Grades 1–3
Introductory Activity—Animal Faces
Materials: colored paper, scissors, glue sticks, markers
Give each child a piece of paper that measures approximately 5 inches by 7 inches. Lay the paper on a table in portrait orientation. Fold the top edge down about one-third of the way and crease the paper. (The folded paper resembles the look of an envelope.) Tell kids to cut the front edge into a semi-circle shape (for the top of the animal’s mouth). Tell kids to decorate the inside of the fold as the inside of the animal’s mouth. They can glue eyes and other facial features on top of the folded part. They may want to cut and glue teeth underneath the top edge so they extend beyond the edge, showing teeth coming from the mouth. Trim or decorate the bottom edge beyond the fold as the animal’s neck. Tell kids that today they will hear a Bible story that includes animals. Encourage them to guess what the story may be. (Noah)
Live It Out
Game—Zebras and Horses
Materials: tape or ropes
Use ropes or tape to mark the middle of the game area and the two ends of the game area. Group the kids into two groups. Name one group “Zebras” and the other group “Horses.”
Lead teams to line up at the middle line, back to back, with Zebras facing one direction and Horses facing the other direction. Call: “Horses.” The Horses run to get to the rope at their end of the area. The Zebras turn around and chase the Horses, trying to tag them. When the Horses reach their line, ask them a review question. Regroup in the middle, with Zebras facing one way and Horses facing the other way. (If you choose, the tagged players can sit out one round and watch the chase.) Randomly call the team names, alternating frequently so each team has opportunity to run and chase. After each run, ask one of the teams a review question. Talk about the promise God made to Noah after the flood. Say the Life Point.
Craft – Rain Gauge
Materials: clear plastic cups, pebbles or gravel, rulers, permanent markers, plastic wrap
Give each child a cup. Lead the kids to use rulers to mark half-inch lines up the side, from bottom to top. Tell the kids to print the Life Point on the cup on the opposite side from the measurement lines. Guide kids to place a small layer of gravel or pebbles in the bottoms of their cups (for weight and stability). Cover the cups with plastic wrap for transport home (to keep the gravel in the cups). Tell the kids that they can place their gauges outside at home (with plastic wrap removed). They can see how much rain falls over the next month. Talk about the Bible story and the promise God made.
Grades 4–6
Introductory Activity—Chenille Stem Charades
Materials: chenille craft stems, cards with animal names
Choose three kids to begin the game. Give each of the three kids a few chenille stems. Show the group of three the name of an animal. The three kids can spread among the larger group and begin to form their craft stems in ways to get the group to name the animal. They can only use the stems – no words, sounds, or actions allowed. When someone guesses the animal, choose three other kids, show them a name, and continue the game. Tell kids that today’s Bible story includes animals of all types.
Live It Out
Game—Porcupine Review
Materials: play dough, toothpicks, numbered cube, tap lights (optional)
Group the kids into two or more
teams. Give each team a portion of play dough. Teams should make a ball or
oblong shape from the dough. Ask a team a review question. If the team answers
correctly, a player can roll the numbered cube and stick that many toothpicks
into the team’s play dough. Ask a question to another team and continue the
game. At the end of the game, the team with the most prickly porcupine wins.
Note: As an option, give each team a tap light. Ask the questions to all the
teams at once. The team that taps the light first gets to answer the question.
Craft—Rainbow Reminder
Materials: craft sticks, permanent markers, tape
Tell the kids they can make a reminder of today’s Bible verse or Life Point. They can tape craft sticks together (along the long edges) and draw a rainbow on the sticks. They may want to color each stick a different color or draw an arcing rainbow across all the sticks. Encourage them to print the Life Point or the Bible verse on the sticks, too. As they work, recall the Bible story and the promise that God made to Noah. Say that God always keeps His promises.
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