This book is a revision of Growing in God s Love (42036).

This book is a revision of Growing in God s Love (42036). All Scripure quoaions, unless oherwise indicaed, are aken from he HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. NIV. Copyrigh 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All righs reserved. Scripure quoaions marked ICB are from he Inernaional Children s Bible, New Cenury Version, copyrigh 1986, 1988 by Word Publishing, Dallas, Texas, 75039. Used by permission. Projec ediors: Marian J. Benne and Theresa C. Hayes Cover design: Malwiz Design Inside illusraions: Kahy Marlin Page design: Andrew Quach Wriers: Dorohy Brunson, Carrie Chesnu, Peggy DaHarb, Theresa Hayes, Sarah Lyons, Wanda Pelfrey, Krisi Waler Pary Suggesions: Wendee Haeggberg, Jean Weber Published by Sandard Publishing, Cincinnai, Ohio www.sandardpub.com Copyrigh 2003 by Sandard Publishing All righs reserved. #15472. Manufacured in Eas Peoria, IL, USA, Ocober 2010. Permission is graned o reproduce he indicaed maerial from his book for minisry purposes only. 15 14 13 12 11 10 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 ISBN-13: 978-0-7847-1322-8 ISBN-10: 0-7847-1322-7

Table of Conens s Scope and Sequence... 6 Inroducion... 8 Sep by Sep Through he Book... 9 Beer Safe han Sorry... 11 Quarer One: Learning o Know God, Who Made Us...13 Uni One: God Is Grea...15 Lesson l: God Made he World... 17 Lesson 2: God Made All he Animals...19 Lesson 3: God Made People, Adam and Eve...21 Lesson 4: God Is Grea... 23 Paren s Leer... 25 Learning Cener Aciviies... 26 Paerns for Visuals, Crafs...31 Uni Two: God Is Love... 38 Lesson 5: God Made Families Lesson 6: o Love Us... 40 God Made Families o Take Care of Us... 42 Lesson 7: Thank God for Families... 44 Lesson 8: God Is Love... 46 Paren s Leer... 48 Learning Cener Aciviies... 49 Paerns for Visuals, Crafs... 54 Uni Three: God Is Good...61 Lesson 9: God Gives Good Food... 63 Lesson 10: God Gives Waer... 65 Lesson 11: God Gives Clohes...67 Lesson 12: God Gives Homes... 69 Lesson 13: God Is Good... 71 Paren s Leer...73 Learning Cener Aciviies...74 Paerns for Visuals, Crafs...79 Quarer Two: Learning o Know Jesus, God s Son...87 Uni Four: God Sends His Son, Jesus... 89 Lesson 14: An Angel Tells Abou God s Son... 91 Lesson 15: God s Son, Jesus, Is Born... 93 Lesson 16: The Shepherds Go o See God s Son... 95 Lesson 17: Wise Men Worship God s Son...97 Lesson 18: God s Son, Jesus... 99 Paren s Leer...101 Learning Cener Aciviies... 102 Paerns for Visuals, Crafs... 108 Uni Five: Lesson 19: Lesson 20: Lesson 21: God s Son, Jesus, Grows Up...115 Jesus Is a Helper...117 Jesus Obeys Mary and Joseph...119 The Boy Jesus...121 Paren s Leer... 123 Learning Cener Aciviies... 124 Paerns for Visuals, Crafs... 129 Uni Six: God s Son, Jesus... 133 Lesson 22: Jesus Helps His Friends Cach Fish... 135 Lesson 23: Jesus Sops a Sorm... 137 Lesson 24: Jesus Heals Two Blind Men... 139 Lesson 25: Jesus Makes a Lame Man Walk... 141 Lesson 26: Jesus Is God s Son... 143 Paren s Leer... 145 Learning Cener Aciviies... 146 Paerns for Visuals, Crafs... 153

Quarer Three: Learning o Know Jesus, Who Loves Us...161 Uni Seven: We Can Know Jesus Is Our Friend... 163 Lesson 27: Jesus Calls Four Fishermen o Be His Friends... 165 Lesson 28: Jesus Visis in he Home of His Friends... 167 Lesson 29: Jesus Makes a New Friend... 169 Lesson 30: I Know Jesus Is My Friend...171 Paren s Leer... 173 Learning Cener Aciviies... 174 Paerns for Visuals, Crafs... 179 Uni Eigh: We Can Know Jesus Is Close o Us... 187 Lesson 31: Jesus Is Alive!... 189 Lesson 32: Nicodemus Talks o Jesus...191 Lesson 33: Children Come o Jesus... 193 Lesson 34: People Praise Jesus... 195 Lesson 35: I Know Jesus Is Close o Me... 197 Paren s Leer... 199 Learning Cener Aciviies...200 Paerns for Visuals, Crafs...206 Uni Nine: We Can Be Jesus Helpers... 215 Lesson 36: The Samarian Man Is a Helper...217 Lesson 37: Timohy Is a Helper... 219 Lesson 38: A Young Boy Is Jesus Helper... 221 Lesson 39: I Can Be Jesus Helper...223 Paren s Leer...225 Learning Cener Aciviies...226 Paerns for Visuals, Crafs... 231 Quarer Four: Learning How We Grow in God s Family...238 Uni Ten: Lesson 40: Lesson 41: Lesson 42: Lesson 43: Lesson 44: We Can Learn o Help...240 We Are Growing...242 We Can Help a Home...244 We Can Help Our Friends...246 We Can Help a Church...248 We Are Big Enough o Help...250 Paren s Leer...252 Learning Cener Aciviies...253 Paerns for Visuals, Crafs... 261 Uni Eleven: We Can Learn o Share...268 Lesson 45: Lesson 46: Lesson 47: Lesson 48: We Can Share a Home...270 We Can Share Wih Friends...272 We Can Share a Church...274 We Are Big Enough o Share...276 Paren s Leer...278 Learning Cener Aciviies...279 Paerns for Visuals, Crafs...284 Uni Twelve: We Can Learn o Love God... 291 Lesson 49: Lesson 50: Lesson 51: Lesson 52: We Can Lisen o he Bible...293 We Can Talk o God...295 We Can Sing o God...297 We Are Big Enough o Worship God...299 Paren s Leer... 301 Learning Cener Aciviies...302 Paerns for Visuals, Crafs...307 Zach, he Puppe... 315 Make I Yourself... 318

Uni Tile Scripure Applicaion Memory Verse Uni 6 Uni 5 Uni 4 Uni 3 Uni 2 Uni 1 God Is Grea God Is Love God Is Good God Sends His Son, Jesus God s Son, Jesus, Grows Up God s Son, Jesus Genesis 1 (creaion, earh, sky) Genesis 1 (animals) Genesis 1, 2 (people) Review of Lessons 1-3 1 Samuel 1 (Hannah) 1 Samuel 17 (Jesse, care for children) Genesis 4 (Adam and Eve) Review of Lessons 5-7 Genesis 1:11, 12, 29; 9:3 (God gives food) Leviicus 26:4 (God gives waer) 1 Samuel 2:19 (Hannah, clohes) Mahew 6:8 (God gives homes) Review of Lessons 9-12 Luke 1 (angel) Luke 2 (Jesus is born) Luke 2 (shepherds) Mahew 2 (wise men) Review of Lessons 14-17 Luke 2 (Jesus grows) Luke 2 (Jesus in he emple) Review of Lessons 19, 20 Luke 5 (fishing wih Jesus) Luke 8 (Jesus sops a sorm) Mahew 20 (Jesus heals blind men) Mark 2 (Jesus heals lame man) Review of Lessons 22-25 Pray Thank You, God, for he hings You made. Pray Thank You, God, for families. Pray Thank You, God, for he hings You give o us. Thank God for Jesus. Please God by helping and obeying like Jesus did. Thank God for wonderful hings Jesus did. Acs 17:24 God... made he world. 1 John 4:8 God is love. Psalm 73:1 God is good. 1 John 4:10 God... sen his Son. Luke 2:52 Jesus... pleased God. Acs 9:20 Jesus is he Son of God. s

Uni Tile Scripure Applicaion Memory Verse Uni 12 Uni 11 Uni 10 Uni 9 Uni 8 Uni 7 We Can Know Jesus Is Our Friend We Can Know Jesus Is Close o Us We Can Be Jesus Helpers We Can Learn o Help We Can Learn o Share We Can Learn o Love God Mahew 4 (Jesus calls four fishermen) Luke 10 (Jesus wih Mary and Marha) Luke 19 (Zaccheus) Review of Lessons 27-29 John 18 21 (Jesus is alive) John 3:1-21 (Nicodemus) Mark 10 (Jesus and children) Mark 11 (People praise Jesus) Review of Lessons 31-34 Luke 10 (Samarian helper) 2 Timohy 1, 3 (Timohy helps a home) Luke 9; John 6 (A boy shares his lunch) Review of Lessons 36-38 Genesis 37 (Joseph helps his faher) Exodus 2 (Miriam helps her moher) Ruh 1, 2 (Ruh helps Naomi) 1 Samuel 1 3 (Samuel helps Eli) Review of Lessons 40-43 2 Kings 4 (Elisha) 1 Samuel 18 (Jonahan and David) Exodus 35, 39 (abernacle gifs) Review of Lessons 45-47 2 Kings 22, 23 (Josiah lisened) Daniel 6 (Daniel prayed) 2 Chronicles 29 (Hezekiah praised) Review of Lessons 49-51 Undersand ha Jesus is a friend. Sing and alk o Jesus. Help ohers willingly. Help in specific ways (a home, wih friends, a church). Share in specific ways (a home, wih friends, a church). Love God in specific ways (lisen o and say Bible words). John 15:14 You are my friends. 1 John 4:19 We love him. 2 Corinhians 1:24 We... are helpers. 2 Samuel 10:11 I will... help. Ephesians 4:32 Be... kind. 1 John 4:19 We love him.

Inroducion s Welcome o he world of 3s and 4s. This is a world of advenure, fun, new experiences, wonder, and mos of all, a world in which you have he privilege of inroducing children o he wonderful news abou God and His Son, Jesus. The lessons in his book endeavor o each 3s and 4s in he ways hey like o be augh and he ways hey learn bes. For example... Threes and 4s learn hrough doing. Threes and 4s prefer hands-on aciviies, los of acion, and repeiion. This program is designed o mee hese needs hroughou he session in he Learning Ceners, during he Bible sories, and in he lesson applicaion. Threes and 4s are no going o wan o si and lisen for a long ime. You will noice in he lesson plan ha mos of he ime will be spen wih he learning aciviies, wheher in he ceners, or as a group. The children will also be acively involved in he Bible sory, as well as in worship. All his is designed o keep ineres high. Remember: a ired and bored child is a problem child. Bu when you capivae and involve he child, ha child will learn! Threes and 4s learn hrough play. They play all day, every day and oys are heir ools. Much of your ime will be spen a play wih your 3s and 4s, bu no jus any play play wih a purpose. The children will play in he Learning Ceners, beween quie imes, and whenever hey have an opporuniy. And while hey play, you will use guided conversaion and he maerials you have chosen o urn heir playime ino learning experiences. Threes and 4s learn hrough he use of heir five senses. The more senses 3s and 4s use, he more hey learn. This book employs many sensory experiences hroughou he lessons hands-on aciviies in he ceners, worship songs and singing games o exercise large muscles, books and picures o look a and alk abou. All of hese are fun and exciing for young children (and for eachers oo)! Threes and 4s learn hrough repeiion. Repeiion is very imporan for 3s and 4s. A child ofen says Read i again, or Sing i again. A young child will someimes work he same puzzle over and over unil he masers i, or go back o a previous aciviy when he has ime. Tha s why he same heme or focus is used for an enire uni, wih a review lesson a he end o make sure he children undersand and remember wha has been said and done during he uni. Threes and 4s no only learn hrough repeiion, hey like i and feel comforable wih i. Repeiion and review reinforce he focus of he lessons and afford he children many opporuniies o apply wha hey have learned. The same simple Bible words are used during he uni o ensure ha he children remember hem and can use hem. While mos 3s and 4s can learn much more difficul verses, memorizing words wihou undersanding heir meaning is useless. You are encouraged o use hese Bible words over and over hroughou he lesson in he Learning Ceners, during worship and sory ime, in general conversaion, as well as reading hem direcly from he Bible. Make sure ha he children have a classroom Bible hey can ouch and hold. And when he Bible words are highlighed, he children can poin o hem, read hem, and know ha hese words come from he Bible. How o Use his Course s This book has been designed o allow you as much flexibiliy as possible. The pages are perforaed and reproducible. Tha means ha he book is non-consumable; i can be used over and over if he maerials are sored properly. You can use he book in one of wo ways. Eiher pull ou he pages and use hem lesson-by-lesson, or phoocopy he necessary pages and keep your book inac. Se up a filing sysem in which o keep your maerials. You will need welve folders, one for each uni. Label hese folders wih he quarer ile and uni ile. Or, if you prefer, use one folder for each lesson. Label hese folders wih he quarer, uni, and lesson ile. As you prepare lessons, sore any reproduced maerial in he appropriae folder. Wheher or no you laminae he Learning Cener pages, you will wan o make sure o keep hem in he appropriae folders so ha you, or ohers, will have all he necessary informaion for fuure lessons. When a lesson has been used, pu all maerials back in he folder, along wih an evaluaion of ha lesson. This will be helpful for fuure use. (And anyime you wish o send your evaluaions o he ediors a Sandard Publishing, we will appreciae your feedback!) The book is divided ino four quarers, wih hree relaed unis in each quarer. Each uni is made up of hree o five lessons wih a common focus. The final lesson reviews and reinforces he previous lessons. Review is imporan for 3s and 4s, as has already been menioned. The children will be eager o ell you wha hey remember from pas lessons. Make good use of heir enhusiasm and ineres. If eachers/eams work for shor periods, change hem a he beginning of a new uni raher han a he beginning of a new monh. This will give he children he coninuiy hey need, as well as make i easier for he eachers. Basic Supplies You Will Need s A classroom puppe (Read more abou Zach on pp. 9 and 317.) Consrucion paper Manila or drawing paper s

Shelf paper or bucher paper Poser board Tag board and/or cardboard Newspaper Clear, self-adhesive plasic Tempera pains; finger pains Paining smocks or old shirs Jumbo crayons Play dough Paper punch Magazines, caalogs, calendars, old curriculum maerial (for picures) Paper faseners Large scissors (for eachers) Whie glue, glue sicks Yarn Craf sicks Masking ape Transparen ape Cleaning supplies Block Cener large wooden or cardboard blocks, small plasic cars and rucks wih wheels ha canno be removed Family Living Cener dolls, doll clohes, small blankes, plasic dishes, small able and chairs, doll bed (opional), large unbreakable mirror, oy elephones, small cleaning equipmen, dress-up clohes Book/Picure Cener classroom Bible (a children s Bible would be bes, or you can add picures from old curriculum o an adul Bible), books and picures suggesed for each uni, small book rack, and able and chairs (opional) Music/Drama Cener cassee ape player/recorder, apes suiable for children, rhyhm insrumens Game Cener large, sof balls (beach balls are good), beanbags God s Wonders Cener small plans, waering cans, seasonal naure objecs (non-poisonous) Puzzles Cener wooden puzzles wih 5 o 8 pieces, homemade ones as suggesed in he lessons Ar Cener basic equipmen (see lis above) plus iems lised in lessons Sep by Sep Through he Book s Zach, he classroom puppe, is used hroughou hese lessons. He will quickly become a familiar characer o your sudens, and can be used in many ways: o gree hem as hey arrive, o ge heir aenion when i is ime o change aciviies, o help inroduce he lesson, and someimes, o help review he lessons. Do no use Zach o ell he Bible sory, however. You wan your children o undersand ha hese sories are from God s Word, and hey are real. The Zach we sugges is a dog, and you can make him from he paern on pp. 315-317. On p. 315, you will also find insrucions for making a puppe ou of a suffed animal. However, you may use any puppe you have available as long as i has useable arms, since Zach ofen brings hings o he sory area, or holds somehing for he children o examine. Prepare a covered baske or doghouse for Zach o disappear ino when he is no being used, and don allow he children o play wih him hemselves. The children will find Zach more believable if hey see him only when he is animaed. Inroducion o he Quarer The inroducion ells you wha he quarer is abou, how he unis fi ogeher, and wha he goal is for he quarer. I also conains exra songs and acion rhymes o use hroughou he quarer, as well as very simple pary ideas. Each eacher working during he quarer should read he inroducion. Inroducion o he Uni These pages give he eachers more specific informaion o help hem undersand and prepare for he uni. They conain uni goals, a uni overview, he Bible words and ways o use hem, a lis of hings o do o ge ready, specific resources needed, and songs and acion rhymes. Each eacher for ha uni should read hese pages along wih he Lesson Oulines and Learning Cener Cards. Lesson Oulines Each lesson conains a lesson value and a lis of behavioral goals for he children. Here is how he lesson is presened: Le s Ge Ready This secion includes specific iems needed for he Bible sory, plus a lising of he Learning Ceners o have ready. If you have a very large class, have wo of he more popular ceners se up a opposie ends of he room, or in smaller rooms. Even if a Book Cener is no suggesed in a lesson, his is a good one o add if you have appropriae books and/or picures. Remember, you will need o have a eacher or assisan in each Learning Cener. Learning Aciviies Le s Ge Sared This secion includes ways o gree he children, wha o do when hey come, and how o ge hem ineresed in an aciviy. The class masco, Zach, will be a helpful friend o use here. Thiry minues has been alloed for hese aciviies. This includes approximaely en minues before he scheduled ime for he class o begin he pre-session. Geing he children acively involved he minue hey ener he classroom is essenial. Three Learning Ceners are suggesed for each lesson. Maerials and eachers/assisans should be ready before

he firs child arrives. The aciviies are all designed o lead up o he worship and sory ime, or serve as reviews afer he sory ime. Each eacher/assisan in each Learning Cener should be well aware of his or her role in presening and reviewing he Bible lesson. Only one Learning Cener is lised for he eacher who eaches alone. However, more han one aciviy may be used simply by using one afer he oher. All maerials needed, how o prepare hem, how o proceed in class, and suggesions for guided conversaion are spelled ou on he Learning Cener pages ha follow he lesson oulines. These pages may be pulled ou, cu apar, mouned on cardboard, and covered wih clear adhesive paper for durabiliy. These pages may be placed in he Learning Ceners for he benefi of he eacher/assisans, and hen filed wih he lesson maerials when he uni is over. Worship and Bible Sory Le s Worship God This may be he only ogeher ime he children have. The worship/sory area may be a circle of small chairs, a large rug, or individual rugs for he children. The worship suggesions have purposely been kep o a few simple ideas ha 3s and 4s can handle a one ime. There will be oher imes of sponaneous worship wih he group or wih individuals as you inerac wih he children personally. A simple, Thank You, God, for his prey flower, is far more meaningful o a young child han is a long prayer given by an adul. A child is also more ap o repea ha shor prayer and be encouraged o word his or her own prayer laer on. Le s Learn From he Bible If your group is small, he Bible sory may be old as he children si in heir circle. However, if your group is fairly large or spread apar in age, divide he group ino older and younger children or ino groups of children who ge along well wih each oher. You will need a eacher for each group. Make he Bible sory real, exciing, and fun for he children. No one should ever be bored wih he Bible! How can you do his? Be enhusiasic as you ell he sory. If you are excied by he Bible sory, he children will be excied oo. Keep he Bible sory shor. Threes and 4s have very shor aenion spans, especially when i comes o siing and lisening. Involve he children. Each lesson has suggesions for doing his. The more he children are involved, he more hey will ge ou of he sory. Use visual aids. Each sory has some ype of visual aid o ge and hold he children s aenion. Some of hese visual aids are o be made using he paerns on he pages ha follow he Learning Cener cards. Ohers may be picures or objecs ha you will gaher ahead of ime. Don sermonize! End he Bible sory, and hen go righ ino he follow-up ha is given. For horough insrucion on how o become a beer soryeller, ge The Creaive Soryelling Guide by Seven James, code #42048. Le s Apply he Lesson This secion shows how he lesson can be specifically applied o he lives of he children. Zach, he puppe, can be used here o help he children reell he sory, ask quesions, and so on. Le s Play Awhile By now, he children will be ready o sand up and move around. An acion rhyme or song may be suggesed here, bu if none is menioned, or your children are unusually resless, use a familiar rhyme, song, or exercise now. Have he suggesed learning aciviy ready o do before going home. If you have a large group and muliple eachers/assisans, you will wan o use several of he Learning Ceners lised a he beginning of he lesson. Le s Go Home Because he children will be ired by now, i is imporan o keep hem occupied in some meaningful aciviy unil heir parens or guardians arrive. Coninue wih he aciviy as long as possible while children are leaving. Make sure he children ake home any arwork hey have made. Small paper bags are helpful for his purpose. Also, see ha parens ge heir leers (see below) a he beginning of each uni. You may wish o keep exra copies of hese leers on hand o send home wih children who were no in aendance for he firs lesson, and for visiors. These leers can make a good impression on firsime visiors o your church. Exra Helps Paren s Leers: Each uni conains a leer o parens. A copy of his leer should be sen home wih each child on he firs day of each uni, or before each uni begins. The leers will help parens and guardians repea and reinforce he lessons a home. 10 s

Beer Safe han Sorry s Rebecca J. Benne, Children s Miniser, Mandarin Chrisian Church, Jacksonville, Florida Wouldn i be wonderful o be able o each children wihou worrying abou such hings as AIDS, abducion by srangers, or child abuse? Wouldn you love never o worry abou a sick child, a fire in he building, or having o handle a medical emergency? Unforunaely, all of hese hings are realiies in oday s world, even in he church, and we mus be ready o deal wih hem. Le s ake a look a four areas all churches should plan for jus in case! The areas are healh and firs aid, securiy, child abuse, and safey. These few lines canno deal exensively wih each issue, so jus consider hese ideas as a beginning poin. For a horough reamen of child abuse, obain a copy of The Guardian Sysem by David D. Middlebrook, code #03405. For a horough reamen of how o handle children wih disabiliies, see Excepional Teaching by Jim Pierson, code # 03769. Boh of hese resources emphasize he imporance of siing down wih church leaders o deermine your church s policies, in order o insure he healh, safey, and well being of he children enrused o your care. Healh and Firs Aid Sick-Child Policy. Ask a pediarician o help you draw up guidelines regarding aendance by children who may be ill. Disribuing such policies before a problem occurs will make i easier o deny admiance o a child who may be conagious. Parens will appreciae he proecion and be more willing o cooperae when heir own child is sick. Promoe horough hand washing among children and eachers o help cu down on germs. CPR and Firs Aid. Only a few hours are necessary o learn he CPR echniques needed o save a life. Your local Red Cross chaper will be happy o se up a class for your eachers and ineresed parens. Coss are usually minimal. Do you have a good firs-aid ki? One ha is well socked and easily accessible o all your eachers? Once again, your local Red Cross can help you deermine wha is needed. Emergency Procedures. Do all of your eachers know wha o do in an emergency siuaion? Do hey know where he neares phone is if hey need o call 911? Have you implemened a way o conac parens in an emergency (oher han running ino he audiorium yelling, HELP!! )? Deermine a plan of acion ahead of ime: Who will call 911; who will conac he parens; who will say wih he child. The las hing you need during an emergency is panic. The bes way o preven panic is o be prepared. AIDS Awareness. Even in oday s enlighened sociey, children who are HIV posiive or who have AIDS are ofen osracized. Because of his, a paren is ofen unwilling o admi ha his or her child is infeced. So wha do you do? The bes soluion is o rea every body fluid inciden as hough HIV or AIDS were involved. If a child is bleeding, vomiing, or has diarrhea, immediaely remove him from he oher children. Keep surgical gloves in each classroom o be worn by eachers when changing a diaper, cleaning up vomi, cleaning a wound, or aending a child wih a bloody nose. Securiy I is unhinkable ha someone would ry o ake one of your lile ones from he classroom wihou permission. We all would like o hink ha his could never happen in our building. Bu i migh. I almos happened in mine. Almos. Bu because we had jus begun a securiy agging sysem, he non-cusodial paren was prohibied from aking he child. The unhinkable par is wha migh have happened if we hadn aken proper precauions before he inciden occurred. Tagging. You need o know who all your children are, especially he visior whose parens you migh no know. In our church, each child wears a laminaed clip-ag ha ells he child s name, paren or guardian s name and locaion, and an emergency ID number. You may no need all ha informaion on a ag, bu hink hrough wha you do need, and ake acion before an emergency occurs. Have a way o idenify parens or guardians when hey come o pick up heir children. This is especially imporan for subsiue eachers. You may know all of he parens on sigh, bu wha abou ha week you re on vacaion? Teachers should never be embarrassed o ask a paren for ID. Remember, you are simply proecing ha child. Limied Access. Check your building layou o see how you can limi he access o your children s area. Pu nameags on eachers and oher workers so srangers are easily recognized. And never be afraid o ask someone his business! A simple, May I help you? may deer someone wih improper inenions. Don leave your hallways empy. Pu someone in a prominen place o keep an eye on hings while classes are in progress. This is especially imporan for small congregaions who have a limied number of people available o help if somehing should happen. Abuse Prevenion Here is anoher subjec we d raher no hink abou. Bu we d beer! One case, or even an alleged case, of child abuse in your church could lierally close your doors! Two-Adul Policy. The firs, and perhaps easies, policy o esablish is he wo-adul rule. This rule simply saes ha wo aduls will be in a room wih children a all imes. This means ha if children have o be assised in he bahroom, wo aduls are presen, while wo more remain in he room wih he oher children. In order o accomplish his, classes may need o combine for rips o 11

he res room. Aduls who have privae access o children have opporuniies o harm hem. This rule no only proecs he children, bu he workers as well. If a child ever makes an unfounded accusaion, he worker has a winess of his or her acions. If possible, send same-sex workers wih children o he res rooms. No adul should go ino a sall wih a child unless help is requesed. Say, I ll sand ouside he door. Please call if you need help. Or, help hem adjus heir clohes when hey come ou of he sall. Background Checks. Remember he old saying, He s a wolf in sheep s clohing? Tha s wha mos child molesers are. They disguise hemselves as good, friendly, helpful people. There have been many churches in which rused workers abused children. Many churches adop a six-monh rule: No one can each a class unil he or she has been a member for a leas six monhs. This is a good rule, bu i doesn weed ou clever abusers. The safes hing o do is have a poenial worker fill ou an informaion shee ha includes his or her Social Securiy number. In some saes, his is all ha is needed o have your local police or sheriff s deparmen run a background check. A more exensive check may require fingerprins. You can even run some background checks yourself, using he Inerne. However, o proec your church, always obain he poenial worker s permission o conduc a background check. This simple reques alone may urn a poenial abuser away from your children s minisry. (See Chaper 1, Sep 2 in The Guardian Sysem.) Train Your Teachers. Children need o be proeced, and so do workers! There have been cases of children accusing perfecly innocen people of abuse. The resuls can be devasaing, boh o he eacher and o he church. Train your eachers how o conduc hemselves in he classrooms, res room, and oher siuaions, for heir own proecion. Safey One nigh, as I was leading a children s choir rehearsal, here was a sorm acually a small ornado ha blew he seeple off he building! The children were hyserical. I was almos hyserical! We weren prepared for an emergency of his naure. We are now! Fire and Sorm Plans. Where would you ake your sudens in case of fire? Wha abou a sorm ha hreaened o blow ou he windows? Wha would happen if you los elecriciy in a room wih no windows? Examine your building, consul he expers, and draw up a plan for any naural disaser you are ap o have flood, fire, sorm, hurricane, ornado, earhquake, and so on. Periodically pracice he plan wih he children. Pos insrucions inside each classroom for subsiue eachers. An emergency ki ha includes a walking rope and a flashligh is a mus for each classroom. (A walking rope is simply a lengh of rope long enough o allow each child in your class o hold ono i while walking. I may or may no have knos spaced along i ha he children hang ono o keep hem from bunching up. You can imagine how beneficial his migh be when rying o shepherd a group of children ou of a darkened building.) Inform Parens. Perhaps your bigges problem in an acual emergency will be he parens who sorm he building rying o rerieve heir children. Tha s why i s imporan o inform hem of your procedures so hey will know exacly where o ge heir children should here be a loss of elecriciy, a fire, or a sorm. Our primary job as eachers and as Chrisians is o each our lile ones abou he Lord. Bu along wih ha privilege comes he responsibiliy o keep hem as safe and secure as possible while hey are in our care. Jus a few exra minues of preparaion could make he difference beween life and deah during an emergency siuaion. Be prepared! 12 s

Quarer One Learning o Know God, Who Made Us Inroducion Young children are consanly discovering new hings and new skills. They are rying hard o learn as much abou hemselves and heir world as hey can. Wha hese children are learning now will influence heir lives for years o come, as well as for eerniy. How imporan i is for us, as eachers of young children, o help hem learn abou God s love and care for hem while hey are in his early and imporan sage of heir developmen! Children look o aduls o help hem undersand he meaning of wha hey are discovering. These lessons are planned o help children discover God and His love and care. Your job is o see ha he aciviies play, games, songs, sories, crafs are meaningful. You are he link beween hese aciviies and he Bible ruhs he lessons each. Your aiude oward God, oward His Son, and oward he Bible, as well as oward he children may each more han your words. In Uni One, God Is Grea, your respec for God and your hankful aiude abou all He has made will leave he impression ha God is grea and we are o be hankful for all He has made for us. During Uni Two, God Is Love, your love for he children will show hem ha God loves hem so much ha He gave hem special people o love and care for hem. Your many expressions of hankfulness will help hem o feel hankful o God for hose who care for hem and will help hem o learn o express heir hanks o God. Uni Three, God Is Good, will encourage children o hank God for everyday hings ha are usually aken for graned food, waer, clohing, and homes. Use your ime well o lead he children, by your eaching and example, o feel and express heir hankfulness for God s everyday blessings. Some children in your class may be hearing abou God and His love and care for he very firs ime. Wha an opporuniy is yours o open he children s eyes and hears o God and His love! Conceps he children form now will affec heir enire lives. Make sure you each well, show your respec for and hankfulness o God, and above all, le he children know you love hem and are glad hey are in class wih you. Noe o hose who each alone: Prepare he learning cener suggesed in each lesson, bu also have one or wo ohers ready o use when he children ire of he firs one. Use hese songs and acion rhymes hroughou he quarer, in addiion o hose specifically menioned in he unis. God Is (Tune: The Farmer in he Dell ) Our God is grea, yes, our God is grea. God made he whole wide world. Yes, our God is grea. Our God is love, yes, our God is love. I love Him and He loves me. Yes, our God is love. Our God is good, yes, our God is good. He gives us everyhing we need. Yes, our God is good. Praise Him, Praise Him As a resul of hese lessons, he children will Know: Tha God made he world and everyone in i, and ha He coninues o provide everyone s basic needs. Feel: Thankful for all God has done and coninues o do for hem. Do: Thank God for His love and care. When I Pray When I pray, I fold my hands, (Fold hands.) And close my eyes; (Close eyes.) I alk o God, and He hears me. (Celebrae.) Jean Ka 13

My Bible This is my Bible, (Hands held ou in fron, palms ogeher.) I ll open i wide, (Open hands; keep hem ouching.) And see (or say) wha is wrien on he inside! (Say Bible words ogeher.) Jean Baxendale My Eyes, My Ears My eyes, my ears, my nose, my mouh, My hands and fee so small, My arms, my legs, my ummy, my head, I know God made hem all! (Poin o each par of he body as you name i.) Sylvia Teser Auumn Pary Suggesions Sepember Naure Hike Purpose: When: Aciviy: Craf: Food: Devoion: To enjoy God s creaion Saurday or Sunday afernoon Go on a naure walk and collec flowers, wigs, pebbles, ec. Provide resealable plasic sandwich bags for naure iems. Punch wo holes on one edge of each bag and ie bags ogeher wih yarn o form books. Trail mix Review he creaion of he world. Ocober Noah s Ark Pary Purpose: When: Preparaion: Aciviy: Game: Food: Devoion: Alernaive o Halloween Saurday or Sunday afernoon, or Halloween Bring wagons and suffed animals. Parens and children decorae wagons wih crepe paper sreamers. Have a parade wih suffed animals in he wagons. Play a ape of animal sounds and have he children ell which animal made he sound. Animal cookies and milk Noah s Ark-boa and God s care. Lead children o hank God for His care. November Thanksgiving Pary Purpose: When: Craf: Game: Food: Devoion: To help he children hink of ohers During class ime Make Hug Cards. Cu colored paper ino 4" x 18" srips. Make handprins on each end of he srips by dipping hands in washable pain. Fold in hirds wih he handprins on he inside. On he middle hird wrie: May smiles and hugs come your way, o make a happy Thanksgiving Day! Toss mini-pumpkins ino plasic laundry baskes. Candy corn and popcorn Lead children o hank God for heir families, as well as oher blessings. 14 s

Uni 1 God Is Grea Lessons 1-4 Uni Bible Words God... made he world (Acs 17:24, NIV). Resources from Sandard Publishing All Abou Hands (04248) Baby s Firs Bible (03960) Fun Wih Bobbin (friends discover God s world, 22115) God Made Dinosaurs (04343) God Made Me (04230) God Made Our Bodies (04280) God Made Puppies (04336) God Made You Special (04059) The Sory of Creaion (board book, 03476; picure window book, 03799) Supplemenal iems God Made he World Aendance Char (01653) Creaion Miniaure Sickers (04439) The Very Beginning (deluxe mural ki, 03338) Coloring/Aciviy Books Animal Faces (22121) Baby Animals (22125) Baby Animals (02028) Billions of Bugs (02248) Creaion (22005) God s Wild Animals (22020) God s World of Animals (22120) Los of Bugs! (22060) Thank You, God! (22072) Thru-he-Bible Coloring Pages for ages 2-4 (02405) 1 God Made he World Genesis 1:1-19 In he beginning, God made he sky, he land, he waer, he sun, he moon, he sars, and he plans. 2 God Made All he Animals Genesis 1:20-25 In he beginning, God made he birds, he fish, and all he animals ha live on he land. 3 God Made People, Adam and Eve Genesis 1:26, 27; 2:18-22 In he beginning, God made Adam and Eve. God made everyone. 4 God Is Grea Review of Lessons 1-3 By he End of he Uni, he Children Will Know: Tha God is grea. Feel: Thankful ha God creaed everyhing. Do: Pray Thank You, God, for he hings You made. Why Teach This Uni o Young Children? God is grea because He made he world. God is grea because He made each animal. And God is grea because He made us. Young children are fascinaed by God s world. They enjoy exploring i and seeing new hings. They like o feel and ouch he exures in God s world. They are beginning o recognize and o make animal sounds. They are gaining more freedom of movemen and like o use heir skills o run, jump, and umble. This uni is designed o help he children discover ha God creaed everyhing ha is around hem. They will explore some plans ha God made. They will examine some animals God made. They will look a God s mos wonderful creaion hemselves. They will know ha God is grea. They will feel hankful for everyhing ha God has made. And hey will prayerfully hank God for he hings He has made. Use he Bible words God made he world over and over in your conversaion, in he Bible sories, a he Learning Ceners, and in your prayers. For example, Thank You, God, for making he world. The Bible ells us ha God made he world. Thank You, God, for he hings You made. God made me. Have a classroom Bible available in a Learning Cener, a he giving able, or wherever he children will see i. Also have i on your lap or a your side as you ell he Bible sory. Have he Bible words highlighed or underlined so he children can see hem, poin o hem, and read hem. Things o Do Ahead Prepare he Learning Cener pages, 26-30, as you wish. You may moun hem on cardboard and cover wih clear, self-adhesive plasic for durabiliy, or simply cu he pages apar. Gaher/prepare maerials lised on Learning Cener pages. 15

Make copies of he Paren s Leer, p. 25. Prepare borders for Lessons 1-3 (pp. 32 and 33). Copy and prepare border paerns for maching cards (insrucions on p. 17). For Lesson 3, solici acors for he pars of Adam and Eve. For Lesson 4, copy p. 34, cu apar, and glue on craf sicks. Use These Songs and Acion Rhymes During Uni 1 In he Beginning (Tune: The Farmer in he Dell ) I m Very Special o God (Rhyhm: Hickory, Dickory, Dock ) God made he world.* God made he world. In he beginning, God made he world. (*ligh, sea, sky, animals, ec.) The man s name was Adam. (Boys sand and si.) The woman s name was Eve. (Girls sand and si.) In he beginning, God made Adam and Eve. (Clap o rhyhm.) God Is Grea (Tune: London Bridge ) God made all he sars above*, sars above, sars above. God made all he sars above. God is grea. (*lands and seas, fish and whales, dogs and cas) God made you and you and me, you and me, you and me. God made you and you and me. God is grea. A Way o Go A robin flies, (Wave arms in flying moion.) A bunny hops, (Hop or jump up and down.) A urle crawls so slow; (Crawl or sep in place very slowly.) God gave each animal He made A special way o go! ( Walk wo fingers up one arm.) Jean Shannon God Made Me God made he sun, (Raise arms in circle over head.) God made he ree, (Spread arms ou o indicae branches.) God made you, (Poin o anoher person.) And God made me! (Poin o self.) I m very special o God. He loves me very much. He made my hands. He made my fee. I m very special o God. Here s Why God Is Grea God is grea. He made he sun. (Poin up; form circle wih arms above head.) God is grea. He made he sea. (Use arms o make waves.) God is grea. He made he sars. (Hold up hands and wiggle fingers.) God is grea. He made each ree. (Exend arms like ree branches and sway.) God is grea. He made you and me. (Poin o ohers. Poin o self.) When I Pray When I pray, I fold my hands (Fold hands.) And close my eyes; (Close eyes.) I hink abou God, and He hears me. Jean Ka This Is he Way (Tune: Here We Go Round he Mulberry Bush ) This is he way we pick up our oys, pick up our oys, pick up our oys. This is he way we pick up our oys, and pu hem all away. God made Adam. (Bow.) God made Eve. (Cursy.) God made you, and God made me. (Poin o anoher; hen o self.) Joy M. Grewell and Krisi Waler 16 s

God Made he World Lesson 1 Genesis 1:1-19 Le s Ge Ready For he Bible sory, you will need he classroom Bible, wo large pieces of paper, one black and one whie, large enough o cover your bullein board, chalkboard, or wall area, and prepared border visuals (pp. 32 and 33). Before class, cover he seleced area wih black paper. Cu he whie paper so ha i will almos cover he black (see he illusraion on p. 32). Surround he Bible sory area wih as many poed plans as possible. Have puppe Zach ready. Prepare he Book/Picure Cener, he Family Living Cener, and he Game Cener. If you are he only eacher, use jus he Family Living Cener. Have maerials ready for he God s Wonders Cener o be used afer he Bible sory. Learning Aciviies s (30 minues, including 10 minues pre-session) Le s Ge Sared Use Zach o gree each child by name. Hello, Julie. You are a wonderful par of God s big world. Have Zach help he children mark heir aendance char, give heir offering, and ge involved in one of he learning aciviies. Rachel, would you like o look a picures or help ake care of some of God s plans? We re going o have a Bible sory abou he world ha God made. Only God could make he world. Worship and Bible Sory s Bible Words: God... made he world (Acs 17:24, NIV). Know: Know ha God is grea. Feel: Feel hankful ha God creaed everyhing. Do: Pray Thank You, God, for he hings You made. Children will accomplish he goals when hey: 1. Say he Bible words God made he world. 2. Pray Thank You, God, for making he world. 3. Sing abou he hings God creaed. 4. Examine somehing ha God made. 5. Idenify he land and sky ha God creaed. 6. Name somehing ha God has made. (15 minues) Le s Worship God Have Zach ell he children, I s ime o pu our hings away so we can sing o God and pray. Have children gaher in he area where he plans will surround hem. Begin singing as soon as he children come o he circle. Sing sanza 1 from In he Beginning (p. 16) and God Is Grea (p. 16). We ve been singing abou God s world. The Bible says, God made he world. Poin o he verse in he classroom Bible. Le children read he verse from he Bible. Use he acion rhyme When I Pray. Then pray, Thank You, God, for he hings You made. Le s Learn From he Bible Inroducion: Hide Zach among he plans. Our room looks like a jungle. Zach is hiding somewhere in his jungle. Can you find him? Afer children find Zach, have Zach say, A jungle is a grea place o play hide-and-seek! Who made he jungle plans and all of he plans in our room? Yes, God made he plans. The Bible ells us ha God made he world. The Bible also ells us wha God hough abou he world He made. Do you know wha God said abou His world? God said, This is good. Now you are ready o help me ell he Bible sory. Pu Zach away. Place he Bible in your lap. Uni 1, Lesson 1 17

Lesson Value: Anyone who is building a relaionship wih God mus know and accep God as creaor. He is he creaor of he earh, of he animals, and of people. Knowing abou God s creaion of he earh and is inhabians is significan because i develops one of he mos imporan relaionships beween God and us creaor o creaion. This lesson inroduces God as creaor. God is grea because He is our creaor. Your children will sense awe as hey explore he world ha God made. Only God could make he world. God is grea! The Bible Sory: Before God began o make he world, here was nohing. No sky, no sun, no rees. There was only darkness. (Poin o he black bullein board.) Wha was he firs hing ha God made? God made he ligh. God said, Le here be ligh. (Cover he black paper wih your pre-cu whie piece.) So God made day and nigh. Then God said, This is good. Wha did God say abou he day and nigh? (Lead children o say in unison, This is good. ) Nex, God made he sky. (Place, or have a child place, cloud border on he board.) God looked a wha He had made and said, This is good. Wha did God say abou he sky? (Children respond, This is good. ) Nex, God made he land and he waer. He made he mounains and he fields. He made he rivers, lakes, and oceans. (Place appropriae borders when menioned.) God looked a wha He had made and said, This is good. Wha did God say abou he waer and he land? (Children respond, This is good. ) Nex, God made plans o grow on he land. He made flowers, grass, rees, and jungles. (Place borders.) Wha did God say abou he plans He had made? (Children respond, This is good. ) Nex God made lighs for he day and nigh. He made he sun for he day. (Place sun in day secion of board.) He made he moon and he sars for nigh. (Place moon and sars in nigh secion of board.) Wha did God say abou he sun, moon, and sars? (Children respond, This is good. ) Only our grea God could make he world. God made a beauiful world. And God saw ha His world was good! God is grea. Le s Apply he Lesson Poin o he visual board. Where is he sky ha God made? Where is he land ha God made? Jonahan, name one hing God made. When Jonahan answers, use ha iem in he following verse. God made he waer. God made he waer. God made a wonderful world for me. Ask each child o name one iem from he board. Adjus he verse o include ha iem. We are hankful for he world God made. Thank You, God, for making he world. (Noe: save hese visuals for use in he following lessons.) Learning Aciviies s (20 minues) Le s Play and Learn Have he children sand and sing, In he Beginning (p. 16), hen go o he God s Wonders Cener. If your class is large and you have several eachers, use all he Learning Ceners suggesed under Le s Ge Ready. Le s Go Home Have Zach ell he children ha i s ime o clean up afer heir aciviies. Make sure ha each child ges a snack from God s Wonders Cener. Direc hem o he wasebaske wih heir napkins. Use we wipes or a damp cloh o clean hands and faces. Then gaher he children in a circle. Lead hem in saying he acion rhyme, Here s Why God Is Grea (p. 16). Since his is he firs lesson of he uni, give each child a Paren s Leer (p. 25). 18 s Uni 1, Lesson 1

I remember your ancien laws, O Lord, and I find comfor in hem. (Psalm 119:52) Guide your kids on a year-long journey hrough he Bible! There s nohing more imporan o each our children han how o build a relaionship wih God, and here s no beer way o do ha han o each kids he Bible. Roue 52 is a Bible-based journey ha will ake kids hrough he Bible in a year every year from age hree o welve. Using all en iles, you can help your kids explore, discover, follow, grow, and sudy hrough he Bible. Throughou he various age levels, kids will learn abou God, Jesus, and oher men and women of he Old and New Tesamen. They will examine he hisory, poery, prophecy, and he good news of God s Word. Through age-appropriae, hands-on aciviies ha are culurally relevan, kids will invesigae God s plan for his creaion and how i includes everyone. Discover God's Love includes 52 Bible lessons ha help young children ages 3-4 alk abou God and hank Him for wha He made, celebrae God's Son, Jesus, and begin o follow Him, and pracice doing wha God's Word says. Check ou hese applicaion-boosing lesson feaures: Scripurally sound lesson hemes Culurally relevan, hands-on aciviies Age-appropriae Bible-learning challenges Reproducible life-applicaion aciviy pages Finally, a reproducible Bible sudy curriculum for children of all ages! Roue 52 Bible lessons will help kids learn he Bible and how o apply i o heir lives a heir own level of spiriual developmen. Roue 52 Bible lessons are appropriae for Bible school, children s church, youh group, kids club, or mid-week Bible sudy programs. RELIGION / Chrisian Minisry / Children ISBN 978-0-7847-1322-8 EAN 9 780784 713228 42071