Grades 1-3
Introductory Activity – Tossed Salad
Materials: chairs (optional)
If you are using chairs, place them in a circle. As kids arrive, give each one the name of a vegetable (carrot, zucchini, lettuce, onion, celery). Tell kids to stand (or sit) in a circle. Choose one kid to stand in the middle of the circle. Call out a vegetable; kids with that name will switch places. The one in the middle tries to get one of the vacated places. Whoever ends up without a place stands in the middle. After a few turns, call out two vegetables to switch. Call out: “Tossed salad!” Everyone switches places. Comment that vegetables will be a part of the Bible story.
Live It Out
Game – Timeline Relay
Materials: paper, marker, tape
Print these points from the Bible story on pieces of paper. You can print each one on a separate piece of paper or print several on one page and cut the statements apart. Make two or more sets (one per team).
King Nebuchadnezzar took young men from Israel to Babylon.
The king ordered that the young men learn the culture of Babylon.
The king provided royal food and wine for the young men to eat.
Daniel knew that the king’s food was not food God wanted him to eat.
Daniel asked the official for other food to eat.
The official was worried that Daniel and his friends would look unhealthy.
Daniel asked that to eat vegetables and drink water for 10 days.
The official agreed to with Daniel’s request.
After 10 days, Daniel and his friends looked healthier than the other men.
The official continued to give Daniel and his friends only vegetables and water.
God helped Daniel and his friends understand and learn.
Group the kids into teams. Mix the statements of each team. Give one of the statements to the first player of each team. Tell kids they will work to put the story statements in order. On your signal, the first players run to the opposite wall and tape up their statements. They return and tag the next players. Those players get a statement, run to the wall, and tape the statement in the appropriate place (before or after the first statement). Subsequent players can rearrange the statements as they place theirs in the appropriate places. After a team has all statements on the wall, quickly review them. If something is incorrect, a player can run down and rearrange the statements. Continue until one team has all the statements in correct order. Talk about the story and the Life Point.
Craft – Obey Magnets
Materials: wide craft sticks, thin-line markers, stickers or other art supplies, self-stick circle magnets (or magnet tape)
Invite kids to make magnets. They can print the words of the Weekly Verse, John 14:15, on craft sticks. They can use the markers, stickers, and other art supplies to add to the magnet. As they work, talk about the Bible story and the Life Point. When a child completes her design, provide circle magnets or pieces of magnet tape to attach to the back at both ends.
Grades 4-6
Introductory Activity – Blind Taste Test
Materials: vegetables, blindfolds, plates, allergy alert sign
Before class, choose several vegetables, cut them into pieces, and place them on a plate. Post a sign with a list of the vegetables you will be tasting. Ask for several volunteers to wear a blindfold. You will allow each volunteer to eat a vegetable and see if they can guess what they are eating. Afterward, explain how Daniel and his friends chose to eat food that would please God, even though no one else was doing it. Write the Life Point on the board and say it together.
Live It Out
Game – Lights, Camera, Action!
Materials: no materials needed
Form three groups with the kids. Inform each group they will act out a scene from today’s lesson. Give the groups enough time to develop their skits. Encourage them to be creative as they put together their skits. Allow each group to perform their skit for the rest of the class. When all the groups are finished, say the Life Point together.
Scenes to assign to each group:
Daniel and his friends being taken captive and led to Babylon.
Daniel requesting permission to eat vegetables and drink water.
Daniel and his friends looking healthier after ten days.
Craft – Courageous Badges
Materials: construction paper, markers, scissors, tapeGive each child a piece of construction paper and ensure they have access to the other supplies. Remind the kids that Daniel and his friends chose to obey God, even though it was difficult. Tell the kids they will create Courage Badges to show everyone they can make courageous choices, like Daniel and his friends. Direct them to draw and cut out a badge in any shape they would like (star, shield, triangle, circle, etc.) Tell them to write COURAGE on the front of the badge. Tell them to write the Weekly Verse on the bottom of the badge. Instruct them to use tape to attach the badges on their shirts. Say the Weekly Verse together.
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