===================================================================== Title: Primary Sabbath School Program, December 5, 1998 From: NAD Children's Ministries (author: Lisa Seeders) Date: November 1, 1998 Abstract: Activities to use in place of program helps to teach the lesson, ISRAEL WANTS A KING ===================================================================== Lesson Aim: God's plans for me will make me happy. Memory Verse: "In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Prov. 3:6, NIV GETTING THEIR ATTENTION - KEEP HOPPING Materials needed: A 12' rope OR masking tape WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare in advance) There are no advance preparations necessary WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Lay the rope down or stretch a piece of masking tape across the floor. Have the children line up behind the tape and turn to the right. Their left side will be parallel to the tape. Place them approximately 3 feet apart. Explain to them that you are going to read them some questions. If their answer to the question is "yes", they are to hop across and stand on the other side of the tape. If their answer is no, they stay where they are or hop back if they were already on the other side. Read the questions fairly rapidly, so the children have to keep hopping rather quickly. 1. Has someone you know ever gone somewhere that you wanted to go really bad but didn't get to? 2. Has someone you know ever bought an outfit you wanted to buy but couldn't? 3. Has someone you know ever made best friends with someone you wanted to have for a friend? 4. Has someone you know ever bought a video or CD disc you wanted, but couldn't afford? 5. Does someone you know get a bigger allowance than you? 6. Do you know anyone who always seems to get whatever they want? Say, "Some of you have done quite a bit of hopping. Did you know it keeps you busy trying to keep up with everybody else? As soon as we see something someone else has we start trying to figure out ways to get what they have, go where they're going or do what they're doing. In our story today it is no different with the Israelites. They see something the other countries have, and they decide they need one too." GO STRAIGHT INTO THE BIBLE STORY. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - PASSING THE CROWN Materials needed: A crown (You can get one from Burger King if you don't have one in your inventory) Bibles WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) There are no advance preparations necessary WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Make a circle with the children's chairs. Have the children look up the memory verse, Prov. 3:6 in their Bibles. Read it and repeat it several times together. Close the Bibles and place them under the chairs. Designate one child as the beginner. He places the crown on his head and says the first word of the memory verse. He then passes the crown on to the person to his immediate right. That person must say the second word of the verse before he can pass the crown on. Time the children to see how quickly they can get around the full circle. On the second round all children must get up and change chairs. Play the game again beginning with the same chair as the first word. Chance chairs as often as time permits until the verse can be said from memory. Be sure the children understand that when we include God in our plans, he helps us to know the best way to carry them out. ACTING ON SCRIPTURE - REMEMBERING THE LORD CALENDAR Materials needed: A 1999 calendar Legal size paper (one for each child) Glitter pens Stickers Stapler Hole puncher Construction paper or card stock paper (one piece for each child) WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Xerox the months of January - December, 1999 from the calendar. Xerox enough so that each child has all twelve months. Adjust the size so that the calendar copies are no larger than a half size sheet of legal paper. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Give each child a sheet of legal size paper, a sheet of construction paper (if their choice) and the copies of the twelve months of 1999. Instruct them to fold the legal size paper in half. Put the calendar months in order and lay them on the bottom half of the legal size paper. Staple the calendar pages to the legal size paper at the top left and right hand corner. The top of the legal size paper is left sticking up. Cut the piece of construction paper the same size as the leftover top of the legal size paper and glue-stick it to the top of the legal size paper making it stiffer. Punch a hole in the top, so the "calendar" can be hung. Print the following words on the top half of the legal size paper. "Remember the Lord in everything you do...."Prov. 3:6. Have the children trace over the words with a glitter pen. (Older Primaries may be able to do the writing and the tracing.) Add appropriate stickers to complete the decoration of the top of the "calendar". Encourage the children to hang it in their room. When they are making plans, it will help them remember to include the Lord so He can keep their paths straight. ACTING ON SCRIPTURE - GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER GAME Materials needed: None WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) There are no advance preparations necessary. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Ask the children if they have ever heard the saying, "The grass is always greener on the other side." What does it mean? Cows are always searching for better pasture. No matter where you put them to graze, they think the pasture on the other side of the fence is better. Most people are like that too, adults and children alike. No matter what they have or what they're doing, they think what others have or what others are doing looks better. Read the following statements to the children. If the person in the statement is acting like a cow and wanting something different from what they have, they are to make a "moooooo" sound. If not, they remain quiet. 1. Daniel has a good sturdy bike that still fits him. For Christmas, however, he begs and pleads for one like his next-door neighbor. His is newer, larger and has more gears. 2. JoAnn's mom makes her take piano lessons. Julie's mom let her quit. JoAnn does not beg and plead for her mom to let her quit. She wants to be a good pianist someday. 3. Bill goes to Kevin's house to play. Kevin gets to watch whatever video he chooses. Bill goes home and yells at his mom when it's TV time. He doesn't understand why she has to approve of everything he sees. 4. Jimmy is invited over to eat at his best friend's house. For supper they eat whatever they want and as much as they want. Jimmy says his mom doesn't care what he eats as long as she doesn't have to fix it. Jimmy goes home and thanks his mom for being a good cook and fixing him good meals every evening. 5. Gina always gives her mom a hard time when they're getting ready for Sabbath school each week. She doesn't see why they should have to get dressed up every week and waste so much time in church when her friends are sleeping in and watching Saturday morning cartoons at home. Remind the children that wanting something that is not in God's plan for you to have is what got the Israelites in trouble. If they had trusted God to be their leader and not desired a king to rule over them, they would have been a much stronger nation.