Grades 1-3
Introductory Activity – What Changed?
Materials: no materials needed
Tell your children you will stand in front of them for a few moments for them to examine your appearance. After that, leave the room and change one thing about your appearance. When you return, they will attempt to guess the one thing that changed. Whoever guesses correctly gets to take your place. Do this for several rounds so that multiple children can participate. Afterward, tell your children that in today’s Bible story, Saul met Jesus, and something changed about him. Encourage your children to listen closely to see what changed and to tell you at the end of the lesson.
Live It Out
Game – Light On!
Materials: two light bulbs
Form two teams with your children. Give each team a light bulb. Tell them you will read them review questions for today’s Bible story. After you read each question, if a child knows the answer, they must get the light bulb, put it above their head, and yell, “Light on!” If the answer is correct, their team receives a point. If the answer is incorrect, the other team will have the opportunity to answer for a point. The team with the most points at the end of the activity wins!
Craft – Salvation Signs
Materials: cardboard tubes, colored index cards or heavyweight paper, scissors, gel pens, glue and tissue paper (optional)
Tell the kids to cut the cardboard tubes into about three-inch lengths. On one end of a tube, cut down a slit about one-half inch. Cut another one-half-inch slit on the opposite side of the same end. Guide the kids to write the Bible verse and other verses about salvation on the cards (or shapes cut from heavyweight paper). Talk about the Bible story and God’s plan for salvation. Show kids how to slide a card into the slits and make a sign to stand on a tabletop. Provide glue and tissue paper for kids to decorate the cardboard tubes, if you choose. Teacher Tip: You can find related verses in the Daily Bible Readings on the One Conversation Page.
Grades 4-6
Introductory Activity – Do the Opposite
Materials: no materials needed
Tell kids to listen to the action you call out and then do the opposite. Say: “Smile!” Wait for the kids to make a frown. Then you frown yourself. Call out other actions for kids to do the opposite: Shout your name; step to the left; raise your right hand; stand up; squat down; touch your toes. To make the game more challenging, give two actions (and kids should do the opposite of both): stand up and cry; touch your left foot with your right hand. Tell kids that in the Bible story today, Saul changed and began to do the opposite of what he did before.
Live It Out
Game – Life-Sized Gameboard
Materials: construction paper, tape, large numbered cube
On several pieces of paper, draw an question mark. Mix the question pieces with the blank pieces. Use construction paper to create a gameboard path across the room. Tape the paper to the floor. (You could do this ahead of time or involve the kids in creating the gameboard.)
Group kids into two or more teams and tell each team to choose one kid to be the “game piece.” Tell game pieces to stand at the start of the gameboard path. Team 1 rolls the numbered cube and the game piece moves that number of spaces. If the game piece lands on a question space, the team can answer a review question from the Bible story. If the team gets the answer correct, the game piece can move ahead 1 space. Continue until a game piece reaches the end of the path. To lengthen the game, start a new game piece for a team when the first game piece reaches the middle or end of the path.
Craft – Zipper Pulls
Materials: white paper, pencils, markers, lanyard hooks, scissors, clear contact plastic, hole punches, mini cookie cutters (optional)
Give each child a paper to draw a basic shape (heart, circle, hand) and cut out the shape. They could use mini cookie cutters as stencils if available. Tell them to print the Weekly Verse on their shapes and decorate them, front and back. When a child finishes his work, help him to cover both sides of the shape with the contact plastic. Trim the edges close and punch a hole in the top of the shape. The kid can slide his shape onto a lanyard hook to make a zipper pull. As kids work, talk about the Life Point. Tell kids that the zipper pulls can help them remember that becoming a Christian changes who you are.
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