Title: Primary Sabbath School Program Helps, August 28, 1999 From: NAD Children's Ministries (Author: Cyndi Long) Date completed: July 25, 1999 Abstract: Activities to use in place of program helps to teach the lesson, A SECRET NIGHT MEETING. Lesson Aim: When I believe in Jesus, He makes me brand new inside. Memory Verse: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16, NIV. GETTING THEIR ATTENTION- SOCK CATERPILLARS Materials needed: Child size tan colored sock (One per child) 4 wiggle eyes per child Bright colored sheets of felt, 2 squares per child Hot glue gun, (for teacher use only) Black pipe cleaners (One per child) WHAT THE TEACHER DOES (To prepare ahead): Do the following preparations for each child. Cut out a set of large butterfly wings from one colored felt sheet. The toe of the sock is the head of the butterfly. Hot glue the wings onto the sides of the sock, about 1/3 of the way up from the toe. Turn the sock wrong side out and glue one set of wiggle eyes on the toe. These steps are done ahead to help the activity go quickly. If you have more time and a smaller group, you may save some of these steps for the kids to do. Leave each sock turned inside out with the eyes showing and the wings on the inside. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Give each child a sock. Explain that they will be decorating their sock to look like a caterpillar. They can cut colorful felt strips or spots to glue onto the body of the caterpillar. If they haven't figured out what is inside, have them turn their socks right side out. Surprise! It's a butterfly. Let them glue the other set of wiggly eyes onto the toe for the butterfly. Bend the black pipe cleaner into a V and glue to the tip of the toe for antennae. Glue spots of bright colored felt onto the wings. Show the children how they can use their caterpillar/butterfly as a puppet by putting their hand up inside the sock. Discuss how the caterpillar makes such a dramatic change inside his cocoon. In our story today we learn about a man who talked to Jesus about making a dramatic change inside his heart. GO STRAIGHT INTO THE BIBLE STORY. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE- STORY CHAIN Materials needed: 12 strips of construction paper Glue sticks WHAT THE TEACHER DOES (To prepare ahead): Print the following sentences onto the strips of paper. 1. Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Passover. 2. Jesus was angry at the men selling things in the temple. 3. Jesus told them to leave. 4. The people that came to hear Jesus stayed, and He talked to them and blessed them. 5. Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 6. During the night a man named Nicodemus came to see Jesus in secret. 7. Nicodemus was a very important man. 8. Nicodemus wanted to know about God and Heaven. 9. Jesus told him he must be born again. 10. Jesus told Nicodemus all about God's love for each person who chooses to follow Him. 11. Nicodemus believed what Jesus said and was changed. He became a brand new person inside. 12. When Jesus died, Nicodemus showed everyone he was Jesus' follower by taking Him from the cross and burying Him. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Spread the strips of paper out. Explain to the children that as you tell the story they are to put the slips of paper in order. Pause as you are telling the story to give the children a chance to find the next strip. Once you are done, have the children glue the strips into a paper chain in order. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE- MEMORY VERSE BANNER Materials needed: Large strip of newsprint paper Crayons and markers WHAT THE TEACHER DOES (To prepare ahead): There are no advance preparations necessary. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Say the memory verse together. Lay the sheet of newsprint paper on the floor and assign each child or small group of children a section of the verse. Split the verse up according to the size of your class. Explainto the children that they will make a banner that tells about the memory verse using as few words as possible. In place of words substitute pictures. Discuss what symbols may be appropriate before beginning the actual drawing. Some suggestions are: a heart for LOVE, a world for WORLD, a present for GAVE, a one for ONE, a cross for SON, a bee and leaves for BELIEVES, a tomb stone for PERISH, a crown for ETERNAL LIFE. ACTING ON SCRIPTURE- RED AND WHITE CHILDREN Materials needed: Strong paper towels, one per child Red food coloring Quart jar with a small amount of bleach in the bottom Wooden spoon or stick to stir with Old hand towel for blotting up drips WHAT THE TEACHER DOES (To prepare ahead): Draw a simple figure of a child on the towel in permanent marker. Allow to dry. Try out the experiment below before going to Sabbath School to make sure it works for you. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Fill the quart jar 3/4 full with water. Give each child a paper towel figure. Ask them to tell you what sins are. Discuss some things that we might do as sin. Put a drop of red food coloring on the paper towel figures as different sins are discussed. Make sure all figures have at least 2 or 3 drops on them before you move on. Now talk about how Jesus can take our sins away if we ask Him. He died on the cross to take away our sins. Have each child take a turn dropping their paper towel figure into the jar. Let them GENTLY stir several times. Remove and squeeze out access water spreading it on the table before them. The red should be completely gone. When Jesus forgives our sins, He makes us all clean and new inside.