You ve let them rule over your handiwork, putting everything under their feet. (Psalm 8:6)

Transcription

1 Of God s Creation Bible Verse You ve let them rule over your handiwork, putting everything under their feet. (Psalm 8:6) Session 1 June 7 Bible Story Genesis 2:15-20 Leap of Faith I can care for God s creations. Before You Begin God did not simply create and then move on. God created, provided, and gave human beings the role of caretakers for all that God had created. When we hear the word rule, we might think that God gave human beings complete authority and power over all that God created. For some people, this may be seen as a license to exploit all that God created in whatever manner they should choose. But authority can also have a different meaning. It can mean to care for, as well. When God made human beings the caretakers of God s Creation, human beings were called to be God s representatives. God expects us to exercise the same care and concern that God would exercise in the natural world. We are partners with God. Children are close to their environment both physically and spiritually. They look at the world with awe and wonder, and are easily taught respect for it. To them, everything is a miracle the hatching of a bird egg, the first flowers of spring, the rainbow in the sky. They take time to appreciate God s wonderful Creation. Children are eager to accept responsibility for the care of God s world. They simply need to be taught how to do it. There is a biblical and theological basis for the care of the earth. Environmental protection is more than a law; it is God s command. God even entrusted human beings to name the animals. As we teach children how to be caretakers, we begin with that which is most concretely observed. You are training future adults who will someday have the power, the resources, and the motivation to accomplish God s purpose for Creation. Check out Grow Proclaim Serve.com/ leaders to connect with other leaders, download additional content for the quarter, and read weekly articles. Requires preparation. Summer 2015 Session 1 GrowProclaimServe.com 7

2 Grow Together The following activities may be done in interest centers as the children arrive or may be done with the entire group. Welcome Supplies: Attendance Stickers and Chart (Resource Pak pp. 12 & 13, 23), Bible, offering basket, CD player, CD-ROM Greet each parent and child. Play music (CD-ROM). Show the children where to place their offerings on the worship table. Have the Bible open to Genesis 2:15-20 on the worship table. Give each child the Sticker of the world to place on the attendance chart. Fun Pak Center Supplies: Fun Pak 1, glue sticks, construction paper, markers or crayons Punch out the pieces of the animals. Invite the child to create a new animal by matching different tops and bottoms of the animals together. Have the child glue his new animals onto construction paper. Encourage the child to give the newly created animals a name. Write the name underneath each new animal for the child. SAY: Every person and animal that God creates is different and special. Coloring/Activity Page Center Supplies: Bible Story Pak 1, crayons or markers Activity A: Have the child draw a line between the animal and its habitat. Encourage the child to color the animals. Activity B: Invite the child to color the picture of the world. They should color the water blue and the land green. SAY: God wants us to take care of the beautiful world that God gave us. Discovery Center Supplies: magnifying glasses, leaves, dirt, bugs, water, grass, flowers and buds Provide a Discovery Center where one or two children may look through magnifying glasses at things that appear in the out-of-doors. Provide the items listed in Supplies, as well as other things that you think the children would be interested in viewing. Discuss with the children how the item looks under the magnifying glass. Do things seem larger? Can they see a color better? Is there something on the item that can be seen under the magnifying glass but not with just their eyes? Hop on Home is for parents or guardians to use with their child during the week to reinforce what their child is learning in Sunday school. Make sure that every family is given Hop on Home each week as well as the article for parents, When Children Hear the Good News. 8 June 7 GROW Proclaim Serve Preschool Leader s Guide

3 Footprint Center Supplies: Reproducible 1a, crayons or markers Make copies of Reproducible 1a so that every child has one. Invite the child to match the footprints with the correct the animal. Tell the child to draw a line connecting each match. Encourage the child to color the animals any colors he wishes. SAY: God made Adam, and God made all the animals in the world. God told Adam to name the animals. Come Together Time Supplies: Song Chart (Resource Pak p. 21) Invite the children to the Bible Story Circle by telling them to think of their favorite animal or bird and then to fly, walk, crawl, or swim to the Circle like their animal would. SAY: God made many different animals in the world. God loves them, and God loves you. Let s sing a song about how God loves us and takes care of us. SING: He s got the whole world in his hands, he s got the whole world in his hands, he s got the whole world in his hands, he s got the whole world in his hands. He s got the wind and the rain in his hands, he s got the wind and the rain in his hands, he s got the wind and the rain in his hands, he s got the whole world in his hands. He s got the tiny little baby in his hands, he s got the tiny little baby in his hands, he s got the tiny little baby in his hands, he s got the whole world in his hands. He s got you and me, brother, in his hands; he s got you and me, sister, in his hands; he s got you and me, brother, in his hands; he s got the whole world in his hands. ASK: Who loves you and takes care of you? (God) Make up motions to use with this song, or teach the children motions that you already know. Proclaim the Word Visit Leaper s Pointe Supplies: DVD player, Grow! DVD (Ages 3-6) Play the theme song Talkin bout Faith on the DVD, and encourage the children to do the motions. Show the children the GROW, Proclaim, Serve video for today s session. SAY: Furleen dreams that she is a contestant in the game show, Name That Animal. For the words for Talkin bout Faith, see this Leader s Guide p Summer 2015 Session 1 GrowProclaimServe.com 9

4 Learn the Bible Verse Supplies: Bible Verse Poster (Resource Pak p. 3), tape, (Optional: Grow! DVD, Ages 3 6) Point to the Bible Verse Poster (Resource Pak p. 3), and SAY the Bible verse two or three times with the children: You ve let them rule over your handiwork, putting everything under their feet (Psalm 8:6). Help the children learn the Bible verse by repeating the Bible verse and having them make the motions as they say it. SAY: You ve let them rule (raise both arms upwards) over your handiwork, putting everything under their feet (stomp feet). Continue saying the Bible verse and making the motions two times with the children. Play the Bible verse section of the DVD. Hear the Bible Story Supplies: Bible Story Pak 1 Pass out Bible Story Pak 1 to each child. After reading page 1, SAY: I wonder why God wanted Adam to take care of the garden. After reading page 2, SAY: I wonder why God wanted a perfect helper for Adam. After reading page 3, ASK: Can you think of a funny name of an animal? Is giraffe a funny name? Is elephant a funny name? Is hippopotamus a funny name? After reading page 4, ASK: Who do you think would be a good helper for Adam? Make sure the Bible Stories are sent home with the children so their parents or guardians can read them to the children during the week. Experience the Bible Story Supplies: none SAY: God gave Adam the job of naming all the animals. Let s play a game called Guess That Animal. I will describe an animal, and you try to guess it. I am big and strong. I roam the grasslands. I roar. I eat meat. My babies are called cubs. What am I? (lion) I am cute and have a furry tail. I run up and down trees. I eat nuts and store them for the winter. What am I? (squirrel) I am really big. I swim in the ocean. Sometimes you see me when I jump out of the water. What am I? (whale) I am very small. I am red with black dots. I eat green plants. I fly. What am I? (ladybug) I am furry. You can use my wool to make clothing. I have babies that are called lambs. What am I? (sheep) 10 June 7 GROW Proclaim Serve Preschool Leader s Guide

5 Serve With Love Find and Color the Animal Supplies: Reproducible 1b, crayons or markers Make copies of Reproducible 1b so that every child has one. Invite the children to find the hidden animal among the dots and to color it. SAY: God made all the animals in the world, and Adam named them. Make a Picnic Basket Supplies: Animal Stickers, lunch sacks, crayons or markers, stapler and staples, construction paper Help the children make a picnic basket. Give each child a small paper lunch bag. Let the children decorate the bag by coloring it with crayons or markers and by adding Stickers. Help each child fold the top third of the bag inside to make the bag sturdier. Give each child a piece of construction paper to make a handle for the bag. Show the child how to fold the sheet of paper in half on the long side, and then in half again. Let the children practice folding. Affirm their work. Write each child s name on the handle. Staple the handle to the bag. SAY: We will take our picnic baskets on a picnic and enjoy the beautiful world that God made. Take a Walk and Have a Snack Supplies: CD-ROM, CD player, granola bars, napkins, paper picnic baskets Have the children wash their hands. Give each child a granola bar and a napkin to put inside the picnic basket. SAY: Let s take a walk. Play the CD-ROM and invite the children to walk around the room carrying their picnic baskets, or take them outside on the church grounds for a walk. End the walk in the Bible Story Area. Invite the children to sit down. PRAY: Thank you, God, for the world you made. Thank you, for everything you gave. Help us to take care of your world, Bless us all every boy and girl. Amen. Let the children eat their granola bars. Summer 2015 Session 1 GrowProclaimServe.com 11

6 Worship Grassy Meadow Mural Supplies: Grassy Meadow Mural (Resource Pak pp. 8, 9 & 16, 17), loop of tape Hang the Grassy Meadow Mural on a wall or bulletin board. SAY: Each week we will add a sheep to our Grassy Meadow Mural to remind ourselves of that week s Bible story. The mural and sheep remind us that God loves us and takes care of us just as if we were God s little sheep. This week we add the sheep with the world on it to our mural. Sing and Pray Supplies: CD-ROM and CD player, or Grow! DVD (Ages 3-6) and DVD player Play Hey, God on the CD-ROM or DVD. Let the children dance to the music and sing along if they can. Gather the children into a prayer circle. Pray for each child by name in the circle. PRAY: Dear God, be with (child s name) this week. Help him to remember everything you have given him and to be thankful. Amen. For the words of the song Hey, God see Leader s Guide p Plan for Next Week Photocopy: Reproducibles 2a, 2b, & 2c for each child. Bring a roll of pennies and clear tape to use with 2a. Each child will need three pennies. Sharing Center: Set up a center so that the children must play in pairs sharing a toy or supplies, such as a puzzle, a box of crayons, one can of play dough, blocks, and a baby doll to reinforce that Christians share. Experience the Bible Story: Fill two baskets or bags with identical items. Use items such as: pencils, blocks, markers, plastic Easter eggs, small balls, pennies, small books, and small bells. Make a Helping Reminder: Cut paper towel tubes in half. Use a paper punch to punch a hole on both sides at the top of each tube. Cut yarn into 8-inch strands. Provide small pieces of colorful tissue paper and construction paper and 4-inch squares of white paper to write on. Clean the Room: Bring cleaning supplies to clean the room such as: shaving cream and paper towels, dishwashing soap and dish towels, child-sized broom, and dust cloths. Practice singing the song I m a Little Helper (Resource Pak p. 21) to the tune of I m a Little Teapot. The children will enjoy this piggyback song. 12 June 7 GROW Proclaim Serve Preschool Leader s Guide