Grades 1-3
Introductory Activity – Flocks
No materials needed
Tell kids that you will play a game. When you call out a number, they should get in groups of that number. Tell them to walk around randomly as you say: “Sheep, sheep, wander around, Where are water and green grass found, Now it’s time to go to sleep, Get to your flock you group of sheep!” Then call out a number (less than 8). Kids should quickly move into groups of that number. Kids left over (less than the number you call) should join you for the next round. Start the chant again. Ask the “left over sheep” to decide on the number to call. Kids group up again. The “left over sheep” join the game and allow the new group of “left over sheep” to stand with you. Tell kids that in the Bible story a problem developed because of a large group of animals in one place.
Live It Out
Game – Roundup
Materials: pom-poms or cotton balls, craft sticks, chenille stems, paper squares with words of the Life Point (one word per square)
Use three chenille stems to make one ring. Make six rings. Scatter the rings at one end of the game area. Place a word in each ring. Group the kids into two (or more) teams. Give each team six pom-poms and craft sticks. On your signal, the first player of each team will place his pom-pom on the floor and use the craft stick to “herd” it to the first word of the Life Point (Family). When a player gets his pom-pom “sheep” in the correct ring, he walks quickly back to his team. The next player herds his pom-pom sheep into the ring with the next word. The team that herds “sheep” into all the rings wins. Talk about the Life Point and the Bible story. Talk about times kids may need to work out differences with a family member.
Craft – Magnetic Puzzles
Materials: heavyweight paper (cut into 6-inch squares), gel pens, markers, magnetic tape, scissors, ziplock bags
Give each child a square of paper. She can write the Life Point in large colorful letters. Lead her to cut the square into 5-6 pieces and attach magnetic tape to the back of each piece. She can work her puzzle or trade and work a friend’s puzzle. Tell kids to place their puzzles in bags (to take home). Challenge them to place the puzzles on their refrigerators to remind their families to work out differences.
Grades 4-6
Introductory Activity – Ring a Name
Materials: paper plates, scissors, markers, tape
Cut the middles from paper plates to make rings. Print the letters of Abram’s name on the paper plate middles. Scatter the letters around the game area and tape them to the floor. Use the tape to make a tossing line a few feet from the letters. Guide kids to take turns tossing the rings onto the letters. Challenge them to ring the letters in order to spell Abram’s name. (Most of the letter should be inside the ring for it to count.) Comment that they will hear story about Abram today.
Optional: Print the letters on plastic bottles. Guide kids to ring the bottles in order.
Live It Out
Game – Catapult
Materials: plastic spoons, cotton balls, paper, marker
Print the words of the Life Point on paper, one word per page. Lay the words at one end of the game area. Guide kids to stand at the opposite end of the game area. Show kids how to hold a plastic spoon up and facing out. Hold a cotton ball in the spoon, pull it back slightly, and launch it across the room. Kids can take turns catapulting cotton balls onto the words of the Life Verse. Talk about the Bible story and the problem that developed among the workers of Abram and Lot. Talk about the solution that Abram proposed. Guide kids to think of conflict that may arise in families. Discuss how family members could work together to resolve these differences.
Craft – Stick Puppets
Materials: white note cards, craft sticks, thin-lined markers, masking tape, scissors
Invite a child to draw a picture of a person on a note card. She can draw a picture of herself or someone in her family. When she finishes the person figure, she can cut out the figure and tape the figure to the stick. Lead kids to print the Life Point on the craft stick. Talk about the Bible story. Suggest kids use their puppets to play out situations that show family members working out differences.
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