The Unmerciful Servant



August 20, 2017

Bible Story Focus: God made the animals and they are wonderful.

Animals • Genesis 1:20-25

Memory Verse: “You have done great and wonderful things.” 2 Samuel 7:23, NIRV

Key Question: Who made everything wonderful?

Bottom Line: God made everything wonderful.

Basic Truth: God made me.

SOCIAL: Providing Time for Fun Interaction

(Choose one or both activities)

1. Animal Hunt

Made to Move: An activity that uses a preschooler’s natural desire to move to help them learn

2. Skin Match

Made to Play: An activity that encourages preschoolers to follow guidelines while having fun and learning new concepts

STORY: Communicating God’s Truth in Engaging Ways

Engage kids’ hearts through a dynamic and interactive Bible story and prayer experience in a Large Group setting.

1. Bible Story

GROUPS: Creating a Safe Place to Connect

(Choose as many of these activities as you like)

1. Memory Verse Animals

Hear from God | Memory Verse Review

Made to Imagine: An activity that lets preschoolers pretend, imagine, and role play to enhance their learning

2. Big Animal, Small Animal

Live for God | Application Activity

Made to Move: An activity that uses a preschooler’s natural desire to move to help them learn

3. Nosey

Live for God | Application Activity

Made to Create: An activity that allows preschoolers to review the Bible story, Bottom Line, or memory verse by creating a craft to take home

August 20, 2017

Bible Story Focus: God made the animals and they are wonderful.

Animals • Genesis 1:20-25

Memory Verse: “You have done great and wonderful things.” 2 Samuel 7:23, NIRV

Key Question: Who made everything wonderful?

Bottom Line: God made everything wonderful.

Basic Truth: God made me.

Social: Providing Time for Fun Interaction (Small Groups, 15 minutes)

Activities that encourage preschoolers to enter the classroom and begin engaging with peers and Small Group Leaders by providing age appropriate and hands on fun while introducing new concepts they will hear in the day’s Bible story.

Prepare to offer one or more of the following activities as Your 3-, 4-, or 5-year-olds arrive. Let one or two teachers lead activities in different areas of the room while another teacher greets parents and kids at the door.

1. Animal Hunt

Made to Move: An activity that uses a preschooler’s natural desire to move to help them learn

What You Need: Several plastic animals

What You Do:

During the Activity: Gather several plastic animals and the children in an open area of the room. Encourage the children to close their eyes as you throw out the plastic animals in several spots around the open area of the room. When you say, “go!” encourage the children to open their eyes, gather the animals, and bring them back to you in the center of the open area.

What You Say:

During the Activity: “We’re going to go on an animal hunt. I want you to close your eyes and then when I say, ‘Go!’ open your eyes and search for the animals. When you find one, bring it to me.” (Do activity.)

After the Activity: “Wow, look at all these animals! (Hold up a few, name them, and talk about some of their characteristics.) We’ll talk about all the amazing animals in our Bible story today. I can’t wait!”

2. Skin Match

Made to Play: An activity that encourages preschoolers to follow guidelines while having fun and learning new concepts

What You Need: “Animal Bodies” and “Animal Skins” Activity Pages, white cardstock, scissors, and wall tape

What You Do:

Before the Activity: Copy “Animal Bodies” on cardstock and hang each picture side-by-side on a wall in the activity area. Copy “Animal Skins” on cardstock and cut along the dotted lines.

During the Activity: Have the children sit in front of you. Show the children one of the skin pictures and ask them to decide which animal on the wall it belongs to. When the children choose the correct answer, tape the correct skin next to the animal it belongs to. Repeat the activity with the other two animals and skin samples.

What You Say:

Before the Activity: “Today we are going to talk about ANIMALS! Do you see the three pictures of animals I have on the wall? (Point.) This is a giraffe (point), this is a fish (point), and this is a bird (point).”

During the Activity: “I have some close-up pictures of these animals too that only show their skin. Let’s work together and see if we can match the correct skin to the animals on the wall. Are you ready?” (Do activity.)

After the Activity: “WOW! You are so smart! You matched all of the animals. Today we are going to hear a TRUE story from the Bible! We are going to hear about who made ALL of the animals! I am excited!”

Bible Story

What You Need: Bible; fish, cat, dog, and lion plush animals OR a meow, a bark, and a lion roar sound effect; and a live turtle or fish in an aquarium

(NOTE: If possible, bring in a small aquarium with a turtle or fish. This may not work in your environment, but if it’s possible to have a live animal that won’t distract that would be ideal! Place it on a table so that the children can see it. If you provide a live fish, you will NOT need a fish plush animal. If you want to include the plush animals AND the sound effects too, feel free!)

STORYTELLER: “Hello, everyone. Raise your hand if you love animals. (Pause.) Me too! I LOVE animals. Quick, on the count of three, call out your favorite animal. Ready? One, two, three! (Pause as kids respond.)

“Wow! You named lots of animals! You know, the Bible tells us way back at the beginning about how all the animals were made. Do you know who made the animals?

CHILDREN: “God!”

STORYTELLER: “He sure did! It tells me so right here in my Bible (hold up Bible) and remember, if it’s in the Bible, then it is true. I love all the animals. I love the animals you see at the zoo. I love the animals you find swimming in the ocean, like this guy. (Hold up the fish plush animal or point to the live fish if you have one.)

(If providing a live turtle or fish, use the next paragraph, if not, skip.)

“See my little friend here? This is [animal’s name]. He is amazing. I love taking care of him and being reminded that he was carefully made in a WONDERful way. Raise your hand if you have a pet at your home. (Pause.) I would bet that you take care of your animals too.

“I just LOVE animals! I like the animals you find hiding in the forest and even the ones that waddle in the North Pole. What animal lives in the North Pole and waddles like this?” (Waddle like a penguin.)

CHILDREN: “Penguins!”

STORYTELLER: “Yes, penguins! I think all the animals that God created are WONDERful! When I see an animal, I think, ‘Wow!’ Did you know that cows nap standing up like this? (Get down on all fours and close your eyes for five seconds.)

(Quickly sit back down.) “Did you know that a hummingbird flaps its wings 30 times in one second? Can you flap your wings like a hummingbird? (Demonstrate flapping your arms like a bird flaps its wings for a few seconds.) Good job. Wings down!

(Hold up the cat plush animal and/or play the cat sound effect.)

“Did you know that cats use their whiskers to check whether a space is too small for them to fit? Amazing, right? It’s wondrous, isn’t it? God made each animal special. Wow! He made peacocks with the most beautiful colorful feathers.

(Hold up the dog plush animal and/or play the dog sound effect.)

“He made puppies so cute and snuggly. I love puppies! Can you pretend to bark like a puppy? (Bark for a few seconds with the children.) Great job!

(Hold up the lion plush animal and/or play the lion sound effect.)

“Whoa! Listen to that roar! God made the lions and cats and dogs and He made fish we haven’t even found yet.

“God made them all. He knows them all. And He takes care of them all. I don’t know about you, but that makes me want to say ‘WOW!’ Say it with me. WOW!

[Bottom Line] “God made everything wonderful. Who made everything wonderful?”

CHILDREN: [Bottom Line] “God made everything wonderful.”

STORYTELLER: “He sure did! Let’s pray and thank God for all the amazingly WONDERful animals He made.

Prayer

STORYTELLER: “Heavenly Father, You are such a creative God! Thank You for dogs and cats, fish and birds, penguins and peacocks, lions and turtles. You are an awesome God, because You’ve made everything wonderful. Thank You, God. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

(Dismiss children and leaders to their groups.)

Groups: Creating a Safe Place to Connect (Small Groups, 25 minutes)

Create a safe place to connect through activities that are written to reach every learning style while reinforcing the Bottom Line that was introduced during the Bible Story and applying it to real life experiences. In addition, these activities provide preschoolers with an opportunity to build relationships with their Small Group Leader.

Offer as many of the following activities as your time, facilities, resources, and leadership allow. You may want to lead one activity at a time. Or offer two activities at once and allow half the kids to participate in each. Then switch groups and repeat the activities.

1. Memory Verse Animals

Hear From God | Memory Verse Review

Made to Imagine: An activity that lets preschoolers pretend, imagine, and role play to enhance their learning

What You Need: No supplies needed

What You Do:

During the Activity: Gather the children to sit in an open area of the room. Explain that you will say the verse, and at the end you will call out an animal and the children will make that animal sound. Repeat the verse and animals sounds as long as time and interest allow. (Animals: cat, dog, elephant, lion, bear, wolf, chimpanzee, frog, turtle)

What You Say:

Before the Activity: “I want us to say our verse together, but at the end of the verse, I will call out animal and I want you to make that animal sound. Are you ready?”

During the Activity: “Let’s say our verse together: You have done great and wonderful things, 2 Samuel 7:23. LION!” (Pause for children to roar.) (Repeat, calling out different animals each time.)

After the Activity: “Great job, everyone! You make pretty convincing lions. I thought for a minute I was in the African savannah! Wow, God has done great and wonderful things, like creating so many amazing animals! Who made everything wonderful? [Bottom Line] God made everything wonderful.”

2. Big Animal, Small Animal

Live for God | Application Activity

Made to Move: An activity that uses a preschooler’s natural desire to move to help them learn

What You Need: No supplies needed

What You Do:

During the Activity: Gather the children in an open area of the room. Encourage the children to imitate some wonderfully BIG animals and wonderfully small animals that God has made using the dialogue below.

What You Say:

Before the Activity: “When God made the animals, He made some that are wonderful in their BIGNESS! And that He also made some that are wonderful in their smallness! I think we should pretend to be some of those animals!”

During the Activity: “First, let’s pretend that we are some of those wonderfully BIG animals! Here we go. Show me a big, tall giraffe!” (Big animals: Giraffe, buffalo, horse, elephant, gorilla)

“Those are some wonderfully BIG animals! Now let’s pretend we are some wonderfully small animals. Ready? Show me a tiny mouse!” (Small animals: mouse, turtle, frog, lizard, hamster)

After the Activity: “God created so many wonderfully big and wonderfully small animals, didn’t He? (Pause.) When I think about ALL the animals God created, it just makes me say, ‘WOW! Way to go, God!’ He really did make everything wonderful. Who made everything wonderful? [Bottom Line] God made everything wonderful.”

3. Nosey

Live for God | Application Activity

Made to Create: An activity that allows preschoolers to review the Bible story, Bottom Line, or memory verse by creating a craft to take home

What You Need: “Animals” and “Noses” Activity Pages, white cardstock, a color printer, scissors, and glue sticks

What You Do:

Before the Activity: Using the color printer, copy the “Animals” and “Noses” Activity Pages onto the cardstock. Cut out each nose along the dotted lines. Each child will need one of each of the different noses for a total of three noses per child.

During the Activity: Give each child an “Animals” Activity Page and the three noses. Help the children decide which nose belongs to which animal. Encourage the children to glue each of the noses onto the correct animal.

What You Say:

Before the Activity: “There are three animals on our page. (Point.) Oh, no! They are missing their noses! We need to help them get their noses!”

During the Activity: “The first animal is an elephant. (Point.) He has a long nose that helps him drink water and eat. He can also use his nose to make trumpet sounds to talk to other elephants. Can you find which nose belongs to the elephant? (Pause.) Yes! Lay the elephant’s trunk on top of the elephant. The next animal is a toucan. (Point.) A toucan is a bright and colorful bird. It uses its big beak to peel fruit, one of its favorite things to eat. It also likes to eat insects! Can you find the toucan nose? (Pause.) Awesome! Lay the toucan nose on top of the toucan. The last animal is a turtle. A turtle can move its whole head inside its shell, and its shell becomes its house. How cool! Can you find the turtle nose and place it on top of the turtle? (Pause.) Way to go! Now use your glue stick to glue on all of the noses.” (Finish activity.)

After the Activity: “WOW! God made some really cool animals! Everything that God made is WONDERFUL! Who made everything wonderful? [Bottom Line] God made everything wonderful!”

Prayer

SGL: “Dear God, thank You SO much for making all of the animals! They are amazing! We want to say a special thank You for making (read the list the children made) and my two favorites, (name two animals). Help us to be kind to animals and take care of them when they need it. We love You, God. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

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