Paul's Life

Overview of Paul's life.

God builds His church bulletin board

God's Promises Bulletin Board

Class Book - Teacher Writes, Kids Illustrate

Here's a few photos for illustrative purposes.

Merry Christmas

We do address the birth of Jesus, but I can't find my lesson for that. I do know that we retell the story using nativity scenes ALOT. When I find that, I'll post it.

Merry Christmas!

2 Chronicles 34

Lesson: Josiah Restores the Temple
Scripture: 2 Chronicles 34

Wise Word: Temple, sacrifice, tithing, Passover
Picture: Vocabulary cards of above words

Bible Lesson #1
The Israelites lost God’s law and found God’s law.
They decided that they should do what God’s law said.
Remind kids that Josiah was 8 years old when he became king and instituted reforms.

Application:
You need to memorize God’s law so you won’t lose it!
Memory verse plug!!!

Action:
Psalm 119:11a – I have hidden your word in my heart
Kids write the verse on a heart and we hot glue a pin to the heart. They take home.
Kids write verse on a scroll – tooth picks and skinny paper?
Teachers make a magnet to send home with the verse on it.
Homework – Read the Bible at home


Bible lesson #2
The Israelites lost God’s law and found God’s law.
They decided that they should do what God’s law said.
Remind kids that Josiah was 8 years old when he became king and instituted reforms.

Application:
What have your parents taught you about the Bible?
Where have you heard the Bible?

Action:
Thank you note to someone who has taught you the Bible
Poster thank you to pulpit minister, youth minister




Applicable songs to both lessons:
Thy Word is a Lamp to my Feet
Give Me the Bible

2 Kings 20:1-21, Isaiah 38-39, 2 Chronicles 32:24-33

Lesson: Hezekiah’s Illness and Mistake
Scripture: 2 Kings 20:1-21, Isaiah 38-39, 2 Chronicles 32:24-33

Bible Lesson #1: Based on 2 Kings 20:9-11
Lesson:
Teach lesson from that small part of scripture.
Do lesson (or part of it) from top of stairwell.
Bring in flashlight. Show how the flashlight is like the sun.
The sun moves the shadows down the stairs every day.
God moved the shadows back 10 steps to prove to Hezekiah that he
would be healed and not die.
Application:
God can do what He says He can.
Action:
What did God say he could do in the lesson?
1. Heal Hezekiah
2. Move the shadow on the stairs by making the sun go back
What does God say he can do today?
1. Forgive sins
2. Prepare heaven
3. Listen to prayers
4. Etc. . .

Bible Lesson #2: Based on 2 Kings 20:3
Wise Word: Pray
Lesson:
Teach lesson from verse 3
Application:
God listens when we pray
God answers prayers
Don’t become proud (2 Chron. 32:24-25)
Action:
Posters (photos included)
Where can I pray?
When can I pray?
Who can I pray for?

Bible lesson #3: Based on Isaiah 38-39
Wise Word: Prophet
Lesson:
Define prophet
Discuss what prophets did, why God talked to them.
Discuss how God used Isaiah to help Hezekiah.
This story is in 3 books of the Bible, so it’s very important
Application:
Who do we listen to today?
How do we know what God wants us to do today?

2 Kings 18-19, Isaiah 36-37, 2 Chron 29:1-32:33

When we teach these lessons with unusual names, we try to only use one new name a lesson. So, in this case, we will probably call Sennacherib's commander the bad commander. Be sure that it doesn't change the understanding of the story if you choose this way of teaching the kids.


Lesson: Good King Hezekiah
Scripture: 2 Kings 18-19, Isaiah 36-37, 2 Chron 29:1-32:33

Synopsis:
Hezekiah restored temple worship
Review sacrifices, washings, altar
Hezekiah restored observance of Passover
Israelites began to tithe – give money to temple
Sennacherib’s commander gave a speech
He made fun of God
He tried to scare people out of their faith.

Bible Craft #1
Based on 2 Kings 18:3-6
“I will trust the Lord” necklace

Bible Craft #2
Perforation: I will ________ and ______ the Lord. Perforation words are trust and obey

Bible Craft #3
Obey the Lord – tear paper art


Associated songs
Trust and Obey

2 Kings 9-17, 2 Chronicles 24

WOW! This lesson has ALOT of action in it. We only picked out a little bit - we were a little overwhelmed. If you have more to do, please let us know. We'd love to add it to our stuff!


Lesson: Jehu Defeats Jezebel and Baals, King Joash and others
Scripture: 2 Kings 9-17, 2 Chronicles 24

Bible lesson:
Jehu – King of Israel – anointed by Elisha with flask of oil.
Jezebel dead – thrown down, trampled by horses, eaten by dogs
Ahab’s family killed – prophesy fulfilled
Ministers of Baal killed
King Joash – hidden at birth or would have been killed. Age 7 became king (your age), and ruled for 40 years.
Joash repaired the temple.

Bible Activity #1
Based on Joash becoming king
Make crown headband

Bible Activity #2
Based on Joash repairing temple
Poster of temple, add jewels, gold paint, etc

Bible Activity #3
Based on Joash repairing temple
Have room all messed up, not able to teach much in it. Have kids help clean it up to make it acceptable to learn.

Bible Activity #4
Decorate chart (8.5 x 11) of all kings for binders.

2 Kings 6:8-8:29

Lesson: Arameans Invade and Lose - Twice
Scripture: 2 Kings 6:8-8:29

Bible Activity #1:
Based on 2 Kings 6:8-23
Act out verses
Character headbands – King of Aram, Elisha, Officer of Aram,
Elisha’s servant, King of Israel
Do a lift the flap with lamination film (or overhead overlays)
Draw Aramean’s horses on paper
On film or overlays, draw horses and chariots of fire
Tape at top
Make your own concentration game
Draw – king, Elisha, horse, chariot, eyes
Match with word – eg. Written word matches with illustration

Bible Activity #2:
Based on 2 Kings 7:3-20
Act out verses
Character headbands – 4 lepers, Arameans, gate keeper, king,
Elisha, king’s officers
Brainstorm 6 events (at least one event for each child present)
Teacher records on paper
Kids illustrate
Sequence to make class book
Possible events: lepers go into Aramean camp; Arameans flee;
lepers find gold, silver, food, and animals; lepers talk to
gatekeeper; gatekeeper told king; king sends 5 horses to
check out camp; city rejoices, gatekeeper killed.

1 Kings 19 - What are you doing here, Elijah?

We're hoping to get more of these up BEFORE we teach the lesson, so others can use it. I may be able to add photos later. But here's an outline of our planned lesson.


Lesson: What Are You Doing Here, Elijah?
Scripture: 1 Kings 19

Bible Lesson #1:
Presence of the Lord – Hold up colored cards with word on them
Wind – written on white
Earthquake – brown
Fire – red
Gentle whisper – blue
Create minibook (one 8.5x11 folded in half)
The Presence of the Lord – define
Page 1 – The Presence of the Lord is not in wind
Page 2 – The Presence of the Lord is not in earthquake
Page 3 – The Presence of the Lord is not in fire
Page 4 – The Presence of the Lord is a gentle whisper
The kids illustrate wind, fire, etc.

Bible Lesson #2
Elijah felt alone.
Create encouragement notes for minister, assoc minister, elders,
secretaries, etc

Bible Lesson #3
Call of Elisha
Act out 1 Kings 19:19-21
Headbands – Elijah, Elisha
Plowing with oxen, cloak over shoulders, sacrifice

Bible Lesson #4
Being afraid
What makes you afraid?
What do you do when you’re afraid?
What did Elijah do when he’s afraid?
Worksheet
When I am afraid I will _____. at top. Illustrate at bottom of
page.

1 Kings 18 - Elijah versus Prophets of Baal and Rain Comes

Warning: this lesson has been taught twice, once by Kim and once by Daesha, for different groups of kids. I (Daesha) prepared WAY TOO MUCH for my lesson (#2). I think there was more than 2 hours of material there. For a 45 minute lesson. Oh well! I tell you this to let you know that you CANNOT do all things listed. Pick your favorites.


Lesson: The Rainmaker
Scripture: 1 Kings 18

Bible Lesson #1
Wise Word: Prayer
Picture: cloud

Review:
Who is Elijah?
Ravens > widow > prophet > Baal
Did King Ahab like Elijah?
Ahab was EVIL!!!!
No rain for 3 years

Bible Lesson: “I love the Bible. . .”
Part 4 flip chart

Application:
1. How long was the rain stopped?
2. After Mount Carmel contest, what did Elijah tell Ahab to do? (eat, drink – sound of rain)
3. What did Elijah do? (pray on mountain)
4. What did he tell servant to do? (look towards sea)
5. How many times did the servant look before he saw anything? (7)
6. What did he finally see? (small cloud)
7. What did Elijah warn Ahab? (hitch chariot and go down before rain)
8. Did rain come? (yes)

Action:
Prayer
Does it work?
Always the first time?
God will take care of us. He loves us.

Closing:
Color, add drops
Journal about praying on the back.


Bible Lesson #2
Wise Word: prayer
Picture: cloud

Opening: color worksheet of Elijah near his altar with sacrificed bull on it.
Also, could color prophet/king worksheet

Review: good kings, bad kings, prophets to each – attach each name to correct side of T-chart
Read first half of Arch book – the rain maker

Bible lesson: “I love the Bible. . .”
Teach lesson from Bible to children

Application:
Pick stick (tongue depressor) from jar. Sticks numbered 1-14.
1. Who was the king? Ahab
2. Who was his wife? Jezebel
3. Who did Ahab and Jezebel worship? Baal
4. Who came to Mount Carmel? Prophets of Baal and Elijah, Israelites
5. What did they build at Mount Carmel? 2 altars
6. Which altar was burned? God’s altar
7. What happened to all prophets of Baal? They were killed
8. Elijah prayed to God. What appeared in the sky? Cloud
9. What did Baal’s prophets try to do to get Baal’s attention? Danced, yelled, cut themselves
10. Who did Israelites believe was true God after fire came down? God
11. How many times did Elijah’s servant check the sky? 7
12. How big was the cloud he saw? Big as a man’s fist
13. How fast did God answer Elijah’s prayer about fire? Immediately
14. Who is the true God? God

Action:
Build small altars in the classroom. Review what Baal’s prophets were doing, and what Elijah did. Compare and contrast.

Have children draw fire on a ½ piece of paper. Finish coloring worksheet they started when they came in. Cut worksheet in half through the calf, brad halves together at bottom of paper with fire underneath all layers. (see photo). Have children tell you why you set it up that way (can see fire coming from heaven, consuming bull and altar.)

Wise Words Activities

Some may be asking, "What are wise words?" These are not simply vocabulary words, although we may call them these. These words are usually related to the MAIN IDEA of the story. Often they're words like prayer, idol, sacrifice, or worship. These are usually ideas and words that kids have heard before, but may not be able to really define or understand.

One of the first things we do when we plan a lesson is to determine a wise word. That word helps us plan the rest of the lesson, it helps us pick out what we think is most important to impart to the students.

You'll find that the words we pick out are also geared to the group of children we are teaching. Some groups of children come from a very active (from a faith perspective) household, where these concepts are discussed at home. Some groups of children come from a household where Biblical matters are not discussed daily, so these concepts are newer to them. This may be why some lessons have deeper or more advanced words, and some lessons may have more basic words. We try to meet the kids where they are, and challenge them to grow!

Since we really want our kids to learn the concepts AND the material, we try to incorporate the words into the lesson and the application material. You'll see the incorporation more as we start posting actual lessons (they're coming, I promise!)

Without further ado, Wise Words Activities

1. Magnetic letter build
2. Create class dictionary
3. Rainbow words
4. Perforations
5. ABC order
6. Class book of words and illustrations
7. Word search

Sunday School Center Ideas

This is an opportunity for you to make "centers." For those with a school background, you know what these are. For those who don't have such a background, such as myself, centers are activities that kids can participate in before class officially starts. This is a good time for you to do attendance with each child. Each center should have no more than 3 or 4 children at it at one time for learning to be most effective.

1. Business card holder with vocabulary word book
2. Wikki stix on songs
3. Song charts with pointers
4. ABC order wise words (vocabulary words)
5. Perforations of wise words (vocabulary words)
6. Sequence story cards (ex. Life of Jesus)
7. Order books of the Bible in pocket chart (may have to have just a few books of Bible in jar at a time – 66 gets overwhelming for some)
8. 12 apostles song and characters
9. Sequence plan of salvation cards
10. Color cards to send to sick
11. Bible puzzles
12. Letter cards to spell vocabulary words
13. Bible opposites games/puzzles
    

We hope this blesses you!

How to Teach a Bible Class Lesson

It occurred to me that we may be jumping the gun a little. Maybe we should hit the basics. Kim prepared this list for teens she was teaching to teach. She really is an excellent resource for teachers, and I have been blessed to learn from her. Here is the method she taught me, and others, to teach little ones.

How to Teach a Bible Class Lesson

1. Read the scripture of the lesson
Reread the scripture for the last lesson
Read the scripture for this lesson

2. Rewrite the story in your own words (staying faithful to the Biblical version)

3. Lesson format
Sing for five minutes
Say a prayer
Begin with a review of the last lesson
Tell the lesson for today
Have some kind of application

4. Decide what you want to use to teach the lesson
Posters/pictures
Flannel pieces
Magnetic pieces
Overhead transparencies
Puppets
Read a book
Flip charts
Make up a song about the lesson

5. Write questions for the end of the lesson
Focus on some details and the main idea

6. Decide your application
Act out the story
Make a book
Make a puppet
Retell the story to a friend (buddy in class)
Folder games
Game
Color sheet
Worksheet
Crossword puzzle/word search
Make a chart together

7. Helpful hints
Always check your supplies before the lesson
Prepare some activity to practice the memory verse
Attendance charts
Consider what the kids will do when they arrive
Songs
Prayers
Children below first grade should not be expected to read or write or use scissors
Keep it hands on and fun!

Anytime Projects for Sunday School

This is a list of things that may be useful for those lessons that don't have an action intuitively associated with it. We have found this list to be a lifesaver on more than one occasion.

1. Folded fill in the blank book (kcrew style)

2. Make card to send to others – either encouragement, get well, etc

3. Necklace with verse

4. Headband with verse

5. Tear paper vocabulary word – print vocabulary word in large font on computer. Have kids tear tiny pieces of construction paper and glue over the word.

6. True/false statements from lesson – sort on T-chart or use happy/sad faces

7. Chart it!

8. Class book – words by teacher, kids illustrate

9. Class book – words by kids, teacher illustrates (we use worksheets for this)

10. Give kids cut up letters that spell the vocabulary word, help them spell word and then glue it down. Illustrate the vocabulary word.

11. Book mark with verse

12. Pocket chart sequence

13. Role play

14. Bag puppet of main character to retell story

15. Jigsaw of verse

16. Door hanger

17. Mobile

18. Picture concentration – vocabulary word on one part, illustration on matching part

19. Rainbow words of vocabulary word

20. Perforation – punch holes in black paper spelling out word using thumbtack. Attach to white paper, have kids illustrate word on bottom half of paper.

21. Wikki stix – have kids circle vocabulary word, “write” word with stix, etc.

22. M&M game – have a baggie of M&M;s – kids pull out one and answer the question based on color:
Red – main idea Orange – characters
Yellow – setting Green – application
Blue – scripture Brown – name 3 events

If you have any questions about these, feel free to comment or e-mail! We'd love to help!

Hope this blesses you!

Fun things to do with a worksheet besides color it!

We've all been there. The lesson is wonderful, but there's no activity for the kids, only a worksheet. And it's uninspiring. Here are some ideas to jazz up the worksheet. . . .

1. Teacher colors the sheet prior to class. Cut the worksheet apart into simple jigsaw pieces. The children can put the pieces together as a welcome activity.

2. Make a copy of the color sheet. Draw thick black jigsaw lines on the worksheet. Xerox one for each child. The kids can color or simply cut apart to create their own puzzle. Make sure to have a baggie for each child to take home their puzzle.

3. Find color sheets that are in sequence of the story, like a flip chart. Distribute one sheet per child. Then the children get in order of the story. They have to retell that part of the story that their picture illustrates.

4. Add something to the sheet that does not belong, like a hammer or cat or pencil. See if the kids can find the wrong object.

5. Use watercolors instead of crayons.

6. White out the words. Let the kids create a sentence to explain the picture. Kindergarten and early first graders will need the teacher to record their words for them.

7. Enlarge on a copy machine. Let the kids lay on the floor around the "poster" to color in a group. Hang on the wall. Teacher writes new words on a separate piece of paper for the caption as generated by the kids.

8. Create the color sheet to be a "color-by-number" sheet. The target color should be important to the story. For example, only color the blood red Nile River during the plagues, or only color the purple cloth with Lydia, or the water in the story of Jesus walking on water.

9. Add real objects with glue. For example, sand fore desert, blue cellophane for water, corn meal for grain, glitter for stars, straw/hay for straw in the manger, cloth for clothes, etc.

Hope this blesses you!

Announcing. . .

Revamped and updating! We're back! Kim and Daesha have teamed together and now we'll both be posting. Hopefully, this will be a more active blog, now that two of us are posting.

Check out our lessons as they come up. We would love to hear ideas from you, too! Shoot either of us an e-mail - Kim's is posted, and if you know mine (Daesha's) feel free to CC me on that. Or not! Kim's better at checking her e-mail than I am!

I'm writing a few posts this morning, and I will be posting them over the next few days. Hope you can use them!

John 4

This week at Bible Power Hour we studied John 4 - the Woman at the Well. The kids had fun starting our session with about 20 minutes of singing. This is "The Wise Man Built His House on the Rock.
RB told the story and then had the kids act it out. This was fun!! The kids had headbands made from sentence strips with the character names written on them. Sentence strips are the perfect size for making kid-sized headbands!
For the review game we constructed a well! RB asked about 20 different questions about the story. Each time a child answered the question, they came a taped a rock to the well (big brown box). They really like this and it kept them engaged in the review questions.
Our craft today was making a necklace. Each child received a pre-cut heart that said "Jesus loves all people." The kids colored on the pink heart and then strung beads on the pre-cut yarn. Overall, the craft was a hit!
Next week - the Good Samaritan!

Summer Reading Club

Three years ago our congregation started a Summer Reading Club. Each summer the reading has been different passages, but it has always been uplifting and insightful. The first summer we had 30 kids complete the entire New Testament. Last summer we had 63 kids complete the Psalms and Proverbs. This summer we had 117 kids sign-up to read the Gospels.

This summer we also added the feature to invite the community. We had 4 days where community members could come sign-up. They each received a Bible donated from Mardel and a bookmark. Each participant received a reading schedule, calendar, bookmark and log sheet. We had about a dozen people see the articles in the local newspapers or read it on the local Christian radio website or see it on our marquee in front of the building. The best outreach was when we gave each kid in the congregation 3 fliers to hand-out to their friends to read along with them. We had about a dozen "friends" sign-up this year.

Each summer we have also had a fun theme. Year one was "Dive into God's Word." Each child had a sea creature name plate that moved down the bulletin board towards a treasure chest. Last year was "Blast into God's Word." The name plates were fire crackers moving up towards a big fireworks display that we painted on the board with glitter glue. This year is "Wild About God's Word." The kids chose an animal (from mini notepads at the Teacher Store) to move across the board.

Every 15 chapters that the kids read they move to the next level and get a prize. All the prizes came from Oriental Trader and most are animal/jungle themed. If they complete all the Gospels, then they will receive an engraved medal at the Awards Ice Cream party in August. The other years we have had it after Sunday PM services, but this year we are going to have it on a Saturday night because school starts the next Monday morning.

To make your schedule, first pick the chuck of scripture to read. Then choose your date time spam. We usually start Memorial Day and end on Labor Day. Then divide the text so that each day has an equal number of verses - which is usually about 1-2 chapters a day.

We also encourage the whole family to participate. We have the adults sign-up too, but they do not get trinket prizes. :)

This program has doubled in size every summer. It has been a wonderful way to get the kids reading or listening to the Bible. They are motivated and excited about God's Word. It also has provided a way for families to study the Bible together... which may be the best result of the program!

If you want more info or start your own Summer Reading Club at your church, let us know. We are hoping to start a website for this ministry and want to include the other churches participating. So far we have one in DFW, one is Sonora and one in Pasadena, TX. Let's add your congregation to the list too!

Getting Started

I started this blog to share ideas about teaching Sunday School, especially to preschool-second grade. I hope to get it going so that many people can share ideas and photos from great lesson they have taught. This is a work in progress, so bear with me!