THE CREATION

Objectives:

1. Children should know that God created the world.
2. Children should be able to tell the story of Creation.
3. Children should know that we should also love and care for

       God’s creation

Possible lesson plan:

1. Open with prayer.
2. Read the story of the creation in the Beginner's Bible, pages 7-13, or the Children’s Bible Reader, pp. 17-20. At the end, ask the children to name some things God created.
3. Begin your timeline with the story of Creation. 

1. Creation story (make smiley faces for children to hold up with their line):

Teacher: Once, at the dawn of our beautiful days, God made the light and dark go separate ways. & evening & morning were the very first day. & God said:

Children (refrain): “This is good!”

Teacher: On the very next day, God created the sky and painted it blue and set it on high. And God said:

Children (refrain):“This is good!”

Teacher: On the third bright morning, God looked around and removed the water from the high, dry ground. And He called the water the great seas and He colored the ground with grass and trees. And God said:

Children (refrain):“This is good!”

Teacher: Next God rolled up a fireball and called it the sun; a moon He made for its silvery light and the stars He made to twinkle at night. And God said:

Children (refrain): “This is good!”

Teacher: On Day Five God worked on the birds of the sky, the creatures that fly, and fish in the deep and sea creatures to creep. And God said:

Children (refrain):“This is good!”

Teacher: On morning number six God had a plan, to make all the animals that live on the land. From elephants so tall to inchworms so small, God made them all! And God said:

Children (refrain):“This is good!”

Teacher: Then God looked around and His creation He blessed, and then on Day 7, He took a good rest. And God said:

Children (refrain):“This is good!”

4. Feed the elephant true/false questions:

                             True                                                         False

On the 1^st day, God made light and dark On the 1st day, God made animals.

                  On the last day, God made animals.         God didn’t care about plants.

                  God made sun and moon and stars.         God made cars.

5. This is the first lesson of the new year; the first day of the new liturgical year is designated as environmental awareness day. Even the smallest children can take small steps to help care for the lovely world God has given us. Have the children think of some ways their family can care for God’s world. Do they throw litter out into the street to make the world dirty? Do they recycle in their homes?
6. Make the “Let there be Light” mobile: Cut out moon and stars from white and yellow paper ahead of time. Let children decorate with markers, crayons, or even glitter glue. Bend coat hanger to round shape and tie in place. Use tape at the knots to keep from slipping.

7. Alternate craft idea: Starry universe night light – Take a clear plastic cup. Give each child a piece of tinfoil, large enough to completely encase the cup. Have children use toothpick to poke multiple holes in the tinfoil, making patterns like constellations. Wrap tinfoil around cup. Put a tiny electric tea light inside the cup. When it’s dark, the light will shine thru the holes making dancing stars on the walls and serve as a night light. Remind the children that God created light!

OK, a bit dark and difficult. Make a candle holder by taking a baby food jar. Have the children put a few beads on each of 8-10 safety pins. Cut pipe cleaners in half. Thread on the safety pins. Wrap around top of jar and twist to hold. Put tealight inside.

Really under the gun for time with the first week of Sunday School. Then, make a "sun fan" with a yellow paper plate, or a white plate with the pattern printed on paper and glued on ahead of time. Children can color or decorate the plates. Staple, yes, staple, a large popsicle stick on the back and you have a fan. It's September and still warm out in most of the country, right?

7. Close with prayer. Be sure to thank God for His lovely world and to ask Him to help us love it as He does.

Objectives:

1.   Children should be able to identify Adam and Eve by name.

2.   Children should be able to tell the story of the Fall.

3.   Children should identify Satan, the snake.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

2. Tell the story of Adam and Eve from the Beginner’s Bible, pages 14-25, or the Children’s Bible Reader, pp.21-22.

Continue your timeline with Adam and Eve.

3. Finish your responsive story, with the smiley faces:

Teacher: But God was not finished; He thought He’d make a man. He named the man Adam and gave Him all the land. And God said:

Children: “This is VERY good!”

Teacher: From Adam’s rib, God made a wife. Eve was her name and God gave her life. And God said:

Children: “This is VERY good!”

Teacher: And God created _______(child’s name). And God said:

Children: “This is VERY good!”

4. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                             True                                               False

      Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit.    Adam and Eve always obeyed God.

      God created Eve from Adam’s rib.          An elephant told Eve to eat the fruit.

      Satan as a snake told Eve to eat the fruit. God let Adam & Eve stay in Eden.

      Adam and Eve were thrown out of Eden. God told Adam to eat anything at all

5. Ask the children: Why did God create people? How can people help God?

Discuss disobedience: Do we ever disobey our parents? God? Why is it so easy to disobey when we know better? Why do we choose to disobey? What happens when we disobey?

6. Make a Rigatoni Snake: Make colorful rigatoni with magic markers or food coloring. Tie 18-inch piece of yarn around one noodle; decorate this piece with eyes to be the head. String rest of yarn with rigatoni, tying a ½-inch jingle bell on the end as a tail.

7. Close with prayer.

Objectives:

1. Children should be able to tell the story of Noah and the ark.
2. Children should identify the Great Flood and its significance.
3. Children should know God’s meaning for a rainbow.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

2. Tell the story from Beginner’s Bible, pp 26-33, First Bible, pp 14-21, or  the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 24-27. Continue your timeline with Noah. 

3. Instead of Feed the Elephant, have several small stuffed animals, a rock, a pencil, and several other non-animal things. Have the children one by one choose something that Noah would have taken (i.e., an animal) and place it in the opening of the large wooden ark in the classroom (or a basket).

4. Discuss storms; use pictures from the library if desired. Thunderstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes – all are scary. Ask the children what scares them: the wind? the rain? the thunder? the lightning? Ask them to “feel like Noah” for a moment; bang on a pot and flicker the classroom lights to make a “storm”.

5. Discuss rainbows: What did God say to Noah with the rainbow? Have they seen a rainbow? What colors are in a rainbow? Draw and color a big rainbow.

6. Sing “Rise and Shine”:
   1. Lord said to Noah, “There’s gonna be a floody, floody,” (2x)

Get those children out of the muddy, muddy!” Children of the Lord.

      Chorus: So rise and shine and give God the glory, glory, (3x)

                              Children of the Lord.

2. So Noah he built him, he built him an arky, arky, (2x)

Made it out of gopher barky, barky, Children of the Lord.

3. The animals they came on, they came on by twosies, twosies, (2x)

Elephants and kangaroosies, roosies, Children of the Lord.

4. It rained and poured for forty long daysies, daysies, (2x)

Nearly drove those animals crazies, crazies, Children of the Lord.

5. The sun came out and dried up the landy, landy, (2x)

Everything was fine and dandy, dandy, Children of the Lord.

7. Make animal masks:

Have each child select an animal.

Cut holes in a paper plate for eyes.

Glue on paper trunks, ears, etc.

Punch a hole on each side of the mask.

Attach yarn and tie around the child’s head.

Re-enact the filling of the ark while singing:

                  “Brother Noah had an ark, ee I ee I oh…”

8. Alternate: Make the animal cracker ark.

9. Close with prayer.

Objectives:

1. Children should be able to identify the Tower of Babel and tell its story.
2. Children should identify the source of the many languages we have today.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

2. Tell the story of the Tower of Babel from the Beginner’s Bible, pp 34-38, the Children’s Bible Reader, page 28, or the Read with Me Bible, 36-39.

Add the Tower of Babel to your timeline.

3. Reenact the drama as the children tell you the story back while building a tower of blocks and finally knocking it down.

4. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                       True                                                              False

The Tower of Babel was the tallest ever.  God built the Tower of Babel

Men built the tower to reach heaven.       God told people to build it.

God destroyed the tower.                         People always had many languages.

      God confused the languages.                   The tower was made of wood.

5. Do you speak another language? Many of the children have no idea what it is like to not understand what someone is saying; indeed, travel to a foreign country is one of the only ways to bring this lesson home. But, give it a try. Begin the lesson in another language, or give the instruction for the crafts in another language. Watch the blank stares and discuss their reactions.

6. Make a paper-towel-roll tower:

Color a piece of paper to look like bricks.

Glue it around a paper-towel roll.

Color in a door and windows.

Add a paper cone for a roof.

7. Close with prayer.

Objectives:

1. Children should be able to tell the story of Abraham.
2. Children should identify Abraham as the father of the Jewish people, chosen by God.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.
2. Read the story of Abraham from Beginner’s Bible, pages 39-51, the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 29-33, or the Children’s Bible, pages 34-41, or tell the story with flannelboard figures. When using flannelboard figures, be sure to punch them out ahead of time. Each child can have 1 or 2 figures to hold, giving them to the teacher when needed for the story.

Add Abraham to your timeline

3. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                                          True                                          False

                  Abraham was married to Sarah.                Abraham was married to a camel.

                  God told Abraham to leave home.           A king told Abraham to leave home.

      Abraham traveled on a camel.                  Abraham traveled on a magic carpet.

      Abraham’s son was named Isaac.             Abraham’s son was named Noah.

4. Discuss moving: Has anyone moved to a new house? What would you pack if you had to carry it all on a camel? Have you ever been camping, pitching a tent each night in a different place? What is it like?

5. Have some fun with camels: What do they look like? What are their natures? Get a book from the library to show camels.

6. Sing “Father Abraham!”

Chorus: Father Abraham had many sons; many sons had Father Abraham.

             And I am one of them, and so are you, so let’s all praise the Lord:

1. Right hand      With each verse,
2. Left hand         add a body part,
3. Right leg          until you are marching
4. Left leg             around the classroom
5. Head                 wagging your heads.

7.   Make an Egg-Carton Camel:

Cut a 2-hump section from an egg carton.

Paint it brown before class and let it dry.

Punch 2 holes on each side and one on each end.

Bend pipe cleaners through holes for legs, head

      and tail.

Too tough? Try paper bag puppets of Abraham, Sarah, and the camel. Print ahead of time at the correct size for your plain brown paper or white paper lunch bags and cut out for the children, one per child or perhaps all three. Be sure to cut the head right at the middle of the mouth. Children can color. Glue the head onto the "bottom" of a lunch bag, the mouth on the front of the puppet just below the flap that has the head, and the rest of the body below that on the bag. Camel can have tail glued on the back. Add cotton ball beard for Abraham along sides of face, mustache area, and then beard itself on the "body" section of the bag. 

9.  Close with prayer.

Objectives:

1. Children should be able to tell the story of Isaac – his birth, the sacrifice on the mountain, and his marriage.
2. Children should identify Isaac as the son of Abraham and Rebekah as his wife.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

2. Tell the story of Isaac, either from the Read with Me Bible 44-55 or with the flannelboard figures in the cupboard. The Children’s Bible Reader leaves out the story of the sacrifice on the mountain, but does include the story of Rebecca on pages 34-36 as does the Beginner’s Bible on pages 52-57.

Add Isaac to your timeline, here pictured with Abraham. 

3. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                                       True                                                   False

                  Isaac was the son of Abraham.                 Isaac was the son of  Adam.

                  Rebekah was Isaac’s wife.                        Sarah was Isaac’s wife.

                  Abraham was ready to obey God.                        Abraham killed Isaac.

                  Sarah was Isaac’s mother.                         Rebekah was Isaac’s mother.

4. Draw a family tree: Begin with Abraham and Sarah, add Isaac, then Rebekah. You can draw the children’s family trees as well to illustrate Daddy, Mommy, children.

5. Make a paper-plate baby Isaac:

Cut one plate as illustrated, fold.

Color in eyes, mouth, hair, etc.

Cut out paper hands and glue on

      ends of arms.

Staple plate to another plate (the body).

Bend up arms and head.

6. Another choice of craft would be the

Toilet paper tube bracelet (given to

Rebekah):

Cut 2-inch section of tube.

Cut along one side to open.

Ahead of class, paint gold.

Glue trim on edges. Hold with

      paperclips while drying.

Glue on rhinestones or sequins.

7. Close with prayer.

Objectives:

1. Children should be able to identify and name “Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob”.
2. Children should be able to tell the stories of Jacob and Esau, Jacob’s ladder, and Jacob and Rachel.
3. Children should recognize “Israel” as the name God gave to Jacob, later to be the name of God’s chosen people.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.
2. Tell the story of Jacob either from the Beginner’s Bible, pages 58-70, the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 37-49, or Read with Me Bible 56-73, or with  flannelboard pictures. Add Jacob to your timeline.

1. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                                     True                                                        False

                  Jacob and Esau were twins.                      Jacob and Esau looked alike.

                  Isaac was the father of Jacob.                   Rachel was the mother of Jacob.

                  Jacob saw angels on a ladder.                   Jacob saw elephants on a ladder.

                  God gave Jacob the name Israel.              God gave Jacob the name Superman.

4. Add Jacob and Esau to your family tree. Then add Leah and Rachel to Jacob.

5. Discuss blindness: Jacob was able to cheat Esau because Isaac was blind. Would it be hard to identify things without seeing? Put 5-10 small objects in a pillowcase (paperclip, pencil, etc.) Can the children identify them by feel?

6. Discuss lying and cheating: Did Jacob lie to Isaac to cheat Esau from his inheritance? Was this right? Was Esau happy with Jacob or angry? Have we ever lied? Has anyone ever lied to us or about us? How do we feel? What happened when Jacob returned to the land of Esau? Retell the story of the Prodigal Son: How is this like the return of Jacob to his homeland?

7. Talk about angels: What are they? Where else do we see them in the Bible?

Who is Gabriel? Explain that angels are messengers from God. Show the icon of the Annunciation. Talk about guardian angels. How do they help us?

8. Make a paper angel:

Make a paper cone for the body.

Decorate a Styrofoam ball for the head.

Insert a pipe cleaner for the halo.

Glue on paper wings or wings made from

      a doily or paper fan wings.

9. Alternate idea: Cut out a construction

paper ladder for each child. Glue angel

pictures from wrapping paper or cards

or angel stickers up and down the ladder.

            10. Close with prayer.

Objectives:

1. Children should know that Joseph was one of the twelve children of Israel.
2. Children should be able to tell the story of Joseph and the many-colored coat and of Joseph sold into slavery.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

2. Tell the story of Joseph, either from  the Beginner’s Bible, pages 71-77,  the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 50-53, or the Read with Me Bible 74-86 or with flannelboard figures.

Add Joseph to your timeline.

3. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                          True                                                   False

     Joseph was a son of Israel.                         Joseph was Jacob’s oldest son.

     Joseph’s mother was Rachel.                     Joseph’s mother was Leah.

     His father loved Joseph very much.           His father hated Joseph.

     Joseph was sold into slavery.                     Joseph’s brothers all loved him.

4. Add Joseph and his brothers (Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Naphtali, Issachar, Asher, Dan, Zebulon, Gad, Judah, and Benjamin) to the family tree; Joseph and Benjamin will be under Jacob and Rachel, the rest under Jacob and Leah.

Discuss how Joseph’s brothers treated him. Is that how God wants us to treat our brothers and sisters?

5. Make the Joseph paper doll. Decorate his coat with strips of colored yarn, colored candies, colored glitter glue, sequins, etc
6. Close with prayer.

Objectives:

1. Children should be able to tell the dreams of the butler, the baker, and Pharaoh.
2. Children should know the story of Joseph’s forgiving his brothers.
3. Children should know how the people of Israel came to live in the land of Egypt.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

2. Review the story of Joseph from last week.

3. Read the story of Joseph either in the Beginner’s Bible, pages 78-91,  the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 54-71, or with flannelboard figures. No one new to add to your timeline but it's a good time to review all the figures hanging on the clothesline. 

4. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                              True                                                  False

      Joseph was a slave of Potiphar in Egypt.  Joseph was taken to China as a slave.

      The butler dreamed of grapes and a cup.  The butler dreamed of apples.

      The baker dreamed of bread and birds.    The baker dreamed of apple pies.

      The butler was freed by Pharaoh.             The baker was freed by Pharaoh

      Pharaoh dreamed of fat and thin cows.    Pharaoh dreamed of fat elephants.

5. Talk about slavery and prison: What would it be like? Are there slaves now? Prisoners? What did Jesus say about how we should treat slaves and prisoners?

6. Talk about dreams: Do we have dreams? What kind of dreams? Are there other important dreams in the Bible?  (Jacob’s ladder, Joseph and Mary)

7. Make Joseph’s chains: Cut strips of construction paper. Write on them the names of people important to Joseph’s slavers – his brothers, Potiphar, Pharaoh, butler, baker, etc. Tape strips into loops to form a paper chain.

8. Close with prayer.

Objectives:

1.      Children should be able to tell the story of the baby Moses and his salvation on the Nile.

2.      Children should be able to tell the story of the burning bush.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1.      Open with prayer.

2.      Tell the story of the early life of Moses from the Beginner’s Bible pages 92-103, the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 73-78, or the Read with Me Bible pages 93-103. We'll add Moses to your timeline next week with the Ten Commandments. 

3.      Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                       True                                                  False

Moses was of the people of Israel.           Moses was an Egyptian.

Baby Moses floated in a basket.               Baby Moses was found in a bush.

God spoke to Moses in a burning bush.    God spoke to Moses in an apple tree

4.      Role-play the story of baby Moses: Put a baby doll in a basket. Hide it in the classroom. Have the children play Pharaoh’s sister and find the baby.

5.      Make a burning bush:

Dry and press some fall leaves.

Place the leaves on a piece of waxed paper.

Grate yellow, orange and red crayons.

Sprinkle crayon shavings all around leaves.

Cover with another piece of waxed paper.

Carefully iron to melt crayons and stick

      paper together. Note that wax paper, as it is now made, will NOT stick together without the crayon shavings; there's not enough wax!

6.      Alternate craft idea: Baby Moses

Put a bit of cotton fluff in a half walnut shell (a tiny cup can be used instead). Cut a circle of fabric. Put small bit of cotton in center of circle. Tie around neck to make baby’s head. Glue on yarn hair and fabric circle bonnet. Place baby in walnut shell basket. OK, too hard? Take a coffee filter for the baby, with cotton ball inside head, "tie" around the neck with rubber band or pipe cleaner, and give Moses a basket by cutting a toilet paper tube in half lengthwise. Decorate the toilet paper tube with masking tape to look like a basket. Use the other half for the top of the basket. 

7.      Close with prayer.

Objectives:

1.      Children should learn the 10 plagues.

2.      Children should memorize the 10 commandments.

3.      Children should be able to name Moses as the writer of the books of the Torah, or Jewish law.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1.      Open with prayer.

2.      Read the story of Moses from the Beginner’s Bible, pages 104-127, the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 79-105, or in the Read with Me Bible, pages 104-143.

Add Moses to your timeline.

3.      Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                                True                                                       False

     Moses led God’s people to freedom.         Adam led God’s people to freedom.

     God gave Moses the 10 Commandments. God gave Moses  5 Commandments

     God opened the Red Sea.                          God opened the Yellow Sea.

     The last plague was death.                         Pharaoh loved and obeyed God.

4.      Play “Moses May I”: Give commands and permission based on the Commandments, for example:

Teacher: John, take 2 steps into the wilderness.

John: Moses, may I?

Moses (either the teacher, or an older student): Yes, you may.

Teacher: Judy, steal Jason’s hat.

Judy: Moses, may I?

Moses: Moses says no! Why not? (Class can answer.)

5.      Sing “God Gave Moses” to the tune of “Mary had a Little Lamb”:

God gave Moses 10 Commandments….This is what God said.

1.      We must worship only God, only God… This is commandment one.

2.      God said not to worship things…            7. God said we must honor marriage.

3.      God said not to use bad words… 8. God said we are not to steal…

4.      God said we must go to Church…9. God said we are not to lie…

5.      God said we must honor parents  10. God said we are not to envy…

6.      God said we are not to kill…      

7.       

6.      Begin your homemade matzoh bread (flat bread): Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix 3 cups flour with 1 ½ cups water in a mixing bowl (best done by children with their hands). Add flour if needed so the dough won’t be too sticky. Divide into 8 sections and roll to about 1/8 inch thick. Place on greased baking sheets. Poke with forks. Bake 10-12 minutes. Serve with honey.

7.      Make the “flies of the plague” while your dough bakes: Take a coloring picture of the Egyptians. Then with fingers that have been pressed on a black stamp pad, put lots of fingerprint “flies” all over the picture. Draw in eyes, legs, and wings to complete the flies.

8.      Close with prayer.

Objectives:

1.      Children should be able to tell the story of Balaam and the donkey.

2.      Children should understand the importance of obedience to God.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1.      Open with prayer.

2.      Tell the story of Balaam from the Golden Children’s Bible pages 164-169.

Add Balaam, with donkey and angel, to your timeline.

3.      Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                                      True                                                   False

                  Balaam was a follower of God.                Balak was a servant of God.

                  The donkey saw the angel first.                Balaam saw the angel first.

                  Balak was king of Moab.                          Balak was king of Israel.

                  Balaam blessed the children of Israel.      Balak loved the children of Israel.

4.      Make a Come-Alive Mural to recreate the story: Trace around the children to make life-size figures of Balaam, the donkey, the angel, Balak, and as many servants as you need. Cut out faces and arm holes. Color or paint. Retell the story with the children in the roles.

5.      Less ambitious craft idea: Draw a picture of a donkey and have the children color it. Then…Play “Pin the Tail on the Donkey”.

6.      Close with prayer.

Objectives:

1. Children should be able to identify Joshua as Moses’s successor.
2. Children should be able to tell the story of the battle of Jericho.
3. Children should identify Joshua as the person who said, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

2. Read the story of Joshua in The Beginner’s Bible, pages 124-135, the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 106-109, or in the Read with Me Bible, pages 144-151.

Add Joshua to your timeline.

3. Feed the Elephant True/False statements:

                                      True                                                  False

                  Joshua led the Jewish people.                   Joshua went back to Egypt.

                  Joshua conquered the land of Canaan.     Joshua was defeated in battle.

                  The walls of Jericho fell down.                 Joshua climbed the walls of Jericho.

4. Try an old, but revamped, song or two:

Ring around the city,                                Jericho is falling down,

Trumpets in our handies,                          Falling down, Falling down,

Shout it! Shout it!                                     Jericho is falling down,

The walls fall down!                                With Joshua’s army.

(Everyone falls down.)                            

5. Make a funnel trumpet:

Use masking or duct tape to hold a funnel on one end of a paper towel tube and a small party horn on the other and cover the whole trumpet with aluminum foil or more silver duct tape. Then march around the classroom or outside seven times before blowing the trumpets and shouting loudly!

6. Close with prayer.

Objectives:

1. Children should be able to tell the story of Gideon – the meat offering, the fleece, the choosing of the men, and the battle.
2. Children should understand the need to trust in God in all things.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

1. Tell the story of Gideon from the Beginner’s Bible, pages 140-145, Children’s Bible Reader, pages 109, 112-114, + the Golden Children’s Bible, pages 192-194 and the Read with Me Bible, pages 152-155. Use all especially to hear about the fleece, which is in the Golden Children’s Bible.

Add Gideon to your timeline.

3. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                                  True                                                                 False

                 God spoke to Gideon with a fleece.   God spoke to Gideon with a crystal ball.

     Gideon chose the men who lapped.    Gideon took all the men for his army.

     God sent fire to the meat and cakes.   God rained on the meat and cakes.

     Gideon won the battle with lamps.     God killed the Midianites with lightning.

4. Give each child a bowl of water. How would he drink without lifting it?

5. Make a coil pot with a candle:

Take self-hardening clay (not flammable).

Flatten a ball of clay into a base.

Make long snakes of clay and coil into

      a pot.

Put a tea-lite candle inside and let it dry.

6. Pretend to sleep while the children surround you with candle-pots and trumpets (See Joshua lesson.) See if they can surprise you awake!

7. Close with prayer.

Objectives:

1. Children should be able to tell the story of Job – his losses and his struggle with Satan.
2. Children should know that Job did not curse God.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

2. Read the story of Job from the Arch Book on Job. It’s not in our storybooks. Or use this condensed version: There was a man in the Old Testament in the Bible named Job and he lived in UZ. He was faithful to God. Job was married and had 7 sons and 3 daughters. He was considered very wealthy and had 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys and a very large household.

   One day, Satan told God that the only reason Job was faithful was because he had so much and he had an easy life. God told Satan that he could do anything to Job, except lay a hand on him.

    

   Soon after that, a servant came to Job and told him that while the oxen were plowing and the donkeys were eating beside them, the Sabeans came and took them and killed all the servants except for him. While that servant was talking, another servant came and told Job that a fire came from heaven (probably lightening) and burned up the sheep and those servants, all except for the one that came to talk to Job. While the servant was talking, the Chaldeans took the camels and killed all the servants, except for the one that told Job what happened. Again, while that servant was talking, another servant came and told Job that all his children were eating a meal and a great wind (probably a tornado) came and killed everyone, except for the servant talking.

    

   Job stood up and tore off his robe and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and said "The Lord gives and He takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord." No, Job didn’t get angry and shout at God for his misery! He didn’t blame God for what happened either.

    

   Satan spoke to God again and said that Job was faithful because those things (the servants, animals, and his children) that were taken away didn’t hurt him physically. So, God told Satan that he could do what he wanted except kill Job. The first thing Satan did was put painful boils all over Job, from his feet to the top of his head.  Job used a broken pot to scrape himself!

    

   Then, Job’s wife began to tell Job to curse God because of what happened to him. Job told her that sometimes there’s good in life and sometimes there’s bad; but Job would not curse God or sin. When his 3 friends went to see Job, they didn’t even recognize him! They ate with Job for 7 days and nights and they didn’t even talk! They did talk after that and Job stayed faithful and didn’t blame God. But Job did have questions for God. (38:1) and God answered Job out of a whirlwind. Job said “I know You can do anything (42:2).

    

   When Job prayed for his friends, God gave Job back all that Job had lost, He even doubled it! (42:10) God blessed the last days of Job and gave him (42:1212-13):

   • 14,000 sheep
   • 6,000 camels
   • 1,000 oxen
   • 1,000 female donkeys
   • 7 sons & 3 beautiful daughters

Add Job to your timeline.

3. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                                        True                                                    False

                  God allowed Satan to hurt Job.                God hurt Job.

                  Job loved God.                                         Job hated God.

                  God rules all the world.                            Satan rules all the world.

                  God gave Job a new family and riches.    Job died sick and poor.

4. Talk about sickness and sadness: Have we ever been sad or sick? How do we feel? How should we treat others who are sick or sad? Did Job’s friends show love for him? Make “Get Well” cards for a hospital or nursing home. Who will deliver them?

5. Make a Job plate face:

Cut mouth and eye openings from a paper plate.

Cut a nose from the left-over pieces.

Place a second plate under the first.

Poke a hole through both plates and fasten

      with a brad.

Draw eyes and a smiling face on the second

      plate where the openings are in the first.

Turn the second plate 180 degrees.

Draw a sad mouth and crying eyes in the

      new blank areas.

Glue the nose over the brad.

Retell the story of Job with the children turning their faces from smiling to sadness to smiling again at the appropriate times.

6. Close with prayer.

RUTH

Objectives:

1. Children should be able to tell the story of Ruth.
2. Children should know that Ruth was from the tribe of Moab, not Israel.
3. Children should know that Ruth was a direct ancestor of Jesus.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

2. Tell the story of Ruth, with the Beginner’s Bible, pages 152-155, the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 118-119, or the Read with Me Bible, pages 164-166, or the Golden Children’s Bible pages 211-215 (in that order since the Read with Me Bible is too scanty).
2. Add Ruth to your timeline. 

3. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                                        True                                                       False

                  Ruth was from the tribe of Moab.                        Ruth was from the people of Israel.

                  Ruth’s mother-in-law was Naomi.            Ruth’s mother-in-law was Eve.

                  Ruth married Boaz.                                   Ruth married Noah.

                  Ruth went to the land of Israel.                Ruth went to the land of Egypt.

4. Discuss the customs of marriage – in ancient Israel and today. Why did Ruth stay with Naomi? What is the role of the mother-in-law, then and now? How did Ruth meet Boaz? Why was Ruth in the fields? What custom made Boaz Ruth’s husband? How do we choose a husband today? Who cares for the widow and the elderly today?

5. Make “Egg People” to tell the story:

You’ll need Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz.

Take halves of L’Eggs stocking eggs

      or Styrofoam cups for bodies.

Draw faces on them with permanent

      felt-tip pens.

Decorate with scraps of fabric for

      head coverings or yarn for hair.

Clip 3 clothespins or large paper clips

      on the edge for legs.

Have the children retell the story now, acting it out with their characters.

6. Close with prayer.

HANNAH/SAMUEL

Objectives:

1. Children should be able to tell the story of Samuel’s birth and his childhood in the temple.
2. Children should understand that God spoke to Samuel and called him to his life work, and He will do the same for us.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

2. Tell the story of Hannah and Samuel either from the Beginner’s Bible, pages 156-163, the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 120-122, the Golden Children’s Bible pages 216-217 plus the Read with Me Bible pages 167-170.

Add Samuel to your timeline.

3. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                                            True                                                 False

                 Hannah was given a son by God.              Hannah had lots of children.

                 Hannah’s son was named Samuel.             Hannah’s son was named John.

                 Samuel’s father was Elkanah.                    Samuel’s father was Eli.

     Samuel lived in the temple.                        Samuel lived in the desert.

                 Eli was the priest in the temple.                 Noah was the priest in the temple.

     God spoke to Samuel.                                Samuel hated God.

4. Talk about other mothers and sons from the Bible: Sarah and Isaac, Rebekah and Jacob. Review their stories. Who else was old and prayed for a son? Do you remember the stories of Anna and baby Mary, Elizabeth and John, and Mary and Jesus from the New Testament? Who else gave her child to be raised in the temple?

5.   Hannah brought Samuel a coat, or tunic, each year. Make a tunic for our next play:  Take a piece of fabric (e.g. muslin) 1 yard wide and 2 yards long for each child. You can also use a bath towel, or even a T-shirt with neck hole already provided.  Fold it in half and cut a hole for the head with a slit for the neck. Tie it in the center with a piece of clothesline or cloth ribbon for a belt. Decorate your tunic with fabric markers or Sharpies.

Too big a project? Make a spoon puppet wearing a tunic. Take a wooden spoon and draw a face and hair on it with markers. Attach arms of pipe cleaner by wrapping tightly just below face and bend into circle at end for hand. Dress in a robe that ties tightly around the waist with pipe cleaner or ribbon for belt. The robe is just a piece of fabric or felt, cut in a longish rectangle (depending on size of spoon) and slit for the head to go thru halfway up.

6.   Close with prayer.

SAUL

Objectives:

1. Children should be able to identify Saul and the first king of Israel and Samuel who anointed Saul.
2. Children should know the story of Saul’s disobedience to God.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.
2. Tell the story of Saul the Beginner’s Bible, pages 164-168, the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 122-125, or the Read with Me Bible pages 171-172 plus the Golden Children’s Bible pages 225-227. Again, we can start with the children’s own Bibles, but need a bit more meat to the story.

Add King Saul to your timeline.

3. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                                        True                                                       False

                  Samuel anointed Saul.                              Eli anointed Saul.

                  Saul was the first king of Israel.               Moses was the first king of Israel.

                  Saul disobeyed God.                                 Saul always obeyed God.

                  Saul’s son was named Jonathon.              Saul’s son was named Boaz.

4. Discuss forms of government (in simplified form). How is your family “governed”; i.e., how are decisions made in your family? How was Israel governed in its early years? (with prophets and judges chosen by God for a specific task) Who were some of the people God used to lead His people? (Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, etc.) Review their stories briefly. Why would people want a king? Did other countries have kings? Is it easier to trust a good-looking and smart king or to trust the invisible God?

5. Make a crown out of 2 pieces of construction paper stapled together into one long piece. Fit it around the child’s head and staple in a ring. Cut points on the top and fringe on the bottom; trim the fringe short in front to keep the vision clear. Decorate with glitter, glitter glue, sequins, rhinestones, etc.

6. Close with prayer.

DAVID (to Goliath)

Objectives:

1. Children should know the story of David – his anointing, his shepherd childhood, and the story of David and Goliath.
2. Children should identify David as the author of many of the Psalms.
3. Children should begin to memorize the 23^rd Psalm.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.
2. Read the story of the childhood of David in the Beginner’s Bible, pages 169-180, the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 126-128, First Bible 86-92, or the Read with Me Bible 173-185. If you use the Read with Me Bible, be sure to discuss the fact that David wrote Psalms, songs to the Lord, and played the harp. The Psalms are in the Beginner’s Bible 190-193, Children’s Bible Reader 132-135 or the Read with Me Bible 218-221.

Add David to your timeline.

3. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                                        True                                                     False

                  David was the son of Jesse.                      David was the son of Saul.

                  David was a shepherd.                              David was a fisherman.

                  David killed Goliath with a sling.             David killed Goliath with a spear.

                  David played the harp.                             David hated music.

                  David wrote Psalms to God.                    David didn’t know God at all.

4. Make a paper plate sheep: 

• Draw eyes and mouth on small paper plate.
• Glue on ears and nose made of black construction paper.
• Staple small plate on edge of large plate.
• Decorate both plates with scattered cotton balls.

5. Alternate craft idea: Whack Goliath in the head!

• Cut out picture of Goliath, color it, and tape to small cup
• Write: “The battle is the Lord’s” on the back of the cup with Sharpie.                             
• Tape a cotton ball to one end of string (wrapping it around and around with the tape), about 18 inches long and the other end of the string to the bottom of the cup.
• Play the game by trying to hit Goliath in the head with the cotton ball.
• Harder? Land the cotton ball inside the cup behind the head!

6. Close with prayer.

DAVID AND JONATHON

Objectives:

1. Children should identify David as King after Saul.
2. Children should identify Jonathon as Saul’s son.
3. Children should be able to tell the story of David and Jonathon.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.
2. Read the story from the Beginner’s Bible, pages 181-189, Children’s Bible Reader, pages 129-131, the Golden Children’s Bible, pages 236-241, 252-253.

No one new to add to your timeline this week, so use the time to review all your figures so far. 

3. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                                    True                                        False

      Jonathon was David’s friend.                   Saul always loved David.

      Jonathon was the son of Saul.                  David was the son of Saul.

      Jonathon saved David’s life.                    David was killed by Saul.

4. Discuss friendship: What is a friend? Who are your friends? What qualities make a good friend? Was Jonathon a good friend to David? Are you a good friend to your friends?

5. Take a small, toy bow and arrow set. Go out in the yard and practice shooting at a target. Can you make it miss like Jonathon?
6. No bows and arrows, or too cold to go outside? Discuss above the qualities of a good friend. Write these on the side of large popsicle sticks, adding point and feathers to make an arrow. Decorate a jar or toilet paper tube as a quiver with the words “Be a good friend” and add the arrows to the quiver. Add a piece of yarn or string to carry the quiver and remember what makes a good friend.

7. Make a friendship bracelet: one for yourself and one for a friend.

Take 2-3 24-inch pieces of embroidery floss. Let each child choose the colors. Work with a buddy, each holding one end of the 2-3 pieces of floss. One holds while the other twists until the strands are very tightly twisted. The teacher then comes and grabs the middle with one hand and both ends with the other. Let go of the middle and immediately shake the string vigorously. Tie around child’s wrist. Who will he share the other with? Note that this craft can only be accomplished with a friend since it cannot be made by one person alone. 

8. Close with prayer. 

SOLOMON

Objectives:

1. Students should identify Solomon as David’s son.
2. Students should know that Solomon chose wisdom as his gift.
3. Students should know that Solomon built the great temple in Jerusalem.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

2. Read the story of Solomon in the Beginner’s Bible, pages 194-200, the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 136-139, First Bible, pages 104-111, or the Read with Me Bible, pages 186-193.

Add Solomon to your timeline.

3. Feed the Elephant True/False questions.

                              True                                            False

      Solomon was the son of David.                Solomon was the son of Jonathon.

      Solomon asked God for wisdom.             Solomon asked God for riches.

      Solomon found the mother of the baby.   Solomon cut the baby in two.

      Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem.    David built the temple in Jerusalem.

4. Re-enact the scene of the 2 women with the baby before King Solomon: Have a baby doll, 2 girls (with tunics and towels on their heads as costumes) and one boy (with a crown). Who was the real mother and how did Solomon know this?

5.   Build a “temple”:

      Use shoeboxes, cardboard boxes

            of various sizes, and paper

            tubes or cups to be the temple.

      Decorate with macaroni trim.

      Spray the entire temple gold.

      Glue on sequins, windows, doors.

6.  Close with prayer.

PROVERBS AND SONG OF SONGS

Objectives:

1. Children should identify Solomon as the author of these books and also Ecclesiastes.
2. Children should identify Proverbs as a book of wise sayings.
3. Children should identify Song of Songs as a love poem of Solomon.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

2. There are some Proverbs in the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 139-140. Read the Arch Book on Proverbs. Have each child pick a favorite Proverb and write that proverb on a small piece of paper for him.

3. Discuss the love of God: Does God love us? Why?  How does He show His love for us? How did He show His love for Solomon? For Noah? For David? For Hannah? For Ruth? For Moses? Do we love God? How do we show our love for God? How did Solomon? How did Noah?… Sing “Jesus Loves Me”.

4. Make a Valentine… for God? For one of His children in a hospice or orphanage or hospital? Use red and pink paper hearts, doilies, stickers, etc.

5. Make a Phylactery: A phylactery is a small box containing a tiny scroll with God’s Commandments worn in Bible times by Jewish men on their foreheads to remind them of God’s words, as it is written in Deuteronomy, “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.”

Take a small gift box or matchbox

      for each child.

Roll his verse from Proverbs into a

      tiny scroll and tie with yarn, and

      put it in the box.

Wrap the box in brown paper (or piece

      of paper bag).

Cut 30-inch piece of seam binding for

      each child and glue center to back

      of box and let dry.

Tie to child’s forehead.

6. Close with prayer.

ELIJAH

Objectives:

1. Children should be able to tell the story of Elijah – his feeding by the ravens, his meeting with the prophets of Baal, the “still, small voice”, and the fiery chariot.
2. Children should identify Ahab and Jezebel as an evil king and queen.
3. Children should identify Elijah’s student and disciple, Elisha.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

2. Read the story of Elijah from the Beginner’s Bible, pages 201-221, the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 141-144, First Bible, pages 112-117, or the Read with Me Bible pages 194-209 plus the Golden Children’s Bible 276-277.  Be sure to identify Jezebel as the queen of King Ahab, since she is left out of the Children’s Bible Reader. This would be the time to discuss with the children the split among the Jewish people that occurred around 900 BC, dividing the land into Israel in the north with its capital of Samaria and Judah in the south with Jerusalem its capital. Elijah lived in the north and Ahab and Jezebel were king and queen of Israel.

Add Elijah to your timeline.

3. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                                        True                                                     False

                  Elijah was fed by ravens.                          Elijah was fed by a dove.

                  God sent fire from heaven.                       Baal sent fire from heaven.

                  Elisha was the disciple of Elijah.              Noah was the disciple of Elijah.

                  Jezebel was a wicked queen.                    Ruth was a wicked queen.

                  Elijah was taken by a fiery chariot.           Elijah died and was buried.

4. Talk about prayer: How does God speak to us? How did He speak to Elijah? In a voice of thunder (as He did at Jesus’s baptism)? In an earthquake? In a wind (as He did at Pentecost)? Or does He speak when we are quiet in a still, small voice? Have the children practice being quiet before God.

5. Re-enact the scene with the prophets of Baal: Build an altar of blocks. Attach 10-14-inch lengths of orange and yellow crepe paper with tape to the blocks. Have children retell the story. When the fire comes down from heaven, turn on a small fan and watch the flames come alive!

6. Make a “Handprint Raven”: Fold a piece of black construction paper in half. Place child’s hand on the fold and trace. Fold each half out at finger line. Glue together thumbs (head) and body. Glue on orange paper beak and eyes.
7. Alternate craft: Paper bag raven: Use black bags or color them black. Cut out 2 black wings and glue to back of bag. Glue on eyes and beak and feet. Can you put on a play with all the ravens feeding Elijah?

8. Close with prayer: This time in silent prayer with the children practicing their silence!

ELISHA

Objectives:

1. Children should identify Elisha as the disciple of Elijah.
2. Children should be able to tell the stories of Elisha and Naaman.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.
2. Tell the story of Elisha from The Beginner’s Bible, pages 222-234, First Bible, pages 118-123, or the Read with Me Bible pages 208-215 .

Add Elisha, shown here as Elijah is taken up into heaven, to your timeline.

3. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                                           True                                                      False

                  Elisha was the disciple of Elijah.              Jezebel was the disciple of Elijah.

                  Naaman was a leper.                                 Naaman had the flu.

                  Elisha told Naaman to dip in the river.     Elisha told Naaman to cut his hair.

                  Gehazi was the servant of Elisha.             Gehazi was the servant of Naaman.

                  Gehazi lied to Elisha.                                Gehazi was honest and truthful.

4. Discuss the importance of obedience: God spoke to Naaman through Elisha. Did Naaman want to obey God? Or did Naaman think that what Elisha asked of him was silly? Who else obeyed God, even though it made him look silly? Noah building the ark? Moses holding his staff over the Red Sea? Joshua marching around Jericho? Gideon with his lamp pots and trumpets? David with his sling against Goliath? Do we always understand why we should obey our parents? God? Or do we always ask, “Why?” and miss the miracle.

5. Make Naaman bathe with fingerpaints. First draw a picture of Naaman in the middle of a piece of fingerpaint paper. Or cut out a figure from a coloring book and color it and glue it on the paper. Or print the picture on the following page. Now use blue fingerpaints to make the waters of the Jordan all the way up to Naaman’s face. You can do a sun in the sky if you want to.

6. Close with prayer.

Naaman’s Leprosy Cleansed

JONAH

Objectives:

1. Children should be able to tell the story of Jonah.
2. Children should identify another reason for disobedience – dislike of the command.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.
2. Read the story of Jonah in The Beginner’s Bible, pages 257-264, the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 148-151, or the Read with Me Bible, pages 244-249. Remember that Ninevah was the capital of the Assyrians, who were poised to conquer the entire land of Israel.

Add Jonah to your timeline.

3. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                                              True                                              False

                  Jonah was a prophet of God.                    Jonah was a king of Israel.

                 God told Jonah to go to Ninevah.             God told Jonah to go to Egypt.

                 God sent a storm to Jonah’s ship.              Jonah’s ship had clear, blue sky.

                 Jonah was swallowed by a big fish.           Jonah was eaten by a lion.

4. Discuss disobedience again: Why did Jonah disobey God? Did he think the command was silly? Did he have trouble hearing God? Or did he dislike the command? Are you ever asked to do something you dislike? What? What were the consequences to Jonah for disobedience? What happens to you?

5. Decorate a “Big Mouth Fish”:

Take a large cardboard box and cut

      a jagged mouth around 3 sides.

Decorate with painted or paper spots,

      stripes, eyes, etc.

Children can climb into the box and

      pretend to be Jonah as you retell

the story.

6. 
6. OR Make a Jonah Toss Game: Take a large coffee can. Cover with blue paper and add picture of whale in the “water” and, if you’re really ambitious, a sailing ship glued to the rim. Give each child a piece of paper; they can color a picture of Jonah on each if desired. Review the story – how the sailors threw Jonah (just like trash) overboard to lighten the ship during the storm. Have the children crumple their pieces of paper and try to throw their Jonahs into the sea can!

7. OR Make a “Jonah Fish”: Cut 2 fish from blue construction paper for each child.

Cut an opening in one fish to see the stomach.

Decorate both halves with jagged white teeth and eyes. Staple halves together, except at mouth. Cut out and color Jonah figure.

Tape securely to craft stick.

Children can put Jonah in the mouth of the

fish and see him in the stomach!

If you want, mount the fish on a finger-painted blue sea.

8. Close with prayer.

ISAIAH

Objectives:

1. Children should know that a prophet is someone who speaks for God.
2. Children should identify Isaiah as a prophet to the kingdom of Judah, the southern kingdom centered around Jerusalem.
3. Children should know the story of Isaiah’s calling.
4. Children should know that Isaiah prophesied about the coming of the Messiah.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

2. Tell the story of Isaiah from the Children’s Bible Reader, page 145, or the Golden Children's Bible, pages 292-293. This would be a good time to mention again the split between Israel and Judah and that Isaiah was an advisor to the kings of Judah. During Isaiah’s lifetime, the kingdom of Israel in the north would be captured by the Assyrians and utterly destroyed. The story of King Hezekiah is in the First Bible, pages 128-129.

Add Isaiah to your timeline.

3. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                                              True                                             False

                  Isaiah was a prophet.                                Isaiah was a king.

                  Isaiah lived in the land of Judah.              Isaiah lived in the land of Israel.

                  Isaiah was touched by a burning coal.      Isaiah was touch by poison ivy.

                  Isaiah wrote the book of Isaiah.               Isaiah wrote the book of Psalms.

4. Discuss the role of a prophet: What are some other ways God can speak to us? What did prophets speak about? (the future, yes, but also advice for the kings of their day and words of warning.) Do we have prophets today? Paul talks of prophets in his epistles as an existing ministry.Who might be a prophet today?

5. Isaiah 40:31 says, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles”. Make a mosaic eagle:

Draw an eagle on a piece of heavy

      cardboard, wood, or Styrofoam

      plate or tray.

Outline the eagle with black marker.

Use the marker to write the verse on

      the board.

Spread with glue and use beans or

      feathers of various sizes and

colors to fill in the design.

6. Close with prayer.

JEREMIAH

Objectives:

1. Children should again identify a prophet as one who speaks for God.
2. They should identify Jeremiah as a prophet who lived in Judah.
3. Children should identify Jeremiah as author of the book of Jeremiah and of the Lamentations.
4. Children should know that Jeremiah prophesied the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians and lived to see that fulfilled.
5. Children should identify Nebuchadnezzar as King of Babylon.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

2. Read the story of Jeremiah and the fall of Judah in the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 146-147, First Bible, pages 132-133, or the Golden Children’s Bible, pages 298-303.

Add Jeremiah to your timeline.

3. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                                         True                                               False

                  Jeremiah was a prophet of Judah.             Jeremiah was King of Judah.

                  Nebuchadnezzar was King of Babylon.   Nebuchadnezzar was a prophet.

                  Jeremiah wrote the Lamentations.            Jeremiah wrote the Proverbs.

                  Jerusalem was conquered by Babylon.     Jeremiah defeated Babylon in battle.

4. Class demonstration: God sometimes told Jeremiah to do something to show His people what He meant. So it was with the belt; Jeremiah buried a cloth belt for a long time and dug it up again all rotten and disgusting, showing how we also become rotten and disgusting if we hide ourselves from the light of God. Take a piece of cloth. Write each child’s name on it with washable marker. Dig a hole in the garden and bury it there. Dig it up again at the end of the Church School year. What happened?

5. Remember that prophets talked for God. Make a talking paper plate puppet:

Draw a mouth as shown.

Fold the plate on line AB.

Fold again on line CD.

Color the mouth section red.

Draw in the facial features and

      hair and color.

Make the puppet talk by gently

      pulling and pushing on the

      rim of the plate just below the mouth.

Remind the students that the prophets were asked to speak by God what HE told them to say. 

6. Close with prayer.

EZEKIEL

Objectives:

1. Students should identify Ezekiel as a prophet during the Babylonian captivity.
2. Students should identify Ezekiel as the author of the book of Ezekiel.
3. Students should know at least one of his major visions – the bones.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.
2. The story of Ezekiel is not in any of our storybooks Tell the children the story as follows:

Ezekiel was a prophet of the Lord. He saw many visions and the Lord told

him their meaning. One of his visions was about wheels; another was about huge beings with four wings and four faces. He talked to God’s people about building walls and vines and sheep. He saw visions of eagles and cherubim. But one of his most famous visions was of a valley of bones!

            One day the Spirit of the Lord took Ezekiel to a valley. The valley was full of dried up bones – all kinds of bones. The whole valley seemed to be full of bones. And God asked Ezekiel if these bones could ever be alive again; Ezekiel answered that God was the only one who knew the answer.

            So God told Ezekiel to speak to the bones. Ezekiel told the bones that God was going to make them alive again. This would surely show the power of the Lord. And as Ezekiel spoke, there was a great rattling and the bones all came together! They joined into bodies – head to back to arms to legs to hands and feet. Soon they had muscles and skin. But there were still not alive.

            And God told Ezekiel to tell the bones that God was commanding the breath of life to come into their bodies. And suddenly the breath came into the bodies and they were alive! They stood up on their feet – a great army for God.

            Ezekiel told God’s people that the vision of the bones was a message from God for them. When there seems to be no hope, God can make life again through His Spirit. We can trust our Lord no matter how terrible the things that happen!

Add Ezekiel to your timeline.

3. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                           True                                                   False

Ezekiel was a prophet of God.                 Ezekiel was a bone.

Ezekiel saw a valley full of bones.            Ezekiel saw a valley full of trees.

The bones came alive again                       The bones blew away in the wind.

4. Review with the children the parts of their own bodies – skull, arms, legs, spine, etc. Sing “Head and shoulders, knees and toes”…

5. When do we hear this story in Church? Every year during Holy Week!
6. Have each child make “The Bones” skeleton on the next page. As they put together their skeletons, remind them of Ezekiel’s vision. These can be life-size if you want.
7. Close with prayer.

SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO

Objectives:

1. Children should be able to identify Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as the three young men in the fire.
2. Children should be able to tell the story of the three young men.
3. Children should identify Nebuchadnezzar as King of Babylon and the Jewish people as his prisoners.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.
2. Read the story in the Beginner’s Bible, pages 247-250, the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 151-153, or the Read with Me Bible, pages 223-229.. Remind the children that Jesus saved the 3 young men and that the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is told over and over during Holy Week as a foreshadowing of Jesus’s escape from the flames of hell and resurrection.

Add the Three Youths to your timeline.

3. Feed the Elephant True/False Questions:

                      True                                          False

Shadrach was a Jewish boy.                     Shadrach was a Babylonian.

Nebuchadnezzar was King of Babylon.   Nebuchadnezzar was king of Israel.

      Jesus was in the fire.                                 Nebuchadnezzar fell in the fire.

4. Before class, lightly spray sugar cubes from a box with gold paint. In class, have the children build a statue of Nebuchadnezzar from the gold cubes.  Ask the children for the characteristics of God – is He all-powerful, able to help us in all times of need? Then ask them if this golden statue can save them from troubles? What troubles can they think of in their own lives? For each problem the children mention, pour a little water on the statue. Watch the statue crumble! Just as the 3 young men knew, no statue is a true god. Review the stories of Noah, of Joseph, of Moses, etc. to show that the one true God can help us in even the worst circumstances. How did he help Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego?

5. Make “Flame Fans”:

Each child gets a paper plate.

Glue or tape craft sticks to the plate

      as handles (use heavy tape).

Have pieces of red, yellow, and orange

      cellophane or tissue paper cut in

      flame shapes (older kids can cut

      their own).

Glue flames all over both sides of fan.

      Be sure they stick out!

6. Reenact the story now with 3 men, Nebuchadnezzar, and Jesus. When they are thrown in the fire, wave the fans!

7.   Close with prayer.

TOBIT

Objectives:

1. Children should be able to identify the Archangel Raphael and know that angels are heavenly beings.
2. Children should be able to tell the story of Tobit.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

2. Tell the story of Tobit:

During the sad days when the Jewish people were held as slaves by

the Babylonians, there lived a man named Tobit. Tobit had a son named Tobias. Tobit and Tobias, even though they were captives of the Babylonians, helped their fellow-Hebrews whenever they could. Because of this, the king Esarhaddon did not like Tobit and Tobias and made their lives hard. Finally Tobit became blind; he could not see at all. Life seemed hopeless, and Tobit prayed to God that he should die.

At the same time, in Ecbatana, there lived a Hebrew girl named Sarah. She was also praying to God. Seven times she was married; and seven times the demon Asmodaeus killed her new husband on their wedding night.

One day, Tobit sent his son Tobias to Media to collect ten silver coins; they needed the coins to live since Tobit could not work.  He hired a man named Azariah as a traveling companion, but Azariah was really the angel Raphael, sent by God to heal both Tobit and Sarah.  As they traveled by the river Tigris, Tobias caught a fish. Azariah told him to save the heart, liver, and gall of the fish. Soon Tobias arrived in Ecbatana. There he met Sarah. They were cousins! Tobias fell in love with Sarah and they decided to get married. On their wedding night, Tobias burned the heart and liver of the fish; the awful smell drove the wicked demon away to Egypt. Sarah and Tobias were saved!

Tobias returned home to his father. What rejoicing! He had been gone so long that Tobit had thought he had been killed. Tobias rubbed his father’s eyes with the gall of the fish. Tobit could see again!  They thanked God for His faithfulness and goodness in sending the angel Raphael to help them.

Add Tobias with Raphael and the fish to your timeline.

3. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                              True                                                 False

      Tobit was a Jewish man in Babylon.         Tobit was a Babylonian.

      Tobias was the son of Tobit.                     Raphael was the son of Tobit.

      Azariah was the angel Raphael.                Azariah was a demon.

      Sarah married Tobias.                               Sarah married Tobit.

4. Make the angel Raphael from a toilet paper tube. Print the pattern and cut out. First glue the body to the TP tube. Add wings, arms, and feet. Glue sticks work fine for all. Add hair. Finally glue fish to one hand and heart to the other. 

Alternate easier craft: Make a paper plate fish. Cut the paper plate ahead of time and staple or tape the tail in place. Cut circles or squares of tissue paper or construction paper for scales and let the children either color the plate itself or glue on the scales. Add Wiggle Eye. Finally, add heart and liver to make final project. Retell the story while adding heart and liver. 

5. Close with prayer.

DANIEL

Objectives:

1. Children should identify Daniel as a prophet.
2. Children should identify Daniel as the author of the book of Daniel.
3. Children should be able to tell the story of Daniel in the lion’s den.
4. Children should identify Belshazzar as the last king of Babylon and to tell the story of the handwriting on the wall.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

2. Read the story of Daniel in the Beginner’s Bible, pages 251-256, Children’s Bible Reader, pages 154-157, First Bible, pages 140-143, or the Read with Me Bible, pages 230-243.

Add Daniel, with the lions, of course, to your timeline.

3. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                                            True                                           False

                  Daniel was a prophet of God.                   Daniel was king of Babylon.

                  Daniel lived in Babylon.                           Daniel lived in Jerusalem.

                  Daniel wrote the book of Daniel.             Daniel wrote the book of Psalms.

                  King Darius was a friend of Daniel.         Daniel hated King Darius.

4. Review angels: How did they appear to other people in the Bible? How did they help Daniel here?

5. Make Lion Masks:

Cut the center out of a paper plate.

Staple triangle ears of felt or paper

onto the edge of the plate.

                  Glue 2-inch lengths of gold and

                        brown yarn around the edge

                        of the plate.

                  Punch 2 holes on opposite sides.

                  Thread a 12-inch string through the

                        holes and tie around child’s head.

                  Paint child’s nose black and add

                        whiskers with washable paint or

                        markers.

Now retell the story of the lion’s den, with the children crawling around and roaring until the angel shuts their mouths.

6. Close with prayer.

ESTHER

Objectives:

1. Children should be able to identify Esther as Queen of Persia.
2. Children should be able to identify her husband Ahasuerus and Mordecai and Haman.
3. Children should be able to tell the story of Esther.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

2. Begin by making noisemakers: Take 2 small paper plates. Put a few beans or beads inside. Staple shut. Decorate with coloring or tassels of crepe paper.

3. Read the story of Esther in thr Beginner's Bible, pages 240-246.  As you read it, have the children shake their noisemakers and boo every time the villain, Haman, is named. This is exactly the way Purim, the holiday commemorating Esther, is celebrated in a Jewish synagogue to this day.

Add Esther to your timeline.

4. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                           True                                                  False

      Esther was a Jewish girl.                           Esther was a Persian girl.

      Esther became Queen of Persia.               Esther became queen of Israel.

      Mordecai was Esther’s cousin.                 Mordecai was King of Persia.

      Ahasuerus was King of Persia                  Ahasuerus was Esther’s father.

      Haman was Esther’s enemy.                     Haman was Esther’s friend.

5. Make Hamantaschen (Haman’s hats): Easy method -- Take powdered pie crust mix and add about ½ cup of sugar. Make dough according to directions on box. Roll and cut into 4-inch circles ahead of time or give children small balls and have them squash them on a cookie sheet (ungreased) into circles. Put a teaspoon of apricot jam in the center of each circle. Bring up 3 edges and pinch them together to make a 3-cornered hat. Bake 350-degree oven for 10-12 minutes (till light brown). This is a traditional Purim cookie. Make 3-4/child.

6. Talk about the victories of other Old Testament people over evil – the 3 men in the fire, Daniel, Joseph, David and Jonathon, etc. Talk about our own victories over evil: Were we ever tempted to lie but didn’t? Did we obey our parents when we didn’t want to?

7. Close with prayer, with each child remembering a victory of his own over evil and eating a “victory cookie”. Then wrap the remaining cookies in colorful tissue paper and take them to the Social Hall, sharing them with others as the children say, “God gives us sweet victory over evil.”

EZRA/NEHEMIAH

Objectives:

1. Children should be able to identify Ezra as the priest who brought the law back to Jerusalem.

Possible Lesson Plan:

2. Read the story of the rebuilding of Jerusalem from the Golden Children’s Bible, pages 324-331.

Add Ezra and Nehemiah to your timeline.

3. “Feed the Elephant” True/False questions:

                                              True                                        False

                  Ezra was a priest.                                      Ezra was a king.

                  Nehemiah was governor of Jerusalem.     Nehemiah was a priest.

                  Cyrus and Darius were kings of Persia.    Cyrus was king of Babylon.

                  Darius sent the captives back.                   Darius killed all the Jewish people.

4. This is a good time to review this very difficult period in Jewish history. Remind the children of the line of kings from Saul to David to Solomon and the glory of the temple in Jerusalem. Review the split of the people into the northern kingdom, Israel, with its capital in Samaria and the southern kingdom, Judah, with its capital in Jerusalem. With older children, you can make comparisons with our own Civil War. God was not happy! He sent prophets to both kingdoms – Elijah and Elisha to Israel and Isaiah, Amos, Micah, and Jeremiah to Judah. Review the fall of Israel to the Assyrians and of Judah to the Babylonians. Who was the king of Babylon? (Nebuchadnezzar). Who were some of the prisoners taken back to Babylon? (Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Daniel, Ezekiel) Review their stories from captivity. Now Nebuchadnezzar’s heir Belshazzar has fallen to Cyrus of Persia (He sneaked into Babylon in the riverbed!) and Cyrus and his heir, Darius, are allowing the Jewish people to return to Jerusalem under Ezra and Nehemiah. Many remained in Persia, however, including Esther.

5. Make Nehemiah’s wall:

Fold a piece of construction paper

      like a fan.

Color a figure and staple to the

      bottom edge of the fan.

Pull on the top edge to see the wall

      grow!

6. Close with prayer.

MINOR PROPHETS: AMOS

Objectives:

1. Children should identify Amos as a shepherd from the land of Judah.
2. Children should be able to tell of his message to the people of Israel.
3.  

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.
2. Tell the story of Amos. There is a brief summary in the Golden Chldren’s Bible, page 291. For more detail: Amos was a shepherd and grower of sycamore figs. He was not the son of a prophet or had any schooling in prophecy. He was called by God from his home in the southern kingdom of Judah to speak to the northern kingdom of Israel. The land was rich and peaceful. The people of Israel were enjoying riches they had not had for centuries. But they did not care about God. They went to the city of Samaria to offer sacrifices to God but continued to do wicked deeds. They did not care for the poor or helpless. Amos told them that God would punish them if they did not return to following God’s commandments and worshipping God in their hearts and caring for the poor. This did not make Amos popular with the rulers. They told Amos he could not speak anymore. So, Amos wrote down his prophecies, often on pieces of broken pots. He knew that God had told him to speak and that God’s word would not be lost but saved for people to read later.

Add Amos to your timeline.

3. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                                           True                                            False

                  Amos was a shepherd.                              Amos was a king.

                  Amos was a prophet of God.                    Amos hated God.

                  Amos spoke to the people of Israel.         Amos spoke about Baltimore.

4. Review sheep and shepherds (Remember David?) What are sheep like? Why do they need a shepherd? What is the life of a shepherd like? What dangers does he face? How is God like a shepherd?

5. Sing “Amos Had a Little Lamb”
   1. Amos had a little lamb…whose name was Israel.
   2. Amos had a little lamb…whose fleece was black with sin.
   3. Amos said to Israel…”You must obey God.”
   4. Amos said to Israel … “Your fleece will then be clean.”

6. Make “Sweet Sheep”: Give each child a rectangular piece of angel food cake, a plastic knife, vanilla icing, white coconut, 2 whole cloves. Have him “sculpt” a sheep from his cake, ice it and cover with coconut with clove eyes. Have ready a cookie sheet with green coconut on it for grass. Have the children put their sheep in the field. Can they tell them apart by their “special” features?  Does God know each of us as well?

7. Alternate craft idea: Flannelboard Sheep

Take an empty pizza box (shops will give them to you if you ask).

Glue blue felt on the upper half of the inside of the box, and green on the

lower half.

Cut out white felt sheep. Have children add eyes, ears,and a mouth with

markers or felt and cover with cotton ball wool on one side.

Add felt trees, flowers, clouds, sun, etc., if you want.

Cut out shepherd figure and color. Cut same shape in felt and glue to back.

Children can now tell the story with their own “flannelboards”.

8. Close with prayer.

MINOR PROPHETS: HAGGAI

Objectives:

1. Children should be able to identify Haggai as a prophet who spoke for God.
2. Children should know that Haggai lived just before the time of Esther.
3. Children should know that Haggai told the people to rebuild His temple.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

2. Tell the story of Haggai: After living in Babylon for 70 years, God’s people were home! A group had returned to Jerusalem to rebuild God’s temple. They had started the work, but their neighbors didn’t want them to rebuild the temple, so they stopped building. The people made excuses. “Maybe it isn’t the right time to rebuild the temple,” they said. They thought that because the task was difficult, maybe God didn’t want them to do it. Instead, the people worked on their own houses. They built nice houses for themselves, but God’s temple sat unfinished. This made God angry. God wants His people to put Him first.

   God sent a message to His people through the prophet Haggai (HAG igh). Haggai went to Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the high priest to tell them God’s message. “You live in beautiful houses,” said the Lord, “while My house lies in ruins.” Was it right for God’s people to put themselves first? No, their actions did not honor God. God told them to think about what was happening. “You plant seeds, but you gather only a few crops. You have food to eat, but you are still hungry. You have clothes to wear, but you are still cold.” This was happening because the people put themselves first. God did not bless their work because they did not put Him first. God told them to get wood from the hills and finish rebuilding the temple of God.

   Zerubbabel, Joshua, and all the people listened to Haggai’s message from God. They chose to obey God and honor Him. “The Lord says, ‘I am with you,’ ” Haggai said. All of the people were excited and encouraged. They began the work on the temple again. A little time passed, and then God spoke to Haggai again. He told Haggai what to say to the people of God. This is what the Lord said: “Do you remember what the first temple looked like? What do you think? Was the first temple more beautiful?” God said, “Zerubbabel, don’t be discouraged! Joshua, don’t be discouraged! All you people, don’t be discouraged! Keep working hard. I am with you.” Then God said that something big was going to happen. He said that other nations were going to give gifts for the temple—silver and gold! God said, “This temple will be greater than first. My glory will be here, and I will bring peace to this place.” God promised to bless the people because they chose to obey Him

    

Add Haggai to your timeline.

3. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                                            True                                          False

                  Haggai was a prophet of God.                  Haggai was a soldier.

                  Haggai lived in the land of Judah.            Haggai lived in the land of Babylon.

                  Haggai said to rebuild the temple.            Haggai said to build your own house.

4. Consider with the children the importance of having a church to worship in. Do we have a church? What do we do in church? Do we have houses? What do we do in our houses? What can we do in both? How are the two different? How important is it to have a church to worship in?

5. Review the prophecies about the Christ: Isaiah? (born of a virgin, a Nazarene, suffering and death); Micah? (born in Bethlehem); Jeremiah? (the slaying of all children under two); Zechariah? (riding on a donkey).

6. Make Hebrew people, one per child:

Take a toilet paper tube for each person.

Cut a strip of white paper for the face, 

colored paper for the clothing, and

make a hat of tinfoil or cloth.

Draw in the features.

Glue on colored paper arms with white

hands.

                  Play with the people, helping them to build

God a temple. Use the model of the   temple made by the class during the lesson on Solomon if you want.

7. Close with prayer.                                    

MACCABEES

Objectives:

1. Students should be able to identify Judah Maccabee as the hero and Antiochus as the wicked king.
2. Students should know that the story of Maccabees is the basis for the Jewish feast of Hanukkah.
3. Students should understand the meaning behind the 8 candles of the Hanukkah menorah.

Possible Lesson Plan:

1. Open with prayer.

2. Tell the story of Judah Maccabee and his brothers:

Our story begins thousands of years ago, in the second century BCE or around the year minus 200. At this point in history there was a massive nation called the Greeks and they had formed this military empire and had taken over so much of the known world that they're one of the largest empires, in terms of land mass and history. Now one of the territories they had taken over was called Jerusalem and it is the holy city of the Jewish people.

The Greeks decided that everybody that lived under Greek rule had to follow Greek laws and even worship Greek gods.  As a result of this decision, they started smashing the Jewish temples and churches called synagogues. This was very unpopular and pretty mean; if you worshipped your own gods or went by your own rules, you were punished by the Greeks.

So one day a brave, brave man named Judah Maccabee stood up and said, “Hey that's enough!” Judah Maccabee gathered all the Jewish men and taught them very quickly how to use a spear and a shield and they formed a military group called the Maccabees, a super cool tribe of freedom fighters who were ready to stand up and fight for their rights. Now the Maccabees and Judah, they marched out of Jerusalem to go fight the Greeks - drive them off and regain their land and their temple. After many battles, the tiny group of Maccabees defeated the Greeks. They had won! They'd won this military victory against a much larger army, which in itself is a miracle.

But, when they arrive at the holy Temple, all is in ruins. They tear down the Greek gods and begin cleaning. They find only one small bottle of holy oil with which to light the great menorah. And, it would take 8 days to prepare more holy oil. They lit the menorah with the tiny amount of oil, only enough for one day and it burned for all 8 days. And, to this day, the Jewish people celebrate the 8 days of the miracle of the holy oil that burned for 8 days. They eat foods fried in oil, like jelly donuts and potato pancakes. They burn candles, one for each day, in each home, and give presents each day. And they play games with a special spinning top called a dreidl, with letters on each side remembering that “a great miracle happened there.”

Add Judah Maccabee to your timeline.

3. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                                   True                                           False

      Antiochus was a Macedonian king.          Antiochus was an Egyptian pharaoh.

      Judah Maccabee led the Jewish people.   Antiochus led the Jewish people.

      The lamp burned for 8 days.                     There was plenty of oil for the lamp.

4. Play with a dreidl: You can get one of these from Pat or at any store. Each letter has a meaning. Each child starts with about 20 raisins. Each puts one raisin in the center of the table. They take turns spinning the dreidl. If it lands on Nun, they get nothing. If it lands on Shin, they have to give a raisin to each player. If it lands on Hey, they get half of the raisins in the center. And if it lands on Gimmal, they get all the raisins in the center. When you decide time is up, the child with the most raisins is the winner, and each gets to eat his raisins.

5. Make a paper menorah:

Take a 9x12 piece of tag board or construction paper.

Fold it in three equal sections.

Stand it up and tape the bottom together.

Cut 18 even slits halfway into the

      folded sections to make candles.

Fold every other “candle” down into

      the base, leaving 9 standing. Why 9? The middle candle is the special candle used to light the others. 

Cut out a paper flame and glue to

      top of each candle.

6. Close with prayer.