Lesson Goal: The children will learn that when we accept Christ we become a new creation and therefore should act differently than before. Main Point: Through Jesus I Can Be A New Creation! Bible Lesson: Nicodemus learns about being born again (John 3:1-21) Bible Verse: This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) Particle Drop (Opening Activity) This activity will reinforce the theme of the series and will engage the children s attention as they enter the room. Our New Creation (Alternate Opening Activity) This activity will introduce the children to the idea that we become a new creation when we accept Christ as our Savior. Skit And Bible Lesson (Large Group Activity) The children will learn that when we accept Christ we become a new creation and therefore should act differently than before. Animal Race (Small Group Activity) This activity will introduce the children to the idea that when we become a Christian we are a new creation and should behave differently. Bible Formula (Small Group Activity) This activity will get the children into their Bibles and help them review the Bible Verse for the week. Science Journal (Small Group Activity) This activity will help the children review the Main Point, Bible Lesson and Bible Verse. Old Shirt/New Shirt (Small Group Activity) This activity will visually demonstrate to the children that when we accept Christ we become a new creation. Before & After (Small Group Activity) This activity will show the children how they should act differently after they become a new creation. Baby Bird Believers (Small Group Activity) This object lesson will help the children see that when we accept Christ we become a new creation that needs to grow. Experiments With Dr. Oppenheimerstein (Review Activity) This activity is a strategic time to review and reinforce the content of the lesson.
Particle Drop OPENING ACTIVITY LESSON 7 Purpose: This activity will reinforce the theme of the series and will engage the children s attention as they enter the room. Description: One child will hold a plastic spoon in their mouth while another child places a particle (ping pong ball) onto the spoon. The child with the spoon will then walk over to the table where he or she will drop the particle into a cup. The cups will be staggered across the table, the farthest cups being worth three points, the middle cups being worth two points, and the closest cups being worth one point. After every team has taken a turn, the Teacher and Co-Teacher will tally up the points to determine which team is the winner. Materials Needed: For this activity you will need this Help Sheet, nine plastic cups, multiple plastic spoons, a table, a step stool (optional), ping pong balls, and the Opening Activity media elements from the Lesson 7 MediaShout or ProPresenter File. Note: Play the Doors Open Music when the children begin to enter the room. To introduce this activity, say the following: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Let s get started! This activity is called Particle Drop. We are going to have two volunteers from one team come up on stage. One of you will hold this plastic spoon in your mouth, and the other will place a particle, or ping pong ball, on to the spoon. If you are the one with the spoon in your mouth, be sure you walk and do not run during this activity. Once you have a particle on the end of your spoon you will walk over to the table where there are cups set up. It is your job to get as many particles into the cups as you can. But there s a catch! The closest cups are worth one point, the second layer of cups are worth two points, and the farthest cups are worth three points. You will have to decide whether you want to go for the closest cups and have a better chance of receiving the points, or go for the more difficult cups in order to get more points. We are going to time you. Once every team has gone, we will tally up the points and announce the winner. Note: Choose two volunteers from one team. One to hold the spoon in their mouth and the other to put the particle on the end of the spoon. Once the round is complete, choose two more volunteers from a different team. You can make the time frame for each round of this activity as long or as short as you would like. Additionally, if your children are not tall enough to reach the table, you can place a step stool for them to stand on at the short edge of the table. For detailed instructions on how to do this activity, see the Teacher/Co-Teacher Training Video. During the activity, say the following: 1. Are you ready? Kids, are you ready to cheer for your teammates? Okay! 2. Ready, Set, Go! 1
Particle Drop OPENING ACTIVITY LESSON 7 Note: Play the Game Go Music. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Keep going! You only have 10 more seconds. Kids, keep cheering. Great job! Now it s time for us to pick new volunteers and play again. Note: Reset the game and continue playing with new volunteers from each team until it is time to start your children s worship hour. After the activity, say the following: 1. Great job with that game! 2. Let s get ready for our countdown to Adventures In Science! 2
Alternate Opening Activity: Purpose: This activity will introduce the children to the idea that we become a new creation when we accept Christ as our Savior. Description: Two groups of children will create an original drawing from an identical line. They will learn that God makes us a new creation. Materials Needed: For this activity you will need this Help Sheet, two easels back to back, drawing materials, and two pieces of posterboard or foam-board. Note: Draw an identical line for each team to start with. To introduce this activity, say the following: 1. I want you to divide into two teams. 2. Each team is going to start with this (show the foam-board or posterboard with the identical lines) and create your own drawing. 3. Each member of your team will be allowed to come up and draw one line. 4. When you are all done, we will see what your creations look like. 5. Are you ready? Go! For detailed instructions on how to do this activity, see the Training Video. During the activity, say the following: 1. Remember, you can only draw one line. 2. Your drawings are looking great! After the activity, say the following: 1. Both of these drawings are very different aren t they? 2. Do either of them look the same as when we started? 3. Each of these drawings are a new creation, because they are different than when we started, and they are different from each other. Summary: In this activity you made two new creations. Today we are talking about how God makes each of us into a new creation when we accept Him as our Savior.
Little Bubbles Of Awesomeness SCIENCE EXPERIMENT LESSON 7 Purpose: This activity will add a fun element to the service and will engage the children s attention. Description: The children will watch an engaging experiment conducted by the Teacher and CoTeacher to capture the children s attention and imagination. Materials Needed: For this activity you will need this Help Sheet, two safety goggles, one pound of dry ice, one small plastic container with a lid and a small hole in the side, two feet of plastic aquarium tubing with one end inserted into the hole of the plastic container, 1/2 gallon of water, two ounces of Dawn Dishwashing Soap, a large spoon, one plastic cup, and one table to perform the experiment on. To introduce this activity at the beginning of service, say the following: 1. Today s experiment is called Little Bubbles Of Awesomeness. 2. I m excited about today s experiment! Note: At the beginning of service the Teacher will come out from backstage whistling. Pour some water into the plastic container until it is about halfway full and before it hits the point where the tube is coming out of the container. Pour some soap into the cup. Once the Teacher has prepared the experiment, the Co-Teacher will enter and service will officially begin. For detailed instructions on how to do this activity, see the Teacher/Co-Teacher Training Video. During the activity in the middle of service, say the following: 1. It s almost time to go to our Scientific Groups but before we do, let s take a look at today s Science Experiment. 2. Let s put our safety goggles on. 3. We re going to make bubbles with the dry ice, just like we did a couple of weeks ago, but this time there will be many bubbles instead of just one. 4. Let s put the dry ice in with the water. 5. Wow, look at it smoke! 6. Set the lid on top and look at the smoke come out of the tube. That s so cool. 7. Now take the lid off and we re going to dip the end of the tube into the soap. 8. When I have the tube out of the soap, you can put the lid back on and the little bubbles of awesomeness will appear. 9. Wow! Look at those little bubbles of awesomeness! Note: Use the spoon to scoop some broken up pieces of dry ice into the plastic container with the water. Have the Co-Teacher place the lid on top to allow the kids to see the smoke come out of the tube. Take the lid off. Place the other end of the plastic tubing into the plastic cup with the soap. Pull out the plastic tubing and place the lid on the container. The bubbles will flow from the end. Repeat, remembering to take the lid off each time you place the tube in the soap. After the activity, say the following: Now it is time for our Scientific Groups. Have fun! 1
LESSON 7: THROUGH JESUS I CAN BE A NEW CREATION! Single Teacher Digital Media Script WATCHING THE BIBLE LESSON AND SKIT ON VIDEO Purpose Statement: The children will learn that when we accept Christ we become a new creation and therefore should act differently than before. Materials/Props Needed: Adventures In Science Lesson 7 MediaShout or ProPresenter File. Costume (Teacher: Lab coat and safety goggles.) Props: One clipboard. Opening Activity Supplies: See the Help Sheet for a list of supplies. Science Experiment Supplies: See the Help Sheet for a list of supplies. Begin the Opening Activity. Lead the children through the Opening Activity Particle Drop, or another Large Group Activity to engage the children s attention as they enter the room. For a detailed example, watch the Adventures In Science L7 Teacher/Co- Teacher Training Video. Begin Large Group Time with the Countdown Video. [1] What s shakin Bacon? (allows class to respond) Where do I come up with these crazy hellos you ask? Most of them I just make up! (looks at class) Say, another great looking class we have here today! And I m ready to get our session underway! I m Professor (Teacher s name)! And this is AIS Laboratories. A place of research and development where we look at the miracles and mysteries of the Bible. It s also where we do research just down the hall from the illustrious Dr. Oppenheimerstein and his robot Flask. Dr. Opp is a brilliant scientist trying to win the famous Plutonium Award! Which unfortunately is an award that he is running out of time on winning. I do believe that they are only going to be awarding it for two more weeks! Anyway, we ll check in on him a little later, but in the mean time...as you can see around me we have lots of things that we need to be very careful around. Because of that, we have some very important rules that all of us need to follow. [2] The first is that everyone must stay in their seat at all times, unless we tell you that you can get up! [3] The second is that there should be no talking while we are up here on the AIS stage. #1 #2 #3 [4] The third is be sure to keep your hands to yourselves. #4 1
[5] And the fourth is to participate and have fun! And in order to begin having that, everybody stand up and help me kick off our time in the Adventures In Science Lab with a song! Teacher leads the children in singing Shout Out Loud. [6] As you know, last time we got together we talked about how to become a Christian. (to children) Does anyone remember the ABC s? That s right. We Admit that we have done things God doesn t want us to do, that we have sinned. We Believe that Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment for our sins. And we Commit to live our lives in obedience to Him. To do the things He wants us to do. Well, today we are going to be talking about what happens to us after we become Christians. In fact, I think we should go to our Bible verse first today because it talks about just that! Check it out: [7] This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) This verse tells us that when we become a Christian we become completely new people! We become new creations! Tell you what, let me explain to you what this verse means. When we become a Christian, we get this amazing fresh start. Before we became a Christian we were our old self. Our old self was separated from God by our sin. But, when we accepted Jesus as our Savior, He takes our sins away and we become our new self which is free from sin and can spend forever with God in Heaven. Before we became a Christian we were our old self. Once we become a Christian we are our new self, a new creation! That amazing transformation happens through Jesus, and by us believing in what He did for us by dying on the cross. (thinks) Say, I think that would make a great Main Point. Everybody stand up! [8] Through Jesus I Can Be A New Creation! The Teacher leads the children to make up cheerleader-type hand motions that go along with the Main Point. Once everyone has gone over the Main Point, have the children repeat it with the motions two or three times. #5 #6 #7 #8 That was some great shouting! Now, this verse isn t talking about wearing different clothes or speaking in a different voice. Tell you what, why don t we check in on Dr. O and see what he is up to. I have a feeling he may be learning about what it means to be a new creation. Teacher exits. Play the Skit and Bible Lesson Video. [10] Teacher re-enters. #10 2
So, we don t actually become a different person when we became a Christian. When you become a Christian you are still the same person, it s just that your old self is gone, the self that was full of sin, and your new self is now here, the one that is forgiven. Isn t that cool?! And that part in the Bible Lesson about being a baby means when our new self is given to us, the self that is forgiven, it s brand new. Kind of like a baby is brand new when he/she comes into this world. And, just like a baby, this new self needs to grow to become strong. The new self grows and gets stronger by reading the Bible, going to church, spending time in prayer, giving, and telling others about God s love. And as your new self you need to do the things that God wants you to do in order to grow and become strong. Like...worshiping Him in song! Let s do that right now! Teacher leads the children in singing Limitless. [11] It s now time to break up into our scientific groups, but before we do that would you like to see the experiment I have been working on? Let s check it out! [12] SCIENCE EXPERIMENT - Little Bubbles Of Awesomeness Pretty cool huh? Now it is time for our Scientific Groups. Have fun and I ll see you when you get back. SCIENTIFIC GROUPS (SMALL GROUPS) [13] Take Offering while in Scientific Groups. I m glad everyone made it back from Scientific Groups, because now it s time for a Mouse Maze! [14] WEEKLY RACE ACTIVITY - Mouse Maze We need your help! Dr. Oppenheimerstein is experimenting again! It s time for Experiments With Dr. Oppenheimerstein! [15] WEEKLY REVIEW ACTIVITY - Experiments With Dr. Oppenheimerstein Thanks for helping the Doctor. That experiment never would have worked without you. Don t forget our Main Point this week: Through Jesus I Can Be A New Creation! #11 #12 #13 #14 #15 3
Review Activity: Purpose: This activity is a strategic time to review and reinforce the content of the lesson. Materials Needed: For this activity you will need this Help Sheet and the Lesson 7 MediaShout or ProPresenter Experiments With Dr. Oppenheimerstein media elements. To introduce this activity: Ask the following questions and ask for volunteers to answer. If they answer correctly, hit the next cue. 1. Who can make us into a new creation? A. Your best friend. B. Our teachers. C. Our parents. D. Jesus. 2. What does it mean to be a new creation? A. We look different than we used to. B. We act differently than we used to because of Jesus in our lives. C. We talk differently than we used to. D. We get to be whatever animal we want to be. 3. In the skit, what was Dr. Oppenheimerstein trying to invent? A. A device that would steal the abilities of others. B. A laser that could freeze people. C. A teleportation device. D. Cheese. 4. What did the invention actually do? A. It earned Dr. Oppenheimerstein the Plutonium Award. B. It caused a rift in the space-time continuum. C. It caused Dr. Oppenheimerstein and Flask to switch bodies. D. It blew up.
5. In today s Bible story, what was the name of the man who went to see Jesus at night? A. Nehemiah. B. Nathaniel. C. Nicholas. D. Nicodemus. 6. Nicodemus was missing something. What did Jesus tell Nicodemus that he needed? A. He needed to tell others about Jesus. B. He needed to be born again. C. He needed to give everything he had to the poor. D. He needed to come back tomorrow. 7. True or false? When we accept Jesus, our sins are forgiven and we become brand new creations. A. True. B. False. 8. According to our Bible verse, 2 Corinthians 5:17, when we belong to Christ, the old life is and a new life! A. Crazy and is out of the question! B. Delicious and is spicy! C. Gone and has begun! D. Sinful and is holy!