===================================================================== Title: Primary Sabbath School Program, July 24, 1999 From: NAD Children's Ministries (author: Lisa Seeders) Date: June 15, 1999 Abstract: Activities to use in place of program helps to teach the lesson, GUIDED BY A STAR ===================================================================== Lesson Aim: When I want to know God and look for Him with all my heart, He has promised that I will know Him. Memory Verse: "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jer. 29:13, NIV GETTING THEIR ATTENTION - STUDYING THE STARS Materials needed: Self-adhesive star stickers (small) Black construction paper Reference book that shows some of the major constellations WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Xerox for each child a page from the reference book that shows the major constellations. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Give each child a piece of black construction paper, a sheet of self-adhesive star stickers, and a xeroxed copy of constellations. Talk about how interesting the study of stars can be, the various constellations and their names and where they are located in the sky. Have each child choose one or two constellations and arrange their star stickers on their black paper to resemble the constellations of their choice. In our story today some men who had been studying the stars were surprised and pleased to make a new discovery in the sky. GO STRAIGHT INTO THE BIBLE STORY. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - WISE MEN SEARCH Materials needed: 3 X 5 cards (one for each child) Brown lunch bags (one for each child) Large star stickers (one for each child) A felt or paper cut out of an angel (one for each child) Small doll (one for each child) Bottle of perfume OR gold coin (one for each child) WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Print the following list on each child's 3 X 5 card: Star Angel Baby Perfume Hide each child's four items somewhere in the room. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Explain to the children that the wise men in the story were on a search. They wanted to find the new baby Messiah. Give each child a 3 X 5 card and a bag. They are to search for the four items on their card. They find only one of each item and put it in their bag then return to their seats. Review the Bible story pulling the items from the bag as they are referred to. Close with the thought that children who are "wise" still seek Jesus as their friend. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - MEMORY VERSE SEEK Materials needed: Bibles (Each child must have one to use) Seven sheets of plain white paper Permanent marker Pretty bookmark for each child WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) On the seven sheets of white paper print one of the following clues, one clue per sheet. Print in large bold easy-to-read lettering. 1. This verse means you discover treasure 2. This verse is written by one of the major prophets 3. This verse is written in a book of the Bible that has 52 chapters in it. 4. This book of the Bible comes after Isaiah 5. The chapter where this verse is written comes after 28. 6. The verse is a number when you become a teenager. 7. Did you give up? If not, let's mark this special verse with a pretty bookmark. Place the clues in various spots around the room. Place the bookmarks by or near the last clue. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Explain to the children that in order to learn the memory verse they have to look for it in the Bible as a person would look for hidden treasure. They are to stay as a group, looking for the clue papers in order. (You travel with them and read the clues) Independently they use their Bibles and do whatever the clues say. The first several clues will not be helpful to many of them. Encourage them to stick with it and not give up. There is a reward at the end of the treasure hunt for those who persevere in their "searching". Give minimal amounts of help as needed. After the memory verse is found and recited talk about how much more important the treasure is of finding Jesus through prayer and study of His Word. ACTING ON SCRIPTURE - A HUMAN STAR Materials needed: Ribbon A camera (Preferably a Polaroid Instamatic) Film Masking tape WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Make a five-pointed star on the floor using the masking tape. Make it large so that five children standing on the points will not be crowded or bumping into each other. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Ask the children to help you think of five ways we can discover more about Jesus. Remember as we search and discover more about Him the more He promises we will find out. (Some ideas may be in nature, in books (especially the Bible), in movies or videos, in church, in music, etc.) Every child that submits an idea stands on a point of the masking tape star. If you have more than five answering, save some of the answers and volunteers for a second star. After all the points of the star have a child on them wrap the ribbon around the backs of the children's neck in the same way that you would draw a star on paper. The end result will be a geometric star. Climb up higher (or have the children kneel) and take a picture. Show them the results. Just as the star guided the wise men in finding Baby Jesus, these ideas that have made our star will guide us in finding out more about Jesus. (For large Sabbath schools, use several different stars).