===================================================== Title: Primary Sabbath School Program, March 25, 2000 From: NAD Children's Ministries (author: Lisa Seeders) Date: February 6, 2000 Abstract: Activities to use in place of program helps to teach the lesson, MARY GIVES JESUS A SPECIAL GIFT ===================================================== Lesson Aim: My love is the best gift I can give Jesus. Memory Verse: "We love because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19, NIV GETTING THEIR ATTENTION - SELECTING GIFTS Materials needed: Plain sheet of white paper Pen Tray or box of 10 - 12 small gift items such as: Perfume, Razor, card game, pin, colors, bookmark, candy, gloves, flashlight, lotion etc. 3 X 5 cards (one for each child) Pencils Scissors WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Cut small tags from the plain sheet of white paper to go with each item in the box. Number the tags 1 - 10 or 1 - 12 depending on the number of items you have included in the box. Display the items on a table with a number tag in front of each one. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Give each child a 3 X 5 card. Have them make a list of their family members. Explain to them that they will shop for each family member and are to choose from the display of gifts what would be appropriate for each member on their list. They write down the number of the gift beside the name of the family member. (This alleviates all the spelling difficulties). When they are finished shopping, they return with their card to their seat. Follow up with these questions: 1. What makes a gift special? (When it's given in love with thought from the heart.) 2. Why do we give one another gifts? (Because it makes us feel good to create a happy feeling in someone else.) In our Bible story today, Jesus is given a gift straight from someone's heart, and it gives Him a very happy feeling. GO STRAIGHT INTO THE BIBLE STORY. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - BIBLE STORY CASSETTE Materials needed: Cassette recorder and blank tape Poster board OR black board OR large sheet of blank paper like a newsprint pad WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Print the following speaking parts on a piece of poster board, newsprint pad or on a black board. Indicate in your quarterly where these speaking parts should occur, so the transition from narration to speaking part is smooth. 1. Simon speaks - "Come in, Jesus. Most of my other guests are already here." 2. Lazarus speaks - "Oh, master! Sit over here by me." 3. Martha speaks - "Would you care for some fresh bread?" 4. Disciple speaks - "Hey James, do you think this feast is where Jesus will be crowned King?" 5. Disciple speaks - "What is that smell? It's coming from over by Jesus." 6. Martha speaks - "Mary, what are you doing on the floor? Get up!" 7. Mary speaks - "Oh dear. Everyone has noticed. Everyone is staring at me." 8. Judas speaks - "What a waste, Lord. Perfume on feet! That money could have been spent on the poor." 9. Mary whispers - "Oh, I hope Jesus isn't mad at me. I hope I haven't embarrassed Him." 10. Jesus speaks - "Let her alone. She has prepared me for burial. The poor will always be with you, but you will not always have me. Wherever people preach about Me, they will tell what she has done." WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Assign each child a speaking part. Help them read through their part clearly showing how to add emphasis and emotion as needed. (If your Sabbath school is small, children can speak more than one part using different voice tones. If your class is large, more dialogue can be added as necessary in order for each child to have something to say.) Using the tape recorder narrate the story and have the children speak their part when appropriate. Make sure all children are close enough to the microphone to be heard clearly. Play the story back and share the tape with the Kindergarten class. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - MEMORY VERSE BOOKMARKS Materials needed: Red, pink and black construction paper White poster board Scissors Clear contact paper Markers (thin-line) Bibles Glue sticks WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Cut out a bookmark for each child from the white poster board measuring approximately 6" X 2". Cut out one small red heart and one small pink heart for each child. Cut out a black numeral 1. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Look up the memory verse together in the Bible. Working down the bookmark vertically have each child print the word, We, at the top followed by gluing one of the small hearts underneath that. Next, print the two words, because he, followed by gluing the numeral 1 underneath that. Underneath the numeral 1 glue the second small heart followed by the word, us. The text can be printed horizontally across the bottom of the bookmark. Cover with contact paper. Spend the rest of the time looking for the verse in the Bible, so it can be found easily. ACTING ON SCRIPTURE - GIVING JESUS OUR LOVE Materials needed: Coat hanger or other soft-bendable and flexible wire String (6 pieces of various length) (6)Construction paper hearts of different sizes Pens Scissors Small hole punch WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Trace hearts of different sizes onto the construction paper. Bend the wire or coat hanger into a heart shape. Cut the string into various lengths. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Give each child a heart to cut out. Talk about ways we can give our love to Jesus. (Do things with Him because we want to, not because we're made to. Like praying, going to church, having worship etc.) Have them print some of these ideas onto the hearts. Punch a hole in the top of each heart. Tie one end of the string to the heart and the other end to the hanger or wire. Hang the heart mobile in the room and remind the children from time to time what it signifies.