God Helps Naaman Bible Story 2 Kings 5:1-16 Teacher Challenge Realizing that the patch on his skin proved he had leprosy (now called Hansen s Disease) must have terrified Naaman in those days, it meant a slow death. In the crisis, everything shifted. His familiar points of reference an important position and wealth suddenly evaporated. and Me Help came from an unlikely source: a servant girl and a prophet of God. Once Naaman understood his need to humble himself, he was ready to be healed! How has your loving Father shifted your points of reference? How has the experience helped to align your perspective more closely with His? God often removes our points of reference things we think define us. But that painful process helps us hear His call to humble ourselves and trust Him. He loves to heal our wounds as we humble ourselves beneath His loving hand! As you teach, notice the simplicity and humility of your children. Imitate them in this! Teacher s Planning 1. Choose which centers you will provide and the order in which children will participate in them. For tips on schedule planning, see page 9. 2. Plan who will lead each center, making sure to have one adult for approximately every six children. For staffing tips and ideas, see page 12. 2010 Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Growing with God Leader s Guide 401
Play to Learn Active Game Center: Seven Times Bible. Lead children to play a game like Follow the Leader. As you and the children walk around the room, call out and lead motions for children to do seven times (jumping jacks, touch toes, clap hands, hop on one foot, etc.). Count aloud with children as they do the motions. and Me Talk About In today s Bible story, a man named Naaman was very sick. When he obeyed God and washed in a river seven times, God helped him and made him better. Let s play a game and do things seven times. Austin, you jumped up and down seven times. You have strong legs! God helps you by giving you strong legs. The Bible says, Lord, you are great and powerful. Lord is another name for God. God is powerful and can always help us. Jasmine, when is a time you might need God s help? God made many things that show how powerful He is. Our powerful God made big mountains. Kevin, what is another big thing that God has made? Pray briefly, God, You are so powerful. Thank You for helping us when we ask. For Younger Children Instead of children lining up and walking around the room, children stand in a circle to perform the motions as you call them out. Each motion is performed for several moments, until you call out Freeze! Children remain frozen until you call out another motion. For Older Children After a few rounds of play, older children volunteer to be the leaders. Join the line with the children as each volunteer leads the line in performing different motions seven times. 402 2010 Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Growing with God Leader s Guide
Play to Learn Art Center: Sidewalk Scenes Bible, sidewalk chalk; optional butcher paper, scissors, markers. On sidewalks or patios, children draw pictures of big things God created (mountains, oceans, sky, sun, waterfalls, elephants, whales, tall trees, etc.). (Optional: Cut several long lengths of butcher paper. Children draw on paper either indoors or outdoors.) and Me Talk About The Bible says, Lord, you are great and powerful. Lord is another name for God. When we say that God is great and powerful, we mean that God is so powerful, He can do anything! God can always help us. One way God shows His power is by creating wonderful things in our world. Let s draw some pictures of big things God made. Morgan, what is a big thing God made? (Elephant. Ocean.) Elephants and oceans remind us of how powerful God is. God can always help us. Pray briefly, Dear God, thank You for being so great and powerful. Thank You for the help You give us. For Younger Children Draw outlines of pictures of big things God made. Children use sidewalk chalk to color pictures. For Older Children Help children form pairs. Each pair chooses a scene (forest, beach, outer space, etc.) and works together to illustrate it. 2010 Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Growing with God Leader s Guide 403
Play to Learn Construction Center: Great Builds Bible, manipulative building toys (Lincoln Logs, Duplos, Legos, blocks, etc.). Children use blocks to build big shapes (squares, triangles, etc.). and Me Talk About The Bible says, Lord, you are great and powerful. Lord is another name for God. God is powerful and can always help us. God shows He is great by making us! Let s use the hands God made for us to build a big shape with our blocks. Caleb, who gives you food to eat so your body grows strong? God helped you by giving you a grandma to care for you. Destiny, here is a long block to complete your section of the shape. I m glad God gives us eyes to see. What can you see that God has made? That s right! God made your friend Julia. God is so powerful. He can make people and trees and mountains. God made us, too. He helps us by giving us eyes to see and ears to hear. What is another way God helps us? For Younger Children Children use blocks to build shapes of their own choosing. Use the Talk About ideas to connect children s activity to the lesson. For Older Children Children form a letter of the alphabet with blocks. Children name things God made that begin with that letter. Marie, you made the letter M. What great things did God make that begin with an M? (Mountains, mommies, melons, etc.) God is powerful. He made all these things! God loves us and can help us when we ask. 404 2010 Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Growing with God Leader s Guide
Play to Learn Dramatic Play Center: Good ctors Bible, several white shirts, toy doctor kits, dolls. Children wear shirts to pretend to be doctors, using doctor kit items on dolls. and Me Talk About In today s Bible story, a man named Naaman was very sick. When Naaman obeyed God by washing himself in a river seven times, God made him well! Let s pretend to be doctors helping sick babies. Robert, what will you do to take care of this sick baby? When have you gone to the doctor s office? God helps you by being with you when you have to get a shot. God gives you a mom to hold your hand and give you a hug. Rachel, I think your baby has a cough. God gives us doctors to help us get better when we are sick. When have you been sick? Who helped you get better? The Bible says, Lord is another name for God. God is powerful and can help us. Pray briefly, Dear God, thank You for being so great and powerful. Thank You for the help You give us. For Younger Children Provide adhesive and gauze bandages for children to use on dolls. For Older Children Provide washcloths, adhesive bandages, notepads and pencils for children to use in their play. 2010 Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Growing with God Leader s Guide 405
Listen to Learn 2 Kings 5:1-16 Bible, Bible Story 24 pictures from God s Story for Me Poster Pack #2, Preschool Music #2 DVD or CD and player, sheet of paper, marker. Prepare Print the following letters on the sheet of paper: b, d, p, t, s, m, f and k. and Me Greet Each Other Look at the color of the clothes you are wearing today. Let volunteers name colors. Listen to hear when your color is called and do what I tell you to do. Children wearing red stand up and wave your hands. Children sit down. Repeat using other colors and motions (jump up and down, bend down and touch toes, reach for the sky, etc.). Tell the Story Open your Bible to 2 Kings 5. Tell the story using the pictured motions (keywords in bold) or show Bible Story 24 pictures. What do you do when you have a scrape or a cut on your skin? Listen to hear what one man did when he had terrible sores on his skin. Naaman was a leader in the army. Naaman had a terrible problem: He had a sickness called leprosy. The sickness made painful sores on Naaman s skin. Naaman knew he would get sicker and sicker. He might even die! His family must have been very sad. Naaman s wife had a servant girl. This girl was from Israel. She knew that in Israel there was a man named Elisha who loved God. God helped Elisha do amazing things. The servant girl said, I wish Naaman would go to see Elisha. The girl thought Elisha might be able to help Naaman. Right away Naaman s wife told Naaman the news about Elisha. Naaman decided to go see Elisha. The king of Naaman s country wrote a letter to the king of Israel. Naaman took the letter. He also took gifts of silver, gold and clothing. Naaman went to the king of Israel. The king read the letter. It said: Here is Naaman. I want you to make his sickness go away. But the king said, I m not God! I can t make Naaman well! Soon, Elisha heard about Naaman s visit. Elisha asked the king to send Naaman to him. Naaman came to Elisha s door. Elisha s servant talked to Naaman. Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River, the servant said. Then you will be well. At first Naaman was angry. He didn t want to wash in the Jordan River. It was too muddy! But then Naaman changed his mind. He walked to the river. He waded in. He ducked under the water, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven times. He wiped the water from his eyes. He looked at his skin. The sores were gone! Naaman was all well! Naaman said, Now I know there is only one God the one true God! God helped Naaman by making him well. God was good to Naaman! 406 2010 Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Growing with God Leader s Guide
Talk About the Story How many times did Naaman have to wash himself in the river? (Seven.) God is so powerful, He was able to make Naaman well. God is powerful and can always help us, too. God helps us because God loves us. What are some ways that God helps us? (Is always with us. Gives us families to care for us. Hears our prayers. Gives us teachers who tell us about Him.) Sing to God Let s sing a song about God s goodness. Lead children in singing Good to Me (on DVD or track 13 on CD). God is powerful and good. God can always help us. Hear and Say Holding your Bible open to Jeremiah 10:6, say verse aloud. Lord is another name for God. God can always help us. God is great because He can do such wonderful things. He is great and powerful. Lead children in repeating the verse a few times in this manner: Say the verse very quietly the first time and then a bit louder each time you repeat the verse, until you are speaking in a normal speaking voice. Continue repeating verse, getting softer on each repetition, until speaking very quietly again. Pray to God Dear God, thank You for showing us that You always have the power to help us. We are glad You love us and care for us. In Jesus name, amen. Option: On a large sheet of paper, print the words Thank You, God! God helps me. Ask children to name good things God helps them to do. Print children s responses on paper; place paper where parents can read it when class is dismissed. Praise to God God is powerful and He has made many great things. Let s see if we can use a few letters of the alphabet to name some of the things God has made. Show paper with letters printed on it. Invite volunteers to name things God has made with each letter shown (e.g., birds, dogs, people, tigers, seahorses, mountains, forests, kangaroos). 2010 Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Growing with God Leader s Guide 407
Talk to Learn Bible Story Activity Pages Center A copy of Activity 24 from The Big Book of Bible Story Activity Pages #2 for yourself and each child, scissors, crayons or markers; optional small leaves, glue. Name Bible Story Activity 24 Lead children to complete pages following the instructions. (Optional: Children glue leaves to tree.) Use the conversation suggestions as children complete their pages and retell the story. Preschool Puzzle Center Copies of Bible Story Puzzle 47, Bible Verse Puzzle 47 and/or Challenge Puzzle 47 from The Big Book of Preschool Puzzles #2 for each child; pencils, crayons or markers. Children complete the puzzles and color pages. Use the conversation suggestions on the pages. 103 Teacher cuts off Naaman figure and cuts slit in page (see sketch on back of this page). Child colors page. How did God help Naaman? Child moves Naaman figure in slit, turning figure from side to side, to retell story action. How does God help you? 2010 Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to the original purchaser only. The Big Book of Bible Story Activity Pages #2 Read-Aloud Story Center A copy of Story Picture 47 from The Big Book of Read- Aloud Stories #2 for yourself and each child, crayons or markers. Read the story and distribute pictures. Use the conversation suggestions as children complete their pages. 2010 Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. The Big Book of Read-Aloud Stories #2 Lord, you are great and powerful. Connect the dots. Color the picture. 99 Story Pictur 408 2010 Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Growing with God Leader s Guide