Ideas for Forming Small Groups - New Wineskin
New Wineskin Publications
Bible Studies for Youth
Designed for the Twenty-First Century
Ideas for Forming Small Groups
Several key learning goals can be addressed through the use of small groups during Bible study classes. Students will enjoy Bible study and retain what they learn if they actively participate in reading, interpreting and applying Scripture to their personal lives. Interactive, small-group activities are the keys to solid and interesting study times. Even shy students will read aloud, answer questions or take a part in role- playing if the group is no larger than six people. Varying the make-up of groups will broaden the relationship base within the class by placing individual students with less familiar people.
Normally, young teens operate within fairly consistent and static groupings. A few individuals may flow between two or three sets of friends. Most, however, prefer to stay with their friends. Every young person can and will relate to a wider base of people if the leader sets up non-threatening criteria for dividing the large group into smaller, random sets. Try some of these ideas.
1. Have class members arrange themselves in order of their birthdays or by the first letter of their first name. Count off by the number of groups you want to create. Have all the “ones” in a group, the “twos” in another, etc.
2. Hand out different flavors of gum, colored hard candy, or names of animals. Have everyone join the others with the same flavor, color or name to form a group.
3. Form groups based on which school they attend. Be sure to include a home-school group if you have kids who do not attend a traditional school.
4. Place pictures of classic cars or cool bicycles in different areas of the classroom. Ask the students to gather under the one they like most or least.
5. Divide the class according to clothing or physical characteristics. Everyone having similar slacks or jeans form a group. Other groupings could be based on types of shoes, color of eyes, height, etc.
6. Use the topic of the lesson to suggest groups. Place placards on the wall that indicate some sort of choice that relates to the topic of the lesson. For example, the lesson is on spiritual gifts, place each one in the list on separate pieces of paper and tape them in different areas of the classroom. Ask the students to stand under the one they like or dislike most.
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