Grades 1-3
Introductory Activity— Bible True or False
No materials
Gather kids together and instruct them that for this game, their right hand stands for true and their left hand stands for false. Call out some of the following statements and create some of your own. If kids think the statement is true, they should raise their right hands. If they believe it is false, they should raise their left hands.
The Bible has 68 books. (False, 66)
Adam and Eve were the first people. (True)
Abraham had four sons. (False, 2 sons)
Jesus was born to Mary and James. (False, Joseph)
Jesus had 12 disciples during his ministry. (True)
Peter wrote 10 books of the Bible. (False, 2)
Remind kids that it is important for people to know what the Bible says. This week, they will learn that God’s Word is powerful. When the Bereans listened to Paul teach, they eagerly searched the Scriptures to see if Paul told them the truth.
Live It Out
Game—Berean Search
Materials: slips of paper
Before class, create paper slips with the main events of today’s Bible story. Hide the slips of paper around the classroom. Tell the kids that you’ve hidden the events of the Bible story around the classroom, and it’s their job to search for them, just as the Bereans searched scripture for God’s truth. Allow the kids to find the slips of paper and then work together to put them in order. Go over the Weekly Verse with the children.
Events to write on the slips of paper:
PAUL AND SILAS TRAVEL TO THESSALONICA
PAUL TEACHES ABOUT JESUS IN THESSALONICA
JEWISH LEADERS ATTACK JASON’S HOME LOOKING FOR PAUL
PAUL AND SILAS GO TO BEREA
THE BEREANS STUDY SCRIPTURE AFTER HEARING PAUL’S TEACHING
MANY BEREANS BECOME FOLLOWERS OF JESUS
Craft—Watercolor Scripture
Materials: watercolors, paintbrushes, cups of water, Weekly Verse on paper
Before class, type and center the Weekly Verse on a sheet of paper. Ensure that it is large enough to fill up much of the paper. Print enough copies for each child in your class. In class, hand out the supplies to each child. Instruct them to read the verse and decorate their paper with watercolors. Encourage them to show their understanding of the verse through their decorations. Periodically, lead the class to say the Weekly Verse together. Afterward, allow children to share their art with the class and explain why they decorated it the way they did.
Grades 4-6
Introductory Activity— Bible Drill
Materials: Bibles, one for each child
Gather kids together and make sure each one has a Bible. Show them the table of contents in their Bibles and instruct them to sit down on the floor. Call out a Bible verse (consider using some of the verses provided below and come up with some of your own). As soon as you say it, kids should race to see who can get there the fastest. The first kid to stand to his feet with the correct verse gets to read it out loud in front of everyone. Tell kids that today, they’ll be learning how the Bereans searched the scriptures to check if Paul spoke the truth.
Sample verses: John 14:6, Proverbs 8:35-36, Hebrews 4:10, Isaiah 53:5, Psalm 121:1, Colossians 2:9, Revelation 17:14, Micah 5:2
Live It Out
Game— Order the Books
Materials: Books of the Bible Cards (Printables) or index cards, marker, timer or stopwatch
Write all 66 books of the Bible on individual index cards if the printable is not available. Mix the cards and turn lay them on a table or the floor. Remind the kids about the table of contents at the beginning of the Bible. Tell them that you will time them to see how quickly they can the books of the Bible cards without using the table of contents. When finished, check their work and correct it, then see if they can do it again, beating their previous time. Remind them that throughout the entire Bible, Jesus is a central theme—He was even prophesied about in the Old Testament. Help them know that people can read and study the Bible to know the truth.
Craft—Scripture Art
Materials: paper, markers, crayonsGive the children the supplies for the craft. Instruct them to write the Weekly Verse as fancy as possible in the middle of the page. Tell them to decorate the entire page creatively using markers and crayons. Encourage them to place this in a prominent place in their room to remind them to be like the Bereans and study God’s Word this week.
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