Grades 1-3
Introductory Activity – Gallery Walk
Materials: teaching pictures from previous units that show Bible families, pictures or photos of families from your church, pictures of families from other media, tape
Tape pictures around the room. Tell kids to walk around the room and view the pictures. Lead them to make observations about the pictures. Challenge them to discover similarities among the pictures. After a while, ask kids to comment on their observations. Lead kids to discover that all the pictures show families. Say the Life Point and emphasize that kids will learn more about what the Bible teaches about families.
Live It Out
Game – Fill in the Blanks
Materials: CD of music, index cards, markers, large piece of paper, tape
Print the words of the Life Point on cards, one word per card; tape cards on the wall. Tape a large piece of paper on the wall next to the cards and make eight blanks (one blank for word of the Point). Place tape marks on the floor, one mark for each child less one.
Start the music. Guide kids to march around the tape marks as in the game “musical chairs.” When the music stops, everyone should try to stand on tape piece. The child left without a spot must choose a word and try to decide in which blank the word belongs. If he is not correct, leave the word in place on the wall and start the music again. If he is correct, move the word to the blank. He may try to solve the puzzle (read the sentence). If he cannot solve the puzzle, leave the card on the board and start the music again. Continue until the puzzle is solved. Lead the children to read the Life Point together.
Craft – Magnetic Photo Holder
Materials: wide craft sticks (one per child), wooden clothespins (two per child), self-adhesive magnets or magnet tape, markers, glue, decorative tape, scissors
Lead kids to print the words of the Life Point on their craft sticks. They can attach magnets to the back of the craft sticks. Show them how to glue clothespins to the ends of the craft sticks, perpendicular to the sticks. (The two clothespins will be pointing down when the stick is horizontal.) Kids can decorate the clothespins and stick as they choose. Show kids how to clip a photo to the pair of clothespins. Suggest kids attach family photos to their clips and place the photos on a refrigerator or other place at home.
Grades 4-6
Introductory Activity – Write a Letter
Materials: decorative stationery, envelopes, colored pens
Invite kids to write letters to family members. They can choose who will receive their letter. Suggest the letter include something for which the kids are thankful regarding that family member. Assist as needed but respect privacy. Lead kids to put completed letters in envelopes and seal them. Tell the kids to mail or hand-deliver their letters. Tell kids that today they will hear a story about a letter that Paul wrote that included information about God’s plan for families.
Live It Out
Game – Full Body Rock/Paper/Scissors
No materials needed
Show kids how to make rock, paper, and scissors with their whole bodies. Rock – crouch into a ball or lean over with hands on knees. Paper – stand straight with legs together and arms at sides. Scissors – stand with legs apart and arms away from sides. Practice jumping twice and then moving into rock position. Repeat jump twice and paper position. Repeat with scissors. Group kids into pairs. Pairs stand facing one another. Say: “Jump, jump, show.” Partners jump twice (on your words) and then show one of the positions. Repeat three times; best of three is the winner. Say: “Switch” and kids change for new partners. Repeat the cycle a few times. Tell kids to freeze in their positions. Ask everyone standing in rock position to say the Life Point. Play a few more rounds and freeze. Ask another group to say the Life Point. Continue the game as time permits.
Craft – Family Plaque
Materials: sheets of craft foam, aluminum tape, plastic needles or orange sticks
Give each child a piece of craft foam that measures approximately 6 by 9 inches. Lead kids to cover their craft foam with aluminum tape. Tell kids to carefully spell the word FAMILY with outline letters. (They can use plastic needles or orange sticks to make the lines in the foil tape.) After they have created the word, they can draw lines or curves to make designs around the word. Talk about the Bible story and the Life Point as kids work. Suggest kids place their plaques in their homes to remind them that God has plans for families.
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