THE FIRST FAMILY LIFE POINT: God made families. LEADER BIBLE STUDY CREATION LEVEL OF BIBLICAL LEARNING God wants me to thank Him for the things He made. BIBLE PASSAGE Genesis 4:1-7 WEEKLY VERSE Show love to family members. Romans 12:10 UNIT VERSE In the beginning God made the world. Genesis 1:1 Amusement parks are popular destinations for families. They are loaded with exciting rides, cartoon characters walking about, and even some educational exhibits. It is intriguing sometimes just to sit and watch young families scurrying through the park. Moms and dads wheel their little ones around in strollers while older kids run everywhere. The nuclear family has been the norm for humanity since the beginning. In the previous session, we examined the creation of the first man and his wife. In chapter 3, the man was called Adam, and he named his wife Eve. Even though Adam and Eve sinned and suffered the consequences of their sin against God (Genesis 3), they began a family. Soon their family, like most others since, began to experience problems. Adam and Eve had two sons, Cain and Abel. The younger, Abel, became a shepherd, and Cain became a farmer. At some point in time, Cain made an offering of some of his crops to God. Abel also made an offering of some of the firstborn of his flock. For a reason that is not explained, God accepted Abel s offering but rejected Cain s. The rejection angered Cain. God saw that Cain was angry and tried to warn him of the dangers of unchecked sin. Unfortunately, the situation got much worse (Genesis 4:8-9). Why do children of the same parents often take different paths in life? What do we as believers in Christ have, unlike Cain, to help us control our emotions and resist temptation? (See Galatians 5:16-25.) NOTE: Downloadable versions of items identified as CD are available in the Music and Print Extras Bundle. Items identified as DVD are available in the Digital Video Bundle. SUGGESTED DATE: week of September 25 Additional training for Bible Studies For Life: Kids available at ministrygrid.com/web/biblestudiesforlife 20 Unit 1, Session 4
GROUP TIME Sing and move. Guide children to form a circle and hold hands. Encourage them to sing along with The Very Best Thing (track 4). Move into the middle as a group, then out as a circle again. Raise your hands when you move into the middle, and lower them when you move back out. Tell the Bible story. Open your Bible to Genesis 4. Use the Bible times figures as you tell the Bible story. Place the woman and man figures together; then add the Cain and Abel figures as you tell the story. Comment that Adam, Eve, Cain, and Abel were the first family. Mention that God planned for each child to be part of a family. THE FIRST FAMILY Based on Genesis 4:1-7 Adam and Eve were the first people God made. They had two boys named Cain and Abel. As the boys grew older, Cain worked in the fields and grew plants for food. Cain saved some of his plants and food to give to God. Abel was a shepherd. His job was to take care of the sheep. He fed the sheep and kept them safe. Abel gave some of his firstborn sheep to God. God was pleased with Abel. Cain became mad when he saw that God was pleased with Abel s offering. God told Cain to do what was right and love his brother, Abel. Adam, Eve, Cain, and Abel were the first family. Learn the Unit and Weekly Bible Verses. Pass a family picture pattern card to each child. Help the preschoolers identify which patterns are of a mother, father, and child. Talk about how families may have different people other than parents. Encourage children to say the Weekly and Unit Verses. Then say the verses like a grandfather. Repeat the verses, talking like a different family member. Recall the Bible story. Choose a volunteer to count the number of people in the Teaching Picture. Invite another child to name the members of the first family. Use the paper to graph the number of members in each child s family. Talk about how families can be different. Review the Life Point. Form a circle with the preschoolers. Play God Made You and Me (track 1) as the children pass a ball around the circle. When the music stops, direct the child holding the ball to tell something the family does together. Pray. Ask God to help the preschoolers show love to their family members this week. Wrap it up. Show the video The First Family: Life Action. Remind the children that God planned for everyone to be part of a family. CHOOSE Your Own SCHEDULE Decide when to have group time; then select learning activities to use before and/ or after group time. Pack Items 14, 15, 27, 28: Unit Verse Markers, Weekly Verse Markers, Family Picture Patterns, Stand-up Bible Times Figures Teaching Picture 4 CD DVD Masking tape, ball, large piece of paper, marker, blocks, scissors Draw two columns on the paper for graphing. Cut out a woman, man, and 2 boys from the Bible times figures. Tape them to blocks. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 3s PRE-K 21
BIBLE-LEARNING ACTIVITIES Kids Activity Page White paper, washable markers Pack Items 14, 15: Unit Verse Markers, Weekly Verse Markers Tape Cars, blocks Teaching Picture 4 Toy pots and pans, plastic food, large piece of paper, marker DRAW YOUR FAMILY Help each child complete a Kids Activity Page before beginning the art project. Remind the children that God made families. Comment that you can read about the first family God created in the Book of Genesis in the Bible. Guide the preschoolers to think about how many members are in their families. Lead them to draw a picture of their families. Remind them that Jesus had a family just like each of them has a family. Print the last name of the family on each paper. (Art) TELL ABOUT YOUR FAMILY Lay a long piece of tape on the floor. Place the verse markers at one end of the tape. Direct each child to walk across the tape. Lead each preschooler to choose a marker at the end of the tape. Assist her in saying the Bible Verse. Repeat the activity by challenging the children to tiptoe or hop across the tape. Extend the play by encouraging children to act out something their families do together. Mention that God planned for each child to be part of a family. Say a sentence prayer to thank God for putting each child in a family. (Dramatic Play) PLAY WITH BLOCKS Tell the children about a family vacation you took when you were younger. Suggest children build roads, bridges, mountains, or beaches with the blocks. Direct preschoolers to pretend to go on a family vacation while driving the cars over the bridges and mountains. As they play, comment that God made and planned for the first family. (Blocks) MATCH THE KITCHEN SUPPLIES Trace the toy pots, pans, and food on the paper. Display the paper and the items. Show the Teaching Picture and briefly tell the Bible story. Challenge children to match the items to the outlines on the paper. Mention that God planned for each child to have a family. Remind them that God had a job for Cain and Abel. Cain grew plants in the field. Abel took care of the sheep. Guide preschoolers to think of things they can do to show love to their families. (Puzzles and Games) 22 Unit 1, Session 4
LIFE POINT God made families. CREATE A PATTERN OF FAMILY MEMBERS Lead the children to say the Weekly Bible Verse: Show love to family members. Start a simple pattern using the Family Picture Patterns. Encourage a preschooler to repeat the pattern. Suggest the children create different patterns using the cards. As they work, say the Life Point: God made families. Pray, thanking God for families. (Puzzles and Games) Pack Item 27: Family Picture Patterns BONUS ACTIVITIES MAKE YOUR FAMILY AND TALK ABOUT MISSIONS Continue to talk about how Kimberly Cain and her family tell children in West Africa about Jesus. Point to the picture of the church on the Missions Pictures page. Say that Kimberly Cain tells boys and girls in her church about Jesus. Inquire if the church looks like their church. Review the Bible story about the first family God made. Suggest the preschoolers make family members using the play dough. As they work, ask questions about their families. Pray for Kimberly Cain s family. USE THE COLORING PAGE Make available the Coloring Page, The First Family, for each child. Provide washable markers for coloring. As the children use the markers, talk about their families and pray for their families. Play the music Creation of God (track 13) in the background as children work. If time does not allow you to use the Coloring Page during the session, be sure to send it home for coloring fun during the week. CD: Missions Pictures Play dough CD: The First Family Coloring Page Washable markers CLEAN UP Give the children a five-minute warning before cleanup time needs to begin. As you encourage them to put away toys and resources, challenge them to help you make up a song about cleanup. Hum a familiar tune to help them get started. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 3s PRE-K 23
UNIT 1 SESSION 4 THE FIRST FAMILY BONUS TEACHING HOUR FOR 3s PRE-K BIBLE FUN ACTIVITIES ROOM SNACK Include the children in the distribution of the snack. Ask for one or more volunteers to pray. Lead preschoolers to clean up after the snack. Thank them for their help. MOVE TO GROUP TIME Pretend everyone is a big family and hike to group time. Lead children through brush, over hills, and over rivers. Mention that God made families. TALK ABOUT THE BIBLE STORY INTRODUCE the Bible Story Genesis 4:1-7 Open your Bible to Genesis 4. Ask your group: Who came to church with their family today? SUMMARIZE the Bible Story In the beginning Adam and Eve were the first people God made. Adam and Eve had a baby boy and named him Cain. Later they had a second baby boy named Abel. Adam, Eve, Cain, and Abel were the first family God made. Cain worked in the fields. Abel was a shepherd. Cain gave some of his food to God. Abel gave some of his sheep to God. God was pleased with Abel. This made Cain mad. God told Cain to do what was right and love his brother. YOUR TEACHING PARTNER(S) DATE OF USE LIFE POINT God made families. UNIT VERSE In the beginning God made the world. Genesis 1:1 WEEKLY VERSE Show love to family members. Romans 12:10 REVIEW the Bible Story Who were the first mommy and daddy? Who were their children? What did God tell Cain to do? EMPHASIZE the Life Point Say that God made families. Emphasize that God made the first family of Adam, Eve, Cain, and Abel. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 3s PRE-K BTH-9
SING TOGETHER Sing to the tune of Do You Know the Muffin Man? : God made all the fa-mi-lies, The fa-mi-lies, the fa-mi-lies. God made all the fa-mi-lies. He planned my family, too! SAY THE BIBLE VERSE Open your Bible to Romans 12. Say the Weekly Bible Verse: Show love to family members. Instruct the children to say it in a dad s voice. Try the verse again in a mom s voice. Encourage them to say the verse one more time in a baby s voice. Mention that God planned for each child to be part of a family. He wants us to love our families. PRAY Invite preschoolers to pray, thanking God for giving them families. BIBLE-LEARNING ACTIVITIES Emphasize during the activities: God made families. A. Go on a pretend car ride. Assist the children in lining up the chairs to make a car or van. Say that God planned for each of us to be in a family. Comment that some families spend lots of time in the car. Suggest they take a long car ride as you drive. Play a game of I Spy. Pretend to see certain sights as you travel. B. Set the kitchen table. Suggest the preschoolers set the table for a family dinner. Lead them to pray before the meal. Open the Bible to Genesis 4 and briefly tell the Bible story about the first family. Talk about ways children can show love to family members while in the kitchen. Remind them that some families have different people other than parents. C. Build your house from blocks. Talk about each child s house how many stories, what color, and other features. Encourage children to build their houses. Say that God planned for everyone to be in a family. Repeat the Bible Verse: Show love to family members. Encourage children to say the verse with you. D. Make a collage. Provide grocery store flyers or magazines, scissors, glue sticks, and paper plates. Direct children to cut out pictures of foods their families like to eat. Instruct them to glue the pictures to the paper plate. Mention they can show love to their mothers by eating the food she makes or helping her in the kitchen. Pray, thanking God for families and asking God to help them show love to their family members. CLEAN UP Give preschoolers a five-minute warning that cleanup time will happen soon. Call for cleanup time. Walk around the room, complimenting children as they clean. PLAY I LOVE MY FAMILY Tape a large square to the floor (large enough that all children can stand inside). Ask preschoolers certain questions about their families. If the answer is yes, they should step in the square. If the answer to the question is no, they should step out of the square. Stop periodically to have everyone say: God made families. DISMISS Help children gather their papers and belongings. Thank them for coming. Remind parents to use the Bible and Me verses on the One Conversation page. Thank you for serving! 10-BTH UNIT 1 SESSION 4 2016 LifeWay.
UNIT 1. SESSION 4 The First Family Count and Draw UNIT VERSE In the beginning God made the world. GENESIS 1:1 The first family God made was Adam, Eve, Cain, and Abel. Count the family members in each picture. Print the number of members in the box. In the last frame draw your family and print the number of members. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 3s PRE-K 9
TM THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE: Parents, today your child heard about the first family. God created people to live in families. God s plan for children is to live in a family. What is special about your family? CREATION Preschool LEVEL OF BIBLICAL LEARNING God wants me to thank Him for the things He made. THE FIRST FAMILY SCRIPTURE: Genesis 4:1-7 WEEKLY VERSE: Show love to family members. Romans 12:10 LIFE POINT: God made families. LIVE IT OUT: Take time to look at family pictures in an album, especially pictures of family members your child may not see often. Tell your child things you know about those family members. Remind your child that God gave him a family. Adam and Eve were the first people God made. They had two boys named Cain and Abel. As the boys grew older, Cain worked in the fields and grew plants for food. Cain saved some of his plants and food to give to God. Abel was a shepherd. His job was to take care of the sheep. He fed the sheep and kept them safe. Abel gave some of his firstborn sheep to God. God was pleased with Abel. Cain became mad when he saw that God was pleased with Abel s offering. God told Cain to do what was right and love his brother, Abel. Adam, Eve, Cain, and Abel were the first family. BIBLE AND ME: Read these verses each day with your child. Sunday: Genesis 4:2 Monday: Genesis 4:7 Tuesday: Job 13:23 Wednesday: Romans 6:23 Thursday: John 1:29 Friday: Romans 6:11 Saturday: Psalm 25:11 TAKE IT FURTHER Check out The First Family section of the Bible Studies For Life: Kids Family App. 10
In the beginning God made the world. Genesis 1:1 God has plans to care for you. Jeremiah 29:11 God will help you today. Exodus 14:13 14 UNIT VERSE MARKERS Units 1, 2, 3 Leader Pack, Fall 2016 Instructions: Cut apart the Unit Verse Markers. Use as directed in the Leader Guide.
In the beginning God made the world. Genesis 1:1 God made the animals. Genesis 1:25 Love your father and mother. Deuteronomy 5:16 Show love to family members. Romans 12:10 Do what God says. Deuteronomy 8:6 God loves us. Psalm 117:2 God has plans to care for you. Jeremiah 29:11 Try to get along with everyone. Romans 12:18 Show love to one another. Romans 12:10 Love one another. 1 John 4:7 God loves me. Psalm 86:13 God will help you today. Exodus 14:13 We will do what God says. Exodus 19:8 15 WEEKLY VERSE MARKERS Units 1, 2, 3 Leader Pack, Fall 2016 Instructions: Separate the Weekly Verse Markers. Use as directed in the Leader Guide.
27 FAMILY PICTURE PATTERNS Unit 1, Session 4 Leader Pack, Fall 2016 Instructions: Cut out the patterns. Use as directed in the Leader Guide.
28 STAND-UP BIBLE TIMES FIGURES Unit 1, Session 4 Leader Pack, Fall 2016 Instructions: Cut around the Bible figures. Use as directed during various lessons in the Leader Guide.
MISSIONS PICTURES UNIT 1 Missions in West Africa Missionary: Kimberly Cain Jesus loves all children everywhere and wants them to learn about Him. Kimberly Cain in West Africa loves children and tells them about Jesus. Sometimes Kimberly teaches children as they sit on mats on the dusty ground. Sometimes she teaches children at a local church where the roof is made of woven grass. That church building might not look like yours, but the children in West Africa are learning the same stories from the Bible that you are! Kimberly uses a storytelling cloth to tell stories from the Bible. Each picture on the cloth is about a different Bible story. Kimberly tells children the Bible stories so they can grow up knowing Jesus and telling others about Him. Pray For missionaries to learn the new language For missionaries to adjust to a new culture and yearround hot temperatures For the children of West Africa to learn to follow Jesus and tell others Bible Studies For Life 3s Pre-K, Fall 2016 2016 LifeWay. Printed in the United States of America. This item may be reproduced.
The First Family Show love to family members. Romans 12:10 2016 LifeWay. Printed in the United States of America. This item may be reproduced.