Shape hearts. Change lives.

Transcription

1 Shape hearts. Change lives. Teacher Guide Summer 2017 HeartShaper.com Early Elementary Grades 1 2

2 Early Elementary Contents Grades 1 2 How to Use HeartShaper Unit 1 Abraham, Isaac, Overview and unit activities....5 and Joseph Bible Memory: Genesis 26:24; Matthew 28:20 Lesson 1 June Abram Follows God (Genesis 13) June Abraham s Servant Asks for God s Help (Genesis 24) June Isaac Listens to God (Genesis 26) June Joseph Moves from Canaan to Egypt (Genesis 37, 39) July 2... Joseph Forgives and Helps His Family (Genesis 39, 41 43, 45) Unit 2 Living by God s Word Overview and unit activities Bible Memory: Psalm 119:105 Lesson 6 July King Josiah Hears God s Word (2 Kings 22, 23) July God s People Pray for Queen Esther (Esther 2 5, 7, 8) July Nehemiah and God s People Rebuild the Wall (Nehemiah 1, 2, 4, 6) July Ezra Teachers God s Law (Ezra 7, 9, 10; Nehemiah 8)..57 Unit 3 Job and Daniel Overview and unit activities Bible Memory: Psalm 25:5 Lesson 10 August 6... Job Trusts God (Job 1, 2, 38, 42) August Daniel and His Friends Choose God s Way (Daniel 1) August Daniel s Friends Face a Fiery Furnace (Daniel 3) August Daniel and the Lions Den (Daniel 6) Reproducible pages Thank you for choosing HeartShaper to inspire, educate, and motivate your students in a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. To better serve you, we would appreciate receiving your feedback on early elementary at HeartShaper.com/Opinion. Early Elementary Teacher Guide is published quarterly by Standard Publishing, Copyright by Standard Publishing, part of the David C Cook family, Colorado Springs, Colorado All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version. Marjorie Redford, editor. Lindsay Black, publisher. Vicki Edwards, Karla Findley, Velvet Lozada, Vangie Rodenbeck, Amy Simpson, Angela Smith, contributors. David C Cook Creative Services Team, design and production. Ahaa! Design, typesetting. Purestock/Thinkstock, cover photo.

3 How to Use HeartShaper Welcome to HeartShaper Children s Curriculum! With HeartShaper Children s Curriculum, your students will be engaged in Bible stories through multisensory learning, Bible skill-building activities, and focused life application. Here s how to start Pray for God s help to guide children to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Read the introductory pages and the unit pages. Use the HeartShaper resources. Important things to know Bible Memory lists the passage kids will learn in each unit. Focus is the main thought that kids will learn and remember in each lesson. Quick Step activities are easy to prepare and teach. All that s needed are the curriculum materials and normal classroom supplies. Option activities are included in every step. YOU choose what works best for you and the different kinds of learners in your class. How the lessons are organized 1 Focus In: Kids are introduced to the lesson theme and focus Explore His Word: Kids will interact with the Scripture passage and develop Bible skills. Make It Real: Kids will discover how the Scripture applies to their lives. Live It Out: Kids will plan and begin to practice the principles of what they ve learned. Special needs Look for this symbol throughout the teacher guide to identify activities that work well for all kids, including those with special needs. Additional helps for teaching kids with special needs can be found on the Resources CD and at Early Elementary Teacher Guide 1

4 HeartShaper Resources Use these resources to connect with your kids and make Bible learning fun! Early Elementary Activities Your students will love the activity pages designed just for them they make Bible learning fun! The fullcolor activity pages will draw kids in to purposeful activities and thoughtful discussions. Filled with a variety of activities, these pages will help you make relevant connections in the lives of your students. In the activity pages you ll find: Fun activities Puzzles and games Projects to make Activities that encourage kids to think for themselves Bible review and reading comprehension activities Early Elementary Resources These resources will help you engage kids who have different learning styles. These multisensory teaching tools include visual, printed, and audio resources. On the 8 visual sheets you ll find: Bible Memory posters (1 per unit) Bible story visuals Application games and picture cards On the CD you ll find: Recorded rhythms, stories, and Bible stories Printable files for kids: skits and readings, Bible skills activities, letters from Buzzy Bee Printable files for teachers: reproducible activities and helps for lessons, Bible Memory posters (KJV and NIV), teacher training articles, Leading Young Hearts to the Lord pocket guide, review questions, special needs helps, worship time ideas Printable unit letters and key Bible verse handouts for families (Print and send these resources home with families, or the files to them!) Early Elementary Teaching Pictures These large, colorful illustrations include the Bible story printed on the back in both English and Spanish. Two sets of card-size pictures are included for additional activities and games. 2 Early Elementary Teacher Guide

5 Weekly Bible Reader Take-Home Student Magazine This weekly student magazine helps kids take the lessons home to share with their family and friends. In the magazine you ll find: Short stories that kids can read and relate to Each week s Bible story and the unit Bible Memory verses Activities and games Ideas for activities families can do together For simple lesson planning, purchase the Early Elementary Teacher s Convenience Kit. The kit contains one teacher guide, one activity book, the resource visual sheets and CD, teaching pictures, and one set of the Weekly Bible Reader student magazine. Go online to You ll find loads of resources for teachers and families! Plus, did you know there s a downloadable edition of the teacher guide? FREE online resources for teachers: Overview by Age Level, a new training resource to help you feel more confident using HeartShaper All About Me Book, Sensory Inventory Form, and other helps to reach kids with special needs Leading Young Hearts to the Lord pocket guide helps you lead kids to a personal relationship with Jesus Holiday Helps provides fun holiday and seasonal ideas Teacher training videos, articles, and helps HeartShaper e-news sign up to receive this free, biweekly Family Connections, a quarterly editable letter to send to families FREE online resource for families: Faith & Family (ideas for family activities that reinforce and put into practice the week s focus statement) Early Elementary Teacher Guide 3

6 Bible Skills Bible skills are an important part of HeartShaper Children s Curriculum! Age-appropriate Bible skills, integrated into each lesson, build on each other from one age level to the next. These important Bible skills help kids discover how to study God s Word on their own. Early elementary kids will Build on these Bible skills: Know the Bible is God s special book that tells about God and Jesus Know there are two parts of the Bible, an Old Testament and New Testament Know the Bible is made up of different books Know how to open and hold the Bible correctly Begin to read simple Bible words Say simple Bible verses from memory Retell basic facts about main Bible characters Begin to sequence events in main Bible stories Recognize by sight, words such as God, Jesus, and Bible Know simple definitions of basic Bible terms, such as worship, pray, and church Begin to recognize names of Bible books Develop these new Bible skills: Begin to understand the major emphasis of the Old and New Testaments Learn to read and pronounce names of Old and New Testament books Know how to find Bible verses Begin to read Bible verses Say selected Bible verses from memory Identify Old and New Testament main characters Develop Bible-reading comprehension skills Gain even more with optional Bible skills: If desired and you have time, use the Optional Bible Skill Builder in each lesson (provided on the Resources CD) to help students learn more Bible skills. Learn to use the table of contents in a Bible Find books, chapters, and verses in a Bible Begin to read Bible verses Put a simple series of Bible events and people in chronological order Begin to understand general divisions of Bible books (history, poetry, prophets and kings, Jesus life, letters) See the Early Elementary Resources CD for the complete Bible Skills Plan for all the kids in your church from toddlers and 2s through preteens. You ll also want to take a look at the Spiritual Growth Chart to see how HeartShaper kids will grow spiritually. 4 Early Elementary Teacher Guide

7 Unit 1 Abraham, Isaac, and Joseph Bible Memory Genesis 26:24 I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Matthew 28:20 And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Lesson Scripture Focus Lesson 1 Abram Follows God Lesson 2 Abraham s Servant Asks for God s Help Lesson 3 Isaac Listens to God Genesis 13 Genesis 24 Genesis 26:1-6, We should follow God all our lives. We should ask God to help us know what to do. We can trust God to be with us. Lesson 4 Joseph Moves from Canaan to Egypt Genesis 37:1-4, 12-36; 39:1-6 God promises to give us hope. Bible Skills Bible skills are intentionally integrated into each lesson. You ll help kids learn how to use their Bibles so God s Word goes deep into their hearts. See the introductory pages of this teacher guide for details. Optional Bible Skill Builders and Key Bible Verses Use the Optional Bible Skill Builder activities whenever you have time before, during, or at the end of your session. Print the Key Bible Verses from the Resources CD. Finding and reading the verses will help kids remember each week s Bible lesson. Be sure to send a copy of these verses home, along with the unit family letter. Look for this symbol throughout the teacher guide to identify activities that work well for all kids, including those with special needs. Additional helps for teaching kids with special needs can be found on the Resources CD and at Lesson 5 Joseph Forgives and Helps His Family Genesis 39:20-23; 41; 42:1-8, 25, 26; 43:1, 2, 15; 45:3-15 God loves us. He promises to forgive us. HeartShaper for Unit 1 Early Elementary Activities Lessons 1 5 and Unit 1 Bible Memory Pennants and stickers Early Elementary Teaching Pictures, lessons 1 5 Early Elementary Resources Visuals Sheet 1 Unit 1 Bible Memory Pennants, Follow God Map with addons (1a 1j); sheet 2 Bible Story Name Cards and Flash Cards (2a 2h), Too Many to Count Photo Cards (lesson 3), Bible Story Name Cards and Cue Cards (3a 3d); sheet 3 Joseph Stick Puppet and Robes (4a 4d, 5a, 5b), Bible Story Sentence Strips (5c 5h) CD Audio Track Track 1 Game Time Music Printable Files Classroom Tools (attendance chart, bookmarks, name tags, Old and New Testament posters) Special Needs Helps (see CD Contents for complete list of files) Teacher Helps (see CD Contents for complete list of files) Unit 1 Bible Memory Poster, Family Letter, Key Bible Verses, Optional Bible Skills, Review Questions (also provided by lessons), Rhyme Time, and Worship Time Ideas Buzzy Bee Letters, lessons 1 5 Additional files: God s Promises Cards, Ask God Well Bases, God Is with Me Wheel, Hopeful High Fives, Forgiveness Reminder Weekly Bible Reader student magazine, issues 1 5 Faith & Family online family resource. Go to Early Elementary Teacher Guide, Unit 1 5

8 Additional Activities for Unit 1 Use these activities for early arrivers, for children who finish activities quickly, and when you are waiting for parents to arrive. I Am with You Bulletin Board Title a bulletin board I Am with You. Display the Unit 1 Bible Memory Pennants on the board. Have kids draw pictures of places they like to go, or ask kids to bring photos of places they have visited while on vacation. Display the pictures and photos on the board. Emphasize that God is with us wherever we are. Note: The pennants will be used in different ways throughout the unit. Be sure they can be removed from the board as needed. Father s Day Gift Provide a variety of food items so kids can make a treat for their dads for Father s Day. Provide items such as dry cereal, marshmallows, small chocolate candies, raisins, small crackers, and small pretzels. Let children help mix the food items in a large bowl. Each child can then spoon some of the mix into a small resealable bag and close. Let kids make cards to go along with the treats. Teaching Tip For more seasonal helps, go to and click on For Teachers. You ll find free Holiday Helps ideas that are fun for kids. Match Game Bible Story Review Cut apart the small teaching picture cards from the end pages of Early Elementary Teaching Pictures. Mix up the two sets of cards and lay them picture-side down. Kids can take turns picking up two cards at a time to find matches. When a match is found, have the kids tell something they know about the pictured Bible story. Rhyme Time Each week, post a new Rhyme Time stanza from the Resources CD Unit 1 Rhyme Time printable file. Kids will enjoy guessing the word that finishes each lesson s rhyme. Buzzy Bee Letters Buzzy Bee letters, included on the Resources CD, provide a fun way for kids to review the weekly Bible story and focus. Print and distribute copies, or print one copy and post it in a special place where kids can read it. The letters can also be mailed or ed to kids during the week. 6 Early Elementary Teacher Guide, Unit 1

9 Abram Follows God Scripture: Genesis 13 Bible Memory: Genesis 26:24; Matthew 28:20 Focus: We should follow God all our lives. Lesson 1 Heart to Heart Teacher Devotion Abram exhibited a lost virtue by today s standards he thought of someone else s interests above his own. Abram was willing to follow, rather than lead. He was willing to wait on God. He was willing to let someone else choose first. What does God want you to do? How are you letting God lead in the choices you make? Just as He did for Abram, God is waiting to bless you as you follow Him. Lesson 1 at a Glance 1 FOCUS IN Use one of these activities to help children explore what looks good to them. Quick Step Second Place Option Which Looks Best? HeartShaper none none Other paper, pencils, watch with second hand various sizes of gift boxes, wrapping paper, scissors, tape, ribbon, small toys Bible Memory Introduce the Bible Memory verse. none Bible 2 EXPLORE HIS WORD Use all of these activities to help children tell how Abram responded to God s promise. Bible Exploration Genesis 13 Bible Review Activity Bible Memory Genesis 26:24; Matthew 28:20 Resources sheet 1 Follow God Map and add-ons 1a 1j, Teaching Picture 1 Activities p. 3 none whiteboard, dry-erase marker, Bibles, reusable adhesive pencils Bibles Optional Bible Skill Builder 3 MAKE IT REAL Use one of these activities to help children understand that God has made promises to them. Quick Step A Promise for You Option Find the Promises Activities p. 4 Resources CD lesson 1 God s Promises Cards printable file colored pencils, Bibles, whiteboard, dry-erase marker scissors, reusable adhesive Option Story from Weekly Bible Reader Weekly Bible Reader issue 1 none 4 LIVE IT OUT Use one of these activities to help children name times when they will try to follow God and trust His promises. Quick Step Pass the Pennant Option Follow God Footprints Saying Good-bye Resources sheet 1 Unit 1 Bible Memory Pennant (Matthew 28:20) none Weekly Bible Reader issue 1, Activities p. 2 Unit 1 Bible Memory Pennants and stickers ruler, tape construction paper, scissors, pencils none Early Elementary Teacher Guide, Unit 1, Lesson 1 7

10 Focus In (10 15 minutes) 1 Use one of these activities to help children explore what looks good to them. Use the Bible Memory activity to introduce the memory verse. Focus We should follow God all our lives. Welcome Welcome each child by name. Engage early arrivers by offering one or more of the activities described on the Additional Activities for Unit 1 page. Quick Step Second Place Have the children gather in a circle. Ask for volunteers who are willing to pair up and participate in some simple competitions. Give each pair a challenge situation in which competitors will finish either first or second. ASK: How did you feel if you came in first place? second place? Let children respond. How would you feel if I told you that all the second place winners were going to get a prize? Responses. paper, pencils, watch with second hand Challenge Ideas Hop on one foot across the room. List as many animals as you can in 20 seconds. Thumbwrestle and see which person wins 2 of 3 rounds. SAY: Today we re going to learn about a time when it looked as though Abram let someone else win. Abram followed God all his life. We should follow God all our lives too. Option Which Looks Best? Have kids choose partners. Consider pairing any student with special needs with an adult assistant (or with a pair of children who understand the student s particular challenges). Give each pair one of the prepared boxes. SAY: You and your partner may choose to keep the gift I gave you, or you can exchange your gift with another pair. Only one of you should open the box you end up with. Give kids one minute. Observe how kids decide whether to keep or trade their boxes. Listen for how partners choose who gets to open the box. ASK: What influenced your decision to keep or trade a box? How did you decide who would open the box? Did the boxes that looked the best always have the best prizes inside? (not necessarily) various sizes of gift boxes (or gift bags), wrapping paper, scissors, tape, ribbon, small toys (or pieces of wrapped candy) Before Class Place a toy or piece of candy in each box. Wrap each box differently. Some boxes should be wrapped neatly, while others have torn paper or lots of tape. SAY: Our Bible story is about a time when it looked as though Abram let someone else have what was best. Abram trusted and followed God. We should follow God all our lives. Bible Memory Genesis 26:24; Matthew 28:20 ASK: Have you ever felt as though you were completely alone? What was the situation? Allow kids to respond. Read aloud Genesis 26:24 and Matthew 28:20. SAY: These verses are a promise from God. The verses say that God is always with us. We should follow God all our lives. We can trust Him to be with us. Bible Transition to Explore His Word See the Resources CD Transition Tips printable file. As children gather, make sure you have all the materials you need. 8 Abram Follows God, Lesson 1

11 Focus We should follow God all our lives. Explore His Word (20 minutes) 2 Use all of these activities to help children tell how Abram responded to God s promise. Bible Background for the Teacher Abram and his family had obeyed the call to go to the land that God promised to give to Abram and his descendants. They gave up their home in Harran and traveled to the land of Canaan. As nomads, they stayed in one place for a while and then moved on to another place as God instructed and as their flocks and herds had need of new grazing land and water. Because of a famine, Abram lived for a time in Egypt. After leaving Egypt and returning to the land of Canaan, there came a time when there was not enough water or pasture to support the flocks and herds of Abram and those of his nephew Lot. As head of the household, Abram legitimately could have chosen first, but Abram graciously let Lot choose the land he wanted. Lot chose the plain of the Jordan Valley. Abram remained in Canaan. Here God reaffirmed His promise to Abram to make his descendants into a great nation. Worship Time If you want to offer a time of worship, see the Unit 1 Worship Time Ideas on the Resources CD. whiteboard, dry-erase marker, Bibles, Resources sheet 1 Follow God Map and add-ons 1a 1j, reusable adhesive, Teaching Picture 1 Before Class Display the Following God Map where children can reach it. How to Say It Ai (Ay-eye.) Bethel (Beth-ul) Canaan (Kay-nun) Hebron (Hee-brun) Mamre (Mam-reh) Something More! Be sure to print on the board the Rhyme Time verse for lesson 1. The rhyme is included on the Resources CD Unit 1 Rhyme Time printable file. Bible Exploration Genesis 13 Write Genesis 13:1 on the board. Help kids turn to Genesis 13:1 in their Bibles. Ask a volunteer to read the verse aloud. Tell the kids that they are to listen and repeat what you say whenever they hear God calling to Abram. Open your Bible to Genesis 13. Show 1a. SAY: Abram was a man who loved and followed God. God had spoken to Abram. God said, Abram, Abram! Pause for kids to repeat. Go where I show you! Kids repeat. God promised that Abram s family would become a great nation. So Abram left his homeland and headed toward the land of Canaan. Point to Canaan on the map. Ask a volunteer to place 1a near the word Canaan on the map. Eventually, there was a famine in Canaan, and Abram moved to the country of Egypt. Show on map. Move 1a. As Abram followed, God blessed him with lots of sheep (add 1b), cattle (add 1c), silver, and gold. Abram had herders who helped with his flocks and herds. Add 1d. Abram s nephew Lot also traveled with Abram. Add 1e. Lot also had sheep (add 1f), cattle (add 1g), and herders (add 1h). What a lot of people and animals! When the famine was over, Abram followed God again and moved back to the land of Canaan. Lot went with him. Have kids help move the figures on the map. Abram led the group to a place between Bethel and Ai. That s where Abram had built an altar to God many years before. Place 1i on the map. Now Abram prayed and talked to God there again. But soon there was a problem. Abram s herders needed grass and water for Abram s sheep and cattle. Lot s herders needed grass and water for Lot s sheep and cattle. The herders began to argue with each other. There wasn t enough grass or water in one area for all the animals. Something had to be done! Abram went to Lot and said, We are related to each other. Let s not fight. There s plenty of land here. Take the land you want. I ll go Early Elementary Teacher Guide, Unit 1, Lesson 1 9

12 wherever you don t go. Show Teaching Picture 1. Lot looked around. He saw that there was plenty of water in the Jordan Valley. He thought this area looked like the best choice. Lot and his herders went to live near Sodom in the Jordan Valley, along with all Lot s animals. Move 1e 1h near Sodom on the map. Abram, his wife, his herders, and all Abram s animals lived in the hilly country around Canaan. Did Lot get the best choice? Was the land where Abram went second best? After Lot left, God spoke to Abram again. Abram, Abram! Kids repeat. Look around in all directions. Repeat. Have kids look in front and behind them, to the left and right. Then God repeated His promise to Abram. God said, I will give you and your future family all the land that you see. You will have so many relatives, counting them will be like trying to count the dust of the earth. Abram didn t have even one child at this time, but Abram knew God could be trusted. Abram went to live near the great trees at Mamre, near Hebron. Move 1a 1d near Hebron on the map. There Abram built an altar to the Lord. Place 1j on the map. Wherever Abram went, he remembered and worshipped God. Bible Review Activity ASK: How did Lot choose which land he was going to move to? (He chose the land that looked best to him.) How did Abram respond to God s promises? (Abram obeyed and trusted God. He remembered and worshipped God.) Activities p. 3, pencils (optional: Resources CD lesson 1 Review Questions printable file) Distribute the activity pages and pencils. Let the kids work with partners to complete the puzzle. Partners can use the words from the puzzle and tell the Bible story to each other. If time allows, have kids form 2 groups Abram s herders and Lot s herders. Kids can act out he Bible story and then answer review questions. Use the review questions from the Resources CD printable file. SAY: Even though God s promise had not yet come true, Abram trusted and followed God. We should follow God all our lives. Bible Memory Genesis 26:24; Matthew 28:20 I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you (Genesis 26:24). And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:20). Bibles Have the class form two groups. Have kids in group 1 find Genesis 26:24 in their Bibles. Kids in group 2 should find Matthew 28:20. Have the groups take turns reading their verses aloud. SAY: God s promise in Genesis 26 was made hundreds of years before Jesus was born. The promise in Matthew 28 was made over 2,000 years ago when Jesus lived on earth. Both promises are still true today. God is with us. We should follow God all our lives. Optional Bible Skill Builder Print and use the Optional Bible Skills Activity for unit 1 found on the Resources CD. The activity will help children use the table of contents in their Bibles to find various books of the Bible. 10 Abram Follows God, Lesson 1

13 Focus We should follow God all our lives. Make It Real (10 15 minutes) 3 Use one of these activities to help children understand that God has made promises to them. Activities p. 4, colored pencils (or markers), Bibles, whiteboard, dry-erase marker God s Promises Psalm 145:13 Matthew 28:20 John 14:1-3 Quick Step A Promise for You Distribute the activity pages and let kids complete the activity. (Answer: You can count on God.) SAY: Knowing that we can count on God makes it easier to follow Him. Let s read some more Bible verses that will help us trust and follow God. Write the God s Promises Bible references on the board and have volunteers (or partners) look up the verses and read the verses aloud. ASK: What is your favorite promise that God has made? Encourage kids to share. SAY: God s promises are forever. Just as Abram trusted and followed God, we should follow God all our lives. copy of the Resources CD lesson 1 God s Promises Cards printable file, scissors, reusable adhesive Before Class Print and cut apart the six God s Promises Cards. Hide the cards around your classroom. Note: The God s Promises Cards are provided on the Resources CD in both KJV and NIV. Choose the version you want to use. Option Find the Promises SAY: God asked Abram to do a lot of traveling. Let s travel around our room and find some hidden promise cards. Then we ll put the cards in order and read the promises written on the cards. Explain any boundaries or rules children have, and then let kids find the cards. Read promise card 1 and talk about the person pictured on the card. (Abraham) Note when the promise was made. Continue in a similar manner with the other cards. Display the cards side by side on a wall, creating a simple Bible time line. ASK: Who do you think God was talking about when He promised that someone great would come? (Jesus) How did God keep His promise? (Jesus was born and helped people through God s power.) Why can we trust that God is with us and that He will come back someday? (God has kept all His other promises. He always keeps any promise He makes.) SAY: God s promises are forever. Just as Abram trusted and followed God, we should follow God all our lives. Weekly Bible Reader issue 1 Option Story from Weekly Bible Reader Read It s My Party! Talk about when it might be hard to let others choose first. Discuss how God wants us to treat others. SAY: God kept His promise to Abram when God sent Jesus to the world. God s promises are for us too. When we treat others right, we are following and doing things God s way. We should follow God all our lives. Early Elementary Teacher Guide, Unit 1, Lesson 1 11

14 Live It Out (10 minutes) 4 Use one of these activities to help children name times when they will try to follow God and trust His promises. Focus We should follow God all our lives. Quick Step Pass the Pennant Sit in a circle with children. SAY: We know that we should follow God all our lives. But following God and doing things His way isn t always easy. Let s name some situations when it might be hard for us to follow God. Lead in discussion. Be ready to suggest times when it might be hard to be kind, to not be afraid, to tell the truth, and so on. After the discussion, show the Matthew 28:20 Bible Memory pennant. Have kids read the Bible verse together. SAY: Remembering that God is with us can give us the strength and courage we need to follow God even when it s hard. Let s pray and ask God to help us follow Him. Explain that you will pass the pennant to the person on your right. That person can say a sentence prayer, finishing the sentence: Dear God, help me to follow You when. Continue until everyone has had an opportunity to pray. Say Matthew 28:20 after each sentence prayer. Resources sheet 1 Unit 1 Bible Memory Pennant (Matthew 28:20), ruler (or dowel rod), tape Before Class Tape a ruler to the Matthew 28:20 pennant, creating a handle for holding the pennant. If a student doesn t want to pray aloud, guide him to hand the pennant to the person on his right. Option Follow God Footprints SAY: We know that we should follow God all our lives. But following God and doing things His way isn t always easy. Let s make some footprints we can take home to use as reminders as we try to follow God. Distribute supplies. Explain that kids should take off one of their shoes and trace around the sole of the shoe onto construction paper. Then they can cut out their footprints. Ask the kids to name times when it might be hard for them to trust and follow God. (Examples: when they have been mistreated, when they are afraid in bad weather, when they move and don t know anyone) Have kids choose one of the situations (or think of a personal situation) and write it on their footprint. Then they can turn the footprint over and write on the opposite side: God is with me. construction paper, scissors, pencils (or washable markers) Ask kids to bring their completed footprints to a closing prayer circle. Lead in prayer, asking God to help the kids remember that He is with them. Pray that you will be able to follow Him always. Saying Good-bye Make sure children have projects and activities pages they have done in class. Give children the Activities page 2 Unit 1 Bible Memory Pennants and stickers. Stickers are in the middle of Early Elementary Activities. Encourage kids to complete their pennants at home. If you have time before parents arrive, use some of the activities on the Additional Activities for Unit 1 page. Weekly Bible Reader Give each student a Weekly Bible Reader to take home. Be sure parents know about the Faith & Family pages available online to print and use with their children at home. Go to 12 Abram Follows God, Lesson 1

15 ACTIVITIES FOR 1st & 2nd GRADERS Bible Puzzles for Kids Ages 6 8 Bible Crafts & More Ages 6 8 Looking for extra activities for your class? These books are full of reproducible pages to make sure you never run out of resources. Each book includes an Early Elementary scope and sequence so you can correlate the activities with your HeartShaper lessons. Bible puzzles let kids search and find answers on their own Craft projects allow kids to be hands-on with lessons Coloring pages help kids remember Bible stories and apply the lessons to their lives Thru-the-Bible Coloring Pages Ages 6 8 Bible Stories to Color & Tell Ages 6 8 Available from StandardPub.com or your Christian retailer.

16 Shape hearts. Change lives. HeartShaper helps kids grow to know and love God and His Word and live it out! What makes HeartShaper unique? Kids take five journeys through the Bible by the time they reach 6th grade. Bible skills, integrated into each lesson, build on each other from one age level to the next. Activity options are included in most steps of each lesson. Quick Step activities, easy to prepare and teach, require no materials other than the curriculum and common classroom supplies. Special needs friendly activities are integrated into each lesson. Additional resources are available at You ll want to use all the multisensory teaching tools provided with HeartShaper: Weekly Bible Reader Early Elementary Activitites Early Elementary Resources Early Elementary Teaching Pictures Products sold separately or in a kit Plus, check out FREE online resources at EE Early Elementary Teacher Guide No ISBN