===================================================================== Title: Primary Sabbath School Program, August 7, 1999 From: NAD Children's Ministries (author: Cyndi Long) Date: June 15, 1999 Abstract: Activities to use in place of program helps to teach the lesson, WHEN JESUS WAS BAPTIZED ===================================================================== Lesson Aim: Being baptized shows that I believe in Jesus, repent of my sins, and want to live a new life with Jesus' help. Memory Verse: "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved." Mark 16:16, NIV. GETTING THEIR ATTENTION - BORN AGAIN PENNIES Materials needed: Tarnished pennies, One per child Pitcher of water A glass A shiny penny Vinegar A Tablespoon Paper towels WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) There are no advance preparations necessary. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Have the children look at their dirty, tarnished pennies. Have them compare it to the shiny penny that the teacher has. Have them drop their pennies into the glass and stir for 10 sec. Take the penny out of the water and dry it. Talk about how clean and shiny the penny is now. The shiny penny represents how God wants our lives to be. We are baptized to tell others that we have decided to live brand new lives with Jesus. In our Bible story today Jesus is baptized to show others the way. GO STRAIGHT INTO THE BIBLE STORY. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - "WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED, SUN?" Materials needed: White newsprint OR write-on wipe-off board OR chalk board Instrument for writing on chosen writing material WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) You need to know the lesson story very well. Read what the Bible has to say about the story and if you have access to any Ellen White, try Testimonies, Vol. 4, pg. 42-43, and Christ's Object Lessons, pg. 277. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Make a large circle in the center of the paper/board. Print "Jesus' baptism" inside the circle. Draw lines radiating from the circle like rays from the sun. Before telling the story, ask the children what they know about the story and write down their answers at the end of the rays as they call them out. Ex. "A dove came down." Write "dove" on the end of one of the rays. Once you have exhausted all their knowledge of the story begin to tell it, trying to incorporate any new things that you know and they did not. Once you've finished telling the story ask them for any new things that they did not know before and learned today. Write these things on the ends of other rays coming from your circle. Look over all that they know once you're done and talk about it. If there is nothing new that you have told them praise them for knowing their lesson. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - BLIND FOLD WALK Materials needed: Blind folds for all the children in the class Chairs WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Place the chairs around the room in groups of three making a box with three sides. These boxes should face all different directions. You need to set up at least 3 boxes, more if you have more space less if you have a small space. Each box of chairs will have a name. Pit of Despair. Cave of Loneliness. Pool of Sadness. Hole Of Misery. Box of Anger. Room of Fear. Etc. You may wish to place a piece of paper on the back of a chair in each group to help you remember the names. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Look up the memory verse and read it together. Help the children learn it if they don't already know it. You will need some assistants to help you with this activity if you have a large group. Junior or Earliteen age children or even older Primaries would be capable of helping. (If you use Primaries, switch off.) Blindfold all the children in the room. Explain that they will be allowed to wander about the room unassisted if they desire. But when they bump into a box of three chairs they are to remain inside until you can come to their aid. To get out they must repeat the memory verse and then be led out. Once out they may continue on their own or be led around. If they wish to be led around, do not lead them into any of the chair boxes. Do this for approx. 5 - 10 min. or as time allows. Take off the blind folds and sit down. Talk to the children about how the only way to be saved from the ugliness of this world is to believe in Jesus and He alone can save us from our sins and troubles. ACTING ON SCRIPTURE - SIGNS Materials needed: Paper Crayons Pencils WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Make the following signs. You may wish to make others if you desire. Make sure they are all signs that are telling something that you would not know if the sign wasn't there. House For Sale - shows that the house can be bought Baby On Board - shows that there is a baby in the vehicle Beware Of Dog - show that there is a dangerous dog inside Danger - show that the area beyond the sign is dangerous Stoplight sign - shows that there is a stoplight ahead WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Show the signs you have made to the children. Ask them if they know what each one means. Talk about what a sign is for. (To tell people a message about something they don't see or know). Give each child a piece of paper and crayons and a pencil. Tell them they are going to make a baptism sign. Ask them if they know why people are baptized. It is a way of showing others that we have given our hearts to Jesus and want to do what He wants us to do.) Have them design and color their sign for baptism. ACTING ON SCRIPTURE - HONEY COMB TREASURE HUNT Materials needed: Directions for each child Little baggy of Honey Comb Cereal for each child WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Print up the instructions below on paper and copy for each child. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Give each child a paper and tell them that if they follow the instructions correctly they will receive a prize of a baggy of Honey Comb. Tell them to read completely through the instructions first before following them. Once they finish, all will have only written their name on the bottom of the page if they have followed the directions carefully. Instructions: 1. Repeat the last 5 memory verses without help. 2. Spell the name of Elizabeth's husband, John the Baptist's dad. 3. Count how many words are in the lesson story. 4. Pin a piece of paper onto your back without help. 5. Write you name on the bottom of the page and forget the other four instructions. Explain that believing in Jesus is like that. If we just simply give ourselves to Him, He will take care of all the things that are impossible without His help.