling sensory overload. Plan
ahead of time and work with parents or caretakers, when possible, to think about how
everyone can be included in the best way.
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More Resources
PRESCHOOL CD
Don’t miss these valuable resources available in the Preschool Leader folder on the
Preschool CD found in the Age-Level Resources Disc Set. They are designed to
expand and enhance your daily sessions.
• Bible Memory activities
• coloring pages
• interactive Bible story activities
• service project suggestions
• patterns
• Bible puzzles
STICKERS
Use Daily Theme Stickers as rewards and reminders for kids to serve, and use Sea
Animal Stickers for special projects, artwork, and much more!
GIFTS AND AWARDS
Send home any of these fun and useful items to remind kids of what they learned!
• Water Bottle
• Bookmarks
• Iron-On Transfers
• Recognition
Certificates
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DEEP SEA DISCOVERY
Decorating Tide
Pool Playland
Here are some quick and easy ways to
transform any area into a Tide Pool Playland
filled with fun for your preschoolers.
• At the entrance, display the Tide Pool Playland
poster from the Site Names Poster Pack. Consider
hanging up the posters from the Daily Theme Poster
Pack and the Bible Story Poster Pack as well.
• Cut out the shells, starfish, and Herman the Hermit Crab character from the
Decorating Resource Pack or print art from the Decorating & Publicity CD.
Mount pieces on foam board, hang them on walls, or scatter them on the floor.
• Keep decorations down low. Print out big splashes from the CD and stick them
to the floor with double-sided tape. Or use blue cloth, paper, bath rugs, foam
mats, or inflatable pools to create tide pools to explore. Place stuffed or plastic
sea toys and seashells in the pools.
• For wall décor, use an ocean backdrop or create your own. Cut a curving line
on the edge of different shades of blue wrapping paper. Layer the curving paper
on a wall to create a wavy horizon. Or cut out cardboard wave shapes and paint
them blue. Layer these and stick to the wall with adhesive strips.
• Use brown pool noodles for driftwood. Cover the floor with sandy-colored fabric
or sheets.
• Include a sand play area. Place a blue tarp on the floor with a plastic baby pool
on top of it. Fill the pool with a shallow layer of sand and sand toys. Fill another
plastic pool with cut-up blue sponges or pool noodles to create a pretend water
play area.
• Print out Cooper from the CD to display on a wall or better yet, use a Cooper
puppet!
Be sure to check the Standard Publishing
VBS Facebook page and Pinterest boards
for tons more ideas!
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A Day at Tide Pool Playland
Spending time with preschoolers can be one of the most rewarding jobs you
will ever have. Follow these steps to make it a great experience:
• Pray, prepare, and plan.
• Read and think about the age-level characteristics found on pp. 9, 10.
• Have a backup plan ready for any emergency.
• Eliminate extra clutter, organize your supplies, and look for safety hazards.
• Remember, these materials are only a guide. Feel free to add your own ideas!
• Enjoy your time with the children! If you think something won’t work for your group
of kids, adjust it so it will!
A PLAN FOR TIDE POOL PLAYLAND
Bible Time
Cooper
Skits
Opening &
Closing
Service
Projects
Snacks &
Games
Crafts &
Science
TIPS FOR TEACHERS
• Add a Bible Memory site and use the files on the Preschool CD to help children
learn their verses.
• Add some guided free-play time because preschoolers need time to interact with
each other.
• Add a Diver’s Discovery Corner. Designate an area where kids who are having
difficulty paying attention can take a break and look at books on their own, color,
or do other quiet activities.
• Special Needs Tip: Use the Breakaway Bay sensory station as
needed to provide rest for kids who are challenged by large-group interaction.
Check out the Diving Buddy information of the Preschool Director’s Guide for
more ideas on how to include and involve all children.
• Don’t forget to build in time for restroom breaks!
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DEEP SEA DISCOVERY
Getting to Know
Preschoolers
Everyone is different, of course; but as you interact with kids who visit your site, keep
these things in mind:
Physically, preschool children
• can’t sit still.
• need a lot of physical play and space.
• are developing eye-hand coordination.
Intellectually, preschool children
• have unlimited questions,
especially “Why?”
• learn by experience and using
the five senses.
• think literally and do not understand abstracts.
Emotionally, preschool children
• are generally self-centered, but naturally loving.
• are determined and shouldn’t be discouraged.
• have rapidly changing emotions.
Socially, preschool children
• imitate others, so good examples are
important.
• are uninhibited and need protection.
• play side by side but not always in cooperation with others.
Spiritually, preschool children
• are learning what God did and who Jesus is.
• know the Bible is a special book about God and Jesus.
• understand that prayer is talking to God, and God listens to their prayers.
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Preschoolers with
Special Needs
Understanding preschoolers with special needs can be
complicated, but thinking through their challenges and
opportunities can be beneficial for everyone. Please be sure
to read a fuller explanation of this on the Preschool CD.
Physically, preschool children with special needs
• may appear hyperactive, as their bodies seek constant stimulation.
• may appear uninterested in their environment.
• probably have some degree of developmental delay that will affect their grossmotor movement, as well as fine-motor coordination.
Intellectually, preschool children with special needs
• may have the same questions as other children, yet be unable to verbalize them.
• may learn by utilizing one of the senses more than others—such as
mouthing toys and objects in the classroom.
• understand concrete stories that represent values and concepts.
Emotionally, preschool children with special needs
• may appear self-centered because of the energy required for them to
manage the classroom environment.
• are easily discouraged and will avoid situations that are difficult for them.
• may display frustration through tantrums, as well as avoidance.
Socially, preschool children with special needs
• need encouragement in order to identify with peers.
• may play alongside peers instead of with them, making cooperative games and
projects challenging.
• can be taught appropriate interaction through social stories that tell in concrete
terms what the expected behaviors are.
Spiritually, preschool children with special needs
• can learn who God is and how He made them in His image, regardless of their
disabilities.
• may identify with Jesus as a helper, a healer, Son of God, more than a friend.
• can know the Bible is a special book about God and Jesus.
• need to have more abstract concepts, such as prayer, modeled consistently in
concrete ways.
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DEEP SEA DISCOVERY
Session 1
LIFE FOCUS God
God’s
KNOWS
Love IsMe!
INCREDIBLE!
BIBLE STORY God
Godknows
hears Israel
Noah’sand
heart.
sends an
unlikely hero.
(Genesis
6–9)(Exodus 3:1–4:17)
BIBLE MEMORY Psalm
Psalm139:1
86:5
Bible Story Overview
The world God created had become full of wickedness
and sin. God’s heart was broken as He looked across
His masterpiece and saw only darkness—except for
one righteous man named Noah.
God told Noah to build an ark, and to fill it with two of
every kind of animal. For 40 days, the heavens poured
forth to cleanse the earth and bring a new beginning.
Months later, Noah, his family, and the animals walked
off the ark and onto a newly restored world.
A rainbow lit up the sky as a promise that God would never again destroy the earth
through a flood. Noah worshipped the God who saved him, the God who saw him,
the God who knew him. And God KNOWS us too! The good, the bad, the ugly, the
beautiful . . . He looks into our hearts and sees it all. Some of it pleases Him. Some of
it hurts Him. But He loves us just the same, walking with us wherever we go.
USE THESE ACTIVITIES TO HELP KIDS:
• KNOW God knows them and is with them.
• EXPLORE what it means that God sees everything they do.
• SERVE God by doing the right thing.
Today you’ll help kids consider the amazing fact that God really knows them and is
always with them. The story of Noah shows us that God knew His people—including
what was in their hearts—in ancient times. He’s the same God He was then, and He
knows us as well as He knew Noah and his family. Make sure kids understand that
God really sees them, knows them, loves them, and is with them. As you teach today,
let this truth sink into your own heart: God really knows you and is always with you.
Let that assurance fill you with joy as you seek to help children develop the same
understanding.
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Session 1 • God KNOWS Me!
Tide Pool Centers
ART
Materials: paper, markers, crayons, pencils
Distribute supplies. SAY: God knows you and me. Today we’re going to learn
about someone who was rescued because God knew him and knew what his
heart was like. Draw a picture of someone you know. Comment as kids draw,
pointing out that they couldn’t make these pictures if they didn’t know the people they
were drawing. Tell them that just as we know other people, God knows them.
SCIENCE
Materials: small toys such as dolls, action figures, toy cars, or plastic animals; an
item that can’t be seen through (such as a book); and a variety of items children can
look through to view an object: plastic wrap, a glass of water, a magnifying glass, etc.
Set out the materials. Show children how to look at the toys through a couple of the
items. Tell kids to pay attention to what they can see through the objects. SAY: What
happens when you look through different objects? Are you unable to see anything through any of these objects? God is the only one who can see clearly
through anything and everything. God sees everything we do.
TOUCH
Materials: tub or bucket of water, water toys, towels
Set out the materials and let kids play with the toys in the water. SAY: What’s it like
to get your hands all wet? Imagine there’s water everywhere and everything is
wet. That’s what happens in a flood. Today we’ll learn about a big flood.
MOVEMENT
Materials: a medium-to-large space (indoors or out)
Gather kids for a game of Follow the Leader. Choose one child to be the Leader, and
tell the others they are to follow the Leader and do whatever the Leader does. SAY:
In this game, you’ll follow the Leader, but in real life God is our leader. We can
follow Him and serve Him by doing the right thing. Keep switching leaders to
allow as many children as possible to be the leader.
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DEEP SEA DISCOVERY
Bible Story Time
Noah Survives The Flood
Materials: 2 same-size buckets (1 full of water), 1 paper cup for each child, towels or
plastic tarps
Special Needs Tip: Remember to give special consideration to children
who wear assistive hearing devices that cannot, even accidentally, get wet. Ask a
parent or caregiver if they think this activity is appropriate or if there is a way to
modify it for their child.
Set out the buckets about 5 feet apart. Lay towels or plastic tarps on the floor
between them.
Gather children in your Bible story area. Give each child a paper cup. SAY: Today
we’re going to hear about how God helped a man and his family. Our Bible
story is found in Genesis, the very first book in the Bible. As I tell this story, I
want you to listen for things God KNEW about Noah and his family. Point out
the two containers of water. Whenever you hear about something incredible God
KNEW about Noah and his family, go to the bucket of water and fill your cup.
Then carefully carry the water to the other bucket and pour it in.
SAY: A long time ago, many years after God made the world, He looked at the
world He had made and was disappointed. The people on earth had turned
away from God and made terrible choices. God would have to get rid of all the
creatures on earth.
SAY: But God KNEW that there was a good man named Noah, who still followed
God. (Kids should move cups of water from one bucket to the other.) He wanted to
make a new start with humans and animals on earth, and he KNEW Noah and his
family could help. (Kids should move cups of water from one bucket to the other.)
SAY: So God spoke to Noah and told him He was going to send a huge flood.
He told Noah to build a really big boat, called an ark, where he and his family
could be safe. But that wasn’t all! God told Noah He would send a bunch of
animals to the ark so they could be kept safe during the flood. God KNEW that
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Noah would believe what God said. (Move cups of water from one bucket to the other.)
SAY: God told Noah exactly how to build the boat and what to bring on board.
God KNEW that Noah would obey His instructions. (Move cups of water from one
bucket to the other.) And Noah did. He built the ark the way God told him to, and
he welcomed the animals when God sent them. God KNEW that Noah would
take good care of the animals. (Move cups of water from one bucket to the other.)
SAY: God told Noah when it was time to go into the ark. It rained for 40 days
and 40 nights, and the flood kept growing until it covered everything. It must
have been scary in that big boat with all the animals, but God KNEW that Noah
and his family would be safe. (Move cups of water from one bucket to the other.)
SAY: Once the rain stopped, it took a long time for all that water to go away. But
God didn’t forget about Noah’s family. God KNEW they were in the ark. (Move
cups of water from one bucket to the other.)
SAY: God also KNEW that Noah and his family and the animals would need a
place to live outside the ark. (Move cups of water from one bucket to the other.)
He sent a strong wind to blow and make the water go away. The ark landed
on a mountain. Noah and his family waited for the water to keep going down.
SAY: God KNEW Noah and his family would be safe outside the ark now. (Move
cups of water from one bucket to the other.) Noah and his family came out of the
ark, and the first thing they did was offer a sacrifice to God. God KNEW that
Noah and his family were worshipping Him with this sacrifice, and He was
pleased. (Move cups of water from one bucket to the other.)
SAY: God promised He would never destroy the earth and its people again. God
KNEW that Noah would need a reminder of God’s promise, so He put a rainbow in
the sky. (Move cups of water from one bucket to the other.) Whenever you see a rainbow, you can remember that God knows you, sees you, and takes care of you.
SAY: How much water did we move into the new bucket? Let kids look at the water levels. God knew so much about Noah and his family in this story. You want
to know something awesome? God knows you too! And He is with you, just as
He was with Noah and his family.
Special Needs Tip: For children with limited mobility, place a smaller
container of water and an empty container within easy reach.
14
DEEP SEA DISCOVERY
Review, Memory
& More
BIBLE REVIEW
Point to the bucket kids poured their water into. SAY: You did a great job moving
water from that bucket to this one. That reminds us that there were many things
God knew about Noah and his family Let’s see what we can remember as we move
the water back to the other bucket. What did God know about Noah and his family?
Help kids remember these points from the Bible story. For each one, allow them to
move a cupful of water back to the original bucket:
• God KNEW that there was a good man named Noah, who still followed God.
• God KNEW Noah and his family could help make a new start.
• God KNEW that Noah would believe what God said.
• God KNEW that Noah would obey His instructions.
• God KNEW that Noah would take good care of the animals.
• God KNEW that Noah and his family would be safe.
• God KNEW they were in the ark. He didn’t forget about them.
• God KNEW that Noah and his family and the animals would need a place to live.
• God KNEW Noah and his family would be safe outside the ark after the water
went away.
• God KNEW that Noah and his family were worshipping Him.
• God KNEW that Noah would need a reminder of God’s promise.
SAY: Just as God knew Noah and his family, He knows you and me! He sees
everything we do and knows what is in our hearts. We can serve God by doing
the right thing, just as Noah did.
BIBLE MEMORY
Read the Bible Memory from Psalm 139:1. SAY: God knows you. He has known
you since before you were born. I don’t know you as well as God does, but I’d
like to remind you about some of the things I know about you. And since God
knows you best, He knows all of these things too. Each time I say something
God knows about a person in this class, we’ll repeat our verse to remind us
that God knows us. Tell each child something positive that God knows (and you
know) about him or her. For example, you might say, “Nora, God knows that you are
kind to other people” or “Luke, God knows that you like to learn about Him.” After
each statement, have children repeat Psalm 139:1.
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Ask crew leaders to distribute this session’s Discovery Wristband. Then SAY:
Remember that God knows you! He knows everything about you, He loves you
more than you can imagine, and He is with you.
POINT TO JESUS
Tie today’s story into the gospel message. SAY: God knows us and sees everything we are and everything we do—including the bad choices we make. But
He loves us so much, He sent His only Son, Jesus, to take the punishment for
all of our sin. If we accept Jesus’ payment for us, God doesn’t see or remember
the bad things we’ve done. It’s like we’ve never done anything wrong! And
when God forgives us and makes us part of His family, He helps us to serve
Him by doing the right thing.
MY BOOK LOOK
Divide group into small groups or crews. Help kids:
• KNOW God knows them and is with them.
• EXPLORE what it means that God sees everything they do.
• SERVE God by doing the right thing.
Materials: student books and stickers, crayons, cotton, glue
Help kids complete the Preschool Student Book session 1 activities. When kids finish,
or if time runs out, they can put their student pages in the 3-in-1 Lanyard pouches to
keep until they go home, or leaders can keep the pages to give to parents at pick-up
(along with the Family Newsletter). Make sure the kids’ names are on their pages.
CHOOSE TO SERVE
Ask children to think of a way they can do the right thing today. If you wish, you can
hand out the Do the Right Thing sheet from the Preschool CD. Remind them that it
can be hard to do the right thing without help from God. Tape a small piece of paper
with the words “What does God want me to do?” on each child’s shirt as a reminder
to follow through. You can make your own pieces of paper or cut out the shapes on
the Praying Hands Reminders printable file on the Preschool CD.
CLOSING PRAYER
Close by praying: Dear God, thank You for knowing us and being with us. Thank
You for seeing everything we do and wanting us to be part of Your family, even
when we do bad things. Help us all to accept Your help and to serve You by
doing the right thing. Amen.
16
DEEP SEA DISCOVERY
Session 2
LIFE FOCUS God HEARS Me!
BIBLE STORY God hears Jonah pray.
(Jonah 1–3)
BIBLE MEMORY 1 John 5:14
Jonah was a prophet. His job was to speak to the
people on God’s behalf, delivering His messages.
One such message was for the people of Nineveh:
“Stop sinning!” But Jonah had no compassion for
Nineveh, and he wanted no part of this mission.
Instead of going to Nineveh, Jonah boarded a ship
headed in the opposite direction. He went below deck
and fell into a deep sleep. But God sent a great storm,
and the ship and its sailors were in grave danger. The
captain asked Jonah to call on God. Jonah knew this
calamity was his fault, and he instructed the crew to throw him overboard to certain
death in the sea. But God sent a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah stayed in its
belly for three days. There he prayed, thanking God and promising to obey Him. And
God heard Jonah.
God HEARS us too! Our praises, our tears, our cries too deep for words . . . they
fall on His ears and He treasures them. Whatever we’ve done, whatever we say,
wherever we go, God is with us.
• KNOW God hears them and is with them.
• EXPLORE how God answers their prayers.
• SERVE God by praying for others.
Today you’ll help kids consider the amazing fact that God always hears them and is
with them. Jonah’s story shows us that God hears us and is present with His people
even in the strangest of places—even in the belly of a fish. Make sure kids understand that God really does hear every prayer, answers their prayers, and is with
them. As you prepare to teach today, spend some time in prayer yourself. Ask God to
prepare you to teach your students what He wants them to understand about himself.
17
Session 2 • God HEARS Me!
Tide Pool Centers
ART
Materials: paper fish cutouts (make your own or use the Paper Fish printable file on
the Preschool CD); craft supplies like glitter, stickers, crayons, and bits of fabric
Set out supplies. SAY: Decorate your fish however you’d like. Today’s Bible story
includes a really big fish that God used for a special job.
SCIENCE
Materials: various objects that can be hit together to make a variety of sounds, such
as a metal spoon, a wooden stick or spoon, a metal pan, a plastic tub, a cardboard
box, a bell, and a milk jug
Set out supplies where all the kids can use them. SAY: Have fun hitting these
objects together to see what sound they make. Let kids try making different
sounds with the objects. SAY: You’re making many different sounds. It’s fun to
listen and hear these different sounds. God hears us and is with us.
TOUCH
Materials: a few things that feel clearly different (including at least 1 object that feels
similar to the way a fish might feel), such as slime, a wet bar of soap, a brush, a
paper plate, and an orange
Set out the supplies where kids can touch them. SAY: Feel these different objects.
Which of these do you think a fish would feel like? How about the insides of a
fish? Today we’re going to learn about someone who took a ride inside a fish.
MOVEMENT
Materials: blindfolds (1 for every 2 children)
Have children form pairs. In each pair, blindfold one person. SAY: In each pair, the
person who’s not wearing a blindfold will go somewhere in the room and say
your partner’s name over and over. The one who is blindfolded will need to follow
the sound of your name until you find your partner. When kids have found their
partners, SAY: You could hear your partner and find your partner, even when you
couldn’t see. God always hears us when we pray, no matter where we are.
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DEEP SEA DISCOVERY
Bible Story Time
Jonah Prays Inside The Fish
Materials: none
Special Needs Tip: Simple icons or visual aids may be useful in helping
children participate in the Bible Story Time and Review.
Gather the children in your Bible story area. SAY: Today we’re going to hear about
how God heard the prayers of a man named Jonah. Our Bible story is found in
a book of Bible named after this man. It’s called Jonah, and it’s all about what
happened to Jonah and about God’s forgiveness. In this story, Jonah traveled.
As he travels in our story, we’ll travel in this room.
Have children cluster together in one part of the room. SAY: One day God spoke to a
man named Jonah. He told Jonah to go to a place called Nineveh and deliver a message. God wanted Jonah to tell the people in Nineveh that God didn’t like the way
they were living. They were doing bad things and God was going to punish them.
SAY: Jonah didn’t want to do what God asked him to do. He got on a ship to
head for a different place, a place called Tarshish. (Kids should travel to a different part of the room and pretend to get on a ship.) He wanted to get away from God
and away from Nineveh so he wouldn’t have to do what God wanted him to do.
SAY: While Jonah was on the ship heading toward Tarshish, God sent a terrible
storm, and the sailors on the ship were afraid the ship was going to break.
Jonah was inside the boat, sleeping, during the storm. The captain of the ship
woke him and told him to get up and pray to God so they wouldn’t die. The
sailors knew God was causing the storm, and they asked Jonah where he was
from. When he told them he was a Hebrew man, running away from the one true
God, they were terrified. (Kids should move around a little and pretend to be on a
ship being thrown around in stormy seas.)
SAY: Jonah knew that God had caused the storm because of him, so he told
the sailors to throw him into the water so the storm would stop. The sailors
thought Jonah would die if they threw him overboard, so they tried to row the
19
ship back to land instead. But the storm was too strong, and it kept getting
stronger. So the sailors asked God to forgive them, and they threw Jonah off
the ship. (Kids should move to the side and pretend to be swimming in water.) When
Jonah fell into the water, the storm stopped and the water grew calm. The
sailors on the ship were amazed, and they worshipped the one true God.
SAY: God didn’t let Jonah die in the water. In fact, He sent a huge fish to
swallow Jonah, and Jonah traveled in the fish’s belly. (Kids should travel slowly
toward a different part of the room and pretend to be inside a fish’s belly.) He was in
the fish for three days and three nights. And while he was there, he prayed. He
thanked God for saving him and told God he would do what God told him to
do. He would obey God. And after three days, God made the fish spit Jonah up
onto dry land. (Kids should finish traveling to a different part of the room and pretend
to be thrown onto dry land.)
SAY: Once Jonah was on dry land, God told him again to go to Nineveh and
deliver His message, telling the people their city would be destroyed if they
didn’t stop doing bad things and tell God they were sorry. This time Jonah
obeyed. He went to Nineveh, which was a huge city. He spent three days walking
through it. (Kids should travel to a different part of the room and pretend to walk
through a city.) As he traveled through Nineveh, he spread God’s message to the
people. The people listened to Jonah and believed what he said. When the king
heard Jonah’s message, he believed too. He commanded his people to tell God
they were sorry. He told them to stop doing bad things. They obeyed their king,
and when God saw that they were sorry and they wanted to stop doing bad
things, He did not destroy their city.
SAY: You listened carefully and heard what I said. God heard Jonah’s prayer from
the inside of the fish, and He gave Jonah a second chance to obey Him. God also
heard the people of Nineveh asking for forgiveness. God hears us too.
Special Needs Tip: Tell Diving Buddies ahead of time where and how you
will be traveling around the room. This way, even if they miss one set of instructions,
they can catch up with the group at the next destination!
20
DEEP SEA DISCOVERY
Review, Memory
& More
BIBLE REVIEW
SAY: In our story, we moved from place to place to show how Jonah moved.
Let’s move from place to place again and see what we can remember about
what happened.
Move through the places in the room that you visited during Bible Story Time. At each
point, ask kids to review what happened in that place. Here is a list of the events:
Starting point: God spoke to Jonah.
Spot 2: Jonah got on a ship to go to Tarshish.
Spot 3: Jonah’s ship was caught in a terrible storm.
Spot 4: The sailors threw Jonah into the water.
Spot 5: A huge fish swallowed Jonah.
Spot 6: God made the fish spit Jonah up onto dry land.
Spot 7: Jonah walked through Nineveh for three days.
SAY: God heard Jonah, even when he was praying from the inside of a huge
fish! He hears you and me too, and He is with us no matter where we are. God
answers our prayers. And we can serve God by praying for others.
BIBLE MEMORY
Read the Bible Memory from 1 John 5:14. SAY: You can pray quietly, loudly,
silently, while you’re lying down, while you’re sitting or standing, and anywhere
you want to pray. God hears you, no matter how you pray or where you are.
Let’s take turns sharing ideas for how to say our verse. Each time someone
shares an idea, we’ll say the verse that way, together.
Have kids take turns sharing ideas. Some ideas include saying the verse in a
whisper, yelling, talking like a robot, saying it while rolled up in a ball, jumping up and
down, and singing it. With each idea, say 1 John 5:14 together in that way.
Special Needs Tip: Include children in the group discussion by allowing
them to repeat an idea already mentioned (i.e., How do you like to pray?).
21
Remember that God hears you! He hears you and listens to your prayers no
matter how you say them. He is with you no matter where you go. And He not
only listens—God answers your prayers. So be sure to serve God by praying
for others too.
POINT TO JESUS
Tie today’s story into the gospel message. SAY: The Bible tells us that God hears
us because Jesus made a way for us to be friends with God. Jesus died to
take the punishment for our sin. Because of that, if we believe in Jesus, God
forgives us and sees us as if we had never done anything wrong. He hears us
and loves to listen to us when we talk to Him.
MY BOOK LOOK
Divide the group into small groups or crews. Help kids:
• KNOW God hears them and is with them.
• EXPLORE how God answers their prayers.
• SERVE God by praying for others.
Materials: student books and stickers, blue crayons or paint and brushes, pencils
CHOOSE TO SERVE
Tell children to think of someone who needs prayer. You might prompt with ideas such
as: people who are sick or hurt, people who don’t know Jesus, or people who don’t
have enough food to eat. Have kids each write their person’s name (or description)
on a strip of paper (or use the Reminder Bands printable file from the Preschool CD).
Tape the strips as bands around their wrists, to remind them to pray for the person
they thought of. SAY: Remember, you can serve God by praying for others.
CLOSING PRAYER
Close by praying: Dear God, thank You for hearing us and being with us. Thank
You for answering our prayers and treating us like part of Your family, when we
believe in Jesus. Help us all to remember to pray to You and to serve You by
praying for others. Amen.
22
DEEP SEA DISCOVERY
Session 3
LIFE FOCUS God STRENGTHENS Me!
BIBLE STORY Jesus strengthens Peter in the storm.
(Matthew 14)
BIBLE MEMORY Psalm 28:7
Jesus was born to save the world, and His life was
already making a difference. He healed the sick, raised
the dead, fed the hungry, and taught the multitudes.
Though He had compassion on the crowds, sometimes
He needed to be alone.
On such an occasion, Jesus sent His disciples out in
a boat while He went up on a mountain to pray. During
the night, as the boat was blown about by the wind, the
disciples saw what they thought was a ghost coming
toward them. And they were terrified! They called out,
and the figure immediately reassured them, “It is I.” When Peter heard His master’s
voice calling “Come,” he mustered his courage, got out of the boat, and walked on
the water to Jesus. But when fear got the better of Peter, he began to sink. Jesus
reached down, caught Peter, and gave him the strength he didn’t have on his own.
God STRENGTHENS us too! When the darkness seems overwhelming. When the
winds of doubt whisper in our ears. When we can’t quite keep our eyes on Jesus. In
the midst of our triumphs and our failures, God is with us wherever we go.
• KNOW God strengthens them and is with them.
• EXPLORE how God helps them do hard things.
• SERVE God by encouraging others.
Today you’ll help kids find encouragement in knowing that God strengthens them
and will always be with them. The story of Peter’s walk on water shows us that God
honors our faith and empowers us to do what we could never do without Him. Make
sure kids understand that God doesn’t use only adults; He wants to use kids in His
work too. As you teach today, let God work through you to communicate His truth in a
way that helps kids understand so that their lives will be built on this foundation.
23
Session 3 • God STRENGTHENS Me!
Tide Pool Centers
ART
Materials: modeling clay or dough, blindfolds (1 per child)
Distribute supplies. SAY: Have fun making something that looks like what you ate
for breakfast this morning. Oh, and you have to do it while you’re blindfolded!
Blindfold each child and let kids play for a few minutes. While they’re working, SAY:
This is hard, isn’t it? This can remind us that God helps us do hard things.
SCIENCE
Materials: tub of water; a variety of objects that can be put in the water, such as a
wooden spoon, a sock, an apple, a potato, and a rock. Make sure you have a mix of
items that will and won’t float in the water.
Set out the supplies around the tub of water. SAY: Try putting these objects in the water
to see if they float. What kinds of things float? What kinds of things sink? Let them
play for a few minutes. SAY: If I stepped into that water, I wouldn’t float. But in today’s
story we’ll learn about a time when Jesus walked across water without sinking!
TOUCH
Materials: hand weights of various sizes or cans of food with different weights (or
other similar objects of various weights, some of which should be too heavy for kids)
Set out the materials. SAY: Try lifting these weights. You might want to work
together to lift some of them. Watch kids to be sure they don’t get careless and drop
weights or try to lift something that might hurt them. SAY: Which ones are heavier?
Which are lighter? Remember, God strengthens us. That means He makes us
strong, not so we can lift heavy things but so we can do hard things in life.
MOVEMENT
Materials: a rope or jump rope, tape
Before class, use tape to mark a line on the floor. Gather kids and divide them into
two teams for a game of Tug of War. Supervise to make sure kids don’t get too rowdy
or get hurt during this game. SAY: Just as you helped each other do something
hard, God helps us do hard things.
24
DEEP SEA DISCOVERY
Bible Story Time
Peter Walks On Water
Materials: large sheets or rolls of paper, pencil, scissors, stapler, staples, plenty of
sheets of scrap paper or newspaper
Special Needs Tip: If teaching a large group, consider using the session 3
icon (STRENGTHENS) as a visual cue to help kids know when to participate.
Before class, create a large paper doll that can be stuffed. Draw an outline of a
person on a large sheet of paper (the bigger your group, the bigger the doll should
be). Cut out the outline; then use that as a pattern to cut out an identical piece from
another piece of paper. Staple the two outlines together around the outside edges,
leaving openings in the head, each arm, each leg, and the torso. These openings
should be large enough for children to stuff crumpled pieces of paper into the doll to
make it three-dimensional.
Gather the children in your Bible story area. Set the large paper doll on the floor in
the middle of the group. Place sheets of scrap paper or newspaper nearby. SAY:
Today we’re going to hear about how Jesus strengthened one of His friends,
Peter. Our Bible story is found in Matthew, a book in the Bible that tells about
Jesus’ life when He was living on earth. As I tell this story, I want you to listen
for things Jesus helped people do. Whenever you hear about one of these
things, crumple a piece of paper and stuff it inside our paper person.
SAY: One day Jesus went away to a quiet place to be alone. But some people
knew where He went, and they spread the word. Pretty soon many people
had come to the place where Jesus was. They brought sick people and Jesus
healed them. He made lots of people well. This couldn’t have happened without
God. (Stuff papers inside the doll.)
SAY: After a while His best friends, also called His disciples, realized it was
getting late and told Jesus to send everyone away so they could get some
food to eat. Jesus told them they didn’t need to go away; the disciples could
feed them. Well, the disciples were surprised, and they told Jesus the only
food they had was five little loaves of bread and two fish. Jesus made the food
25
multiply so thousands of people could eat and be satisfied. This couldn’t have
happened without God. (Stuff papers inside the doll.)
SAY: After the people ate, Jesus told His disciples to get in a boat and go to
the other side of a big lake. He said He would say good-bye to all the people
and would come and join His disciples later. He went up on a mountainside to
spend time praying and being alone with God the Father.
SAY: While the disciples were in a boat out on the water, suddenly a storm
came and they were in danger. The waves were getting bigger and slamming
against their boat, and their boat was blowing around in the wind. The disciples
were afraid. Suddenly, they saw a strange sight that made them feel even more
afraid. They saw a man walking toward them on top of the stormy water! They
thought they were seeing a ghost, and they were really scared.
SAY: Then they heard a familiar voice. Jesus was walking on the water! And He
told them not to be afraid. Peter wasn’t so sure, and he asked Jesus to show it
was Him by letting Peter walk on the water too. Jesus told him to go ahead.
SAY: So Peter stepped out of the boat and wow! He was walking on the water!
He started walking toward Jesus. It was amazing! He could not have done that
without God. (Stuff papers inside the doll.)
SAY: But then Peter realized he was in a scary situation. He looked around and
noticed the big waves. He noticed the wind that was blowing so hard. And he
started to sink. He cried out for Jesus to save him, and Jesus reached out and
caught Peter and kept him safe. Only God could do that. (Stuff papers inside the doll.)
SAY: Jesus and Peter went to the boat and climbed in. And suddenly the wind
and the waves calmed down. The disciples knew that only God could do that.
(Stuff papers inside the doll.) So they worshipped Jesus.
SAY: When they landed, they got out of the boat and found another crowd of
people wanting to be healed. So Jesus healed them. (Stuff papers inside the doll.)
Jesus has the power to heal anyone because He is God.
Point to the doll. SAY: Look at how much we strengthened our paper person!
Jesus strengthened the people He fed. He strengthened the people He
healed. He strengthened His disciples, who were afraid in the storm. And He
strengthened Peter, who got to walk on water himself! God strengthens us too,
and He is always with us.
26
DEEP SEA DISCOVERY
Review, Memory
& More
BIBLE REVIEW
Have kids sit in a circle. Point to the stuffed doll. SAY: We’re going to make this paper
person talk. We’ll pass him around the circle. When he comes to you, pretend to
make him talk and say something you remember from our story.
Pass the paper person around the circle, encouraging each child to use him like a
puppet while telling something they remember from the story.
SAY: This paper person can’t really talk unless we talk for him. God also helps
us do things we can’t do without Him. God strengthens us and is with us. He
helps us do hard things. And we can serve God by encouraging others.
BIBLE MEMORY
Read the Bible Memory from Psalm 28:7. SAY: We’re going to keep saying this
verse together, and we’re going to do some actions along with it.
Teach children the following actions to match different parts of the verse. If you’d like,
you can hang the Psalm 28:7 Actions printable file from the Preschool CD and show
kids the illustrations:
• The Lord is my strength (flex muscles)
• And my shield (pretend to hold a shield in front of you)
• My heart trusts Him (put hands over heart)
• And He helps me. (put hands out in front of your body)
Practice the action with each part of the verse; then run through the whole thing a
few times.
Remember that God strengthens you! That means He is always with you,
making you stronger. He helps you do hard things. And you can serve Him by
encouraging others.
27
POINT TO JESUS
Tie today’s story into the gospel message. SAY: When we believe in Jesus, He
makes us each into a new kind of person. When we follow Him, we become
more like Him. And He strengthens us just as He strengthened people who
lived on earth when He did. Even though we can’t see Jesus, He is alive and He
will help make us stronger every day.
MY BOOK LOOK
• KNOW God strengthens them and is with them.
• EXPLORE how God helps them do hard things.
• SERVE God by encouraging others.
Materials: student books and stickers, crayons, wooden toothpicks or craft sticks
(broken into smaller pieces), glue
CHOOSE TO SERVE
Materials: construction paper, glue, pens or pencils, scissors, Encouraging
Messages printable file from Preschool CD (optional)
SAY: You can help other people be stronger by encouraging them. This is one
way we can serve God. Set out supplies and let kids make encouraging cards from
construction paper. They can glue on the messages from the Preschool CD, or help
them write their own encouraging messages in the cards.
CLOSING PRAYER
Close by praying: Dear God, thank You for strengthening us and being with us.
Thank You for helping us do hard things—things we couldn’t do without Your
help. Please help us to trust in Your strength and to serve You by encouraging
others. Amen.
28
DEEP SEA DISCOVERY
Session 4
LIFE FOCUS God LOVES Me!
BIBLE STORY Jesus loves the disciples—and everyone!
(John 21)
BIBLE MEMORY 1 John 4:9
Jesus was born to die. He knew it. His Father knew it.
But His disciples weren’t quite there. After His death,
burial, and resurrection, Jesus wanted them to better
understand who He is, why He came, and how they
could share His love with others.
One morning, Jesus found some of His disciples
fishing. They’d been up all night and hadn’t caught a
thing. From far off, He told them to throw their net on
the other side of the boat. When they did, their net
couldn’t hold all the fish that they’d caught! Right away
the disciples recognized their Lord, and they joined Him on shore for breakfast.
After they ate, Jesus spoke of love with His friend Peter. Knowing that His death on
the cross was the ultimate example of love, Jesus challenged His disciple to love God
and love others—the same message He’d shared and shown in coming to earth.
God LOVES us too! More than we realize, understand, or deserve. And He leads us
to live every day in that love. He’s with us wherever we go.
• KNOW God loves them and is with them.
• EXPLORE the truth that God gave His Son for them.
• SERVE God by sharing His love.
Today you’ll help kids understand that God loves them and is always with them. The
story of Jesus’ appearance before His disciples should assure all of us that God is
loving, gracious, and eager to care for us. Make sure kids understand that God loves
them just as they are; they don’t have to be perfect to earn God’s love. As you teach
today, rest in the truth that you also are loved more than you can imagine. May God’s
love for you overflow in an abundance of love for the children you serve.
29
Session 4 • God LOVES Me!
Tide Pool Centers
ART
Materials: small boxes (1 per child), wrapping paper, scissors, tape, bows, stickers,
markers, and other supplies to decorate boxes
Set out the materials. Give each child a box. SAY: You can wrap these boxes and
decorate them. Let kids work, and help them as necessary. SAY: Today we’re going
to learn that God gave us the most wonderful gift ever.
SCIENCE
Materials: flashlights, some empty space on a light-colored wall
Set out the flashlights. Show kids how to shine a flashlight on your hand to make a
shadow on the wall. SAY: Use these flashlights to make shadows on the wall. You
can do this with a friend or by yourself. As kids play, SAY: God is closer to us
than our own shadows. God loves us and is always with us.
TOUCH
Materials: a bowl, 1 or more large bags of mini marshmallows
Look at the marshmallow packaging to determine (approximately) how many marshmallows you have. Then pour the marshmallows into the bowl. SAY: This is a lot of
marshmallows! Take turns putting your hand in this bowl and trying to guess
how many marshamallows are in here. You may want to acknowledge the person
who comes closest to guessing the right number. SAY: In today’s story, some men
caught so many fish, they couldn’t even carry them all.
MOVEMENT
Materials: plenty of heart-shaped stickers
Choose one child to be It, and give him or her the heart-shaped stickers. SAY: This
person is It. It will go around the room, tagging other people by placing a heart
sticker on them. Every time someone is tagged with a heart sticker, that person
gets some stickers too and gets to be It along with the original It, placing heart
stickers on other kids. As kids play, SAY: Spreading the heart stickers reminds
me that we can share God’s love with other people.
30
DEEP SEA DISCOVERY
Bible Story Time
Jesus Appears By The Sea
Materials: Paper Fish printable file from the Preschool CD (optional), tape, paper,
scissors, fishing net (see below)
Before class, hang a “fishing net” on the wall in your Bible story area. This can be an
actual net, a large piece of paper with a drawing of a net, a piece of net-like fabric,
yarn or string tied to look like a net, or anything else that kids can pretend is a fishing
net and cover with taped-on paper fish. Cut out paper fish (you can use the Paper
Fish printable file on the Preschool CD). You’ll need at least five per child.
Special Needs Tip: Consider attaching glue dots to the back of the fish for
children who may have difficulty attaching tape themselves.
Gather the children in your Bible story area. Put the paper fish and tape where
children can access them. SAY: Today we’re going to hear about a time when
Jesus showed His friends that He loved them. Our Bible story is found in John,
a book in the Bible that tells about things that happened when Jesus was living
here on earth. It was written by John, who was one of Jesus’ closest friends.
As I tell this story, I want you to listen for me to talk about ways Jesus showed
love to His best friends, who were also called His disciples. There are a lot of
fish in this story, so when you hear me talk about a way Jesus showed love,
tape a fish on our fishnet.
SAY: When Jesus’ disciples saw Him die, they thought He would be gone forever. But He wasn’t—He came back to life because He is God. After Jesus rose
from the dead, He stayed on earth for a few weeks, and He sometimes appeared
to His disciples, showing them that He was alive, telling them what He wanted
them to do, and showing them that He loved them. (Tape fish on the net.) His
disciples were always surprised and happy to see Jesus because they loved
Him and missed Him.
SAY: One day, seven of Jesus’ disciples were together when Peter decided he
wanted to go fishing. The other six disciples decided to go with him, so they
got in a boat and went out into the sea. They fished all night with a fishnet,
31
throwing it out into the water and pulling it back to try to catch fish in it. They
were good at fishing, but they didn’t catch any fish that night.
SAY: When the sun was coming up, they saw a man standing on the shore of
the sea. As they got near in their boat, the man asked if they caught any fish.
They told Him they hadn’t caught anything, and He gave them some strange
advice. He told them that they would catch some fish if they would throw their
net out on the right side of their boat. So they did what He said, and they were
surprised to catch so many fish, they couldn’t even pull the net back to the
boat. It was completely full!
SAY: Then Peter realized the man who talked to them was Jesus! He was
showing the disciples He loved them by visiting them. (Tape fish on the net.) He
had also shown the disciples He loved them by helping them catch a lot of fish.
(Tape fish on the net.) Peter was so excited to see Jesus that he jumped into the
water and headed for the shore. The rest of the disciples stayed in the boat and
hauled the net full of fish to shore. When they got there, they found breakfast
waiting for them! Jesus had made a fire and cooked some fish, and He had
some bread for them too. Jesus showed them He loved them by making food
for them. (Tape fish on the net.)
SAY: When the disciples counted the fish they had caught in their net, they discovered they had 153 big fish! They were surprised to see that the net was not
torn at all. They ate breakfast with Jesus and felt so happy that Jesus had come
to see them and show them that He loved them. (Tape fish on the net.)
Point to the net and the fish taped there. SAY: Look at all these fish we caught!
These are all ways that Jesus, who is God, showed His disciples that He loved
them. It’s awesome to remember that God loves us too, and He shows us love
in many ways. One way He showed His love was by coming to earth as a baby
and growing up and dying to pay the price for our sins. Jesus did this because
He loves us.
32
DEEP SEA DISCOVERY
Review, Memory
& More
BIBLE REVIEW
SAY: What did Jesus do to show love to His friends? Let’s try to remember all
the things He did. If necessary, give hints:
• He visited them.
• He told them what He wanted them to do.
• He showed them He was alive.
• He helped them catch a lot of fish.
• He made food for them.
• He went to see them.
SAY: Jesus loved His disciples, and He loves us too! Because Jesus is God, we
know that God loves us. He also promises to be with us. In fact, He loves us
so much that He gave His Son, Jesus, for us. We can serve God by sharing His
love with others.
BIBLE MEMORY
Before class, place a few pictures of gifts in boxes and wrap them. (Or you can use the
Gift Pictures printable file on the Preschool CD.) These should be pictures of items that
can be used to show love to others. Some ideas include a blanket, hat, an apple or a
bag of chips, a warm coat, tickets to a show, a broom, an adhesive bandage, and a ball.
For added impact, bring the actual items you’ve chosen for this activity and wrap them.
Read the Bible Memory from 1 John 4:9. Hand out the gifts to a few children.
SAY: Go ahead and unwrap your gift. When it’s open, show everyone what was
inside. Each time someone opens a gift, we’ll share ideas on how we can use
that object to show love to someone. After each idea is shared, recite the verse
together.
Remember that God loves you! He loves you so much, He gave His Son, Jesus,
for you. Jesus came to earth to show us what God is like and to die so He could
pay for all the wrong things we do and God will forgive us. God wants everyone
to believe. We can serve God by sharing His love with others.
33
POINT TO JESUS
Tie today’s story into the gospel message. SAY: The greatest thing God has done
to show His love for us was to give us the gift of His only Son, Jesus. Jesus
came to earth as a human baby, and He grew up into a man who loved everyone. But some people hated Him and killed Him because they didn’t believe
He was God. But that was part of God’s plan. When Jesus died, He took on the
punishment for all of the bad things we do so God will forgive us if we believe
and we ask Him. What an amazing gift!
MY BOOK LOOK
Divide your group into small groups or crews (if you are using crews). Help kids:
• KNOW God loves them and is with them.
• EXPLORE the truth that God gave His Son for them.
• SERVE God by sharing His love.
Materials: student books and stickers, crayons
CHOOSE TO SERVE
Materials: markers, Fish Tags printable file on the Preschool CD (or homemade
paper fish), tape
Before class, write each child’s name on a paper fish. You can make them yourself or
use the Fish Tags printable file on the Preschool CD.
SAY: You can serve God by sharing His love, just as Jesus did. Choose one of
the ways Jesus showed love in this story, and plan to do it for someone today.
You might decide to go to see someone, spend time with someone, help someone get a job done, or give someone food. When you serve God in this way, be
sure to tell the person you serve that Jesus loves them and you’re following
Jesus’ example. Tape on each child a fish with his or her name on it. SAY: Make
sure your parents know what you’re planning to do!
CLOSING PRAYER
Close by praying: Dear God, thank You for loving us and being with us. Thank
You for giving Your Son, Jesus, to take the punishment for all our sin. Help us
all to believe in Jesus and to serve You by sharing Your love with others. Amen.
34
DEEP SEA DISCOVERY
Session 5
LIFE FOCUS God SENDS Me!
BIBLE STORY God sends Paul to tell His story.
(Acts 13 & 14)
BIBLE MEMORY Matthew 28:19 & 20
The church was growing, in large part due to an expersecutor named Paul. As strongly as he’d opposed
the Christians who followed Jesus, Paul now led the
charge in bringing others to Christ.
On the island of Cyprus, a sorcerer confronted Paul,
trying to turn others against their faith. God immediately
struck the man blind, just as Paul promised, and the
event brought people to Jesus. Even in the midst of
opposition, God’s plans won out. In the synagogues,
on the streets, and inside homes, Paul told God’s story
in the best way he knew. As a result, countless people heard and believed the good
news of Jesus Christ—all through a man who once hated Him.
God sent Paul to speak. God SENDS us too! With whatever baggage, experiences,
talents, and tools He’s given us, God wants—and expects—us to tell His story to the
world. And whatever He asks, whatever the result, we can rest assured that God is
with us . . . wherever we go!
• KNOW God sends them and is with them.
• EXPLORE how God works through them.
• SERVE God by telling His story.
Today you’ll help kids understand that God sends them to do His work. The story of
Paul and Barnabas shows us that incredible things can happen when people obey
God and walk in the power of God’s Spirit. Make sure kids understand that God really
does want them to represent Him to others, that this isn’t just a job for grown-ups.
As you teach today, remember this truth: You are serving children for whom God
has plans and purposes. Your service is tremendously important. Those plans and
purposes don’t start today; they started before your students were born!
35
Session 5 • God SENDS Me!
Tide Pool Centers
ART
Materials: foam bowls, toothpicks, small squares of lightweight fabric, glue,
permanent markers, smocks or aprons, wet wipes, shallow pan or tub of water
Show kids how to make a flag using fabric, glue, and toothpicks. Let kids decorate
their bowls as boats. Help kids stick their flags in the bottom of their boats and “sail”
them in water. SAY: Today’s story is about someone who sailed on a boat.
SCIENCE
Materials: balloons (1 per child)
Distribute balloons. SAY: Blow up your balloon at least halfway. Help kids if necessary. Now pinch it shut. Then move away from the group and let go. Let kids
experiment with letting their balloons fly erratically. SAY: You sent your balloons on
some strange adventures. Today we’re going to learn that God sends us.
TOUCH
Materials: latex gloves (1 pair per child), latex-free gloves for children with latex
allergies, wet cloths, a table
Distribute gloves and wet cloths. Let kids clean the table while wearing their gloves.
SAY: These gloves can’t clean the table by themselves. They need your hands
inside them. God helps us do things we couldn’t do without Him.
MOVEMENT
Materials: 2 bowls, cotton balls (at least 1 per child)
Place the cotton balls in one of the bowls. Leave the other bowl empty. Have kids
form a line. Place the empty bowl in front of the line and the other bowl across the
room. SAY: When I say go, call out, “We send . . .” and the name of the first person in line. That person will run to the bowl at the other end of the room, grab
a cotton ball, and run back and put it in this bowl. Then that person will tag
the next person and say, “I send you.” Then it will be that person’s turn. Keep
going until all the cotton balls are in this bowl in front of you. Let kids play. SAY:
Today we’ll learn about someone who was sent to do an important job.
36
DEEP SEA DISCOVERY
Bible Story Time
Paul Sets Sail
Materials: Happy and Sad Faces printable file from the Preschool CD
Gather the children in your Bible story area. Select one child to be Paul and one to
be Barnabas in the Bible story presentation. Have Paul and Barnabas stand apart
from the rest of the kids. Distribute copies of the Happy and Sad Faces to the rest of
the kids. Have them hold up the sad side until they decide to join Paul and Barnabas,
when they should flip their faces to show the happy side and cheer.
SAY: Today we’re going to hear about how God sent two of Jesus’ followers to
tell a lot of other people about that Jesus. These two Christians were named Paul
and Barnabas. Point out the two children playing the roles of Paul and Barnabas.
SAY: Our Bible story is found in Acts, a book in the Bible that tells about the
very first followers of Jesus and how they spread the good news about Jesus.
As I tell this story, I want you to listen for times when new people decided to
follow Jesus. Whenever I talk about someone following Jesus, more of our
group will go over there to join Paul and Barnabas.
SAY: Just a few years after Jesus died, rose from the dead, and went back
to Heaven, some of Jesus’ followers went to a city called Antioch. They told
people there the good news about Jesus, and many people decided to be
Christians and follow Jesus. One day, some of the Christian leaders were
worshipping God together. God told them He had chosen two of these leaders
to do a special job for God. These two leaders were Paul and Barnabas, and
God wanted them to go on a journey to tell many more people, in other places,
about Jesus.
SAY: Paul and Barnabas obeyed God and went on a journey. They got on a
boat and sailed to an island called Cyprus. When they got there, they went
from town to town on the island, telling people about Jesus. In one town, the
governor invited them to tell him about Jesus. There was another man there
who tricked people and pretended to know all about God. He told the governor not to listen to Paul and Barnabas. But God’s power made the man blind.
37
And the governor decided to follow Jesus. (Have one child cheer and join Paul
and Barnabas.)
SAY: Next Paul and Barnabas got on a ship and went to another place. When
they got there, they preached about Jesus to many people, and many of them
decided to become Christians. (Have several children cheer and join Paul and
Barnabas.) SAY: So many people wanted to hear what Paul and Barnabas had
to say, they preached again the next week. Almost the entire city came to hear
them. (Have a few more children cheer and join Paul and Barnabas.) SAY: The
people who didn’t like what Paul and Barnabas said chased them out of their
town. But Paul and Barnabas were happy that many had chosen to believe.
SAY: Paul and Barnabas went to another town, where the same thing happened.
They preached, and many people believed and decided to become Christians.
(Have a few more children cheer and join Paul and Barnabas.) But some people
were angry at what Paul and Barnabas were doing. They decided to attack Paul
and Barnabas and hurt them. But Jesus’ followers found out about the plan,
and Paul and Barnabas escaped.
SAY: They went to another city, where they preached to many people. Some
people believed in Jesus and decided to become Christians. (Have a few more
children cheer and join Paul and Barnabas.) But unfortunately, some of the people
who didn’t like them showed up and started trouble. They convinced some of
the people to try to kill Paul. So they threw rocks at him and dragged him out of
town. But Paul got up.
SAY: Paul and Barnabas went to a new town, where many people believed and
decided to become Christians. (Have a few more children cheer and join Paul and
Barnabas.) Then they went back home, visiting Christian people along the way.
When they got back, they told their friends everything that had happened. They
were very glad that so many people had decided to follow Jesus and become
Christians.
SAY: Just as some of us are still away from Paul and Barnabas, not everyone
they spoke to decided to believe in Jesus. But many did. God gave Paul and
Barnabas the strength to travel so far. He also went with them. Just as God
sent Paul and Barnabas, He sends us and is with us all the time.
38
DEEP SEA DISCOVERY
Review, Memory
& More
BIBLE REVIEW
Have kids stand on one side of the room while you stand on the other side.
SAY: Let’s think of things that Paul and Barnabas might have said to people to
help them believe in Jesus. We can also remember some of the problems Paul
and Barnabas had on their journey. When you think of something they might
have said, or remember one of their problems, raise your hand. When I tell you,
“God sends you,” you can say your idea and move to this side of the room.
When kids raise their hands, say, “God sends you” and let them share their ideas
before joining you across the room. Kids may name ideas like the following:
• Jesus/God loves you.
• God wants you to follow Him.
• Jesus died for you.
• You should follow Jesus.
• A man who tricked people and pretended to know all about God.
• A man who pretended to know God told the governor not to listen to Paul and
Barnabas.
• Some people argued with Paul and Barnabas and tried to get other people to
stop listening.
• People who didn’t like what Paul and Barnabas said chased them out of town.
• Some people were angry at what Paul and Barnabas were doing.
• Some people attacked Paul and Barnabas and hurt them.
• Some people threw rocks at Paul and dragged him out of town.
If you have children still standing on the other side of the room, without sharing ideas,
SAY: God sends all of us! Welcome all the children to your side of the room.
SAY: God sent Paul and Barnabas on a big trip to teach other people about
Jesus. God may not send us to faraway places, but sends us too. He works
through us and wants us to be happy to have Him work through us. We can
serve God by telling His story, just as Paul and Barnabas did.
BIBLE MEMORY
Read the Bible Memory from Matthew 28:19 & 20. SAY: God sends all of us to do
what He wants us to do. He has special jobs for everyone, and He wants all of
39
us to help spread the message of His love. Let’s take turns saying “Jesus loves
you” to the rest of the group. Each time someone says it, we’ll also say the
verse all together. Let kids take turns proclaiming “Jesus loves you” to the rest of the
group. After each “Jesus loves you,” say the verse together.
Ask crew leaders to distribute this session’s Discovery Wristband. Then SAY: Remember that God sends you! Just like He sent Paul and Barnabas, He wants
you to tell others about Him. But you don’t have to do it by yourself; remember,
God works through you. And you can serve God by telling His story.
POINT TO JESUS
Tie today’s story into the gospel message. SAY: Jesus told His followers that He
would be with them as they told others the good news about Him. That promise
is for us too. Jesus is always with you, and He will help you tell other people
that God loves them and Jesus died to take the punishment for their sin.
MY BOOK LOOK
• KNOW God sends them and is with them.
• EXPLORE how God works through them.
• SERVE God by telling His story.
Materials: student books and stickers, crayons
CHOOSE TO SERVE
SAY: You can serve God by telling His story. Tell someone what you learned
this week. Tape an Ask Me What I Learned badge (you can make your own or find
the printable file on the Preschool CD) on each child to help them remember to share
with others.
CLOSING PRAYER
Close by praying: Dear God, thank You for sending us and being with us everywhere we go. Thank You for working through us so we can do the things You
want us to do. Help us to be glad when we see that You are working through us,
and to serve You by telling Your story to others. Amen.
40
DEEP SEA DISCOVERY
L E A D E R ’ S
PRESCH
ISBN 978-0-7847-7773-2
01
02
03
FnL1
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E1N0YW5kYXJkIFB1Ymxpc2hpbmcOQmFy
IENvZGUgVXNlcnMAVRPkcwIxMwMxMDAB
03 0096
9 780784 777732
020902716
G U I D E
OOL

preschool - Vacation Bible School

Transcription

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