===================================================================== Title: Primary Sabbath School Program, August 8, 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, CHOOSING MINISTERS ===================================================================== Lesson Aim: When I follow God's commandments, I can do a special work for God like the priests did. Memory Verse: "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." Proverbs 14:12, NIV GETTING THEIR ATTENTION - YES, NO STONES Materials needed: 2 flat stones for each child (small enough in size for a child to balance on his shoulder) Permanent marker WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) If you are using this activity with younger children, write the word YES in pencil on one of the flat stones and the word NO on the other stone. Younger children trace over the words with a marker. Older children write their own words on the stones. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Each child writes or traces the words, YES and NO on their flat stones. Give them an opportunity to practice balancing the stones on their shoulders so that the YES and NO words can be seen. Ask the children the following choice questions. If their answer is yes, they remove the no stone from their shoulder. If their answer is no, they remove the yes stone from their shoulder. If at any time during the activity, they purposely bump their own stones off or someone else's they return them to you. 1. Did you choose what to wear to church today? 2. Did you choose what you ate for breakfast this morning? 3. Did you get to make a choice about whether or not to come to church? 4. Did you choose who you would sit by this morning? 5. Did you choose whether or not you wanted to participate in the activities at Sabbath school? 6. Did you get to choose whether or not you wanted to smile today? Collect the stones and follow up the activity with the discussion questions: 1. Are all choices we make important ones? 2. Which of the choices we talked about do you think are the most important? Why? In our Bible story today we learn that choices we make concerning God, worship and respect are very important. GO STRAIGHT INTO THE BIBLE STORY. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE -MEMORY VERSE REVIEW Materials needed: Construction paper (1 sheet per child) + extra for making symbols Markers/crayons Bibles WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) If you are working with a young group, make the following picture symbols, one for each child. They will glue them in the appropriate blanks on their memory verse card. 1. A small winding path (represents the word "way") 2. A simple article of clothing with an arrow pointing to where a seam would be (represents the word "seems") 3. An arrow (represents the word "right") 4. A number 2 (represents the word "to") 5. A figure outline (represents the word "man") 6. A block of wood with an arrow pointing to the end (represents the word "end") 7. A tombstone or grave marker (represents the word "death") Older children may choose to draw their symbols in the blanks. Print the verse in the following manner onto a piece of construction paper for each child. Leave bigger blank areas where the pictures will be drawn or glued in. "There is a_____________that _______________ __________________ ___________ a _____________, but in the ______________it leads to ___________________." Prov. 14:12, WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Have the students look up the verse in their Bibles. Repeat it several times together. Close the Bibles. Give out the picture symbols and the memory verse papers. Instruct the children to glue the symbols in the blanks so that the verse is completed correctly. (Make sure the arrow is turned facing right) Older children may use symbols or draw their own pictures to fill in the blanks. When the papers are finished, turn them face down so they cannot be read. Have the children stand. Begin to say the memory verse out loud. When you come to a place where they used a picture symbol, ask them to show you an action that will remind everyone what word is missing. (For example: "way" - Make a winding path motion with both hands. "Seems" - point to a seam on your clothing. "Right" - Point to the right with your finger. "To" - Hold up two fingers. "Man" - point to yourself. "End" - Point to the tip of your finger. "Death" - Clutch your throat and gurgle.) Review the memory verse several times using this method until the children can repeat it. ACTING ON SCRIPTURE - HOLY OR COMMON? Materials needed: Religious cassette tape Religious video tape A secular video tape A secular cassette tape A secular children's story book A Bible A nameplate or label with anyone's name on it A label with the name "Jesus" written on it A Saturday calendar block enlarged and xeroxed A Wednesday calendar block enlarged and xeroxed A play telephone WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Assemble all the above items (and any others you wish to add) in a box where they cannot be seen by the children. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: According to our story today, it is very important for us to know the difference between holy and common. Holy things are things set aside for special use. Things that refer to God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit. Common things are things that are ordinary. They do not have any special value and are not treated in any particular way. When God wanted Moses to understand that he was to treat Holiness with respect, He asked him to remove his shoes. (Remember, by the burning bush?) Explain to the children that you are going to show them a few items. If they think the item is holy or is about holiness they are to remove one of their shoes. If they think the item is common or ordinary, they put the shoe back on. (Pull the items from the bag in a random fashion. For example, the religious video does not have to be pulled right after the secular video.) After each item wait for the children's response. Discuss any questions or ideas the children may have on what makes something holy or common. Talk about ways that each holy item can be treated with respect. (THE PLAY TELEPHONE REPRESENTS A CONVERSATION WITH ANYONE. IT SHOULD BE LABELED COMMON. PLACE YOUR HANDS IN A PRAYING POSITION AND ASK FOR A RESPONSE OF EITHER COMMON OR HOLY.) ACTING ON SCRIPTURE - PRACTICING RESPECT Materials needed: None WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) There are no advance preparations necessary. WHAT THE STUDENTS DO: Ask the students to think of times this week when they can practice respect for holy things or holy times. They may work in pairs or groups. When they have an idea, they come to the front and silently act it out. The rest of the group guesses until they arrive upon the answer. The following are some suggestions for some scenarios. Younger children will need help planning what actions are needed to portray the situations. 1. When someone is praying (we can show respect by removing our hats, bowing our heads, folding our hands, keeping our eyes closed, refraining from whispering or talking, saying a prayer in our hearts.) 2. When someone is teaching us something about Jesus (we can show respect by listening, refraining from talking, not giving silly answers when questions are asked, asking Jesus to help us understand what He's saying through them.) 3. When someone is using Jesus' name in the wrong way (we can show respect by asking them not to when you're around, being careful not to do it also in order to fit in.) 4. When someone gives us money or we earn some this week (we can show respect by setting a portion of it aside for Jesus and not spending it on anything.)