Grades 1-3
Introductory Activity – Find the Fish
Materials: construction paper, scissors
Before class, cut out many fish from construction paper and hide them throughout your room. In class, tell the kids that they need to find all the fish you have hidden in the room. The child that finds the most fish is the winner! Afterward, explain that in today’s Bible story the disciples are looking for fish but cannot find any. That is, until Jesus does something amazing.
Live It Out
Game – Tic-Tac-Toe Toss
Materials: painters tape, paper, marker, beanbag
Create a large tic-tac-toe grid on the floor using masking tape. Mark a tossing line a short distance from the grid. Cut the paper into 10 squares. Draw a large X on five squares and a large O on the other five.
Divide the group into two teams. Teams take turns tossing a beanbag onto the grid. If the tosser misses the grid, the turn moves to the other team. When the beanbag lands on a space, ask the team a question about the Bible story. If the team gets the answer correct, they place paper with an X (or O) on the space. Teams continue to play until one team gets three in a row. You may want to change the questions to reflect some personal application by asking kids to name ways Jesus showed He was God’s Son.
Teaching Tip: If you have a large group, create two grids so more kids can play at a time.
Craft – Fish and Net
Materials: paper plates, hole punches, twine, construction paper, scissors, markers, glue
Give every child a paper plate and ensure they have access to the other supplies. Direct them to punch holes around the edge of the plate. Tell them to take a long piece of twine and weave it in the shape of a net utilizing the holes around the plate. Direct them to draw and cut out multiple fish from their construction paper. Tell them to write the Life Point on one of the fish. Instruct them to glue their fish to the plate.
Grades 4-6
Introductory Activity – Large Catch
Materials: scrap paper
Place stacks of scrap paper around the room. Guide the kids to tear fish shapes out of paper. Challenge them to tear as many fish shapes as they can. Tell them each one must resemble a fish or it will not be counted. (Make teams for competition if you choose.) At the end of the time interval, count all the fish shapes the kids made. (Or compare the counts of the teams.) Tell kids that in today’s Bible passage the disciples caught a large number of fish.
Live It Out
Game – Gone Fishin’
Materials: two fishing poles, paper clips, magnets, construction paper, glue, rope
Before class, cut out fish from construction paper. Put a paper clip on each fish. Attach a magnet to the end of the fishing line on two fishing poles. In class, make a large circle with rope, creating a pond. Inside of the rope lay all of the fish. Create two teams with the kids and tell them they will go fishing. The teams will cast their magnets into the pond one at a time to catch fish. After all the fish have been caught, the team with the most is the winner! Remind the kids that Jesus helped the disciples catch fish. Say the Life Point together.
Craft – Time for Breakfast
Materials: paper plates, markers
Give every child two paper plates and ensure they have access to markers. On the first paper plate, instruct them to draw and color the breakfast the disciples ate with Jesus. Tell them to write the Life Point on the bottom of the plate. On the second plate, instruct them to draw and color their favorite breakfast. Direct them to write the Weekly Verse on the bottom of this plate. Ask: “How are the two breakfasts different? Which would you prefer to eat?” Afterward, say the Life Point together.
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