===================================================================== Title: Primary Sabbath School Program, July 18, 1998 From: NAD Children's Ministries (author: Lisa Seeders) Date: June 1, 1998 Abstract: Activities to use in place of program helps to teach the lesson, BROKEN! ===================================================================== Lesson Aim: I show my love for God by putting Him first in my life. Memory Verse: "You shall have no other gods before me." Exo. 20:3, NIV GETTING THEIR ATTENTION - CHOOSING SIDES Materials needed: None WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) There are no advance preparations necessary WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Ask the children to think of times when sides are chosen. (When playing a game, when competing in a contest, when making friends, when settling an argument or fight etc.) Explain to the children that they are going to separate themselves into two sides. All they have to do is listen to what you say, make a decision and follow the directions. Once they go to one side, they may change sides if the answer to another question requires them to do so. If you are wearing red or green today come up and stand on my right side. If not, come up and stand on my left. If you have short hair, stand on my right side. If you have long hair, stand on my left. If you brought your Bible today, stand on my right side, if you didn't stand on my left. If you ate breakfast this morning stand on my left, if not stand on my right. If you are in the 3rd grade stand on my left. Everyone else stand on my right. If you got in trouble and were punished this week, stand on my right, if not stand on the left. If you have brothers and sisters living at home, stand on my right. If you are the only child at home stand on my left. If you wish this game would go on, stand on my left. If you want this game to end, stand on my right. Follow up this activity with these discussion questions: 1. Did anyone stay on the same side the whole time? How many times did you change sides? 2. Did we ever end up with everyone on the same side? Choosing sides today was fun. There was no right or wrong side to be on. There were no consequences as a result of choosing either side. In our story today, the Israelites had to choose whose side they would be on. It wasn't fun like this game, and those who chose the wrong side met with drastic consequences. GO STRAIGHT INTO THE BIBLE STORY. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - BIBLE STORY OVERHEADS Materials needed: 7 overhead transparencies Special overhead markers Overhead projector WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Set-up the overhead projector so it is ready to receive the transparencies when the children are finished with them. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Divide the large group into seven small groups. Assign each group one of the following captions to illustrate on the transparency. Provide plenty of sponges and paper towels for erasing mistakes. Rotate around to each group making sure every child has an opportunity to contribute. Encourage bold coloring with as much detail as possible. An alternative idea, especially for younger children would be to xerox pictures from coloring books onto the transparencies themselves. Assign each child a portion to color. This can be done if the transparencies are fed through the copier one at a time. 1. A shining cloud surrounded by light where Moses goes to talk with God. 2. Moses receives the 10 commandment tablets. 3. Aaron makes a golden calf. 4. Aaron builds an altar in front of the calf and a feast including drinking and dancing follows. 5. Moses throws down the stone tablets and brakes them in many pieces. 6. Moses calls for those who want to be on God's side to come forth. 7. The ground opens up and swallows those who do not choose to remain faithful. When the groups have all completed their drawings, review the Bible story having the children bring the transparency to the overhead to display at the appropriate time. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - MEMORY VERSE REVIEW Materials needed: Bibles WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) There are no advance preparations necessary WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Have the children look up the memory verse in their Bibles. Divide them into teams with 3-4 children to a team. Line the 3-4 children up in a vertical row. Line the vertical rows into a horizontal row at the back of the room. At the starting signal, the last child in each row repeats the memory verse. When he is finished, he moves in front of the first child in the row. The child who has become the last child in the row repeats the verse and moves in front of the first child in the row. They may say it as quickly as they want, but they must say it accurately. As the last child in each vertical row keeps moving to the front, the team makes its way across the room to the front. When they get to the front, they remain until the rest of the teams arrive. Now in order to return to where they originally started, they must substitute the words "other gods" with something they think of that might be a god in their life. (You shall have no TV before me. You shall have no computer game before me. Etc.) The teams retreat in the opposite way that they advanced. The first child in the row states the verse and moves behind the last child in the row. (HINT: Retreating will be much harder than advancing was) Emphasize encouraging one another rather than competing against each other. We choose God's side when we put Him first in our thoughts, work and play. ACTING ON SCRIPTURE - Materials needed: Choose one of the following three items for the children to decorate according to your budget: T-shirt (Parents could be asked in advance to send one) Frisbee Painter's cap with visor Fabric paints or fabric crayons Religious iron-on transfers (optional) Religious stickers (optional) WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Obtain either a T-shirt, painter's cap or frisbee for each child. Pre-print the words, I'M A PLAYER ON GOD'S TEAM on whatever medium you choose. Provide a flat, washable surface for each child to work on. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Draw the children's attention to the pre-printed wording on their medium. Explain to the children that when we choose to be on God's side it's like being on His team. Being on God's team is something to feel good about. God's team is the winning team. They can let their friends and family know that they've chosen to put God first. On the T-shirt, cap or frisbee, they trace over the pre-printed letters with fabric paint. (Fabric crayons work better with younger children on fabric, but markers will be needed on the Frisbee.) Transfers may be ironed on the T-shirt or cap before painting to add decoration. Stickers may be added to the Frisbee. Caution the children against doing too much extra decoration. It detracts from the message. Encourage the children to wear their art or play with their Frisbee and be ready to explain what the message means. WAIT ONE WEEK BEFORE SENDING HOME.