LEADER GUIDE Jesus Is Born (Matthew 1:18-25; 2:1-12 Luke 1:26-58; 2:1-20) Age-Level Overview Age-Level Overview Open the Bible Activate Faith Lower Elementary Workshop Focus: We can prepare for Jesus birth. Spreading the News: Kids prepare a path for Jesus and sing a song about his coming. : Spark Story Bibles : : : Mural paper, markers, music for Soon and Very Soon Upper Elementary Workshop Focus: Everyone in the world can celebrate the gift of Jesus. Silent Night Light: Kids learn Silent Night in several languages and make sand candles to remind them that Jesus is Light to every nation. : Spark Bibles, Spark Bible Stickers : : : Silent Night Lyrics Sheet, small clear jars or containers with lids (recycled baby food jars work well), 4 colors of art sand, candles All Kids Workshop Focus: Christmas carols tell the story of Jesus birth. Christmas Carol clues: Kids play a game with Christmas carols. : Spark Story Bibles, Spark Bibles, Spark Bible Stickers : : : 2 sheets of poster board, markers, 18 index cards, music for favorite Christmas carols Visit www.sparksundayschool.org for more Spark content. Watch a short Lesson Prep Video that will prepare you and give you confidence to explore this Bible story with the kids you are leading. You will also find a downloadable Family Page for this rotation s story filled with ideas for families to use to explore this story and live out their faith at home. Jesus Is Born 97
LEADER GUIDE Jesus Is Born (Matthew 1:18-25; 2:1-12 Luke 1:26-58; 2:1-20) Lower Elementary Workshop Focus: We can prepare for Jesus birth. Keep these tips in mind as you welcome kids to the workshop and explore the story together. Each week, remember to welcome kids to the rotation. Keep in mind that for some kids it may be the first time they are visiting your workshop! If kids have heard the story several times during previous weeks, read it again! Kids learn through repetition, and every workshop will explore the Bible story in a slightly different way. Remember that the Shepherds are there to support you as they accompany kids each week. Be sure to visit www.sparksundayschool.org to download the Family Page for this story. Make copies of it and ask Shepherds to distribute it during the Wrap Up. Open the Bible (10 minutes) Jesus Is Born Storytelling Invite the kids to sit in a circle. When everyone is quiet, take a deep breath and sigh. Fold your arms, tap your foot, look at your wrist like you are checking your watch. Wait about 20 seconds or until one of the kids asks, What are you doing? Do you know what I am doing? I am waiting. Waiting for class to start. Waiting to learn something new today. What sorts of things do you wait for? Give each kid a chance to share something. Wow, you must spend a lot of time waiting. But do you know what? We are all waiting for something special right now. Spark Story Bibles We can prepare, or get ready, for Jesus while we are waiting to celebrate his birth and while we are waiting for him to come again. Read Jesus Is Born from the Spark Story Bible starting on page 212. Turn to page 215 in your Spark Story Bibles. See the shepherds? The angels said to them: I bring you wonderful news. The child God promised was born tonight. Think how excited those shepherds must have been, especially while they traveled to see just who this baby was! Jesus Is Born 99
Activate Faith (25 minutes) Spreading the News Set Up: Cut a piece of mural paper as long as your classroom will allow. Lay it on the floor in an open space. Activity Instructions Today we are going to prepare for Jesus birth, but we need a path to walk on first. Let s make a path on this loooong paper. 1. 2. Let the kids decorate the paper path. Trace their shoes, add pebbles, bricks, grass, water, bridges, whatever the kids like! Allow no more than 10 minutes for decorating the paper. Gather everyone in a circle to teach the song. We are going to sing a song called, Soon and Very Soon. Do you know what s going to happen soon and very soon? We will celebrate Jesus birthday. Right! Jesus, the King, came to earth very long ago, and Jesus will be coming again. I m going to sing a line for you and you can repeat it after me. Teach the first three verses using call and response. Mural paper Markers Music for Soon and Very Soon (found in many hymnals) Andrae Crouch (Text and music copyright 1976 Bud John songs, Inc./ Crouch Music, admin. EMI Christian Music Publishing) 3. 4. 5. 6. Start moving with the song. Line the kids up and play follow the leader along the paper path, with one of the classroom leaders in the lead. Use creative actions! Step-touch, step-kick, wave your arms, jump, skip, spin, stand in place and clap a pattern, make up a clapping pattern with a partner, etc. Kids follow whatever the leader does. Keep singing. Shout out which verse is coming up next so the kids know which words to sing. It s okay if the paper runs out! Keep going! The shepherds might have had to travel far, in the dark, and the path wasn t always clear! Let the kids be in the lead. They ll come up with really fun actions to do. If they are shy, give them ideas. Add verses: A star is shinin bright (we are goin to see the King.) Clean the stable now Shepherds leave your sheep Bring him gifts of gold Frankincense and myrrh He ll be coming again... and any others you can think of! Option: Travel down the hallways of your church spreading the news of Jesus coming to everyone! 100 Workshop Leader Guides
Send (5 minutes) Wrap Up Remind the Shepherds to distribute the Family Page for this story if the kids haven t already received it, and come together for Wrap Up. Everyone did a great job singing and moving today! You can sing this song with your families and friends as you wait for Jesus. Now let s get ready to pray. Prayer Time Family Pages Take a deeeeep breath and say the prayer all in one breath. Like this. Take a dramatic deep breath and say the prayer quickly in one breath. Dear God Thank you for the little baby who came to save us and thank you for the Son of God who will come again soon and very soon. Be with us as we wait and prepare for Jesus. We love you. Amen. Blow out excess air in a huff. Wow! That was fun! Let s all try. Take a deeeeep breath and... Go! Repeat prayer. Jesus Is Born 101
LEADER GUIDE Jesus Is Born (Matthew 1:18-25; 2:1-12 Luke 1:26-58; 2:1-20) Upper Elementary Workshop Focus: Everyone in the world can celebrate the gift of Jesus. Keep these tips in mind as you welcome kids to the workshop and explore the story together. Each week, remember to welcome kids to the rotation. Keep in mind that for some kids it may be the first time they are visiting your workshop! If kids have heard the story several times during previous weeks, read it again! Kids learn through repetition, and every workshop will explore the Bible story in a slightly different way. Remember that the Shepherds are there to support you as they accompany kids each week. Be sure to visit www.sparksundayschool.org to download the Family Page for this story. Make copies of it and ask Shepherds to distribute it during the Wrap Up. Open the Bible (10 minutes) Jesus Is Born Storytelling Gather the kids in a circle, and make sure everyone has a Spark Bible. Raise your hand if you ve ever been to a party. What kind of party was it? Let kids share stories. It sounds like you ve been to a lot of really exciting parties. And it sounds like they were all celebrating something. What are we celebrating this month at church? (Jesus birth) Right! Let s read about when Jesus was born in our Spark Bibles. Help kids find Luke 2:1-20 on page 1130 of the Bible. Divide into 4 groups and have each group read a section of the text. Narrator (Luke 2:1-9), Angel of the Lord (Luke 2:10-12), Multitude of the Heavenly Host (Luke 2:13-14), Shepherds (Luke 2:15-20). Spark Bibles Spark Bible Stickers Allow time for the kids to select an appropriate sticker to put in their Bibles. Jesus Is Born 103
Activate Faith (25 minutes) Silent Night Light Set Up: Familiarize yourself with the pronunciations of the German, Spanish, and French versions of Silent Night. Talk to members of your congregation who speak these languages or find recordings or pronunciation guides on the Internet. Make copies of the Silent Night Lyrics Sheet from page 111 of this guide - one copy for every 1-2 kids in your group. If you would like a guitar or piano accompaniment for this workshop, invite another musician to join your group. Activity Instructions Raise your hand if you celebrate Christmas every year. Now raise your hand if you have friends who celebrate Christmas every year. Christians all over the world celebrate Christmas just like us, but they sing songs and praise and pray in many different languages, with lots of different traditions. Silent Night lyrics sheet Small clear jars or containers with lids (recycled baby food jars work well) Four colors of art sand Candles that will last 30 minutes Today we re going to learn a hymn you might already know in English Silent Night. This song was originally written in German. The German title is Stille Nacht, and it was written by a man named Franz Gruber. Silent Night has been translated into dozens of different languages and is sung all over the world. Today we are going to celebrate Jesus birth by singing Silent Night in four different languages English, German, French, and Spanish. Before lighting candles, check your local fire codes and your congregation s fire policies regarding the use of open flames. First, let s get ready. How did the shepherds in the story know where to find Jesus? (the star) They followed the light from the star to find where Jesus was. Let s light some candles and shut off the lights so we remember the star as we sing. As you light the candles, have each kid tell about something they are thankful for. Have a volunteer shut off the lights so the room is lit only by candlelight. How many of you know the hymn Silent Night? Let s sing it together. Sing this acapella, or do it with piano or guitar accompaniment. English: Silent night, holy night! All is calm, all is bright Round yon virgin mother and child. Holy Infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace. Great job! You know the song really well. Now we are going to try the German version. Listen to each line and repeat it after me. Sing each line and have the 104 Workshop Leader Guides
kids repeat it. Encourage the kids to have fun on the ch sounds. Sing the whole verse together. If you have time, try the English and German verses together. German: Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht! Alles schläft; einsam wacht Nur das traute hochheilige Paar. Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar, Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh! Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh! Does anyone know a country where Spanish is spoken? (Spain, Mexico, and countries in Central and South America) Right! In those countries, Christians sing this song using Spanish words. They sound like this. Sing each line and have the kids repeat it. Challenge the kids to fit all the elided syllables into the music. They ll have fun learning this singing technique. If you have time, try the English, German, and Spanish verses together. Spanish: Noche de paz, noche de amor, Todo duerme en derredor. Entre sus astros que esparcen su luz Bella anunciando al niñito Jesús Brilla la estrella de paz Brilla la estrella de paz Your Spanish pronunciation is great. Now let s learn our last language. Does anyone know a country where French is spoken? (France, Canada) In those countries, Christians sing Silent Night using these words. Sing each line and have the kids repeat it. Help the kids find their nasal vowels. They ll love singing through their noses. French: Ô nuit de paix, Sainte nuit Dans le ciel L astre luit Dans les champs tout repose en paix Mais soudain dans l air pur et frais Le brillant coeur des anges Aux bergers apparaît Pass out small containers, lids, and sand to each kid. We are going to make a sand jar to help us remember that even though Christians all over the world look different and speak different languages, we all celebrate Jesus birth together! During each verse, fill a quarter of your container with a different color sand. When you re done, you ll see all the different colors, but each color is made of sand, and all the sand shares the same jar. Jesus Is Born 105
Sing the song and help the kids fill their jars. When finished, secure lids and let the kids take their jars home with them. Send (5 minutes) Wrap Up Remind the Shepherds to distribute the Family Page for this story if the kids haven t already received it, and come together for Wrap Up. Gather in a circle and invite each kid to share a story about a particularly memorable time they sang Silent Night in church. Now let s offer a musical prayer of thanks for Jesus birth. Prayer Time Family Pages Let s sing this prayer to the tune of another beautiful Christmas carol, O Little Town of Bethlehem. Hum the tune for the kids. Repeat each line of our prayer after me. O Jesus, you re my Lord and King. I want to love you more. Look down on me and grow in me. Your ways, your will, your word. Amen. 106 Workshop Leader Guides
LEADER GUIDE Jesus Is Born (Matthew 1:18-25; 2:1-12 Luke 1:26-58; 2:1-20) All Kids Workshop Focus: Singing about Jesus coming is joyful and powerful! Keep these tips in mind as you welcome kids to the workshop and explore the story together. Each week, remember to welcome kids to the rotation. Keep in mind that for some kids it may be the first time they are visiting your workshop! If kids have heard the story several times during previous weeks, read it again! Kids learn through repetition, and every workshop will explore the Bible story in a slightly different way. Remember that the Shepherds are there to support you as they accompany kids each week. Be sure to visit www.sparksundayschool.org to download the Family Page for this story. Make copies of it and ask Shepherds to distribute it during the Wrap Up. Open the Bible (10 minutes) Jesus Is Born Storytelling Welcome to the Music Workshop! Today we get to read a most wonderful part of our Bibles! Let open our Spark Story Bibles to Jesus Is Born on page 212 and our Spark Bibles to Luke 2:1-20 on page 1130. Older kids, please look at the pictures in the Spark Story Bibles. Can you see how important the birth of Jesus was? Let s read a little bit from both Bibles. Choose several kids to read the text on pages 212-217 of the Spark Story Bible. Choose several other kids to read the text from the Spark Bible: Luke 2:13-20. Allow time for older kids to place stickers in their Bibles. Encourage them to invite younger kids to help them pick an appropriate sticker. Spark Story Bibles Spark Bibles Spark Bible Stickers What Christmas songs do these readings make you think of? Accept all answers. Today we are going to play a game with Christmas carols! Jesus Is Born 107
Activate Faith (25 minutes) Christmas Carol Clues Set Up: Create a large Christmas Carol Clues game board like the sample shown here on two poster boards and cover each answer with an easily removable index card. Christmas Carol Clues Poster board, 2 Markers Index cards, 18 Music for favorite Christmas carols Angels Santa Night Snow Reindeer Baby Jesus $100 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing $300 Angels We Have Heard on High $500 Angels from the Realms of Glory Santa Claus Is Coming to Town Here Comes Santa Claus Must Be Santa Silent Night O Holy Night It Came Upon a Midnight Clear Frosty the Snowman Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow I m Dreaming of a White Christmas Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer Up on the Housetop Away in a Manger What Child Is This The Little Drummer Boy Note: The index cards will be covering the answers on the board. Kids will say, Angels for $100, the statement from the list below will be asked, answer given in the form of a question, and the card will be removed to see if the kid s answer is correct. If correct, that kid s team will win that amount. If incorrect, the opposite team will win that monetary amount. Split the group into two teams and ask for one volunteer from each team to keep track of the points their team earns. Activity Instructions Call on one member from each team to select a category before reading these clues. Some of these clues may be difficult for kids, especially younger ones. Allow the older kids to help the younger ones on the teams and be ready to give additional help. Angels $100: This Christmas carol proclaims, Glory to the newborn king! (What is Hark! The Herald Angels Sing?) 108 Workshop Leader Guides
$200: This Christmas carol is geographical. It mentions both plains and mountains. (What is Angels We Have Heard On High?) $300: This Christmas carol has these words repeated often: Come and worship, Come and worship, Worship Christ, the newborn King! (What is Angels from the Realms of Glory? ) Santa $100: This most popular song about Santa says Santa makes a list and checks it twice. (What is Santa Claus Is Coming to Town?) $200: This Santa song talks about bells ringing and children singing. (What is Here Comes Santa Claus?) $300: This Santa song reveals that Santa comes on a special night and has a beard that s white. (What is Must Be Santa?) Night $100: This wonderful Christmas carol talks about a very quiet holy night. (What is Silent Night?) $200: This Christmas carol proclaims, Tis the night of the dear Savior s birth. (What is O Holy Night?) $300: This song wishes peace on the earth; good will to men. (What is It Came Upon a Midnight Clear?) Snow $100: This is the first song about a snowman that comes to mind. (What is Frosty the Snowman?) $200: This song writer wanted it to snow and snow and snow! (What is Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow?) $300: We all hope we ll have this in areas where it snows on Christmas Day. (What is I m Dreaming of a White Christmas?) Reindeer $100: This song tells the story of the most popular reindeer. (What is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer?) $200: This song isn t popular with Grandmas. (What is Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer?) $300: This song has the words: Ho, ho, ho! Who wouldn t go! (What is Up On the Housetop?) Baby Jesus $100: This song tells us that there was no crib for a bed for baby Jesus. (What is Away in a Manger?) Jesus Is Born 109
$200: This song s title asks a question and answers it with, This, this is Christ the King. (What is What Child Is This? ) $300: This song is a favorite for those who have no present to give to baby Jesus. (What is The Little Drummer Boy?) When the game is over, sing a few Christmas carols together. Point out that Christmas carols about Jesus tell the story of his birth. Invite kids to share the names of their favorite Christmas carols. Send (5 minutes) Wrap Up Remind the Shepherds to distribute the Family Page for this story if the kids haven t already received it, and come together for Wrap Up. Did everyone have fun playing Christmas Carol Clues? I heard a lot of laughing! God must like it a lot when we laugh. It tells God we are full of joy. What event fills us with great joy every time it comes each year? (Christmas) Yes, Christmas, the birth of Jesus. Christmas carols about Jesus tell the story of his birth. Family Pages Let s pray to Jesus right now. Prayer Time Let s sing this prayer to the tune of another beautiful Christmas carol, O Little Town of Bethlehem. Hum the tune for the kids. Repeat each line of our prayer after me. O Jesus, you re my Lord and King. I want to love you more. Look down on me and grow in me. Your ways, your will, your word. Amen. 110 Workshop Leader Guides
Silent Night Lyrics Sheet English: Silent night, holy night! All is calm, all is bright Round yon virgin mother and child. Holy Infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace. German: Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht! Alles schläft; einsam wacht Nur das traute hochheilige Paar. Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar, Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh! Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh! Spanish: Noche de paz, noche de amor, Todo duerme en derredor. Entre sus astros que esparcen su luz Bella anunciando al niñito Jesús Brilla la estrella de paz Brilla la estrella de paz French: Ô nuit de paix, Sainte nuit Dans le ciel L astre luit Dans les champs tout repose en paix Mais soudain dans l air pur et frais Le brillant coeur des anges Aux bergers apparaît Jesus Is Born 111