Grades 1-3
Introductory Activity – Message Relay
Materials: note cards, pens, envelopes
Before class, write down the Weekly Verse on note cards, with one word per card. Make two sets. Place each set in an envelope. In class, form two teams with your children and place them on one side of the room. Tell them that when the relay starts, they must transport the cards in the envelope across the room, one at a time. Once all of the cards are across the room, they must place the cards in order to form the Weekly Verse. However, there are two limitations on how they can transport the cards: 1) When they are holding a card, they cannot walk (they can crawl, hop, etc,); 2) If a card hits the ground, it must go back to the starting point. The team that finishes first is the winner!
Live It Out
Game – Message Delivered
Materials: construction paper, markers
Before class, connect with a leader of an Adult class and gain their permission for your children to deliver Christmas notes to their class. In class, give each child a piece of construction paper and markers. Instruct them to write down a short Christmas message based on today’s lesson. After they have written them down, instruct them to decorate their cards. Walk your children to the Adult class, and have one of your children declare, “Greetings! The Lord is with you! We have Christmas messages for you!” Then, allow your children to pass out their messages to the adults in the class. When you return to your classroom, have everyone say the Life Point together.
Possible Messages to Write Down:
JESUS IS BORN!
JESUS IS THE REASON WE CELEBRATE!
GOD BLESSED MARY AND SHE OBEYED.
GABRIEL ANNOUNCED JESUS’ BIRTH!
Craft – Ornament Reminders
Materials: heavyweight paper, pencils, scissors, yarn, thin-line markers, chenille craft stems, glue, hole punches, other art supplies
Talk about the Bible story and say the Life Point. Guide each kid to draw and cut out a letter S using heavyweight paper. Kids can decorate the letter with the art materials. Suggest they print the word Savior on the letter or on paper to attach to the letter. Encourage kids to say the Life Point and talk about God’s plan to send Jesus to be the Savior.
Option: Make ornaments with the letter J (for Jesus) instead of S.
Grades 4-6
Introductory Activity – Draw and Guess
Materials: large pieces of paper and markers or dry erase board and markers
Draw a picture of a Christmas-related word or phrase. Guide kids to guess what you are drawing. Choose a kid to draw another picture of a Christmas word or phrase. After a few guesses, talk about the words and phrases drawn. Say that Christmas is a time of celebration. However, the Bible story tells about the reason we celebrate Christmas. Tell kids that today they will hear more about God’s plan to send Jesus.
Live It Out
Game – Hand Gesture Messages
Materials: no materials needed
Form your children into two teams. Instruct each team to create a phrase to describe today’s lesson in five words or less. Next, tell them to figure out how to communicate that phrase using only hand gestures. Allow each team to share their “hand gesture message” with the other team to see if they can decipher their message. Say this week’s Life Point with the kids.
Craft – Magnetic Angels
Materials: white card stock, small magnets, glueGive each child a piece of white card stock, a small magnet, and glue. Instruct them to draw an angel and include a talk bubble. In the bubble, tell them to write the Weekly Verse. Direct them to cut out the angel and talk bubble. Next, tell them to glue the magnet to the back of their angel and encourage them to place it on their refrigerator at home. Have everyone say the Weekly Verse together.
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