PALM SUNDAY BmLE BASIS Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:37-40 LESSON AIM That the child will learn how much Jesus' friends loved Him and what they did to show their love. SCRIPTURE INSIGHT If there ever was a time that the crowds worshipped Jesus Christ, it was the day He entered Jerusalem on a donkey. What an occasion it turned out to be! The people lining the roadside threw their cloaks and small tree branches onto the road as He passed by. Shouts of "Hosanna to the son of David" rang out from the crowd. How strange it is then for us to realize that just a few days later some of these same people (and probably many of them) were in the crowd that shouted "Crucify him" to Pilate. What could have happened to cause such a drastic change in their attitudes? Perhaps they had become disillusioned and disappointed when the man they thought would by their King was arrested and tried instead. We are warned by these events. How easy it is to praise and worship God when things are going our way, and how hard it is to worship Him when we are confused, disappointed or hurt by life and our circumstances. The key to living victoriously is learning to worship God, not according to our circumstances, but according to His worthiness. GREETING Make a "Palm Sunday" peep box out of a shoe box. Glue Jesus riding on a donkey to the bottom of the box. Glue several coats around the donkey's feet. To make the box more attractive, glue several construction paper palm leaves to the box. Either the child can lift the box top to see the picture, or you can cut a 3" wide hole in the top of the box for the child to see the picture. This makes a nice centerpiece for your Bible table. CENTER TIME 1. "Clippity-clop, Clippity-c1op! Here Comes Jesus!" Mural The purpose of this center is to teach the child the Bible story of Palm Sunday and to s/ww him /ww much the people loved Jesus. Tape a long sheet of butcher paper to the wall. Cut out construction paper donkey, Jesus, coats and palm leaves (see craft). Draw a long road and some stick people. Let each child tape a coat onto the road or a palm leaf onto someone's hand. Then let him walk the donkey carrying Jesus down the road. Uesus should be taped to the donkey.) As the child does this, have the following conversation: "The people said, 'Hosanna! Hosanna! Here comes Jesus!' Look at the coats on the ground. The donkey is going to walk on them. The people threw their coats down so Jesus' donkey could walk on them. They even put a coat on Jesus' back so Jesus would have a soft seat. The people loved Jesus so much they wanted Jesus to have a special place to walk. They didn't care if their coats got dirty. They loved Jesus. They waved the palm
leaves and said, 'Hosanna!'" 2. Palm Sunday Peep Box Place your class Bible and peep box on a table. Children should always have access to a Bible but should be encouraged to sit at the Bible table (a small table with one chair, a Bible, a picture of Jesus and the children and flowers if you have them) and look at the Bible. This will teach them a respect for the Bible as well as give them a special place to look at it. Let the children take turns using the flashlight and looking in the peep box. If your children are old enough, they might like for you to drape a large towel over their heads and the box in order to make the picture inside the box show up better. This blocks out light from the room and allows the flashlight to spotlight the scene inside the box. Let them shine the flashlight on the Bible story of Palm Sunday as you tell them the main points of the story. (See center #1 conversation.) *NarE - You will want to have a shorter center time in order to act out the events of Palm Sunday. 3. Palm Sunday Skit Call the class to order with a bell or a song. Ask them to line up across the room beside the road.'(you may' want to tape a long sheet of butcher paper to the floor.) Give them their coats (worn to Sunday School or some you have brought from home) and a construction paper palm leaf. Let one child be Jesus. Drape him with a white sheet. Let a child lay a coat across the "donkey's" back (a teacher on all fours is the donkey). "Jesus" can either ride on the back of a very strong male teacher, or he can ride a pretend donkey (broomstick, mop or stick horse). As the child is about to ride down the "road" at your command, get the children alongside the road ready to "receive Jesus." Have the following conversation: "Jesus is about to ride the donkey down the road. The people were lined up along the road just like you are. They loved Jesus so much that when Jesus started down the road, they threw coats down so Jesus would have a special path to walk on. The people waved their palm leaves and said, 'Hosanna!' Let's try. Are you ready?" You may have to tell the children the first time when to throw their coats and when to wave palm leaves. After one time they will learn to do this. The children will want to take turns being Jesus. You may want to sing "The Clippity-Clop Song." (See Music.) FOR CHILDREN 24 MONTHS OLD AND UNDER 1. Palm Sunday Peep Box Children this age will enjoy looking in the peep box (see greeting). You will concentrate much the people loved Jesus. 2. "Clippity-Clop! Here Comes Jesus!" on how Even though the children are not old enough to understand much of anything about the story of Palm Sunday; working with them on the mural gives you a chance to talk with the children about Jesus. Assemble the mural as instructed in the Center Time. Let each child tape on a coat as you remind him how much Jesus loves him. Then guide him in walking the donkey down the path. You may want to sing the "Clippity-Clop" song (see music) as the child moves the donkey. 3. Palm Sunday Skit If you (the teacher) still have enough energy, you may attempt the skit in a very simple form. You will not have everyone's attention at first, but when the children see how much fun the others are having, they may want to participate. Place a child on a teacher's back. Let another teacher hold the child on in case the child should fall off. Another teacher will need to give out some construction paper palm leaves and get the children to wave them. Then say, "We love you, Jesus!" Clap for each child that pretends to be Jesus.
1. Supplies Needed Mural pieces; a Bible; a felt board. 2. Preparation For Story STORY TIME Ease the children to your story circle by singing your transition song. Once the children are seated, sing "Where is ", act out monthly rhyme, say monthly Bible verse and begin story with prayer. "Dear God, thank you for Jesus who loves me and takes care of me. Amen." *BIBLE LEADER - Have one child come up and read (repeat after you while he is holding the open Bible). "And they brought the donkey to Jesus and put their coats on it; and he sat on it." 3. Outline For Story *NafE - Because your skit will take up some time, the story will b~ shorter. Review the main points of the story on the felt board. Use the mural pieces. (Youwill also need to make some people to stand along the roadside.) Put tape on the back so they will stick or use felt figures. If you have no felt board, tell the story by re-creating the mural. You will want to cover the folloyving points: "Jesus needed a donkey. He needed one that no one had ever ridden." "Jesus' friends went to get the donkey." (Place donkey on felt board). "Jesus' friends loved Jesus so much. They put their_coats on the donkey's back for Jesus to sit on." (Place coat on donkey's back.), "The donkey carried Jesus down the road." (Move donkey along road.) "All the people were so happy to see Jesus. They loved Him very much." (Place people along road~) "Do you know what they did? They threw their coats on the road so Jesus would have a special path on which to walk." "The people said, 'Hosanna! Hosanna!'" "They loved Jesus. They were happy to be near Him." "Let's pray to God right now and thank Him for Jesus." (Close in prayer.) FOR CHILDREN 24 MONTHS OLD AND UNDER 1. Supplies Needed Bible; felt board; mirror; felt figures for story. 2. Preparation For Story Ease the children to your story circle by singing your transition song. Once the children are seated, sing "Where is ", act our monthly rhyme and monthly Bible verse. 3. Outline For Story You will want to use the felt board. You will not need to cover all of the points. You will want to start with Jesus riding on the donkey. The important points for you to cover are as follows: "Jesus is on the donkey." (Place Jesus and donkey on the felt board.) "Here comes Jesus! Clippity-clop, clippity-c1op! Here comes Jesus!" "The people loved Jesus. They threw their coats down on the ground for the donkey to walk on." (Place people, then coats on felt board.) Repeat several times, emphasizing the people's love for Jesus. You might ask some children to c.ome up and place a coat on the "road." Clap for each child as he completes the task.. End your story by holding a mirror up in front of each child and saying, "Jesus loves (child's name) "
MUSIC TIME Sing "Jesus Loves Me" as the children enter the room. The children will want to bring their construction paper palm leaves (see craft pattern) to music circle. They can wave them as you sing the following song (see music section): 1st line 2nd line 3rd line 4th line Clippity-clop, clippity-clop, Here comes Jesus! Clippity-clop, clippity-clop, Here comes Jesus! Hosanna, Hosanna, We love Jesus. Hosanna, Hosanna, We love Jesus. Repeat this several times. You may want to let several children take a turn riding a stick donkey as you sing. Several other children could stand up front and wave their palm leaves. End your Music Time by singing "Give Him My Heart." CRAFf TIME 1. Before Sunday cut out the donkey, Jesus, coats and palm leaves. Glue the donkey onto the background. If you have younger children, you may also want to glue Jesus onto the donkey. 2. Have the child glue Jesus onto the donkey and then say, "They brought the donkey to Jesus, and He sat on it." 3. Next have the child glue to coats and palm leaves in front of the donkey and say, "Jesus' friends threw their coats on the road so Jesus would have a special path to walk on. They said, 'Hosanna! Hosanna! Here comes Jesus! '" *NOTE - Children 24 months old and under will only glue Jesus onto the donkey. You may have the donkey, a palm leaf and a coat already glued on, or your children can do it. NOTE TO PARENTS The following points might be included in your note to parents. 1. Advise them of the story and activities taught that day. 2. The "Clippity-clop" song would make a nice song to send home in a letter because it teaches the story.
EXPANDED SESSION PALM SUNDAY - Supplement BffiLE BASIS Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:37-40 LESSON AIM That the child will learn how much Jesus' friends loved Him and how they showed their love. CENTER TIME 1. I Did It Myself Palm Leaf Supplies - pencils, scissors, green construction paper and strips of green poster board and tape. Have the children sit on the floor in a big circle as they arrive. Give them a sheet of green construction paper and have them fold lengthwise. Older ones can draw their own 1/2 moon on the fold and cut. Younger ones will need some help, or you could dot it on. Then the child will hold 1/2 moon with each child can tape at the top and bottom of each leaf a green strip of poster-. L "The people were so glad to see Jesus they waved the palm leaves and said, I their hand and cut slits halfway to fold. You must demonstrate each step! Then 1 'II osanna!' Hosanne means save us. They loved Jesus very much. They knew He could save them. Does anyone know what Jesus did to save the people!. (Died on the cross.) Let's sing a song about Jesus when He rode a donkey board for the stem. When they are through, have the following conversation: \b. into the city of Jerusalem Get ready!" (See music "Clippity-Clop.") 2. Parade In Jerusalem and the people waved their palm leaves at Him. This will take the place of a center and your story. Supplies - different size shoe boxes (may cut shoebox -iriil2);craft patterns; popsicle sticks; ball of playdo; vase; Bible; white table cloth or 2 pieces of white butcher paper taped up the middle so it will drape to the floor. You will make the scene in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday on 1 table. You will want it to be nice (like a worship table). When you are finished, you will have a vase with everyone's palm leaf in it, a Bible, a road drawn down the center of the table with the city (boxes) on one side and all the craft pieces taped to a stick and stuck down into the playdo. After everyone has-placed their palm leaves into the vase, do the following: Let 4 children draw windows and doors on the boxes. Let 7 children tape the craft pieces that have already been cut out on to popsicle sticks. (Use masking tape and you can give each child 2 pieces.) They will then place popsicle stick into the ball of Playdo that you will give each child. All pieces will come from the craft pattern: Jesus, Donkey and 5 paperdoll people (will come from another craft.) Give these children that are taping the paperdolls on sticks a palm leaf (see craft pattern) to tape on a hand of the paperdoll. - You should already have coats cut out. Cut out enough for each child to put on the road. *NarE - Before you begin the center and story be sure to hold up the Bible open to the Palm Sunday story and tell the children the story is from the Bible. You are ready to have the parade! Everyone should circle the worship table with their pieces to the Jerusalem scene. '
Vou will draw tlw road on now. Draw pencil circle and designate this is where our city should be (at the end). Set the "buildings" inside the circle. (You will need to keep the children orderly and quiet since this is the story!) Give each child a coat... -. -~ I)raw a circle (in pencil) for the crowd (people). The playdo should hold up the people. Let the children place the people into the circle. Now place the donkey in between the "buildings" (for this is where the donkey was when Jesus sent the disciple after it.) Place I person and Jesus talking near the city. (You will tell the children what is going on... example "Jesus is telling the disciple to get a donkey that had never been ridden.") Vou will move the disciple to get the donkey. Place the donkey beside Jesus and discuss the fact that the Bible said the people put a coat on the donkey's back (tape the coat to the donkey). "They did this because Jesus was special. They did not want Him to sit on the dirty donkey." "Then Jesus got on the donkey." (Stick Jesus into playdo with donkey so He looks like He's riding.) "He road down the street (move donkey)." "All the people waved their palm leaves and said, 'Hosanna!" That means 'save us' Jesus! And Jesus did save them on the cross!" "Then, do you know what the people did? They threw their coats on the road because they loved Jesus so much they wanted Jesus to have a nice path to walk on." (Every child can now place a coat along the road in front of Jesus and the donkey.) "Then Jesus rode by the people. They waved and said, 'Hosanna!'" (Move Jesus along the road.) "Soon Jesus would die on the cross and save them." Repeat this with the children if there is time. If not, let the children circle around and sing "Clippity Clop" as they wave their leaves. Then end in prayer holding hands. CRAFT TIME See curriculum for craft.