===================================================================== Title: Primary Sabbath School Program, December 26, 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, DAVID'S FRIEND JONATHAN ===================================================================== Lesson Aim: True friendship is one of God's best gifts to me. Memory Verse: "There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Prov. 18:24, NIV GETTING THEIR ATTENTION - FRIENDSHIP INGREDIENTS Materials needed: 9 refrigerator bowls 9 plain white sticky-back labels Mixing bowl Electric or hand beater Square cake pan Oven Sugar, unsifted flour, salt, cocoa, baking soda, lemon juice, oil, vanilla, water Napkins WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Measure the following recipe ingredients into the nine separate containers. Place a white label on the outside of each container. 1 c. sugar 1 « c. unsifted flour « t. salt 1/4 c. cocoa 1 t. baking soda 1 T. lemon juice 1/3 c. salad oil 1 t. vanilla 1 c. cold water WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Ask the children what ingredients they look for in a person when they are starting a friendship. (Kind, forgives easily, Doesn't brag etc.) Each time a child submits an answer, write it on one of the refrigerator bowl labels. Then one by one let the children add the ingredients to the mixing bowl. Beat for 2 minutes and bake in an ungreased cake pan at 350 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes. Follow-up the activity with these questions: 1. How important are your friends to you? 2. Do you know how to be a good friend to someone? In our Bible story today two boys start a friendship that lasts forever. GO STRAIGHT INTO THE BIBLE STORY. When the cake is done baking, remove it and enjoy a piece together as friends or send a piece home in a plastic bag for each child to share with their best friend. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - FRIENDS FOREVER Materials needed: Red card stock or construction paper Markers WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Make a six inch red heart for each child in the class. Draw a jagged line down the middle from top to bottom. Cut the hearts in half following the jagged line. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Look up the memory verse in the Bible. Give each child the left-hand side of the heart. Instruct them to print the words, "There is a friend who... Give each child the right-hand side of the heart. On it they print the words.....sticks closer than a brother." Ask the children what friend is even better than a brother or sister? Jesus. Stores sell necklaces with broken hearts such as these paper ones. The idea is for two friends to buy the necklace. One friend keeps one side of the heart and the other one keeps the other side. This signifies that they are friends forever, only whole when they are together. If Jesus is our closest friend, how can we share the other piece of heart with Him? We can give Him our real heart every day. To remind the children have them stick the right-hand side of their heart in their Bible and the left-hand side needs to be taped or hung somewhere where they can see it every day. ACTING ON SCRIPTURE - BOW AND ARROW FRIENDSHIPS Materials needed: 3 popsicle sticks for each child 1 12" ruler 1 heavy rubber band (Length: 3 « - 4") Pencils WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Make a bow by stretching the rubber band so it fit over the ruler lengthwise and rests in the middle. Make bows by cutting small notches in one end of each popsicle stick. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Explain to the children that Jonathan used a bow and arrow to help his friend David know that he was in trouble with King Saul. When Jonathan shot three bows in the air it let David know that he would have to leave the palace in order to be safe. Give each child three popsicle stick "arrows". Ask them to think of three things they want to do this week to help make their friendship with someone stronger. (Ideas: Share more with my friend, Be careful not to gossip about him, etc.) Help them write their ideas on the three separate popsicle sticks. Place all the children behind you at one end of the room. Holding the ruler horizontally, place the popsicle stick (at the notched end) in the rubber band. Pull the stick back towards you then let go. The popsicle stick will shoot across the room. Send a child to retrieve it and read what is written on it to the rest of the class. The child who retrieves the arrows is the next to shoot his. Children shoot all three "arrows" before anyone is allowed over to the other end to retrieve them. (This can be a fun game, but needs to be carefully supervised by a responsible adult.) ACTING ON SCRIPTURE- HUMAN FRIENDSHIP LINK Materials needed: None WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) There are no advance preparations necessary. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Children get in a circle about 2-3 feet apart from each other. One child begins the link by saying the first word of the memory verse. He then links to the child to his right by touching some part of him. (Head, foot, arm, elbow, shoulder, etc.) The next child in line says the second word of the verse and links to the child to his right. This continues until all children are linked in a circle of unbroken friendship. (If your class is fewer than 10 children, assign more than one word to a child. If it is large, make more than one circle.)