Grades 1-3
Introductory Activity – In Common
Materials: none
Put kids in small groups of three to five, ideally with kids they do not usually spend as much time with. That group then has to find seven things that they all have in common. Use this time to remind kids that no matter how different we might feel on the outside, God has made all of us in His image, and we have more in common than we might think. End by sharing the Life Point: People show God’s love when they respect others.
Live It Out
Game – Saul’s Chase
Materials: none
Kids start by sitting in a circle with one person, It, standing on the outside. The person who is It walks around the circle, gently tapping each person on the head, saying that person’s name as they do (instead of saying “duck”). If the person who is It taps someone and says “Saul” the tapped person has to stand up and chase It around the circle trying to tag them before It takes their spot. Remind the kids of the Bible story. Saul was chasing David, trying to kill him. But instead of killing Saul when he got the chance, David showed God’s love by sparing him.
Craft – Friendship Chain
Materials: construction paper, scissors, tape
Help kids cut out strips of construction paper and write qualities of friendship are important. Be prepared to offer suggestions. After each child has written two or three characteristics, work together to create a chain. Finish by sharing some aspects of friendship that God values, namely respecting one another and loving one another. Share that God calls us to be that kind of friend no matter if the other person respects us. Remind kids that they can show love for God by respecting others.
Grades 4-6
Introductory Activity—Friendship Shake
Materials: no materials needed
Talk about ways people say hello or good-bye. What do people do? (wave, fist-bump, shake hands, hug, etc.) Group kids into pairs or threes. Each small group can come up with an elaborate way to say good-bye. They can shake hands, spin around, slap hands together, and so forth in various combinations. After groups create their handshakes, let each group perform them for the rest of the group. Tell kids that when we are friends, it is easy to do fun things like create handshakes. However, when people aren’t friends, or are even trying to hurt each other, loving and respecting each other is much harder. In today’s story, kids will hear about how David respected someone who didn’t respect him in return.
Live It Out
Game – Act it Out
Materials: none
Remind kids of the Weekly Verse, then create two to three groups of kids. Tell kids to come up with a short skit, dramatizing the Bible story. Spend five minutes coming up with skits then showing them to the rest of the class. Say the Life Point together, and then tell kids to come up with a skit demonstrating how they could respect others in their own lives today. Give kids five more minutes, and then perform those skits in front of one another to finish.
Craft – Felt Reminder
Materials: paper, scrap felt, gel pens, white glue, scissors
Before class, research how to make an origami box out of paper and make one yourself. Guide the kids to create their own. Let them cut and glue pieces of felt to decorate the outside of the box. Encourage kids to write the Life Point and the Weekly Verse on opposites sides of a paper, fold it, and store it in the box. Remind kids that David respected Saul, even when he knew Saul wanted to kill him.
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