Walking on Water and Calming the Storm
WALKING ON WATER AND CALMING OF STORM
Objectives:
- Children should be able to tell the story of the two miracles in their own words.
- Children should be able to identify Peter as the disciple who walked on water.
Possible Lesson Plan:
- Open with prayer.
- Read the stories of the miracles in the Beginner’s Bible, pages 334-339 and 364-370, the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 193-197, or the Read with Me Bible, pages 304-307 and 318-323. Supplement, if desired, with the Golden Children’s Bible, page 404, the Arch book, and the flannelgraph story. What was Jesus doing in the boat when the storm came? How did the disciples feel? How did Jesus respond? Who came walking across the water? Who wanted to walk with Jesus? What happened when Peter looked down? How did Jesus respond?
- True/False Questions:
True False
Jesus was sleeping thru the storm. Jesus was afraid of the storm.
The disciples were afraid of the storm. The disciples loved storms at sea.
Jesus told the wind to be quiet. The boat sank.
Peter walked with Jesus on the water. John walked with Jesus on the water.
Snack today? Try Stormy Seas Jello – Make blue jello ahead of time in individual cups. Spray with whipped cream for clouds. Add piece of chocolate bar for boat, with whipped cream sail. Sprinkle with Swedish fish.
- Talk a bit about storms: What are storms like? Lightning? Thunder? Wind? Bring some library books with pictures of storms or try making a storm in the room by turning out the lights, blinking them, and beating on a pot. Make a “storm dish”: Fill pie pan (or other shallow pan) with water. Add some blue food coloring and a tablespoon of vinegar. Float a small plastic boat in the water. Sprinkle a small amount of baking soda into the water like rain. Watch the “storm” of bubbling waves and the boat. Have the children imagine they are in a storm. Are you afraid of the thunder or lightning? Why or why not? Is God in charge of the world even in a storm? Can we trust God? What is water like? Think about swimming a bit. How do we keep from sinking? Can we breathe under water? Do you like to swim? Can we walk on water usually? Why could Jesus walk on the water? (He trusted God.) Did Peter trust Jesus? Completely? Is God in charge even of the water? Can we trust God?
- Make a Sailing Boat: Take a paper plate and color it blue. Make a tiny boat with a half walnut shell (or plastic bottle top), clay or play-doh, a toothpick, and a tiny piece of paper or fabric. Stick a piece of adhesive magnet strip on the bottom of the boat and another on the end of a Popsicle stick. Now use the Popsicle stick below the plate “sea” to make the boat “sail” around.
- Close with prayer, asking God to help us trust
Him even in a storm.
