Preschool

TEACHER

Year 1

Teacher book for Preschool Children (4-5 years of age). Corresponds to year 1 of the 2-year cycle for Preschoolers

These lessons are adapted from material originally published by WordAction Publications.

Preschool Year 1 - Teacher book

Published by:

Mesoamerica Region Discipleship Ministries www.discipleship.MesoamericaRegion.org www.SdmiResources.mesoamericaregion.org

Copyright © 2017 - All rights reserved ISBN: 978-1-63580-072-2

Reproduction of this material is permitted only for local church use.

All of the scripture verses quoted are from the NIV Bible unless otherwise stated. Translated into English from Spanish by:

Emily Raquel Gularte Oliva

Printed in the United States

HELP FOR THE TEACHER

INTRODUCTION TO EACH UNIT

In this introduction, you will find the unit Objective, the biblical text, the key words, and a general guide for all of the lessons.

I. GENERAL ASPECT OF THE LESSON

Biblical Base

Points out the biblical text from which the lesson was taken. It may refer to one or more books or passages of the Bible. You should read the text and be familiar with it.

Lesson Objective

This gives you a clear goal as to where you should go with your students and what you must accomplish throughout the teaching process.

Memory Verse

It is considered appropriate to use only one Bible verse for the whole unit for children of this age, with the purpose to emphasize the central truth.

II. PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH

The second section presents tips for the study of the Biblical text, which will broaden your knowledge on the topic. It also includes the Biblical context and the way children learn at this age. For greater efficiency, take into account the following:

— Pray and ask God for guidance.

— Read the Bible passage multiple times and note the main ideas you find.

— Consult other versions of the Bible, Biblical commentaries, Biblical dictionaries, etc.

— Compare your ideas to the ones presented in this book.

— Meditate on each one of them and reflect on how to apply the passage to your life, and then to the lives of your students.

III. DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Here, the steps of the development of the lesson are identified to obtain a better performance in learning.

Attention

It is the key moment to capture the student’s interest. This gives the child the first ideas about the topic of the lesson. You will also find different activities such as: review questions about basic knowledge or reflection, activities in the student’s book, etc.

Bible Story

The Bible story must be developed with methods in which the students have an active participation. Be sure that the key points are clear in the minds of the children. You may want to practice the presentation of the content to have more confidence in front of the students. Cheer up! It is God’s work and you are the instrument in his hands to carry it out.

IV. CONNECTION

This is the moment to reinforce the lesson and for the student to reflect on his or her daily life. It is the time to guide them to ask themselves how their life compares to what the Bible teaches. In general, these are activities with questions for them to answer personally. Guide the child towards the reflection and do not manipulate his or her answers because they should be sincere and personal. This section contains:

— Activity Worksheets

— Memory Verse, games.

— Wrap up: moments of prayer and reflection.

Suggestions: Keep in mind that the lesson is not limited to only the day of the class, but prepare for the lesson throughout the week.

— Visit your students at least one time every semester.

— Pray and communicate with the students through letters, phone calls, invitations, and visit them if they stop coming to class .

— Send a note or mention special events in the child’s life, like birthdays, special days, etc.

— Encourage your students through games and activities to motivate and assist them to learn, memorize verses, invite their friends, etc.

— Arrive early to have the classroom ready.

— As you prepare the lesson, take into consideration the age, needs, and conduct of the students.

EACH LESSON CONTAINS SUGGESTIONS TO USE FOR THE MEMORY VERSE OF SCRIPTURE.

1. WHAT DOES THE VERSE SAY?

Make sure your students perceive it and express it with their senses.

Sight

— In the Bible.

— On flash cards, posters, visual aids or on the board.

Hearing

— Read it out loud.

— Have the children read it out loud.

Voice

— Repeat it after hearing it.

— Read it individually.

— Read it as a group.

— Sing it.

Touch

— Write the verse on the board, flashcards, or posters.

— Fill in the blanks and puzzles.

2. WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Explore the definitions

Let the children express what they understand about the verse.

Explain the words that the children of that age may not understand.

Comment on the context

You may help them with biblical comments, dictionaries or by asking others.

Investigate the background of the verse. Who is speaking and who is their audience?

Comment on the facts on which it was developed.

Illustrate the verse

Show drawings or make drawings yourself.

Use sign language or hand motions.

3. HOW DO I APPLY IT TO MY LIFE?

Comment on the following:

• The application that the verse has on daily life.

• Under what circumstances will it help and what consequences will it produce in your and the lives of the people around you.

Remember a verse

• When you are tempted.

• When you are in trouble.

• When you encourage others.

THE CHILDREN, THEIR CONDUCT AND THE TEACHER

1. Understand your students and allow them to act normally for their age.

• Children are active and curious.

• We are not talking about miniature adults.

• We should be able to distinguish between bad behavior and immaturity.

2. Create an atmosphere that encourages good behavior.

• Let the students know that you love them and appreciate them.

• Show interest in what happens to them outside of class.

• Be organized in what you do and in the ways you handle the students.

• Provide a clear and consistent guide that lets the students know what you expect of them.

• Do not show favoritism.

3. Enforce your role as the teacher.

• Be in charge of the class.

• Be an authority figure that your students will respect.

• Become the students’ friend.

• Point out good examples regarding your expectations.

4. Use teaching methods that include the children and capture their attention.

• Be prepared and arrive at the classroom before the students.

• Provide a variety of activities that are appropriate for the age of the little ones.

• Use activities that capture their interest and ability.

• Allow them to choose some of the activities.

5. Concentrate on positive behavior.

• Limit the number of rules.

• After correcting a child, talk later to his or her parents or guardians.

• Ask for help from assistants.

WHAT TO DO WHEN A CHILD IS NOT BEHAVING PROPERLY?

1. Find the cause of the problem.

• Does the child have learning problems or health problems that prevent proper participation in class?

• Is the student trying to control the class?

• Does the student have special talents or a superior level than the rest that leads him to be bored in class?

• When you identify the cause of the problem, talking to the parents may solve the problem.

2. Take control of the situation.

• Ignore behavior that does not interrupt class.

• Include the child in the learning activities.

• Make it known to the child that you see their bad behavior.

• Approach the child.

• Tell him or her in a soft tone what it is you want them to do.

• Show the student the consequences of his or her bad behavior.

3. Talk to the child’s parents or guardians.

• If you anticipate you will talk to the parents or supervisors, then do so.

• Start by telling the parents what you appreciate about the child.

• Reveal the issue and discuss the proper solution.

MEET THE PRESCHOOLER

— They are active. Change and new experiences excite them but they should not be exposed to it excessively.

— Their attention span is limited, especially when it comes to being quiet or still.

— In general, they will have two minutes of attention, which will double every year.

— They are inquisitive, meaning they ask a lot of questions. The favorites are “how” and “why”.

— They learn better by doing than by listening. Their learning is sensory, meaning, it is based on the senses.

— They do not have long term memory. In general, they do not remember instructions for long periods of time.

— They are often selfish and egocentric, but they are starting to develop in social aspects, such as respecting the rights of others, sharing and waiting for their turn.

— They work better in small groups.

When considering the characteristics of the development stage of your students, we have included some tips to improve the dynamics of your class:

— Change activities every 8 to 10 minutes. Alternate between calm activities and active games. Also provide periods of rest.

— When the preschooler asks questions, answer him with clarity and truth. Do not give him more information than what he asked for.

— Involve your students in experiences that include the direct use of the senses.

— Use repetition, both when telling stories and when giving instructions.

— Use visual aids to stimulate the preschooler’s senses. This will help her remember things easily.

— Organize games and activities that require cooperation.

— Provide a calm environment.

— Remain calm when there is disorder and confusion.

— Give many specific examples of how they can be compassionate, show love to others and share.

— Apply general ideas to specific actions to link biblical knowledge to daily life.

TEACHING RESOURCES

Dear Teacher,

We have prepared this series of didactic resources that will help you enrich the dynamics of your class.

In some lessons in the activities section, the use of the following materials is recommended to stimulate the children’s motor abilities and guide them to a more significant learning experience.

Prepare activities and crafts for the students that attend your class.

RECIPES FOR PLAY DOUGH AND MODELING CLAY

SALT AND FLOUR DOUGH

Ingredients:

2 - 3 cups of flour.

3/4 cup of salt.

1/2 cup of warm water.

Food coloring..

Instructions:

Mix the flour and salt, and slowly mix in the warm water while stirring. If you want to add color, add a few drops of food coloring while kneading the dough. The consistency of the dough will depend on the amount of water added. When done, put the dough in a closed container inside the refrigerator

COOKED DOUGH

Ingredients:

2 cups of flour

1 cup of salt.

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.

2 teaspoons of cream of tartar.

Food coloring.

Instructions:

Mix the dry ingredients; then add the water and vegetable oil. Cook the mixture on the stove at low heat until it thickens, constantly stirring. Remove from the stove and let cool. To achieve the wanted color, add drops of food coloring while kneading the mix. It will last about a month if kept in a closed container.

CLAY

Ingredients:

2 cups of dirt.

2 cups of sand.

1/2 cup of salt.

Water.

Instructions:

Mix the dirt, sand, and salt. Then add the water slowly until the wanted consistency is obtained.

FINGER PAINT

Ingredients:

1 and 1/4 cup of starch.

1/2 cup of soap powder.

3 cups of boiling water.

1 tablespoon of glycerin.

Food coloring or paint.

Instructions:

Dissolve the starch in cold water. Then slowly pour it into the boiling water, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add the powdered soap and lastly the glycerin. To add color, add food coloring or paint. A non-toxic gelatinous consistency will be obtained. The mix can last days if kept in a closed container.

WHITE GLUE

Ingredients:

4 cups of water.

1 cup of wheat flour.

1/2 cup of sugar.

1/2 cup of vinegar.

Instructions:

Boil 3 cups of water. Meanwhile, in a separate container, mix 1 cup of water, the flour, the sugar, and the vinegar. When the water has boiled, slowly add the mix and stir slowly. If there are lumps, you may blend the mixture. If it is too thick, add water. If it is too thin, boil it for a longer period of time. Keep the glue in a jar with a lid.

PAPER FOR CRAFTS

1. In hot water, soak 6 pages of cut up magazine.

2. Blend the paper with 1/2 cup of oatmeal, flowers, or bagasse of fruits and vegetables such as carrots or celery.

3. Strain the mixture, and add 4 tablespoons of glycerin and 6 tablespoons of white glue.

4. Spread the paste on plastic with a rolling pin or kneading stick until it is thin and even.

5. Let it dry in the sun for two days.

6. With this paper you can make cards, bookmarks, letter sheets, etc.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PROMOTING STUDENTS TO THE NEXT CLASS

Dear leaders and teachers of Sunday School and Christian education:

As is done for school, it is important for the children of the church to be promoted to the next class each year. As a teacher, it is very important that you are prepared to promote your students at the end of the course, which would be easiest at the end of the school year.

You may prepare a ceremony beforehand and give the students that are moving on into the next class a certificate. The ceremony can be held at the church so the whole congregation may participate. Invite the parents and family members of the students. It would be a good time to get to know them and for them to attend the remainder of the service and listen to God’s Word.

As special participants, the teachers of the classes to which the students will be promoted should be present. It will be a significant moment for everyone when you as the teacher send the students to the next class with a hug, and the next teacher receives them, likewise, with a welcome embrace.

It would be nice if you had a poster with pictures of your students that have been taken throughout the years they spent in your class. It would also be nice to tell memories of the students while they were in your class: special prayers they said, the date they accepted Christ, stories they shared, questions they asked, and moments of joy or sadness they went through while in your class. Explain this to your students so they can agree with what you will share about them. This way they do not get embarrassed in front of the whole congregation.

Speak to the person in charge of Christian education or of the classes, so that at the ceremony new books can be given to the students for the following year. Encourage families from the church to gift a book to each student, especially to the ones whose parents do not attend the church or to the ones with financial struggles. In each congregation there are families that would gladly gift books to the students.

We wish you blessings in the challenges that the ministry of teaching presents for you and your congregation.

May the Lord give you grace and bless your important ministry.

Editorial Team

Year 1 INTRODUCTION TO UNIT I

JESUS GROWS

Objective of the unit: That this unit will help the preschoolers understand that God was with Jesus while he grew up.

Memory Verse: “And the child grew and became strong.” (Luke 2:40, NIV).

Word of Faith: JESUS: He is the Son of God, and came to the earth to show us the love of the Father.

Unit Lessons:

Lesson 1 Jesus’s family goes to Egypt

Lesson 2 Jesus visits the temple

Lesson 3 Jesus heals a sick girl

Lesson 4 Jesus visits Zacchaeus

Main points of the lessons for preschoolers:

— They should recognize that God protected Jesus and his family.

— They should know that God was with Jesus while he grew up.

— They should know that Jesus grew up and helped others.

— They should be thankful to God for having sent his son Jesus.

The stories in this first unit depict Jesus as a 12 year-old and later as an adult. Through the stories, the preschoolers will learn that Jesus went through a stage of growth and development just like every other person.

Jesus knew that God was his father, and he showed God’s love towards others. He showed it while he taught. He also showed compassion to those who had spiritual and physical needs.

Tell your students how Jesus grew up. They are in the midst of development and need to know that the Son of God was also a child, just like them.

God was with Jesus and He is also with us.

Your students can be sure of the love of God in their lives as they grow and learn more about Him.

Lesson 1

JESUS’S FAMILY GOES TO EGYPT

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Matthew 2:13-15, 19-21.

Lesson Objective: To help the children know that God protected Jesus and his family.

Memory Verse: “And the child grew and became strong.” (Luke 2:40a).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

The Gospel of Matthew begins with the description of the lineage of Jesus, who is the main character of this book. The first chapter reminds us of the fulfillment of the prophecies in the Old Testament. It also tells us the way in which God’s promise through the birth and life of Jesus is fulfilled, assuring us that He is always with us, giving us life, peace, mercy and hope. Jesus is the fulfillment of Scripture.

CONTEXT

As you prepare the lessons of this unit, reflect on the care and protection that God had towards Jesus, and relate it to your students’ lives.

Have you ever experienced the care and protection of God during tough times? Talk to your students about the ways that God loves you and provides for everything you need. They need to feel loved and protected. In these stories about the life of Jesus, they should better comprehend the meaning of the love of God.

Teaching always presents a challenge, as we may encounter different backgrounds, experiences, and abilities. Nevertheless, we can overcome this challenge by preparing ourselves with prayer and by getting to know our students. Mary and Joseph also encountered the challenge of teaching Jesus, the Son of God, to do the right thing.

At this age, it is normal for the children to experience difficulties to do what is right, due to their lack of maturity and prior experience. During the teaching of these lessons, your students will learn that God helped Jesus as he grew, and that He will also help them.

A week of Christmas celebrations has come to an end, and possibly one or more of your students will feel the need to share about his experiences. Nevertheless, not all students will have something pleasant to share. Some face a life of insecurity and fear.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Choose some of the following activities to capture the student’s attention, and in that way introduce them to the lesson for the day.

Photo Mural

We suggest that you make a mural of pictures on a poster. On it you can put pictures of yourself, if possible. Include pictures from when you were a baby to the present period of time. If you do not have any, then you can cut pictures out of magazines (pictures of babies, teenagers, young adults, and adults).

Invite your students to look at the mural and ask them if they recognize the person in the pictures.

With the help of the pictures, explain the different stages of growth in the life of humans.

Introduce the biblical story. Tell your students that they will learn about what happened to Jesus when he was a child.

Here we are

Ask the children to make a drawing from when they were little or have them bring a photograph to class. Provide them with glue and color pencils.

On poster board, glue or draw a picture of Jesus in the center and have the students glue their pictures or drawings around it. They may decorate the empty spaces on the mural by drawing. Write the memory verse below this. Encourage the children to discover where each one is and what they look like in the pictures. Afterwards tell them, “ In the mural you look really small, but soon you will grow. Jesus was also a baby, but he grew to a man. In today’s story we will hear the story about when Jesus was a little older than you. We will study how he grew until becoming a great man and how it can help us to grow as well.

A trip

For this next activity you will need old magazines, glue, and construction paper.

Help your students find illustrations that have to do with trips (suitcases, airplanes, busses, boats, etc.) and cut them out. As they glue them on the construction paper, make comments about trips. Ask those who have traveled to share their experiences and talk to them about the journey Jesus made when he was very young.

BIBLE

The following activities with be useful to help your students prepare to listen, learn and review the bible story.

Bible Story: A night of surprise

You will need sheets or blankets, small pillows, dolls, and a flashlight or candle. Guide the kids to one side of the classroom, where you will tell them the story. Start telling the story in a low voice, as if you were talking while someone was sleeping. Help them imagine the story using gestures and modulating your voice as the narration requires it.

Ask: How many of you like to travel? I like traveling a lot because every time I learn a lot. Today we will talk about someone special who made a trip. Do you know who I am talking about? ( Allow them to respond). That’s right! Today we will talk about the journey Jesus made when he was only a small child. The story I want to tell you about takes place in the middle of the story. Jesus and his family were in a deep sleep; he was about two years old.

As you continue to tell the story, encourage your students to pretend they are asleep as they continue listening. The girls may hold their dolls and pretend they are mothers. If it is possible, turn some of the lights off to simulate nighttime.

Continue with the story: That night someone came to visit them. It was not a person, it was an angel! He came to Joseph as he slept and said, “Wake up and go to Egypt with your family because King Herod is looking for Jesus to kill him.” Joseph obeyed God’s orders, and because of this, Jesus was safe. God took care of Jesus’s life and his family. He also takes care of you and your family.

Review Game

Encourage the children to recreate the story. Ask them to pretend they are sleeping while you play the role of the angel and give them the instructions to go to Egypt. They should take all their belongings and walk around the classroom several times, as if it were a long journey. When they finish, have them sit on the floor. Reflect with them on the way God took care of Jesus.

Tell them: God loved Jesus and his family a lot. So he helped Joseph know what he had to do to protect them. He also loves you and wishes to help you live under his protection. The only thing we have to do is obey His Word, like Joseph and Mary did. After a long time, when their lives were no longer in danger, God told them to return to Israel.

CONNECTION

My book about Jesus Jesus’ family goes to Egypt

Provide glue, crayons and student activity sheets. According to the instructions on the worksheet, make the book about Jesus, which you will use in the following classes. Go to the Cut Outs Section and tell the children to cut out the pictures of lesson 1 of when Jesus was a baby in the manger and when he was still a small child. Glue them into the book in the correct places. As the classes progress, the book will fill with figures.

The other half of the page belongs to the section of Jesus’ family when they were in Egypt. Ask the students to color it, and help them fold the paper as indicated in the example. It is important that the child take this craft home to review during the week with his or her parents.

Jump if the answer is YES!

Sit everyone down in a circle and give the following instructions: I will tell you some things about today’s story that are true and others that are false. When I say a phrase that is true, you must jump up while saying, “YES”! Lets practice once. “ Jesus is the Son of God.” The children must jump and say “yes.” Continue the game with the following phrases: (1) God loves Jesus and Jesus is His son.

God loves you and everybody else. (3) God loves ONLY our parents. (4) God protected the lives of Jesus and his family. (5) God is so busy that He cannot take care of you. (6) An angel wrote Joseph a letter telling him what to do. (7) Joseph listened and obeyed what God told him to do. (8) We can trust God. He loves us and takes care of us.

MEMORY VERSE

Hand motions for the memory verse

Teach and practice with the children the hand motions to memorize the Bible verse. “And the child (move your arms as if rocking a baby) grew (crouch down and slowly stand up) and became strong” (flex your arm muscles) (Luke 2:40).

WRAP UP

Invite your students to come to next week’s class, and emphasize the truth that God took care of Jesus and his family when he was a small child.

Tell them: God also takes care of you and your family at all times. He talks to us through His Word and expects us to be obedient in everything we do.

Before leaving the classroom, do not forget to pray, thanking God because He allowed everybody to be in class and for what they learned during the lesson.

Lesson 2

JESUS VISITS THE TEMPLE

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Luke 2:39-52.

Lesson Objective: That the children learn that God was with Jesus while he grew up.

Memory Verse: “And the child grew and became strong.” (Luke 2:40a).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

The Gospel of Luke is the only one that talks about the childhood of Jesus. The brief story of when he was twelve years old is told in these verses. It also tells us something about his growth and development. It tells us he grew intellectually, morally, physically, and spiritually.

According to the Scripture, Jesus went through the normal stages of development of a child.

According to custom, Joseph and Mary attended the Passover celebration in Jerusalem every year. When Jesus was twelve, he went with his parents to visit the temple. Because it was tradition, the students received instructions using a question and answer method with the religious leaders. It was during one of the lessons, that Jesus amazed the religious leaders with his knowledge.

CONTEXT

When preparing for this lesson, consider that each of your students is going through a different stage of growth. It may seem overwhelming to consider every student, but remember that they are all attending with different needs. Remember your ownchildhood. Was it hard growing up? It is possible that some of the children are facing difficulties, but you as their teacher can impact their lives.

Emphasize the idea that Jesus grew in different aspects, just as they do. Stir in their hearts the desire to grow in wisdom, strength, and height.

The children experience the important moments of their life together. They are willing to celebrate their achievements with enthusiasm.

It is important that they recognize that Jesus grew up and went through challenges just like them. Make the experience of the Lord’s childhood meaningful to your students by relating it to your own life.

The preschoolers need to know the temple is a place where family and friends come

together, and everyone is loved and accepted. Pay attention to how your students react to the experiences during class. Do they enjoy the company of their peers? Is church a place they like to be?

For children of that age, the church is a special place. For some, it is a place for them to be with their friends. For others, it is God’s house.

As the children experience positive and nice experiences at church, their desire to attend will increase day to day. But if their experiences are negative, their resistance to attend church will grow. Accept your students as members of the church family. Show that acceptance through words and actions to help them and their faith grow.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Choose some of the following activities to capture the attention of your students:

Puzzles

You will need a blank piece of paper, envelopes, glue, and color pencils.

On the blank piece of paper, draw a church. Make copies for each student and cut it as puzzle. Put the cut pieces into envelopes to avoid confusion and give one to each student. Help them put the puzzle together and glue it. Let it dry and afterwards they may color it. Ask them to tell you what they like most about church.

Afterwards say: Last week we learned that God protected Jesus and his family when they went to Egypt. Today we will learn what happened to Jesus when he was older.

Know the differences

You will need a poster for this activity, pictures of babies, kids, and teenagers. (You can get them from magazines and newspapers)

Prepare a mural that says: “And the child grew and became strong.”

Talk to your students about the differences that are noticed as a person grows, like how they talk, walk, run, think, etc. Ask them to give examples and help them understand the concept of growth.

BIBLE

Bible Story

Gather up the children so they can listen to the Bible story. Give the children their Book about Jesus and tell them to cut out the picture of Jesus in the temple in the Cut-Out section for lesson 2. Ask: “How old do you think Jesus was here?” (Allow them to answer.) Continue: “After Jesus and his family went to Egypt, many years went by. Now he is twelve years old.”

Talk about the growth of Jesus and everything He can now do. Allow the students to glue the picture where it corresponds in their Book about Jesus and let them put their books away. Tell them that today’s story is about a trip that Jesus took with his family. They made a long trip by foot to Jerusalem to visit the temple. Tell the story and use the students’ activity book as an example.

A very special visit

Ask beforehand for help from an older student to visit your class and share. Make it clear to this student why you are inviting him and the Objective of the lesson.

When you finish telling the story, ask the student to come into the classroom and tell the children about some of his or her current responsibilities at home, school, or church. Allow time for the children to ask questions. Emphasize the importance of the story for your students.

Tell the visitor: Today we heard about the day that Jesus visited the temple and spoke to some people about God.

When this is over, thank the guest and dismiss them from the room with an applause.

CONNECTION

Visit to the church

Ask beforehand for the authorization of the church leaders to do the next activity. Be cautious to not interrupt any of the other classes.

Tell your students: “Today we will do a special activity. We will see the church, other classes, and people that make up our congregation. I ask that you cooperate and stay quiet because the other students and adults are learning. When the tour is finished, allow your students to ask questions and comment on what they saw during the activity.

Jesus visits the temple

Give the students the activity sheet from their activity books and explain the directions. Reinforce in them the idea that Jesus visited the temple because he loved God and wanted to learn more about Him.

Tell them: “Church is a special place to worship God. People that love Him go to church with joy to listen, learn, and worship the Lord”.

Craft

You will need blank paper and colored paper, colored pencils, and glue.

Ask your students to draw the church. They may use the color pencils and colored paper to decorate their drawing. As they are doing this, ask them what they enjoy about church and why they think it is a special place.

Tell them to take their drawings home so they can remember that church is the best place on earth.

MEMORY VERSE

While the kids finish the activity, write the Bible verse on the paper where they drew the church, and repeat it with them. Tell them to review it at home with their parents or siblings, and encourage them to memorize it.

WRAP UP

Lead your students in prayer, give thanks to God for the opportunity to learn more about his word. Encourage them to take care of the church and to behave the same way Jesus did.

Lesson 3

JESUS HEALS A SICK GIRL

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Luke 8:40-42; 49-56.

Lesson Objective: That the children will know that Jesus grew up and helped others.

Memory Verse: “And the child grew and became strong.” (Luke 2:40a)

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

Scripture tells us that many people rejected Jesus’s teachings. However, others went to listen to him and believed his message. That is the case of today’s story. Jairus asked Jesus urgently to go to his house to see his daughter whom was about to die.

On the way to the house, there were women who were crying and wailing since it was Hebrew custom when mourning for the dead. When Jesus arrived and saw the girl, he ordered her to wake up, and asked her parents to feed her. They were very happy and thanked God for healing their daughter.

CONTEXT

This lesson presents the opportunity to remind the children about God’s promise that He is always with them. Stir in them feelings of love, compassion, and safety during class.

Did your students ask for prayer for a friend or family member who is sick? When you intercede and pray for a child, it encourages them to do the same for others. They learn goodness through the examples they see in their teachers and parents.

The preschoolers know what it is like to be sick and lying in bed. Maybe in a certain circumstance they were worried about a family member or a friend that was sick. The girl in this story was severely sick. Jesus worried about that family and helped them through that rough time.

During this stage, the children experience a variety of illness. Doctors say that they can catch a cold six to eight times in a year. When they enter the school environment, they face a larger quantity of illnesses. Due to the fact that children do not want to be sick, the concept of healing may be hard for them to understand. Show your faith in the promise that God is always with us, even in times of illness.

Encourage the children, through this story, to learn to trust God when they are sick and to pray for those that need healing.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Recognize the differences

Have the mural from the previous class ready, “And the child grew and became strong.” Also have some cutouts from magazines of adults with different jobs.

Show your students the new cutouts you brought to class and let them say what they think their responsibilities are. Ask a volunteer to stick them on the mural. Talk to them about how Jesus grew up: first about how he was a baby, then a boy and then an adult.

Tell them: “In today’s story, we will learn about something Jesus did when he grew up. He was a great man who loved and wanted to help everybody. He healed the sick, and children like you too. Lets see what happened this time.

A sick baby

You will need a doll and a blanket. Hold the doll in your arms and call the children’s attention. Act as if you were a mother with a sick baby, act worried. Ask the children what to do to help the baby. Let the children give you their ideas.

Propose the following idea: Sometimes we are also sick and we need help from others. Do you remember a time when you were sick? How did you feel? What did your parents do to make you feel better?

Give the students time to answer you. Talk to them about God’s love and His wish for all of us to be healthy. Tell them that if someone is sick, God can heal them or use doctors to heal them.

Mention that today’s story is about a girl that was very sick but something happened that changed the story.

Mural: You can grow like Jesus

For this activity, prepare beforehand a big poster board, cut-outs of sick people or people that are in hospitals, a picture of Jesus, and color pencils.

Compile a mural with the figure of Jesus in the center. If you do not have one, spell Jesus in big letters. Stick the different cut-outs of sick people around Jesus, and at the bottom of the mural place the title,”I can grow like Jesus.”

Talk to your students about the different illnesses that can be seen in the pictures and how they imagine those people feel. Talk about Jesus’s love for others and his wish that everybody be happy. Allow them to tell you how we can help those people feel better.

Tell them: “Jesus was interested in the people because He loved them all very much. His wish was for them to be healthy, and he wanted them to feel better. Today we will learn about what Jesus did with a sick girl.”

BIBLE

Bible Story

Direct your students to the designated area for the Bible story. You will need a sheet to simulate a bed. Ask some of the students to play out the Bible story. Ask a girl to play Jairus’s daughter and have her lie on the sheet; other girls can pretend to be mourners. Pick two boys, one to play Jairus and the other to play Jesus. Guide the students as you tell the story.

When finished ask some review questions:

How do you think the mourners felt knowing that the girl was very sick?

How did Jairus and his wife feel?

Who did Jairus ask for help?

What did Jesus do?

Talk to your students about the joy that Jesus brought to that family and how he helped them when they were sick.

CONNECTION

My book about Jesus

Give the students the picture from lesson 3 of the Cut-Out Section and have them paste the picture of the little girl and Jesus in their Jesus Book in the right place.

Jesus helps Jairus’s daughter

Give each child a copy of the activity sheet from the student book, and explain the instructions. Instruct them to cut out the cards and mix them up, so that afterwards they can sort them in order and review the story. Ask the questions on the backside of the cards and allow the children to participate.

I can grow like Jesus

You will need a blank sheet of paper for every student, and color pencils.

Give a sheet of paper to each student and ask them to draw the different ways in which they can help people. Suggest some ideas such as: taking care of little ones, help the elderly, visit someone sick, and cleaning their room.

Invite them to stick their drawing somewhere around their house. Remind them that they should help others just as Jesus did.

MEMORY VERSE

Hand motions for the memory verse

Show them and practice with them the hand motions that were learned during the first lesson. Repeat it several times so the preschoolers remember the motions better. Ask the parents to help them at home, and have them go over the verse with their children.

WRAP UP

Before finishing, ask the children if they have any prayer requests. Maybe one of them knows someone that is sick. This is a good opportunity to put into use what they have learned. Ask them to get down on their knees, and pray for requests that were mentioned. Give thanks to God for healing people that are sick. When you finish the prayer, ask all the students to say out loud, “ Thank you God because you hear us!”

Lesson 4

JESUS VISITS ZACCHAEUS

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Luke 19:1-9.

Lesson Objective: That the children learn to be thankful to God for having sent his son Jesus.

Memory Verse: “And the child grew and became strong.” (Luke 2:40a).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

Children and adults know the story of Zacchaeus, but every time we hear it we find a new teaching about how God’s grace works in our lives.

Scripture tells us that Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus, and ran to stand at the front of the crowd. No doubt this man was motivated by curiosity. When he realized that he could not see the Master because there were many people, he decided to climb a tree. Then comes the change in this man’s life. He has a personal encounter with Jesus. As a result, his life changes and his efforts take a new direction.

CONTEXT

We can relate this story to the spiritual life of children in different ways. They remember very well when they listen attentively and focus on learning. The four-year-old is having a lot of fun with rhyming puns, wanting to hear affirmations and finding answers to his questions, while others get bored listening. Also, four-year-olds ask a lot about the “why” of everything, in their search for information and understanding.

At the conclusion of this unit, try to resolve all doubts your students have about Jesus and the stories they studied over these weeks. Affirm your students in their growth and knowledge of God.

All children like to feel loved. In today’s story, when Jesus stopped to invite Zacchaeus to begin a relationship with him, we see God’s seeking love in action. Through this story, the children will experience the love and acceptance of Jesus. When they understand it, and take responsibilities for their attitudes and behavior, they will begin to change as Zacchaeus changed. Children will begin to reflect the love of God in their lives.

During this stage of development, children begin an intensive learning process. This intensity can be seen reflected in their words and actions.

In this last lesson of the unit, take time to observe your students, notice that they grow every day, just like Jesus in his childhood. They change physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually.

Each day they will become more aware of the needs of others; they will begin to lose their shyness and learn what it means for them to grow in the same way that Jesus did. Affirm their growth, provide a special time in which parents can visit the class and observe the development of their children.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

I can talk to others about Jesus

You will need white pieces of paper, crayons, glue, black pencils, and magazine clippings in which there are families, single women, children, youth, men and old people. Prepare a good amount so that each of your students can choose two or three figures.

Show the different figures you brought to the class and say: “Look at how many people there are: men, women, grandparents and children; but they still do not know Jesus.”

Tell an example of your personal life, about a family member or friend who does not yet know Jesus Christ.

Ask: “Do any of you have family or friends who do not know Jesus?”

Give them time to respond. Give one sheet of paper to each one, with the title on the top, saying: “I can tell others about Jesus.”

Let them choose from the people cutouts the ones they want, and glue them on their pages. Ask them to explain who they represent, and help them write the names of people below the figures (e.g., my cousin Karina).

Tell the children that in today’s story, Jesus also met a person who did not know God.

BIBLE

Bible Story

The story of Zacchaeus

Guide the children to the designated area to hear the Bible story.

Tell them: “How wonderful! During these weeks we have learned about how Jesus grew up. We also grow more and more each day. In today’s bible story, Jesus is no longer a baby or a child. He is already a big man, and he did something very special - he helped a man named Zacchaeus.

Preschoolers focus their attention more easily if they have visual stimuli. If you do not have teaching materials to illustrate this lesson, you can easily work it out. You will need a good size piece of cardboard in which you can draw the figure of a large tree and a path, figures of people, a figure of Jesus and a figure of Zacchaeus (these can be drawn and then clipped), as well as tape.

Use the cardboard as background and the figures to tell the story. First, place the picture of Jesus and talk about his ministry of teaching people, and how the crowds followed him to listen to him. Add the figures of the people very close to him to represent the crowd.

Then, show the smaller figure, which represents Zacchaeus. Talk about how difficult it was for this man to see Jesus, because he was very short.

Tell about how Zacchaeus had to climb the tree to see the Master. Finish the story by bringing the figure of Jesus to the tree, and mentioning what happened next. Show how the encounter with Jesus changed the life of Zacchaeus.

Tell the Bible story with changes in the tone of your voice, depending on the character who is speaking.

CONNECTION

Give the children their picture Book about Jesus. Cut out the last figure (lesson 4) referring to Zacchaeus and, as you review the Bible story, allow them to glue the remaining figure in the book. Talk about how we can help those who do not know the Word of God.

Tell them: “We have finished the book. You can take it home to tell your family and friends everything we learned about how Jesus grew and helps us to grow.

Zacchaeus, come down from there!

Using small scissors with a rounded tip, let the children cut out the Zacchaeus figures from the bottom of the student activity sheet.

Through this activity, they can review the Bible story and tell it to others. When they finish cutting Zacchaeus’ figures, ask them to recreate the Bible story, to place Zacchaeus in the tree when he tries to see Jesus, and then close to the Master, when Jesus asks him to come down from the tree.

The Zacchaeus game

Remind your group that Zacchaeus was a short man.

Ask them to stoop over, making themselves short. Then give the following orders, which they must obey while they remain crouched small like Zacchaeus: “Walk like Zacchaeus! Jump like Zacchaeus! Take a ride like Zacchaeus!”

Add as many instructions as time and the children’s willingness will allow.

MEMORY VERSE

Review with the children the gestures for the memory verse. Use the same ones that you have worked on since the first lesson. Guide them to memorize it, and help those who are still struggling to learn it.

If you wish, you can talk to the parents and ask them to help you during the week to memorize the verse together with their children at home.

WRAP UP

Before you say goodbye, talk to your students and tell them: “We have learned about how Jesus grew since he was a baby. God took care of his life from the beginning, and he also takes care of us all. Throughout his life, Jesus demonstrated his love for people, and he wants us to love them in the same way. He speaks to us through his Word, and expects us to be obedient in everything he tells us.”

Ask the children to close their eyes, and you say the farewell prayer.

Year 1 INTRODUCTION TO UNIT II

JESUS’S MIRACLES

Unit Objective: This unit will help the preschoolers understand that, through the miracles of Jesus, we know that He is the Son of God, and that He cares for us.

Memory Verse: “Cast all your worries on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7, NIV).

Word of Faith: MIRACLE: It is something special that only Jesus could do, because he is the Son of God.

Unit Lessons

Lesson 5 Jesus heals the old woman

Lesson 6 Jesus helps the fisherman

Lesson 7 Jesus calms the storm

Lesson 8 Jesus feeds the crowd

Main points of the lessons for preschoolers:

— Jesus is with them when they are sick.

— Jesus is with them in all that they do.

— Jesus is with them when they are afraid.

— Jesus cares about their needs.

The lessons of this unit focus on a special task that Jesus developed in his ministry. Children will begin to realize that he could do what no one else could do.

The miracles of the Bible are easy to understand for preschoolers. They accept and believe in them easily as a wonderful and amazing part of life.

Help them to distinguish miracles as supernatural acts that only God can do.

The miracles of Jesus not only show the immense power of God, but reflect the love that Jesus has for the needy. Teach them that there are opportunities to know more about Jesus and his great love for people.

Lesson 5

JESUS HEALS AN OLD WOMAN

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Mark 1:29-31.

Lesson Objective: That the preschoolers learn that Jesus, the Son of God, is with them when they are sick.

Memory Verse: “Cast all your worries on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7, NIV).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

Jesus lived and worked in Capernaum. Three of the gospel writers (Matthew 8:14-15; Mark 1:29-31 & Luke 4:38-39) paint a tender picture of Jesus in light of the condition of Peter’s mother- in-law: “he bent over her”; “Rebuked the fever”; “He touched her hand,” and “took her by the hand, lifted her up.” His calm method and gentle touch contrasted so much with the healing methods and the loud cries of the healers of that time.

Peter’s mother-in-law was healed completely and immediately. There was no prolonged weakness, side effects, or treatments. That miracle showed that Jesus was the Son of God, able to do what no one else would do. He showed that he had power over the physical; disease could not compete with the power of God.

CONTEXT

Although we know that God cares for us and answers our prayers, we also recognize that healing does not always occur in the way or in the time we expect.

How can we describe Jesus’s power over sickness without giving the false impression that the Lord always answers prayer in the way we expect? Ask God for divine wisdom to address this issue, and express your love and care for the students you are in charge of.

Young children accept and believe in the miracles of the Bible. Jesus can do extraordinary things because He is the Son of God. The difficulty has to do with how children relate biblical miracles to their concept of life. Remember that they live in the moment, and they expect the events to happen right now. When they pray to feel better, they expect immediate results. This is the kind of faith that Jesus spoke about. Faith as “that of a child.”

However, God does not always work right away. Help the children understand that, even if each request is not answered in the time we want, God listens, cares for us and is with us whenever we get sick and need it.

Ask: “Can you ever remember having talked to Jesus when you were sick? Did you receive divine healing for your body?”

These are signs through which they can recognize Jesus as someone special in their lives, as someone who cares for them when they are sick or well.

Encourage your students to practice compassion: Do they pray for each other? Do they pray to God for the sick? Do they notice the absence of their classmates when they don’t attend Sunday School or church? These are signs that show us that children are moving away from a selfish concept about the world, and begin to recognize the needs of others.

Tell them that the love of Jesus is for all, that he can heal people because he is the Son of God, and we can pray for others because we know that the Lord cares for all.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Choose some of these activities to capture the attention of the children, and use them to help the children learn today’s lesson.

Taking Care Of My Baby

You will need a doll and a toy or paper thermometer that you can make yourself by decorating a pencil or toothpick.

Let the children examine the temperature of the doll using the thermometer. Ask: Is the baby sick? Does he has a fever? How can we help? (Give time for answers).

Tell them: We have doctors who help us feel better when we get sick. Today’s Bible story has to do with a grandmother whom Jesus healed. In a little while we’ll find out how he did it.

The Doctor’s Instruments

Prepare a mural using pictures of doctors and nurses. You will need a medical case (if you cannot get it, use a toy) with the items that doctors use, such as: alcohol, disinfectants, gauze, bandages, etc. Put all this on a table, and ask the children: Who uses all this? (Doctors). And why do they use it? (To heal the sick). Did you know that God cares about you when you are sick?

When you are sick, do not think that you are alone; you can talk to God and he will listen to you. The Bible verse says, “Cast all your worries on Him, because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5: 7).

BIBLE

Choose some of these activities to help your students prepare their hearts to hear and understand the bible story.

Bible Story:

What would happen if ...

Have a blanket on hand to simulate a bed, and also a thermometer.

Lie down on the blanket and say: What if I was sick today? How could you help me? Maybe you can take my temperature.

Take the temperature with the thermometer and let the children count to 36. While waiting, take out the thermometer and tell them: Today I am not sick and my temperature is fine, but if I were, I could visit a clinic or take medicine. In today’s Bible story we will talk about a sick person. This person was an old lady. She was so sick she could not get up. Let’s find out what Jesus did to help her. He can do special things that no one else can do. Do you know why? Because he is the Son of God! Listen very carefully to the story, and when I say the word “miracle,” clap three times.

Tell the Bible story and, if you can, illustrate it using dolls, puppets or drawings. That will help your children better imagine the scene.

Let’s play theatre

Children are very fond of telling the Bible story in their own words. An excellent method of reviewing what has been learned is to do a theatrical performance. If possible, get different clothes to dress up, or make simple paper costumes. Let the students act out the story as you tell it.

CONNECTION

These activities will help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

A special visit

If there is a doctor or nurse in your congregation, invite them in advance to tell their experience to the group.

Allow time for them to explain what their work consists of, and what they most enjoy doing. Let your students ask the questions they want, and say that today’s lesson tells of an occasion when Jesus helped a sick old woman. He did not need medicines to heal people, because He is the Son of God, and He can do what no one else can do.

Teach your students the importance of health specialists as God’s tools to heal people. Encourage them to trust Jesus as the divine Physician, who can cure all diseases.

Jesus heals an old woman

Hand out the student worksheet, scissors (make sure the tip is not sharp) and tape. Help the little ones cut out the figure of the old lady along the dotted line, and the bread that is in the Cut out Section. Watch everyone as they do this.

With large scissors cut along the dotted lines indicated on the worksheet of your students. They must insert the figure of the grandmother in the bed, simulating the moment of illness, and then Jesus standing next to her. With the tape, attach the bread to the old woman’s hands, as shown in the example.

Use this activity to remember what has been learned in the Bible story.

MEMORY VERSE

Ask the children to form a circle, and put yourself in the center with a sponge ball that you will toss to each one. The one who receives it will have to say the memory verse from memory. Help those who have trouble saying it. Repeat the game until all members of the group have participated.

WRAP UP

If you are able, share a simple lunch with your students. Play with them, and before saying good-by, emphasize that they can trust God when they are going through some illness. Pray for the members of your class and your congregation who are sick, as well as for their families.

Lesson 6

JESUS HELPS A FISHERMAN

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Luke 5:1-11; Mark 1:29-31.

Lesson Objective: Teach the children that Jesus is always with them in all that they do

Memory Verse: “Cast all your worries on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7, NIV).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

This Bible passage shows us how Simon and his friends obeyed Jesus when he told them to take the boat to deeper waters and throw out their nets to fish better. Simon’s first response was: “Master, we have been working all night and have not caught anything; but because you say so, I will cast the net.” (v. 5).

Although the fishermen knew that night time was the best time to fish, Simon Peter decided to obey. As a result, the fishing was so great that the boat began to sink, and they had to call a second boat to help them with the cargo.

It is likely that at that moment, Simon Peter was perplexed and frightened. He was in front of a man who did what no one else could do. However, Jesus offered them his friendship and the possibility of becoming fishers of men. What a great change! Simon went from being a simple fisherman to a servant of God in a single morning.

CONTEXT

As you relate this amazing story, consider the change God has made in your life. He has called you to his service through the ministry of teaching; therefore he asks for obedience and responsibility from you.

Thislessonisessential to helpchildrenrecognize that Jesus, the Son of God, always accompanies them in everything they do. When you guide them into understanding what God’s presence means in their lives, you will be training them for a life of service, obedience, and commitment to Jesus Christ.

Through your words and actions, help the children know that God loves them, and that he is interested in the decisions they make and in everything they do. Tell them that he will always be with them.

Preschoolers can learn from Simon’s example. He listened to what Jesus told him, and did as Jesus asked. Reflect on the spiritual life of your class, considering the following questions: Do your students show growing confidence in Jesus? Do they talk about the moments when they have felt the love of God? Do they participate in prayer?

All this shows an increasing relationship with God, through His Son Jesus.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Choose some of these activities to capture the attention of your students, preparing them to learn today’s lesson.

Fish of many colors

You will need white cardboard or white sheets of paper for each student, as well as crayons, glitter, colored paper, and glue.

Creativity is a wonderful quality of preschool children. Stimulate it by preparing activities that they can participate in and enjoy collaborating on.

Encourage the children to draw on the cardboard all kinds of fish that they like. When they have finished, help them decorate their drawings using colored paper, glitter or coloring them.

Ask: What do fishermen do? (Fish). What happens if they do not catch anything? (They do not make money or eat). Well, today’s Bible story tells us about a day when Jesus helped some fishermen.

Let’s make a boat!

Prepare in advance the following materials: glue, crayons and recyclable materials, such as soda cans, bottles or milk cartons, shoe boxes, cartons, pieces of cloth, etc.

Let the children use their imagination and, with the help of recyclable materials, make simple boats. You can help them by guiding them in the steps they must follow.

When finished, invite them all to show their boats, and tell them: Today’s story took place on a boat. Jesus helped some fishermen while they worked. Something wonderful happened that made everyone very amazed. Do you want to know what happened?

BIBLE

Bible Story

Briefl y review about the last class. Say: Last week we heard that Jesus healed a sick grandma. This week we will learn what happened one day when Jesus helped some fishermen. He was interested in the grandma and also in the fishermen, just as he is interested in you and me.

Choose some of these activities to help children prepare to listen and review the Bible story.

Night fishing

If possible, try to get pictures related to the lesson. It is very easy to make visual material using clippings from old magazines (in this case they may be boats, fish and two men looking like fishermen). Stick them on paperboard to make them sturdier, and on the back, stick pieces of velvety paper or sandpaper. In this way you can attach them to a flannel that can be placed on the blackboard.

Let the children sit and form a circle. Relate the Bible story using the illustrations you developed.

Searching for the fish

You will need fish made of paper and a basket. Before class, hide the fish in different places in the room. There must be one fish per child. Put the empty basket in the center and say to the children: The basket is empty. We need to fill it with fish. There are many fish hidden throughout the room. Each of you must find one and put it in the basket. When you finish the activity, sit around the basket and ask simple questions around the Bible story.

CONNECTION

These activities will permit your students to relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

Let’s make a fish

For this activity we suggest using cardstock, papers, crayons, fabric, glitter and glue.

Give your students the materials, and explain to them that everyone must make their own fish. You can take pre-cut stencils, or help children do them. Then decorate the fish according to the imagination of each child. On the back, write the Bible verse to memorize.

Tell the children to take the fish home, and put it in a place where everyone can see it. This way they can remember the story told in class and the Bible text at the same time.

Miraculous fishing

Give your class the activity sheet from the student’s book, magazine clippings, drawings or figures of fish (Cut out Section - additional pictures), pencils and glue. Give time for the children to write their name and trace the Word of Faith (MIRACLE). Tell them: Jesus is the Son of God, and he can do special things that no one else can do. That something special is called a “miracle”. What was the miracle he did in today’s Bible story? (He helped Peter catch so many fish that his boat began to sink.) What was the miracle Jesus did in last week’s Bible story? (He healed a sick grandmother.)

When finished, allow your pupils to catch the fish in the net, and repeat the text to memorize.

Let’s follow Jesus

You will need paper fish (they may be the same ones you used earlier), a basket, ribbon or yarn, and glue or tape.

Glue the paper fish to the ribbon or yarn, and put them in the basket, leaving one aside as a guide. Ask a volunteer to gently stretch the ribbon and count the fish to find out how many fish there are.

Say: Jesus is the only one who can work miracles in our lives. Only he can do what we can not do. He cares about people, healed a sick grandma and helped Peter when he fished. But not only that, but also wants to help you in whatever you need. Do you remember what Jesus asked Simon Peter to do? (Put down his nets and follow him, to tell others about the love of God). We too can speak to others about God’s love and follow Jesus every day of our lives.

MEMORY VERSE

Divide the group into pairs, and invite each one to say the memory verse and make the gestures together, as follows: “Cast all your worries (touch your forehead with your hand) on him (point upward with your finger), because he cares (cross your arms over your chest to indicate love) for you (point at yourself) “(1 Peter 5:7).

WRAP UP

Give the children all the work they did during the class, and invite them to return next week for the next lesson. If you can, give them something sweet as a reward for their effort during the class. Bring them together in a circle, and lead them in a closing prayer. You can also ask for a volunteer to pray aloud.

Lesson 7

JESUS CALMS THE STORM

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Matthew 8:23-27.

Lesson Objective: Help the children recognize that Jesus, the Son of God, will be with them when they are afraid.

Memory Verse: “Cast all your worries on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7, NIV).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

The Sea of Galilee is a fresh water lake that measures 26 km. long by 14 wide. It is located in the Jordan Valley, 200 meters below sea level. It is surrounded by hills and slopes. When the wind blows, the hills form a kind of funnel that reaches the water, and the wind unleashes with all its force. This sea is famous for its sudden and unforeseen storms that may even surprise highly experienced fishermen.

Most of Jesus’s earthly ministry was in the vicinity of that lake. Some of his disciples, like Simon Peter, were experienced fishermen and knew well the danger of being in that place during an intense storm. That knowledge heightened their fears; so they could not understand how Jesus could sleep in this situation.

And at a time when the disciples’ fear and despair increased, when they were surrounded by the great waves, Jesus commanded the storm to stop. The fierce wind, the waves and the rain quieted at the command of the Son of God. This miracle clearly revealed who Jesus was. Only God, the Creator, has control over nature.

CONTEXT

It isn’t hard to imagine the amazement that the disciples must have felt when observing the power of Jesus. Maybe it’s the same for us. Do we marvel at the absolute majesty of our Lord? How do we react to the demonstrations of God’s power? The reality is that we should always have a reverential fear of his holy presence.

Just as we experience the power of God in our lives, we must help our students understand the magnitude of our God’s power.

Fear, real or imagined, is present in the lives of preschool children. They go through a process called “magical thinking,” in which they believe that everything is reality, including the ghosts someone told them about that hide under the bed or in the closet. For that reason, they must know the amazing power of God. He is more powerful than lightning and thunder; more powerful than the fury of a storm or the darkness of the night that so terrifies them. But the best thing is that the Lord is always with them, no matter what the situation.

Identify the fears your students are going through: How do they handle those fears? Do they hide, cry, seek their parents? Do they use any object that gives them security?

As children participate in the class, talk to them about their fears, and let them know that God’s care and protection always accompany them. Lead them in prayer,and you will notice the change in them when they begin to entrust to God all their fears. It is during this age that children must reaffirm their understanding that Jesus will be their eternal companion.

In this lesson, help preschoolers recognize that Jesus is real and present at all times. When they understand this idea, they will come to him in times of fear. Your students will be encouraged to know that there are times when you also feel fear and ask God to remove those feelings.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Choose some of these activities to capture the attention of the children, and use them to help the children learn today’s lesson.

The boat shaken by the waves

You will need a large container with water, a toy boat and spoons.

Let the children use the spoons to shake the water and shake the boat with the waves. As they do, ask them: Have you ever been on a boat? (Let them respond). Today I will tell you about a day when Jesus and his disciples were in a boat and there was a great storm. What do you think happened? (Allow time for them to respond).

Children of this age are very fond of playing with water. Let them take turns to shake it, and supervise them so that it does not spill too much. If necessary, cover the floor with a plastic.

A huge storm!

Explain what a storm is. Hand out a sheet to each child and tell them to draw a storm.

Ask them: How would you feel if you were in the middle of a storm? (Let them respond). The Bible story tells us of a great storm that Jesus and his disciples faced. Can you imagine how the disciples felt? Today we will learn about something special that Jesus did in that situation. Do not forget that he can do what no one else does, because he is the Son of God.

BIBLE

Bible Story

Choose some of these activities to prepare your students to listen to and review the bible story.

The sounds of the storm

Provide the children with recycled or used sheets of paper, paper or newspaper cones, and paper or cellophane bags that are no longer in use. Tell them that they can use these materials to simulate the noises of a storm in the middle of the sea, as in the biblical story. Crumpling paper and bags, they can make the sound of thunder, and blowing through the cones, the wind.

As you tell the story let the children make the different sounds at the right time and express what they would feel if they were in a similar situation. Encourage them to enjoy the silence and calm that Jesus gave back to his disciples when he ordered the winds and the sea to stop. So that the children can perceive the difference, when you say the word “storm” they must make a noise, and when you say the word “miracle” they must be silent.

A stormy sea

You will need a blanket or blanket, brooms, used newspapers and masking tape. Invite the students to participate again as actors. They like it, and it helps them reinforce their knowledge. Prepare a row of chairs, and tape the sheets of newspaper around them, simulating the walls of the boat. Some children will be the disciples. They will have the brooms in their hands to use as oars, while one more will represent Jesus, who sleeps and is covered with the blanket. The other children can make the sounds of the wind as it grows.

As you relate the story, the children should act it out. When finished, tell them: The disciples were afraid during the storm, but we know that Jesus can do what no one else is able to do, because he is the Son of God. Jesus’s disciples learned that they could trust Him to help them when they were afraid. We too can trust Jesus Christ in moments of fear and anguish.

CONNECTION

These activities will permit your students to relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

Find the boats

In advance, get toy boats, or make some paper ones; have one for each student. Arrive in the classroom before the students and hide them. At the time you do this activity, tell them: I want everyone to find a boat and bring it to me. When you give it to me, I will tell you a very special secret.

When the children bring the ships, whisper in their ears: “Jesus is with you at all times, even when you are afraid.”

Let your students take the boats home as a reminder of the Bible story.

Calming the storm

Give the children the activity sheet from the student’s book, scissors, glue and pencils. Give them time to trace the Word of Faith (MIRACLE), and write their name on the sheet. Then, help them make the vertical cuts through the dotted lines, as shown on the student sheet. Allow the children to cut the strip from the bottom, and insert it through the back into the cuts of the activity sheet. This way you can slide the strip of drawings and review the Bible story. Have them draw his eyes open on Jesus’s face. Divide the class into pairs, and encourage them to use their activity sheet to tell the story to each other.

Craft: My boat with Jesus

Have a paper plate for each child. Ask the children to draw in the lower half the sea and in the upper half the sun and clouds. In the sea they should draw a boat, and inside people with sad or happy faces, representing the disciples. Tell them that they can use their craft to tell others the Bible story.

I trust in Jesus

You will need a rubber ball, fabric or foam rubber (must be very soft to avoid blows). Sit with the children in a circle, and gently roll or toss the ball to each of them, asking: Can you think of any time you have trusted Jesus when you were frightened? Allow the children to return the ball to you at the same time as they respond (when I am in a dark room, etc.). Invite each of your students to participate in the game. This will help them express how Jesus can help them when they are afraid.

Prayer time for special requests

Prayer is fundamental in the life of every Christian. It is a discipline that we must encourage in children from the time that they begin to speak. As a teacher, it is your responsibility to teach your students to direct their prayers to God. Invite them to tell others their prayer requests, and teach them to intercede for their parents, friends, teachers, and neighbors.

MEMORY VERSE

Use the hand motions to review the Bible memory verse. Ask for a volunteer who wants to lead the group in reviewing it together

WRAP UP

If possible, share a simple lunch with your students and thank God for it. Invite them to the next class, and remind them that they can trust God in times of fear

Lesson 8

JESUS FEEDS THE CROWD

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: John 6:1-14.

Lesson Objective: To teach the children that Jesus cares for their needs.

Memory Verse: “Cast all your worries on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7, NIV).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

The feeding of the five thousand is the only miracle recorded in all the Gospels (Matthew 14: 13-21, Mark 6: 30-44, Luke 9: 10-17 and

John 6: 1-15). These wonderful events that Jesus did demonstrated the power he had to meet human needs, his compassion, and above all, his divine nature. Only God could do what Jesus did.

In this miracle, Jesus demonstrated that he was able to use anything at his fingertips. But he could also have done so without using the boy’s lunch, which consisted of five barley loaves and two fish. However, when we are close to him, there will always be enough, and we will have some left over.

CONTEXT

In verse 14 we can see what people’s response to this miracle was. Reflect on your own life: What does this mean for you? How do you respond to the grace and miracles that God does in your personal life? How can you tell this to the children in your class?

Try to increase the confidence that children have in Jesus. Help them understand that he is not someone who always gives us everything we want. However, he is a friend who loves us and cares at all times. During the lesson, talk to the children about the help and provision we receive from God.

Usually, children make friends easily, so it will not be difficult for them to identify Jesus as their friend. They do not care about the reasons for affection, nor about how their parents provide them with clothing and food. Encourage in them the desire to thank God for all they have. It is important for your students to identify that everything we have comes from God, as a gift of love for us.

Remember that the learning process is different for each child, so watch your students and identify how they respond to the teaching. Watch their actions, listen to their conversations, and talk to them to find out what they are learning about Jesus.

Attention

Choose some of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

Let’s cook!

You will need cooking utensils and toy food.

Young children have a special liking when it comes to preparing food; They like to imagine making their meals and serving them.

Say: Imagine that today many friends will come for lunch. What can we cook for them? (Let the imaginary food be prepared). Continue: One day when Jesus taught his disciples, many people from various villages came to hear him. But time passed and they began to feel hungry. Do you know what Jesus did? Something special that we are going to discover in today’s Bible story.

My favorite food

Encourage the children to draw their favorite food. As they draw, talk to them about the blessing of food (for example, it helps us grow, nourishes us, etc.). When they are done, allow them to show their work to the class.

How much?

You will need a basket, cutouts in the form of bread, and paper fish. Put the basket and the illustrations on a table.

Ask: How many loaves of bread and how many fish could you eat by yourself? (Allow time for them to respond). How many loaves and how many fish could your family eat? (Let them respond). How many loaves and how many fish would we need to feed the whole church? (Allow them to calculate the amounts). How many would we need to feed the whole city? (Let them respond). In today’s Bible story, we will talk about an occasion when Jesus fed thousands of people with very little food.

BIBLE

Bible Story

Choose some of these activities to prepare the children to listen and review the Bible story:

What is there to eat?

Bring the students together to start the Bible story and ask: Who can tell me what I should eat today? (Allow them to respond, and you also say what you will eat). Let’s find out what a large crowd gathered to hear Jesus ate.

Baskets of bread

Prepare in advance five pieces of bread and a basket. Put the bread inside the basket and ask: What is inside this basket? Let’s count the pieces of bread we have. Very well, there are five! Now let’s hear how Jesus fed many people, more than those in the church, with only five loaves and two fish.

If you want you can make two paper fish and use them to accompany the bread.

CONNECTION

These activities will help your students to relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

Lunch in a basket

Give the children the activity sheet from the student’s book, pencils, scissors and glue. Give them time to trace the Word of Faith (Miracle) and write their name on the worksheet. Help them cut out the loaves and fish in the Cut out Section, and, while they remember the Bible. story, they must stick them in the basket that corresponds to them. Supervise them while trimming to avoid accidents. (Send the other 12 loaves home for their Parent activity.)

Let’s share the bread.

If you can, share a small lunch in the classroom with your students. You can use bread or cookies. Give thanks to God for the food, and talk to them about the importance of being grateful to the Lord for daily food. Teach them to value food, and share it with the people who need it, just as Jesus did.

You can also ask in advance for the collaboration of the parents of the students, so that they help you provide what is necessary for lunch.

MEMORY VERSE

Path of fish

Cut out several fish from construction paper or cardboard. Using masking tape, tape them to the floor giving the shape of a fish path. As the children walk down the lane, they can recite the Bible verse together.

WRAP UP

Conclude the class and emphasize that just as Jesus fed the crowd, he also has the power to meet all our needs. Encourage your children to trust God’s provision and care for their lives. Start a chorus of thanksgiving, and end the class with a prayer.

Year 1 INTRODUCTION TO UNIT III

GOD SHOWS HIS LOVE

Unit Objective: This unit will help the preschoolers know that God loves them and often shows them His love through other people.

Memory Verse: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15:12).

Word of Faith: GOD: He is sovereign and Creator of all that exists.

Unit Lessons

Lesson 9 God shows his love through parents.

Lesson 10 God shows his love through grandparents.

Lesson 11 God shows his love through the brothers and sisters of the church.

Lesson 12 God shows his love through Jesus.

Main points of the lessons for preschoolers:

— God shows that he loves them through their parents.

— The God’s love is also shown through their grandparents.

— Through the brothers and sisters of the church, God shows them his love.

— Jesus is the ultimate expression of God’s love for them.

—All children need to know that someone loves them unconditionally.

— God loves every child in the world, and has provided special people as instruments to express His love to little children.

However, there will likely be children in your class who are deprived of affection. Take special care to detect them and provide them with the necessary support they need. Make them feel that God’s love for them is inexhaustible, no matter what happens.

Relate biblical teachings to the daily life of your students to help them learn more meaningfully.

Remember that your example and treatment of them are fundamental to understanding and accepting God’s love for them.

Lesson 9

GOD SHOWS HIS LOVE THROUGH PARENTS

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Luke 1:5-20, 57-66.

Lesson Objective: To help the children know that God shows his love through parents.

Memory Verse: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15:12).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

Zechariah was a priest. He went to Jerusalem twice a year to perform his priestly duties. One day when he was in the temple to offer incense to the Lord, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, announcing the soon-to-come arrival of the Messiah, whom he was waiting for. The angel also told him that he and his wife Elizabeth would have a son, and that their son would be the one who would announce the Messiah’s arrival. He also told Zechariah to name his son John. When Zechariah asked how it was possible that his wife could become pregnant since they were old, he became speechless because of his lack of faith. Later, relatives and neighbors celebrated the birth of the Zechariah and Elizabeth’s child with joy and enthusiasm. The parents knew that the baby was a gift from God. According to the law, on the eighth day they were to circumcise the child. And there Zechariah said that his name would be named John. At that moment, God restored Zechariah’s voice, and Zechariah and his wife praised God, full of joy.

CONTEXT

1 John 4: 7 says, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God. Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.”

Have you experienced the love of God? Have you recognized His goodness these days? Give thanks for His love and His help in preparing this lesson.

Encourage children to express how they feel loved by their family members. This lesson provides an opportunity to remind them of the love that their parents, and God, have for them. Knowing the love of the Lord is essential for their spiritual growth.

You may have students in your class who do not feel loved by one or both of their parents. Help them to experience and understand God’s love for them through your actions, attitudes, and words.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Choose some of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

Caring for the Baby

Prepare some dolls, blankets, and related items for babies.

Have a play time with your students in which they play the role of parents caring for their children. Tell them that parents should love and care for their babies. Today’s story is about a family that had a very special child.

My family

For this activity you will need the following items: a board, cardboard, sheets and crayons. Write the following: “God shows his love through ...” And in this lesson add the word “parents.” Allow the children to draw a picture of their family. Encourage them to talk about it, and place each picture on the board you prepared. Remind them that God shows His love for us through our family (parents, grandparents, children).

BIBLE

Choose some of these activities to help your students prepare their hearts to hear, understand, and review the Bible story.

A special visit

Ahead of time, ask a sister in your congregation who has a small baby to come visit your class. Let your students ask her about the care a young child needs.

Bible Story

Zechariah and Elizabeth loved and obeyed God. They were happy, but they had no children. One day, when Zechariah was in the temple, an angel appeared to him and said, “You and your wife will have a son; he will be

a special child. When he grows up, he will speak to the people about the Messiah Jesus. You shall give your son the name John. “

Zechariah was very surprised, so he asked the angel, “How will I know this?” And the angel answered, “God has sent me to give you this good news. Because you did not believe my words, you will be mute and you will not be able to speak until the day the child is born. “

While Zechariah and his wife waited for the birth of the child, he could not speak.

Everyone was happy with the arrival of the baby. Eight days after his birth, it was time to name him. Some said, “Call him the same as his father,” but Elizabeth said, “His name will be John.” Relatives and friends looked surprised at Zechariah, and he wrote on a tablet: “John is his name.” At that moment Zechariah could speak, and together with his wife he praised God for the birth of his son.

Talk to the children about parents’ love for their children. Ask the visiting mother how she shows her love for her baby. Let the students ask questions, and remind them that God shows us His love to us through families.

Ask: How do your parents show you that they love you? (Allow time for them to respond).

The hands game

Teach this game to your students, and tell them to teach it to their families.

How happy is the family that lives in this home! (Use both hands, put your fingers in the shape of a triangle).

The family consists of three children, Dad and Mom.

This is the mother who cares for us and nourishes us (lift her thumb).

This is the dad that is going to work (raise the index).

These two brothers are going to school (raise the following fingers).

And the little baby stays to play (raise the little finger).

At night the family likes to be together (hands open and together) to read the Bible and together to pray God (hands joined in prayer).

CONNECTION

These activities will help your students to relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

The baby John

Give the children the activity sheet from

the students’ book. Ask them to join the dots to form the baby John’s drawing. Have them color the activity sheet and, as they do, explain to them that Zacharias and Elizabeth were happy because they were parents. They loved baby John because he was their son. How do you think they showed their love to the baby? (Let the children think).

Help those who are just learning to write to write down their name where appropriate.

Have them turn over the page and trace the Word of Faith (GOD). Hand out small colored papers and glue to fill in the letters that make up the word “God”.

Our parents love us

Have the children draw pictures of how their parents show love to them. When they are done, have them show their pictures to the class.

Pay special attention to those children whose parents have died or are away from them. Tell them that God is a loving father who wants to take care of them and protect them, even if their earthly parents are not around. Show them affection and make them feel special.

Time of prayer

Invite the students to tell about what they have done today, or what they did with their parents. Sitting with their hands together in prayer, encourage them to express their requests to God. Teach them to pray for the members of their family

MEMORY VERSE

Review the memory verse together: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15:12).

Put everyone in a circle. Walk behind the children, touching their shoulders, asking them to repeat the memory verse. The last to be touched, when finished saying the text, will join you. Together you will walk around the others and repeat the action until everyone follows behind you saying the verse.

WRAP UP

Let the children take home the work they did in class, and thank them for their assistance. Remind them to give thanks for their parents and family, and to be obedient like Jesus.

Lesson 10

GOD SHOWS HIS LOVE THROUGH GRANDPARENTS

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: 2 Timothy 1:3-5; 3:14-15.

Lesson Objective: To help the preschoolers understand that God also can show his love through grandparents.

Memory Verse: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15:12).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

The Scriptures tell us very little about Timothy’s childhood. However, 2 Timothy 1:3- 5; 3:14-15 mentions that his mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois formed him spiritually since he was a child. This teaching influenced his relationship with God and his subsequent ministry.

As time passed, Timothy became a helper who was greatly loved by Paul. Paul praised the faith of Timothy’s mother and grandmother, and exhorted him not to forget the truths of the Scriptures he learned in his childhood.

CONTEXT

1 John 4:11 says, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (NIV). The love and influence that family members exert on children can prepare them for their relationship with God throughout their lives. Think of a member of your family who supported you in your spiritual growth. During your time of prayer, thank God for those who were of great influence in your life.

This week allow the children to interact with the elderly within their congregation. Encourage these elders to write messages that you can pass on to children in your class. Students will experience the love of older people in the church, and will be able to relate these acts of love to God.

Your students need to discover ways in which they can relate to adults. Help them write their own messages. Talk about how God wants everyone to love and care for each other.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Choose some of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

My family

For this lesson write the word “grandparents” on the board that you prepared the previous class. Let the children draw a picture of their grandparents. If you wish, you can send a note to the parents first so they can send a photo of the children’s grandparents or other adult members of the family. Tell your students who are drawing to tell the class something about their family members. Place the pictures on the board to show them.

The grandparents necklace

You will need cereal rings, scissors and 60 cm. of coarse thread for each child and visiting adult (you can substitute the cereal for any material you have on hand that will allow you to carry out the activity).

Invite several older siblings to visit your class. While the children arrive, tell them to come to the table and start making necklaces with the cereal hoops. Let the adults and older siblings help them. Encourage everyone (children and adults) to tell stories about their families while making the necklaces. Say: Grandparents are special people. They can tell us how much God loves us. Is there anything you enjoy doing with your grandparents? (Let the children tell their answers to others while they work.)

BIBLE

Use this activity to review the Bible story.

A special visit

Invite ahead of time several grandparents or adults to visit your class during Bible Story time. Introduce them to the children, and let them tell you about some of their experiences. Then relate the Bible story.

Bible Story

If possible, prepare a few sheets in advance to illustrate for your class. In the first one, a picture of the Apostle Paul writing a letter. In the second, a young man who represents Timothy; and in the third, two women representing Eunice and Lois.

Gather your students to hear the story, and show them the first picture.

Ask them: Do you know who this man is? (Allow time for them to respond).

Begin with the story: This man who is writing a letter is Paul, a disciple who loved Jesus and preached his Word. He had a dear friend who was like his son, who was named Timothy. The letter he writes is for him (show the picture of Timothy).

As Paul wrote this letter to his good friend, he remembered how he, even as a child, loved God. And he thanked God for Timothy.

Paul also remembered Eunice, Timothy’s mother, and his grandmother Lois, who had taught him from childhood to trust in God.

Show the third sheet and say: Paul wrote to Timothy. Do you remember how much your mother and grandmother loved God? They transmitted the love of God to you as you grew from a child to a man.

Paul wanted to encourage his friend, and wrote: “Timothy, you must follow the teachings that you learned as a child. It is good that you have learned the Scriptures. Everything you know will help you grow in your faith in Jesus Christ. “

Let the children pick a picture and tell the story related to it. Say that Paul was grateful for the mother and grandmother of his friend Timothy. Ask how they told Timothy of God’s love while he was a child. Remind them that God shows us His love through parents and grandparents.

CONNECTION

These activities will help your students to relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

Thank God for Grandparents

Ask the children to sit in a circle. Explain that when you throw (or roll) the ball to one of them, that person will have to throw (or roll) it back to you (or someone else) and tell the class something special that their grandparents or family member do to show him how much they love him. After all the children have participated, add this prayer: Thank you, God, for grandparents, who show us your love and care for us. Thank you also for your wonderful love.

Timothy and his grandmother

You will need the student activity sheet corresponding to the lesson: “God shows us his love through grandparents” of the student’s book, pencils, scissors and glue.

Give each of your students their activity sheet, and help them cut out the figure of Timothy (see Cut-outs Section), and have them glue it to the side of his grandmother Lois.

Let them trace the Word of Faith (God), and tell their students how Timothy’s grandmother would show him God’s love. Encourage children to express how they think Timothy’s grandmother helped him to know and love God.

Prayer Time

Review the lesson and the activities of the day. If there are any visitors, invite them to join you in praying together. Have the children share their prayer requests, and encourage them to pray for their families. Lead them in this prayer: Thank you, God, for your love that you show us through our grandparents. We love you.

Let the children take the activity sheet to their parents so they can tell them the lesson.

MEMORY VERSE

Line up the children in a row and, as they march through the room, repeat the memory verse: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15:12).

WRAP UP

Sing a song of praise, and give thanks to God for the grandparents and for the older brothers and sisters of the church. Encourage children to treat older adults with love and respect. Lead the group in a prayer, and invite them to return for next week’s class.

Lesson 11

GOD SHOWS HIS LOVE THROUGH

BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF THE CHURCH

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Acts 1:7-9; 2:31-33; 4:32-35.

Lesson Objective: That the preschoolers will know that God also shows his love to us through the brothers and sisters of the church.

Memory Verse: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15:12).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

1 John 4: 8 says: “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (NIV) The early Christians showed the love of God in a practical way. The presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives gave them power to respond with love and generosity to their neighbors. The grace of God helped them to create a fellowship in which members cared for the needs of others with love and compassion. This gift of compassion caused a change of attitude and positive action in them. Reflect on this: Were these Christians called to sell their belongings and deliver them to the church? The answer is no. Possessions and riches were considered something that belonged to all for the church to use when necessary (Acts 2:44-45).

This way, the first believers were in charge of meeting the needs of the people they loved, like their brothers and sisters in Christ.

CONTEXT

How does your church show love for one’s neighbor? Has God used your church to show his love to the members of your congregation? How can the love and compassion of the Lord be revealed through our actions?

During this lesson, children will discover how the early Christians showed their love by providing for their neighbors so they would have no need. They must know that today the church continues to care for its neighbors.

Help children discover how the church can reach out to others. Make plans for your students to participate in a project to help the needy.

In the same way that children see the love the church shows, they will learn how to care for and share with their needy neighbor.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Choose some of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

My family

You will need blank sheets of paper, crayons and the board.

For this lesson add the phrase: “brothers of the church” on the board or poster.

Allow the children to draw a picture of one or more church members, and add them to the board. Encourage them to be friends with the people in the congregation.

The friendship poster

Help the children make a poster with drawings of themselves, which represents the activities they do together with the brothers and sisters in the church (praying, reading the Bible, singing, etc.). Ask permission to put the sign in a visible place of the church, so that the congregation can appreciate it.

BIBLE

Use these activities to teach and review today’s Bible story.

Hidden cookies

Before class, prepare five bags that have enough cookies for all children in the class.

Before your students arrive, hide the bags in the classroom. Choose five of them to look for them and bring them to the front of the class. Take a bag to start the Bible story.

Bible Story

During this activity, have a container ready for putting cookies into, and some napkins.

Ask your students: What would happen if those who found the cookie bags decided to stay with them? What would others do?

(Allow them to respond). Do you think that would be fair? How can we be sure that everyone gets cookies? (Let the children state their ideas).

Place the container in the center, and have the children put in all the cookies they found. Then give each child a napkin and divide the cookies evenly. Tell them about the importance of sharing what we have with our neighbors.

Begin the Bible story: Today’s story deals with the ancient church founded by the disciples of Jesus. The believers in this church loved Jesus and shared with one another everything they had.

After Jesus went up to heaven, Peter, John and the other disciples continued to talk to the people about the good news of salvation. They told people that Jesus lives and loves them. Many people were happy to hear the gospel, and began to gather in houses to pray.

These believers took care of one another. They wanted to show their love, because they knew that Jesus loved them.

They were known for feeding and clothing the poor. If anyone had economic needs, all those who had land or more than one house sold them and brought the money to the church to help them.

Sometimes we are selfish and we do not like to give others what we have. But God tells us to help the needy and be loving to our neighbors, just like the brothers and sisters of the early church.

Allow time for your students to express their questions, and conclude the class with this prayer: God, we thank you for the church members who care for us. Thank you for this food you give us. We love you, amen.

As the children eat their cookies, encourage them to say what they liked best about this Bible story. Tell them that they should rejoice, because the brothers and sisters in the church show God’s love to them.

I’m also a part of the Church

Emphasize the importance of brotherhood within the church. Ask if they remember the name of a member of the congregation. Explain that the pastor is a member to the church, just like the Sunday school teacher. How does the pastor show the love of God? (Allow them to respond).

Remind them to give thanks to God for the church.

CONNECTION

These activities will help your students to relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

We love our brothers and sisters!

You will need the activity sheet corresponding to the lesson: “God shows his love through the brothers and sisters of the church” in the student’s book. You will also need colored pencils and black pencils.

Give the activity sheet and pencils to the children. Allow time for them to trace the Word of Faith and write down their name. Help them identify what activities each drawing represents, and allow them to color them. Explain that the brothers and sisters in the church are involved in these same activities.

Ask: Can you mention any activities you do with someone from the congregation? (Allow them to respond).

Conclude by saying: Our faith is in the Word of God. He loves us, and our brothers and sisters in the church, too.

Let’s meet the church members

Beforehand, invite different people from your congregation to your class and let them say something about the work they do within the church (collect the offering, clean, teach, sing, do office work, welcome people, etc.), and allow time for the children to ask questions.

Explain to your students that each person in the church has a different job to do and that they are all important. The brothers and sisters in the church show us the love of God and we must love them as well.

Invite them to say the memory verse in front of people they have invited.

MEMORY VERSE

Before ending the class, repeat the memory verse: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15:12). Allow time for them to say the text one by one.

WRAP UP

Bring the children together with their guests for a time of prayer.

Sing a chorus that expresses gratitude to God, and let the students share their prayer requests. Ask one of your visitors to pray for everyone present.

Before leaving, thank the visitors for coming. Allow the children to take home the activity sheet to tell their parents about this lesson.

Give your students a hug before they leave the classroom.

Lesson 12

GOD SHOWS HIS LOVE THROUGH JESUS

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Mark 10:13-16.

Lesson Objective: To help the class understand that God shows his love to us through Jesus.

Memory Verse: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15:12).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

In Israel, it was customary to take children to the rabbi or priest to bless them. Scripture tells us of one occasion when children were at the feet of Jesus, and his reaction reveals how important children are to him.

Jesus loves children and recognizes their importance; He said that the kingdom of God was for those whose faith was like that of a child, since they trust and love others unconditionally.

When the disciples rebuked the children for coming to Jesus, he showed concern and care for the little ones and blessed them.

CONTEXT

Reflect on the importance of the students you are in charge of. Do you show genuine interest and love when ministering to children? Are you really showing the little ones the importance and love that Jesus has for them? How can God show his love through you?

The students you are in charge of come from different homes. Some are likely to attend Sunday school regularly and others come from time to time. For some, class and church are a new experience.

Are there children in your group who have known each other for a long time? How do you react when you receive a new child? It is important to show them that Jesus loves every child in the class equally.

Remember that each student needs to know the love of Jesus. That is why your words and attitude will be decisive in their spiritual formation during the course of this lesson. Help the children convey the love of Jesus to others. Talk about Jesus and God the Father.

Tell them: God loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to be our Friend.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Choose some of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

Jesus loves me

Sing along with your students the song: “Jesus loves me”. If possible, do so by using hand signs. Tell them: Jesus loves each of you because you are special to him.

Then say the phrase: Jesus loves... (using the name of each of your students).

My family

You will need blank sheets, crayons, and the board you used in the previous lessons.

Add the word “Jesus” on the board, and let the children draw pictures on it. As they draw, tell them to say something about Jesus.

BIBLE

Use these activities to show and review the Bible lesson.

Bible Story

Teach your students how to do the symbol for love in sign language: put your arms crossed on your chest. Tell them that every time they hear the word “Jesus” during the Bible story they have to make that sign.

Tell the story.

Jesus was walking in the midst of a great multitude. Many people tried to be close to him. Everyone wanted to see, hear and touch him. They wanted to learn about the kingdom of God.

Some people brought their children for Jesus to touch and pray for them. The disciples of the Lord did not understand why Jesus should spend time with the children. They did not understand that children were very important to him. Then they began to get angry and tell people to step aside: “Back away! The Master is busy! “As they said this, they pushed the people with the children away from Jesus.

When Jesus saw this, he was angry and said to his disciples, “Let the children come to me and do not keep them away, for the kingdom of God is theirs” (Mark 10:14).

Then Jesus embraced the children and blessed them. This shows us that the love of God is for all, great and small. God loves us and so He sent His Son Jesus into this world as a gift of love for us.

A secret message

Ask the children to stand side by side. Whisper into the ear of the first child in the line: “Jesus loves you”. Tell him that he must repeat those words quietly to the next person, and so on until everyone has received the secret message. The last person in the line has to say the message aloud: “Jesus loves you”.

Invite your students to pass this message to their friends and family during the week.

The bag game

Write the words “parents,” “grandparents,” “church brothers and sisters,” and “Jesus” in separate paper strips, and put them in a bag. Each child must take one of the strips and, after showing the word to others, must say what he remembers about the way God shows his love through those people. This will help children remember previous lessons and relate them to each other.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

Jesus and the children

Give each child the activity sheet in the student’s book. They should trace the Word of Faith and write their name. As they color the pictures, talk about how God shows us His love through Jesus.

When they have finished coloring, help your students to stick the sheets on construction paper or cardboard. Help the children as they cut the pieces of the sheet to form a puzzle.

Then give them time to make the puzzle and review today’s story. Place each puzzle in an envelope, and write the name of the child, so you can take it home and refer to what you learned in class

Necklaces of love

Prepare a cardboard heart for each student in your class, and give it to them along with the colors. Give some time for those who know how to write down the memory verse: “This is my commandment: Love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). In the meantime, help those who still can not write well.

Then let the children color their hearts and decorate them as they wish. When finished, with the help of a needle, make a hole in the upper part of the heart and make a necklace.

Encourage children to wear their necklaces while saying the memory verse.

MEMORY VERSE

Have your students say the Bible verse by heart. Help those who do not know it yet. If it is possible, give a little reward to those who have learned it, or have tried hard to do it.

WRAP UP

Let the students express the ways in which God shows them love. Make a brief summary of the unit as you they get ready to go home. Talk to the children about how God shows us His love through parents, grandparents, church members, and Jesus.

Sing a song that talks about God’s love, and ask the children to present their prayer requests. As you pray, praise the Lord for showing us His love in different ways.

Year 1 INTRODUCTION TO UNIT IV

JESUS, THE SON OF GOD, LIVES!

Unit Objective: This unit will help preschoolers learn that Jesus demonstrated that he was the son of God through what he did. We must celebrate that Jesus lives today!

Memory Verse: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16b, NIV).

Word of Faith: EASTER: A special time for Christians when we celebrate that Jesus lives and is our Savior.

Unit Lessons

Lesson 13 Jesus resurrects Lazarus.

Lesson 14 Jesus heals a blind man.

Lesson 15 Jesus talks to Peter.

Lesson 16 Jesus goes to Jerusalem.

Lesson 17 Jesus is alive!

Main points of the lessons for preschoolers:

— Jesus gave Lazarus a new life.

— Jesus has the power to heal.

— Peter believed Jesus was the son of God.

— They will learn to express their love and praise to Jesus.

— Reaffirm the knowledge that Jesus is the son of God by joyfully celebrating Easter.

It’s time to celebrate! Jesus, the Son of God, lives. He rose from the dead, as he had said he would. This unit contains stories, games and activities that will help preschoolers focus their attention on the meaning of Easter, and will also help them know that Jesus cares for us.

Children of this age can understand that during Easter we celebrate the fact that Jesus, the Son of God, lives forever. Believing this biblical truth is essential in order to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

These lessons give you a good opportunity to present the plan of salvation to those who have not yet had a personal encounter with Christ. Celebrate together the resurrection of Jesus through this unit’s teachings.

Lesson 13

JESUS RESURRECTS LAZARUS

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: John 11:1-23, 34-35.

Lesson Objective: To help the students understand that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.

Memory Verse: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16b).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

Jesus had many friends during his time in the world. Some of them were his twelve disciples, and also Martha, Mary and Lazarus, who lived in Bethany. He visited their home and shared meals with them, talked and expressed his love. Through this friendship, Jesus revealed himself as the Son of God to his friends and followers.

This biblical story shows the two natures of Jesus: as a friend who suffered and as the God who restores. He was not present when Lazarus died, yet his absence gave him the opportunity to reveal his divinity.

When Jesus arrived at Martha and Mary’s house, he took care of them and wept with them. Then, as the Son of God, he did what no other friend could do: he called the dead Lazarus out of the tomb, and he came out alive.

It was a key moment in the ministry of Jesus, in which many Jews became convinced that he was different: he could make the dead come back to life. Through this, they began to have faith in Jesus. At the same time, it was a step towards the cross, because the religious leaders responded to this with persecution and planned his death.

CONTEXT

Jesus’s friends and religious leaders respond- ed differently to the miracles he performed. How do you respond when listening to this Bible sto- ry? How do you respond to the gift of love that he offers?

Remember that life and death are a mystery to children. Death does not seem to be something that can happen to a person who has only lived a short time, and so for them the story of Lazarus may seem hard to understand.

Some time ago I taught this same story. A four-year-old girl was very attentive while I said, “Jesus said, Lazarus, come out.” And Lazarus walked out of the tomb. She raised her hand and said, “Teacher, my grandfather is dead and I know that when someone dies, he really dies. “

This little girl knew death and knew it was irreversible. When a person dies, he is no longer among us, even though he lives with Christ.

“Why do you think Jesus was able to raise Lazarus?” I asked my students.

“Maybe Lazarus was not dead” a child an- swered loudly.

“My dad says that Jesus is the only one who can do that because he is the Son of God,” said another girl.

“That is the true answer,” I said. “Only Jesus can give life to the dead because he is the Son of God.”

I learned that theological truths that seem difficult are simple for children. It is true that when we die we are really dead, but none of that stops Jesus, the Son of God.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Choose some or all of these activities to cap- ture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

A long walk

Draw 12 pairs of footprints of different colors on a piece of cardboard and cut them out. Place them on the floor, going from the center of the room to the corners. Ask your students to follow these paths. When everyone has passed through the tracks, tell them that the Bible story speaks about people who had to take a long walk to find Jesus, and then Jesus had to walk a long time to get to the house of his friends.

Joyful or sad?

During the week, cut out a circle of paper for each student in your group. In class, bring them and ask the children to do the following: on one side draw a sad face and the other a happy face. If you wish, you can bring wooden sticks to glue to the circles.

Tell them: Jesus is the Son of God. He takes care of us all the time. Today I will tell you a real story about two sisters who were very sad. Jesus visited them and helped them. He changed their sad faces (show sad face), to smiling faces (show happy face).

BIBLE

Use these activities to help kids understand today’s biblical truth .

What happened to Lazarus?

For this activity, you will need some bandages or toilet paper. Gather the children to hear the Bible story. Wrap the bandages or toilet paper around your hand and arm, and ask them: Why do you think I put on the bandage? (Allow them to respond). I do it as a reminder of today’s Bible story. We will talk about a man named Lazarus, who along with his sisters, Mary and Martha, were friends of Jesus, and Jesus took care of them. But one day something happened to Lazarus that made all of them very sad. Pay close attention to what I am going to say:

Bible Story

Mary, Martha and Lazarus lived in a town called Bethany, and they were very good friends of Jesus. They loved him and knew that he loved them too.

One day Lazarus became seriously ill. Mary and Martha were very worried, and they knew that Jesus was the only one who could help their brother, so they asked a friend to go find him.

This friend walked for a long time looking for Jesus, until he finally found him and said, “Lazarus is very sick. Mary and Martha need you to go to Bethany as soon as possible.” However, Jesus stayed two more days in the place where he was. On the third day he told his disciples, “We need to go to Bethany, our friend Lazarus is dead.”

Jesus and his disciples walked a long time to reach Bethany. Lazarus had been dead for four days. Her sisters were very sad.

When Martha saw Jesus, she said to him, “Sir, if you had arrived earlier, my brother would not have died. But I also know now that whatever you ask of God, he will give it to you.” Martha was confident that Jesus could help her brother. Then Jesus approached Mary, who was weeping, and asked her to take him to Lazarus’s tomb. When he came near the tomb, he asked them to move the stone that covered the entrance, but Martha told him that Lazarus had been there for four days and did not smell good. “Do not worry,” said Jesus, “just believe in me.” The people moved the stone, then Jesus prayed to God and said, “Father, thank you because I know that you always listen to me.”

Then he stood at the entrance of the tomb and shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” Instantly, Lazarus walked out and the people were very astonished to realize the immense power of Jesus.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

Lazarus’s Labyrinth

Hand out the student book activity sheet and colored pencils. Let the children trace the words, “Jesus lives!” And follow the path for Jesus to reach the tomb of Lazarus. In the white cloud on the right they must draw Lazarus who leaves the tomb.

As they work, emphasize that Jesus took care of his friend Lazarus, bringing him back to life. Only the Son of God can do such a miracle.

Victory flags

Prepare medium pieces of cardboard or sturdy blank sheets. Give your students colors, sheets or cards, and write in them the phrase “Jesus is the Son of God.” Give them time to color their flags, and help them stick one end of them to a wooden stick that will be the flagpole. This way you can wave them.

Tell them that Jesus can do extraordinary things because He is the Son of God. He is willing to help us, just as he did with his friend Lazarus and his sisters.

MEMORY VERSE

The memory verse is very important. Preschoolers learn through their senses. For this reason, it is important to visualize the activities so that they can be meaningful to them. Write the biblical text with large letters on a poster board. Make sure the letters are clear so that those who are starting to learn reading have no difficulty. Explain it, and help them as they read it slowly. If they do not know the meaning of a word, clarify it for them. Repeat it several times until they become familiar with it.

Stick the cardboard somewhere visible so that you can see it.

WRAP UP

Gather your students in a circle, and hold hands. Pray for each one of them and their requests. Encourage them to pray for each other during the week, and tell them that you pray for them. This will make them feel motivated and grateful. Before leaving, emphasize the wonderful power of Jesus and the blessing of being his friend. Invite them to the next class.

Lesson 14

JESUS HEALS A BLIND MAN

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Mark 10:46-52.

Lesson Objective: For the kids to understand that Jesus has the power to heal.

Memory Verse: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16b).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

Jesus and his disciples had reached the final stage of their journey to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. The streets were full of people going to the holy city. The travelers sang, and their voices echoed on all sides. Despite so much noise, the word spread that Jesus was among the crowd.

Bartimaeus was a blind beggar who sat on the side of the road. When he heard Jesus approaching, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10: 47b). This man wanted to recover his sight, and he turned to the Master to heal him.

This is the first time that Jesus is publicly called Son of David. The Jews considered that David was their father, and that his descendant would be the Messiah.

Jesus asked the people around him to bring Bartimaeus to him. He asked him to take a step of faith and to trust in his power. Jesus performed the miracle, and this man received his sight. The reaction of Bartimaeus is of joy, and for this reason he decides to follow Jesus, praising him for the miracle. Jesus, in truth, is the Savior, the Son of God, because He attended the call of Bartimaeus, even on his way to Jerusalem.

CONTEXT

In the minds of many children, life is full of wonders, and almost nothing seems impossible to them. They watch incredible situations on television and video games. Life is a mystery, and not knowing how something happens does not mean it can not happen.

The idea that Jesus gave Bartimaeus instant sight is easy to accept or believe. He is Jesus, and his character should not be a mystery to his students. They must know that he has the power to heal. Better still, your students can talk to him and ask him to love them and take care of them each day. Jesus, the Son of God, wishes to be personally involved in their lives.

Preschoolers express their amazement in a very natural way. Have you seen them react to a magic trick? Their eyes widen in amazement! Watch the children during Easter time. Do they express wonder at the miracles that Jesus did for the benefit of people?

Do they realize that Easter is a time of celebration for the life of Jesus? Encourage them to express their love for Jesus through prayers and activities in class

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Choose some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

Dark room

Bring the children together to teach them the Bible story. Ask a volunteer to turn off the lights. If this is not possible, ask everyone to close their eyes so they do not see anything.

Say: Isn’t it difficult to see in the dark?

Turn on the lights or ask your students to open their eyes.

Ask: Does light help us to see better? (Allow them to respond). Today’s story tells us about a man named Bartimaeus, who was blind and could not see with the light on or off, with his eyes open or closed. This made him suffer a lot, but there was someone who helped him see.

BIBLE

Bible Story

If you have a special guest to narrate the Bible story, tell the students to pay attention to that person.

Blind Bartimaeus.

Easter is a very special time. In it we celebrate Jesus, the Son of God. We can celebrate by remembering stories. This story tells of the occasion when Jesus met a blind man, named Bartimaeus. Let’s see how Jesus helped this person.

Bartimaeus lived in Jericho, was blind and could not see anything. Every day he sat by the side of the road. And though he could not see the people, he could hear them. He had no job because of his illness, so he begged for money from the people passing by.

One day, Jesus and his disciples were walking near the place where Bartimaeus stood. He heard the noise of many people walking, and he knew that something was happening.

“What’s going on?” He asked.

“Someone very important is here,” they answered.

“Who?” he asked again. “Jesus!” they replied.

“Jesus, Jesus! Help me!” Bartimaeus began.

“Shhh! Do not yell, shut up,” the people around him said.

“Jesus, Jesus!” Bartimaeus continued to scream. “Help me, Jesus! Help me, Jesus!”

Jesus stopped, and all the people did too. “Call Bartimaeus,” said Jesus.

“Do not be afraid, Jesus calls you,” the people told Bartimaeus. He was so moved that he even jumped to his feet. He hurried to try to get to where Jesus was.

“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked.

Bartimaeus knew that Jesus was someone special, the Son of God, and that he could do something special.

“I want to see!” cried Bartimaeus.

“You can go home, because you have believed in me, you are healthy, now you can see!” Jesus said.

Bartimaeus could see! How wonderful! Now he could see Jesus, the people, the sun, and so filled with happiness, he followed Jesus along the way.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

We cannot see

Have your students line up and ask them to walk toward you with their eyes open. When you indicate it, they are to close their eyes. Then they must take small steps towards you. When they have walked, they must open their eyes and move to where you are. Ask them: What does it feel like to walk without being able to see? How do you think Bartimaeus walked back home every day? (Allow time for them to answer.)

Guess the objects

In a dark bag insert several objects (nothing sharp) that children can identify by touching. Tell them that blind people rely heavily on touch. Have everyone reach into the bag and identify an object just by touching it.

The Book of Bartimaeus

Give the children the activity sheet in the student’s book, crayons and scissors. Tell them to color the four frames of pictures, and then cut them along the dotted lines. When they are finished, ask them to arrange the pictures in order while they retell the story. Glue or fasten the four squares into a small book. If you wish, use a blank sheet to make a cover, and paste on it the box with the memory verse.

Encourage the children to use this booklet so they can tell their friends and family the story of Bartimaeus.

MEMORY VERSE

Write the words that make up the memory verse on several large cards, and mix up them for your students to put them in order and read the full text. Remember that preschoolers are starting their learning process, so it is necessary to make the letters large and thick. Help them join the syllables to form words. When they have the full text, repeat it together several times.

Blind chicken game

If you have a large space, let the children play the blind chicken. Carefully cover the eyes of a volunteer with a handkerchief or bandage, and tell him or her to try to catch or touch another child. The student whom he touches will take his place and repeat the memory verse by heart

WRAP UP

Form a circle with the children, and allow each one to say a brief prayer of thanksgiving. Conclude by praising God for the miracles of healing He does in the midst of His people. Sing a song before you say goodbye, and invite the children to the upcoming special Easter celebrations. Remind them to pray during the week, and to review the verse at home.

Lesson 15

JESUS TALKS WITH PETER

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Matthew 16:13-16.

Lesson Objective: That the children learn that Peter believed Jesus was the son of God

Memory Verse: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16b).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

Jesus had finished his public ministry in Galilee. The road to the cross was just beginning. One day, as the disciples were walking toward the region of Philippi, Jesus asked them what people thought about who the Son of Man was. It’s possible that some of them were puzzled and answered what they had heard. Some said that he was perhaps John the Baptist, others thought he was Elijah, some Jeremiah or one of the prophets.

It is true that John the Baptist had prepared the way by preaching repentance and baptism, but he could not offer them the gift of salvation. Elijah had been a man of prayer and performed miracles of healing, but not by his own strength, but by the power of the Spirit of God that dwelt in him. Jeremiah was an example of patience and suffering, as were all the prophets, they were faithful men, but not the Son of God himself.

Jesus carefully guided his followers to know who he was. Peter answered that question in a simple but profound way: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). He was one of the first men to recognize the deity of Christ, and gave him his rightful place as the only Son of God.

CONTEXT

It is common for many people to lose perspective on the personality of Christ. Many see him as a religious icon, or a historical character. However, the Apostle Peter reminds us of the divine character of Jesus in telling us that he is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Reflect on your personal experience: Do your words and actions as a Christian clearly proclaim Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God? Do your students see this in you?

Is he a living example of Jesus reigning in your life?

One of the most influential people in the lives of preschoolers is undoubtedly their Sunday school teacher. They are aware of your actions and words. Pray that the Holy Spirit will help you be an effective witness to the power of the Son of God, in a way that impacts the lives of your students.

Through Bible stories, activities, and especially love, you can lead your students to a personal encounter with Jesus.

He came to this earth, was born as a baby, grew to be a child and then an adult. He walked, talked and ate with people. He helped and took care of his neighbor and the sick. He died on the cross of Calvary, rose from the dead and lives in the hearts of those who wish to receive him.

From these truths, children can know Jesus and feel loved by him. Using all this as a basis, we can lead our students to affirm, like the apostle Peter, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Choose some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

Who am I?

Explain the next game to the children. They should listen to the clues you will tell them to know who you are talking to. Tell them: I see a girl dressed in red. Who is it? (Children should say the name of their classmate that you’re describing).

Continue to mention something that identifies each member of your class. Then say: I’m thinking of someone in the Bible, he is the Son of God and we celebrate his birth at Christmas. Do you know who it is? (Jesus).

Encourage them to listen to the story, where they will learn what happened one day when Jesus asked his disciples a question.

My friend Jesus

On a blank sheet, have the students write their favorite Bible story related to their friend Jesus. As they work, tell them: “Simon Peter was a friend and disciple of Jesus. One

day Jesus asked a very important question to Peter. Do you know what he asked? We will learn Peter’s answer in today’s Bible story.

BIBLE

Invite your students to share their favorite Bible story. They must say what they like most about that story. Show your appreciation for the works they did, and use them to decorate the room. Tell them: Jesus spoke with his disciples and told them special stories.

Today’s story is about a day he went down a road with his friends. This time he did not tell them a story, but he asked them a question. I’ll tell you what they talked about.

Bible Story

You are the Son of God

Easter is a special time, in which we celebrate that Jesus is the Son of God. We can celebrate by telling stories about him. This story is about an occasion when Peter spoke with Jesus. Jesus and his friends traveled a long way to reach a village. They went to the region of Philippi and had to walk for a long time.

As they walked, Jesus talked with his friends. He told them about God, and they listened carefully.

“When people talk about me, who do they say I am?” Jesus asked them.

The disciples looked at each other and kept thinking about the question their Master asked them, and they answered:

“Some say you are John the Baptist,” said one disciple.

John the Baptist spoke to people about Jesus.

“They also say that you are Elijah, and others say Jeremiah,” said another.

Elijah and Jeremiah had been men of faith and love who lived long ago. They also spoke to the people of God.

“And you? Who do you say I am?”

The disciples looked at him, not knowing what to answer. Suddenly, a voice broke the silence.

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

It was Peter who answered firmly.

“Correct Peter, God has revealed to you that I am his Son,” Jesus answered.

When you finish telling the story, encourage a brief time of questions and answers.

Make the story fun, so that it will be interesting for preschoolers.

The family of God

Reinforce the Bible teaching with the following questions: Who can tell me something about today’s story? (Allow them to respond).

Why do you think Jesus and His disciples were walking? They were on their way to Jerusalem. Next week we will find out why. We call Jesus the “Son of God,” because he is.

Who are you? (Let them say their names).

Continue to tell them: You have a name because you belong to a family. Jesus is part of the family of God, He is the Son of God. When we believe in him and love him, we become members of that beautiful family.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

Who is Jesus?

Give the children their activity sheet. Ask them to trace the Word of Faith, and write down their name. Turn the sheet and use colored pencils to decorate the cubes that make up the name of Jesus.

Craft

Write the words “Jesus is the Son of God” on different sheets, in large letters, and give each member of your group a page. Provide papers, figures, crayons, and glue to decorate them to their liking.

After they are finished, glue a folded ribbon in the shape of a circle on the back so that they can hang the picture in a visible place of their home as a reminder that Jesus is the Son of God.

MEMORY VERSE

Show a picture of Jesus, and allow each child to repeat the memory verse as he looks at it. Help the little ones who have difficulty memorizing.

WRAP UP

Invite the children to express why Jesus, the Son of God, is special to them. Encourage them to say their prayer requests, and choose a volunteer to lead the group in prayer. Pray giving thanks to God for His Son Jesus and for allowing them to be part of His family.

Give the children the work they did in class, or you can place them around the room and present a small exhibit to invite parents and members of the congregation to visit.

Encourage the children to learn more about Jesus, and to not miss the next class. Also encourage them to bring a guest, if possible.

Lesson 16

JESUS GOES TO JERUSALEM

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Matthew 21:1-11, 15-16.

Lesson Objective: To help students express their love and praise to Jesus, the son of God.

Memory Verse: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16b).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

Jesus and his disciples continued their journey to Jerusalem. After keeping the Sabbath, Jesus sent two of them to bring him a donkey, giving them a series of instructions. Jesus did this to reveal the kind of Messiah he was.

A military leader would have used a great horse, but Jesus preferred a humble donkey. This is another example of his humility and as a Messiah who offers love instead of force. At that time, people believed that the Messiah would save them from the Roman rule, but not from their sins.

When Jesus came down from the Mount of Olives to go to Jerusalem, a crowd welcomed him with songs of praise, shouting, “Bless the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (V.9). People laid their robes on the road, waving palm branches as a symbol of victory and praise to the king. Some of those who glorified him also recognized him as the Son of God, but others did not and murmured against him.

This story shows us the contrast between those who accept Christ as savior and king, and those who reject His majesty and glory.

CONTEXT

Our praise to Jesus must go beyond what we believe he can do for us. True praise must recognize him as Lord of lords, King of kings, the only begotten Son of God and the Savior. We celebrate Palm Sunday as the event that marks the beginning of Easter. But we must also recognize it as the glorious entrance of the Messiah to the holy city, and the beginning of the redemption of sinners through the death of Christ.

Let us celebrate the glory of the Son of God with our students. Many of them have a special relationship with Jesus that they never doubt is real. They must understand that God is special and that Jesus is his Son.

Also, children of this age are comfortable talking to others about Jesus. They are fascinated to tell details of their lives when they pray.

This lesson will help you strengthen that personal relationship of your students with Jesus, the Son of God. Give them the opportunity to pray, to draw pictures of Jesus and to express how they feel the love of the Lord in their lives.

Praise the Lord before them, and tell them how Christ cares for them all.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use this activity to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

Praises with palms

Make palms with your students, or get real palms. To make them, you will need cut outs of paper palms and green colors for your students to paint and then cut them.

Tell them: Today is Palm Sunday and we are going to tell a very special story. These are palms. When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the people would shake them and shout, “Hosanna! Hosanna!” Everyone was very excited and happy, because they praised Jesus.

You can shake your palm and shout: Hosanna! Let us praise Jesus during the story with songs of praise.

BIBLE

Use these activities to narrate and review the Bible story.

Let’s praise the Lord!

Gather the group to hear the Bible story. Sing a song of praise, while they wave their palms and march around the room.

Ask the children to put their palms on their legs, and when they hear the word “Hosanna”, during the storytelling, shake their palms.

Bible Story

Before beginning the story, show the Bible and tell them: This is the Bible, the Word of God. We learn to know God better by listening to the stories in this beautiful book.

Easter is a very beautiful and special time when we celebrate Jesus, the Son of God. In today’s story, we will learn what happened before the first Easter, when the children sang and praised Jesus.

Jesus and his disciples were walking towards the city of Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. Before they arrived, they stopped near a small village, and Jesus told two of the disciples, “Go to the village, and there you will find a small donkey tied up. Untie it and bring it. Tell its owner that I need it and then I will give it back.”

The disciples left and did everything as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and put their robes on it so that Jesus could sit.

When Jesus came to Jerusalem on the donkey, people said to one another, “Let’s go and see Jesus!”

They were very excited, and spread their robes on the way for Jesus to pass.

They also cut branches of palms. Some threw them on the road, and others shook them hard, while they shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (V.9).

People loved Jesus and praised Him. They were really happy to see the Master. Some asked, “Who is this man? It is Jesus of Nazareth,” shouted the crowd.

In the temple in Jerusalem, the children sang and shouted praises to Jesus. They were very happy to see the Messiah. Some of those in the temple did not like the chants of the children, and they wanted to silence them. However, Jesus was happy to hear them, and said to these people, “These children do what Scripture says that all should do, they praise God.”

The praise march

Sing with your students praises to God, and shake your palms as you praise Him. Then tell them to sit down and ask how they think people felt when they saw Jesus entering Jerusalem. Like them, we feel joy when we praise Jesus, the Son of God.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

Praise Jesus!

Give the children the activity sheet in the student’s book, and help them trim the palms corresponding to this lesson in the Cut-Out Section. Remember to use scissors that do not have a sharp edge to prevent accidents.

Your students should color the robes of the people who praise Jesus, and stick some palms in their hands and others on the road.

Have them trace the Word of Faith, and remember the Bible story while doing the activity.

Praise mural

During the week, prepare some illustrations about how preschoolers can praise God in their daily lives. Make some pictures of children who are helping their parents, others in prayer, others who sing or read the Bible, others who are with friends, etc.

Show these pictures, and tell them that they can praise God in different ways: each one is a way to give our praise. While sticking the pictures on a wall, talk to the children about how important it is for Christians to praise God in every circumstance.

MEMORY VERSE

Form pairs to help each other remember the memory verse. Each pair should step forward and say the text aloud while shaking their palms.

WRAP UP

For this lesson, children should already be familiar with prayer times. Many of them will bring special requests to their friends and family.

If you wish, you can make a poster to write down all the requests, and put a happy face on those that have already been answered.

Teach all members of your group to pray and to intercede for each other.

We are starting Easter. Children should be aware that it is a special time in which we celebrate Jesus. Invite them to joyfully attend special services and thank God for the blessings they receive.

Lesson 17

JESUS LIVES!

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: John 20:18.

Lesson Objective: That the kids joyfully celebrate Easter, and reinforce their knowledge of

Jesus, the son of God.

Memory Verse: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16b).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

A few days after his triumphal entrance to Jerusalem, Jesus was crucified. Those who loved him felt a great pain when they saw him die.

His mother Mary, John and Mary Magdalene, wept with the others when they saw him breathe his last breath after suffering terribly.

Joseph of Arimathea, a rich and godly man, asked to bury the body of the Lord. Since it was the evening before the Sabbath, Jesus was only wrapped in a sheet and placed in the tomb. Tradition forbade being in contact with dead bodies on this day.

When the Sabbath passed, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb of Jesus very early, before dawn, and realized that someone had removed the stone that covered the entrance. She thought Jesus’s body had been stolen, and she ran to warn the disciples. Peter and John discovered for themselves that Jesus was no longer in the tomb. In addition to the empty tomb, they found the sheets that had wrapped his body, folded. It was evident that something supernatural had happened, and they decided to go and join the other apostles. Mary remained in the place, thinking that the body of Jesus was stolen, and she remained weeping.

While weeping, Jesus came to her and called her by name. As soon as she heard him, she knew he was alive. His reply was: “Raboni,” which means “master.” This woman was sure that Jesus, the Son of God, had risen from the dead.

CONTEXT

Jesus suffered a cruel death to pay for the sins of the world. This is a sad and difficult story for preschoolers to understand. It is important that they understand that he died for us because he loves us and rose on the third day because he is the Son of God, and his power is greater than all that exists.

The story of the resurrection is hard to understand, because those who die do not come back to life. However, weknow that the resurrection is a central and important truth for the Christian faith. We cannot forget it, although we can not understand it in its entirety. So it becomes even more complicated when it comes to explaining this concept to preschoolers. They learn by means of the senses and experiences, so an abstract idea like this is difficult to understand.

Although we can not explain to the children how the resurrection occurred, we can emphasize the miracle that Jesus was resurrected and alive, although we do not know how.

Emphasize that Jesus does what we, as human beings, could never do.

Through this lesson, the children will learn that Jesus was resurrected to give us eternal life.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Choose some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

The life of Jesus

Use the materials of the previous classes, and briefly review the most important events in the life of Jesus. Help your students remember his ministry and the way he helped people. Tell them that Easter is the culmination of Jesus’s life here on earth; and that it is also the beginning of a story of victory and triumph that they will hear today.

Experiences

Perhaps most of the members of your class participated together with their families in special Easter services. Allow time for some of them to tell about their experiences and what they learned during those special days.

Emphasize the fact that this week is a time in which we celebrate the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus, the Son of God.

BIBLE

Use these activities to share the Bible story with your class.

Let’s talk about Easter

Gather your students to hear the Bible story. Have them sit in a circle. Tell them: I have great news for you that has to do with the first Easter.

Jesus, the Son of God, is alive and loves you. We too can love him, know that he is our friend and speak to him at any time. Let the children repeat along with you the big news several times.

Introduce the story by saying: Today we will know what happened in the first Holy Week. When I mention the words “jump”, “walk” or “run” during the storytelling, you should jump, walk or run, and then sit down to continue listening.

Bible Story

If you have visual material to illustrate the lesson, make use of it. It will be of great help to you. Change your tone of voice, and emphasize the words to give the story more impact.

A long time ago, the first day of resurrection began on a very sad morning. Mary got up at dawn, when it was still dark. She was sad because her friend Jesus had died.

She walked slowly to the tomb where Jesus was buried. She thought she would never see him again, and her heart was very sad.

As she approached the place, she realized that something different had happened. Someone had removed the heavy stone that covered the entrance of the tomb. The tomb was open! Mary ran up to Peter and John, two of Jesus’s disciples, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb. Where would they have put him?” Mary wondered, crying.

Peter and John ran to the tomb, and saw the sheets they had used to wrap Jesus’s body, but he wasn’t there. The disciples returned to their homes, but Mary remained weeping near the tomb. Suddenly she saw two angels sitting inside the tomb.

“Why are you crying?” they asked.

“Because they have taken my Lord, and I do not know where they put him,” she replied.

At that moment, Mary realized that there was a man standing behind her. “Why are you crying?” The man asked Mary.

She thought it was the gardener who tended the tombs. “Have you taken my friend Jesus?” she asked him.

Suddenly, Mary’s eyes opened, and she could see that it was Jesus with whom she was speaking. He was not dead, he was resurrected! She recognized her Master when she heard him call her by name. Now she was no longer sad, her heart was beating loudly for the joy of knowing that Jesus was alive.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

Christ lives!

Give the children the activity sheet of the student’s book, pieces of dark paper to make the stones, scissors and glue. Let them trace the Word of Faith, and glue the pieces of paper on the tomb to represent the stones. As they work, review what they learned. Then, turn over the sheet, and color the balloons that have a special message.

Play with the stone

Prepare old newspapers ahead of time, and give two sheets to each child. Ask them to wrinkle the paper and make some balls with it. Tape aound them to prevent them from falling apart.

Tell them that those balls represent the removed stone that was at the entrance to the tomb of Jesus when He was resurrected.

Instruct them to stand at one end of the room, and when you say the phrase “Jesus resurrected!” They must roll their balls with their feet until they reach the other end. Then they must return to the starting point.

You can vary the dynamics of this game by giving different instructions (for example, pushing the ball with your hand, with your eyes closed, with your nose, put it on one foot and carry it to the other side, etc.).

MEMORY VERSE

As this is the last lesson of the unit and Resurrection Sunday, ask permission for the children to say the memory verse in front of the congregation. Or they could sing it out like a choir. This will help children feel that their effort is recognized. Parents will also enjoy watching what their children have learned.

WRAP UP

Encourage the children to express their prayer requests. Maybe a volunteer wants to pray out loud. This will help them increase their confidence of praying in public. Finish by thanking God for the resurrection of His Son Jesus.

This unit was a lot of learning for the preschoolers. It is likely that many of them have heard the plan of salvation for the first time. Invite them to attend regularly, and value their work and dedication.

Year 1 INTRODUCTION TO UNIT V

GOD IS OUR CREATOR

Unit Objective: This unit will help preschoolers know that God is the Creator of all that exists and that he hopes that people will take care of this world.

Memory Verse: “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31a, NIV)

Word of Faith: CREATOR: God is the Creator. In the beginning there was only him, and there wasn’t anybody or anything else. He formed the world, the light, the sky, the moon, the sun, the stars, the earth, the fish, the birds and the people. God created everything!

Unit Lessons

Lesson 18 God makes the world

Lesson 19 God makes people

Lesson 20 Adam and Eve disobey God

Lesson 21 Noah obeys God

Main points of the lessons for preschoolers:

— How God created the world.

— How God created people

— How Adam and Eve disobeyed God

— Learn to obey God.

God is our Creator and wants everyone to know that He made this world and everything in it. By the power of his word, everything that exists was made. Let everyone in the class enjoy themselves by learning that the Creator of the earth and the sea loves us and cares for us!

Through these lessons, your students will learn that all creation is good because the Creator made it with love. And they will know that we were given the task of caring for God’s creation.

Help them understand that everything around them is part of God’s creation, and that they should be grateful for it. Most importantly, they are also an essential part of this wonderful universe created by the Lord.

Lesson 18

GOD MAKES THE WORLD

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Genesis 1:1-3.

Lesson Objective: To help the kids know that God created the earth.

Memory Verse: “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31a)

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

God wanted people to know that he made the world and everything in it.

This timeless story about God’s creative power has sparked heated debate between scientists and theologians. However, Hebrews 11: 3 clarifies the following truth: “By faith we understand that the universe was made by the Word of God.” The important thing about creation is that it in itself points us towards the Creator. It is an undeniable truth that God made the world and everything that exists.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Following the first three words of Scripture: “in the beginning,” we are told that God created everything. Throughout the rest of the Bible, he is identified as our creator and we are united to him as his creation.

God created and shaped everything out of nothing. He made the oceans, the rivers, the waterfalls, the earth and stars, the land and aquatic animals. He made man in his image and likeness, as the crown of his creation.

CONTEXT

Preschoolers are in a stage of exploration and discovery. Their learning is sensory, and they experience everything around them. Their curiosity is limitless. They want to know why the wind moves the leaves of the trees, why the sun and moon shine, why there are so many kinds of animals, etc.

This is a good opportunity for you to uncover a fundamental truth: God is the Creator of the whole universe.

Through their short experience, they know part of God’s creation, but they must know that he is the author and sustainer of all that exists.

In this lesson, the children will learn that all creation is good because God made it with love, and that people have the task of taking care of it.

Above all, they must recognize themselves as a special and unique part of God’s creation.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Choose some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

What God created

Give the children white sheets and crayons, and tell them to draw something that is part of God’s creation (it can be any kind of animal, plant, sea, sun, etc.). If you want, instead of asking them to draw, give them play-do or modeling dough to make the shape of their favorite animal.

When they finish, have them show it and tell them: This is just one of the many things God created. He created the world and everything in it, but there is something else that God created too, and we will learn about that in today’s Bible story.

Search

If you can, take your students for a short walk. Ask for another adult to help you take care of the kids. As you walk, tell them to mention the things that God has made and point them out.

This activity can also be done in the classroom. Provide your students with magazines, books or pictures of landscapes, animals or people. Emphasize that everything they see is part of what God created.

BIBLE

Through these stories, the children will learn fundamental Biblical truths that they can share with others.

What God did

Gather your students and show them the Bible. Emphasize that it is a very special book because it is the Word of God. In it we learn that God is the Creator of all that exists, like the stars, the sun, the moon and the animals. Biblical history shows us even more about His wonderful creation.

Bible Story

To complement learning, prepare visual material to illustrate your lesson. You can use laminated pictures of the sky and earth, animals, landscapes, people, etc. Show each picture while explaining step by step the story of creation.

God the creator

In the beginning, there was only God. There was no one, nothing else.

God decided to create a wonderful world. First, the world was dark and filled with water. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and immediately there was light. Then he said, “Let there be heaven,” and immediately the heavens appeared. Then God said, “Let the waters be gathered together in one place, and let there be ground.” And the Lord called what was dry, land and waters, seas.

Once again, the voice of God was heard: “Let there be plants and trees,” and suddenly plants, trees of all kinds (some bearing fruit), grass and many flowers appeared.

“Let there be lights in the sky to separate the day from the night,” said the Lord, and he made the sun to light the day, and the moon and the stars to shine at night.

Again God spoke and said, “Let there be fish and other living creatures in the water, and birds in the sky.” At that moment the seas were filled with beautiful fish, and all kinds of birds were flying through the sky.

On the sixth day of creation God commanded, “Let there be all kinds of living creatures on the earth,” and made all the animals that exist.

Finally, he thought it would be good to do something very special, and said, “Let’s make people. They will care for the world and they will be a very special part of my creation.”

And so God created Adam and Eve, and gave them a place to live and food to eat. God gave Adam the responsibility of naming all the animals.

Afterward, God saw everything he had made and thought it was very good.

On the seventh day, when he finished doing all the work, he rested.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

Creation memory game

Give students their activity sheets, scissors and a plastic bag or envelope. Help them trim the cards along the dotted lines. Afterwards, everyone should mix up their cards and put them face down on the table; They must be careful not to mix them up with someone else’s. Tell them to choose two cards and turn them over to see if they are the same. While having fun playing, review what they have learned during the lesson. Make sure that everyone keeps their respective cards in their plastic bags and take them home to tell the story to their family members.

Let’s take care of God’s creation

Have a plant, a toy animal, and a doll. Ask the children to sit in a circle, and say: God is the Creator of all that exists (show the plant). He made all the plants of the earth.

Then show the toy animal and say: God created all the animals that live on the earth, in the sky and in the sea.

Finally, show the doll, and mention that God created all the babies and the people who live in the world, and wants us to take care of his creation.

Encourage a brainstorming time about how they can take care of God’s creation.

Name the animals

This story teaches that God gave Adam the task of naming all the animals of creation. Play with the children to imagine that one of them is Adam. Ask a volunteer to represent him, and explain: Adam must name something. I am going to say, “Adam named him ...”, and I will name something of creation. Listen carefully, because if Adam names an animal, you will all have to imitate the sound of that animal. If children do not know the sound of some animal, teach them.

MEMORY VERSE

While holding hands, form a circle, and repeat the memory verse as you rotate. When you stop, one of the kids should say the text by himself. Then, all of them turn and repeat together. Keep playing until everyone has participated.

WRAP UP

Encourage your students to thank God for his wonderful creation. Give thanks for the sun that warms them, the moon that shines, the wind that moves their hair, the foods that come from trees and plants, animals, and above all, for having created them as well.

Intercede for prayer requests. Remind children to care for God’s creation and to respect it.

Ask them to tell their family and friends what they learned in class using their memory game. Send them off with enthusiasm, and invite them to the next class.

Lesson 19

GOD MAKES PEOPLE

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Genesis 1:27-31; 2:8, 15, 19-21.

Lesson Objective: To help the students learn that God created people.

Memory Verse: “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31a)

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

On the sixth day, God complemented his creation and did something wonderful: he made human beings in his image and likeness.

Both the creation of light and the creation of animals show the power and wisdom of God. What he created in the initial stage was a basis for what he would do next: people.

The human being was the climax of creation since only we were made in the image and likeness of God. Although we are related to the other creatures that he created, only we have the fatherhood of God. We are like a reflection of him in the world. God is the original model to which man must be compared, if we want to know the true nature of man.

Eunice Bryant highlights the implications of being created in the image of God. She said: “The Bible clearly defines the human being as a rational and moral being. We have a conscience and personal determination. We are different from the rest of creation, because we have a direct connection with the spiritual world, we know of the existence of God and we can communicate With Him. And through the Bible and the Holy Spirit, the Lord communicates with us.”

Only human being have the capacity for the special task that God gave us: to govern nature. Having created us in His image, we have the capacity to worship, love, obey and trust.

Of all the creatures that God made, only the human being can develop and maintain a personal relationship with him. And, consequently, we have the privilege and responsibility to work with the Lord.

Psalm 139 describes how God wants to be close to us. He wants a personal relationship with people on a very deep level. He wants to be close to us, even though he already knows us in privacy, because he made us. He formed us in the wombs of our mothers, knows how we were woven or formed and has planned out our days and knows our thoughts.

How was the universe created? It is not a difficult issue for most preschoolers to think. Knowing that God made the world and everything in it is enough for them and satisfies them. The important thing is to emphasize that God is the Creator. This is a fundamental basis to understand well who he is and his creation.

It is important that preschoolers understand that man has characteristics that distinguish him from other creatures created, because he was the highest creation of God.

Each person is important and has a special value for God. These are the biblical foundations for correct self-esteem and for understanding our abilities and attitudes towards material possessions.

You as a teacher can help your students experience this personal truth. This can be achieved by loving, appreciating and accepting each one of them.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Choose some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

God made man and woman

Use clay or play-do and let your students make figures of humans. If you do not have these materials, you can draw pictures of people. Tell them to show their finished work and ask: Who can tell me what was the last thing God created at the beginning of the world? (people). Let them respond and tell them that in today’s lesson we will talk more about it.

Mirror, mirror

Get a good sized mirror and place it in a safe place inside the room to avoid accidents. Every child should go and look at it. As they pass, ask: What do you see? (myself).

Tell them: What I see is part of God’s creation. He made people and loved them. He made me, and all of us who live in the world.

BIBLE

Through these activities, students learn biblical truth that they can tell others.

Different people

Look for pictures of people of different races in magazines or books, and show them to your students. Tell them that God created all people, and that, although we are made in His image and likeness, there are also differences that characterize us. However, even if we are different, God put feelings and emotions equally in all the people of his creation.

Bible Story

Keep the figures of Adam and Eve at hand to illustrate your story. Narrate the story in an entertaining way to capture the group’s attention.

God made people

Tell the children: In the last lesson we learned about everything that God created. Can anyone name anything? (Listen to the answers).

Having created the trees, the plants, the sky, the earth and the animals, he decided to do something very special: he formed man from the dust of the earth. Then breathed into him the breath of life, and the first man began to move and walk. God called this man Adam. He put him at the head of all creation, and gave him the task of naming all the animals. However, Adam felt alone, so the Lord decided to make a suitable friend for him and created Eve, the first woman.

God told them to take care of each other, and also of the plants and animals. He also allowed them to eat the fruit of the garden.

The Lord was very happy with his creation and the people he had created. He loved and cared for them. We are also a special part of God’s creation.

Review

Do a quick review of the story, singing some songs that speak about the creation of God. Encourage the children to express to the rest of the group how they feel to know that they are part of the Lord’s wonderful creation.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

What’s your name?

Give the kids the activity from their work book. Tell them to trace the Word of Faith and say what they learned in the class. Also, trim the animal figures corresponding to the Lesson from the Cut-Outs Section. As they tell the names Adam gave to the animals, help them stick the figures in the landscape of the activity sheet.

Let the children talk about their favorite animals, mentioning what they like most about them

God made me special

Have the group form a circle and sit down. Give one of them a sponge ball, which they must pass from hand to hand, as they sing a chorus of praise. When the chorus ends, the child with the ball must say why he is special to God, or what specific qualities he has. For example: “God made me special because I can run very fast”, or “because I can read very well,” etc.

Repeat the game until everyone has participated.

MEMORY VERSE

Before this Sunday, make silhouettes of children, a silhouette with one word of the verse on each one. Stick them in order on a wall and help the children read it. Repeat several times. Then start deleting some of the words and everyone will say it again. Repeat this action until you are done with the text.

When finished, save all words for use in the next class.

If you want to keep them in better condition, wrap the pieces with clear adhesive plastic. You can also color them, write the words by hand or paste them. If you do them on a computer, make sure they are large in size so they can be viewed from a distance.

Remember that preschoolers are beginning to read. Be patient with them and reinforce their learning through the biblical text.

WRAP UP

Help preschoolers remember everything they need to take home (worksheets, etc.). Thank everyone for attending today’s class. Announce something about the next lesson, trying to get their interest so they do not miss out.

Finish with a prayer. Do not forget to thank God for creating people in his image and likeness.

Lesson 20

ADAM AND EVE DISOBEY GOD

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Genesis 2:8-9; 3.

Lesson Objective: That the kids learn that Adam and Eve were disobedient to God.

Memory Verse: “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31a)

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

Adam and Eve lived in such a beautiful place that we could hardly imagine it. They were the ones who took care of the garden and the animals that lived there. They could walk with God and talk freely with Him. They had everything they needed, and there was no suffering in their hearts.

God had made them a very special part of his creation, and he cared for them.

Adam and Eve could eat of all the fruit that the trees produced, except one that was in the middle of the garden. That was the only restriction that God put on them. They accepted it without complaining, and lived happily in the beautiful garden.

But one day Eve was tempted. The temptation was to disobey the commandment that God had given them, and thus to have the same knowledge that he had. The snake was cunning and succeeded in deceiving the woman, who ate and shared the forbidden fruit with her husband.

Suddenly, her purity of mind and heart had vanished, and both were ashamed of their nakedness. From that moment, they began to experience a series of feelings that were unknown to them.

God rebuked the serpent for his deceit, and threw Adam and Eve out of the garden. Now they would have to work to be able to eat. Then he sent angels to guard the entrance to the garden, and put a sword of fire to prevent them from having access to the garden.

Even so, God continued to love them and all people, and provided them with coats of skins to cover themselves. In the same way, even though we are disobedient to God, he is willing to forgive us. He planned for the salvation of sinners through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus. We receive blessings by serving a God of grace and love.

CONTEXT

Obey or disobey? This question can be difficult for young children.

Many times the temptation seems too strong to resist.

Other times they are likely to feel confused about how they should act, and do not fully understand the concept of good and evil.

However, all people, whether children or adults, should know that disobedience is a sin against God. Human beings are rebellious by nature. Only the power of God can change our behavior and mold our heart and our emotions. Preschoolers are in a formative stage, in which they must distinguish between what is right from what is wrong. It is important that they know that they can decide how to behave, just like Adam and Eve.

This lesson will help them understand that when they disobey, they must always face the consequences, above all, of separation from God.

Pray that during this class you will always be obedient and do the will of God.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

What should I choose?

On a white card, write the names of your students in large letters that can be colored.

Put crayons or different colored pencils on the table, and ask them to choose the color they like best and color their name on the card. When you are finished, ask: Was it easy or difficult for you to choose a color? (Let them respond).

You can introduce the topic this way: Sometimes we have to make simple decisions and sometimes, difficult decisions. We can decide to be good and obedient, or behave inappropriately. God wants us to obey Him.

In today’s Bible story, we are going to hear about a decision that Adam and Eve made. Do you remember who Adam and Eve were? (The first people that God created).

BIBLE

These activities will help kids learn and understand the Biblical truth in a deeper way.

Adam and Eve

Have two figures that represent Adam and Eve at hand. Show them to the children, and talk about these biblical characters. Review how God created them, and what they did within the garden. Let your students picture the life of this couple in the garden of Eden.

Bible Story

Enriching the story with illustrations can help you better capture preschoolers’ attention. If you do not have visual resources on hand, modulate your voice and do an interactive class, allow the children to participate by giving their opinions to enrich the story.

Adam and Eve disobeyed

God, the Creator, had made a beautiful world. There were many plants, trees bearing fruit, and animals that walked quietly through the large garden. Adam and Eve were in charge of taking care of everything.

They lived very happily because God was always with them. They could walk in the garden while they talked to him. God allowed them to eat all the fruit of the trees in the garden. He had given them only one rule: they could not eat from the tree in the middle of the garden.

Something happened that changed the love story in that garden. Eve decided to disobey God and ate the forbidden fruit. Adam also ate. This couple was no longer happy. They had discouraged their friend, their Creator. They were to ashamed to walk with God. The Lord had to take Adam and Eve out of the garden. They could no longer be in that beautiful place. Now they would have to work for a living. However, God continued to love them, and made them clothes so that they did not become cold.

Despite their disobedience, God forgave them and continued to take care of them always.

CONNECTION

These activities will help the children relate biblical truth to their daily lives.

Obey or disobey?

Ask your students to draw a picture of times when they choose to be obedient or disobedient. For example: doing their homework or not, helping or not with chores, etc.

Give a short time for each one to show his drawing to the rest of the group.

Encourage them to always be obedient and grateful to God in all they do.

¡Oh... Oh!

Give the children their activity sheets and a pencil. Let them write their names, and trace the Word of Faith (CREATOR). Help those who are just starting to write.

You must connect the dots to see the complete drawing of the tree. Tell them to find Adam and Eve, and circle them. Then ask them to turn over the page to complete the scenes in the section from 1 to 3 (or have them do it with their parents). The children will have to cut and paste the images (from Cut-Out section) according to the sequence of events. Use this section to review the bible story.

MEMORY VERSE

Use the children’s silhouettes, which were suggested for the last class. Mix them together, and let the students put the words in the correct order, and repeat it together. Help the little ones or those who have difficulties with the memory verse.

Ask parents to review the memory verse during the week along with their children.

WRAP UP

Prayer should be a constant activity in the lives of preschoolers. Encourage them to pray in their homes and to pray for the people they love. On this occasion, direct them to ask God to help them to be obedient at all times.

Thank God for the forgiveness you all receive through Jesus.

Conclude the class by noting the importance of obedience for Christians. God wants us to be obedient to our parents and teachers. By obeying them, we are worshipping God.

Lesson 21

NOAH OBEYS GOD

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Genesis 6:9-22; 7:11; 8:22.

Lesson Objective: That the kids will learn that they must always obey God and desire him.

Memory Verse: “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31a)

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

God was very sad as he contemplated His creation. Evil and disobedience had filled the hearts of the people, and his world needed to be made clean.

God thought of the greatest natural disaster in the history of creation: a great flood. However, in the midst of the decaying destruction, once again God had mercy on an obedient man.

Noah loved God and obeyed Him. So God chose him to build an ark that would save him, his family, and animals. The Lord had decided to leave a remnant to revitalize and populate the earth again.

During the flood, Noah and his family were inside the ark for more than a year.

Then the great ship landed, and still the family was inside waiting for God’s instructions. Noah showed obedience and humility before his Creator, and did everything as he had been commanded.

After a long time, all who were in the ark went out. Immediately, Noah built an altar and offered a sacrifice to God to worship him, to thank him, and to acknowledge that only God could have saved them.

God made a covenant never to destroy the world again with water.

By Noah’s obedience, God decided that life would continue on this earth.

CONTEXT

Reflect on your attitude toward the commandments and requirements of God. Are you showing obedience in your daily actions?

Do you imitate Noah’s attitude in obeying God, even when circumstances are difficult?

To teach obedience to your students, you must first practice it.

Pray and ask the Lord to help you strengthen those aspects of your spiritual life that require it.

Obedience without question is a strange concept for many preschoolers. “Why?” is a question we hear from them when we ask them to do something.

In this lesson, tell them about the simple and humble obedience of Noah. Help them understand that God loves His children and wants us to love and obey Him.

It is important that your students are well grounded in the concept of obedience and that they recognize in this biblical character an example to follow.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

Noah’s Ark

Show the children an image of the ark. Let them enjoy telling what they know about the story.

Tell them: In today’s story we are going to discover how the man who built the ark obeyed God.

What animal is this?

Tell your students the following riddles, and ask those who know the answer to stand up and say it out loud:

This animal has a mustache and is not heavy. Ah! How delicious it is to eat cheese! (A mouse).

Yellow singer, very dear, lives in a nest (A canary).

It’s very speedy and delights in carrots. (The rabbit).

The stripped one that crosses the jungle, be careful with him! (A Tiger).

Slow walker, it lives on land or in the sea (The tortoise).

At the end of the activity, say to them: I am very happy because God made many different and beautiful animals. Today’s story speaks of a man who decided to obey God, and saved many animals.

BIBLE

Use these activities to teach the biblical truth and reinforce the knowledge in the class.

My favorite animal

Bring a picture of your favorite animal to the class. Ask the children what they like about it and some of its characteristics. Allow time for some children to tell the group about their favorite animal as well.

Introduce the story, saying: Today we will talk about how Noah saved animals and mankind when he obeyed God.

Bible Story

If you have visual materials about the lesson, do not hesitate to use them. If not, draw an ark on cardboard, and get clippings, drawings or photographs of animals. Draw a picture that represents Noah, and use these illustrations as visual aids during your story.

Noah obeys God

After God created Adam and Eve, many people were born. They all lived in the beautiful world that God created.

As time passed, people forgot God and did what was wrong. They no longer listened to his voice and disobeyed him. They did what they knew was wrong. That made God very sad, so much so that he wished he had not created people.

But Noah was a man who loved the Lord and had obeyed him all his life. One day God said, “You are the only good and righteous person on the whole earth. The others are bad and disrespectful. Therefore, I will send a huge flood to cleanse the earth from all evil. Build an ark for your family and for two of each species of animals. In this way they will be safe from the water. “

Noah worked hard to build the ark. God led pairs of all kinds of animals to the ark, and led them into the ark. Noah’s family also entered. God closed the ark door and it began to rain. It rained for forty days and forty nights.

When the rain stopped falling, the whole earth was covered with water. The only thing Noah could see was water everywhere. All that was left was the ark and everything inside it. After the water level began to go down, the ark settled on a mountain. 40 days passed, and Noah sent a crow out, which returned shortly. Then he decided to send a dove. It could not find dry land, so it returned to the ark. Noah waited another seven days, and sent the dove out again. It came back with an olive leaf.

That meant the earth was blooming again.

Seven days passed, and Noah sent the dove again. This time it did not return because it had found dry land to live on.

Finally, all the water dried up. It was then that Noah, his family and the animals came out of the ark. God placed a beautiful rainbow in the sky, and promised never to send another flood to destroy the earth.

Noah built an altar of stones and thanked God for saving them from the flood.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

Two by two

Give the children the activity sheet, and give them time to connect animal pairs. Review the story together and turn the page to see the animals that were inside the ark. Trace the Word of Faith and the numbers at the bottom.

Craft: My rainbow

Provide each student with half a paper plate. Allow them to decorate it with markers. Prepare several strips of colored paper to stick them on their plates, forming a rainbow. Help them glue one end of the paper strips to the curved side of the middle of the plate, which should stick out from the plate so that when the plates are waved, the strips can move easily.

As you work, mention that the rainbow is a reminder that God cares for us and loves us.

MEMORY VERSE

Arrange your students in a row, and tell them that when you say “up” they should stretch as high as possible, like trying to touch the ceiling, and at the same time say the memory verse out loud. But, when you say “go down,” they should crouch as low as they can, and say the text quietly. Repeat the game several times to reinforce the memory verse.

WRAP UP

To finish the class, thank God for the care He has for his children.

Emphasize that God cared for Noah in a special way because he was an obedient man. Encourage them to obey God always.

Year 1 INTRODUCTION TO UNIT VI

THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT ABRAHAM

Unit Objective: Through this unit, preschoolers will learn that God kept the promises he made to Abraham.

Memory Verse: “Abraham was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises.” (Romans 4:21, NIV).

Word of Faith: PROMISE: This means to keep our word. God always does what he promises.

Unit Lessons

Lesson 22 God makes Abraham a promise.

Lesson 23 Lot makes a decision.

Lesson 24 God keeps his promise to Abraham.

Lesson 25 The birth of Isaac.

Lesson 26 Eliezer finds a wife for Isaac.

Main points of the lessons for preschoolers:

— Abraham believed in God’s promise and was obedient to His command.

— God is pleased when we make good decisions.

— God keeps His promises.

— You can run to God when you need help.

Abraham is called the “father of the faith” because he patiently waited for the time of the fulfillment of the promise that God had made to him. All the stories of this unit tell us facts of faith and courage in the life of this biblical patriarch.

There is a possibility that some of your students may have experienced disappointments that undermined their confidence in people. Help them regain that trust by letting them know that God will never let them down. Encourage them to place all their trust in the Lord, just as Abraham did.

Preschoolers need to know that God is faithful and that He always keeps His promises. While teaching the lessons of this unit, emphasize God’s faithfulness to his children. Remind them that we can trust that he will keep his promises, because he has power to do what he says.

Lesson 22

GOD MAKES A PROMISE TO ABRAHAM

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Genesis 12:1-7.

Lesson Objective: That the kids learn that Abraham believed in God’s promise and was obedient.

Memory Verse: “Abraham was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises.” (Romans 4:21).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

Abraham was a man blessed by God, for which he loved and honored him. He had many riches, and a good wife who loved him very much. He lived in a very important region, called Mesopotamia, where the land was fertile and inhabited by many people.

When God told him to leave that place and go to another land, it was a very difficult time for him. To fulfill the Lord’s command, he had to leave his relatives and the security of his home, to venture into a strange and unknown land.

However, this man decided to trust God and His promises. He left his parents, took his family and his belongings, and set out on his way.

God had promised that he would always be by his side and that he would multiply his offspring as much as the stars of heaven. The Lord wanted to form a great nation through him and give him a special land to live in.

This promise affected the future of the whole world. Through his trust and obedience, Abraham became an instrument of God to bless all nations. Like him, we have to decide whether we trust in God’s promises and obey him, or follow our own path.

Reflect on your life: Have you ever had to make a difficult decision to obey God? Do you trust the promises he has for you? How do your decisions affect your relationship with God?

We as teachers are also instruments of the Lord to bless the lives of the students. They are affected by our attitude towards life. Follow the example of Abraham by trusting in the absolute power of God.

CONTEXT

The students in this class need to learn two fundamental truths through this lesson: the first is that God keeps his promises, and the second is that we must be obedient to him. When we trust in the Lord’s promises and are obedient, we can find peace and well-being.

Preschoolers explored the concept of obedience through some previous lessons. Now they know that obedience and disobedience have different consequences.

Sometimes they choose the path of unrighteousness and suffer punishment. Through this study you will know the example of Abraham, a man of faith and obedience. Remember to apply biblical truth to the everyday context of your students, so that learning is more meaningful.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

Exercise of Trust

Place several objects, such as small balls, cotton, sponges and some candy in a paper bag or dark container. No object should be sharp, to prevent children from getting hurt.

Ask everyone to pass and put their hands inside the bag or container. They must touch the elements it contains, and then return to their place. When everyone has participated, reflect with them and say: I would never ask you to do something that would hurt you. You trusted me, and put your hands in the bag without knowing what was inside.

Allow them to express how they felt when searching inside the bag without being able to see the contents. Explain that today’s Bible story is about a man who obeyed God, even though he did not know what his destiny would be.

Let’s sing!

Sing with your students songs that speak of faith and obedience. Have them form a circle and spin or jump. Remind them that when we sing, we praise God, and that is a way to obey His commandments.

BIBLE

The following activities will help your students learn the biblical truth.

A great movement

Take the children out of the room for a moment. You can play a game with the kids while an adult helps put all the chairs in a group at one end of the room.

Then, return to the classroom and ask: Where are our chairs? (Let them respond). We will have to put them where they were before so you have somewhere to sit.

When the classroom is ready, again, take a break and tell them: Moving from one place to another is a difficult job. We got tired of moving the chairs. God asked Abraham to move and that includes many jobs. We will learn more of this in today’s story.

Bible Story

Tell the children to sit down and ask them to pay close attention during the story. Mention that when they hear the name “Abraham” they should move their heads back and forth, nodding.

A big move

The story of Abraham happened a long time ago. He was a man who loved and obeyed God. His house was in a very distant place, called Mesopotamia. He was very rich, had many animals, gold, silver and people who served him. He lived happily, close to all his relatives, and with his wife Sara.

One day, God told him that He wanted him to leave his parents and his land to move to another place. God promised that he would never leave him, and that he would make his ancestors into a great nation. He also told him that he would bless him greatly and that all the people of the world would be blessed through him.

Abraham trusted God and obeyed what God had commanded him. He left all of his friends, packed his luggage and, along with his wife, his servants and his animals, began a long journey. He wanted to do the will of God. He trusted in the promises of the Lord, and was sure that He would never leave him. So they traveled to a place called Canaan.

When they arrived, they thanked God and worshiped him. Again God spoke to him and said, “I will give you all this land that you see for your children.” Abraham knew that this was true, because God always kept His promises.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

God makes a promise to Abraham

Gather the children around the table. Give them the activity sheets and allow them to cut out the donkey corresponding to this lesson from the Cut-Out section.

Review the story as they color the figures of Abraham and Sarah. Then provide them with glue to place the donkey in the corresponding place. Follow the example in the student book.

Finally, have them trace the Word of Faith (PROMISE) and write their name.

Fulfilled Promises

Before beginning the class, assure your students that they will have a play time. After finishing the activity, collect all the material and prepare to play their favorite game. Tell them that you fulfilled the promise you made at the beginning of the class. We must all keep the promises we make. God also keeps His promises. He loves us and wants the best for us.

MEMORY VERSE

Tell your group to sit down and make a circle. Put yourself in the center. Throw them a ball. The child who receives it should stand up and say the memory verse (Romans 4:21).

Repeat this exercise in such a way that all of your students participate. Help the little ones who have difficulties with the Memory Verse.

WRAP UP

Have a prayer time and intercede for the requests the students have brought. Let us pray and thank God for having always fulfilled His promises.

Emphasize Abraham’s obedience and encourage children to be obedient during the week. Give them the activities you’ve done and say goodbye.

Lesson 23

LOT MAKES A DECISION

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Genesis 13:5-7.

Lesson Objective: That students learn that God is pleased when we make good decisions.

Memory Verse: “Abraham was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.” (Romans 4:21).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

Abraham and his family went through a problem common to most families: They did not have enough space!

God had blessed Abraham and his brother Lot after they moved into the land of Canaan. Their families were very prosperous, and they had many animals and belongings. Their herds were so large that the pastures were not sufficient for them, and the shepherds quarreled with each other.

Abraham was worried; He did not want to have problems with his nephew, so they decided to separate and to live in different lands. Lot chose to live on the fertile plain of the Jordan, while Abraham settled in Canaan, the place that God had sent him.

Abraham always trusted in the promise of God, and he stayed to live in that place; He knew God would continue to prosper him.

CONTEXT

During this stage of their development, children learn to make decisions. Often, some people feel ashamed to express their opinions. Allow your class time to be a place where your students can experience making some decisions with freedom. Help them understand that decisions, whether good or bad, always have consequences. Every decision gives us the opportunity to grow and learn.

Preschoolers have to make constant decisions. Watch them while they decide during class. Do they feel confident or insecure when deciding? Some decisions are more important than others. That is why they should learn during the course of this lesson that God can help them when they do not know which decision is right.

God is powerful and wise; He knows what is best for us. When we trust in His will and ask for help, we can be sure that we make the right decisions.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

Different ways

Give each member of your class a piece of white paper and colored pieces of paper. Ask them to use the colored papers, make the shapes they want, and then stick them on the white paper.

Tell them: Each of you work on your own paper and make your own figures according to your tastes. All the work is different. Each person makes different decisions, some which are more important than others. God gave us the ability to decide, but not only that, He also wants to help us decide the right thing.

My animals

Provide your students with play dough for modeling, and also chopsticks. Ask the children to shape their favorite animals. They can make as many as the quantity of material allows them.

When everyone has their animals ready, ask them: What would happen if there were so many animals that they occupied the whole space of the table? (They would have to take some animals to other tables.)

Mention that today’s story is about a problem between Abraham and his nephew Lot for the animals they had, and they will find out what they decided to do.

BIBLE

These activities will help children learn biblical truth.

Have them sit in the place you want them to listen to the story (they can sit on the chairs, on the floor or stand up if they prefer).

Tell them that the story they will hear speaks about the choices that Lot and Abraham had to make about where they would live.

Bible Story

Lot makes a decision

Abraham and Lot possessed many sheep and goats; These animals feed on grass and, being so many, there wasn’t enough grass for all the animals to eat. The shepherds of the flocks of Abraham and Lot often complained. They always fought over the terrain.

Abraham decided to speak with his nephew Lot and said, “Lot, you and I have many animals. You are part of my family, you are my nephew, and I love you. Our workers can not continue fighting. We can no longer live in the same place; we have to separate. You can choose where you want to live first. If you go to the left, I will go to the right, but if you go to the right, I’ll go left.”

Lot and Abraham looked at the land around them. Lot looked toward a valley to the east near the Jordan River. It was very large, and it was full of grass and trees and water; So he said, “I will go and live in the plain of the Jordan River.”

Then he took his family, his laborers and his animals, and brought them to the new land they would inhabit.

Abraham respected the decision of his nephew and stayed in Canaan. He knew that God would fulfill his promise to take care of him and his family. God was very pleased to see the faith of Abraham.

Again, the Lord spoke to him and said, “All the land you see I will give to you and to your descendants forever. I will make your offspring as the sand of the earth: that if any man can number the sand of the earth, his seed also shall be numbered. Rise up and walk the earth far and wide, for I will give it to you” (verses 15-17). Abraham trusted that God would fulfill His promise.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

Lot makes a decision

Hand out the worksheets from the student’s book, and have the children look in the Cut- out Section for the figures corresponding to this lesson. Provide scissors and allow the children to cut out the figures and glue them in the clouds to the side of Lot.

Tell them: Lot was Abraham’s nephew and they lived together, but there was not enough grass to feed their animals. Today we learned that Abraham allowed Lot to decide where he wanted to go.

In the figures that you put on your activity sheet, we can see the two options that Lot had. Draw a line that links Lot to the land he chose.

Remember, Lot chose the land that looked better, with lots of grass, trees and a river that crossed it. (Let them color Lot’s tunic with colors.).

I can decide!

Emphasize that just as Lot made a decision in today’s story, we too can decide. Turn over the activity sheet, and have your students draw a picture of something they can decide to do at home. For example: “I can decide to play with my brother”; “I can decide to help Mom,” etc. Ask them to show their drawings to the rest of the group.

Fruit basket

During this game, your students will be able to exercise their ability to decide. Each child should choose the name of a different fruit. The whole room will become a large basket of fruit.

Arrange the chairs in a large circle, leave enough space for them to move inside. You should stand at one end while all remain seated: You should mention the name of two or three fruits (for example: apple, orange and pear). Students who have chosen these fruits must leave their place and move to another unoccupied chair. When you say, “fruit basket,” everyone should leave their places and look for others. There will not be any empty chairs. Option: In each round, a chair should be removed. This way someone will be left without a seat and will have to leave the game. The last one left will be the winner.

MEMORY VERSE

Have the children form a circle. Give them a ball, which they must pass from hand to hand, while you make a sound (you can use a tambourine, bells, music, etc.). When the music is over, the child holding the ball in their hands should stand up and say the memory verse. Continue the game until everyone has participated.

WRAP UP

Give your students the work they did during class time, and ask them not to miss next week.

Pray and include all the requests the children brought that day. Remind them to ask God for help when they have to make difficult decisions.

Lesson 24

GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISE TO ABRAHAM

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Genesis 17:5; 18:1-10, 16-19.

Lesson Objective: To help students learn that God keeps his promises.

Memory Verse: “Abraham was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.” (Romans 4:21).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

Abraham had always obeyed and believed in God. The Lord promised that he would be the father of a great nation who would inhabit the land of Canaan. However, Abraham was very old and had no children with his wife Sarah. They waited with patience and trust in the power of God. When three visitors arrived near the tent of Abraham, he could feel the presence of God, who confirmed his plans for him and his family.

Through this visit, God wanted to remind his son Abraham that he never forgets his promises, and that although he has had to wait a long time, he should not doubt God’s power.

CONTEXT

The reality of those who were Abraham’s visitors will be difficult to understand for young children. Instead, they can understand that God was with the visitors, and that it was He who sent them to visit Abraham. The focus of this lesson is that God keeps His promises, even when we have to wait. For children, this isn’t difficult to understand. Each year they look forward to special events such as their birthday or Christmas.

Remember that your students are growing up in an “immediate response” society. At present, everything is so automatic that waiting times have been greatly shortened. That is why it is very important to cultivate patience in the minds and hearts of preschoolers.

The time Abraham had to wait was valuable, since now he and Sarah would have a son. Help your students realize that they can trust and believe in the promises of God, even when that amounts to waiting.

Abraham had to wait for the promise that God had made to him to be fulfilled. Learning to wait is important for spiritual growth.

Provide activities for your students to learn to expect what they want.

Preschoolers want adults to keep their promises. Maybe sometimes they do not understand why some promise could not be fulfilled. Adults need to be aware of how important it is to keep the promises we make to children. For a child, the promise to go out to play may be more important than the fact that it is raining.

Remind your students that Abraham waited for God’s promise that he would give him a son. It seemed that he and Sara were too old to have a baby. However, God kept His promise.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

Clean the tent

Place a small tent in one of the room’s corners or ask the children to help you create one using chairs and sheets. Invite them to come inside it, and ask: How do they prepare at home when they expect a visitor? (Let them mention situations like: cleaning the house, preparing food, etc.).

Tell them: Let’s prepare a tent for visitors. (You can provide a broom and / or paper towels to clean inside the tent).

Ask: What do you remember about what we said about Abraham in the last 2 lessons? What was the promise that God made to Abraham? In today’s story, Abraham is still waiting for God to fulfill that promise. We will talk about when he lived in a tent and welcomed some very special visitors.

BIBLE

Use the following activity to teach the biblical truth.

Three visitors

Before class, ask a brother in your church to tell the Bible story to the children. He can dress up like in Bible times, if you like. Invite two more to join you in the class.

Say: Welcome to our class! We are very happy to have you with us. We are going to talk about Abraham and three very special visitors who went to his tent one day. Can any of you tell us more about this Bible story?

Have the children sit in a semicircle near the visitors, and ask them to pay attention during the storytelling.

Bible Story

One very hot day, Abraham was resting outside his tent, when he saw three men approaching. So he stood up to greet them.

“I’ll bring you water so you can wash their feet and then rest,” he said. “I will also bring you something to eat.”

“Thank you very much.” The men gladly accepted, for they were tired, hungry, and very hot.

“You’re welcome. Make yourself at home.” Abraham hurried to find his wife Sara and told her:

“Hurry! Please take the finest flour and make bread.”

Then he went to where his animals were, took a calf and gave it to one of his servants to cook. Then he gathered some milk and butter, and attended to the visitors by offering them a delicious meal.

As they ate, Abraham stood under a tree. “Where is your wife?” asked the men. “Inside the tent,” said Abraham.

“We came to tell you that Sarah, your wife, will have a son,” said one of them.

The men got up and left. Abraham showed them the way that would lead them to the next city they would visit. As they walked, God spoke to Abraham about His promise.

God sent these visitors to remind Abraham that he had not forgotten the promise he had made to him long ago.

At the end of the story, invite one of your visitors to tell the group of an example of how God keeps His promises.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

God keeps his promises

Hand out the activity sheet of the student’s book, and look for the figures corresponding to this lesson (the visitors, the bread and the drinking vessel) in the Cut-Out Section.

Ask the children to cut them out carefully and, while reviewing what has been taught, tell them to stick each figure in the correct place. Visitors should go to the side of the table, as if seated, and the food on the tablecloth. See the student book example.

Tell them to trace the Word of Faith of the unit, and hand in the sheet to be taken home and perform the activity together with their parents.

The traffic light game

Perform this game hinting at patience, and follow the instructions:

Draw the figure of a traffic light or circles of paper with the colors that have the traffic lights (red, yellow and green). All children should be involved in this game.

Children should be put in a circle and be attentive to the teacher’s directions.

You should give an explanation of the meaning of the colors of the traffic light, then they are to act according to the traffic light color that you show them.

The red color indicates that the children should remain standing.

The yellow color means they can run slowly.

The green color means that they can run at maximum speed.

Take some time to show various colors and have the kids act accordingly.

This will help them to wait and obey instructions. Sometimes, like the moment when we are in the light of a traffic light, we have to wait. God wants us to be patient and trust Him.

MEMORY VERSE

This can be done in groups or individually. You will need to have the verse written on a card, and scissors. Depending on the activity, whether individual or group, give the verse to the children to cut it and separate it word for word, or bring it prepared in advance. Let the children put the words of the verse in the right order as they memorize it.

WRAP UP

Have a prayer time for your students and the requests they have mentioned. Give thanks to God for teaching us to be patient through the example of Abraham. Encourage the children to show patience during the week at home, and to tell others what they learned today in the Bible story.

Invite them to continue attending and, if possible, invite a friend to the next class.

Lesson 25

THE BIRTH OF ISAAC

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Genesis 21:1-8.

Lesson Objective: That kids will understand that God has the power to keep his promises.

Memory Verse: “Abraham was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises.” (Romans 4:21).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

Abraham was over a hundred years old when Isaac was born, and Sarah his wife was an old woman. Although his faith was tested after a long period of waiting, God kept his promise.

The fulfillment of God’s promise made Sarah’s incredulous laugh turn into gratefulness. When Isaac was three years old, they had a great party in which they celebrated. Think of a time in your life when God has fulfilled one of his promises, and thank Him for that. Remember and relate the joy you felt while teaching this lesson to your students.

CONTEXT

Children need the reaffirmation that God keeps His promises. It is sad to know that perhaps some in your class live in homes where promises are made, but they are never fulfilled. It may be difficult for them to understand that God does keep His promises.

Some preschoolers have parents who strive to deliver on what they promise. However, circumstances may prevent these promises from being fulfilled. It is important for children to learn that God keeps His promises and that He has sufficient power to do so.

Preschoolers often say what their prayer requests are to others. Does the faith of children grow through requests for prayer? Do you see growth in their confidence that God is with them in every situation? In this lesson, we see the fulfillment of the promise that God made to Abraham, through the birth of Isaac.

Preschoolers enjoy listening to stories about God. It is easy for children to believe and treasure Bible stories. As children begin to discover the wonder of this story, help them recognize that God is fulfilling what He promises. Reinforce the concept that God promised Abraham a son, and emphasize the joy that Abraham and Sarah felt when God allowed them to have Isaac.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

A baby!

Get pictures, clippings or illustrations of babies. Start a conversation with your students about their characteristics. Let them talk about their experiences with babies if they have younger siblings.

Let them know that when a couple has a child, they feel very happy and want to give their child the best.

Give the children a half a piece of white paper, and have them draw a picture of themselves when they were babies. As they work, tell them that in today’s story, they will learn about a baby that God promised to parents.

When the drawings are ready, stick them up around the room to decorate.

BIBLE

Use this activity to teach your children the biblical truth.

Bible Story

The friends of Abraham and Sarah were delighted with the news of Isaac’s birth. Sarah was a very old woman, and Abraham was a hundred years old when he became a father. They were too old to have a baby!

“God has been very good!” said Sara.

“Yes, Sarah, God has kept His promise” replied Abraham, “This baby is a gift from God to us.”

“It is the fulfillment of the promise that God made to you,” concluded Sarah.

“That’s right,” said Abraham.

Time passed very quickly, and at last the long-awaited baby was born. Abraham smiled as he looked at his beautiful, healthy son. Everyone was very excited. Sara held the baby in her arms and thanked God for the opportunity to be a mother.

“God has made me smile, and everyone who knows will be happy with me,” Sara said.

“Our son will be called Isaac, which means smile,” Abraham said.

“That will be so,” said Sara.

They were happy as they watched their son grow up.

When Isaac was two or three years old he was ready to eat many solid foods, so Abraham and Sarah had a great feast, and everyone celebrated with them.

They were very happy because they knew that God kept His promise.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

Let’s take care of babies

For this activity, you will need a baby doll. Encourage each child to hold it for a few minutes, and then ask: How should we care for this baby? Why do babies make adults happy? (Let children respond and help if necessary).

After each child has held the doll, ask: Why were Abraham and Sarah so happy to have Isaac? (Listen to their answers).

They loved Isaac because he was their son, and they knew that through him, God fulfilled his promise. The Bible tells us that God has power to keep His promises (Romans 4:21).

The birth of Isaac

Give each child an activity sheet. Have them write their name on the sheet, and tell them: Isaac is the son of Abraham and Sarah. The Bible says she smiled when her son was born. The name Isaac means “smile.” Can you guess what is missing in the drawing? (The smile on the face of Sarah and Abraham).

Children can color the picture if they wish, and draw smiles on the faces of biblical people. Then, they should cut out the figure of baby Isaac located on the Cut-Out page, and then stick it on Sara’s arms.

Remind them that God has the power to keep His promises (Romans 4:21).

Let’s keep our promises

Have the children form a circle. Tell them: God fulfilled the promise he made to his friend Abraham by giving him Isaac, his son. Now we are going to think about the promises we have made and what we must keep. I’m going to start by telling you about a promise that I made and want to keep (for example, “I promised to visit my grandmother”). Then I am going to pass this ball to some of you, and the one who receives it has to tell us a promise that must be fulfilled. When you have finished, you will pass the ball to someone who has not yet participated, and so on.

This game is a way through which your students can express themselves.

MEMORY VERSE

Have your students form a circle. Give them a ball that must go from hand to hand, while you make a sound (you can use a tambourine, bells, music, etc.). When the music stops, the child holding the ball in their hands should stand up and say the memory verse. Continue the game until everyone has participated.

WRAP UP

Give the students the work they did during the class and ask them not to miss next week. Get them together, and comment on the activities. Emphasize that although people often fail to deliver on what they promise, we can trust that God will always be true to His promises.

Encourage them to express their prayer requests. After praying for these requests, end with this prayer: “Thank you, God, for your love. Thank you for always keeping your promises. You have the power to do what you promise. We love you. We pray in the name of Jesus, amen.”

Evaluate the development of your class and look for ways to enrich the next one, so that your group’s learning becomes increasingly meaningful.

Lesson 26

ELIEZER FINDS A WIFE FOR ISAAC

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Genesis 24:1-66.

Lesson Objective: That the children learn that we can go to God when we need help.

Memory Verse: “Abraham was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.” (Romans 4:21).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

God kept His promise with the birth of Isaac. However, for the promise to continue, Isaac needed a wife who believed in God. Abraham wanted Isaac to marry a woman from his hometown, not a woman from Canaan. He trusted that God would fulfill His promise and that He would give the right wife to His son.

The servant of Abraham was a man of God whose name was Eliezer. He made a very solemn oath to find a wife for Isaac. He prayed and asked God to help him in the search. Rebecca fulfilled all the requirements. Her arrival at the well and all that followed proved that God was answering Eliezer’s request.

When was the last time you sincerely sought the help of God in any situation?

How did God’s response fulfill your request? As you pray for your students, remember that the power of God is available to you and to the children you teach.

CONTEXT

Preschoolers gradually become more independent, wanting to do everything for themselves. In their struggle for independence, they can divert their gaze from those figures who represent authority. However, even in the “I can do it alone” stage, young children allow an adult to help them, after trying on their own without getting results.

Preschoolers need to understand that they can always seek God when they need help. It is important for them to see that you as an adult also depend on the help of God. He is much more than a father or a teacher, and he is always available to help them at all times.

Let your students know that God wants to help them and that he always listens to their prayers.

The way children understand God’s love and the wonder of His promises is through their experiences with the world around them. Sometimes children experience actions opposite to the nature of God’s love. This story provides an opportunity to affirm that God

keeps His promises. Encourage children to trust God and seek His help.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

Isaac grows

For this activity, you will need some pictures of when you were a child. Glue or tape the pictures on a poster board. While the children look at them, tell them: These pictures are from when I was little. Do you notice the difference between each one of them? Remember who we talked about last week?

Abraham and Sarah had a son. Isaac did not stay small. What do you think happened to Isaac? (He became an adult). God fulfilled the promise he made to Abraham when Isaac was born. Now the promise to create a great nation through Abraham had to continue. Isaac needed to have his own children.

Let us see and learn about Isaac as he grew and developed.

Ask for help

Take a seat on a chair or on a bench. Tell the children: I need to get up. Can you help me, “Luis?” While Luis helps you, say: Thanks Luis. Sometimes we need help. Asking for help is a good thing, and we can always ask God for help.

Abraham sent his servant Eliezer to find a wife for Isaac. What do you think Eliezer did first? (He prayed for God to help him). You can repeat this activity with each child.

BIBLE

The following activity will help you narrate the story to your students.

March towards the story

Before beginning the Bible story, have all the children walk around the room. As they march, say: Abraham sent his servant Eliezer to find a wife for Isaac. So he prayed and asked God to help him find her. Do you think Eliezer found the wife for Isaac when he stopped at a well? (Let the children respond, and then tell them to sit down and listen to the story.)

Bible Story

God helps Abraham’s servant

Isaac was the son of Abraham and Sarah. He was born when they were old. Abraham saw Isaac grow, become a child, then an adult. He knew it was time for Isaac to marry, and he wanted him to have a very special wife.

Abraham said to his servant, “Eliezer, go to my land. I need you to find a woman to marry Isaac. She must believe in God. Promise me that you will. “

Eliezer promised Abraham that he would seek the woman for Isaac. So he began to pack special gifts and food to start his journey. The desert was dry and very hot. When Eliezer stopped at a well, he decided to ask God for help.

“God, please send a wife to Isaac,” Eliezer prayed. And he asked God to bring the special woman to the well. “Oh Lord, please allow the woman to give me water for my camels.”

And a woman named Rebecca came to the well, and provided water for Eliezer and his camels.

God answered his request! He knew she was the woman who would marry Isaac! So, he went to Rebecca’s house and gave gifts to her family. He returned to Abraham’s home and took Rebecca with him.

Rebecca and Isaac were married. Eliezer knew that God had helped him find the ideal wife for Isaac. The promise of God would now continue through their children.

CONNECTION

Use this activity to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

Prayer and praise

After telling the story, tell the children: Eliezer prayed to God and asked for help to find Isaac’s wife. Can you tell me how God answered his prayer? Have you ever needed God’s help? Remember that your parents and teachers can help.

It can also help you to know what God wants you to do. You can depend on him to help you when you need something.

How can we ask God for help? (Through prayer).

Who can say the Word of Faith? (PROMISE). What is a promise? (Doing what we say we will do).

God keeps His promises because He loves us and has the power to do so.

Eliezer finds a spouse for Isaac

Distribute the activity sheets of the student’s book, and allow the children to look for the figure of Rebecca in the Cut-Out Section and cut it out. Each one should write his name at the bottom of the activity sheet and color Eliezer’s drawing. Next, give them glue to glue the figure of Rebecca beside the well.

If you wish, you can use this activity to review the Bible lesson.

Prayer Hands

Turn over the activity sheet, and trace the Word of Faith.

Tell your students: On this side of the paper we can see the figure of hands in an attitude of prayer. They remind us that we can pray when we need help, just as Eliezer did.

Let preschoolers paint the hands, and then decorate the rest of the activity sheet.

MEMORY VERSE

Put several pieces of paper with different instructions in a container, such as: Say the text while you jump. Cry as you say the text. Recite the text loudly. Say the text with funny gestures. Say the text while laughing, etc.

Put the container in the middle, and have the children pass by one by one to take a piece of paper and follow the directions they they draw out. They must repeat the memory verse.

WRAP UP

Briefly review the unit since it ends today, emphasizing the truth we find in God’s promises and the importance of trusting in them. In conclusion, remind the children that we should follow Abraham’s example and trust in God’s direction for our lives.

Pray for your students and invite them to the next class. If possible, introduce the next unit.

Year 1 INTRODUCTION TO UNIT VII

THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT JOSEPH

Unit Objective: Through this unit, preschoolers will learn that God wants families to love and care for each other.

Memory Verse: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, you must love one another. (John 13:34, NIV)

Word of Faith: LOVE: To show tenderness and care towards others. God loves everyone.

Unit Lessons

Lesson 27 Jacob loves his son Joseph.

Lesson 28 Joseph finds his brothers.

Lesson 29 Joseph helps his family.

Lesson 30 Jacob loves his grandchildren.

Main points of the lessons for preschoolers:

The love between members of a family must be shown in the care, love and protection of one another.

Through Bible teaching we know that God wants people to love and care for one another, especially when it comes to family members. Parents should love and care for their children in the same way that children should love and respect their parents.

Families must function on the basis of love and respect, placing God as the foundation.

As you know, although Joseph was very loved by his father, it was not so with his brothers. The same situation may occur in your classroom. Take special care when teaching these lessons if you know that there are any children whose parents have died, are separated or have disabilities.

Remember to emphasize that God is the source of all perfect love.

Encourage preschoolers to love their families, and to live according to Bible teachings to be a blessing to their family.

Lesson 27

JACOB LOVES HIS SON JOSEPH

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Genesis 30:22-24; 37:2-3.

Lesson Objective: To help kids understand that families should love and care for each other.

Memory Verse: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34)

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

The story of Joseph’s birth involves a series of very unique facts that help us understand many events in the life of this young servant of God. In the first place, Rachel, the mother of Joseph, and Leah were sisters, and wives of the same man. Jacob, the father of Joseph, loved Rachel more, but she was barren, while Leah was the mother of his children.

After many years Rachel had a son, whom she named Joseph, which means “given by God,” because he was a response to the prayers of his parents.

Jacob loved Joseph deeply, and as a sign of his affection, he presented him with a robe of beautiful colors, which was a sign of distinction and luxury. He was not to be employed as a field worker, like the other sons of Jacob, who worked as shepherds and wore short and simple robes. This story reminds us of the unconditional love that God shows his children.

CONTEXT

Jacob’s favoritism for one of his sons was not correct, yet this account shows us the unconditional love of a father to a son. In 1 Corinthians 13:7, this kind of love is described as a love that “always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

It is important to emphasize that the family is the immediate world of young children, and it is in this nucleus that they experience unconditional love and acceptance, or on the contrary, rejection and pain. For those children who are sure of the love of a family, Jacob’s feelings toward Joseph will be easy to understand. However, some children do not feel loved, and for them it will be more difficult to understand the concept of this story.

All children should grow up with the knowledge that the people of the church are part of an extended spiritual family, a living example of what a loving family represents. You, as a teacher, have the important task of helping your students understand paternal love and the love of God, and the importance of bonding with the family of faith.

Take advantage of today’s Bible story opportunity to encourage your students to be loving to one another and to live in harmony with their family.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

Draw your family

Invite your students to draw a picture of their family, color it and tell the class what they like about them.

Help them color their figures and write the name of each member of their family in the drawing.

Emphasize that God wants families to love and care for themselves, and encourage your students to show their feelings to family members.

Paper Tunics

You will need large paper bags or empty sugar packets, scissors, markers, glitter, and glue.

Cut the paper bags and make a hole on the bottom to form the neck hole. Then make two holes at the sides for the arms. Cut one bag for each child in your class. Allow each of your students to decorate their bag. You can paint it and add glitter. Put the name of each member of your class on the bag. Allow time for the robes to dry, and ask the children to put them on to review the Bible story.

As the children make their robes, say: Today’s Bible story is about Jacob and his son Joseph. Jacob loved his son Joseph very much and made him a very special gift, a robe of beautiful colors. You can make a beautiful robe as a souvenir of today’s Bible story.

What do families do?

You will need drawings or magazine clippings showing families doing different activities, cardboard or construction paper.

With the drawings or cutouts, form sheets by gluing them to construction paper or cardboard (you can decorate the edges of your sheets with colors and make them more striking for your students).

Show your class the pictures one by one, and explain the importance of families and how they are shaped. Ask your students about their families and the activities they do together. It is important for them to understand that God’s plan for parents is to love their children and to help one another.

BIBLE

Choose among the following ideas that will help your students experience and understand the Bible story.

Songs of love

Put together songs with your group that speak about God’s love. If possible, teach your children a song they do not know and tell them: God’s plan for parents is to love their children; Today’s story is about Jacob, who loved his son Joseph very much and gave him a very special gift. How do your parents show love to you? (Allow them to answer).

Bible Story

Open your Bible to the study passage and keep it open throughout the story so your students will learn that what they hear comes from the Word of God.

Jacob loves Joseph

Jacob and his wife Rachel had a baby. They were very happy for their little son and they loved him very much. “God has been good to me,” said Rachel. “This child will be called Joseph” (meaning: added by God).

Joseph grew up and became a cheerful, obedient boy. His father loved him and cared for him because his mother Rachel had died. When he was 17, he sometimes helped his older siblings care for herds.

Joseph had ten older brothers! Sometimes these boys did not behave well, and Joseph told his father what his brothers did. They did not like this and they were furious.

One day Jacob made a beautiful gift for his son Joseph: a very special robe of different colors, with long sleeves and nice details. This was a sign of how much he loved him.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

Jacob loved his son Joseph

Hand out the activity sheets and crayons. Have your students color the shapes with the red dots. This way you can easily read the word “LOVE”.

As you work, remind them that in today’s story they learned about the love Jacob had for his son Joseph. Families show love in different ways. God wants us to love and care for our family.

I love my family

Write down, on paper strips, different ways in which children can show that they love their family (ex. “I love Mom, that’s why I do my homework early,” “I love my grandma so I help her hold her purse,” etc.). Put them into a container, and allow each to pass, take a strip and read aloud. This will give them ideas on how to show love and reinforce their reading. In case the children still do not know how to read, help them with this activity.

MEMORY VERSE

Write the memory verse, large and clearly, on a large piece of paper. Read it word for word to your students, and have them repeat it with you. This will be of help to those who haven’t started reading. Remember that preschoolers are learning to join syllables and form words, so it will be easier for them to learn the text in this way. Repeat it several times and, if possible, ask parents to reinforce learning during the week.

WRAP UP

Pray with your students, giving thanks for the members of their families and for the blessing of being part of one.

Note to the teacher

It is likely that some who attend class come from broken homes or have a dead parent. Take special care during the presentation of this lesson, and help them know that they are a special part of the family of God, who is a loving Father and loves and cares for them.

Lesson 28

JOSEPH FINDS HIS BROTHERS

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Genesis 37:12-17.

Lesson Objective: That kids understand that family members must care for each other.

Memory Verse: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34)

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

Joseph’s brothers had taken his father’s sheep near Shechem. This place was almost 100 km north of Jacob’s home. It was not strange for shepherds to take their sheep there; the large herds grazed so much that they had to look for new places very often.

Jacob decided to send Joseph to find his brothers to bring him news of how they were. Joseph was an obedientson, sohewentinsearch of his brothers as his father had asked. When he did not find them in Shechem he continued his quest, showing great determination and responsibility. Finally, he found them in the Dotan region.

CONTEXT

When we belong to a family we have responsibilities. For preschoolers, it is sometimes difficult to accept and carry them out. It is important that they assume the role they have within their family, and fulfill their duties with joy and responsibility. Encourage in them the joy of service and the satisfaction of being useful to the people we love.

This lesson gives you an opportunity to explain to your students the importance they have as members of a family, and the responsibility that this entails. God wants families to love and care for each other. During the class, talk to the children about their responsibilities at home and in the church. When they fulfill their labors and duties, they are very helpful and thus obey God. The Lord wants family members to help one another, this also includes our family in the faith.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson. Family Mural

Give children half a piece of white paper and colored pencils. Encourage them to draw ways that they can help their family. When all have finished, you can make a mural that you can hang on the wall. You can put the title on the top: “God wants us to help our families.” Let each child explain his or her drawing and what it represents.

A bit of order

Allow time for the members of your group to work together with you to clean the classroom. They can set up the chairs or clean them, sweep, collect the trash, organize the books or other activity you choose. As everyone works, tell them that it is important to work together with the family of faith. We are all children of God, and since the church is our Heavenly Father’s home, we have the responsibility to care for it and keep it clean and orderly.

Different types of families

Get magazine clippings or photos of different types of families. Explain to your students that families are different from each other. Many families are made up of a dad, mom and kids. However, there are others made up of only the father and his children or the mother and her children, and even some where the children live with the grandparents or the uncles because the parents died or are far away. There are also families where parents live alone because they do not have children. God loves all families equally and wants them to help one another.

BIBLE

Through this activity, your students will be able to know the biblical truth.

Choose volunteers to act out the story as you tell it. If you have a large group, you can include all of Joseph’s brothers. Some of the kids can imitate sheep noises.

Bible Story

Joseph looks for his brothers

Joseph had many older brothers who took care of the sheep. Sometimes they had to travel long distances to find food and water for their flocks. On this occasion, Joseph’s brothers took their sheep to a distant place called Shechem, which was about 80 km from his house. That is a long way!

Jacob needed someone to find out how his children and sheep were, so he said to Joseph: “I need your help. Please go find your brothers and see if they are well, and then bring me news of them.”

Joseph loved his father very much and always obeyed him, so he said, “I will go immediately and find my brothers.” Then he went to prepare and packed for the trip. He also wore the special robe his father had given him. Joseph walked for many days, at last he reached Shechem. He searched everywhere but found no trace of his brothers or the sheep. Where can they be? He thought.

“Who are you looking for?” asked a man standing nearby.

“My brothers,” replied Joseph. “Can you tell me if you have seen them?”

“They’re tending a flock of sheep.”

The man told him that they had gone to Dotan, so Joseph continued his journey until after a few days journey, he found them.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

I’ll help!

Bring the children together in a circle and put yourself in the middle. Say: I help at home by washing the dishes, in this way I work together with my family. Point to a member of your class and ask: How do you help in your home? (Allow them to respond.)

Continue until everyone has had the opportunity to participate. Encourage them to be active helpers within their families.

Joseph finds his brothers

Give the children the activity sheet in the student’s book and help them cut out Joseph’s brothers from the Cut-Out Section for this lesson.

Allow them to glue the figure to the top right of their worksheet, and plot the way for Joseph to meet them. During this activity, briefly review the lesson.

MEMORY VERSE

Write the memory verse on paper cards - one card for each word of the verse, and place them inside the room. Ask the children to look for them. When they have all been assembled, they must put them in order and say out loud the memory verse. To make the activity more exciting, you can divide the group into teams and time them. The team that forms the memory in the shortest time will be the winner.

WRAP UP

Mention the prayer requests and explain to the children that one way to help our families is to pray for them. Ask for some volunteers to pray aloud for all the families in the group.

Allow time for the children to help you set up the classroom and tidy up everything. Check that all their materials and activity sheets are taken home. Thank them for coming, and encourage them to come back next week.

Lesson 29

JOSEPH HELPS HIS FAMILY

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Genesis 41:39-41, 46-49, 57; 42:5; 45:3-28.

Lesson Objective: To teach kids that family members must take care of one another.

Memory Verse: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34)

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

God was with Joseph when Joseph was a slave, and helped him when he became governor of Egypt. Pharaoh appointed Joseph governor when he was thirty years old, and he became the second most important person in that country. God used the Egyptian Pharaoh to give Joseph authority. Thus, Joseph could help his family and many people during the critical time of a severe drought.

The dreams Joseph had when he was young had come true. He was the governor and his brothers were to honor him.

God keeps his promises to provide what his children need.

Joseph discovered that God could use him to help others. He was able to forgive his brothers and helped them, as well as many people.

Joseph took his whole family to live in Egypt. Pharaoh gave them the best land and treated them as special guests.

CONTEXT

Joseph and his father had deep love and respect for each other.

Ephesians 6:1-4 reminds us of the importance of love and respect in our families. In today’s society, the family institution has been quickly collapsing. Values have been lost and there seems no longer to be any interest in restoring family union and love. The models have changed, and now the children do not seem to need the instruction and care of the parents. Parents, on the other hand, divorce and remarry easily. This is disrupting our children and exposing them to severe emotional instability.

This is why it is important for preschoolers to learn that God has a different perspective for us. He wants families to love, respect, and learn to forgive one another.

Use the example of Joseph to teach your students the importance of cultivating love, respect and forgiveness within the family.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

The store

Get clean empty food containers, cereal boxes, fruits and props. Play store with your students, giving them the opportunity to “buy” things, and afterwards tell them: Today’s story tells us about how Joseph cared for his family. Joseph’s family needed food- they had nothing to eat. What do you think they did?

(Allow time for them to respond).

God wants families to love each other and care for one another.

Joseph shared his food

Prepare some drinks and cookies for the children. Sing a song of praise, and ask them to sit down to hear the Bible story.

Tell them: The lesson is about how Joseph cared for his family in Egypt. One of the ways he helped was to help them get food. Joseph loved his family and therefore provided food for them. I brought some food for you. As you enjoy this snack, remember that God loves you and wants family members to take care of each other.

BIBLE

These activities will be a support for the learning of today’s lesson.

A trip to Egypt

Have your Bible in a visible place, and say to the children: Today we will make a trip to Egypt! Do you know where that country is? (Allow them to respond). Egypt is a very distant country in Africa. Joseph and his family lived there. Let us imagine that we went with Joseph’s family to Egypt.

Have the children go with you. In the end, tell them to sit down and listen to the story of how that biblical character helped his family have food.

Bible Story

Give each of your students a plastic bag. Be careful that, while telling the story, they do not play with it to avoid accidents.

Tell them: Each of you has a bag. Listen carefully to today’s Bible story. Then I’m going to put something in them so you can remember what we learned.

Food for Joseph’s family

God helped Joseph, letting him know that there would be a time when there would be no food in Egypt or in the nearby regions. Joseph said this to the king of Egypt, and he replied, “You are in charge of all this country, do what you think is right.”

Joseph was already an adult man, he was thirty years old, and he was a very important person in that country. He was in charge of all the food. Only the Pharaoh had more power than him. However, Joseph had not seen his family for a long time and that made him sad. For seven years the harvests were plentiful, and Joseph kept many provisions for the dry season. The food storage bins became full. After a while, it stopped raining and crops ran out. People began to run out of food, and they asked Pharaoh to sell them food. Joseph sold what he had stored, and in this way the country made a lot of money. Soon people came from other regions to buy food, because they had nothing left. Joseph’s family needed food like the others, so his brothers traveled to Egypt.

They had not seen Joseph for many years, and they did not even know he was alive.

When they saw him, they did not recognize him, but he recognized them.

“I am Joseph!” he cried to them, “is my father alive?”

His brothers were surprised. The second most powerful ruler of all of Egypt was their younger brother! “God sent me here,” said Joseph. “He wanted me to take care of the people, and you too. That is why I stored all this food.”

The brothers returned home with a lot of food that Joseph had given them. When they arrived, they told Jacob that his beloved son was alive. The whole family traveled to Egypt to live there. Pharaoh gave them the best land for a place to live. Now Joseph was happy to be close to his family.

At the end of the story, place a small amount of cereal or grains (corn, rice, or beans) in the children’s bags. Explain that Joseph stored much grain to feed people during the drought.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

Joseph helps his family

Provide your students with the activity sheet, and help them trim the illustrations (sheaves of wheat) for this lesson from the Cut-Out Section.

Encourage them to stick the figures of wheat on the worksheet. As they do it, help them remember today’s story.

Let’s help!

On white sheets of paper, make seven squares representing the seven days of the week, and distribute one for each member of your group. Have them draw a picture of something that they can do at their home to help with the housework (for example, washing dishes, cleaning the table, sweeping, etc.).

Then during the week, they should draw a star in each square depending on the number of days they help in their home. At the next meeting, they will show their sheet to the class to see who has accumulated more stars.

MEMORY VERSE

Ask the children to walk backwards, or in reverse. For each step, they give a word of the memory verse. Repeat the text until they have made a complete circle around the room.

Then review with them individually and support those who find it difficult to learn it.

WRAP UP

Pray and thank God for the care each one receives from their families. He also intercedes for orphaned children. Let the children express their prayer requests, and invite them to pray for each other during the week.

Give each one their class materials, and invite them to the next class. Remind them to tell their families what they learned during the class. Sing a farewell song before leaving.

Lesson 30

JACOB LOVES HIS GRANDCHILDREN

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Genesis 48:1-2, 8-11.

Lesson Objective: That the kids understand that family members must care for each other.

Memory Verse: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34)

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

After 17 years of living in Egypt, Jacob was very ill; The end of his life was approaching. Joseph went to visit his father and took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. At first Jacob did not recognize his grandchildren because he could no longer see well. However, he gathered all his strength to sit and greet his family.

Jacob blessed the sons of Joseph, though they were young. It was very important for them to receive the blessing of their grandfather.

A blessing was very significant. It represented privileges for those who received it. In a sense, Jacob adopted his grandchildren as if they were his own children. This placed the sons of Joseph at the same level as their father’s brothers with respect to the inheritance.

CONTEXT

Grandparents can have a very significant impact on the lives of their grandchildren. The blessing of Jacob had a decisive influence on the life of Ephraim and Manasseh.

During these lessons, we will see how the family of Joseph went through great suffering. Many times, they acted in a way quite contrary to love. However, God was still with them. Through the development of this unit we have noticed the progress made in the character and actions of the family of Joseph through the work of God in their lives.

Remember how your grandparents impacted your life. Do you have a grandparent or older relative who blesses your life with love and care? Praise and thank God for the blessing of being part of a family as you prepare the final lesson of this unit.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

Hearts of love

You will need play dough, so that children make figures of hearts.

Tell them: Sometimes we use heart shapes to say, “I love you” or “I care about you” because they remind us of love. As you make your heart, think of your mom, dad, grandparents, or family member you love. God wants families to love each other and members to support one another.

Care cards

Give your children material to make cards for their family members, or for a senior member of their family or congregation, whom they love very much. They can use cardstock, sheets of paper, glue, scissors, colored papers, pictures, etc. When they finish making them, they can write the memory verse on it, and give it to the person they want.

BIBLE

The following ideas will be a help for the children to learn today’s biblical truth.

Bible Story

As you tell the story, make changes in your tone of voice to keep the attention of your class, and allow the children to participate by expressing their comments.

A visit to grandpa Jacob

In the previous story, we saw that the family of Joseph went to live in Egypt. It was a very happy time for the whole family.

Now, 17 years have passed, and Jacob is old and sick. Joseph is also an older man, and his sons Ephraim and Manasseh are young.

One day, Joseph went to visit his father Jacob because he was very sick, and he brought his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Jacob was very weak and tired because of illness. However, he sat on the bed to receive his visitors. Since he could no longer see very well, he could not recognize his grandchildren, so he asked: “Who are these men?”

“They are my two sons,” replied Joseph. “Come to me,” said Jacob, “I will bless you.” Grandparents bless their grandchildren.

It’s a way to show them how much they love you.

Joseph brought his sons to Jacob’s bed, and Grandpa Jacob kissed and hugged his two grandchildren.

Then Jacob said, “Joseph, I thought for a long time that you were dead. I never imagined that I would see you again, and now God allows me to see my grandchildren too.”

Joseph was very happy to see that his father love his children. So they thanked God for the blessing of being together.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

Jacob loved his grandchildren

Distribute the student activity sheets, and tell the children: God teaches us to love and care for our families.

Let them trace the Word of Faith, and put their name on the bottom of the page.

Give the following instructions: On the sheet are three pictures that show Jacob, Joseph and Joseph’s children. Circle the three figures. There are also three figures that do not appear in today’s Bible story. Make an X on those figures.

When they are done with that activity, have the children turn the page over and draw on each picture a different person from their family. Tell them that God wants families to love and care for each other.

Let’s take care of our grandparents

Have your students form a circle. Talk to them about ways they can care for and love older people, like their grandparents. Tell them that it is important for them to know that older adults need peace and order. We can help them by cleaning their house, doing them favors, avoiding making noise when they rest, visiting them and, above all, praying for them.

Encourage children to show their love to the grandparents of their congregation.

MEMORY VERSE

Write the memory verse on a big, white paper, and let your students decorate it as they like. When finished, place it somewhere in the room and repeat the verse together.

Exposition

Since this is the last lesson of the unit, you can organize a small exhibition inside your classroom with all the work that your students did during these lessons.

Invite parents and members of your congregation to visit, and acknowledge the efforts made by the children during these four weeks.

WRAP UP

Pray for your students and give thanks to God for each of their families. Intercede for prayer requests and for children to show love to their families every day.

You can organize a small party with your students. Play some games, and help them feel very loved.

Remind them that families are important to God, and that they should be grateful to have a loving family that loves and cares for them.

Year 1 INTRODUCTION TO UNIT VIII

THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT MOSES

Unit Objective: This unit will help kids learn the care that God has towards his people. This will affirm their trust in him.

Memory Verse: “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.” (Nahum 1:7, NIV)

Word of Faith: TRUST: Believe that God will do what is good and just for us.

Unit Lessons

Lesson 31 God protects Moses.

Lesson 32 Moses obeys God.

Lesson 33 Moses trusts in God.

Lesson 34 Moses teaches the people to trust in God.

Lesson 35 God provides food for His people.

Main points of the lessons for preschoolers:

— God cared for Moses from when he was a baby.

— God is pleased when we obey Him.

— God is grateful when we trust in Him.

— We should thank God for giving us food.

This unit highlights the work of God in Moses’s life. The children will learn that God protected him as a child, and then helped him to become a great leader for the Israelites.

Preschoolers will have the opportunity to learn how Moses relied on God and obeyed Him, and how the Lord always looked after His people. This will result in them increasing their confidence in God’s love and protection for their lives.

During this stage of their development, children begin to learn what it means to trust others. Through their parents, family and those around them, they learn to trust.

Through the story of Moses, and your effective teaching, your students will learn to place their trust in God.

Lesson 31

GOD PROTECTS MOSES

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Exodus 1:8; 2:1-10.

Lesson Objective: That the children learn that God protected Moses when he was a baby.

Memory Verse: “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.” (Nahum 1:7).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

The story of Moses’ birth and his journey through the Nile River is, in fact, the story of God’s presence in the life of his people. The book of Exodus focuses on how God rescued his people from the Egyptians and established them in the Promised Land. It provides us with beautiful passages that speak of the powerful things that God did to help the Israelites during their Exodus and journey.

This unit tells us about the story of God working through Moses. God found a Levite man and woman in whom he could entrust his plans of preparation to rid his people of Egyptian bondage. Moses, the son of this couple, would become the man he would use to help the people of Israel. The Pharaoh’s command to kill every male born of the Hebrew people was evidence of his despair and hatred toward the Israelites. The people were multiplying rapidly, and the fear of a rebellion was increasing. However, Pharaoh could do little against the power of God.

The fundamental message of this story is God’s care for His people. Can you feel the presence of God in your daily life? Are you aware that God loves and cares for you? Ask him to help you communicate your love and care to the children in the class. It is at this stage of their life when they must understand that God cares for them.

Encourage children to express ways in which God cared for the Israelites. Stories will provide opportunities for students to express to others how God cares for them. Help them connect with Biblical truths, allowing them to express feelings of care, and asking questions about how God wants them to act. Review the Bible story thoroughly in the class, and show the care of God through your words and actions.

CONTEXT

Most preschoolers are cared for in their homes. Some children receive less attention and care than others, so be sensitive to their needs. God desires that the members of the family provide each other with mutual love. He wants parents to protect their children.

This is a way in which God shows his care for us. In today’s Bible story, Moses’ family took care of him as a child and protected him. It was through the care that God demonstrated through his family that Moses was able to live. Help the children discover the ways their families care for them. Do they have food, a house, a place to sleep and clothes? All this is the provision of God through their families. Care also includes words of affection and acts of love. Congratulate children who show care for others in the class.

As a teacher, demonstrate God’s care with your words and actions. As your children become aware of God’s care through you, they will also begin to extend that kind of care to others.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

A baby in a basket

Bring a basket, a doll, and a blanket or sheet large enough to cover the class. Encourage the children to hold and rock the baby. Tell them to treat him with affection when it is their turn to take care of him. Ask: Where do babies sleep? (In a crib or bed). Have you ever seen a baby sleep in a basket? (Let the children respond).

Put the doll in the basket and tell them: This Bible story is about a sleeping baby in a basket; His name was Moses. Why do you think Moses slept in a basket? (Let the children respond.)

A great river

Take books or magazines with pictures of large rivers (it would be best if you have The Nile River). Let the children see them, and talk about the rivers, and if anyone has been on a river, let them them about their experience to the group.

Say: God created the rivers. There are some so large that ships can sail on them. And animals and plants live in rivers. Baby Moses sailed on one of them, but he was not in a boat, but in a basket. Today’s story is about that moment.

BIBLE

The following activities will help prepare students to experience and review the Bible story.

God takes care of us

Gather the children in the area designated to tell the Bible story. Listen to some songs about God’s care. Ask some volunteers to tell the class how they feel God’s care (for example, when the sun gives them their warmth, when they are healed from illness, etc.).

Prepare them to listen to the Bible story. Say: God took care of the baby Moses just as he cares for us. Today we will learn how he did it.

Bible Story

When you use illustrations to visualize the topic of the class, it helps the students focus their attention more easily. Get some pictures about this story or make them using drawings or clippings.

Baby Moses

A Hebrew man and his wife had a beautiful baby they named Moses. They already had two older children, Aaron and Miriam. When Moses was born they felt very happy, but they also knew that it would be the cause of many problems. They were slaves in Egypt, and the Pharaoh had ordered that all the newborn Hebrew boys would die. Moses’s mom knew that she had to hide her son from the evil king. So she decided to trust God to help her keep her baby alive.

One morning she fed Moses and put him to sleep. Then she told her daughter, “We must hide your brother so Pharaoh will not hurt him.” Miriam and her mother took the baby to the river, inside a basket, and hid it. Miriam watched the baby from the reeds on the shore. Suddenly, the Egyptian princess went to the river to bathe, along with her servants. Miriam was very afraid, so she began to pray for God to protect her little brother. The princess discovered something floating around her. “What is that?” she asked. And she came and opened the basket where Moses was.

Miriam was hidden and heard the princess say: “What a cute baby! I found him and I want to keep him.”

Mary left her hiding place and said to the princess: “I know a good nanny who can take care of the baby. If you want I can bring her.” Miriam ran to her house to bring her mother.

“I found this beautiful child,” said the princess. “Could you help me take care of him? I am going to call him Moses, because I found him in the water.” Moses’ mother was happy. She trusted God and knew that he would protect her son. Moses’ family cared for him and taught him to love and trust in God.

The baby in the river

Review with your students what they learned in the story, and encourage them to recreate it. Use the basket, doll, and utensils from the past activity. Let the children choose the character they want to be (Moses’s sister Miriam, the princess’s helpers, the princess, or the relatives of Moses), and tell the story in their own words. Help them if they forget something.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

Baby Moses

Give each child the student book activity sheet, glue and scissors. Help them carefully cut the strips off the worksheet and cut around the figure of baby Moses. Point to the baby, and say: “This is the baby Moses and he needs a basket.”

Have them place 4 strips of paper vertically and not apart on the table, and then the other 4 strips horizontally on the vertical strips, forming a carpet or rug. Help them bond the joints where the strips come together.

When finished, they should fold up the excess ends of the strips to form the basket.

Let the children put the figure of baby Moses inside, and encourage them to tell the story. As you work, remind them: God cared for baby Moses just as he cares for us.

How God cares for us

Sit with the children and form a circle. Take a ball in your hands and say: God takes care of me. God helps me when I’m tired. Pass the ball to a child, who must say how he feels God’s care. They must then pass it so others can participate. Continue this until you have given all children the opportunity to express God’s care for them. If a child does not want or can not participate, encourage him to do so, but never force him.

MEMORY VERSE

To study the memory verse, do the following activity: clap and say, “Thank you, God, for loving and caring for us.” Repeat the Bible verse with the children. Encourage them to clap each time they say it.

WRAP UP

Talk about God’s care for his people. Say: Today’s story was about baby Moses. His mother trusted God with the care of her baby. We can trust that he will also take care of us.

Pray with the children, thanking God for taking care of Moses and his family.

Lesson 32

MOSES OBEYS GOD

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Exodus 3:1-12; 4:18-20.

Lesson Objective: To help students understand that God is pleased when we obey him.

Memory Verse: “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.” (Nahum 1:7).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

The story of Moses and the burning bush is very exciting for preschoolers. They are amazed when they hear incredible bible events. This particular lesson tells us about an important encounter that God had with Moses.

The story unfolds in the desert, a distant and arid place, which shows us that God can speak in any place and circumstance. From a burning bush, the voice of God was heard. Moses was frightened, but as he listened to the instructions, he was confident that God was with him.

At first it was difficult for him to accept the Lord’s call, he felt like a coward after fleeing from Egypt. But God does not look at our physical or intellectual characteristics; he uses us in the way he wants to bless his people.

CONTEXT

Moses has many of our characteristics as human beings: doubts, fears, feelings of inferiority, cowardice, anguish, etc. However, God molded the will and character of this man to become a great leader for the Israelite people, and above all a hero of faith and courage.

As you prepare for this lesson, consider your relationship with God. Do you feel his presence every day? Do you know that God cares for you and that he’s pleased by you when you obey him? We, like Moses, can be useful for God’s plans. All we have to do is submit to His will and be obedient.

The same thing happens with your students. They are likely to feel inferior or incapable of performing any big task. Use this lesson to teach them that God uses all people when they are obedient and humble.

Learning to obey and follow instructions is something that takes time and practice in young children. Most of them learn best with repetition. A five-year-old tends to obey

because they want to follow the rules to make others feel happy and proud. Preschoolers need to affirm the concept of obedience and apply it to their lives. Ask God to help you listen to the children with patience and love. You are a model of life for them, as they learn to trust God and obey Him.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

Let’s make sandals

For this activity, you will need cardboard, scissors, markers, shoelaces or a thin loop.

Trace each child’s feet onto the cardboard. Then cut them out. Make four holes on each side of the sandal. Encourage children to decorate their sandals. Then help them tie them with the loops or ribbons, passing them through the holes. Let them put them on.

Tell them: “In today’s story, God spoke to Moses, who listened and obeyed. God is pleased when we listen to Him and obey Him. Later, you will find out what happened to Moses and his sandals.”

BIBLE

Use the following activities to capture the children’s interest and prepare them to listen to the Bible story.

In the bush

For this activity, we suggest you get some tree branches and strips of red paper. Place some small branches on the floor. Tie the strips of red paper to simulate fire.

Gather the children, and let them put on the cardboard sandals they made. Introduce the lesson, mentioning that Moses found a bush similar to the one that is there, but that it did have real fire.

God spoke through this bush. Tell them to sit in a circle to hear what happened. Mention that they will learn how Moses trusted God when he was afraid.

Bible Story

The burning bush

Moses grew up in Pharaoh’s palace and became a man. On one occasion, he had a big problem, and was forced to leave the palace. He decided to move to Midian. There he helped his father-in-law take care of the sheep. One day, while he was tending the flock, he saw a bush that was on fire, but it did not burn up. Moses could not believe it.

“That bush does not burn up,” he said in amazement. He wiped his eyes and looked again. Then, a voice called out from the burnign bush, “Moses, Moses!” It was God speaking to him.

“I am here, Lord,” said Moses.

“Come closer,” said the Lord, “remove the sandals from your feet, for this is holy ground.” “Lord,” exclaimed Moses with fear, covering

his face.

“Do not be afraid,” God said to him. “My people suffer greatly in Egypt, and I want you to return and guide them out.”

“How can I do that?” said Moses. “I am not a big or strong man.”

“I will be with you,” God said. “I will never leave you alone.”

Moses went to find his father-in-law Jethro, and told him that God wanted him to return to Egypt. Moses trusted God and obeyed Him. He took his wife and his son, and set out on the journey to Egypt.

Review the lesson using drama

Encourage your students to do a play to go over the lesson. You as a teacher will simulate the voice of God.

When you have finished, emphasize that God cares for those who trust in Him. God cared for Moses because he listened and obeyed the voice of the Lord.

How did Moses obey the voice of God in today’s lesson? (Let the children respond). God cares for us. How can we listen and obey his voice? (Listen to their answers).

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

God speaks to Moses

Give the student activity sheets to the children, and allow time for them to carefully cut out the desert scene and strip to the right. Help them make the vertical cuts marked

A and B in the center of the scene. Next, the children should insert the strip into the desert scene from the front, and glue the ends back. Now you can move the strip, and review what happened to Moses in the Bible story.

Obedience Mural

Place a large paper on a wall to make a mural in the classroom. Invite the children to draw pictures of how they can obey God (pray, read the Bible, respect their parents, help others, etc.).

When they are done, talk to them about the pictures they made and emphasize the importance of obedience.

MEMORY VERSE

Follow the footprints

Make 30 traces of footprints on newspaper or cardboard, and tape them on the room floor forming a path. Ask the children to line up and you walk the road with them. Stop every three footprints and repeat the memory verse (Nahum 1:7).

WRAP UP

Encourage the children to tell what their favorite activities were during the lesson. Explain that they can trust in God at all times, and sing some songs related to the teaching.

Finally, sit in a circle and join hands in prayer. Ask if there are any requests, and let each one pray if they want to.

Lesson 33

MOSES TRUSTS IN GOD

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Exodus 14:1-31.

Lesson Objective: That the students learn to trust God, as Moses did.

Memory Verse: “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.” (Nahum 1:7).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

God delivered the Israelites from Egypt through the leadership of Moses. The people trusted Moses and his instructions, for it was evident that God was leading them.

Today’s story tells us about how the Israelites crossed the Red Sea. It is unclear exactly where they crossed. What we know is that as the people of God approached the sea, Pharaoh’s army was behind them ready to keep them from getting away. The people were afraid and began to cry out to God. But God had a very special purpose: he would confirm his power and his strength once more by delivering the Israelites from Pharaoh’s hand. During this story, we can see that Moses was a man of faith.

Reflect on your personal life. How is your faith? Do you sometimes feel that your faith fails you? If so, seek God’s help and ask him to confirm his love for you. As you present this lesson to the children, remind them that God has promised that He will always be with them.

CONTEXT

Love and trust are abstract concepts difficult to understand. However, they are fundamental and important for the emotional development of preschoolers.

“God cares for his people” is a promise to be planted in children as they grow up. You can make a spiritual connection with them by reminding them of God’s promises. When you sing and pray, emphasize the words that speak about His care and love.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

God cares for us

Sing a chorus or hymn about the love of God. If you have tambourines or musical instruments in your class, allow your students to use them. Explain that trusting in God is something very special that gives us assurance. Say: “In today’s class, we will learn how Moses and the people of God trusted the Lord.”

Play using your hands

Practice this game before class. Children learn best by repeating words and actions after the leader. You should read the phrases and make the movements of the game and invite your group to repeat them. Continue until the children become familiar with the game. Make them stand with enough space between them to be able to do the movements with freedom.

“Moses! Moses!” cried the people. (Put your hands over your face and then over your head.)

“You must trust in God,” Moses replied. (Point up).

“Pharaoh’s army is right behind us.” (Turn around and point back).

“What can we do? We are facing the sea.” (Make waves with your hands).

Moses trusted God. (Place hands in prayer position.)

“The sea opened!” (Separate hands sideways). “God is on our side!” (Clap and jump).

BIBLE

The following activities will help prepare students to experience and review the Bible story.

Meet the sea

Look for illustrations about the sea in books or magazines, and show them to your students in the introduction. Ask kids who already know about the sea to talk about their experiences.

Remind them that God created the sea, and it is so great, so wide that they could never see everything. Many different animals live there, some large, like whales; and other small ones, such as shrimp.

It is also very deep and majestic. Today we will learn a story that reminds us that God has absolute control over the sea.

Bible Story

Keep your Bible open to the study passage as you tell the story. In this way, your students will realize that it is an account from the Word of God.

God opens the sea

The people were happy. Moses had returned and told them to leave Egypt.

“God wants us to leave this country to a new and precious place. Pharaoh understands that he has to release us, and he will let us go.”

Everyone was very excited. They had lived for many years as slaves to the Egyptians, and now they were free. They packed all their possessions with great speed, took their animals, and set out from that country following Moses.

The Israelites began to walk in the desert. They were approaching the shore of the Red Sea when they heard the sound of horses. They all turned, and were greatly astonished when they saw Pharaoh and his army coming from behind, pursuing them. The people were very afraid, so Moses prayed to the Lord, who said to him, “Do not be afraid; I will overcome the king and his army; This will be to honor my name and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” God had a plan to save Moses and the Israelites.

“Moses, the king is nearer and nearer, what shall we do?” the people asked. But Moses trusted God, and said to them, “Do not be afraid, just wait, trust in God and see what God will do.”

God told Moses to take the stick he used to walk and lift it over his head toward the sea. Moses obeyed and the sea opened in two, and so the people crossed in the middle without getting wet. The Egyptian army began to follow the Israelites deep into the sea. God told Moses to use the rod again, and he did. At that moment, the waters of the sea fell on the Egyptians and they drowned. The Israelites saw what God had done and said, “Moses trusted God and he saved us from the king.”

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

Crossing the Red Sea

Give your children the activity sheet from the student’s book and scissors (round tip, to avoid accidents). Give them some time to cut out the figures and the scene of the Red Sea and color them. Make a few vertical cuts at the bottom of the figures, and insert the strips as shown in the example. That way the figures can stand.

Fold the sea scene forward, to observe how it covered everything. Using the pictures and the scene, review the Bible story.

When finished, provide a bag of plastic to each to keep their figures and carry them with them.

We trust

You will need a small, soft ball. Sit with the children in a circle, and sing a song, while passing a small ball to each other. When they have finished singing, the one with the ball must answer one of the following questions. Repeat the game until everyone has had the opportunity to participate. If you wish, you can add more questions according to the number of students you have in class.

Did you sit in a classroom chair today? (Yes). The teacher replies: You trusted that the chair would support you.

How did you get here today? (By car, bus or walking). The teacher replies: You trusted that you would meet with us.

How did people cross the Red Sea? (God made a way for them.) The teacher replies: People trusted that God would make a way. It may include other daily activities, such as lying down, sleeping, lighting a fire. End the activity with the third question. Emphasize that we do not always know what will happen and how, but usually everything is under control.

We do not always know how God will help us, but we can trust that he will do everything he promised. We can be sure that he will take care of us.

MEMORY VERSE

Repeat the Bible memory verse in different ways (For example: with shouts, with applause, jumping, hugging, with happy faces, etc.). That will help make learning fun, and your students can review the contents of the memory verse several times.

WRAP UP

Encourage the children to express their ideas about what it means to trust. You can ask them questions, such as who we can trust.

Sit with the children and ask them to put their hands together for prayer. Ask if they have prayer requests.

PRAY: Thank you God, for teaching us that Moses trusted in you. Help us to learn to always trust in your promises; Thank you for loving us and taking care of us; (Add the requests) Amen”.

Help the children not to forget what they need to take home. Thank each one for coming, and encourage them to come back next week.

Lesson 34

MOSES TEACHES THE PEOPLE TO TRUST IN GOD

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Exodus 15:22-27.

Lesson Objective: To help the children learn that God is pleased when we trust in him.

Memory Verse: “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.” (Nahum 1:7).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

Moses trusted in God, and followed him as he led the Israelites through the wilderness. The people of God enjoyed their freedom. Then they allowed their daily life to be transformed into disrespect when they experienced unexpected difficulties. They were very happy as they crossed the Red Sea, but then they had a crisis, and their confidence turned into doubt.

The story of Moses and the people crossing the Red Sea towards Mara is remembered due to the constant complaints of the people. They lost all perspective, and let adversity overwhelm their hearts and minds. They forgot the miracles that God had done to free them and they remembered with nostalgia the days of their captivity in Egypt. However, the mercy of God was still strong, and he provided fresh water for them.

CONTEXT

Perhaps some Christians doubt the protective hand of God when it seems that everything is going wrong. Young children can also respond in the same way. When God does not care for his fish in the fish bowl, or when a family member hurts him, it is difficult for them to trust in God’s care. As you present this lesson, try to reinforce the fundamental truth that God cares for his people. Remind them of the love and constant care of God for them. That will help them to increase their confidence in the power of God, and live quietly knowing that someone much more powerful than they are cares for them.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

A walk in the desert

Have your students walk around the church sanctuary, and then return to the classroom.

Give them some cookies or chips, but do not give them anything to drink. This will make them very thirsty. To introduce the Bible story, begin by talking about what happens when we feel very thirsty.

Bitter water

Prepare juice but do not add sugar. Remember that they will be thirsty from exercise and the snacks.

Tell them: Imagine that we are the Israelites and that we are in a place called Mara. We are very thirsty, we have spent three long days in the desert without drinking water.

Serve a little juice and let them drink it and you will hear complaints about its taste.

Express as an introduction to the story: The same thing that just happened to us now happened to the Israelites in the desert. They found water, but the people could not drink it. What do you think they did? We will find out in our story today.

Since they will be thirsty, bring sugar and sweeten the rest of the juice to share with the class.

BIBLE

The following activities will help prepare students to experience and review the Bible story.

Bible Story

God makes bitter water into good water

Moses led the people away from the Red Sea. They were walking in the hot desert. On the first day, Moses and the people looked everywhere, but found no water; They were very tired and thirsty. The second day they walked for a long time, but they still didn’t find any water. Thus passed the third day and they continued looking without finding anything to drink.

Then they came to a place called Mara, where they finally found water. It looked delicious! They all began to drink in desperation.

But something had happened to the water; it did not taste good, it was bitter.

“Moses, Moses,” the people began to complain. “We are very thirsty. What will we drink? The water is bitter!”

Moses trusted God and prayed for help. While Moses was praying, God showed him a piece of wood and told him to throw the wood into the water. Once again, the people began to drink water.

“Moses, the water is good for drinking, the taste is delicious!” they said.

God told them, “I want you to obey my law and do the right thing. You must trust in me and I will take care of you.”

The people learned to trust in God, and he led them to a place called Elim, where they camped and enjoyed the beauty of the palm trees and a source of clean, crystal clear water.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

The bitter water from Mara

Give each child their student book activity sheet, and allow them to cut the cards along the dotted line. Then place them on the table with the figure facing down, in two rows. Play two cards at a time to try to form a pair that is the same. Encourage children to place their figures in the order of the story.

Remind them that Moses led the people through the Red Sea and through the desert.

What happened in today’s story? (People were thirsty.) What do you do when you are thirsty? (Drink water.)

The people of Israel stopped at a place where there was water, but it was bitter. What happened after that? (God changed the taste of water, and the people thanked him. Moses helped the people to trust in God.)

Put each child’s name on a plastic bag, and place the cards inside so they can take them home.

God gives us a flavorful drink

For this activity, you will need the help of some adults, oranges without seeds in them, plastic bags, and plastic straws to drink the liquid.

Before class, wash and peel the oranges, and divide each orange into three parts. Put one part in a plastic bag, take the air out of the bag and close it. Have one bag with one piece of orange per student in your class.

Give them the bags, and say: God gave us a variety of good drinks to enjoy. Did you know that many of the drinks come from fruits and vegetables? We’ll make a good drink. You will have to squeeze your orange inside the plastic bag. (Allow each child to carefully squeeze the orange in the bag, then open it and insert the straw so the children can drink.)

Remind them: Moses trusted that God would provide them with good water to drink. We can also trust that he will always give us what is good for us.

MEMORY VERSE

Write the memory verse on the board (Nahum 1: 7), and read it once together with your students. Then delete the first and last words, and ask for a volunteer to say the complete verse. Then erase words one by one, having one or more children say the complete verse each time, until the chalkboard is left without any writing and your students can say the full memory verse. Don’t forget that preschoolers are just beginning to read, so be patient with them and help them recognize words that are unfamiliar to them or that they cannot pronounce well.

WRAP UP

Encourage the children to help you clean the classroom, and thank them for their help. Tell them: I am happy to know that Moses trusted God. We can also trust in God’s love and care.

Ask your students if they have prayer requests. Conclude with a prayer saying: Thank you, God, for the biblical stories of Moses. Thank you for teaching the Israelites and Moses to trust you to give them good food and drink. Thank you for protecting them when they crossed the Red Sea. Help us learn to trust you. We love you, God. (Add other requests) Amen.

Help the children to remember everything they need to take home. Thank each one for having attended, and encourage them to come back next week.

Lesson 35

GOD PROVIDES FOOD FOR THE PEOPLE

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Exodus 16:1:18.

Lesson Objective: To help the students be grateful to God because He feeds his children.

Memory Verse: “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.” (Nahum 1:7).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

The people of Israel were like small children. God needed to teach them a new way of life. During the time they lived in Egypt they had turned away from the Lord and their beliefs.

Moses trusted God, and followed him as he led the Israelites across the Red Sea. But as time passed, they forgot the miracles that God had done to free them, and they complained about everything that happened to them. God sent many plagues to the Egyptians to punish them for their hardness of heart, he opened the Red Sea to allow the Hebrews to pass, and he protected and guided them with a pillar of fire at night and a pillar of cloud during the day. The Lord looked after His people with great love and incredible patience.

However, they continued to complain and murmur against Moses. They thought they would die of hunger in the desert, and they longed for the food they had in Egypt. God heard them, and sent quail and bread from heaven so they could pick it up every morning. Manna was the main food of the Israelites during the 40 years of their journey to the Promised Land. But that was not the only problem. They also suffered from the lack of water, and their complaints were increasing. Moses suffered because of the accusations he received from the people he had liberated. But the love and infinite patience of God remained intact. God used a rock to provide fresh water to drink.

God showed his love to Israel, just as a mother does to her hungry and complaining child.

CONTEXT

Most of the time, preschoolers are impatient and restless when their needs or desires are not met immediately. Through this story, they will be able to understand that God supplies the needs of his children because he loves us and cares for us. They may realize that when we know that God acts in our lives, it is absurd that we become impatient and complain by questioning His power. Help your students develop sensitivity to God’s love and care through this lesson. Tell them that the church is a good place to learn about God’s love. Remind them that he loves them and cares for them, even when they fall when they are playing or have a bad day at school.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

Flying Quail

Start the class by talking with your students about their favorite foods. Everyone should mention the food they like best. Briefly introduce the lesson, talking about a little animal that serves as food for humans, the quail. Explain that this is a kind of small brown bird. Some hunters catch them to eat them.

Ask your students to pretend to fly like birds around the class, and when you touch them they fall on the ground.

Tell them that today’s story tells us about when God fed his people with quail.

BIBLE

The following activities will help prepare students to experience and review the Bible story.

From Camp

Prepare some large chairs for your class, and a blanket. Walk with the children several times around the classroom. Then gather them in the area designated for biblical history.

Say: We have walked a lot; I think it’s time we set up a camp.

Allow the children to help you place the chairs around everyone. Then put the sheet on the chairs until you have room in between for everyone and make a large tent.

Say: The Israelites walked long distances in the hot desert. They were tired and hungry; They no longer had food. Let’s get into our camp. (Carefully have them all under the tent.)

Ask: Do you see anything to eat? (No) Good, the Israelites also had no food; Let’s find out how God helped them.

Bible Story

Food Sent By God

The Israelites left Elim and went on their way. When they reached the desert, they began to complain: “Moses, Moses, we are hungry. Our stomaches make noise,” they said. “We would be better off if we had never left Egypt. We are very hungry here.”

God heard the people’s complaints and said to Moses, “I’ll drop food from the sky like rain for the whole town. Go outside and collect what you need for the day, and everyone will have enough to eat.”

Moses trusted in God, and told the people what the Lord had said to him.

Suddenly, God appeared in a cloud and said to Moses:

“Tell the people that they will eat meat tonight, and that every morning they will eat all the manna they want. They will know that I am God and that I provided food.”

That night the quail came and filled the camp. God commanded them to have meat to eat. The next morning, thin leaves, white as snow, were scattered over the whole camp.

“What is this?” the people asked. “We do not know what it is!”

“It’s the bread God gives us to eat,” said Moses.

So, the Israelites gathered as much food as they needed. They trusted in God and obeyed Him, and He provided food for them to eat.

At the conclusion of the storytelling, you can serve your students cereal flakes as a reminder of the food from heaven that God sent to His people.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

God Sent Quail

Give each student an activity sheet, and allow your students to cutout the quail and wings carefully. When finished, help them make a small horizontal cut above the text, and indicate that they are to insert the wings, as shown in the activity sheet example. Give them time to color the quail, and if they wish they can stick two ice cream sticks on their feet to use as small puppets.

If they wish they can wander around the room with their birds finished while repeating the memory verse.

God Provides Food For Us

Arrange the children in a circle, and show them pictures of food, fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy products, sweets, and everything you can about food. Tell them that God has given us many tasty foods to eat. God made the hens, who lay eggs; He also made cows, which give milk. Trees produce oranges, apples, lemons, pears, etc.

All these foods God made for us. We should be grateful to him and share them with those who need him.

Give them half a blank sheet, and have them draw their favorite food.

Exposition

If time and space allow, have an exposition of the work that your students did during this unit. This will recognize the work of the children, and the parents will be able to identify even more with what their children were studying.

Pay special attention to attending parents who are notregular members of the congregation, and make them feel welcome.

MEMORY VERSE

Write each word of the Bible text on different fruit-shaped cards, and hide them in the room. Tell the children to look for them, and as they find them, the children will have to put together the text and repeat it all together loudly.

WRAP UP

Do a brief review of what they learned during this unit about Moses. Emphasize that they should trust God and obey Him at all times.

Pray and thank God for the lesson you’ve received and ask him to help them to be like Moses, obedient children and full of faith. Intercede for prayer requests.

Make a brief introduction to the contents of the next unit: “God speaks to us through the Bible,” and invite them to the next class.

Year 1 INTRODUCTION TO UNIT IX

GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH THE BIBLE

Unit Objective: To teach preschoolers that the Bible contains stories about God and how to obey his will.

Memory Verse: “I will obey your Word.” (Psalms 119:17b, NIV).

Word of Faith: BIBLE: The Bible is a special book that tells us about God and helps us know him.

Unit Lessons

Lesson 36 Jehoshaphat sends teachers with the Word of God.

Lesson 37 Moses receives the Word of God.

Lesson 38 Josiah reads the Word of God.

Lesson 39 Jeremiah proclaims the Word of God.

Main points of the lessons for preschoolers:

— The bible teaches us more about God.

— The Bible gives us instructions to live better.

— God speaks to us through the Bible.

Bible stories stimulate the children’s imagination, and motivate them to want to learn more from God.

As they enjoy the different stories about people who obey, love and fulfill the Word of God, you can emphasize the importance of knowing the Bible as a guide and counselor.

Through the stories of Jeremiah, Jehoshaphat, Moses and Josiah, preschoolers will learn the importance of learning and obeying the Word of God.

Lesson 36

JEHOSHAPHAT SENDS TEACHERS WITH THE WORD OF GOD

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: 2 Chronicles 17:3-9.

Lesson Objective: That preschoolers will learn that the Bible teaches us more about God.

Memory Verse: “I will obey your Word.” (Psalms 119:17b)

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

Jehoshaphat, son of Asa, is known as one of the kings of Judah who did good in the sight of God. Even though not all of his decisions were correct, he sought the will of God and tried to live according to the commandments written in the “Torah,” the Hebrew Scriptures. As a result of his loyalty, God blessed him.

Jehoshaphat wanted God to be in his personal life, just as in his reign. A theocratic regime ruled Judah, that is, God was the highest authority, and his commandments were the laws. Something very important that Jehoshaphat did was to mention the commandments of God to his people.

Jehoshaphat destroyed the altars of Baal. After that, he sent teachers to teach the Word of God to the people. This group of teachers was made up of government officials, Levites, and priests. What they taught was perhaps what we now know as the “Pentateuch,” which are the first five books of the Bible, and perhaps some other writings of that time.

This story reflects the importance of learning the Word of God. Only through its teachings can we be faithful to the Lord. The people who heard the message of God through Jehoshaphat responded appropriately. And while he lived, the people faithfully obeyed God.

In the second epistle of Paul to Timothy (3: 16-17) we find the biblical basis for this truth: “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction nn righteousness, that the person of God may be perfect, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

From this passage, we can understand that God became involved in every word that was written in the Bible. In this way, we reaffirm our confidence that the Word of God is living and effective.

CONTEXT

The Bible is a very special book, by which we know more about God and have a personal

relationship with Him. This is what students should learn during the following four lessons. They need God. Help them discover more about the Bible. Keep in mind that preschoolers love to hear stories, and the Bible is full of them.

Watch your students as they explore the Bible with you. Do they show interest in learning? Are their questions answered during the Bible story? These are just a few signs that they are growing in their knowledge of the Word of God.

Encourage children through these lessons to love the Sacred Scriptures.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

A Special Place For The Bible

If possible, find a special place in your class room where you can put a Bible and illustrated Bible story books (it can be a little table in a corner). Take a moment to ask the children which Bible story is their favorite. Give them time to look at the stories.

This special place can be decorated with children’s drawings, flowers, colored papers, etc. Use your creativity to make the place look special.

My Crown Is Special

Before class, prepare wide strips of paper (10 cm), preferably thick or cardboard. You will need one strip for each student.

Distribute strips, glue, colored papers, figures, markers and anything that can serve to decorate your crowns. Place a strip of paper around each child’s head, and mark where the strip matches so that the crown is tight. Cut the leftover paper. If they wish, they can make tips at the upper end of the crowns with the round pointed scissors.

Let them write their names on the crowns and decorate them with all the materials they want. Help children connect the ends of their crowns with tape.

While working, ask: Who uses crowns?

Where do kings live? What do they do?

Tell them that in today’s story they will learn about a king who loved God and taught something very important to his people.

They can wear their crowns throughout the class, and then take them home.

BIBLE

Bible Story

Have the children wear their crowns while sitting in a circle on the floor. Encourage them to listen carefully to what happened in the Bible story with King Jehoshaphat. Keep the Bible open and in a visible place while you narrate.

Jehoshaphat’s Role

Jehoshaphat was a king and, like all kings, he wore a crown. He loved God very much and God also loved him. The townspeople brought gifts for being a good king.

The king read something very important that was written on a scroll. Scrolls was used for writing, just as we used sheets of paper. Jehoshaphat read the Word of God. It helped people know how to act right toward God and toward their neighbor. God wanted His people to love Him and worship Him alone.

Ask: What do we have that helps us know what God wants us to do? (The Bible). The Bible is the Word of God, and it helps us to learn more about Him and to know Him better.

Jehoshaphat wanted to be a good king, so he read the Bible many times. That helped him obey God through what he learned. He wanted all the people to hear about the Lord, so he sent several people to help him teach the people. Those who helped him were priests who loved God and obeyed him in everything.

God wants us to learn more from him when we read his Word, which is the Bible.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

Jehoshaphat’s Role

Distribute the worksheets from the student book, and ask the children to look in the Cut- Out Section for the figure of King Jehoshaphat.

Tell them to cut it out and glue it in the center of the scroll.

Trace the Word of Faith (Bible), and write

their name on the bottom. Ask them to cut the bottom strip along the dotted lines and roll the sheet into a scroll.

Tell your students that the scroll King Jehoshaphat read was very important because it contained the Word of God. They had no books, yet God gave them the Bible to read, study, and obey.

Reminder

During the week prior to the class, make half-page size pictures in the form of an open Bible. It must be large enough for preschoolers to write the memory verse inside. Give it to them and give them time to decorate your Bible. Help the little ones and those who have difficulty writing the text. You can decorate it with colored pencils or paint and glitter, and invite them to hang it in a visible place so that they remember to see that the Bible is the Word of God and that we must obey it.

MEMORY VERSE

Write the memory verse somewhere big so everyone can read it. Guide your students in reading, and repeating it several times. Remind them that during the week they can use the Bible of cardboard they did to study the text and learn it for the next class.

WRAP UP

Cultivate in your students the discipline of prayer, intercede for them and their families during each class. If they have many requests, a good idea would be to write them on a large piece of paper and stick them in the class room to remember them. They can also put a star on those that have already been answered.

Thank God for giving us the Bible as a guide and faithful help.

To finish the class, sing a song that talks about the Bible. Invite them to read it during the week or you can ask their parents to read a passage.

Lesson 37

MOSES RECEIVES THE WORD OF GOD

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Exodus 20:1-17; 24:12-14; 32:15-16.

Lesson Objective: That preschoolers learn that the Bible gives us instructions from God to live better.

Memory Verse: “I will obey your Word.” (Psalms 119:17b)

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses, whom he chose to make his Word known to the people of Israel.

At the beginning, God appeared to the Israelites as Yahweh, which means “I Am” (Exodus 3:14-15). With that name, God is known as a personal God, directly involved in the life of His people. By means of the Ten Commandments, he made a pact with the Israelites: he would be their God and they would be his “precious possession” (19: 5).

In response to this covenant of love, his people committed themselves to live according to the commandments. These principles taught them how to live before God, and also how to relate to one another. God expected loyalty, love and obedience from them. There were to be no other gods in their lives. In addition, they had to respect their neighbors and also their belongings.

We as his people are also to live guided by those commandments, and we have a relationship with God through his Son Jesus.

Consider your personal relationship with the only living God as you prepare for this class. The quality of your relationship with him will determine the level of impact his life and teachings will have on you & your students.

CONTEXT

“The B-I-B-L-E, that’s the Word for me ...” Songs like this remind us of our childhood. As you prepare for this class, meditate for a moment on how you came to know Jesus and His Word. If you have known Christ since childhood, tell your students the importance of the Bible in your life. If you did not know him at an early age, you can still tell them how the Word of God helped you to stay on the path of eternal life. Children learn from the examples they see.

Tell students about your personal experiences so that they are motivated to give the Bible a special and important place in their lives.

The natural curiosity of preschoolers makes them very happy to turn the pages of a book, they love to see the illustrations of the stories while listening attentively.

If today’s story is well known, do not skip any part. Let the children help you develop it! That will further affirm their knowledge, and develop confidence that they can express themselves freely to other people.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

The Tablets Of The Law

Provide your pupils with a small piece of modeling clay or dough.

Tell them: God gave Moses special rules called “the Ten Commandments.” He wrote them on large stones. You can make stones like those that God gave to Moses.

Show them how to make the tablets of the law. With a pencil or stick they can make lines that resemble letters.

BIBLE

The following activities will help prepare students to experience and review the Bible story.

Bible Story

Draw a picture of the law tables to help you illustrate this lesson. Keep the Bible open, and let your students participate by contributing the information they know about the story. Having a poster with the Ten Commandments will help you to review what you learned.

God Reveals His Word

Moses looked toward the mountain. It was so big! God told him to go up to the top to talk to him, he was going to give him something very special.

Moses said goodbye to the people and told them to wait for him. Then he began to climb the mountain and climbed up to the top.

God met Moses at the top of the mountain and spoke to him, instructing him and His people. He also wrote his words on a stone tablet. The Word of God was to teach people how to live.

We have those same words today. They are in the Bible, the Word of God, which is a special book that tells us how God wants us to live.

The Bible says that he alone is the only God, and that the people who love him should have nothing more important. God does not want anyone to use his name in a bad way. He wants us to praise him, and set aside a special day for Him, just as we do every Sunday.

God also wants us to listen and obey our parents. And he asks us not to hurt anyone with what we do or think. He does not want us to take what is not ours, and not to tell lies. Moses had to go twice to the mountain to obtain the law of God, and then he went down and showed the words that God had written on the stone tablets. They are what we call The 10 commandments.

The 10 Commandments

Open your Bible to Exodus 20:1-17 and read the Ten Commandments out loud. Remember that preschoolers do not have a very broad vocabulary, so it will be necessary to explain some of the words that are difficult for them to understand.

Emphasize the importance of the Ten Commandments as an essential part of the Word of God.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

A Very Special Book

Distribute the student book activity sheets, and look for the Bible in the Cut-Outs Section for this lesson and carefully cut it out. Allow

them to glue it to in the space provided on the first stone tablet. Let them trace the Word of Faith, and write their name on the bottom line. Then ask your students to draw a picture of their favorite Bible story on the other stone tablet. When they are all finished, let them talk about the story each one drew and tell why they like it so much.

Collect the sheets so they can take them home and use them when telling today’s story to their families.

The Game Of Stories

Write the names of different Bible stories (ex. “David and Goliath,” “Daniel in the lion’s den,” “the lost sheep,” etc.) on strips of paper. And hide them in the classroom before your students arrive.

When the activity on the student book is over, tell them there are many biblical stories hidden in the classroom. They should look for them and put the strips they find in a container.

After they have found all of them, apply the activity by telling them that all the stories in the Bible have a teaching for us and help us to know God better.

MEMORY VERSE

Let your students line up and you go in front as a leader. Walk around the room, or a larger area, doing different activities (for example, walk on tiptoe, jump, jump on one foot, spin, etc.). Each time you stop before beginning a different action, they must stop and say the memory verse

WRAP UP

Pray for your students and give thanks to God for the teaching of the Ten Commandments. Remind them to pray during the week and read their Bible to learn what God wants for their lives.

Give them work they did, and encourage them to attend the next class.

Lesson 38

JOSIAH READS THE WORD OF GOD

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: 2 Chronicles 34:14-33.

Lesson Objective: For kids to desire to listen to the Bible and learn more about God.

Memory Verse: “I will obey your Word.” (Psalms 119:17b)

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

King Josiah cleansed the nation of pagan idols and was restoring the temple of God. During this task, the high priest Hilkiah found the parchment of the covenant law between God and his people. This parchment might have been the one containing the first five books of the Bible, called the “Pentateuch,” or perhaps only the book of Deuteronomy.

While Shaphan the scribe read the scroll before the king, King Josiah became more and more disturbed to hear the law of God. Josiah realized the judgment and captivity that would come upon the people.

So he sent the elders of his people to inquire before God about what he heard in the reading of the parchment. God was pleased to see Josiah’s concern for all the evil his people had done, and promised not to bring evil upon his people while Josiah was king.

Instead of hiding the book of God’s covenant, Josiah summoned all the people to a meeting in the temple of Jerusalem to hear the Word of God, which would be read publicly. The king wanted his life, and that of his people, to be in accord with the covenant that God had made between himself and his people. The people, hearing the Word of God, renewed their commitment to serve and love the Lord alone. In response to God, King Josiah increased his efforts to cleanse the land of detestable idols and altars to pagan gods. He consecrated the country, its government, and its leaders before God. He led all his people to obedience to the Lord and, while he lived, God received honor, obedience and exaltation.

CONTEXT

In your personal relationship with God, you play a very important role as an example and model for your students and their families. Ask God to allow you to be obedient to Him, so that you can lead others to obedience.

In the first lesson of this unit, the preschoolers learned about King Jehoshaphat, who loved and obeyed God. This third lesson deals with the life of a king. However, not all the kings who ruled the people of God did good before him. We have an example: the father of Josiah, king Manasseh. This king did evil in the presence of the Lord, ignoring his law and guiding the people to worship other pagan gods.

During the time of evil kings, the law of God was abandoned and forgotten, and even lost. Your students know that this can happen, for they themselves experienced what it is to lose or forget something.

Rejoice with them that King Josiah found the Word of God, and even better, lived by pleasing God and loving Him.

Emphasize the importance not only of reading what the Bible says, but of obeying it and loving God with all our heart.

Your students will begin to hear and understand that the Bible is a special book, because it is the Word of God. Observe them carefully to note any sign that this biblical truth is treasured in their hearts.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

My Bible is Lost!

Before the children arrive in the class room, hide your Bible well in a place where it is not easy to find.

After welcoming everyone, say that you are very concerned because you can not find your Bible, and ask them to help you find it. When they find it, let the children tell you how they felt while they were looking for it.

Ask them: Were you worried about finding the Bible? Today’s story tells us about a king who found the Word of God, and that changed the course of his life and the whole country.

BIBLE

Since this story is about kings, the students can reuse the crown they made for lesson 36 (Jehoshaphat sends teachers with the Word of God), and wear it during the class.

Bible Story The Lost Book

King Josiah worried about the temple of God, for it was abandoned and neglected for a long time. It was dirty and many things were broken. Everything was messy, so it was hard to find anything there. “We can not treat God’s temple this way,” he said. So he sent some of his helpers to clean it and put things in order. “Please be sure to clean and organize everything well!” said the king. The people worked hard to clean that place. Suddenly, something happened! Hilkiah, the high priest, found something special that was lost for a long time.

What could be so special? It was the Book of the Law. And why was it so special? Because it was a parchment that had the laws that God gave Moses a long time ago.

These laws taught the people how God wanted them to live. Hilkiah showed that discovery to Shaphan, one of the helpers.

“Let us go and show this scroll to the king!” said Shaphan with much enthusiasm. Upon receiving the news, the king was moved, and asked Shaphan to read what was written on that special parchment. Shaphan read the scroll, which said that God wanted His people to love Him, obey Him, and serve Him.

As he listened, Josiah was sad because he knew that everyone disobeyed God. So he sent his helpers to speak with a woman named Hulda. She loved and obeyed God, and the Lord told her what to say to the messengers of Josiah.

God is sad when people do not listen or obey; But now he rejoiced because King Josiah wanted to obey him and love him. “God wants all people to hear, obey and love Him,” Hulda said.

King Josiah ordered all the people gather together to read the Word of God. “I will do all that God wants me to do,” promised the king. “We will obey and love,” promised the whole people.

The Word of God was no longer forgotten or lost.

In what way do we know how we should live? (Through the Bible). This is a special book because it is the Word of God; We can learn more from God when we hear his wonderful stories.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

The Lost Scrolls

Hand out the worksheets from the student’s book, and encourage the children to find all the scrolls that have been lost in the temple in ruins and answer the questions. Let them trace the Word of Faith.

Allow time for them to draw a picture of their Bible on the back.

Bible Riddles

Tell your students: The Bible is full of precious stories, and you are sure to know many of them. Let’s see if you can tell me what characters are in the following riddles:

He delivered his people from the dreaded Pharaoh, and went down into the wilderness with Aaron (Moses).

A whale swallowed him and he traveled on the seas (Jonah).

To do justice, he wanted to split a baby in half, and so the true mother he managed to uncover (King Solomon).

From the great downpour he was saved, and with the animals he sailed (Noah).

Father of Jacob and of Esau, you know this (Isaac).

MEMORY VERSE

Write the memory verse on a card or sheet of paper, and hide it in the classroom before the children arrive.

Say: Today’s text is lost and we must find it. Could they help in the search? (Describe the material you used to write the text, and let the children look for it.) If they do not find it, guide them near the place where you hid it, so that they find it easier). When they find it, celebrate with your students. Thank them for their help and say the verse with them.

WRAP UP

Today’s lesson dealt with how King Josiah decided to obey the Word of God. Encourage the children to imitate the attitude of this good king and to tell what they learned to their friends and family.

Pray together and intercede for the requests that have been mentioned. Say goodbye by singing a song that speaks about the Bible.

Lesson 39

JEREMIAH PROCLAIMS THE WORD OF GOD

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Jeremiah 36:1-10.

Lesson Objective: That preschoolers will learn that God speaks to us through the Bible.

Memory Verse: “I will obey your Word.” (Psalms 119:17b)

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

Jeremiah was a faithful prophet who loved, obeyed, and listened to God with all his heart. He told the people what God wanted them to do, and also what the consequences (good and bad) of their actions would be.

One day, God asked Jeremiah to write down all the messages that he had given to his people during the time of his ministry.

It was very near to the time of the fulfillment of the prophecy that God gave to the people of Israel, which said that they would be taken captive; And even until that moment, God expected them to repent. He had the hope and desire that people, when they heard his Word, would repent. The recollection of these messages reflects the nature of God. Perhaps if his people realized his nature, they would repent and ask for forgiveness.

Baruch was Jeremiah’s secretary, for at that time it was common to employ someone to help keep a register of messages, documents, official papers, and so on. After several months of work, Jeremiah’s writings on a parchment were ready to read to the people.

However, Jeremiah was forbidden to speak in public in the temple. So Baruch went to the temple on a day when fasting was done. There were many people who listened attentively to the reading of the Word of God through Baruch.

The Word of God can not be suppressed, we need it, and it is always truthful and efficient. As a Sunday school teacher, you have a very important ministry to your students. Like Baruch, in each class you connect you children to God through your words, actions, and prayers. Ask the Lord to help you in each lesson to convey the message of His Word to the children.

CONTEXT

God used two people, Jeremiah and Baruch to give his message to the people. In this final lesson, help your children understand that they can also communicate the Word to their friends and family.

God wants us to know Him, to learn from Him through the Bible and to love our neighbors.

Encourage your students to tell some bible story to someone they love.

Try to provide Bibles for those who do not have one. And, if possible, at the end of the class give them a surprise, give them book marks with pictures, or maybe a book of illustrated Bible stories.

At this point, preschoolers should regard the Bible as a very special book. Watch them as they hold their Bibles during class.

Ask: Do you get excited every time you learn a new Bible story? Can you remember some of the Bible stories of this unit?

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

Scrolls

Explain to the children that a scroll was something used in ancient times to write on. Many times it was made from animal skin, which made it very resistant and durable.

At home, prepare some white paper and sprinkle them with a little lemon water, put them out to dry in the sun to make them look wrinkled and look very old. Then pass a match or lighter along the edges. This way it will look like a very old document.

Take them to class, and give one to each member of your group. Let them write the memory verse on it and decorate it to their liking. Tell them that today’s story tells us about a prophet whom God used to make His Word known to the people.

The Bible is the Word of God

Put your Bible somewhere visible, and teach your students about it.

Tell them: The Bible is God’s Word, but

that does not mean that he wrote it with his own hand. What he did was to inspire many people of faith to write what he wanted his people to know.

In the Bible, we can find laws to live by, stories of miracles and healings, courageous and faith-filled people, as well as God’s plan of salvation for our lives.

On five large cards write the letters of the word “Bible,” and divide your students into small groups. Give them a letter and some seeds (they can be beans, rice, lentils) or pieces of colored paper. Tell them to decorate the outline of the letter with these materials.

When all the teams have finished, put the letters together to form the word “Bible”.

BIBLE

The following activities will help prepare students to experience and review the Bible story.

Bible Story

Jeremiah was a prophet of God. A prophet is someone special to whom God gives his messages to pass on to people.

“People are disobeying God,” Jeremiah said. “I keep on announcing his messages, but they will not listen! They are not willing to do what God wants, what can I do?”

Jeremiah felt very sad, so he talked to God about the way people behaved.

“Jeremiah,” God said, “I want you to write down all the words I give you to tell my people.” This was going to be hard work, so he asked Baruch to help him with the task. Baruch wrote on a parchment every word Jeremiah dictated. What is a parchment? A roll of paper or skin that people used to write on, just as we use notebooks or journals today.

Jeremiah was not allowed to go to the temple of God, so he asked Baruch to go in his place and read the contents of the parchment, the Word of God, before all people.

So, the next time the people went to the temple, Baruch read the words he had written on the parchment. He told them that God loved them and that they should obey what he told them. He also clarified to them all that would happen to them if they disobeyed the commandments: “Pray and tell God that you are repentant and ask for His forgiveness. “

Baruch continued with the reading, while the people listened to the Word of God.

We too like those people, can hear the Word of God (the Bible) to learn from it, and thus obey the Lord.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

Jeremiah Talks About The Word of God

Give students paper and pencils. Encourage preschoolers to color Jeremiah’s clothing and hair, and Baruc’s chair and hair. If they wish, they can decorate the rest of the sheet. Glue the hand with pen that is in the Cut-Out section on to Baruch’s hand to represent when Jeremiah dictated the Word of God to him.

Review the story as you do the activity, and invite your students to read the Bible during the week.

Have them trace the Word of Faith, and talk about what makes the Bible a special book.

Time To Sing

Encourage your students to sing some songs about the Bible. Use your hands, and if you have rhythm instruments, let the children use them to accompany you.

Remind them that the Bible is a special gift from God to us. Through it we can know what his will for our life is.

MEMORY VERSE

Since it is the last class of the unit, bring prizes for those who learned the memory verse. You can hand out Bible cards or book marks with the verse written on them. Give time for all those who wish to be able to repeat the verse.

WRAP UP

Along with your class, briefly review the lessons they studied during this unit, and allow time for them to express which of the stories helped the most. Emphasize the importance of the Bible to all Christians.

Invite them to read and study it, but above all, to obey and love it.

If you wish, you can invite parents to look at the work the children have done throughout the unit. Exhort them to foster in their Preschool children a love and respect for the Word of God.

Pray before you say goodbye, thanking the Lord for the blessing of having the Bible as a guide and counselor.

Year 1 INTRODUCTION TO UNIT X

THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT THE POWER OF GOD

Unit Objective: To help preschoolers learn that the Bible teaches us about God’s infinite power.

Memory Verse: “Great is our Lord and mighty in power.” (Psalms 147:5a, NIV).

Word of Faith: POWER: God has great power and can astonish us with what He does.

Unit Lessons

Lesson 40 The Power of God in Jericho.

Lesson 41 The Power of God When It Doesn’t Rain.

Lesson 42 The Power of God on Mount Carmel.

Lesson 43 The Power of God in the Fiery Furnace.

Lesson 44 The Power of God With Daniel in the Lions’ Den.

Main points of the lessons for preschoolers:

— God uses his power to help his people.

— God cared for Elijah with his power.

— God answers prayers with power.

— God has the power to help you in any difficult situation.

Preschoolers learn about God through Bible stories. Each of them shows us a special characteristic of the Lord.

Through the wonderful accounts of the power of God in the lives of Elijah, Joshua, Shadrach,

Meshach, Abednego, and Daniel, the preschooler’s trust in God will increase. Young children need constant words of affirmation to feel safe. If you emphasize that God uses his power to help his people, it will allow them to feel more relaxed and confident.

Strengthen in your students the need to be in communion with God and to exercise prayer as a daily discipline. Remind them that God has power to answer their prayers.

Lesson 40

THE POWER OF GOD IN JERICHO

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Joshua 6:1-25.

Lesson Objective: That the students will learn that God uses his power to care for his people.

Memory Verse: “Great is our Lord and mighty in power.” (Psalms 147:5a).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

When the 12 spies returned from Canaan, everyone agreed that the cities were large, fortified, and secured. In Joshua 6:1, it says that the gates of Jericho were well secured. The inhabitants felt secure in their walls.

The instructions that God gave to Joshua for the conquest of Jericho surely sounded very strange to the Israelite soldiers, yet they believed in the promise of God (verse 2) and were obedient:

“I have delivered Jericho into their hands,” said the Lord.

Joshua formed a caravan of seven priests with rams’ horns, the Ark of the Covenant, and the soldiers. They were to go around the city for six days; on the seventh they were to march seven times, and at the end, at the sound of the trumpets, everyone should yell. What a strange way to tear down the walls of a city, don’t you think?

However, the plan worked because Joshua and the people trusted and obeyed God, even though they did not understand his reasons. The Lord did what He promised.

The faith of Joshua resulted in a complete victory for the Israelites. The Canaanites thought Jericho was invincible. God showed his power and his faithfulness, and affirmed that he is the only true God, and that he is always ready and willing to help his people.

CONTEXT

Learning to trust in God has a direct connection to learning to trust in others. As adults, we sometimes ask a child to do something he does not understand. But that’s not good. We must give an explanation of the reason for the request; This way we will help. However, there are times when children should follow instructions from people of authority in their lives, even if they do not understand the reasons. At that point you should trust your parents or leaders. Children will understand that adults know what is best. When God asks us to do something, He does not always tell us why. In those cases, it is more difficult to obey. However, we must

always be obedient. Help students understand that they can obey God without fear, with the assurance that he knows what is best for us.

Today’s lesson is a good example of this kind of trust. The instructions God gave Joshua might seem a little ridiculous, yet his obedience, and that of the people, allowed God to fulfill his promise, and to overthrow the walls of Jericho.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

Biblical Context

When we move from one unit to another, children are likely to feel confused. Establish the relationship between stories, and place your students in the biblical context of this unit.

Tell them that after many years of leading the people of God, Moses died and went to heaven. Joshua then became the new leader, also chosen by God.

Drawing Walls

Allow your students to draw walls on the board. They can make them as they wish.

When they are done, praise their work and tell them:

How do you think we can destroy those walls you drew? (Erase them).

The people of Jericho had great walls that protected their city. Joshua and the Israelites could not cross the wall to get inside to defeat their enemy. Today’s story tells us about how God used his power to help Joshua and his people.

Count To Seven

Put seven objects in a container, and on a large sheet write the number seven with a magic marker.

Tell the children to help you count how many objects are in the container. Then, show them number seven so that they relate to the number of objects.

Tell them: Seven is a very nice number. God made the numbers so we can count objects.

Today we will talk about people who took seven laps around a city.

BIBLE

The following activities will help prepare students to experience and review the Bible story.

Trumpets

Get some paper cones or make them with recycled paper. Bend the paper to form a cone, and cut the thin end to make a nozzle. This way you will have trumpets for your students. If you want, give them the papers before turning them into a cone, so they decorate and use them during the lesson.

Let’s March!

March around the classroom seven times with the students. Count aloud each time you complete a turn, and play your trumpets. When they are finished, let them sit to hear the Bible story. Tell them to pay close attention to the story.

Bible Story

The Walls Fall Down

Joshua loved God, and he knew God was powerful. The Lord entrusted him with a very great task: to conquer the city of Jericho for the people of God. But first they had to break down the great wall that surrounded the city. God told Joshua what he had to do to get the wall to fall, and Joshua told it to his people: “God wants us to march around the city for seven days. Not six, not five, not four, but seven! The first six days we will go only one lap in silence, without anyone saying a single word. As we march, seven priests will blow the trumpets.”

On the first day, Joshua, the people and the priests marched around the city only once. The priests played their trumpets very loudly! (Ask the children to play their trumpets.)

On the second day, they marched again, and the priests again blew the trumpets.

They did it during the six days that God commanded them. Finally, on the seventh day, they all lined up and marched around Jericho seven times. The priests blew trumpets louder than ever. Joshua asked the people to shout with great force.

“Shout, for God has given us the city!” He told them.

Do you know what happened next? One brick fell, then another, then many, and so they all fell until the wall had collapsed! Then the city was left unprotected, and was conquered by Joshua and the people of God.

The power of God is great. Not only can he make a wall collapse, but even more than what we think.

CONNECTION

Use this activity to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

The Walls Fall Down

Remember the Word of Faith. Have them carefully cut with round-tipped scissors, the outline of the biblical scene, and follow the dotted lines and the four strips of illustrations. Attach strips to each other, using adhesive tape or glue, following numbering, to form a circle. See the example on the back of the student sheet.

Help them to fold the strip of the walls along the dotted lines and join them to the back where they are indicated. This will leave a square representing the city.

Let students use their pictures to review the Bible story.

MEMORY VERSE

Write the text on the board, and repeat it three times. Erase some words, and repeat them two more times. Then erase other words, and repeat them twice. Then erase other words and do the same. Follow this process until there is no more words left on the board. Then the students take seven turns to the classroom, and at the end they sit to simulate the fall of the walls while repeating the text again.

WRAP UP

Thank each child for attending the class. Announce something about the next lesson that will arouse interest so that they do not miss the next class.

Emphasize that we can trust the power of God when we are afraid. Conclude with a prayer. Do not forget to ask them for prayer requests and include them.

Lesson 41

THE POWER OF GOD WHEN IT DOESN’T RAIN

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: 1 Kings 17:1-6.

Lesson Objective: To help the students learn about God’s power to take care of Elijah.

Memory Verse: “Great is our Lord and mighty in power.” (Psalms 147:5a).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

The three incidents in chapter 17 describe the power of God. The problem they have in common is death. This lesson focuses on the first two incidents. God provided what Elijah needed in different ways. He combined ordinary and extraordinary ways to save him from death. For Elijah, these events within his ministry served as a period of preparation.

Elijah’s disposition changes from being passive to active. In the first story, he only obeys, and God acts. In the second, he tells what God will do, remains under His protection, and is a witness of the Lord’s power.

Why would God send the crows to bring food to Elijah? These animals are distinguished by their lack of cleanliness, perhaps the food would have been unhealthy for him, or most likely they would have eaten it.

In this we also see that God is in control of everything, and ordered the crows to take the bread and the meat to his servant.

In contrast to the meat that the crows brought him, God used a very natural resource to give Elijah water: He told him to drink from a stream. After he did this, since there was a tremendous drought, the stream dried up. But the same thing that caused the drought, arranged everything for Elijah to have a roof and a table. God sent Elijah to Zarephath of Sidon, to a widow’s house. And again God provided what the prophet needed in a unique and different way. He multiplied the widow’s food while she looked after Elijah. Oil and flour for making bread are ordinary items; But that they were inexhaustible was extrordinary.

CONTEXT

Many children are not aware of how their daily needs are met. For them it is very natural that they never lack food at their table and have somewhere to live. Sometimes they are more concerned about the style of clothes, than the warmth and protection that this can give them. Also, some children do not take into account the provision that God gives them.

Help preschoolers recognize that God is the Lord, giver of life, that He created the world and everything in it.

Many people see the provisions of God in ordinary and miraculous ways.

Use this lesson to help your students understand that the hand of God provides everything they need, as he chooses: ordinary or extraordinary.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

This unit covers many Bible stories that do not have an easy sequence of understanding for preschoolers. Explain that all the stories they will learn during the unit talk about biblical characters who lived at different times.

On this occasion, we will speak of Elijah, a prophet who was the messenger of God. He communicated to the king of Israel the orders that God gave him. But this king and his wife were evil and disobeyed the Lord, so they pursued Elijah to kill him. However, God used his power to care for his prophet and keep him safe.

During this and the next lesson we will learn more about this story.

Play Dough Crows

For this activity, you will need play dough or clay that is black, gray and yellow. Cover tables with plastic or recycled paper. Allow your students to make crow figures with the indicated material.

If they do not know what a crow is, show them a picture. While working, tell them that crows are part of today’s Bible story. God used these animals to feed one of his servants.

BIBLE

The following activities will help prepare students to experience and review the Bible story.

A Special Visitor

Ask a member of your congregation to represent Elijah and help you tell the Bible story. They can wear a robe or sheet as a disguise. Give them the Bible passage and story in advance so they can prepare during the week what they have to say.

Tell the children that today they will receive a very special visitor who will tell them the Bible story. Ask them to listen very carefully and if they have questions, do so at the end of the story.

Bible Story

When they are ready for the Bible story time, invite the visitor to come, and give him the time necessary for his participation.

Food And Water For Elijah

Long ago a king lived in Israel who did not obey God. His name was Ahab. He and his wife had done very bad things. They made the people stop worshiping God to worship false idols from other countries. They built many temples in honor of those idols. So, God was very angry with them.

Elijah was a man who loved God and obeyed his commands. Often God would give this prophet a message to be passed on to King Ahab. However, the king never listened to it. Then the Lord decided to punish them and the people for their disobedience and misbehavior. “It will not rain for a long time in this country,” God told Elijah. That meant that neither rivers nor lakes would have water. As a consequence, animals and people would be very thirsty. God can make it rain, or not rain, because He is powerful.

Elijah went to King Ahab and said, “God has said that not a single drop of rain will fall on this earth for a long time.” The king was angry. The Lord led Elijah to live by the side of a river. He told him that he could drink water from there and that he would send crows to feed him.

Every day the crows brought food to Elijah, and he could drink water from the stream. God took care of this prophet and used his power to feed and protect him.

CONNECTION

Use this activity to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

God Feeds Elijah

Pass out activity sheets, and allow your students to look in the Cut Out Section for the crows and river figures for this lesson.

Have the children cut them out carefully and stick them on the corresponding scene, while remembering how God used his power to take care of the prophet Elijah.

Turn the page and tell them to trace the Word of Faith of this unit.

Read along with your students the written text, and change the drawings by the words indicated.

God’s Power Is Immense

Write the following sentences in strips of paper, and put them out around the room. Ask a volunteer, with their eyes closed, to look for some of the strips. The rest of the group can give them directions to help them find them. The child who finds a strip should read the sentence aloud.

The power of God makes the sun shine.

The power of God allows us to breathe.

God uses his power to care for his children.

I can rely on the power of God.

God can heal the sick because heis powerful.

God is powerful to perform miracles.

MEMORY VERSE

On a white card stock or a piece of paper, write in large letters the memory verse. Provide materials for your students to write the memory verse on the poster, and using colors, pens or markers, colored papers, glue, etc., decorate it to their liking. When they are finished, repeat the verse together and place the poster in a place where everyone can see it.

WRAP UP

Take time to pray with your students. Thank God for using his power to care for your children, and intercede for the requests they brought to the class. Remind your students that, no matter what happens, God has the power to help them.

Encourage them to come back next week to learn more about God’s infinite power.

Lesson 42

THE POWER OF GOD ON MOUNT CARMEL

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: 1 Kings 18:16-39.

Lesson Objective: To help the children learn that God uses his power to answer prayers.

Memory Verse: “Great is our Lord and mighty in power.” (Psalms 147:5a).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

Within the history of the people of Israel, we can find frequent periods in which they decided to serve other gods. The appeal of worshiping false idols seemed irresistible to them. People were seduced by the worship of the Canaanite god of fertility and others who represented natural forces. However, their loyalty was divided; They professed to believe in the Lord, but worshiped Baal.

Elijah called the people to be loyal only to God. He asked them, “How long will you hesitate between two thoughts? If Jehovah is God, follow him; If Baal, go after him.” (verse 21)

This prophet knew very well the answer to his challenge. On innumerable occasions, he experienced the mighty hand of God in his life, and suffered because of the disobedience and idolatry of the people.

What happened on Mount Carmel is an extraordinary example of faith and trust that Elijah had in God. He was Jehovah’s only prophet who was still alive, and he was determined to show the king and the people the immense power of the Lord.

The highest levels of government, including the Queen, supported worship of Baal. There were hundreds of his priests and prophets. However, this was not important to Elijah. He served the living God, knew him well, and knew that it was He who controlled the situation.

Elijah’s faith makes us think he was a hero, and to some extent he was. But James 5:17 reminds us that “Elijah was a man subject to passions like ours.” This implies that we too can have faith like Him, and demonstrate with courage and faith that who we serve is the one true Almighty God.

CONTEXT

Preschoolers are interested in learning more about God’s power. At this age, many children readily accept what other people tell them about it.

Some of the children may have heard about other religions, and maybe even some are from families that worship other gods.

It is very important that, within this whole cluster of new religious expressions that they face, they can be assured of the power of God. They need to see God in action, and to listen to stories where he shows himself to be God Almighty.

The confrontation of Elijah with the priests of Baal will help them to understand the power and absolute sovereignty of the Lord.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

God Shows His Power In Different Ways

Through the example of Elijah and Joshua, children learn the importance of recognizing God as the only Supreme Being in the universe, and to trust in his power. It is important that during this time they know that he is the same one they talked about in the Bible stories.

Look for magazines, books, or illustrations that show natural manifestations of God’s power (e.g., lightning, a waterfall, eruption of a volcano, etc.), and show them to your class. Emphasize that our God controls nature and shows His power in various ways.

Provide them with white paper and colored pencils so that, through a drawing, they can express the form in which they can perceive the power of God in their lives.

Prayer Poster

Prepare a poster board and decorate the edges with some pictures. Then hang it in a visible place in the room. Have the children sit in a circle, and prepare them to listen to the Bible story.

Say: God answers the prayers of his children. He is immensely powerful and can do whatever he wants. When we pray, he always listens to us.

This poster is for writing prayers for the class. When they are answered we will draw a happy face and thank God.

BIBLE

The following activities will help prepare students to experience and review the Bible story.

Bible Story

Use some pictures to illustrate your story. If you do not have them, draw some pictures about the story to illustrate it.

Fire From The Lord

Elijah loved God very much and was very sad, because King Ahab and the people of Israel were disobedient and did not honor the Lord.

When the king met Elijah, he said to him in an angry voice, “Are you the one causing so much trouble to Israel?”

“I do not cause any trouble to Israel. It is you and your disobedient people who ignore God, and honor Baal.”

The prophet Elijah knew that the Lord is the only Almighty God, and that He alone has power to answer prayers.

Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to offer a sacrifice on Mount Carmel, and the God who would send fire from heaven would be the most powerful. They would make an altar for their god, and Elijah one for the Lord.

On the day they agreed, the whole town gathered to see what would happen.

The prophets of Baal and Elijah prepared the animals to offer the sacrifice, and placed them on their respective altars.

The false prophets began to cry out to their god from very early to very late, nevertheless, they did not obtain an answer. Elijah mocked them and said, “Shout louder, maybe he’s sleep.”

Thus it was a long time before Elijah’s turn came. All the people gathered around him while he prepared an altar with twelve stones and made a ditch around it. Then he set the animal on it and poured several jars of water on it. Three times they poured water on the animal and the firewood. Then he prayed to God and asked him to send fire from heaven so that the people would be convinced that there was no god but him.

Suddenly, a noise was heard, and a ball of fire descended from the sky and consumed the sacrifice of Elijah. God answered his prayer!

The whole people recognized that God was unique and all-powerful.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

God Sent Fire

Prepare pieces of gray, red and blue colored paper for this activity.

Give your students the worksheets, and allow them to write their name, and trace the Word of Faith and the numbers of the pitchers.

Then give them time to stick pieces of blue paper at the base of the altar, as if it were water. The gray paper cut into squares, they will use it to stick on the stones, and the red one for the flames of fire. Review the Bible story while the children work.

Review Game

Divide your class into two groups and ask the following questions. The group that answers will earn five points for the correct answer. If the group does not know the answer, the other group will be able to answer and earn the respective points. Whoever manages to accumulate the most points will be the winner. If neither of the two groups knows the answer, it will be necessary to briefly review that episode of the biblical story:

In what place did Elijah ask that all the prophets of Baal gather?

What was the name of the wicked king who ruled the people of Israel?

How long had it not been raining?

What challenge did the prophet Elijah make to the prophets of Baal?

What happened while the prophets of Baal were crying out to their god?

What happened when Elijah prayed?

What was the reaction of the people when they saw God’s answer?

Is the God of Elijah the same as we know him?

In what ways does God show his power today?

MEMORY VERSE

Use the back of the activity sheet of the student’s book for a brief review of the memory verse. Ask parents to help their children remember the memory verse during the week.

WRAP UP

Allow time for your students to mention what they liked most in today’s story. Then have a prayer time, and write on the poster, that they made earlier, all the requests they brought. In this way, you can remember and pray for them.

Say goodbye with a song that talks about the power of God.

Lesson 43

THE POWER OF GOD IN THE FIERY FURNACE

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Daniel 3:8-28.

Lesson Objective: To teach the kids that God has the power to help his people in any difficult moment.

Memory Verse: “Great is our Lord and mighty in power.” (Psalms 147:5a).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

In the next two lessons, we will learn two great stories from the book of Daniel. These clearly show the power of the one almighty God. They also reveal God as the protector of those who love him, when they receive threats because of their devotion to him. And it gives them power to stand firm in their testimony.

King Nebuchadnezzar was the one who reigned in the Babylonian empire during the years 605-562 BC. In this story, we will learn about the confrontation that this king had with three young Hebrews: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

This happened at the beginning of his reign. The king respected and honored the three boys, and made them rulers of the province of Babylonia (2:49). But Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were ordered to respect the king’s command. The message was clear: when the king’s gold image was placed before the officers, they had the order to kneel and worship the golden statue (v. 5). The consequences of disobedience were also clear. They would be thrown into the fiery furnace if they did not obey the command.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did not discuss the issue when their disobedience was reported to the king. They knew that the God they served was more powerful than any ruler of this world. And they trusted him no matter what the consequences.

The central point of this lesson is not how the servants were saved, but to know that God has power to help His people. You can convey to your students that they must trust in God.

CONTEXT

The children will find this story very exciting.

They already know the concept of the word hot. “Be careful, do not get burned!” “That’s hot!” If any of your students have ever been burned, they will remember that it is very painful. You can testify that God is powerful, and he protected the three young men from the burning furnace of fire.

It is important to note that God protected them when they showed their faithfulness by not worshiping or bowing before the statue. They knew that there is only one true and powerful God. Preschoolers know they should not touch fire. Make sure your students understand that the three young men did not go into the fire on purpose, but it was the king who put them there as punishment for not worshiping his image. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego trusted God in the midst of the fire, not knowing what would happen. This lesson will help preschoolers understand that God’s power can help them even in the most dangerous situation.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

The following activities will help you to catch the interest of your students.

We are now in the time of the exile of the Hebrew people, many years after the time of the prophet Elijah. Explain to your students that the history of God’s people is very extensive and full of powerful miracles from the Lord.

Help your students understand the situation of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who were living in a strange country where the people worshiped other gods. Emphasize that, in spite of that, these three remained faithful and trusted in God.

My Drawing Of The Fiery Furnace

Briefly introduce the story. Put paper and crayons on a table and invite the children to draw their idea of the fiery oven.

Say: Today we will meet Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and hear about how God kept them from a furnace similar to the one you drew, which was very, very hot. These three young men loved God and trusted in his love, and knew that he would take care of them in danger.

BIBLE

Use this activity to tell the Bible story.

Fire! Fire!

Do this with great care to avoid accidents. Light a candle or match, and place the edge of a leaf on the flame to start burning.

When the paper is consumed, blow out the candle.

Talk to the children about the characteristics of the fire and what it can do. Say: Fire is very dangerous. And, just as we burned the paper, it can burn everything it finds in its path. However, there is someone more powerful.

What is it? Our God! In today’s story, we will learn how he saved his servants from a burning fiery furnace.

The Fiery Furnace

“Listen, the music has started!” said the people. They fell on their knees, and worshiped a great gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had made of himself. This king felt very powerful when he saw that all the people adored his image. He ordered that all people should kneel before his statue when they heard the music.

“We know you ordered that every time the music plays, everyone should kneel and worship the statue you’ve made. And they all do, except Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who do not worship your image,” said some of the king’s helpers.

The king became angry and called Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to speak with them.

“Is it true that you do not worship my statue? Do you know that if you do not, you will be thrown into the fire?”

“If you cast us into the fiery furnace, God has the power to save us. But if he does not save us, we will not worship the golden statue that you have made,” the brave young men told the king.

This response made the king furious. So, he commanded that the fiery furnace be heated much more than normal! Then very strong men tied up the three young men and threw them into the oven.

The king looked into the oven and began to count:

“One, two, three, four ... four men? We only threw in three!”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were walking in the midst of the fire, and there was someone else walking with them.

“Who could be the fourth person? It looks

like an angel of God! Come out, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego!” shouted the king.

No one burned, and they did not even smell of smoke! By that miracle, King Nebuchadnezzar praised God. God’s power saved the lives of those three brave young men.

CONNECTION

Use this activity to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

The Fiery Furnace

Provide activity sheets, and let your students trace the Word of Faith and the numbers that indicate how many people were in the fiery furnace.

Look in the Cut Out Section for the figure of the angel corresponding to this unit, cut it out, and have it pasted inside the furnace next to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Allow time for them to color the activity sheet. As they do, talk to them about how we can experience the power of God in our daily lives.

Turn the sheet around and circle those figures that can not withstand the fire. Remember that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did because God was with them.

MEMORY VERSE

Provide paper and colored pencils to your pupils.

Give them time to write the memory verse and decorate it to their liking. When they are finished, allow them to show their work to the class and say the text out loud.

They can take the sheet home to put it in a visible place and review the text during the week.

WRAP UP

Before finishing the class, clarify all the questions your group may have, and help them complete their pending work. Encourage them to practice their confidence in God’s power during the week and to tell their friends and family what they learned in these lessons. Finally, intercede in prayer for the class.

Lesson 44

THE POWER OF GOD WITH DANIEL IN THE LIONS’ DEN

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Daniel 6:1-23.

Lesson Objective: That the preschoolers will worship and praise God and his power.

Memory Verse: “Great is our Lord and mighty in power.” (Psalms 147:5a).

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

King Nebuchadnezzar’s reign had passed into history, as did King Belshazzar’s. In his place, Darius of Media reigned over the territories of Babylon conquered by the empire of Persia.

King Darius appointed officers to rule in his kingdom. Only three managers held more power than these officers. One of them was Daniel. He was a Jew, whom they had brought as a captive to Babylon when he was young. By this time, it is very probable that Daniel was already an older man. The king noticed his faithful and honest demeanor and decided to reward him for those excellent qualities. So he planned to put Daniel in charge of the whole kingdom.

The other officers conspired to discredit Daniel before the king, but could find no way to accuse him. So they asked the king to declare a royal edict that could not be changed. For 30 days, people should pray to the king alone. The purpose was a plot against Daniel, which the king did not even imagine.

Daniel faced the threat of death, because he knew he could not dishonor God. So the king had no choice but to throw him into the pit of lions, even if he was not in agreement. Darius went to the pit and said to Daniel, “The God whom you faithfully serve ... he himself shall save you” (v. 16).

The miracle of Daniel’s salvation from the mouths of the lions proved that God is alive and quick to save his children. Darius was happy and full of joy to know that God had protected Daniel.

God’s fidelity in guarding his children was a reality in the life of Daniel, and it is also true in our times. “He is the same yesterday, today and forever.”

As you prepare the class, give thanks to God because of his power and care in your life.

CONTEXT

Throughout this unit, students have learned how God manifests his power and uses it to bless those who love and serve him.

Bring this biblical truth into the daily life of your students. Encourage them to trust that God has the power to help them face their problems and needs. Emphasize that the power of God does not change, it’s infinite and absolute. In the same way that he helped and protected those biblical heroes, he can also care for and guard our lives.

Make this lesson a time of praise to God for his unequaled power, and for allowing you to finish this unit.

End this lesson with a prayer, and include prayer requests from your students. You will realize that they have begun to trust the power of God to answer their requests.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

These activities will allow you to capture the interest of your students and prepare them to listen to the Bible story.

Place them in the biblical context of history. Ask for a member of your congregation to represent Daniel. They can wear a robe as a disguise. Invite him to tell the children some of the story of Daniel’s life, from how he was brought to Babylon, and the way in which God helped him to have a place of honor within the government of King Darius.

In this way, you will introduce the children into the life of today’s biblical character. If you wish, you can have a round of questions and answers with the special guest.

Lion Masks

For this activity, you will need a cardboard plate for each member of your group, a large wooden stick, and strips of brown paper.

Ask for the collaboration of another adult to help cut out the center of the plates to make a hole where the children can put their faces.

Then instruct the children to glue the strips of brown paper around the ring, and thus forming the lion’s mane.

At the bottom of the plate, attache the stick so that the students can hold their mask in front of their face. Encourage them to imitate the roar of the lions.

BIBLE

Use the following activities to teach the Biblical truth to the preschoolers.

A Lion’s Tale!

Gather your students to hear the Bible story, and congratulate them for their good work in the making of their masks. Let them use their masks and roar like fierce lions. Tell them that this lesson has to do with lions, and they must pay close attention during the story.

Bible Story

Daniel In The Lions’ Den

Daniel was one of King Darius’s most important helpers. Daniel was very wise and loved God. Every day without fail he prayed from his room, three times a day.

The king’s other helpers did not want Daniel. It bothered them that he was one of the King’s special helpers. So these evil men decided to do something to harm him.

They came to the king and said to him, “Make a rule by which no one can pray to anyone but you alone. And if anyone does, let him be thrown into a pit with hungry lions. “

The king liked the idea, and told his helpers, “All right, let it be done.”

Daniel was saddened when he learned of this rule, so he went to his room to pray to ask God to help him. The king’s helpers went to spy on Daniel and saw him pray, and immediately brought the news to the king, accusing him of not fulfilling the new rule.

This caused King Darius to be very sad because Daniel was his friend, and he did not want to throw him into the pit of the lions.

The king’s helpers said to him, “You made the rule, and therefore you can not break it. You must send Daniel to the lion’s den.”

The king knew that was true. Not even he could break the rule, so he gave the order to take Daniel to the den.

The helpers took Daniel to throw him to the hungry lions. King Darius went with Daniel to the pit, and he saw how they threw him, and said, “I hope your God will rescue you!”

The next morning, the king ran to see what had happened to his friend.

“Daniel, Daniel, are you okay? Did your God save you?” asked the king.

“God saved me!” Daniel answered from the bottom of the pit. “The lions did me no harm.” “Take Daniel out immediately,” said the king. And he was very glad to see him safe and sound.

The lions could not hurt him because God protected him.

God has power over animals and over everything that exists. He is more powerful than anyone.

CONNECTION

Use this activity to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

Daniel And The Lions

Distribute the activity sheets, and give your students time to draw a line from the lions to their shadows. Notice how Daniel is quiet and safe inside the den.

Tell them to trace the Faith Word “Power’, and draw a lion on the back of the page, like those in today’s Bible story.

Songs of Praise

Together with the children sing songs that praise the power of God. Encourage them to celebrate with joy that our God is powerful, and is willing to help us in times of need.

Do a brief review of what they have learned during the lessons of this unit, and talk about how they feel to be children of an all-powerful God.

MEMORY VERSE

This is the last lesson of the unit, and most students will have learned the memory verse. If possible, talk with your pastor so that the children can recite the text and share the teachings of this unit with the congregation during the service.

WRAP UP

Briefly review what has been learned throughout the four lessons of this unit. Make time for your students to remember Bible stories and teachings. Invite them to the next class, and introduce the next unit.

Pray for the needs of your students, and get in touch with their families to learn how they apply what they learned in the classroom at home.

Year 1 INTRODUCTION TO UNIT XI

THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT PETER

Unit Objective: Through the unit, students will want to be like Peter so they can talk to others about Jesus.

Memory Verse: “They never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.” (Acts 5:42b, NIV).

Word of Faith: DISCIPLESHIP: A disciple is someone who loves and follows Jesus, and speaks to others about him. Peter was a disciple of Jesus.

Unit Lessons

Lesson 45 Peter Talks About Jesus

Lesson 46 Peter Helps A Lame Man

Lesson 47 Peter Tells The Good News to Cornelius

Lesson 48 Peter’s Friends Pray For Him

Main points of the lessons for preschoolers:

— God helped and enabled Peter to proclaim the good news of Jesus.

— God healed a lame man through Peter.

— God helped Peter to tell Cornelius about Jesus.

— They will learn to pray for their friends and family who need the help of God.

Simon Peter was a rude and impulsive man. Before Pentecost, he had many problems because of his impulsive and violent character. However, God changed his heart and mind by giving him a meek and humble Spirit.

The simple fisherman became a great leader of the early Christian church.

Throughout this series of stories, help preschoolers learn that Peter trusted that God would help him when he talked to others about Jesus’s love.

You and your students can also speak to other people about Jesus and you must be sure that God will help you.

Lesson 45

PETER TALKS ABOUT JESUS

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Acts 2:14, 22-24, 32-33, 37, 38, 41.

Lesson Objective: That the children learn that God prepared and helped Peter announce the Good News about Jesus.

Memory Verse: “They never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.” (Acts 5:42b)

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

Peter was a simple fisherman who became a faithful disciple of Jesus. He was one of the first ones whom he called to follow him (John 1: 35-42).

Peter was a strong man, brave and impetuous. That is why Jesus called him “the rock.” Sometimes his strong personality caused him trouble, for he often spoke and acted without thinking, as when he denied Jesus after his arrest (John 18:17, 25-27). However, Jesus knew Peter’s heart and knew that he would become a great leader of his people.

After his resurrection, Jesus forgave Peter for denying that he knew him, and invited him again to follow him (John 21:19).

This impetuous man did not despise the invitation of his teacher, friend and savior, but became the leader of the Christian community. He was an eloquent preacher, and introduced many people to the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit did a beautiful work in the life of Peter; he helped him to master his character and to work harder in the ministry entrusted to him by Jesus. Many people heard his preaching and the message of salvation. In this way, the believers began to multiply, and the proclamation of the gospel spread everywhere.

CONTEXT

Peter was a hotheaded man by nature, and at times he repented for his deeds or what he said without thinking. Something similar happens to us; the circumstances or our character make us act many times with haste, without reflecting on the consequences of our actions.

God can teach us to control this tendency of acting before we think.

Have you noticed in any of your students the tendency to react guided by their impulses?

It is common for young children to act in an impulsive way.

It is important for students of this class to identify with the apostle Peter and learn that, despite his character, God used him to preach the good news of Jesus Christ, his Son, to countless people.

This time, God wants to use you to proclaim the good news to your students. Then it is they who will carry that message to others.

This is a beautiful teaching about the message of salvation: God uses his children as carriers of the words of life.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use some or all of these activities to capture the attention of the children and help them learn today’s lesson.

Let’s Meet Peter

Invite a member of your congregation to represent the apostle Peter (he may wear a tunic or sheet as a disguise). Ask him to tell the students some important facts about the life of this biblical character (ex.: his work as a fisherman, his birthplace, the time of his encounter with Jesus, etc.).

Have the group form a semicircle and sit down, and provide a chair for the guest. Welcome him, and let him begin his story. If children have questions, let them ask them freely.

It is important that preschoolers become familiar with the biblical hero of this unit.

This was Peter

After the guest leaves, hand out blank paper and crayons for the children to draw Peter. When everyone is finished, have them hang the pictures on a wall to form a mural.

Tell them: Here we have many drawings about the biblical character of this unit. Peter was a man who loved and obeyed God. During these lessons, we will learn more about his life.

BIBLE

Use the following activity to teach students Biblical truth.

Bible Story

Peter Speaks To A Large Crowd

The apostle Peter followed Jesus throughout his ministry on earth. He saw with his own eyes all the miracles that the Son of God did; even walked on the water next to Jesus.

When Jesus died, Peter felt very sad. But when Jesus was resurrected, he was filled with a very special joy. He surely knew the Son of God and knew that he had to fulfill the task he left him: to preach the gospel to all people.

One day while he was with the other disciples in Jerusalem, they received a very special visit: the Holy Spirit of God descended upon them, filling them with power. Peter went out into the street and began to preach the message of salvation.

He told people that Jesus was the Son of God who came into the world to die for the sins of all. He also told them that although they all saw Jesus crucified, God raised him from the dead on the third day. “He is risen, he is alive!” said Peter, “and he wants all to repent of their sins and return to him.”

That day, more than three thousand people believed in the message of the gospel. God used Peter as an instrument to proclaim to others the plan of salvation through the death and resurrection of Christ.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

I Can Talk About Jesus!

During the week, prepare pictures of children telling others the message of salvation or showing others the love of Jesus. For example: praying for a sick person, telling someone about Jesus, reading the Bible with an old man, helping someone who is sad, etc.

Show them to the group, and talk about what they can do to tell and show others the story of Jesus. Emphasize that even though they are small, they also have an obligation to tell others that Christ loves us and died for our sins.

Encourage them to follow Peter’s example as they tell their friends from school and their families the good news of salvation.

Peter Talks about Jesus

Hand out the activity sheets from the student’s book, and look in the Cut-Out Section for the figure of Peter that corresponds to this lesson.

Let them cut it out carefully and put it in the midst of the crowd, to remember the day that Peter spoke to the people who were in Jerusalem. Allow time for the children to color the figures that are blank, and trace the Faith Word of the unit.

When all are done, turn over the sheet and color the spaces that have a dot to find the mysterious name. If they wish, they can color the rest of the letters with different colors.

MEMORY VERSE

Write the memory verse with large letters on good sized card stock. Place them at the front of the room and read the verse out loud. Then ask for a volunteer to repeat it while jumping, another to say it while clapping, etc. Add more actions. In this way, everyone will listen to the memory verse several times and have fun with what their classmates do.

WRAP UP

We must help reinforce the truth to preschoolers that prayer is the basis of their Christian life. Help pray for those who have just began to do it, and encourage them to speak to God in their own words.

Intercede for prayer requests, and ask the Lord to help you all speak to the people about the gospel message.

During this unit, you will have the opportunity to guide the preschoolers to proclaim to others their faith in Jesus Christ. Ask them to set out to tell a person during the week, “Jesus loves you.”

Pay attention and make sure that everyone takes their belongings and activity sheets home, so they can review the verse.

Say goodbye with some songs that talk about Jesus.

Lesson 46

PETER HELPS A LAME MAN

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Acts 3:1-10.

Lesson Objective: That they children learn that God healed a lame man through Peter.

Memory Verse: “They never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.” (Acts 5:42b)

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

After Pentecost, the apostles continued praying and worshiping in the temple. One day, Peter and John entered the temple to pray. It was the custom in the Jewish religion to pray three times a day. The first prayer was at nine o’clock in the morning, the second at three o’clock in the afternoon, and the last at sunset.

Peter and John entered through the Beautiful Gate door of the temple to participate in the prayer time at three. That was a good time and a good place for a crippled man to beg. It was very common for people to carry coins, as they were carried for the offering and for the purchase of animals for the sacrifice.

The Beautiful Gate was the main entrance. It ran from the room of the gentiles to the inner part of the temple, from the women’s room and the men’s room to the altar.

On that day, while the man begged for alms, he received something that for a long time he thought was impossible. Peter and John did not have gold or silver to give, but they had Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, and while the man responded with faith, he was healthy.

The man jumped for joy, and the people around him looked at him in amazement. Can you imagine all the conversations that arose?

Once again, Peter had the opportunity to give testimony about his friend and savior, Jesus Christ.

What opportunities do you have to speak to others about Jesus? Ask God to use your teaching to help your students know Jesus as their friend and savior.

This biblical story is about a miracle, but the most important thing was not that the man was healed, but that he believed in Jesus as the Son of God.

As you teach this lesson, help your students understand that not only did Peter heal the crippled man in the name of Jesus, but also gave him something of much more value: He introduced him to Jesus. Until that moment, the man knew nothing about him; but, after this fact, he knew Jesus as the Son of God, the only one who had the power to transform his life.

CONTEXT

Preschoolers accept Jesus as real. They pray and also speak of Jesus. Most recognize him as the Son of God. Help them to enjoy themselves through their relationship with Jesus as they perform the activities of the lesson. Do their words, actions, and prayer requests reflect the growth of their personal relationship with him?

As the lame man in this story, perhaps one of your students is ready to take that step of faith. Invite them to talk to you personally about their relationship with Jesus.

If any of them shows an interest in accepting Jesus, use the child’s plan of salvation. Follow up on the spiritual growth of each one, especially those who begin their relationship with God.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use the following activities to capture the children’s interest.

Special People

Have your students sit down and form a circle to talk about people who have a physical disability. It is likely that in your class or congregation there is a person with a physical disability. It is important that your students learn to respect and love all people equally, regardless of their condition.

Let them know that these people have a limitation in their body due to different factors, such as illness, accidents or birth problems.

Tell them that today’s story tells us about a person who had a physical disability; he was lame. That means he could not walk very well, however, God had a plan for him.

BIBLE

A Very Special Visitor

Invite a member of your church to help with this part of the lesson. Bring the children together to tell them the story and tell them: I want to introduce you to someone. This man is dressed like the lame man of the story that we will hear about today. This lame man could not walk, and sat outside the temple to ask for money so he could buy food to eat. Peter and John had no money, but they told the man about Jesus. We will see what else happened in this bible story. Our visitor will stay with us to listen to the lesson.

Bible Story

“A coin, please, a coin,” said the lame man. He had been sick from birth. He could not walk. Every day, someone would take him to the door of the temple called Beautiful.

“A little coin, please,” said the lame man as two men approached him. “Do you have a coin for this lame man?”

Peter and his friend John loved Jesus; they were his disciples, and that day they went to the temple to pray. The lame man looked at Peter intently and waited for something.

“I have neither silver nor gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus, get up and walk!” said Peter, then took the man’s hand and helped him to his feet.

At that moment, the lame man’s legs were strengthened! And he began to run and scream full of joy.

“Praise God!” shouted the man as he ran, walked and jumped around. He believed in Jesus, and was now one of His followers.

“Is that the lame man?” people wondered. “What happened? You can walk now!”

Everyone saw the miracle happen, and Peter spoke to them so they would know the message of Jesus. That day many repented of their sins and accepted Christ in their hearts.

CONNECTION

Use these activities to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

The Labyrinth

Distribute the activity sheet. As they work, tell the children: A follower of Jesus is one who loves and testifies about him. You can talk about Jesus to others.

Let the children put their name on the activity sheet, and follow the path from Peter and John to the lame man (there are three possible paths). When they have finished doing this, repeat the memory verse (Acts 5:42). Then tell them to cut out the figure of the formerly lame man, which they will find in the Cut-Out Section, and help them glue it over the previous figure.

Say: Peter spoke to the lame man about the power of Jesus! God healed him and he was able to walk and jump. Thank God for his love and Son Jesus.

Turn over the page and trace the Word of Faith. Hand out crayons to your students and give them time to draw themselves in the blank box. Remind them that they are very special and important to Jesus.

MEMORY VERSE

For this activity, you will need to write the memory verse in strips of paper or cardboard, and place them inside a box or bag.

Then mix them together and let your students take them out one by one, and help them arrange the text correctly. If it is within your means, give them a treat.

WRAP UP

Give the worksheets and materials to the children, and encourage them to share the gospel message to others during the week.

Ask for God’s help to speak without fear to others about Jesus.

Sing songs of praise to God, and invite them to the next class.

Lesson 47

PETER TELLS THE GOOD NEWS TO CORNELIUS

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Acts 10:1-2, 17-24, 28, 34-36.

Lesson Objective: To help the children know that God helped Peter tell Cornelius about Jesus.

Memory Verse: “They never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.” (Acts 5:42b)

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

After the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on the disciples, Peter traveled northward from Joppa to Caesarea to visit a Gentile, that is, a man who was not a Jew, named Cornelius. He was a Roman centurion who needed to know the Son of God and know about the plan of salvation. God sent Peter to tell him about Jesus.

Cornelius planned and waited for Peter’s arrival. He was ready to hear about Jesus. He was anxious to know, and he invited his family to hear the message of the good news of Christ too.

According to tradition, Peter and the other Jews were not to visit the home of a Gentile. In a vision, Peter saw pure and unclean animals together and realized that this vision meant far more than animals. He learned that God broke the barrier between the Jews and the Gentiles. Cornelius and his family received the gift of peace and reconciliation with God through his Son Jesus.

CONTEXT

Peter realized a very important truth: the Lord is the God of all people. Nationality or race do not matter. We need to be open and willing for the Holy Spirit to guide us. Reflect on your attitudes toward others. Do prejudices cause barriers to form? Allow God to work in your life to break any barrier that stands in the way.

I know a little girl who attended the children’s playhouse. She said to her mother: “I am not white, I am something pink. My friend is not black, it’s brown. “ With only four years this girl could describe people according to the color of their skin. Many times these behaviors are unconscious and we learn them during childhood. Be alert to identify any inappropriate behavior in preschoolers, and teach them to see people through God’s love.

During this stage of their development, children interact to form friendships. Cultivate in them the feeling of equality within everyone.

Encourage them to follow the example of Peter, who treated a person who was not of his own race equally.

Through this lesson, they will learn that God loves all people, regardless of race, color, age, stature, or physical condition. We are all equal before the eyes of God.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use the following activities to capture children’s interest.

Different But Equal

For this activity, you will need to get films or photographs of people of different races. Let the children look at them, and talk about the place of origin of each of the races and the particular characteristics of each.

Tell them that although we are all different on the outside, for God we are all equal. He does not care about the color of our skin or the type of hair that we have. What he wants is that our hearts are sincere and free from sin. Today’s story tells us about how Peter testified of Jesus to a man who was not a Jew.

Fingers

Invite your students to carefully observe their hands, and ask: How many fingers are on your hand? (Five) Are all your fingers the same? (Allow them to respond).

Explain that all the fingers on our hand are different. We have a small fat one, one that is tall and thin, and others of different sizes. The important thing is that they are all part of our hand and they serve us a lot. In the same way, we are all part of the creation of God and we have different gifts.

Throughout today’s history we will learn that the message of salvation is for all alike.

BIBLE

Use the following activity to teach them biblical truth. A Centurion

Look in a book of biblical stories for the drawing of a Roman centurion, and show it to your students. Tell them that the centurions were some kind of police chiefs. They were in charge of a group of soldiers in the service of the Roman emperor.

The centurions were not Jews, although many lived in Israel. The Israelites did not mix with people other than themselves, because their traditions forbade it. However, Jesus broke with tradition and extended his love to all. In today’s story, we will talk about a centurion who heard the good news of the Son of God.

Bible Story

Peter Visits Cornelius

One day while Peter was praying, he had a special dream. God spoke to him and told him that all people had the right to know the message of Jesus, the Son of God.

God asked Peter to make a trip to a place called Caesarea to visit a Roman centurion who was waiting for him. The Jewish custom of that time did not allow a Hebrew man like Peter to meet with a Gentile like Cornelius. However, since God had previously instructed the apostle, he began the journey.

Cornelius was a centurion, something like the chief of the police. He was in charge of a group of soldiers and was a highly respected person. This man was God-fearing and wanted to learn more about him.

When Peter arrived, Cornelius received him very enthusiastically. He had invited his friends and relatives to his home to hear Peter speak of the gospel of Jesus. Many people who gathered there believed in Jesus as they listened to Peter’s message. The Holy Spirit descended upon them and there was a great revival. Everyone was happy!

Peter understood that God makes no distinction between people, and wants everyone to know Jesus as their personal savior.

CONNECTION

Use this activity to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

Peter Meets Cornelius

Pass out the activity sheet, and allow your students to join the points by following the numbers to trace the figure of Cornelius’ house.

Find in the Cut-Out Section the figures of Peter and Cornelius corresponding to this unit. Cut them out carefully and stick them at the entrance of the house. Review what they have learned during the Bible story, and repeat the memory verse at the bottom of the activity sheet.

Have them trace the Word of Faith, and turn the page to color the name of Jesus. As your students work, remind them that Peter was a follower of Jesus. Many people heard the good news of salvation thanks to him. We can also tell people what God did for us.

MEMORY VERSE

Write on the chalkboard some letters from the words that make up the memory verse. Write the remaining letters on pieces of paper, which will be placed inside a bag. Ask some volunteers to remove the letters from the bag and see if they correspond to the ones missing in the text.

Children should place the letter in the appropriate place within the text. When they are done, read it together and repeat it several times.

WRAP UP

Make sure everyone has finished their work and takes their belongings home. Exhort them to tell their families and friends the good news of Jesus during the week, and also to review the memory verse. Form a circle, pray for each of your students and for the prayer requests they have.

Remind them that their attendance is very important next week to conclude with the stories of this unit.

Lesson 48

PETER’S FRIENDS PRAY FOR HIM

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Acts 12:1-17.

Lesson Objective: That the children will learn to pray for their friends and family who need the help of God.

Memory Verse: “They never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.” (Acts 5:42b)

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

King Herod wanted to maintain a good relationship with the Jews so that his government’s reputation was favorable, so he decided to oppose everything that had to do with Jesus and his followers.

One of his first steps was to persecute the believers. He took many to jail and mistreated them. He also killed Jacob, John’s brother. The leaders of the Jews and the priests were very pleased, so Herod decided to find Peter to kill him too.

The soldiers captured Peter and took him to prison, where he was chained. King Herod wanted to show Peter in the public square before his execution to show his authority to the people.

That night, while Peter was trying to sleep in the prison, the brothers and sisters of the church were gathered in the house of Mary praying for him.

Suddenly, a light shone in the prison and an angel of the Lord woke up Peter and led him through the halls of the dark prison, without any soldier realizing anything. At last they came to the door that led to the street. They walked a few more steps and the angel disappeared. Peter understood that it was the hand of the Lord who delivered him from Herod.

Peter hurried to the house of Mary, John’s mother. Everyone was stunned when they saw him enter. Then they realized that God answered their prayers and praised Him by giving thanks.

This story teaches us that God answers the earnest prayers of His people. As you prepare to teach, pray for each student in your class. You have the privilege and responsibility to lead preschoolers to Jesus and to teach them, by your example, the power of prayer.

CONTEXT

This is the last lesson about Peter. Here we celebrate the power of prayer. Prayer is vital for believers, so it is important to foster it from the early stages of development of children.

They need to know that prayer is a direct channel of communication with our God. Just as they converse with their school friends or family members, they can also do so with the Lord.

Many preschoolers are reluctant to pray because they do not know how to turn to God. Let them understand that he does not want long or complicated sentences; he just wants us to talk to him as our best friend. If your students experience prayer in class time, they will want to repeat the experience in their homes.

Encourage prayer times with your group, and allow them to express their requests to intercede for them.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use the following activities to capture children’s interest.

Hands Of Prayer

Draw praying hands on a card and cut them out. You will need a pair for each child. If you wish, you can take the template found on the activity sheet in the student’s book, lesson 26. Give your students the hands, and let them decorate them. Talk to them about what they stand for. Tell them that many times when we pray, we clasp our hands in reverence. Today’s story tells us about people who prayed with great faith and God answered their prayer.

BIBLE

This activity will help teach them the Biblical truth.

Let’s Talk About Prayer

Have your students form a circle. Let them express what they think and know about prayer. Throughout the year they learned about this subject, and they must have certain experiences they can mention.

Encourage them to tell the group how God has answered their prayers. Remind them that praying is talking to the Lord. Tell them: We can talk to God about any subject; and although he already knows everything that happens to us, he likes us to tell him.

God always has time to listen to his children.

In the Bible story, we will learn about people who had a very special request and prayed for it. God answered in a wonderful way. Do you want to know how? Pay close attention throughout the story so you know what the answer was.

Bible Story Peter Is Set Free

Peter was in prison because he was telling

people about Jesus, the Son of God. Peter was one of his followers and wanted people to know the Lord.

Many soldiers guarded him. They were to ensure that he remained in prison, so they were given two heavy chains so that he could not escape; two soldiers were also guarding him while he slept, in addition to other guards in front of the door.

While Peter was in prison, his friends gathered in the house of Mary, the mother of John, to pray for him. They all begged God to look after and protect their friend Peter. God listened to the prayers and, while the apostle slept, an angel appeared in prison and filled everything with light. Very gently he awoke Peter and said, “Quick, get up!” Suddenly, the chains fell from his hands, and he put on his sandals and followed the angel through the dark corridors of the prison until he reached the street. No soldier noticed anything.

Peter thought it was a dream, but it was true. “It’s not a dream! God sent his angel to save me from prison. I am free!” he exclaimed. Then he hurried to Mary’s house, where his friends were gathered. When a young woman opened the door, she could not believe that Peter was in front of her. They all thanked God for answering their prayer and for Peter’s release Peter from prison..

CONNECTION

Use this activity to help your students relate the biblical truth to their daily lives.

Peter’s Book

Give the students their activity sheets and scissors. Have them cut out the figures of Peter and the angel at the bottom of the sheet. Then they should trim the biblical scene along the marked line. Help the children bend the back of the sheet horizontally, following the dotted lines. Then, fold it vertically, to form a small book. They are to stick the figure of Peter in the jail in the first page of the booklet, and the figure of the angel in page number three. Give them time to color it, and review the Bible story. Encourage them to use their little book to tell their friends and family the story of Peter’s wonderful liberation.

MEMORY VERSE

Write the memory verse on the board and repeat it together with your students. Erase some of the words and let the children say it again. Repeat this action until you clear all the words and the children recite it from memory.

Review Game

Ask the children what they learned in class today. Make this review as a game: Throw a ball or other soft object to a member of your class. The one who receives it will have to tell something of what he or she learned. Then they will throw the ball or object to another person, and so on until everyone participates.

WRAP UP

Set aside a special time of prayer with your students. Ask two volunteers to pray aloud, thanking God for the teachings of this unit and for the assurance of knowing that He answers our prayers. Conclude the prayer by praying for your students and their families.

Give the students the activities they did during the previous lessons, and give a brief introduction to the new unit to arouse the children’s interest. Say goodbye with a song that speaks of the power and love of God.

Year 1 INTRODUCTION TO UNIT XII

GOD SENT HIS SON

Unit Objective: This unit will help students understand that God loves them and sent his son Jesus.

Memory Verse: “This is how God showed his love to us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.” (1 John 4:9, NIV).

Word of Faith: JESUS: Jesus was the Son of God who came to earth to show the love of the Father.

Unit Lessons

Lesson 49 God Promised To Send His Son

Lesson 50 God Sends His Son

Lesson 51 The Shepherds Go To See Jesus

Lesson 52 Simeon And Anna See The Son Of God

Main points of the lessons for preschoolers:

— God sent his Son because he loves us.

— God sent Jesus to save us.

— We must celebrate with joy the birth of Jesus.

Tell your students one of the most important stories: the birth of Jesus.

It is incredible that God sent His Son into this world in the midst of such unique circumstances.

As you prepare to teach this unit, help children experience the magnitude of God’s love. Pray for each student by name. Explain the true meaning of Christmas, which is the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Lesson 49

GOD PROMISES TO SEND HIS SON

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Luke 1:26-35, 38.

Lesson Objective: To help students learn that God loves us, and promised to send his son.

Memory Verse: “This is how God showed his love to us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.” (1 John 4:9)

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

The birth of Jesus is one of the most important stories ever told. God’s promise to send His Son is a message of love and hope for all mankind. Luke reminds us in this passage that God offers salvation to mankind through the birth of the promised Messiah, Jesus. This is God’s plan of salvation.

God loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus into this world under unique circumstances. Help the children recognize the true meaning of Christmas. They see the materialistic aspects of this time of year. Pray for these lessons and for your students. Let them imprint on your minds the idea that God loves you so much that He sent His Son Jesus; he is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies that God would send a Savior.

CONTEXT

Our culture is very materialistic in many respects. It is sad to see that Christmas is one of the most materialistic times of the year. Ask them, “What gift do you want for Christmas?” Or “What did they give you for Christmas?” Advertisers bombard the children from the start.

Some children may feel sad because their parents can not buy gifts for them, or because they do not get as much as they want.

Students need a new perspective on this. Help them know that the best gifts are not the ones they buy. These can only be given away. The best gift your parents or anyone else can give them is love, not a toy. As a result, children will learn to love God, their parents, and others.

Talk to them about the true meaning of Christmas. Highlight God’s love for them through Jesus Christ, His Son.

Remember that preschoolers love the Nativity, they love colorful lights, decorations, excitement, and, of course, gifts.

Observe the children during this time. Do they celebrate the birth of Jesus as the best of all gifts? Do they include Jesus when they talk about the excitement of Christmas?

Remember, the degree of attention of the children in the class is shortened the closer that Christmas comes. Every time they see something about Christmas, they must remember that we celebrate Christmas because of the birth of Jesus, the Son of God.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use the following activities to capture children’s interest and prepare them to listen to the Bible story.

Christmas Carols

For this activity, we suggest you use rhythm instruments (tambourines, rattles, triangles, etc.). Let the children choose an instrument so they can play it during this activity. Sing Christmas songs about Jesus. After singing some, have the children exchange the rhythm instruments and sing once more. As they return the instruments, tell them that we celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas.

Angels’ Robes

Get towels, sheets or white cloth that is not very expensive; you can even ask the children’s mothers or other family members to bring a white sheet or tablecloth that no longer suits them. Another option is to make tunics with crepe paper. Dress the children as angels, like the one who brought the good news to Mary. After the children remove their costumes, say: The angel Gabriel gave Mary very good news. We celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas and we thank God for sending His Promised Son.

BIBLE

The following activities will help prepare students to experience & review the Bible story.

Declare The Good News!

Gather the children in the area designated for the Bible story. Sit with them in a circle and say, “I am going to tell a very special message to each one of you.” Walk around the circle, and say to each child in his or her ear, and in a very low voice: Christmas is a special time. Thank you, God, for your Son Jesus.

After finishing, repeat together: Christmas is a special time. Thank you, God, for your Son Jesus. Today’s Bible story is about how the angel Gabriel brought a very special message to Mary.

Bible Story

God Promises His Son

One day Mary was at home doing her work. Through the window she could see the wind swinging the trees. She paused for a moment and heard something like the sound of the wind because it reminded her of a song. She began to sing songs of praise to God in a low voice. She was very grateful to God for her home in Nazareth. She also thanked him for Joseph, with whom he was getting married very soon. She was happy and loved God very much.

Mary was so focused that she did not realize she was not alone.

“I greet you, the Lord is with you!” said the visitor.

Mary turned to look, and what a surprise it was for her to realize that there was an angel before her, with a big smile.

“I can not believe what I see!” whispered Mary.

“Do not be afraid,” said the angel. “My name is Gabriel. God sent me to give you good news.”

“What is it?” said Mary, troubled and looking at the angel, wondering what God’s message would be to her.

“God is pleased that you love him so,” Gabriel said. “He will give you a baby that will come out of your womb, and you must name him Jesus.”

“But how can that happen?” asked Mary. “God will send the Holy Spirit to give you

his own Son. When your child is born, he will be called Jesus, the Son of God.”

Mary was very surprised. However, she replied firmly to the angel, “I love God and will do whatever he wants me to do. I trust that he will fulfill all that he has promised to do.”

When the angel departed, Mary praised God for the privilege of being chosen to be the mother of the Messiah.

CONNECTION

These activities will help the children relate the biblical truth to their daily life.

Mary And The Angel

Give each child their activity sheet, and help them fold them back through the middle. This way the fold will be in the middle of the page. Carefully make the cuts on the dotted lines around the pictures of the angel and Mary. Be careful not to cut the picture on the left line, so you can open the picture as if it were a window and look at the interior pictures.

Briefly review the story as your students work, and tell them, “In today’s Bible story, we learned about the good news the angel gave to Mary. Who is Mary? (The mother of Jesus). What was the good news? (That she would have the promised Son of God, Jesus). Encourage children to use their pictures to tell others today’s bible story.

MEMORY VERSE

Cut out several large circles and decorate them representing spheres or holiday decorations. Write in the memory verse, divided into short sentences. Attach the spheres in front of the room and read along with your students. Then, mix up the spheres and give the children turns to reorder the text so they can continue to review it. Repeat the exercise several times.

WRAP UP

Encourage a conversation with the children so that they can express their favorite activities together with their families during Christmas.

Sit with them and join hands to pray. Encourage them to express their prayer requests and to pray for their families.

Pray, saying: Thank you, God, for your love. Thank you for sending us your Son Jesus, Amen.

Make sure everyone takes their belongings home; thank each child for having attended, and invite them to come back next week.

Lesson 50

GOD SENDS HIS SON

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: San Luke 2:1-7.

Lesson Objective: To teach the children that God sent Jesus to save us.

Memory Verse: “This is how God showed his love to us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.” (1 John 4:9)

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

At the birth of Jesus, all the promises of God and his love are fulfilled. Luke helps us to understand the historical and political significance of this beautiful event.

Quirinius, governor of Syria, sent out the decree that all persons should return to the place of their birth to be recorded and counted. This first census caused Jesus to be born in Bethlehem, because Joseph was a descendant of King David.

That is why Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem of Judea. This event fulfilled the Old Testament prophecy that the promised Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Luke tells us that the birth took place in a stable, and that Jesus was laid in a manger, which was a trough for feeding animals.

What a humble beginning for the Son of God!

You have the opportunity to mention the wonders of Jesus’s birth to children. God offers us salvation through his Son. Express this love of the Lord to the children through this story.

CONTEXT

Encourage students to think of ways they can tell the Christmas story to others. This lesson gives you opportunities to talk about the birth of Jesus. This is fundamental to understanding the true meaning of Christmas, and fostering in children a basic spiritual connection.

Maybe, because it’s the Christmas season, you will have visitors in your class. Help these children to experience and begin to understand the wonders of Jesus’s birth.

Remember that your actions and words will heighten the greatness of the fact that God sent Jesus, His Son.

In general, children get excited about Christmas. In the next few weeks, their excitement will grow. Observe them when they express their feelings. Do they remember the birth of Jesus when they talk about Christmas? Do their words and actions reflect the truth that Jesus is the Son of God? During this lesson, preschoolers should understand the following concepts:

We celebrate Christmas because God sent His Son Jesus into the world; (2) Christmas is a special time to celebrate God’s love for us.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use the following activities to capture children’s interest and prepare them to listen to the Bible story.

Meet The Stable

Get a picture that illustrates how a stable is. It is likely that many children have never seen or imagined it.

If you cannot find a picture, draw a stable with animals (you can also do this using magazine clippings or illustrations of different types of animals: cows, pigs, chickens, donkeys, etc.).

Show the picture to your students, and tell them about the stables. In some places, they still use them to keep animals.

Tell them that in this story we will talk about a wonderful story that happened inside a stable.

The Babies

Sit down with your students, and talk to them about newborn babies. If some have younger siblings, they probably already know what it’s like to have and care for a baby at home. Let them describe their experiences, and talk about the care babies should receive.

They can also talk about their own birth, for example where they were born, how they were cared for, etc.

Tell them: In this story, we will meet a baby born in a place very different from where children are born today.

BIBLE

Use the following activity to help children learn the Bible story.

During the week, draw on a poster board the figures of Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, a don- key and other stable animals. Cut, color, and trim the figures.

Before class, hide them and, when children are ready to listen to the Bible story, sit with them in a circle, and ask five volunteers to look for the figures around the classroom. When they find them, show them and tell them that in the biblical story today they will use these figures to learn more about the first Christmas.

Bible Story

The First Christmas

One day, the Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar wanted to know the number of people in his kingdom, so he ordered each person to return to the place where they were born to be recorded and counted. Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem, because that was where Joseph was born. Mary was traveling on an donkey, while Joseph walked beside her.

It was a long way to get to Bethlehem. At last they arrived when it was getting dark at night. Joseph hurried to search for a room so that Mary could rest, since she was exhausted by the trip and it was almost time for her child to be born.

“I’m sorry,” they said to Joseph in all the places. The town is full of people who came to register. They are all tired and no rooms are available anymore.”

“Mary is tired and it is late,” Joseph said. “Come with me,” one of the employees said. While they followed the clerk at the inn,

they could hear the mooing of the cows and the braying of the donkeys.

“This is where we keep the animals,” the clerk said. “The straw is soft, you can stay here if you want.”

That night Jesus was born. Mary wrapped the baby in blankets to warm him up, and made him an improvised bed in a manger so he could rest.

Mary and Joseph were happy for their baby, and they thanked God.

Then they said, “He shall be called Jesus.” This was the name that the angel Gabriel had told them to name him before the child was born.

That night was the first Christmas. The Son of God had come into this world to save us from our sins.

CONNECTION

These activities will help the child relate biblical truth to their daily life.

The Birth Of Jesus

Give the activity sheets to the children and help them trim around the two wheels printed there. Tell them to cut out the wheel window on the first wheel where the text is not. Allow them to put their names on the wheels and set them on top of each other, leaving the text on top. Have metal hooks or paper fasteners on hand to attach both wheels through the middle, as shown in the example. Invite your students to review the story using their Christmas wheels.

Christmas Wreaths

For this activity, you will need green card stock or other heavy-duty paper of the same color, glue, rounded tip scissors, pencils and a red ribbon.

Give each member of your class a piece of green paper and a pencil, and tell them to trace the outline of one of their open hands. When they are finished, help them trim around the hands, and if they wish they can decorate them. Put their name in the center of their hand.

Prepare a pre-cut paper ring that is large enough to fit all your students’ hands. When you have them ready and trimmed, glue them to the ring from the base of the hand, forming a crown. It is important that all hands are well together to make the crown look better.

To finish, decorate the Christmas wreath with a red ribbon at the top, and place it in a visible place in your classroom.

MEMORY VERSE

Have the children from a circle and crouch down putting their hands around their knees. Walk around the circle, and when you touch the back of one of them, they should straighten up by lifting their hands up and say the Bible text with you. Repeat the action until everyone has participated.

WRAP UP

Each Sunday we draw closer and closer to Christmas, and it is the perfect time to prepare the hearts of your students to mention to others the gift of God’s love through his Son Jesus. Encourage them to invite their friends to class. Do not forget to ask if they have prayer requests, and pray with them. Children are comforted to know that you care about their problems. Encourage them to attend the next class to continue learning about the beautiful story of Christmas.

Lesson 51

THE SHEPHERDS GO TO SEE JESUS

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Luke 2:8-20.

Lesson Objective: That the children celebrate the birth of Jesus with joy.

Memory Verse: “This is how God showed his love to us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.” (1 John 4:9)

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

In this part of Christmas story, some very important people appear: the shepherds. These were considered to be people with very limited resources. However, God chose these humble men to be the first to hear the wonderful news of the birth of Jesus.

The Gospel of St. Luke is the only one that tells us about the visit that the angels made to the shepherds. During the night, they tended their flocks near Bethlehem, in a small and not very well-known town.

Bethlehem was a city rich in history. Jacob’s wife, Rachel, was buried there when this city was called Ephrathah. It was also the home of Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz. It was there that the prophet Samuel met David, the future king of Israel. Micah prophesied that the Messiah himself would be born in Bethlehem.

The angel’s announcement was very clear in telling them who Jesus was. He called him “Savior” and “Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). His birth was good news for all (v. 10), not just for the more powerful Jews. The birth of Jesus was good news for all people, even the most humble of the earth.

The angel’s announcement to the shepherds is still valid today, and year after year we celebrate the glorious truth that Jesus, the Son of God, came to this world to save us from our sins.

The spontaneous way of believing and the response of the shepherds is an example for us.

CONTEXT

Help your students realize that the story of Jesus’s birth is very different from the secular stories they hear about Christmas. Do not be alarmed if older children combine events of Jesus’s birth with secular stories. Encourage them to experience the hope, joy, and reverence that the shepherds felt when they heard the angel’s announcement. God cares for everyone, especially those who are very humble.

The shepherds did not have expensive gifts for Jesus. The only thing they had to offer was their worship.

Like shepherds, children often do not have much money to buy presents during the Christmas season. Help them know that God values the worship they give Him. Just as the shepherds told others the good news, the children can also tell their unconverted friends and family about the birth of Jesus.

Young children do not know what it means to be an evangelist or a preacher; however, they know that they can tell others what they have learned. Even at an early age, they can have a very important part in spreading the gospel.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use the following activities to capture children’s interest and prepare them to listen to the Bible story.

A Night Full Of Stars

Draw figures of good sized stars on a piece of cardboard and cut them out. Give one to each child and let them decorate with sequins, glitter or simply color it gold or yellow. When everyone has finished their stars, let them write their names, and hang them around the room to simulate that it is night and the stars are shining in the sky.

Talk about the stars. Remind the children that these are God’s creation, and they make the sky look beautiful when it is night.

Tell them that this story speaks of something that happened one night when the stars shone brighter than ever.

Let’s Meet A Shepherd

Invite a young man from the congregation in advance to dress himself up as a shepherd. Ask him to wear a robe and carry a stick in his hands.

He must explain to the children what a shepherd does. For example, he cares for the sheep, he defends them from the ferocious beasts, he finds food for them, and he leads them to water to drink. They also have to work long hours. Sometimes they have to stay awake at night to care for the flock.

When the young man finishes his explanation, let the group ask questions and interact with him.

BIBLE

The following activity will help you present today’s Bible lesson.

Bible Story

The Joy Of The Shepherds

The story began with a night full of stars. Some shepherds were watching over their sheep when, suddenly, the sky lit up. The shepherds raised their eyes and felt much fear. “What was that light?” they asked each other. An angel told them: “Do not be afraid, God has sent us to give you good news. A special child was born today. That baby is the Son of God, and you can find him in a manger in

Bethlehem.”

Suddenly, the sky was filled with a multitude of angels who began to praise God saying, “Glory to God in the highest.” (Encourage the children to repeat it with you). The shepherds were very excited and happy about the news that the angels had given them, so they said, “Let’s go to Bethlehem to see what has happened.” They took their belongings and hurried to see the child.

When they arrived, they found Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus. It was just as the angels had told them. When the shepherds saw everything, they could not wait to tell others about Jesus, the Son of God.

CONNECTION

These activities will help the child relate biblical truth to their daily life.

The Shepherds’ Way

Distribute the activity sheets from the student’s book, and look in the Cut-Out Section

for the pictures corresponding to this lesson.

Have the children cut out the figures (shepherds, angels, and sheep), and as they review the Bible story, have them glue the figures according to the story that they learned today.

Then ask them to follow the footprints that lead them to the baby Jesus with a colored pencil.

Angels And Shepherds

Provide students with white paper, crayons, and markers.

Have them, as a review, draw the scene in which the angels announce to the shepherds the birth of Jesus. When they are done, you can hang up the drawings in the room and invite the parents and congregation to visit their exhibition. The children will be in charge of explaining what happened on this very special visit that the shepherds received.

Prayer Time

Prayer should be part of the daily life of preschoolers. The Christmas season is full of gifts and toys. This is a good time to emphasize that prayer is not a simple list of requests to God, but a way of communicating with him, thanking him and praising him. Let the students use their own words as they pray. Intercede for their requests, and thank God for sending Jesus as our Redeemer and Savior.

MEMORY VERSE

Have the children form a circle. Put yourself in the middle. Throw them a soft ball. The child who receives it should stand up and say the memory verse. Repeat this exercise in such a way that all your students participate. Help the little ones who have difficulty memorizing.

WRAP UP

To conclude, pray, thanking God for the upcoming Christmas celebration. Praise Him for sending Jesus as a gift of love for us, and ask Him to help each of His students tell the story of Christmas to others. Say goodbye by singing some Christmas song.

Lesson 52

SIMEON AND ANNA SEE THE SON OF GOD

GENERAL ASPECTS

Biblical Base: Luke 2:21-38.

Lesson Objective: To teach the preschoolers that they should thank God for sending his Son Jesus.

Memory Verse: “This is how God showed his love to us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.” (1 John 4:9)

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

The purpose of Joseph and Mary in traveling to Jerusalem was the presentation of Jesus in the temple. According to Jewish custom, this had to be done 40 days after birth. They were poor. For that reason they brought a humble offering of two turtle doves or pigeons to sacrifice in the temple of Jerusalem. It was part of the religious customs to consecrate the firstborn son to the service of God. Simeon was faithful in serving God. The Lord had promised him that he would not die until he saw the Messiah with his own eyes. And, through the Holy Spirit, the Lord gave him a special sign so that he could recognize Christ.

Anna was a prophetess who lived in the temple and worshiped God day and night with fasting and prayer. Imagine the joy of Simeon and Anna when they saw Jesus. They were very happy and thanked God for having revealed to them the Messiah in this way.

Do you feel that same joy that they felt when they saw Jesus, the Messiah? Do you give thanks to God for revealing Jesus in a personal way? Your grateful heart and your spirit of praise will encourage children to be grateful to God.

CONTEXT

Encourage the spiritual development of your children by encouraging them to grow in wisdom and obedience as Jesus did. Help them understand that they too can follow this example of making the right decisions.

The example of Simeon and Anna will be of great use to you to teach preschoolers the joy and gratitude that one must have in your hearts to know Jesus as your personal savior.

Children are very excited about the celebration of Christmas. Approach this lesson with joy, since it is the culmination of the unit that tells us the story of the birth of Christ.

Simeon and Anna thanked God for the opportunity to see the Messiah in the temple.

Reflect on the dynamics of your class. Can you feel a sense of thankfulness and praise in your students? Do they thank God for Jesus?

Through learning these four stories, children should be able to tell a large part of the Christmas story. Listen as they tell this story to you.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

Attention

Use the following activities to capture the children’s interest and prepare them to listen to the Bible story.

Christmas Game

Form two groups of children, and ask review questions about previous classes. The group that answers correctly will gain five points, and the one that does not give the answer will be without points. The team that achieves the highest score will be the winner. Prepare a series of questions that includes all topics related to the Bible content of previous lessons.

If you want, you can give something simple as a prize to the winning team.

Simeon And Anna

During the week, write the letters that form the names of Simeon and Anna on cards (use one card per letter). Mix them and place them on a table in the living room. Ask several volunteers to try to combine the letters to form the names. Give time for everyone to try. When the names are ready, stick them in a visible place in the room.

Gather your students and tell them: These are the names of two biblical characters who loved God and rejoiced at the birth of Jesus. In today’s story, we will learn more about them.

BIBLE

The following activities will help prepare your students to experience and review the Bible story.

Simeon And Anna See Jesus

Have a baby doll on hand and hold it in your arms. Gather the children in the area designated for the Bible story and tell them: When Jesus was six weeks old, his parents took him to the temple to introduce him. There were two people there who loved God very much, and had waited a long time to see the Son of God. Jesus was a baby. Let each child hold the doll and walk around the room. When finished, say, “Today we will find out what happened when Simeon and Anna saw the baby Jesus in the temple.”

Bible Story

Simeon And Anna Thank God

“Joseph,” said Mary, “today is the day when we must take Jesus to the temple of Jerusalem.” “Yes,” answered Joseph, “today we will take him to thank God for his birth.”

So, they packed their bags to make the trip to Jerusalem where the temple was. People went there to worship God, just as we go to church now.

When Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus arrived at the temple, they met an old man who loved God very much. His name was Simeon. Many years before, God had promised him that he would meet his Son. And now, seeing Jesus, God confirmed to him through the Holy Spirit that this baby was the Messiah he had long waited for. Simeon became very happy. He took the child in his arms and thanked God, saying, “Thank you, God, for your Son Jesus. Now I have seen him who will bring us salvation.”

Mary and Joseph listened to the words Simeon said.

A woman named Anna lived in the temple and loved God very much. When she saw Jesus, she also thanked God, saying, “Thank you, God, for Jesus!”

Simeon and Anna were very happy to see the baby Jesus. And they thanked God for having the privilege of knowing the Messiah, the Savior of the world.

Simeon And Anna Thank God

Give the activity sheet corresponding to this lesson to the children, and help them fold them in half, so that the figure of Simon and Anna and the parents of Jesus are above.

Say: Simeon and Anna thanked God for His Son Jesus. How did they feel when they saw him? (Let the children respond).

Help them cut along 3 sides of the pictures along the dotted lines, as shown in the example in the book, and make folds to open the doors. Tell them: You too can thank God.

Invite them to draw in the blank space a way in which they can thank the Lord.

Christmas Songs

Form a circle and sing Christmas songs. If you have instruments (tambourines, rattles, etc.), let the students use them to accompany the singing. Remind them that one way to thank God for the gift of Jesus is to sing praises.

Christmas Cards

Prepare your material in advance. You will need white cards or sheets of paper, surroundings, figures, cutouts of Christmas motifs, glue, scissors with rounded tips, colored strips, glitter, markers and something for coloring. Give your students the cut out sheets or cards the size of a letter sheet. Ask them to make a Christmas card for their parents, grandparents or whoever they want. They can use all the materials they need to customize the cards. When they are finished, give them time to write down the memory verse and a message. Put the cards in the envelopes and have the children take them home to give away.

MEMORY VERSE

This is the last lesson of the unit and it is very likely that most of your students have learned the text from memory. If possible, talk with your pastor so that your students can recite the text and mention the teachings of this unit to the congregation during worship.

WRAP UP

Because this is the last lesson of the book, be sure to recognize your students for their effort throughout the year of work. Remind them that all the teachings learned are biblical truths that God wants them to apply to their daily lives.

Pray, giving thanks to God for the gift of Jesus as Savior and King. Also thank Him for the year of work in the class, and intercede for the requests that have been mentioned.

If you wish, you can organize a Christmas party as a culmination of the year. Do not stop praying for your students and seeking their spiritual growth.

Sunday School / Christian

Education Materials for Children

Discipleship Ministries of the Mesoamerica Region presents its complete collection of books on Christian education.

They were designed for teachers of children and for students from 4 to 11 years of age.

Children will learn the lessons of the Bible according to their age. At the end of their elementary school years, they will have gone through the challenging biblical stories as well as various appropriate themes for each stage of their childhood and pre-teenage years.

This material was designed as different steps to achieve a holy life. It contains clear and possible goals.

The teacher’s book will help equip those who have the beautiful task of leading children to connect with the message that will change their lives forever.

By promoting the child to the next year of class - according to his age - he will have studied only once each of the books. When he is 12 years old - if he started with the first book - he will have studied the eight books of this valuable collection.

The books were designed to be used in Sunday School, Children’s Club, Discipleship, and Schools in general.

This series aims to:

• Challenge children to learn the Word of God.

• Allow them to grow in their Christian experience as children of God.

• Help them grow in their faith.

• Guide them to accept Jesus as their Savior and Lord.

• Help them to become part of the faith community - the church.

The following will help you identify the appropriate book according to the age of the students:

Preschoolers - 4 and 5 years old (Year / Book 1 and 2).

Elementary - 6 to 8 years old (Year / Book 1, 2 and 3).

Words of Life (pre-adolescents) - 9 to 11 years old (Year / Book 1, 2 and 3).

Table of Contents

Preschool

TEACHER

Year 1

INTRODUCTION TO EACH UNIT

I. GENERAL ASPECT OF THE LESSON

II. PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH

III. DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

IV. CONNECTION

EACH LESSON CONTAINS SUGGESTIONS TO USE FOR THE MEMORY VERSE OF SCRIPTURE.

1. WHAT DOES THE VERSE SAY?

2. WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

3. HOW DO I APPLY IT TO MY LIFE?

THE CHILDREN, THEIR CONDUCT AND THE TEACHER

1. Understand your students and allow them to act normally for their age.

2. Create an atmosphere that encourages good behavior.

3. Enforce your role as the teacher.

4. Use teaching methods that include the children and capture their attention.

5. Concentrate on positive behavior.

WHAT TO DO WHEN A CHILD IS NOT BEHAVING PROPERLY?

1. Find the cause of the problem.

2. Take control of the situation.

3. Talk to the child’s parents or guardians.

MEET THE PRESCHOOLER

TEACHING RESOURCES

RECIPES FOR PLAY DOUGH AND MODELING CLAY

SALT AND FLOUR DOUGH

COOKED DOUGH

CLAY

FINGER PAINT

WHITE GLUE

PAPER FOR CRAFTS

THE IMPORTANCE OF PROMOTING STUDENTS TO THE NEXT CLASS

Year 1 INTRODUCTION TO UNIT I

JESUS GROWS

Lesson 1

JESUS’S FAMILY GOES TO EGYPT

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 2

JESUS VISITS THE TEMPLE

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 3

JESUS HEALS A SICK GIRL

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 4

JESUS VISITS ZACCHAEUS

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Year 1 INTRODUCTION TO UNIT II

JESUS’S MIRACLES

Lesson 5

JESUS HEALS AN OLD WOMAN

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 6

JESUS HELPS A FISHERMAN

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 7

JESUS CALMS THE STORM

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 8

JESUS FEEDS THE CROWD

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Year 1 INTRODUCTION TO UNIT III

GOD SHOWS HIS LOVE

Lesson 9

GOD SHOWS HIS LOVE THROUGH PARENTS

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 10

GOD SHOWS HIS LOVE THROUGH GRANDPARENTS

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 11

GOD SHOWS HIS LOVE THROUGH

BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF THE CHURCH

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 12

GOD SHOWS HIS LOVE THROUGH JESUS

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Year 1 INTRODUCTION TO UNIT IV

JESUS, THE SON OF GOD, LIVES!

Lesson 13

JESUS RESURRECTS LAZARUS

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 14

JESUS HEALS A BLIND MAN

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 15

JESUS TALKS WITH PETER

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 16

JESUS GOES TO JERUSALEM

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 17

JESUS LIVES!

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Year 1 INTRODUCTION TO UNIT V

GOD IS OUR CREATOR

Lesson 18

GOD MAKES THE WORLD

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 19

GOD MAKES PEOPLE

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 20

ADAM AND EVE DISOBEY GOD

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 21

NOAH OBEYS GOD

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Year 1 INTRODUCTION TO UNIT VI

THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT ABRAHAM

Lesson 22

GOD MAKES A PROMISE TO ABRAHAM

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 23

LOT MAKES A DECISION

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 24

GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISE TO ABRAHAM

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 25

THE BIRTH OF ISAAC

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 26

ELIEZER FINDS A WIFE FOR ISAAC

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Year 1 INTRODUCTION TO UNIT VII

THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT JOSEPH

Lesson 27

JACOB LOVES HIS SON JOSEPH

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 28

JOSEPH FINDS HIS BROTHERS

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 29

JOSEPH HELPS HIS FAMILY

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 30

JACOB LOVES HIS GRANDCHILDREN

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Year 1 INTRODUCTION TO UNIT VIII

THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT MOSES

Lesson 31

GOD PROTECTS MOSES

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 32

MOSES OBEYS GOD

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 33

MOSES TRUSTS IN GOD

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 34

MOSES TEACHES THE PEOPLE TO TRUST IN GOD

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 35

GOD PROVIDES FOOD FOR THE PEOPLE

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Year 1 INTRODUCTION TO UNIT IX

GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH THE BIBLE

Lesson 36

JEHOSHAPHAT SENDS TEACHERS WITH THE WORD OF GOD

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 37

MOSES RECEIVES THE WORD OF GOD

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 38

JOSIAH READS THE WORD OF GOD

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 39

JEREMIAH PROCLAIMS THE WORD OF GOD

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Year 1 INTRODUCTION TO UNIT X

THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT THE POWER OF GOD

Lesson 40

THE POWER OF GOD IN JERICHO

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 41

THE POWER OF GOD WHEN IT DOESN’T RAIN

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 42

THE POWER OF GOD ON MOUNT CARMEL

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 43

THE POWER OF GOD IN THE FIERY FURNACE

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 44

THE POWER OF GOD WITH DANIEL IN THE LIONS’ DEN

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Year 1 INTRODUCTION TO UNIT XI

THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT PETER

Lesson 45

PETER TALKS ABOUT JESUS

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 46

PETER HELPS A LAME MAN

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 47

PETER TELLS THE GOOD NEWS TO CORNELIUS

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 48

PETER’S FRIENDS PRAY FOR HIM

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Year 1 INTRODUCTION TO UNIT XII

GOD SENT HIS SON

Lesson 49

GOD PROMISES TO SEND HIS SON

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 50

GOD SENDS HIS SON

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 51

THE SHEPHERDS GO TO SEE JESUS

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

CONNECTION

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Lesson 52

SIMEON AND ANNA SEE THE SON OF GOD

PREPARE YOURSELF TO TEACH!

CONTEXT

DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON

BIBLE

MEMORY VERSE

WRAP UP

Sunday School / Christian

Education Materials for Children