Grades 1–6: Jesus, the Great Teacher — Session 3: Jesus Taught About Forgiveness (March 15)

Grades 1-3

Introductory Activity – Search for Letters

Materials: container of clean sand, letter tiles to spell the word forgive

Bury the letters in the sand. Tell the kids to dig through the sand to find letters. When someone finds a letter, he can place it to the side. (Caution kids to keep the sand in the container.) After all the letters are found, tell kids to work together to unscramble the letters to form a word. When they have made the word forgive, say that today they will hear what Jesus taught about forgiveness.

Live It Out

Game – Where Is the Question?

Materials: square of paper, marker

Draw a large question mark on the paper square. Choose one child to stand outside of the room while you hide the question mark somewhere in the room. Part of the paper should be visible. When the child returns to the room, tell him to find the question mark. Direct the other kids to clap as he searches, clapping softly when he is far and getting louder as he gets closer. When the question mark is found, ask the child a review question, ask him to say the Life Point, or Weekly Verse. Continue play until each child has a turn to search.

Craft – Forgive Banner

Materials: heavyweight paper, markers, paint pens, colored pencils, hole punch, yarn or ribbon

Cut the yarn or ribbon into 12-inche lengths. Give each kid a piece of paper. Guide kids to punch two holes at opposite corners along the short end of their papers. Tell kids to create a banner to help them remember to forgive. They can print the word FORGIVE on their papers. Suggest they add the Weekly Verse. Encourage them to use the art supplies to decorate their banners. Talk about the things Jesus taught about forgiveness as kids work. Tell them to hang their banners in their rooms at home.

Grades 4-6

Introductory Activity – Forgiveness Map

Materials: paper or white board, marker

On the center of a large piece of paper or a white board, draw a circle. Write forgiveness in the middle of the circle. Encourage the kids to help you draw a concept map about forgiveness. Ask kids to give your words and phrases related to forgiveness. Write the words and phrases around the central circle and connect these concepts with lines to the central circle and to each other (as appropriate). Explain that you will learn what Jesus taught about forgiveness in today’s study.

Live It Out

Game – Question Cube

Materials: index cards, marker, cube-shaped box, tape, paper, pencils

On index cards, print these words, one per card: who, why, when, where, what, how. Tape the cards to the sides of a boutique tissue box to make a question cube.
Be prepared to ask questions related to forgiveness for each card; for example, “Who should we forgive? When is forgiveness needed? Why is forgiveness important? What are some things we should forgive? Where do people do things that need forgiving? How can you forgive someone again?” You may think of others related to the question words.
Review what Jesus said to Peter about forgiveness. Give the question cube to a child to toss. Ask a question starting with the word on top of the cube; allow several kids to answer. Continue to toss, ask, and answer questions to help kids think about forgiveness. List some of the kids’ ideas on a board or paper. Provide paper and pencils. Ask each child to draw a picture to represent a time he could forgive someone.

Craft – 70X7 Zipper Pulls

Materials: cardstock, markers, paint pens, hole punch, lanyard hooks

Cut the cardstock into 3-by-5-inch rectangles. Review the Bible study, talking about what Jesus taught about forgiveness. Ask kids why forgiveness is difficult, especially when the same person needs to be forgiven again. Encourage open discussion about forgiveness. Give each person a piece of cardstock and ask her to write 70X7 on it (to represent 70 times 7). Encourage the kids to decorate the paper as they choose. When a child completes her design, she can punch a hole on each end of the paper and thread a lanyard hook. Encourage the kids to use the zipper pulls on their backpacks to remind them to practice forgiveness.