===================================================================== Title: Primary Sabbath School Program, August 15, 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, WANTING THEIR OWN WAY ===================================================================== Lesson Aim: It is safe for me to believe God's promises and to trust Him. Memory Verse: "The Lord watches over all who love him." Psa. 145:20, NIV GETTING THEIR ATTENTION - SPY ASSIGNMENTS Materials needed: None WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) There are no advance preparations necessary. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Ask the children what a spy is. Go over the characteristics of spies; quiet, sneaky, alert, smart, etc. Explain that they will be spies with a special assignment. They will be sent out in pairs to retrieve some information. No one else in the church must guess who they are or what they are doing. They will only be given 5 minutes to get the information and return. They will have to return with the information in their heads. They cannot take anything with them. (Younger children will need an adult supervisor to accompany them.) Write the following assignments on a chalkboard, poster board or write on/wipe off board. Pair the children off and give them each an assignment. Tell them to return as quickly as possible with their information to share with the rest of the group. 1. How many church members are sitting in the sanctuary today? 2. What is the number of one of the hymns sung today? 3. How many Primaries brought their own Bibles today? 4. What kind of special music will we hear at church today? 5. How many women and how many men are on the platform during Sabbath School? (You can add as many of these types of assignments as you wish or take away those that do not apply in your church environment) When the children all return, review the questions and call for the spies answers. Follow up this activity with the discussion questions. 1. Did anybody get caught spying? 2. Did anyone have trouble getting the information? In the Bible story today, spies from Israel are sent out to check out Canaan. The information they bring back is both bad and good. The problem is not with the information they bring back but with the way the Israelites respond to what they hear. GO STRAIGHT INTO THE BIBLE STORY. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - NEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS Materials needed: Newsprint pad paper Markers Scissors Glue or glue sticks Old discarded front page newspapers WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Provide a large flat work surface where 2-3 children can work together using the above supplies. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Divide the children into small groups with 2-3 in a group. Put someone who writes well in each group. Tell them you are going to give them the Bible story facts up to a certain point in the story. When you reach the point in the story when the spies return with their reports of Canaan, stop. Go to each small group and give either the good report that Joshua and Caleb gave or the bad report that the rest of the spies gave. Make sure and give out an even number of good and bad reports. The children take the information given them and make a newspaper report. They are to think of a catchy headline, a picture and a brief description that fits the report they have been given about Canaan. They can even give their newspaper a name. Give each group about 5-7 minutes to work on their paper. Collect the papers. Show them from the front. Discuss how different the accounts are of the same spy expedition. Follow-up this activity with the discussion questions: 1. If you were an Israelite, what would you do? Who would you listen to? 2. Which report shows trust in God? 3. What happened to the Israelites as a result of believing the bad report? (They refused to trust God, so He allowed them to wander in the wilderness for 40 years instead of possessing the land of Canaan. They also lost their lives when they tried to go in without God's help.) It is always the wisest and safest choice to believe God and trust Him. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - MEMORY VERSE REVIEW Materials needed: Overhead Projector and overhead markers Large sheets of butcher block paper Tape Bibles Permanent markers WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Tape the sheets of butcher block paper onto a wall. The area needs to be large enough to make 9 giant figures. Position the overhead projector to light up the entire area. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Line the children up in front of the butcher block paper. Have one child stand on a chair while two other children stand on either side on chairs. The two children on either side trace the figure of the child in the middle onto the butcher block paper using permanent marker. Keep working on down the paper until all nine children have been traced onto the paper. The figures should be large. Have the children open their Bibles. Beginning with the first child on the left of the paper, assign them each a memory verse word to copy onto their "giant figure". Have the children copy their word in large, bold letters. Review the memory verse together committing it to memory. Explain to them that we do not need to fear any giants if we trust and believe God's promises. (In the acting on scripture activity modern-day giants are explored in further detail.) ACTING ON SCRIPTURE - CUTTING GIANTS TO SIZE Materials needed: Giants on butcher block paper from previous activity Scissors (one pair for each child) WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Take the butcher block paper off the wall and cut all the "giants" apart so each child has his own. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: The object of this activity is to help the children understand what kind of giants they can trust God to take care of in their lives. Give each child their "giant" and a pair of scissors. Ask them to help you think of things they are afraid of. This will include things that have happened in the past, things that may be occurring now or things they fear in the future. They may submit their answers out loud or may prefer to have them remain private. When a fear is mentioned, everyone says the memory verse together out loud and cuts off a portion of their giant. Continue in this manner until the giants are fairly slashed up or small. (You may need to give hints and ideas to help them think. Fear of illness, death, home split-up, parental disapproval, no friends, loss of best friend, rejection etc. "Have you ever been afraid of......." and then mention any of the above ideas.)