PreschOol/Kindergarten TEacheR

Transcription

1 PreschOol/Kindergarten TEacheR Introduction Lesson 1 Ridin Ready Lesson 2 Ridin Obedient Lesson 3 Ridin Faithful Lesson 4 Ridin Bold Lesson 5 Ridin Courageous

2 PreschOol/Kindergarten TEacher Written by Robin Peddy A native of Bossier Parish, LA, Robin Peddy was saved at the age of nine. Later as a teenager, she began attending Bossier City Missionary Baptist Church (now known as Stockwell Road MBC) with her high school sweetheart. Under the shepherding of Bro. Bill Pickard and this loving church family, Robin was baptized, joined the membership and began to grow spiritually. Her love for Wade Peddy also grew into a God-centered marriage and family that now includes four daughters: Jamie (and husband, Jacob), Emily, Leighann and Hannah. The Peddy family also is blessed with two granddaughters, Jaycee and Ryleigh. Her husband, Wade, surrendered to the ministry in February Since then, the family has served at Bethany MBC in Alexandria, LA, and currently at Bethel #2 MBC in Rison, AR, where Bro. Wade serves as pastor. Currently, Robin s service to the Lord includes teaching Sunday School, BTC and a ladies Wednesday night Bible study. She initiated and directs a children s chapel ministry and labors in various areas of VBS. Besides writing VBS materials, Robin also conducts yearly workshops across Arkansas and Louisiana. In addition, the Peddys and the Bethel #2 Youth make yearly summer mission trips to the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation where, through the VBS ministry, the next generation is learning how to share Christ with others. address: wpeddy@tds.net Our team EDITOR IN CHIEF: Larry E. Clements larryclements@bogardpress.org BUSINESS MANAGER: Wayne Sewell wsewell@bogardpress.org PRODUCTION EDITOR: Sally McInvale ADULT EDITOR: Jim Jones CHILDREN S EDITOR: Libby Gill ILLUSTRATOR: Connie Spears GRAPHIC ARTISTS: Shawn Blase, Jeff Allen Greg Hilterbrand Blake Tilton LAYOUT DESIGNERS: Kyle Elkins, Cindy Butler Ashley Elkins COVER DESIGN: Jeff Allen CONTENT EDITORS: Terry McKellar, Carolyn Burks Deby Turrentine, Joni Curtis PRINT PRODUCTION: Charles Easley Copyright 2014 Bogard Press 4605 N. State Line Ave. Texarkana, TX

3 Howdy partner! Hold on to your hats, the drive is bout to begin! The whole outfit is ready and the cattle have been headed up for moving out on the Cross Canyon Trail. There will be so many exciting things to do like scouting, branding, crossing rivers, all while rounding up strays and avoiding stampedes. However, the most exhilarating thing about the whole experience will be ridin the trail with Jesus. VBS 2014 will afford all cowpokes in attendance with a wagon load of fun while at the same time providing them with some valuable lessons in following God s trail of life. Daily experiences along the trail will teach each little one how to serve, follow, live for, share and stand with the Savior, Jesus Christ. Though the children will surely enjoy learning firsthand about life along the trail from all the cowhands in this outfit, the greatest lessons of all will be learned from the dedicated servants of God to whom the children will be introduced in God s Word. So, pack your gear and saddle your horse for the trail ride of your life where everyone is ridin strong with Jesus Yeehaw! Preschool/Kindergarten 101 Never too young to learn about God. If you signed up for this age-group thinking you re just going to babysit for a couple of hours, you re in for a big surprise. Studies have proven that children learn more in their first two years than in any other time of their lives. Children of this age have greater opportunities to form strong spiritual foundations. Therefore, as their teacher, you have the responsibility to introduce the children in your class to spiritually healthy habits like prayer and love for God s Word. Cultivating these at this early age will make them receptive to the Holy Spirit s call. Each child is different. It is God s desire for everyone to see all children as He sees them through a heart of love (Matthew 18:14). Keep in mind that VBS is an outreach ministry. Its goal is to reach them for the cause of Christ. Christ loves them all, died for them all, and now He has placed them in your classroom. Open your heart, mind and arms to them and be ready to share with them the love of Jesus Christ. They learn by experience. Young children are constantly learning. They learn by seeing, doing, touching and participating. Children this age will retain more of what they experience than what they hear. Therefore, enhance the lesson by using teaching tools that will stimulate as many senses as possible. Stimulate the eyes with bright, colorful visuals, the nose with pleasant smells, the hands with tactile objects, and the taste buds to be strong triggers for the children s memory. When decorating your room, keep the age and size of your students in mind. Make sure to place visuals at their eye level. Get on your knees to see your room from their prospective. If available, use size appropriate tables and chairs. When space allows, divide your room into sections that can be used at different times during your class time. For instance, sit on the floor during lesson time and use the table for the activity pages. Remove all possible distractions like toys, books and crayons from curious eyes and busy hands until such time as they are needed. The Cross Canyon Trail Director s Plan Book has illustrations and directions for room décor for each day. A Room Decorations Transparency Book is also Introduction 5

4 available for making lesson specific wall murals. Sound and scent makers also provide the extra touch to make the scene come to life. These are all superb tools for transforming your room into an exciting lesson experience. Busy, Busy, Busy. The more the children in your class participate, the more they will learn. Scientific studies have proven that when the body is engaged, so is the brain. However this can cause a problem if you don t have enough support. The younger the children are in your classroom, the more assistance you re going to need, not only in the classroom but in getting them from place to place. Don t go it alone, take full advantage of any offers to help. As an old saying is that you should expect the best but prepare for the worst. They deserve your best. Be organized. When thinking ahead to VBS know that there is no such thing as beginning too early. With this particular age-group the more you can accomplish ahead of time the better. Here is a list of some things you can do to avoid the stress that comes from waiting till the last minute: Start today looking through your materials and praying for the Lord s guidance. Familiarize yourself with the different lessons, their various activities and start collecting all the needed supplies now so that by VBS week you know the Bible lessons and their Memory Verses backward and forward. Try activities beforehand to make sure they can be done in your allotted time and available space. Have children s materials prepared for them as much as possible and placed in individual clear ziplock bags prior to the activity. You won t have enough time to teach two-year-olds how to use scissors. Provide glue sticks for the children to use. Bring to class only the materials needed for that day. Be sure to be prepared for more children than expected. 6 Using Your Preschool/Kindergarten Materials The Cross Canyon Trail Preschool/Kindergarten Teacher and the corresponding Cross Canyon Trail Preschool/Kindergarten Visuals are made as guides to aid you in preparing your VBS lessons. The teacher book is full of ideas and activities designed to help you teach the overall aim of each lesson. Remember, the heart of any Bible lesson is the actual Bible account and its application, but the organized and prepared teacher will have no problem completing every element provided in an hour. The visuals are companions to the teacher book and contain the teaching pictures, patterns (with instructions) along with some of the games and activities referred to in the teacher book. Supplies for the Trail. The ministry of Vacation Bible School can in itself be expensive to the churches that host them. Start early and take every opportunity to save a dime when gathering the supplies needed for your class. Search for needed items at home and the catch all closet at church. Next, make a needed list of supplies and post it at church for donations. Finally, take your list of remaining items to your local dollar store. With a few exceptions, almost everything can be purchased there leaving only a minimal dent in your or your church s pocketbook. Additional Resources. Even though there is a wealth of ideas contained within these materials, don t stop there. Bogard Press offers a wide range of supplemental resources to supply all your VBS needs. Just visit and Preschool/Kindergarten Teacher for Ages 2-5

5 click on the VBS link. Check out or follow us on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter. You ll be surprised at all the additional ideas you can find. Each Lesson Contains Bible Background: This section is a study guide to aid the teacher in preparing for the lesson. It is not meant to take the place of your own personal Bible study and not designed to be read to the children during the lesson time. Theme Activity: As the children ramble up Cross Canyon Trail, they too will discover some of the experiences of a real cattle drive cowboy. As they learn about each lesson, they will also learn a unique biblical truth that is embedded within each. Attention Getter: This section s game or activity is meant to get things started by involving the children as a group. The intent is to introduce the lesson in a fun and exciting way. Bible Account: Having been introduced to the lesson through the Attention Getter, direct that attention to the Bible account. It needs to be told from your perspective, one that comes from the Holy Spirit s leading. Any account becomes more believable if it comes from firsthand knowledge. Yes, this will take plenty of prayer and individual Bible study time of your own to be accomplished effectively. Children are very perceptive and can quickly detect halfhearted preparation. The visuals come with many colorful teaching materials designed to help your students visualize the Bible account you re sharing with them. If your memory needs a little help, use the backs of the visuals to write notes about key elements about the lesson you don t want to forget to share with your class. Lesson Purpose: Even the best taught Bible account can turn into a missed opportunity to teach a life lesson unless the spiritual truth rooted within is revealed and applied to daily life. Take advantage of the object lessons and activities available to drive home the lesson in ways that are fun and easy for the children to understand and remember. Memory Verse Activity: Scripture memorization should start as soon as a child can form words and sentences. Scripture should not only be remembered but understood and applied to everyday life. These activities are designed to help your students accomplish that while having fun at the same time. Help the children to understand the words they are repeating and know that the Memory Verses come from the Bible. Mark each Memory Verse in your Bible and always read it directly from the Bible. Use the inside cover of each set of activity pages as a place to keep a record of the Memory Verses learned throughout the week. Activity Pages: Designed especially for preschooler s (two- and three-year olds) and kindergartener s (four- and five-year olds), the activity pages are the written work each child will complete each day. Order one set for each student. Each set contains five lessons, one for each day of VBS. The front page includes the Bible account poem; while the other pages contain lesson review, purpose and Memory Verse activities, complete with stickers to be used with each. Located on the inside of the cover page of each set is a page that can be used as a record of attendance and Memory Verse memorization. It can also assist the children as they set out and experience all God has for them to discover on Cross Canyon Trail. Introduction 7

6 Cross Canyon Trail Bulletin Board Often the bulletin board is just a way to decorate a wall but its purpose is to express the overall aim of this year s VBS to those in your class. Cover the bulletin board with crinkled brown paper from grocery sacks or paisley printed fabric. Trim with rope, twisted bulletin board paper, or colorful bandanas. Remember to display the bulletin board at children s eye level. See visuals for assembly instructions. The Cross Canyon Trail Door Decoration Use the patterns located in the (Preschool/Kingergarten Visuals Instruction Booklet) to create an entry way that s inviting and decorative and easily recognizable to your little cowpokes. First, cover the door with paper or fabric with a western design. Copy a cowboy or cowgirl face onto cardstock for each child in your class. Personalize them by adding the children s names or photos before arranging on the door in a design of your choosing. 8 Preschool/Kindergarten Teacher for Ages 2-5

7 Character Quality: Readiness Activity: Scouting Lesson Icon: Boot with Spur Bible Account: Gideon Is Ready To Serve, Judges 6:1-16, Bible Background This first lesson will look at the life of Gideon, a common, ordinary individual who served as judge over Israel during the period between Joshua s death and the time of Samuel. He, like all the other judges, was limited in capability and hindered by human defect. But Gideon s imperfections did not thwart God s plan to use him to bring a wayward nation back into a right relationship with Him. Gideon lived in a sad time of great national moral decay. Bygone were the days of godly leaders like Moses and Joshua, and the people willfully strayed from the guidance of the ever present yet invisible Jehovah God. They had been delivered out of the land of Egypt, led and provided for through the wilderness, and brought into the land of promise with such a demonstration of power and compassion. Despite all that God had done for them, the people of Israel seemed to have forgotten Him. As the Israelites turned their backs on God and fell into sin, He sent an enemy to bring them to their knees (Judges 6:1) The Midianites were descendants of Midian, the fourth of six sons with Keturah, Abraham s second wife (Genesis 25:1-6). From this relationship rose up a nation that was always in conflict with God s people. While wondering in the wilderness, the Israelites, then led by Moses, nearly destroyed the Midianites but failed to do so completely (Numbers 31:1-20). Now with their power regained, God used the Midianites to oppress His people for seven years. The Midianites were nomadic raiders. When they invaded a land, they pitched their tents as they advanced, stealing the crops and supplies of others all along the way. As these scavengers moved through, they overwhelmed the Israelites with their countless numbers, causing many of the Israelites to flee their homes and hide in mountain caves. Once the Midianites were gone, the Israelites returned to their homes only to find their crops stolen and their land destroyed (Judges 6:2-6). In their distress, God s people cried out to the Lord. In His grace, God sent word to His people by way of an unnamed prophet who explained why they were in their present condition. God reminded them of how He had delivered them from the bondage of the Egyptians and given them the land of promise driven free of any Memory Verse: 1 Peter 3:15, Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. Lesson Purpose: Students will always be ready to serve the Lord. Video Character: Josie Lesson 1 - Ridin Ready 9

8 10 enemy. He was the only true God, the only One who deserved their worship. Instead they had repeatedly disobeyed Him by worshiping the idol gods of those around them (verses 7-10). Nonetheless, this same God whom they had so often defied was merciful to send deliverance by the hand of yet another judge. Though he did not yet know it, Gideon would be that judge. Gideon s commission came by way of an angel of the Lord (verse 11) whom appeared to him as Gideon threshed wheat hidden in a winepress, out of the sight of the Midianites. As Gideon worked, the Lord said, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour (verse 12). The Lord s statement surely caught Gideon off guard. Even he knew there was nothing courageous about life lived in the shadows. But the subsequent conversation between the two revealed some important facts regarding Gideon s true character. First, Gideon knew God and His Word. Not only was he familiar with how the Lord once saved the people of Israel from the Egyptians but had also blessed them with the land in which they now lived. Second, Gideon talked with God. He didn t only ponder his people s present condition; Gideon asked God why He had now forsaken them (verse 13). Third, Gideon was humble. Not only did he realize who God was, Gideon recognized who he himself was not. There was nothing important about his standing in his own family, much less his reputation among the people of Israel (verse 15). Collectively these traits, however, are what made Gideon perfect for the purpose for which God called him. With this thy might (verse 14), Gideon, together with God, would be all that would be needed to battle the Midianites (verse 16). Despite these reassurances from the Lord, Gideon s faith was weak. He requested God to provide a sign to prove he had heard Him clearly. Gideon would place a fleece of wool on the ground. Come morning if the fleece was wet with dew while the area around it remained dry, he would know this was truly God s plan (verse 37). The Lord complied with Gideon s request. The next morning, Gideon discovered dry ground with a fleece so saturated that he was able to wring out a bowl of water (verse 38). Still not convinced, Gideon fearfully begged God for one last sign. This time, Gideon asked for the ground to be wet with dew while leaving the fleece dry (verse 39). Once again, Gideon awoke to find answered prayer the ground was wet and the fleece was dry. There are many things to be learned from God s Word in these passages. First, God prepares His people to serve Him in a time, place and situation of His choosing. In Gideon s day, Israel was impoverished, both physically and spiritually, because of sin. However, God used Gideon in these dire conditions to bring about national repentance and restoration. Today, while times may be difficult and challenging to our faith, these should never hinder our response to God s call to service (Romans 12:1, 2). Next, God s Word holds all the answers for those searching for hope. In Gideon s day, God responded with His Word by means of a prophet. Today, the completed Word of God, the Bible, continues to provide this hope with the gospel message of Jesus Christ. It is the responsibility of His servants to be equipped and ready to bring that Word to the lost and dying world around them (1 Peter 3:15; Romans 10:14). With the Bible, everyone can know God s will in every situation, no fleece necessary. Lastly, to serve the Lord is to meet with Him personally. Gideon heard His voice and commands under an oak tree beside a winepress. As the two talked, the Lord revealed His will to Gideon. But this would not be a onetime meeting of the two. Notice God didn t just send Gideon to do a mighty work; He went with him every step of the way. God s people have that same opportunity to visit with Him. However, the mode of conversation today is through prayer and the reading or preaching of God s Word. Preschool/Kindergarten Teacher for Ages 2-5

9 It doesn t take a perfect person to do great things for the Lord, just someone willing and able. It has often been said, the Lord doesn t call the equipped, He equips the call. The Lord equipped Gideon in this way for His usefulness. How ready are you? Activity: Scouting the Trail Moving a herd of cattle along the trail requires a lot of groundwork. The trail boss or a cowboy called a scout will frequently ride ahead of the herd to check on trail conditions. It is his job to find grass, water and a good trail on which the cattle can tread quickly and safely. He is also responsible for being on the lookout for dangers ahead like raging river crossings, cattle rustlers or any other possible signs of trouble. As with any cowboy, his job starts early and demands responsibility. After all, the success of the drive and the well-being of all in the outfit often depends on how well the scout does his job. There are certain tools that a trail scout uses in performing his duties. A good, dependable horse is a must. Metal spurs which are worn at the heel of the cowboy s boots help cue or direct the horse as he rides. For those fortunate enough to have them, a good pair of binoculars make scouting the trail easier by saving the scout time and his horse energy. Similarly, Christians journey life s trail. Left unprepared, many will find themselves hungry, thirsty and sometimes treading dangerous paths spiritually speaking. With this lesson, you have the opportunity to introduce each child in your class to the best tool that can prepare him for a life of service to the Lord. God s Word, the Bible, offers perfect insight to how to successfully live for Christ while avoiding the perils of the world. Attention Getter: get ready, get set, go! (Note: There are two options available.) Show Visual 1-A. Ask the class what all these individuals have in common. Answers will vary. Point out that each of these individuals is ready to do his job at any moment. His job is to serve others in time of need. Explain that in today s lesson, we will learn that we need to be ready to serve God at all times. Materials Needed Two pairs adult-sized cowboy boots Baby blanket Masking tape Option 1 Boot Relay Prior to class time, mark two starting/finish lines on the floor with masking tape several feet opposite a central playing area. Place the two pairs of cowboy boots heels to heels in the middle between the two lines. During class time, divide the group into two equal teams. On the command Get Ready have the children remove their shoes and set them aside. At Get Set the teams are to form lines behind their perspective lines. At Go the first child in each line is to run and put on a pair of boots and race back across the line to his team. Once across, he is to take off the boots and the next child in line is to put them on and race back to the middle, take the boots off and run back. This is to continue until each child on each team has had a turn. The team that finishes first is the winner. Option 2 Shoe Shuffle Prior to class time, mark two starting/finish lines on the floor with masking tape several feet opposite a central playing area. During class time, divide the children into two equal teams and line them up behind their perspective lines. Instruct the children that on the command Get Lesson 1 - Ridin Ready 11

10 12 Materials Needed Fluffy Fleece Flip Chart (Preschool/ Kindergarten Visuals) Spray bottle containing water Paper towels Materials Needed Two cardboard tubes Yarn Construction paper or colored cardstock Plastic wrap Rubber bands Two wooden craft sticks Bible and praying hands silhouettes (Preschool/ Kindergarten Visuals) Glue Markers Stickers Hole punch Scissors Bible Ready, they are to take off their shoes and place them in a pile in the central playing area. Mix up the shoes as they are placed in the pile. At Get Set they are to return to their places behind their teams line. On Go both teams are to run back to the pile, find and put on their own shoes and run back across their lines. The first team to cross its line is the winner. Bible Account: Gideon is REady To serve Judges 6:1-16, Equipped with the combination of the Bible Background, activity pages and your own personal Bible study of the lesson text and prayer time, you are now ready to relate the account of how Gideon readied himself to serve God. Make sure to use words and terms that this age-group can easily understand. Ahead of time, locate and assemble the Fluffy Fleece Flip Chart following the directions in the instruction booklet. During class time, gather the children around you either at a table or on the floor. Display the fleece and explain to the children that a real fleece is the wool covering of a sheep that once sheared from the animal is used to make yarn or thread. Allow the children to feel the softness of the fleece cover before the events within the chart are recounted. At the conclusion place the fleece on the table and mist it with the spray bottle to illustrate the first sign God gave to Gideon. Be careful not to get any water on anything other than the fleece. After the children have had the opportunity to touch the wet fleece, flip it over to the opposite side. This time illustrate the second sign by misting the table around the fleece, this time be careful not the get the fleece wet. After letting the children again feel the difference between what is wet and what is dry, hand out paper towels and engage the children in helping you dry things up. Lesson Purpose: Lookin for Signs pair of Binoculars Prior to class time, collect the supplies listed above to make a pair of binoculars. Begin by preparing two lenses by gluing the Bible and praying hands silhouettes to separate pieces of plastic wrap. Once dry, affix each lens (plastic wrap) to a cardboard tube by draping it over the end so that the cutouts are resting in the center of the opening. With placement precise, secure plastic wrap tautly with a rubber band. Next, cover the tubes in construction paper or colorful cardstock. Position the tubes side by side about ½ apart, making sure the ends containing the lenses are together and the silhouettes are in the upright position. Bridge the craft sticks across the top center of the tubes about 2 apart and glue into place. Cover the craft sticks with a piece of construction paper or cardstock and glue into place. Punch a hole in outside edge of each tube at the opposite end of the lenses. Cut a piece of yarn approximately 18 long and thread through each hole and secure to make a strap. Finish by decorating with markers, stickers and so forth. With the fluffy fleece dew all cleaned up, gather the group around you. Display the pair of binoculars. Ask the children if anyone knows what they are or for what they are used. After fielding responses, explain that the pair of binoculars are special glasses used to make things easier to see that are difficult to make out at a distance. Inform the children that the pair of binoculars are used by some cowboys as they scout the trail ahead of the herd for water, places to rest the cows and even watch for dangers like coyotes and cattle rustlers. Let the children take turns looking through the pair of binoculars while asking them what they see. After they all have had a turn, display the Bible. Preschool/Kindergarten Teacher for Ages 2-5

11 Make it clear that the Bible is God s way of talking to them while prayer is their way of talking to Him. Explain that, like using the pair of binoculars, when they look into His Word, they can discover how to avoid all the dangers along life s trail as well as how to be ready to serve Him every step of the way. Memory Verse Activity: pin the heart on Josie Prior to class time, prepare this activity by first locating the poster and the Memory Verse heart pattern. Place the poster of Josie on a wall in the classroom at the children s eye level. During class time, introduce the children to the Memory Verse and repeat it with them until they can recite it together with you in unison. Show the group the poster. Then hand out a heart to each child. With the children gathered around, instruct them in how to take part in this activity. Taking turns, blindfold each child. Next, turn the child around once in front of Josie and guide him to the poster and instruct him to pin his heart onto Josie in the appropriate place. With each turn, take the opportunity to again recite the Memory Verse together with the group. Materials Needed Pin the Heart on Josie Poster with Memory Verse heart pattern (Preschool/ Kindergarten Visual) Red cardstock or construction paper Scissors Tape or Sticky Tack Makeshift blindfold Student Activity Pages Page 1 Gideon Is Ready To Serve With energy and enthusiasm read the Bible account of Gideon to the children. Have the children identify the pictures as you read about them. Page 2 Gideon Got Ready Guide the children in placing a mark on each shape in the picture that matches the shapes below it. Discuss today s Bible account. Page 3 Let s Get Ready Discuss with the children how like Gideon, they too can get ready to serve God. Guide them in identifying each picture at the beginning of each row and then matching it to the correct picture in each row. Discuss how the people in each of the correct pictures are getting ready to serve God (reading God s Word, talking to God and learning about God). Page 1 Gideon Is Ready To Serve With energy and enthusiasm, read the Bible account of Gideon to the children. Have the children identify the pictures as you read about them. Page 2 First and Last After the children have decided the correct order, assist them in writing the numbers in the appropriate boxes. Page 3 Same or Different Assist the children in finding the two pictures that are the same (1 and 4). Talk about what makes the other pictures different. Discuss with the group how the people pictured are getting ready to serve God. Materials Needed Preschool Kindergarten Preschool Activity Pages Kindergarten Activity Pages Crayons, colored pencils or washable markers Lesson 1 - Ridin Ready 13

12 Page 4 The Bible Says... Review the Memory Verse with the children. After having the children identify the figure within the heart, assist them in selecting red crayons to finish coloring their pictures. As they color, tell the children that to sanctify (set apart) the Lord means to make Him the most important person in their lives. Page 4 The Bible Says... Recite the Memory Verse aloud together with the children, placing emphasis on the word hearts. Assist children in identifying and coloring red each space with the letters of the word hearts in the puzzle to discover the picture hidden within. Game and Craft TIME Refer to the Cross Canyon Trail Game Book and Cross Canyon Trail Craft Book for additional ideas and activities for this lesson. 14 Preschool/Kindergarten Teacher for Ages 2-5