Grades 1-3
Introductory Activity – Mountain, Valley, River
Materials: masking tape
Make a masking tape line down the middle of the room. The line will need to be long enough for all kids. If needed, make several lines spaced around the room for groups of kids.
Guide all kids to stand on the tape line. Say: “This line is the river. If you step to the left, you are on the mountain. If you step to the right, you are in the valley. Listen carefully and stand where I tell you to stand.” Wait until all kids are ready. Say: “Mountain! (Kids step to the left of the tape) River! (kids step onto the tape) Valley! (kids step to the right of the tape)” Then speed up and mix up what you call. If a kid steps to the wrong place, he moves to the back of the tape line (and everyone else moves forward). Keep playing for a few turns. Stop and tell kids to stand back on the tape line and begin again. Tell kids that they will hear a story about someone who traveled to a mountain.
Live It Out
Game – Blow the Verse
Materials: plastic cups, table tennis balls, thin-line permanent marker, straws
Cut 8 cups in half. Print the words of the Weekly Verse on the cups. (Some cups can have more than one word.) Lay the cups, cut side down, on the floor. Print the words of the Weekly Verse on table tennis balls, matching the words on the cups. Lead kids to take turns choosing a ball and blowing the ball across the floor and into the cup with the matching word. When complete, say the verse together. Remove the balls and play again. Challenge kids to blow the balls into the cups in order or blow them faster, decreasing the speed to complete the verse.
Craft – I Spy Bottle
Materials: index cards, pens, small plastic water bottles, sand, funnels, scissors
Read the Life Point to kids. Talk about ways God does the best for people. Guide kids to cut small pieces of index card and print the words of the Life Point on the pieces. A child can fill a bottle about halfway with sand and drop in her words. After she replaces the lid, guide her to shake and move the bottle to find the words. Challenge her to find all the words, to find the words in order, and so forth. Tell kids to keep the bottle in a conspicuous place to remind them that God hears our prayers and does what is best for us.
Grades 4-6
Introductory Activity – Elijah Word Search
Materials: online word search puzzle generator, printer
Before class, search online for a free word search generator. Input terms from today’s lesson and create a word search puzzle. In class, give children time to complete the puzzle. Afterward, write the Weekly Verse on the board and explain how God heard Elijah’s prayer for help in today’s lesson.
Possible words to use in the word search: Elijah, Jezebel, Baal, Beersheba, Stones, Water, Ahab, Sinai, Earthquake, Fire, Whisper, Jehu, Elisha
Word Search Generator:
https://www.education.com/worksheet-generator/reading/word-search/?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD94YfWQPYi2VPgFUipsEznN-qZuS&gclid=CjwKCAiAxKy5BhBbEiwAYiW–184mP50jLOsWlU5SNqC0aknDyNu_TOjGhC7ai3z3OQEleE5XOwghhoCtRgQAvD_BwE
Live It Out
Game – Number Scramble
Materials: review questions, sheets of paper numbered 2-12; pair of numbered cubes; music and music player
Lay the numbers in a random pattern on the floor. All kids can stand around the play area. Play music and guide kids to walk through the numbers. Stop the music and all kids should stand on a number. (More than one person can stand on/near the same number.) Roll the numbered cubes. Ask the kid(s) on that number to answer a review question. If they answer incorrectly, lead them to sit outside the play area. Start the music again to continue the game. After kids sit out one round, they can rejoin the game. Say the Life Point and talk about ways God does the best for people.
Craft – Note to God
Materials: white card stock, markers
Give each child one piece of card stock and some markers. Direct the kids to fold their paper in half, creating a card. Inform them that they will write a note to God. Write down several prompts on the board to help the children know what to write. Direct the children to decorate their cards. Tell the kids to write the Life Point on the back of the card.
Possible prompts to write on the board: thank God for helping you with something in the past; ask God to help you with something right now; thank God for sending Jesus for you; ask God to give you wisdom; ask God to provide you something you need.
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