HOW IT WORKS The TruWonder Large Group/Small Group Edition

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2 HOW IT WORKS The TruWonder Large Group/Small Group Edition 2017 David C Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.

3 TruWonder piques the natural curiosity of preschool and kindergarten-age children and invites them to experience the wonder of who God is. Tru Philosophy The Holy Spirit is God s chosen teacher. He is the One who makes spiritual growth and formation happen when and as He chooses. Our role, as ministry leaders, volunteers, and parents, is to create space for the Holy Spirit to meet with our children. Tru Mission Statement Tru helps leaders, children, and their families connect to God, find their place in His Big God Story, and respond to Him through the power of the Holy Spirit. Every Tru lesson, resource, and product is created for this purpose. Lesson Path: Seeing the Mission Statement in a Tru Lesson EXPLORE Children engage in fun, creative activities designed to pique their curiosity about the day s portion of The Big God Story. The Vision for EXPLORE As children arrive, they re invited into a place where they will explore the mysteries of God within the faith community. The activities offered may not overtly connect to the Bible narrative but will spark curiosity and engage them before revealing the whole story. During check-in and welcoming, each lesson suggests two EXPLORE station options. If you only have time or resources for one station for your children to experience, select the one that will be the best fit for your ministry (supplies, prep, space, appeal, etc.). If a station clicks with your children, feel free to bring it back for an additional week of exploration. DISCOVER Children participate in discovering God s Word through Bible verse memorization, interactive storytelling techniques, and worship as response. The Vision for Discover After transitioning from small groups, DISCOVER is a time for children to meet as a larger community to connect, pray, participate in traditions, and learn from The Big God Story together. In preschool/kindergarten, the children get to know the rules of their classroom with Chloe, find and learn their Remember Verse during Mail Time, and discover the What sit in the Wardrobe of Wonder. Then they transition into The Big God Story. This is the time when a storyteller shares a passage of Scripture always keeping the smaller part of the story in the chronological context of God s grand narrative. Ponder Point The lesson begins with and is centered around a Ponder Point, or statement, about God. An example is, God Is with Me. Although the Bible passage may be familiar, what does this part of The Big God Story tell us about God, and show how He is going to fulfill His promise to redeem mankind? RESPOND Children reflect on what the Holy Spirit is teaching them and respond through creative activities and games. The Vision for Small Group RESPOND Children can share openly their personal thoughts and experiences in a relational setting. Some will be more responsive when they re engaged in something creative or artistic; others will be more open once their bodies get moving. With two options provided, you can decide if you want to use both activities or focus on the type of response that will appeal to your children s needs David C Cook 2

4 BLESS Children receive a blessing from their leaders and sometimes one another. A blessing may be a prayer of commission, a portion of Scripture, or words to encourage and guide. The Vision for BLESS Every Tru lesson concludes with a blessing. The word benediction means to speak well over someone; parents and leaders speak truth over and into children s lives. After encountering God and His Word; the blessing is to bless them and what God is doing in them. Invite them to receive this. As they ve been blessed, they will in turn be used to bless others. Leader Prep The Vision for Inspire, Equip, Support Each week you ll find Inspire, Equip, and Support articles that will help you and your leaders personally and/or corporately engage with God and His Word and take time for yourselves before beginning your prep. The Inspire article contains personal stories from fellow ministry leaders about how God has worked in their lives. The Equip article offers perspective and context to the lesson s Bible passage. The Support article provides reflection and assessment through encouragement, prayer, and time in God s Word. Additional TruWonder Resources (see Resources) The resources listed below are provided to help you customize or enhance any TruWonder lesson. TruWonder Scope and Sequence The Big God Story People Cutouts The Big God Story Timeline Grid The Big God Story Timeline with People Master Timeline Templates God s Salvation Plan for Kids Chloe s Rules videos and scripts Mail Time files Wardrobe of Wonder files The Big God Story files Lesson Schedule This sample outline offers flexibility for the timing of your service. The attention span and interest level of children can change based on a variety of factors. You may find yourself allowing more time for one section of the lesson, and moving quickly through another depending upon the mood and dynamic of your class on any particular day. Experience/Lesson Section Minutes EXPLORE Welcome and Relate (Check-in) 10 min. DISCOVER Large Group 25 min. RESPOND Small Group 20 min. BLESS Small Group 5 min David C Cook 3

5 Lesson Language These are descriptions of the terms found throughout TruWonder lessons: Leader Tip, Note, Suggestion, and Helpful Hint: Suggestions for modifying or adjusting portions of the lesson to best fit your own church and group of kids. Optional: Suggestions of ways you can adapt the activities and games. Roles Host: The Host offers the same spirit of hospitality, generosity, and inclusiveness to the children that the host of a party would offer to the guests in her home or gathering. They may set up the time, frame the expectations, and dismiss children. Small Group Leader: The Small Group Leader shepherds the children through questions about the story and biblical truth, engages them in community-building activities, helps them create a remembrance of their experience, and blesses them before they leave. Ideally Small Group Leaders work week after week with the same group of kids, giving them the opportunity to develop lasting relationships with each child. Worship Leader: The Worship Leader facilitates individual and corporate worship by listening to the direction of the Holy Spirit and inviting others into the worship experience. Storyteller: After active involvement with the Scriptures and the lesson, the Storyteller recounts the Bible passage for the kids in an engaging way. He leads out of an overflow of his own life, telling personal stories as prompted, and guiding the children into a time of natural worship response. AV Technician: This person facilitates the behind-the-scenes aspects of programming, including music, lighting, drama, sound, Power Point, etc. The AV Tech makes sure things run smoothly and is willing to help with anything including stepping into any of the other leader roles. There will be cues for this person indicated in the lesson in italics. Parent Resources The Vision for HomeFront Weekly HomeFront Weekly is designed to help your parents intentionally spend time in God s Word with their children before they come to church. This way, parents will be the first to introduce their children to the Bible content they ll hear at church, preparing them for the upcoming lesson. At the end of your lesson, be sure to send out the HomeFront Weekly resource for the next week, so parents can intentionally create space for God to meet with their families David C Cook 4

6 Large Group/Small Group Summer Lesson 7 Bible Passage: Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John (Death and Resurrection) LESSON OVERVIEW Jesus Is Alive Remember Verse I want to know Christ yes, to know the power of his resurrection. Philippians 3:10a EXPLORE// 10 minutes Option 1: It s Alive! Bin Plant (small), flower, sprig of basil Rock Hairbrush Picture of a dog Other inanimate objects on hand Optional: pet in cage or aquarium Optional 2: The Big God Story Drawing The Big God Story picture cards * Resealable bags (1 per child, quart-size) Washable tempera paint Packing tape (clear) and scissors DISCOVER// 25 minutes Chloe s Rules Chloe s Rules videos or scripts * Chloe (puppet or person) Preschool program theme song Worship music Optional: countdown video Mail Time Mail Time intro clip and image * Remember Verse image and cards* Mail Time envelope art * *see Resources 1 Envelope (large) Bibles Mailbox Remember Verse Wardrobe of Wonder Wardrobe of Wonder intro clip, image, and sound effect * What sit: Empty Wardrobe * Wardrobe of Wonder Small stools or chairs (2) The Big God Story The Big God Story intro clip and image * Sound effects: (see page 5) * Optional: scrim Worship as Response Happy face stickers (1 per child) Response Wall Baskets (2 3, small) Worship song RESPOND// 20 minutes Option 1: Mini Scavenger Hunt Mini Scavenger Hunt clue cards * Scissors Uncooked rice (large bag) Storage bin Scavenger hunt items: (see page 8) Disposable tablecloth Optional: blindfold, timer Option 2: A Painting to Remember Jesus Is Alive template * Card stock (1 sheet per child) Watercolor or washable tempera paint (various colors) and water Paintbrushes (1 per child) Cups (1 per child) Disposable tablecloth Optional: colored pencils or crayons Wonder Questions Wonder Questions coloring pages * TruWonder Small Group Enhancements timeline and images * Scissors Crayons BLESS// 5 minutes Remember Verse cards * At Home Weekly: Lesson 8 * Further Resources Customizable copy of Lesson Scope and Sequence TruWonder How It Works document At Home Weekly: Lesson David C Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children s ministry leaders. All rights reserved. Reproducible for church use only.

7 LEADER PREP Each week you ll find encouraging articles that help you prepare your heart to present the lesson. Inspire Shares personal stories from fellow ministry leaders about how God has worked in their lives On my first day of seminary, the dean counseled us that seminary can sometimes be one of the lowest times in a pastor s life. He cautioned us that we might mistake studying God s Word in an academic way for actually spending time with God. Even after this warning, I fell into this trap, and my intimacy with God suffered. One day, I was given the assignment to attend an all-day seminar called Walk through the Bible. I wasn t very excited about this additional burden on my schedule. I thought I already knew the Bible pretty well. As the sessions began, they started teaching us hand motions for major events in The Big God Story. We parted the Red Sea with our arms and crowned David as king. We flexed our muscles and yelled out, Samson! It was incredibly engaging. I stood, sat, and waved my arms while I called out memorable phrases like, Let my people go! The whole audience participated enthusiastically and learned The Big God Story as a faith community.. I was struck after leaving with how excited I now was to tell God s story. Knowing The Big God Story in a deeper way transformed me and the way I teach the Bible. Amidst that challenging and lonely time during seminary, God gave me a fresh perspective on His Word and His story. Jeff Carter Director of HaDavar Ministries, Irvine, CA Equip Offers perspective and context to the lesson s Bible passage God has been working out His plan of redemption since the very beginning of The Big God Story. Throughout The Big God Story, God entered into covenants with mankind in order to establish relationships with people and to reveal His plans for dealing with humanity s sin by sending a Redeemer. The four main (redemptive) covenants are the Abrahamic (Genesis 12; 13; 15; 17; 18; 22), Mosaic (Leviticus 26), Davidic (2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17), and New Covenants (Luke 22:18 20; Revelation 21:1 7). In the Abrahamic Covenant, God promised blessing to the world (the promise of a Redeemer) and chose Israel to be the channel of that blessing. God then gave the terms by which His people, Israel, would be able to experience that blessing: through obedience to the Mosaic Covenant. Later, God clarified this initial promise made to Abraham by giving the Davidic Covenant. The Davidic Covenant gave people a better, fuller understanding of what the coming king (Messiah) would be like. Through the prophets, God promised a New Covenant that would once and for all take care of the problem of sin. Through the New Covenant, God would enable His people to obey His Law through the inner promptings of the indwelling Holy Spirit. When Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, this marked the climax of The Big God Story. The cross is the embodiment of the blessing God promised to Israel to bless them and to bless the world through them. Jesus is the promise. He is the promise God gave to Adam and Eve in the garden (Genesis 3:15). He is the promise God gave to Abraham and the prophets through the covenants. When we proclaim, Jesus is alive, we are seeing the fulfillment of thousands of years of promise. Support Provides reflection and assessment through encouragement, prayer, and time in God s Word This week, meditate on these verses that express the fact that Jesus is our Redeemer, our hope, our Savior. Be blessed by the simplicity of God s Word. He is alive! Isaiah 53:3 6: He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering... the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Matthew 1:21: She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. John 1:29: John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! Revelation 22:20: He who testifies to these things says, Yes, I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Summer Lesson 7 Large Group/Small Group 2

8 SMALL GROUP SECTION EXPLORE//10 minutes Children engage in fun, creative activities designed to pique their curiosity about the day s portion of The Big God Story. Option 1: It s Alive! Today in The Big God Story, children will hear that Jesus is alive. This activity helps children distinguish the difference between things that are alive and those that are not. Bin Plant (small), flower, sprig of basil Rock Hairbrush Picture of a dog Other inanimate objects on hand Optional: small pet in cage or aquarium (examples: goldfish, gerbil, etc.) PREPARE AHEAD Place all the items in a bin. Invite children to gather around the bin. Friends, today is a special day. I m so excited to be here with you. I know we re going to have a great morning hearing The Big God Story together. First, I wonder what all these objects are. Why do you think these things are here on our table? Children will answer. Let s sort them together. Can you show me what things are alive? How about the things that aren t alive? Option 2: The Big God Story Drawing Although kids will hear a condensed version of The Big God Story today, the focus is on Jesus being alive. In this activity, children can draw scenes from the part of The Big God Story where Jesus died and rose again. The Big God Story picture cards (see Resources) Scissors Resealable bags (1 per child, quart-size) Washable tempera paint Packing tape (clear) PREPARE AHEAD Print one set of The Big God Story picture cards for every four children and cut them out. Put a dollop of paint into each storage bag. Squeeze the air out and seal, and then use clear packing tape to create an extra seal along the top. Smooth out the bags and make them flat to evenly distribute the paint. SET UP Place a bag of paint at each child s seat. Place picture cards at various points along the table. Welcome kids and allow them to find a seat around the table. Today is a special day, because we get to celebrate that Jesus is alive! The cards on the table show some pictures that help tell us about the special day we re celebrating. You can use your finger to draw on your bag what you see on the cards. Would you like to try it with me? Draw a picture and show it to me or a neighbor and we ll guess what you re drawing. Or you can write a special letter or word from today. Here are some to try: Jesus, cross, tomb, angel, morning, heaven. 3 Summer Lesson 7 Large Group/Small Group

9 LARGE GROUP SECTION DISCOVER//25 minutes Children participate in discovering God s Word through Bible verse memorization, interactive storytelling techniques, and worship as response. Ponder Point: Jesus Is Alive Chloe s Rules Host/Worship Leader Chloe s Rules videos or scripts (see Resources) Chloe (puppet or person) Preschool program theme song Worship music (suggestions: God, You re Big, TruWorship Your Love and The Big God Story, TruWorship Songs from the Playhouse) Optional: countdown video Welcome children as they re entering the large group meeting area. Tech: Cue Chloe s Rules video. The theme song will play as the Worship Leader/Host enters and makes his way up front, welcoming and greeting children along the way. This should be a high-energy entrance. Tech: Cue preschool program theme song. Choose and play two upbeat worship songs of your choice from a worship album that complements the theme and focus of the lesson. Mail Time Host/Worship Leader Mail Time intro clip and image (see Resources) Remember Verse image and cards (see Resources) Mail Time envelope art (see Resources) Envelope (large) Bibles (your personal and large children s) Mailbox PREPARE AHEAD Print or copy the Mail Time envelope art and attach to a large envelope. Print or copy one Remember Verse card and put it inside the envelope. Tech: Cue the Mail Time intro clip and image. Choose one volunteer to hide the mail and another to find the mail. Have the Seeker close her eyes while the Hider finds a good place to hide the Remember Verse. Once the mail has been hidden, the Seeker will begin to look for the mail while children give clues to its whereabouts by calling out hot and cold. Once the Seeker finds the mail, the Host invites her to pull out the enclosed Remember Verse. Next, the Host should find the Remember Verse in his Bible and read the words aloud. Talk about the meaning of the verse while interacting with children. Lead children in reciting the Remember Verse several times together using a variety of engaging methods. Hand motions, different voices, various speeds, and character integration are all great ways to help commit the Scripture to memory. For longer verses, approach the verse one section at a time, increasing what the children repeat back each week. Remember Verse I want to know Christ yes, to know the power of his resurrection. Philippians 3:10a Remember Verse Definitions Power: strength or ability His resurrection: when Jesus rose from the dead Summer Lesson 7 Large Group/Small Group 4

10 Remember Verse Motions I want: Both hands open, palms and fingers up, begin away from body and pull in. to know: Index finger points to temples. Christ: Index finger points up. yes: Make fist with right hand and rock forward and back like knocking on door. to know: Index finger points to temples. the power: Make strong arms. of his resurrection: Hold left palm facing up; with right hand s index and middle finger, touch middle of left palm. Wardrobe of Wonder Storyteller/Host/Worship Leader Wardrobe of Wonder intro clip and image (see Resources) Wardrobe of Wonder sound effect (see Resources) What sit: Empty Wardrobe (see optional image in Resources) Wardrobe of Wonder Small stools or chairs (2) What sit: Empty Wardrobe When Jesus followers arrived at the tomb to prepare Jesus body, they found the tomb empty. He had risen, just as He said! Tech: Cue the Wardrobe of Wonder intro clip and image. Invite a child volunteer to spy on the What sit by peeking into the wardrobe. Each time the wardrobe door opens, cue the Wardrobe of Wonder sound effect. Have him whisper the identity of the What sit in your ear to ensure he knows what it is. Invite your assistant to sit on the stools with you. Then lead the group in asking the assistant yes-or-no questions about the What sit. Once the children have guessed correctly, ask your assistant to retrieve the What sit from the wardrobe and bring it to you. Thank your volunteer and encourage him to sit with his small group. ASK (Child s name), what did you find in the wardrobe? Ask the other children: Why do you think there wasn t anything in the wardrobe? Encourage children to respond. Those are good ideas! Well, I think it s time we find out how an empty wardrobe fits into today s part of The Big God Story. Do you know what time it is? The Big God Story Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John Jesus Is Alive Storytelling Technique: Shadow Play The Big God Story intro clip and image (see Resources) Sound effects: Garden, Twinkling Stars, Sheep, Celebration (see Resources) Optional: scrim (8' x 8' wood frame with stand, flat bedsheet, staple gun, theater can light) PREPARE AHEAD This week s scrim is offered as an alternative storytelling technique, but The Big God Story may be presented with traditional actors. Optional: Build an eight- by eight-foot square frame for the scrim screen. Stretch the sheet across the face of the frame. Fold the edges of any excess material over the sides of the frame and use the staple gun to attach the fabric to the frame. Set the scrim downstage right or left preferably in a location preventing children from seeing actors from the side. Place the theater can light behind the screen on either the right- or left-hand side of the scrim. Don t aim the light directly at the scrim. The actors will move between the light and the scrim to create a shadow effect. Be sure to do a technical rehearsal to check lighting and audio cues with actors. If you prefer not to build a scrim, you can also hang a large sheet with lights behind it. Note: All bolded content is dialogue the Storyteller will use for narration. Actors will bring the scenes to life with movement and still poses. After actors have performed one action, they ll freeze, holding the position until the next pose. Tech: Cue The Big God Story intro clip and image. Actors get to their places, set up for the first scene, and freeze. Welcome children and lead them in a Prayer of Release to pause, be still, and ask the Holy Spirit to quiet their hearts and minds. 5 Summer Lesson 7 Large Group/Small Group

11 Hold up Bible. Friends, what book am I holding? Children respond. That s right, the Bible. It s filled with God s Word and helps us know Him. All of the words in the Bible are true. We call the Bible The Big God Story because God is big, His story is big, and He invites us to be a part of it! Scene 1: The Garden. Actor 1: tree; Actor 2: Adam, cross; Actor 3: Eve, Jesus in front of cross. Tech: Turn on scrim light. Actors begin first scene. Actor 1 stands with arms outstretched like a tree not cross. Actors 2 and 3 begin in crouched position, like rocks. The Big God Story began in a beautiful garden that stood between four grand rivers. Tech: Cue Garden sound effect. Tree sways and moves slightly. Two rocks slowly stand to upright position. Adam will place arms strongly on hips when Storyteller says his name. Eve will smooth out hair and gesture simply when her name is said. The very first people God made to live in the garden of Eden with Him were named Adam and Eve. Eve turns to tree, picks fruit, and takes bite. Hands fruit to Adam. He takes bite. It wasn t long before Adam and Eve disobeyed God; they sinned. Adam and Eve kneel and put faces in hands. Because Adam and Eve disobeyed God and made a bad choice, they weren t allowed to be in the garden anymore. They couldn t be as close to God as they once were. But God made a promise that someday there would be a Savior. Actors who were Adam and Eve stand. Adam becomes cross; Eve stands in front of cross, arms stretched out as Jesus on cross. This promised Savior would forgive us, and all the people who trust Him, of our sins the bad choices we make and the things we do wrong so we can know God and be with Him forever. And so the people on earth began to wait for this Promise to come. Scene 2: Covenant. Actor 1: Abraham; Actors 2 and 3: God s people (begin in crouched or sitting position). One day, God spoke to a man named Abraham. Abraham kneels and looks heavenward. The Lord God made a covenant with Abraham. A covenant is a very special promise. He promised Abraham that his family would grow (Actor 2 stands) and grow. Actor 3 stands. God said that counting Abraham s future family would be like trying to count the stars in the sky. Tech: Cue Twinkling Stars sound effect. His family would grow so big that it would become a very special nation. His family would be God s people. Actors 2 and 3 suggested motions: shake hands with each other, walk arm in arm, kneel to pray. God wanted the whole world to see the way His people were living and want to be a part of His family! God also told Abraham that someday the Redeemer would come from his family. Scene 3: Isaac Is Born. Actor 1: Abraham; Actor 2: Sarah. Abraham and his wife, Sarah, waited many years for God to fulfill His promise. Abraham and Sarah stand arm-in-arm. Then it happened. Sarah had a baby just as God promised. Sarah lifts arms as if rocking baby from side-to-side. Abraham drops into crouching position and freezes. God was doing just what He told Abraham He would do. Sarah lowers arms to side and freezes. Abraham and Sarah named their son Isaac. When Isaac grew up, he had a son named Jacob. When Jacob grew up, he had 12 sons. The family of God grew and grew and grew. God used prophets, priests, and kings to talk to His people and show them the best way to live. Scene 4: Silence. Actors freeze in place. Then one day God was silent. Tech: Turn off light behind scrim. He was still working in the lives of His people, but He chose not to say anything to them through a prophet, a priest, or a king. Not one word. And so the people waited, and waited, and waited for The Promise. Scene 5: Announcement. Actor 1: Angel; Actor 2: Mary. Tech: Turn on scrim light. Finally, God was ready to end the silence. He sent an angel named Gabriel to a young woman named Mary. Angel stands gesturing to Mary. Mary drops to knees He told her she was going to have a baby God s Son who would be the Savior for all people. This was it! The promise God made in the garden the promise to send a Savior was coming true! Scene 6: Jesus is born. Actors are all shepherds. On the night Jesus was born, God sent angels to announce His birth to shepherds in a field nearby. Tech: Cue Sheep sound effect. Actors respond/gesture to one another according to narration. The shepherds were so excited that they went to see baby Jesus. They then went and told everyone what they d seen and heard. The promised Savior was born in Bethlehem! Actors freeze in place. Tech: Turn out light behind scrim. Jesus grew up in a way that was pleasing to God. He never made a bad choice or did anything wrong. Not even once! Jesus taught people the very best way to live. He cared for those who were hungry, healed people who were hurt or sick, and even brought people who had died back to life! He showed that He is God. Isn t that amazing? God became a man so He could be the Savior and bring us back to Himself. Jesus is the Savior God promised to send. We re forgiven of our sins because of Jesus sacrifice. Can someone tell us what kind of sacrifice Jesus made? What did Jesus do for us? Allow a few children to retell what happened on Good Friday and at the resurrection. That s right! Jesus came to earth and gave His life on the cross. He paid the punishment for our sins. When we choose to believe that Jesus, God s only Son, died for our sins and accept His love in our hearts and lives, we get to be with God forever! But Jesus didn t stay dead, did He? Children answer. No! After He died, Jesus friends took His body, wrapped it in linen cloth, and placed Him in a tomb. Then they closed the tomb by rolling a very large stone in front of it. When they came back on the third day, Jesus wasn t there! The tomb was empty. An angel told Jesus friends that He had risen! He came back to life, just like He promised. Jesus is alive! Tech: Cue Celebration sound effect. Friends, what was in the Wardrobe of Wonder? Pause for responses. You re right! The wardrobe was empty to remind us that the tomb was empty. God the Father brought His Son Jesus back to life! The Big God Story doesn t end there. God loves us and wants us to know Him and His great love. God wants us to be a part of The Big God Story! Summer Lesson 7 Large Group/Small Group 6

12 Worship as Response Happy face stickers (1 per child) Response Wall Baskets (2 3, small) Worship song ( Happy Day, TruWorship Radio the World) PREPARE AHEAD Fill the small baskets with happy face stickers and place them on the floor in front of the Response Wall. How do you feel when you hear that Jesus is alive? How about when you hear that He made a way for you to be with God forever and ever? Interact with responses. This makes me happy too! If you d like to remember this good news, you can come take a happy face sticker from the Response Wall. Allow time for kids to get a sticker from the Response Wall. Quietly play Happy Day in the background. Sometimes we get stickers when we do something great. Today we re getting a sticker because of something great that God did! This sticker can help us remember that Jesus is alive. Whenever someone asks you about your sticker today, you can tell them that Jesus is alive. Let s try it together. Friends, why are you wearing a happy face sticker? Allow children to shout, Jesus is alive! Jesus is alive. Because of Him, it s a happy day! Let s celebrate together. Lead kids in worship with Happy Day. Close with a corporate prayer of blessing and dismiss kids to small group. SMALL GROUP SECTION RESPOND//20 minutes Children reflect on what the Holy Spirit is teaching them and respond through creative activities and games. Option 1: Mini Scavenger Hunt Children will search a bin of rice to find clues that tell the story of Jesus death and resurrection. Mini Scavenger Hunt clue cards (see Resources) Scissors Uncooked rice (large bag) Storage bin Items: perfume bottle (sample-size), toy donkey, palm leaf, coin or small bag of coins, piece of bread (real or pretend), miniature cross, pretend nails, rock, linen/gauze strip, cotton ball Disposable tablecloth Optional: blindfold, timer PREPARE AHEAD Print and cut apart the Mini Scavenger Hunt clue cards. Pour dry rice into the large storage bin. Add all other items and mix so everything is hidden in the rice. A few of these items haven t previously been presented in TruWonder lessons. You may choose to discuss the events surrounding each object, or customize the objects based upon the direction of the Holy Spirit. SET UP Place the bin of rice on the disposable tablecloth for easier cleanup. You can choose to play at a table or on the floor. Children, today in The Big God Story, we heard that Jesus is alive! There are a lot of things that can help us remember this part of The Big God Story. I m going to read a clue to you. If you know the answer, raise your hand. If I call on you, you can share the answer with our group. If you get the answer right, you ll put on the blindfold (optional) and reach into the bin of rice to try to find the item that was the answer to the question. If you have a larger group, you might consider using a timer to limit the amount of time spent searching for items. When the timer goes off, another child can take a turn at trying to find the item. As each item is located, use the objects to continue informative storytelling and discussion as you feel led and as the children s interest holds. 7 Summer Lesson 7 Large Group/Small Group

13 Option 2: A Painting to Remember In this response, children will have the opportunity to create paintings as a reminder of Jesus death and resurrection. Jesus Is Alive template (see Resources) Card stock (1 sheet per child, heavyweight) Watercolor or washable tempera paint (various colors) Paintbrushes (1 per child) Cups (1 per child) Water Disposable tablecloth Optional: colored pencils (or crayons for younger children) PREPARE AHEAD Print the Jesus Is Alive template on heavyweight card stock. SET UP Put the tablecloth on the table. Fill cups with water and place all the materials on the table. Pass out a sheet of printed card stock to each child. In today s part of The Big God Story, we heard that Jesus is alive, and we celebrated. Let s make something to help us remember that Jesus is alive. We re going to worship Jesus by creating art that we can take home with us. Each of you has a card that says Jesus Is Alive! You can paint around or on the words. When you take this home, it will remind you of what we ve been celebrating. Would you like to join me in worshipping Jesus by painting? Wonder Questions Small Group Enhancements, coloring pages, and discussion questions help your group go deeper into today s portion of The Big God Story. Wonder Questions coloring pages (see Resources) TruWonder Small Group Enhancements timeline and images (see Resources) Scissors Crayons Today we heard a special telling of The Big God Story. We heard how Jesus died for us and rose from the grave! He is alive! Because of Jesus, we get to be with God forever and ever. He wants us to be a part of The Big God Story. I wonder What would it be like to see the empty tomb? I wonder How does it make me feel to know that Jesus is alive? I wonder How do I feel about God right now? BLESS//5 minutes Children receive a blessing from their leaders and sometimes one another. A blessing may be a prayer of commission, a portion of Scripture, or words to encourage and guide. Remember Verse cards (see Resources) At Home Weekly: Lesson 8 (see Resources) This week before children leave, enthusiastically assure them of God s great love and promises for them. Hold hands with children and form a circle together. Let s all raise our hands together and say, Jesus is alive! Repeat two more times and then speak the blessing taken from Revelation 1:8: Children, may you always remember that you re deeply loved by the God who was, and is, and is to come. He will live forever! Send home Remember Verse cards and the At Home Weekly with your kids. Summer Lesson 7 Large Group/Small Group 8

14 Date: Lesson 4.8 At Home Weekly is designed for you to use during the week with your son or daughter. You ll find out what they learned today at church, and you can help them prepare for next week by exploring the theme (or Ponder Point) and spending time together in God s Word. WHAT WE LEARNED THIS WEEK PONDER POINT: JESUS IS ALIVE Death and Resurrection Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John When Adam and Eve first sinned, God promised to send a Savior to redeem the broken relationship. About two thousand years later, Jesus fulfilled this promise by coming to earth to die for our sins and rise again. WHERE WE RE HEADED NEXT TIME PONDER POINT: GOD S SPIRIT IS POWERFUL Crippled Beggar Acts 3 God sends the Holy Spirit to live in His followers, allowing some of them to do miracles such as healing a crippled man. DID YOU KNOW? Share these facts to get the conversation started. At Pentecost, the followers of Christ received the Holy Spirit. As they experienced God s power within them, they did miracles in the name of Jesus. As Peter and John were walking into the temple, their eyes were diverted toward a crippled man begging for money. The disciples must have walked past this man hundreds of times; however, this day was different: The Holy Spirit was prompting them. When Peter healed the crippled man in the name of Jesus, the man began leaping and praising God. CONNECT AS A FAMILY Sit down together as a family to read Acts 3:1 10. When you ve finished, see if you can act out this part of The Big God Story, giving each family member a part to play (Peter, John, the man, people in the crowd). Ask them how it might have felt to be the crippled man. Let them share how they think this man felt when he was healed after being crippled for so long. Talk about what the man did once he was healed, and ask them what they think they might have done. After reading the Scripture passage, discuss these questions together: How do you think Peter felt when he saw the crippled man? How did the crippled man feel when God s power healed his legs? How have you seen God s power? These questions can easily extend into the rest of the week. Look for opportunities to bring conversations about how God s Spirit Is Powerful into your everyday life as a family. REMEMBER VERSE The Remember Verse focuses on a character trait of God that s highlighted in next week s portion of The Big God Story. BLESSING I want to know Christ yes, to know the power of his resurrection. Philippians 3:10a Blessings are often used in the Bible. A blessing can be a prayer of commission, a portion of Scripture, or words to encourage and guide. A blessing to pray over your child: (Child s name), may you see the people in your neighborhood who need to see the power of God s Spirit and be willing to help them. For more information about blessing your child, go to truministry.com to the Parenting tab. And for more creative ideas on spiritually leading your family, visit HomeFrontMag.com David C Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children s ministry leaders. All rights reserved. Reproducible for church use only.

15 Classroom Edition 4s/5s Summer Lesson 7 Bible Passage: Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John (Death and Resurrection) LESSON OVERVIEW Jesus Is Alive Remember Verse I want to know Christ yes, to know the power of his resurrection. Philippians 3:10a 1 CONNECT// 10 minutes Celebration Station Scrap paper (various colors and textures) Basket or bin Optional: drop cloth (or bed sheet), masking tape GATHER// 25 minutes Remember Verse Remember Verse cards * Gizmo puppet Bible Treasure Trunk Paper (colored) Permanent marker The Big God Story Basket Plant or flower Sand (1 c.) Cotton balls (10) Resealable storage bags (2) Jar (large, empty) Paper (1 sheet) Marker Yarn (4', bright-colored) Scissors *see Resources Wonder Questions Wonder Question strips * Scissors Small bag with drawstring Prayers & Praises Prayers & Praises book Index cards Pen or marker Treasure Trunk RESPOND// 20 minutes Alive with Color Door Hanger template * Crayons or washable markers Scissors (1 pair per child) String (8' 10') Masking tape Optional: stickers, confetti (from CONNECT), glue (Optional) Confetti Dance Confetti (from CONNECT) Construction paper (1 sheet per child) Drop cloth Masking tape Praise music (suggestions: Ready, Set, Go! TruWorship Songs from the Playhouse or Happy Day, TruWorship Radio the World) Optional: confetti eggs (1 or more per child) BLESS// 5 minutes Remember Verse cards * At Home Weekly: Lesson 8 * Further Resources To help you plan and lead: Customizable copy of Lesson Scope and Sequence TruWonder How It Works document Small Group Enhancements: Lesson 7 Discussion TruWonder Timeline At Home Weekly: Lesson 7 The weekly for the next lesson to be sent home for preteaching by parents is found in BLESS David C Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children s ministry leaders. All rights reserved. Reproducible for church use only.

16 LEADER PREP Each week you ll find encouraging articles that help you prepare your heart to present the lesson. Inspire Shares personal stories from fellow ministry leaders about how God has worked in their lives On my first day of seminary, the dean counseled us that seminary can sometimes be one of the lowest times in a pastor s life. I was very surprised by this. I d been looking forward to seminary, expecting it to be a time when I would grow closer to God. He cautioned us that we might mistake studying God s Word in an academic way for actually spending time with God. Even after this warning, I fell into this trap, and my intimacy with God suffered. One day, I was given the assignment to attend an all-day seminar called Walk through the Bible. I wasn t very excited about this additional burden on my schedule. I thought I already knew the Bible pretty well. As the sessions began, they started teaching us hand motions for major events in The Big God Story. We parted the Red Sea with our arms and crowned David as king. We flexed our muscles and yelled out, Samson! It was incredibly engaging. I stood, sat, and waved my arms while I called out memorable phrases like, Let my people go! The whole audience participated enthusiastically and learned The Big God Story as a faith community. The seminar was memorable and actually very fun. I was struck after leaving with how excited I now was to tell God s story. Knowing The Big God Story in a deeper way transformed me and the way I teach the Bible. Amidst that challenging and lonely time during seminary, God gave me a fresh perspective on His Word and His story. Jeff Carter Director of HaDavar Ministries, Irvine, CA Equip Offers perspective and context to the lesson s Bible passage God has been working out His plan of redemption since the very beginning of The Big God Story. And God chose to use covenants as the mechanism through which He would redeem the world back to Himself. Throughout The Big God Story, God entered into covenants with mankind in order to establish relationships with people and to reveal His plans for dealing with humanity s sin by sending a Redeemer. The four main (redemptive) covenants are the Abrahamic (Genesis 12; 13; 15; 17; 18; 22), Mosaic (Leviticus 26), Davidic (2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17), and New Covenants (Luke 22:18 20; Revelation 21:1 7). In the Abrahamic Covenant, God promised blessing to the world (the promise of a Redeemer) and chose Israel to be the channel of that blessing. God then gave the terms by which His people, Israel, would be able to experience that blessing: through obedience to the Mosaic Covenant. Later, God clarified this initial promise made to Abraham by giving the Davidic Covenant. The Davidic Covenant gave people a better, fuller understanding of what the coming king (Messiah) would be like. Through the prophets, God promised a New Covenant that would once and for all take care of the problem of sin. Through the New Covenant, God would enable His people to obey His Law through the inner promptings of the indwelling Holy Spirit. When Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, this marked the climax of The Big God Story. The cross is the embodiment of the blessing God promised to Israel to bless them and to bless the world through them. Jesus is the promise. He is the promise God gave to Adam and Eve in the garden (Genesis 3:15). He is the promise God gave to Abraham and the prophets through the covenants. When we proclaim, Jesus is alive, we are seeing the fulfillment of thousands of years of promise. Support Provides reflection and assessment through encouragement, prayer, and time in God s Word This week, meditate on these verses that express the fact that Jesus is our Redeemer, our hope, our Savior. Be blessed by the simplicity of God s Word. He is alive! Job 19:25: I know that my redeemer lives Isaiah 47:4: Our Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 53:3 6: He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his Summer Lesson 7 4s/5s 2

17 wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Matthew 1:21: She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. John 1:29: John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! Revelation 22:20: He who testifies to these things says, Yes, I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. CONNECT//10 minutes Children develop relationships with their leaders and one another through simple activities and conversation starters. Celebration Station Today children will explore a wonderful truth Jesus is alive! Start off the lesson by fostering a spirit of celebration with this opening activity. Scrap paper (various colors and textures) Basket or bin Optional: drop cloth (or bed sheet), masking tape PREPARE AHEAD For this activity, gather lots of paper that children can easily tear into small pieces. Brightly colored, patterned, glitter, or metallic-finished paper work well. If possible, recycle paper that has already been used. Note: Consider raiding a recycle bin; just be sure the paper is clean and free from any content not meant for little eyes. Remember, the more colorful the better! SET UP Since a couple of today s activities involve confetti, consider placing a drop cloth on the floor to minimize your cleanup. A sheet used for painting or a bed sheet is a great option. Secure the drop cloth to the floor with masking tape. Lay the paper on the floor and place the bin or basket in the middle of your work area. Welcome children and invite them to join you in a circle on the floor. If you ve prepared an area with a drop cloth, gather children at this workspace. We re going to celebrate something today. Can anyone guess what it is? Allow children to share ideas. Good thoughts! We ll have to wait and see why we re celebrating. But right now, let s start by making some confetti. It s made of small pieces of paper. We ll use the confetti a bit later as we celebrate together! Explain that children can tear the paper any way they like, but they should be fairly small pieces. The confetti should be placed in your basket or bin. While children work, take this opportunity to connect with them through conversation. Ask them what they like most about coming to church and if they have any special plans for the week. Note: Set aside the confetti for use later in RESPOND. Developmentally Speaking By the age of four or five, most children are developing an ability to tell their own stories, repeat stories, and guess what s coming next in a story. As you navigate your time with the children, make sure you keep this in mind. Pepper your conversations with general questions about their day-to-day activities, as well as more specific questions about the day s portion of The Big God Story and Ponder Point. GATHER//25 minutes Children experience and learn more about God through memorizing Scripture, storytelling from The Big God Story, prayer, and discussion. Begin GATHER with a Welcome Song. See How It Works document for an example. 3 Summer Lesson 7 4s/5s

18 Remember Verse Remember Verse cards (see Resources) Gizmo puppet Bible Treasure Trunk Paper (colored) Permanent marker For information on how to prepare the Treasure Trunk and where to purchase Gizmo, see the How It Works document. SET UP After placing the Remember Verse cards in the Bible, set the Bible in the Treasure Trunk. Cut the paper into 14 strips and write one word from the verse on 13 of the strips and then the full reference on the last strip. Hide the strips around the room, making sure they re easy for kids to find. Friends, I m so excited to be here with you today. I know we re going to have a great time hearing The Big God Story together. The Big God Story tells us how much God loves us, and the promise He made to make a way for us to be with Him forever. We can read all about God s love and His promise in the Bible. The Bible sounds like a pretty special book, don t you think? Where can we find our very own copy of this special book? Children will answer. That s right. I think the Treasure Trunk is the perfect spot to look! Gizmo goes into the Treasure Trunk and comes out with the Bible. Why thank you, Gizmo. You re so helpful! Gizmo nods and wags his head from side to side. Friends, what is the Bible? Children will answer. The Bible is the most special book; it s a gift from God. When we open it, what do we find inside? Allow answers. You re right! It s filled with God s true words to us The Big God Story. Open your Bible to Philippians 3:10. We re going to take some time to remember one part of the Bible together that says, I want to know Christ yes, to know the power of His resurrection (Philippians 3:10a). Go over the Remember Verse motions, the meaning of the verse, and any unfamiliar words with children as they prepare to memorize it. Remember Verse I want to know Christ yes, to know the power of his resurrection. Philippians 3:10a Remember Verse Definitions Power: strength or ability His resurrection: when Jesus rose from the dead Remember Verse Motions I want: Both hands open, palms and fingers up, begin away from body and pull in. to know: Index finger points to temples. Christ: Index finger points up. yes: Make fist with right hand and rock forward and back like knocking on door. to know: Index finger points to temples. the power: Make strong arms. of his resurrection: Hold left palm facing up; with right hand s index and middle finger, touch middle of left palm. The Remember Verse Game If time allows, lead children in a fun game. Explain that kids will go on a hunt to find the Remember Verse slips you hid earlier. Once they ve found all of the slips, have kids help you put them in correct word order. Ask for volunteers to stand in a line holding the slips. Then repeat the verse several times using the slips as a reference. As children become more familiar with the verse, remove one or more slips from the lineup, creating gaps in the verse. Continue repeating the verse. Even if your kids are not yet reading, the visual cue that a word from the verse is missing will engage their memories. The Big God Story Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John Jesus Is Alive Storytelling Technique: Visuals Summer Lesson 7 4s/5s 4

19 Basket Plant or flower Sand (1 c.) Cotton balls (10) Resealable storage bags (2) Jar (large, empty) Paper (1 sheet) Marker Yarn (4', bright-colored) Scissors PREPARE AHEAD Use storage bags to hold the sand and cotton balls. Write Jesus Is Alive! on the sheet of paper, fold it up, and place it under the empty jar. Cut a length of yarn about four feet long. Place all of the supplies in the basket. After you ve finished the Remember Verse game, lead children in some simple stretches to get their wiggles out. Then ask them to return to their Story Spots in the GATHER circle time area and have a seat. I m so glad we re all here together. Today is such a special day. We re celebrating that Jesus is alive! Before we go any further, let s pray and ask God to teach us. Lead children in a Prayer of Release to pause, be still, and ask the Holy Spirit to quiet their hearts and minds. Friends, sometimes we call the Bible The Big God Story because God is big, His story is big, and He invites us to be a part of it! The Big God Story tells us about God s love and the promise He made to make the way for us to be with Him forever. The Big God Story began in a beautiful garden. God created two people, Adam and Eve. They walked and talked with God in the garden. He was their God and their friend. One day, Adam and Eve made a choice to disobey God. It was a very sad day. Because they d disobeyed, the very special friendship they had with God was broken. Adam and Eve had to leave the garden and make a new home somewhere else. But God had a plan. He made a promise that one day He would send a Savior to earth to make a way for all people to know God and be with Him forever. So the people began to wait. I brought a basket with me. It s filled with things that can help us remember the different parts of The Big God Story. Choose a volunteer to come up. Do you see anything in the basket that might help us remember the beautiful garden? Allow volunteer to look at the supplies in the basket. Then, have him take the plant out of the basket and place it in the center of your story time circle area for everyone to see. That s right this plant can help us remember the garden and the promise God made to send a Savior. Many years later, God spoke to a man named Abraham. He promised Abraham that he would have a son, and that one day the Savior would come from his family. Abraham s wife had a baby just as God said. Their family grew and grew. Invite another child to take the container of sand out of the basket. Put a pinch of sand into each child s cupped hand. Talk about what they see and the number of granules in their hands. How many grains of sand do you think are in your hand? How many grains of sand do you think are on all of the beaches and in all of the oceans all over the world? Allow children to answer. There are far more than we could count! Pass around the container of sand, and have children dump what s in their hands back into the container. This is how Abraham s family was; there were lots and lots of them. And still the people waited, and waited, and waited for the promised Savior to come. Place sand next to plant. Then one very special day, an angel visited a young woman named Mary. He told her she was going to have a baby God s Son and He would be the Savior for all people. On the night the promised Savior, Jesus, was born, angels appeared to shepherds in a nearby field telling them the Savior had come! Take cotton balls from basket. Ask children what the cotton balls can help them remember; interact with their responses. These cotton balls can remind us of sheep and how the shepherds were the first to hear the good news that Jesus had been born! Place them next to sand. Jesus grew up and never disobeyed God. He cared for people who were hungry, healed people who were hurt or sick, and even brought some people who had died back to life! Jesus showed people that He is God. Even though Jesus never did anything wrong, there were some people who didn t like the things He did and said. They didn t believe that Jesus was God. And so they arrested Him and hung Him on a cross. Jesus gave His life for us on that cross. He took the punishment for our sins. He did this so we could be forgiven. When we choose to believe that Jesus died for our sins and decide to trust and obey Him, we get to be with God forever. Jesus gave His life for us on the cross, but that s not the end of the story. After He died, Jesus friends took His body and placed it in a tomb. When they came back three days later, Jesus wasn t there! Pick up the jar and open it, showing there s nothing inside. The tomb was empty, just like this jar. But there was an angel in the tomb who told Jesus friends that He had risen! Jesus is alive! Show the paper that was under the jar that says Jesus Is Alive! Place the jar and the message next to the cotton balls. Take the colorful yarn from your basket. As you review the objects, drape the yarn across all of them, visually connecting them with the line of yarn. God s promise to send a Savior as the way for us to be with Him began in the garden. It continued with Abraham s family, and then at the perfect time, Jesus was born. Because Jesus died and rose again, He is the way for us to be with God forever! Jesus is the way for us to be with God. He is alive. That s something to celebrate! 5 Summer Lesson 7 4s/5s

20 Wonder Questions Lead a discussion on today s part of The Big God Story as children take turns pulling Wonder Questions from a bag. Wonder Question strips (see Resources) Scissors Small bag with drawstring PREPARE AHEAD Print or copy the Wonder Questions strips, cut them apart, and place them in the bag. Today we heard how Jesus died for us and rose from the grave! He is alive! Because of Jesus, we get to be with God forever and ever. He wants us to be a part of The Big God Story. I wonder What would it have been like to be with the shepherds when the angels announced the Savior had been born? I wonder What would it have been like to find Jesus tomb empty? I wonder How does it feel to know that God would do all of this so I can know Him and be with Him? Prayers & Praises Prayers & Praises book Index cards Pen or marker Treasure Trunk SET UP Place the Prayers & Praises book in the Treasure Trunk. After discussing the Wonder Questions, you ll have the opportunity to pray with and for each of the children in your group. Friends, today in The Big God Story we heard that Jesus died for us, but He came back to life! Because of Jesus, we can be with God forever and ever. He wants us to be part of The Big God Story. Let s continue to praise God for giving us His Son, Jesus. Open the Treasure Trunk and take out the Prayers & Praises book. Ask children to share updates on the things they asked the class to pray with them about, and celebrate the praises. Recommit to praying for things not yet answered and ask for any new requests. Let children know you ll continue to pray for them this week and then lead them in praising God. We re going to take some time now to thank God through prayer. If you d like, you can lift your hands while we pray. Lift hands with palms facing away from body. Our hands are lifted up like we re giving something to someone. When we pray to God, we re giving Him praise. This is a time for you to tell God why you love Him and to thank Him for what He has done. I ll start. God, I praise You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to be my Savior. Allow children time to participate; encourage them to offer their own praise or to join you in repeating the praise you offered. Close as the Holy Spirit directs you. RESPOND//20 minutes Children reflect on what the Holy Spirit is teaching them and respond through creative activities and games. Alive with Color Children will create door hangers to serve as daily reminders that Jesus is alive. Door Hanger template (see Resources) Crayons or washable markers Scissors (1 pair per child) Summer Lesson 7 4s/5s 6

21 String (8' 10') Masking tape Optional: stickers, confetti (from CONNECT), glue PREPARE AHEAD Print copies of the Door Hanger template, one per child. SET UP Hang a string at a low height across one wall in your room. Secure it with masking tape on both ends. How do you feel when you hear that Jesus is alive? How do you feel when you hear that He made the way for you to be with God forever and ever? Interact with kids and their responses. This makes me happy too! I want to tell everyone I know this good news! We re going to work together as a group to create a sign that will do just that. Our sign will tell everyone that Jesus is alive. Invite children to create a door hanger for their rooms to announce that Jesus Is Alive. Encourage your kids to use a variety of colors in the letters and to write their names somewhere on their door hanger. They could also add decorations to their sign by gluing pieces of confetti from CONNECT or by using stickers (if you use confetti, be sure to save plenty for the next activity). When kids are finished, encourage each child to place her door hanger on the string across the wall. Gather together when all the hangers are complete. Your hangers all look beautiful. When you get home, talk to your family about how you can celebrate this week that Jesus is alive. Leader Tip To save time, cut out the door hangers before class. (Optional) Confetti Dance Children will get to celebrate that Jesus is alive by dancing with the confetti they made earlier in CONNECT. Confetti (from CONNECT) Construction paper (1 sheet per child) Drop cloth Masking tape Praise music (suggestions: Ready, Set, Go! TruWorship Songs from the Playhouse or Happy Day, TruWorship Radio the World) Optional: confetti eggs (1 or more per child) PREPARE AHEAD Use the construction paper and masking tape to create one small cone for each child. SET UP Fill the cones with confetti from CONNECT. You can do this on your own or enlist children to help with this task as part of the activity. If you haven t done so already, place a drop cloth on the floor and use masking tape to secure its edges to the floor. The cloth should be large enough for all the children to stand on and still have some room to wiggle around. Cue the worship music. As part of celebrating that Jesus is alive, kids will have the chance to dance, sing, and make a mess! Today we heard how Jesus died, rose from the grave, and came back to life. Jesus is alive! That sure makes me happy! How about you? When you first arrived today, we worked together to make confetti, and I said that we were going to use it to celebrate. Well, now is our chance to celebrate that Jesus is alive! Begin by demonstrating for children how they can use the cones to throw confetti up in the air. With a small shake they ll disperse a little confetti; a big shake and it all falls out at once. Explain that when you turn on the music, the kids can jump and dance to the music, spilling their confetti as they go. Once they ve dumped all of the confetti from their cone, they can scoop more off the drop cloth and keep up the fun. Remind them to make sure they re standing on the drop cloth the entire time in order to try to confine the confetti to that area. If you have confetti eggs, pass them out, and show kids what happens when they crack. 7 Summer Lesson 7 4s/5s

22 BLESS//5 minutes Children receive a blessing from their leaders and sometimes one another. A blessing may be a prayer of commission, a portion of Scripture, or words to encourage and guide. Remember Verse cards (see Resources) At Home Weekly: Lesson 8 (see Resources) Before saying good-bye to your children, you have the privilege of blessing them. This week, you ll have the chance to read a blessing over each child individually. Gather children together in a circle and explain that you re going to pray for each of them. Then begin to go around the circle, speaking the blessing taken from Revelation 1:8 over each child: (Child s name), may you always remember that you re deeply loved by the God who was, and is, and is to come. He will live forever! Then close your time by speaking the following blessing over the children as a group. Children, Jesus lives! He will be alive forever and He gives us life! Send home Remember Verse cards and the At Home Weekly with your kids. Summer Lesson 7 4s/5s 8

23 Date: Lesson 4.8 At Home Weekly is designed for you to use during the week with your son or daughter. You ll find out what they learned today at church, and you can help them prepare for next week by exploring the theme (or Ponder Point) and spending time together in God s Word. WHAT WE LEARNED THIS WEEK PONDER POINT: JESUS IS ALIVE Death and Resurrection Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John When Adam and Eve first sinned, God promised to send a Savior to redeem the broken relationship. About two thousand years later, Jesus fulfilled this promise by coming to earth to die for our sins and rise again. WHERE WE RE HEADED NEXT TIME PONDER POINT: GOD S SPIRIT IS POWERFUL Crippled Beggar Acts 3 God sends the Holy Spirit to live in His followers, allowing some of them to do miracles such as healing a crippled man. DID YOU KNOW? Share these facts to get the conversation started. At Pentecost, the followers of Christ received the Holy Spirit. As they experienced God s power within them, they did miracles in the name of Jesus. As Peter and John were walking into the temple, their eyes were diverted toward a crippled man begging for money. The disciples must have walked past this man hundreds of times; however, this day was different: The Holy Spirit was prompting them. When Peter healed the crippled man in the name of Jesus, the man began leaping and praising God. CONNECT AS A FAMILY Sit down together as a family to read Acts 3:1 10. When you ve finished, see if you can act out this part of The Big God Story, giving each family member a part to play (Peter, John, the man, people in the crowd). Ask them how it might have felt to be the crippled man. Let them share how they think this man felt when he was healed after being crippled for so long. Talk about what the man did once he was healed, and ask them what they think they might have done. After reading the Scripture passage, discuss these questions together: How do you think Peter felt when he saw the crippled man? How did the crippled man feel when God s power healed his legs? How have you seen God s power? These questions can easily extend into the rest of the week. Look for opportunities to bring conversations about how God s Spirit Is Powerful into your everyday life as a family. REMEMBER VERSE The Remember Verse focuses on a character trait of God that s highlighted in next week s portion of The Big God Story. BLESSING I want to know Christ yes, to know the power of his resurrection. Philippians 3:10a Blessings are often used in the Bible. A blessing can be a prayer of commission, a portion of Scripture, or words to encourage and guide. A blessing to pray over your child: (Child s name), may you see the people in your neighborhood who need to see the power of God s Spirit and be willing to help them. For more information about blessing your child, go to truministry.com to the Parenting tab. And for more creative ideas on spiritually leading your family, visit HomeFrontMag.com David C Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children s ministry leaders. All rights reserved. Reproducible for church use only.

24 Classroom Edition Kindergarten Summer Lesson 7 Bible Passage: Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John (Death and Resurrection) LESSON OVERVIEW Jesus Is Alive Remember Verse I want to know Christ yes, to know the power of his resurrection. Philippians 3:10a CONNECT// 10 minutes Concentrating on the Big Picture The Big God Story Picture cards * Card stock Scissors Optional: glue or glue stick GATHER// 25 minutes Remember Verse Remember Verse cards * Gizmo puppet Bible Treasure Trunk Paper (colored) Permanent marker The Big God Story Jesus Is Alive Banner template * Scissors Bible Yarn (6', bright-colored) Clothespins (12) Wonder Questions Wonder Question strips * Scissors Small bag with drawstring Prayers & Praises Prayers & Praises book Index cards Pen or marker Treasure Trunk RESPOND// 20 minutes A Banner Day Jesus Is Alive Banner template * Yarn (5' per child, bright-colored) Paper lunch bags (1 per child) Safety scissors (1 pair per child) Markers or crayons (Optional) Instruments of Praise Plastic eggs (1 per child) Dried rice or beans (2 Tbsp. per child) Packing tape Tissue paper (1 piece per child, bright-colored) Craft sticks (jumbo) or paint stir sticks (1 per child) Stickers (multiple per child) Markers Safety scissors (1 pair per child) Praise music (suggestions: Ready, Set, Go! TruWorship Songs from the Playhouse or Happy Day, TruWorship Radio the World) BLESS// 5 minutes Remember Verse cards * At Home Weekly: Lesson 8 * Further Resources To help you plan and lead: Customizable copy of Lesson Scope and Sequence TruWonder How It Works document Small Group Enhancements: Lesson 7 Discussion TruWonder Timeline At Home Weekly: Lesson 7 The weekly for the next lesson to be sent home for preteaching by parents is found in BLESS. 1 *see Resources 2017 David C Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children s ministry leaders. All rights reserved. Reproducible for church use only.

25 LEADER PREP Each week you ll find encouraging articles that help you prepare your heart to present the lesson. Inspire Shares personal stories from fellow ministry leaders about how God has worked in their lives On my first day of seminary, the dean counseled us that seminary can sometimes be one of the lowest times in a pastor s life. I was very surprised by this. I d been looking forward to seminary, expecting it to be a time when I would grow closer to God. He cautioned us that we might mistake studying God s Word in an academic way for actually spending time with God. Even after this warning, I fell into this trap, and my intimacy with God suffered. One day, I was given the assignment to attend an all-day seminar called Walk through the Bible. I wasn t very excited about this additional burden on my schedule. I thought I already knew the Bible pretty well. As the sessions began, they started teaching us hand motions for major events in The Big God Story. We parted the Red Sea with our arms and crowned David as king. We flexed our muscles and yelled out, Samson! It was incredibly engaging. I stood, sat, and waved my arms while I called out memorable phrases like, Let my people go! The whole audience participated enthusiastically and learned The Big God Story as a faith community. The seminar was memorable and actually very fun. I was struck after leaving with how excited I now was to tell God s story. Knowing The Big God Story in a deeper way transformed me and the way I teach the Bible. Amidst that challenging and lonely time during seminary, God gave me a fresh perspective on His Word and His story. Jeff Carter Director of HaDavar Ministries, Irvine, CA Equip Offers perspective and context to the lesson s Bible passage God has been working out His plan of redemption since the very beginning of The Big God Story. And God chose to use covenants as the mechanism through which He would redeem the world back to Himself. Throughout The Big God Story, God entered into covenants with mankind in order to establish relationships with people and to reveal His plans for dealing with humanity s sin by sending a Redeemer. The four main (redemptive) covenants are the Abrahamic (Genesis 12; 13; 15; 17; 18; 22), Mosaic (Leviticus 26), Davidic (2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17), and New Covenants (Luke 22:18 20; Revelation 21:1 7). In the Abrahamic Covenant, God promised blessing to the world (the promise of a Redeemer) and chose Israel to be the channel of that blessing. God then gave the terms by which His people, Israel, would be able to experience that blessing: through obedience to the Mosaic Covenant. Later, God clarified this initial promise made to Abraham by giving the Davidic Covenant. The Davidic Covenant gave people a better, fuller understanding of what the coming king (Messiah) would be like. Through the prophets, God promised a New Covenant that would once and for all take care of the problem of sin. Through the New Covenant, God would enable His people to obey His Law through the inner promptings of the indwelling Holy Spirit. When Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, this marked the climax of The Big God Story. The cross is the embodiment of the blessing God promised to Israel to bless them and to bless the world through them. Jesus is the promise. He is the promise God gave to Adam and Eve in the garden (Genesis 3:15). He is the promise God gave to Abraham and the prophets through the covenants. When we proclaim, Jesus is alive, we are seeing the fulfillment of thousands of years of promise. Support Provides reflection and assessment through encouragement, prayer, and time in God s Word This week, meditate on these verses that express the fact that Jesus is our Redeemer, our hope, our Savior. Be blessed by the simplicity of God s Word. He is alive! Job 19:25: I know that my redeemer lives Isaiah 47:4: Our Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 53:3 6: He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, Summer Lesson 7 Kindergarten 2

26 each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Matthew 1:21: She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. John 1:29: John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! Revelation 22:20: He who testifies to these things says, Yes, I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. CONNECT//10 minutes Children develop relationships with their leaders and one another through simple activities and conversation starters. Concentrating on the Big Picture Jesus death and resurrection were part of God s plan to save His people from sin since the beginning of time, and we can see God working to fulfill His plan throughout The Big God Story leading up to Jesus time on earth. Start today by helping children review these parts of The Big God Story. The Big God Story Picture cards (see Resources) Card stock Scissors Optional: glue or glue stick PREPARE AHEAD Print two copies of The Big God Story Picture cards. Print directly onto card stock or glue the images onto card stock so you can t see the image through the other side of the paper. Cut out the cards. Depending on the size of your class, you might want to print multiple sets and divide children into smaller groups for this activity. Each set should contain two copies of each picture. SET UP Lay the pictures facedown on the table or floor. Arrange them in several rows. Welcome children and invite them to join you in a circle on the floor or around a table. The lesson focus is that Jesus is alive, but you ll also be sharing a condensed version of The Big God Story with children. We re going to celebrate something today. Can anyone guess what it is? Allow children to share ideas. Good thoughts! We ll have to wait and see why we re celebrating. Right now, we re going to play a game to help us remember some special parts of The Big God Story that will give us clues to what we re celebrating today. All of these cards have pictures on them. The pictures are from The Big God Story. Explain that there are two of each of the pictures. The children should take turns trying to find the matching pairs by turning over two pictures at a time. As matches are made, the child who discovers the match gets to share her favorite thing that happened last week. Once all the matches have been made, mix them up and play again, or see if the group can arrange the pictures in the correct order of The Big God Story. Developmentally Speaking By the age of four or five, most children are developing an ability to tell their own stories, repeat stories, and guess what s coming next in a story. As you navigate your time with the children, make sure you keep this in mind. Pepper your conversations with general questions about their day-to-day activities, as well as more specific questions about the day s portion of The Big God Story and Ponder Point. GATHER//25 minutes Children experience and learn more about God through memorizing Scripture, storytelling from The Big God Story, prayer, and discussion. 3 Summer Lesson 7 Kindergarten

27 Begin GATHER with a Welcome Song. See How It Works document for an example. Remember Verse Remember Verse cards (see Resources) Gizmo puppet Bible Treasure Trunk Paper (colored) Permanent marker For information on how to prepare the Treasure Trunk and where to purchase Gizmo, see the How It Works document. SET UP After placing the Remember Verse cards in the Bible, set the Bible in the Treasure Trunk. Cut the paper into 14 strips and write one word from the verse on 13 of the strips and then the full reference on the last strip. Hide the strips around the room, making sure they re easy for kids to find. Friends, I m so excited to be here with you today. I know we re going to have a great time hearing The Big God Story together. The Big God Story tells us how much God loves us, and the promise He made to make a way for us to be with Him forever. We can read all about God s love and His promise in the Bible. The Bible sounds like a pretty special book, don t you think? Where can we find our very own copy of this special book? Children will answer. That s right. I think the Treasure Trunk is the perfect spot to look! Gizmo goes into the Treasure Trunk and comes out with the Bible. Why thank you, Gizmo. You re so helpful! Gizmo nods and wags his head from side to side. Friends, what is the Bible? Children will answer. The Bible is the most special book; it s a gift from God. When we open it, what do we find inside? Allow answers. You re right! It s filled with God s true words to us The Big God Story. Open your Bible to Philippians 3:10. We re going to take some time to remember one part of the Bible together that says, I want to know Christ yes, to know the power of His resurrection (Philippians 3:10a). Go over the Remember Verse motions, the meaning of the verse, and any unfamiliar words with children as they prepare to memorize it. Remember Verse I want to know Christ yes, to know the power of his resurrection. Philippians 3:10a Remember Verse Definitions Power: strength or ability His resurrection: when Jesus rose from the dead Remember Verse Motions I want: Both hands open, palms and fingers up, begin away from body and pull in. to know: Index finger points to temples. Christ: Index finger points up. yes: Make fist with right hand and rock forward and back like knocking on door. to know: Index finger points to temples. the power: Make strong arms. of his resurrection: Hold left palm facing up; with right hand s index and middle finger, touch middle of left palm. The Remember Verse Game If time allows, lead children in a fun game with the Remember Verse. Explain that kids will go on a hunt to find the Remember Verse slips you hid earlier. Once they ve found all of the slips, have kids help you put them in correct word order. Ask for volunteers to stand in a line holding the slips. Then repeat the verse several times using the slips as a reference. As children become more familiar with the verse, remove one or more slips from the lineup, creating gaps in the verse. Continue repeating the verse. Even if your kids are not yet reading, the visual cue that a word from the verse is missing will engage their memories. Summer Lesson 7 Kindergarten 4

28 The Big God Story Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John Jesus Is Alive Storytelling Technique: Creating a Banner Jesus Is Alive Banner template (see Resources) Scissors Bible Yarn (6', bright-colored) Clothespins (12) PREPARE AHEAD Print and cut out the Jesus Is Alive Banner template. SET UP String the yarn somewhere in your GATHER area. Make sure it s at a level where children can reach it, as they ll be placing the banner flags on the yarn. Tying the string between two chairs is a great option. Stack the Jesus Is Alive Banner flags in a pile and place them on the floor or a table near the front of the room. (Make sure the letters are in order so at any point you can take the next letter from the top; the flags are numbered to make this easier.) After you ve finished the Remember Verse game, lead children in some simple stretches to get their wiggles out. Then ask them to return to their Story Spots in the GATHER circle time area and have a seat. I m so glad we re all here together. Today is such a special day. We re celebrating that Jesus is alive! Before we get started, let s pray and ask God to help us understand what He wants to teach us. Lead children in a Prayer of Release to pause, be still, and ask the Holy Spirit to quiet their hearts and minds. Friends, sometimes we call the Bible The Big God Story because God is big, His story is big, and He invites us to be a part of it! The Big God Story tells us about God s love and the promise He made to make the way for us to be with Him forever. As we learn from The Big God Story, we re going to create a special sign called a banner. People use banners when they have something really important they want other people to know. By the end of our time together, we ll be able to see the important message that s on our banner. Invite one to five children at a time to come up and help you hang the flags that spell out Jesus on the line using clothespins. Thank the volunteers and ask them to return to their Story Spots. Open your Bible. The Big God Story began in a beautiful garden. God created two people, Adam and Eve. They walked and talked with God in the garden. He was their God and their friend. One day, Adam and Eve made a choice to disobey God. It was a very sad day. Because they d disobeyed, the very special friendship they had with God was broken. Adam and Eve had to leave the garden and make a new home somewhere else. But God had a plan. He made a promise that one day He would send a Savior to earth to make a way for all people to know God and be with Him forever. So the people began to wait. Many years later, God spoke to a man named Abraham. He promised Abraham that he would have a son, and that one day Abraham s family would become a very special group of people. God promised Abraham that his family would be a blessing to the whole world, because the promised Savior would come from Abraham s family. Abraham and his wife, Sarah, waited many years for God to give them a son. Then it happened. Sarah had a baby just as God promised. His name was Isaac. When Isaac grew up, he had a son named Jacob. When Jacob grew up, he had 12 sons. The number of God s people grew and grew, just like God promised. And still the people waited, and waited, and waited for the Savior. We just heard another part of The Big God Story. I think we should add the next part to our banner. Invite one or two children to come up and help you hang the flags that spell out Is on your yarn using the clothespins. Thank the volunteers and ask them to return to their Story Spots. Then, one very special day the angel Gabriel visited a young woman named Mary. He told her she was going to have a baby God s Son and He would be the Savior for all people. God kept His promise! On the night the Savior, Jesus, was born, angels appeared to shepherds in a nearby field telling them the Savior had come! As Jesus grew up, He never made a bad choice or did anything wrong. Not even once! As He got older, He cared for people who were hungry, healed people who were hurt or sick, and even brought some people who had died back to life! Jesus showed people that He is God. But there were some very important people who didn t like the things Jesus did and said. They didn t believe that He was God. And so they arrested Him and hung Him on a cross. Jesus gave His life for us on that cross. He took the punishment for our sins. He did this so we could be forgiven and live with God forever. We re forgiven of our sins because of Jesus sacrifice! When we choose to believe that Jesus, God s only Son, died for our sins and accept His love in our hearts and lives, we get to be with God forever. 5 Summer Lesson 7 Kindergarten

29 But that s not the end of the story. After He died, Jesus friends took His body, wrapped it in cloth, and placed it in a tomb. Then they closed the tomb by rolling a very large stone in front of it. But when they came back three days later, Jesus wasn t there; the tomb was empty! An angel told Jesus friends that He had risen; He came back to life. Jesus is alive! Let s add the last part to our special banner. Invite five more children to come up and help you hang the flags that spell out Alive using the clothespins. Thank the volunteers and ask them to return to their Story Spots. Wonder Questions Does anyone know what the important message on our banner says? Give kids a chance to read or guess what it says. Yes, it says Jesus Is Alive! God s promise to send a Savior as the way for us to be with Him began in the garden. It continued with Abraham s family, and then at the perfect time, Jesus was born. Because Jesus died and rose again, He is the way for us to be with God forever! Jesus is the way for us to be with God. He is alive. That s something to celebrate! Lead a discussion on today s part of The Big God Story as children take turns pulling Wonder Questions from a bag. Wonder Question strips (see Resources) Scissors Small bag with drawstring PREPARE AHEAD Print or copy the Wonder Questions strips, cut them apart, and place them in the bag. Today we heard how Jesus died for us and rose from the grave! He is alive! Because of Jesus, we get to be with God forever and ever. He wants us to be a part of The Big God Story. I wonder What would it have been like to be with the shepherds when the angels announced the Savior had been born? I wonder What would it have been like to find Jesus tomb empty? I wonder How does it feel to know that God would do all of this so I can know Him and be with Him? Prayers & Praises Prayers & Praises book Index cards Pen or marker Treasure Trunk SET UP Place the Prayers & Praises book in the Treasure Trunk. After discussing the Wonder Questions, you ll have the opportunity to pray with and for each of the children in your group. Friends, today in The Big God Story we heard that Jesus is alive! Because of Jesus, we can be with God forever and ever. He wants us to be a part of The Big God Story. Let s continue to praise God for giving us His Son, Jesus. If you d like, you can lift your hands while we pray. Lift hands with palms facing away from body. Our hands are lifted up like we re giving something to someone. When we pray to God, we re giving Him praise. This is a time for you to tell God why you love Him and to thank Him for what He has done. Lead children in a simple prayer, thanking God for sending Jesus to die for our sins. I love praising God with you. Now let s share how we can pray for each other. Open the Treasure Trunk and take out the Prayers & Praises book. Ask children to share updates on the things they asked the class to pray with them about. Celebrate the praises and recommit to praying for things not yet answered. Ask for any new requests, and then lead children in a time of praying together. Now we re going to pray for one another together. As we pray, you might want to turn your hands with your palms facing up, cupping them together as if you re holding water. Model this posture for children. When our hands are facing up like this, it helps us to remember that we re coming to God with our prayers. Lead children through a time of prayer for one another s prayer requests, reminding them of the mentioned requests and praises. Let children know you ll continue to pray for them in the coming week. Summer Lesson 7 Kindergarten 6

30 RESPOND//20 minutes Children reflect on what the Holy Spirit is teaching them and respond through creative activities and games. A Banner Day In this time of response, children will have the opportunity to create a banner like the one used in The Big God Story. They can take their banners home to share the message that Jesus Is Alive. Jesus Is Alive Banner template (see Resources) Yarn (5' per child, bright-colored) Paper lunch bags (1 per child) Safety scissors (1 pair per child) Markers or crayons PREPARE AHEAD Cut a five-foot length of yarn for each child. Print a copy of the Jesus Is Alive Banner template for each child. SET UP Each child will need a length of yarn, a paper lunch bag, a copy of the Jesus Is Alive Banner template, and access to safety scissors and markers or crayons. How do you feel when you hear that Jesus is alive? How do you feel when you hear that He made the way for you to be with God forever and ever? Interact with kids and their responses. This makes me happy too! I want to tell everyone I know this good news! Remember the banner we worked together to create during storytelling? Well, we re each going to make our own banner to take home with us. Our banners will tell everyone that Jesus is alive! Explain that children will need to cut out the individual flags to create their banner. The flags are numbered to help children place them in the correct order. Encourage kids to decorate their banners however they d like. Have children write their names on the outside of their bags and encourage them to use the paper bags to hold the pieces for safekeeping. Your banners look beautiful. When you get home, talk to your family about finding a special place where you can hang your banner. (Optional) Instruments of Praise Jesus is alive, and that s worth celebrating! In this active response, children will create their own instruments and then dance to praise God for sending Jesus to die for our sins. Plastic eggs (1 per child) Dried rice or beans (2 Tbsp. per child) Packing tape Tissue paper (1 piece per child, bright-colored) Craft sticks (jumbo) or paint stir sticks (1 per child) Stickers (multiple per child) Markers Safety scissors (1 pair per child) Praise music (suggestions: Ready, Set, Go! TruWorship Songs from the Playhouse or Happy Day, TruWorship Radio the World) SET UP If you have the space, create two stations for this activity. At one station, set out the plastic eggs, dried rice or beans, stickers, markers, and some packing tape. At another station, set out tissue paper, craft or stir sticks, scissors, and more packing tape. Cue some fun, upbeat music to play when children have finished making the props. Today we heard how Jesus rose from the grave and that He is alive. That sure makes me happy! How about you? Invite responses. Right now we re going to create some shakers and pom-poms we can use to help us celebrate that Jesus is alive. Once we re finished, we ll have some fun moving around and dancing and singing! Children will begin by creating two props they ll be able to use as part of the day s celebration. The plastic eggs can be filled with the rice or beans to create a maraca. Place a piece of tape around the center of the egg to seal it. Note: If 7 Summer Lesson 7 Kindergarten

31 using a packing tape dispenser with a sharp cutting edge, be sure to tear the tape for children. Kids can use the markers and stickers to decorate their eggs. At the other station, children can use the tissue paper and craft sticks to create pom-poms, which are perfect for waving in the air and dancing. To do this, children should fold the tissue paper in half, bringing the two sides together. Then, beginning with the open side, they can cut toward the center fold, stopping the cut about two inches before reaching the fold. They can make these cuts every inch, creating strips of tissue paper that are still connected at the bottom. Next, have kids wrap the tissue paper around the top of the craft stick, leaving enough of the stick exposed for a handle. Once the paper is wrapped around the stick, children can secure it with a piece of tape. Plan to demonstrate how to make a pom-pom before kids try it on their own. Depending on time, you might have children choose one of the things to make, rather than having them make both. When children finish their creations, turn on some music and lead them in a fun celebration. Jesus is alive, and because of Him, it s a happy day! Let s celebrate together! Allow them to shout, Jesus is alive! while shaking their pom-poms and maracas. Repeat this with kids a few times. BLESS//5 minutes Children receive a blessing from their leaders and sometimes one another. A blessing may be a prayer of commission, a portion of Scripture, or words to encourage and guide. Remember Verse cards (see Resources) At Home Weekly: Lesson 8 (see Resources) Before saying good-bye to your children, you have the privilege of blessing them. This week, you ll have the chance to read a blessing over each child individually. Gather children together in a circle and explain that you re going to pray for each of them. Then begin to go around the circle, speaking the blessing taken from Revelation 1:8 over each child: (Child s name), may you always remember that you re deeply loved by the God who was, and is, and is to come. He will live forever! Then close your time by speaking the following blessing over the children as a group. Children, Jesus lives! He will be alive forever and He gives us life! Send home Remember Verse cards and the At Home Weekly with your kids. Summer Lesson 7 Kindergarten 8

32 Date: Lesson 4.8 At Home Weekly is designed for you to use during the week with your son or daughter. You ll find out what they learned today at church, and you can help them prepare for next week by exploring the theme (or Ponder Point) and spending time together in God s Word. WHAT WE LEARNED THIS WEEK PONDER POINT: JESUS IS ALIVE Death and Resurrection Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John When Adam and Eve first sinned, God promised to send a Savior to redeem the broken relationship. About two thousand years later, Jesus fulfilled this promise by coming to earth to die for our sins and rise again. WHERE WE RE HEADED NEXT TIME PONDER POINT: GOD S SPIRIT IS POWERFUL Crippled Beggar Acts 3 God sends the Holy Spirit to live in His followers, allowing some of them to do miracles such as healing a crippled man. DID YOU KNOW? Share these facts to get the conversation started. At Pentecost, the followers of Christ received the Holy Spirit. As they experienced God s power within them, they did miracles in the name of Jesus. As Peter and John were walking into the temple, their eyes were diverted toward a crippled man begging for money. The disciples must have walked past this man hundreds of times; however, this day was different: The Holy Spirit was prompting them. When Peter healed the crippled man in the name of Jesus, the man began leaping and praising God. CONNECT AS A FAMILY Sit down together as a family to read Acts 3:1 10. When you ve finished, see if you can act out this part of The Big God Story, giving each family member a part to play (Peter, John, the man, people in the crowd). Ask them how it might have felt to be the crippled man. Let them share how they think this man felt when he was healed after being crippled for so long. Talk about what the man did once he was healed, and ask them what they think they might have done. After reading the Scripture passage, discuss these questions together: How do you think Peter felt when he saw the crippled man? How did the crippled man feel when God s power healed his legs? How have you seen God s power? These questions can easily extend into the rest of the week. Look for opportunities to bring conversations about how God s Spirit Is Powerful into your everyday life as a family. REMEMBER VERSE The Remember Verse focuses on a character trait of God that s highlighted in next week s portion of The Big God Story. BLESSING I want to know Christ yes, to know the power of his resurrection. Philippians 3:10a Blessings are often used in the Bible. A blessing can be a prayer of commission, a portion of Scripture, or words to encourage and guide. A blessing to pray over your child: (Child s name), may you see the people in your neighborhood who need to see the power of God s Spirit and be willing to help them. For more information about blessing your child, go to truministry.com to the Parenting tab. And for more creative ideas on spiritually leading your family, visit HomeFrontMag.com David C Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children s ministry leaders. All rights reserved. Reproducible for church use only.

33 Preschool/Kindergarten Scope and Sequence Revealing the True Wonder of Who God Is Note to Leaders: The Scope and Sequence is scheduled to begin on Sunday, September 3rd, and will end August 26 th, If you choose to start your year on a different date, feel free to use The Big God Story Overview bonus lesson to catch up with the Scope and Sequence schedule. Tru takes a chronological approach to the Bible, but we pause for the Christmas and Easter lessons. This year the New Testament begins immediately after Easter.

34 Quarter 1 Fall 2017 Lesson # Date Ponder Point Bible Passage Remember Verse 1.1 Sept. 2/3 God Made a Promise (The Plan for Creation) 1.2 Sept. 9/10 God Keeps His Promises (Abraham Trusts the Covenant) Gen. 1 3 Psalm 145:13b Gen. 12:1 9; 15; 17:1 8 Psalm 145:13b 1.3 Sept. 16/17 God Is Powerful (Isaac s Birth) Gen. 17:15 22; 21:1 7 Psalm 145:13b 1.4* Sept. 23/24 God Is with Us (Joseph and His Family) Gen. 37; Psalm 145:13b 1.5 Sept. 30/ Oct. 1 God Saves (Baby Moses Is Protected) Ex. 1; 2:1 10 Psalm 145:13b 1.6 Oct. 7/8 Remember & Celebrate Weekend 1.7 Oct. 14/15 God Is the One True God (Moses Leads) 1.8 Oct. 21/22 God s Care Is Wonderful (Manna in the Desert) 1.9* Oct. 28/29 God Shows Us How to Live (The Ten Commandments) 1.10 Nov. 4/5 God Leads the Way (The People Enter the Promised Land) 1.11 Nov. 11/12 God Listens to Us (The Sun Stands Still) 1.12* Nov. 18/19 God Is Our Warrior (Gideon Is Called) Feast: Passover Ex. 3 12; 13:17; 15 Proverbs 3:5 Ex. 16 Proverbs 3:5 Ex Proverbs 3:5 Josh. 1; 3 4 Psalm 55:16 Josh. 10 Psalm 55:16 Judg. 6 7 Psalm 55: Nov. 25/26 Remember & Celebrate Weekend Feast: Unleavened Bread *A storytelling video is available for this lesson.

35 Quarter 2 Winter Lesson # Date Ponder Point Bible Passage Remember Verse 2.1 Dec. 2/3 God Is in Charge (Rise and Fall of King Saul) 1 Sam. 8 10; 15 Zephaniah 3:17a 2.2 Dec. 9/10 Jesus Is Immanuel (Angel Visits Mary and Joseph) Isa. 7:14; Luke 1:26 35 Matt. 1:18 25 Zephaniah 3:17a 2.3 Dec. 16/17 Jesus Is Savior (Savior Is Born) 2.4* Dec. 23/24 God Points Us to Jesus (Magi) 2.5 Dec. 30/31 God Is Strong (David Is Anointed and Faces the Giant) 2.6 Jan. 6/7 Remember & Celebrate Weekend Luke 2:8 20 Zephaniah 3:17a Matt. 2:1 12 Zephaniah 3:17a 1 Sam Zephaniah 3:17a Festival: First Fruits 2.7 Jan. 13/14 God Is Love (David and Jonathan s Friendship) 2.8 Jan. 20/21 God Is Our Shepherd and King (David Crowned King) 2.9* Jan. 27/28 God Blesses Us with His Presence (The Ark Returns to Jerusalem) 2.10 Feb. 3/4 God Is So Good (David Plans for the Temple) 1 Sam ; 31:1 2 2 Sam. 9:1 7 2 Sam. 5 Ps Sam. 6 Ps Sam. 7 Ps. 30 Joshua 1:9 Joshua 1:9 Joshua 1:9 Psalm 100:5a 2.11 Feb. 10/11 God Gives Wisdom (Solomon Asks for Wisdom) 2.12* Feb. 17/18 God Is Powerful (Elisha s Miracles) 2.13 Feb. 24/25 Remember & Celebrate Weekend 1 Kings 2 3 Psalm 100:5a 2 Kings 4:1 7, Psalm 100:5a Feast: Harvest Bonus Birthday Party for Jesus Lesson (Christmas Celebration) *A storytelling video is available for this lesson.

36 Quarter 3 Spring 2018 Lesson # Date Ponder Point Bible Passage Remember Verse 3.1 Mar. 3/4 God Is Mighty (Elisha and the Heavenly Army) 3.2 Mar. 10/11 God Is the One True God (The Fiery Furnace) 3.3* Mar. 17/18 God Is Faithful (The Walls of Jerusalem Rebuilt) 2 Kings 6:8 23 Psalm 89:1 Dan. 3:1 30 Psalm 89:1 Neh. 1 4; 6 9 Psalm 89:1 3.4 Mar. 24/25 Palm Sunday 3.5 Mar. 31/Apr. 1 Easter Jesus Is King (The Triumphal Entry) The Big God Story (Easter) Matt. 21:1 11 Psalm 89:1 Gen. Rev. Psalm 89:1 3.6 Apr. 7/8 Remember & Celebrate Weekend 3.7 Apr. 14/15 God Prepares the Way for Jesus (Zechariah, the Angel, and the Birth of John) Feast: Trumpets Luke 1:1 25, Psalm 25:4 3.8* Apr. 21/22 Jesus Is the Good News (John the Baptist) Luke 3:1 20 Mark 1:1 8 Matt. 3:1 11 Psalm 25:4 3.9 Apr. 28/29 Jesus Is Worth Following (Apostles Called to Serve) Luke 5:1 11 Psalm 25: May 5/6 Jesus Tells Us How to Love (The Good Samaritan) 3.11* May 12/13 God Knows What We Need (Healing of Man Lowered through Roof) 3.12 May 19/20 Jesus Sees Faith (Faith of the Centurion) 3.13 May 26/27 Remember & Celebrate Weekend Luke 10:25 37 Ephesians 1:4 Mark 2:1 12 Ephesians 1:4 Matt. 8:5 13 Ephesians 1:4 Festival: Day of Atonement Bonus Good Friday Lesson (The Last Supper) Bonus Easter Celebration Lesson (Jesus Death and Resurrection) *A storytelling video is available for this lesson.

37 Quarter 4 Summer 2018 Lesson # Date Ponder Point Bible Passage Remember Verse 4.1 Jun. 2/3 Jesus Is Merciful (Ten Lepers) 4.2 Jun. 9/10 Jesus Loves Me (Children Welcomed) 4.3* Jun. 16/17 God Forgives (The Prodigal Son) 4.4 Jun. 23/24 Jesus Gives Life (Lazarus) Luke 17:11 19 John 15:9 Matt. 19:13 15 John 15:9 Luke 15:11 32 John 15:9 John 11:1 45 John 15:9 4.5* Jun. 30/ Jul.1 Jesus Is the Good News (The Great Commission) Matt. 28:16 20 John 15:9 4.6 Jul. 7/8 Remember & Celebrate Weekend 4.7 Jul. 14/15 Jesus Knows Me (Breakfast for Peter) 4.8 Jul. 21/22 Jesus Is the Way, Part 1 (The Ascension and Peter Proclaims the Gospel) 4.9 Jul. 28/29 Jesus Is the Way, Part 2 (Philip and the Ethiopian Man) 4.10* Aug. 4/5 Jesus Redeems (Paul s Conversion) 4.11 Aug. 11/12 Jesus Changes Lives (Paul and Silas in Prison) Feast: Tabernacles John 21 Psalm 145:18 Acts 1 2 Psalm 145:18 Acts 8 Psalm 145:18 Acts 9; 26 Psalm 119:30 Acts 16:16 40 Psalm 119: Aug. 18/19 Jesus Is the King of Kings (The Second Coming) 4.13 Aug. 25/26 Remember & Celebrate Weekend John 14:1 3 Acts 1: Thess. 4:15 16 Rev. 22:1 5 Festival: Jubilee Psalm 119:30 The Fall 2018 quarter will begin Labor Day weekend Sept 3 rd, *A storytelling video is available for this lesson.

38 How to Buy Tru Curriculum As a full digital curriculum, Tru delivers lesson content and resource material through its online delivery platforms. Choose between easy to download zipped files or a subscription on Disciplr. Tru Digital Bundles Simple to download, easy to use! ADD COVERS OF TRU AGES: Tru Curriculum is now available in quarterly digital bundles complete with teachers guide and accompanying lesson resources. Explore pricing and purchasing options at Tru on Disciplr Tru curriculum is coming soon to Disciplr 2.0! Get unlimited access to all Tru age levels and formats for one annual price. Disciplr gives you curriculum choices, simple lesson customization and scheduling tools in one organized home.