The Unmerciful Servant s1

First Look 2-year-olds, November, Week 2

First LookTM Curriculum for Preschoolers We want preschoolers to take a first look at who God is and understand... God made me. God loves me. Jesus wants to be my friend forever. November 11, 2012

Basic Truth: God made me. Key Question: Who gives you good friends? Bottom Line: God gives me good friends. Memory Verse: “Two people are better than one. They can help each other in everything they do.” Ecclesiastes 4:9, NIrV Bible Story: Good friends comfort each other. David and Jonathan Say Goodbye • 1 Samuel 20:3-42

Here’s an overview of what you’ll be teaching in 2s this week.

Make It Fun (Choose one or all of these activities) • Make You Happy • Hide-and-Seek • Photo Booth

Make It True • Bible Story

Make It Stick (Choose as many of these activities as you like) • Two Together • Good-bye Groove

Dismiss

Make It Fun Prepare to offer one or more of the following activities as your 2-year-olds arrive. Let one or two teachers lead small groups of children in activities throughout the room while another teacher greets parents and kids at the door. At this age not all children will participate, but most will want to be part of the fun.

1. Make You Happy What You Need: Bubbles.

What You Do: Blow bubbles and let kids try to pop them.

What You Say: “Whenever I’m sad, my friend always knows to bring out the bubbles. Bubbles make me happy, especially the games we play with bubbles. Let's play a game right now! Will you play with me, friends? Let’s try to pop the bubbles with your head. (Do so for a bit.) Now let’s try to pop them with our noses. (Do so.) Can you pop the bubbles with your knees? (Let kids try.) How about with our toes? Do you think we could pop bubbles with our toes? (Let kids try.) God gives us friends to play with and help us. I wonder what the friends David and Jonathan will do in today's story.”

2. Hide-and-Seek What You Need: No supplies are needed. (Optional: Hide a stuffed animal or toy.)

What You Do: Play hide-and-seek.

What You Say: During the activity: “Let’s play hide-and-seek! I love that game!” (Either you hide and let the kids find you, or hide a toy and let the kids find that.)

At the end of the activity: “That was so much fun! When your friends are hiding, they are never too far away, and they always come back. But sometimes we have to say good-bye to our friends, like when playtime is over and they have to go home. In our Bible story today, we’ll hear how David had to say good-bye to his very best friend, Jonathan.”

3. Photo Booth What You Need: A heart pillow, a digital camera, and a small plastic photo album. (Optional: Make it a fun photo opportunity with all kinds of props.)

What You Do: During the activity: Get friends to pose together. These can be serious or funny poses. Have fun. Even take funny pictures of the leaders. Be sure to show kids the pictures after you take them. That's their favorite part.

After the activity: Have the pictures developed and put them in the photo album. This can be a permanent addition to the classroom library.

What You Say: “I am so thankful that God gives us good friends. Let’s take some fun pictures together! Oh, that is so great! You look awesome. Do you want to see? I’ll put all these pictures together in a book and have it ready next week for you to see all our classroom friends. Today, we’ll hear a story about two friends that cared a lot for each other. I wonder what will happen.”

Make It True After children have participated in Make It Fun, encourage the kids to have fun singing with you and then tell the Bible story.

When sharing the Bible story, guide kids to gather around you on the floor. Some kids (especially the younger ones) may wander. That’s okay. They’re still listening and learning!

Bible Story What You Need: A Bible.

STORYTELLER: (Enter carrying your Bible.) “Hello, friends! I am so happy to see you! Why don’t you come over and join me? Let’s all sit in a circle together. Today, I am going to tell you a great story! Do you like stories? Me too! I am going to tell you a story from my favorite book, the Bible.

“Today we are going to hear a story about a boy named David. Let’s open God’s BOOK and take a LOOK at David’s story. (Open the Bible.)

“Remember, the Bible says that David had a good friend. His name was Jonathan. Hey, I have an idea! Why don’t we stand up and sing part of our song about David and Jonathan? Come on, everybody!

(Sing the following lyrics to the tune of ‘The Wheels on the Bus.’) “David and Jonathan were good friends (interlock your hands together in front of you), Were good friends (continuing motion), Were good friends (continuing motion). David and Jonathan were good friends (keeping hands together and holding them in front of you). They cared for one another. (Hug yourself.)

(Speaking) “Great job, everyone! David and Jonathan were good friends. But one day, King Saul was mad (making a mad face) at David. Oh, no! Jonathan knew that David needed to get away from King Saul. The friends were very sad. They hugged as they said good-bye.

“Let’s all sit in our circle and talk about ways that WE can be a good friend, just like David and Jonathan were.

“David and Jonathan helped each other feel better when they were sad by giving each other hugs and saying they would always be friends. What are some ways that we can help our good friends feel better when they are sad?

“Can we say a prayer for our friends when they are sad? Yes! Yes, we can! Can we give our friend a hug if they are sad? Yes! Yes, we can! Can we color a picture for our friend to make them smile? Yes! Yes, we can!

“David and Jonathan knew that God gave them good friends and that they could help each other feel better when they were sad. God gives us good friends too, and we can help them feel better! Who gives you good friends?”

CHILDREN and STORYTELLER: [Bottom Line] “God (pointing up) gives me (pointing to yourself) good friends (high-fiving a friend next to you)!”

STORYTELLER: “That’s great! Say it with me one more time. Who gives you good friends?”

CHILDREN and STORYTELLER: [Bottom Line] “God (pointing up) gives me (pointing to yourself) good friends (high-fiving a friend next to you)!”

STORYTELLER: “Yes! [Basic Truth] God made me, and [Bottom Line] God gives me good friends. Let’s pray together and thank God for giving us good friends!

“Dear God, thank You for giving us such good friends. Help us to always be a good friend by helping others feel better when they’re sad. We love You, God! Amen.”

Make It Stick Choose two or more of the following activities to help make the Bottom Line stick. Lead the activities with small groups of children. Encourage children to play on their own if they do not wish to take part in an activity.

1. Two Together What You Need: “Two Together” (from the Activity Pages on the Web site), white cardstock, paper, people die cuts of all colors, crayons, large heart stickers, glue sticks, and a marker. (Optional: Copy the “Paper Doll" Activity Page onto different skin-colored pieces of cardstock. Cut out the figures and use them instead of people die cuts.)

What You Do: Let each child pick two paper dolls and glue them to a piece of paper so the figures’ hands are touching. Let kids color their figures as they choose. Then help each child place a heart sticker where the two hands overlap or touch. Recite the memory verse.

What You Say: “I want you to pick out two of these paper dolls and glue them to your sheet. Great! Now you need to make them pretty by coloring them. (After kids do so) Wow! What a great job! Now, add the heart to the hands right here (point to where the two hands touch).

“Our memory verse from the Bible tells us ‘Two people are better than one. They can help each other in everything they do,’ Ecclesiastes 4:9. You did a wonderful job!”

2. Good-bye Groove What You Need: Just a sense of humor!

What You Do: Teach the kids a good-bye dance and ditty. Think “Cupid Shuffle” groove.

What You Say: “Let’s do a fun classroom good-bye song and dance. It goes like this: ‘Good-bye, everybody (making windshield wiper motions with your arms). Yes, indeed! (Point both fingers.) Yes, indeed! (Point both fingers.) Yes, indeed! (Point both fingers.)

“Good-bye, everybody (making windshield wiper motions with your arms). Yes, indeed! (Point both fingers.) We'll see you all next time! (Do the ‘sprinkler’ dance move.) We'll see you all next time! (Do the ‘sprinkler’ with the other arm.) Bye- bye! (Wave each hand in a ‘wax on, wax off’ motion.)

“That was so cool! We made a great good-bye song and dance! Now we don’t have to be sad when it’s time to say good-bye. Let’s do it again! (Repeat as many times as kids desire.)

“God gives us good friends. Sometimes we have to say good-bye, and that can be sad. But we can give hugs and make each other feel better, just like David and Jonathan did. Who gives you good friends? [Bottom Line] God gives me good friends!”

Get Ready to Dismiss Set any take-home creations where you or parents can get them easily. Greet parents at the door and tell them that this month preschoolers are learning that [Bottom Line] God gives me good friends. Encourage parents to repeat the Bottom Line at home and help their child understand that [Bottom Line] God gives me good friends.

Have this month’s Parent Cue available for parents to pick up or send it in a monthly email. Encourage parents to use the activities found in Parent Cue to reinforce this month’s Bottom Line, [Bottom Line] God gives me good friends.