The Unmerciful Servant s2

First Look 3- through 5-year-olds, November, Week 4

November 26, 2017

Bible Story Focus: I am thankful God gives me what I need. The Lord is my Shepherd • Psalm 23 Memory Verse: “I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart.” Psalm 111:1, ESV Key Question: Who can you thank for everything? Bottom Line: I can thank God for everything. Basic Truth: God made me.

Social: Providing Time for Fun Interaction (Small Groups, 15 minutes) Activities that encourage preschoolers to enter the classroom and begin engaging with peers and Small Group Leaders by providing age appropriate and hands on fun while introducing new concepts they will hear in the day’s Bible story.

Prepare to offer one or more of the following activities as Your 3-, 4-, or 5-year-olds arrive. Let one or two teachers lead activities in different areas of the room while another teacher greets parents and kids at the door.

1. Bowling with Needs Made to Move: An activity that uses a preschooler’s natural desire to move to help them learn

What You Need: “Bowling Needs” Activity Page, white cardstock, 6 clean and empty water bottles, tape, and a small ball

What You Do: Before the Activity: Copy “Bowling Needs” onto the cardstock and cut along the dotted lines. You will have a total of six pictures. Tape one picture to each bottle. Place the bottles in a pyramid shape (like bowling pins) at one end of the activity area.

During the Activity: Give a child the ball and ask the child to roll the ball toward the bottles to try and knock them down. When a bottle is knocked down, pick it up and show the children the picture taped to the bottle. Explain that the picture is something that we need. Be sure that every child has a turn to bowl and knock down the bottles.

What You Say: Before the Activity: “Let’s go bowling!”

During the Activity: “Roll this ball (hold up) toward the bottles and try to knock them down. (Do activity.) WOW! Great job!”

After the Activity: “You are all such great bowlers! There are pictures taped to each of our bottles. The pictures are food, water, a house, clothes, family, and a Bible. These are all things that we NEED! In our Bible story today we are going to hear about the one person who gives us everything we need!”

Transition: Move to Worship and Story by saying, “We are going to hear a story from the Bible today about how God gives us what we need. Let’s all chant, ‘God gives us what we need!’ as we walk to the story area.”

2. Memory Match Made to Play: An activity that encourages preschoolers to follow guidelines while having fun and learning new concepts

What You Need: “Thankful Matching Cards” Activity Page, white cardstock, and scissors

What You Do: Before the Activity: Copy “Thankful Matching Cards” onto the cardstock and cut along the dotted lines. Shuffle the cards and place them in a stack face down.

During the Activity: Lay out the cards face down in grid pattern with two rows of four cards. Encourage the children to turn over two cards to find a match. If the cards match, remind them of that story from this month using the text below. If they do not find a match, turn the cards face down again and give the next child a turn. Continue until all matches are found and Bible stories have all been reviewed/introduced.

What You Say: Before the Activity: “Hello, friends! Today we’re going to play a matching game.”

During the Activity: “The rules are very simple. When it is your turn, I want you to turn over two cards to find a match. (Demonstrate.) If you find a match, we will talk about the pictures we see. If the cards do not match, turn them back over so another friend can have a turn.” (Play the game using the verbiage below.)

Bible: “God gave us this book to keep us safe and show us how to live the best life. I am thankful for God’s rules.” Praying hands: “We can talk to God. When we do it’s called prayer. We can thank God, tell Him what we need, and ask Him to forgive us when we mess up. I am thankful I can pray.” Group of people: “God has given us lots of people to help us, like our police officers and firefighters, teachers, friends, and family. I am thankful for people who help me.”

Apple and water bottle: “What do you see in this picture? That’s right! We need food to live. God gives us what we need. We’ll hear more about that in our Bible story today.”

After the Activity: “What awesome memories you have! You found all the matches. We have SO many things to be thankful for, don’t we? Let’s head to Large Group to find out the last part of our Recipe for Thanks.”

Transition: Move to Worship and Story by calling on different children to share their favorite food. Say, “Our Recipe for Thanks makes me think of food! When I call on you, tell me your favorite food while we walk to Large Group!”

November 26, 2017

Bible Story Focus: I am thankful God gives me what I need. The Lord is my Shepherd • Psalm 23 Memory Verse: “I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart.” Psalm 111:1, ESV Key Question: Who can you thank for everything? Bottom Line: I can thank God for everything. Basic Truth: God made me.

Groups: Creating a Safe Place to Connect (Small Groups, 25 minutes) Create a safe place to connect through activities that are written to reach every learning style while reinforcing the Bottom Line that was introduced during the Bible Story and applying it to real life experiences. In addition, these activities provide preschoolers with an opportunity to build relationships with their Small Group Leader.

Offer as many of the following activities as your time, facilities, resources, and leadership allow. You may want to lead one activity at a time. Or, offer two activities at once and allow half the kids to participate in each. Then switch groups and repeat the activities.

1. Memory Verse Sandwich Hear from God | Memory Verse Review Made to Move: An activity that uses a preschooler’s natural desire to move to help them learn

What You Need: “Sandwich Bread” and “Insides of a Sandwich” Activity Pages, white cardstock, and scissors

What You Do: Before the Activity: Copy “Sandwich Bread” and “Insides of a Sandwich” Activity Pages from onto the cardstock and cut along the dotted lines. (Note: You may have some of these left over from Week 2.)

During the Activity: Lay the sandwich pieces on the floor in a line, leaving some space between each piece. Encourage the children to walk in a line while stepping on each part of the sandwich as you say the verse aloud together. Repeat as long as time and interest allow.

What You Say: Before the Activity: “I am so thankful that God gives us what we need, like yummy food to eat!”

During the Activity: “Let’s say our verse for this month as we walk along the sandwich parts! Let’s line up here (point) and walk one at a time across the sandwich. Say the verse with me: I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, Psalm 111:1. Great job!”

After the Activity: “Great job, everyone! We have so much to be thankful for, like food to eat. Who can you thank for everything? [Bottom Line] I can thank God for everything. God has given us everything we need, so we can thank Him with our WHOLE heart!”

2. What We Need Talk About God | Bible Story Review Made to Explore: An activity that channels a preschooler’s innate curiosity into a discussion of the week’s crucial concepts

What You Need: Large piece of butcher paper, wall tape, and a permanent marker

What You Do: Before the Activity: Turn the butcher paper vertically. Write “THANK YOU, GOD” on top of the paper and hang it on the wall at preschool level.

During the Activity: Ask the children to call out items that they need. Write down what the children say on the paper. Write down the child’s name next to the item they called out. Retell today’s Bible story.

After the Activity: Hang the paper in a place where the children’s families can see it during pick up.

What You Say: Before the Activity: “Our Bible story today told us that God gives us what we need!”

During the Activity: “Can you think of things that we need? (Pause.) When you do, please tell me. I can write them on our chart and show your families when they come to pick you up!” (Do activity.)

After the Activity: “Our Bible story tells us that God is like a shepherd who gives us everything that we need. He gives us the Bible, He tells us how to talk to Him through prayer, He gives us family to helps us, and He gives us food and water to eat and drink. We should always be thankful to God for giving us what we need. Who can you thank for everything? [Bottom Line] I can thank God for everything!”

4. Icon Corners Live for God | Application Activity Made to Move: An activity that uses a preschooler’s natural desire to move to help them learn

What You Need: “Icon Corners” Activity Page, white cardstock, and wall tape

What You Do: Before the Activity: Copy the Activity Page onto the cardstock. Tape one icon to each of the corners or sides of the activity area.

During the Activity: Call out one of the icons and encourage the children to run to that particular icon. Once all of the children arrive to that corner, call out another icon and encourage the children to run to that corner.

After the Activity: Continue with the activity until you have called out all of the icons several times.

What You Before the Activity: “We are going to play a game!”

During the Activity: “I put pictures of things that God gives us in the corners of the room. (Point.) When I call out a picture, everyone run to the corner with that picture in it. Are you ready?” (Do activity.)

After the Activity: “That was so much fun! The pictures in the corners are things that God has given us. He gives us everything we need. We should always show how thankful we are to God! Who can you thank for everything? [Bottom Line] I can thank God for everything!”

5. Thankful Pizza Live for God | Application Activity Made to Create: An activity that allows preschoolers to review the Bible story, Bottom Line, or memory verse by creating a craft

What You Need: “Bible Story Pepperoni” and “Pizza Label” Activity Pages, white cardstock, Avery Labels 5160 or equivalent, paper plates, yellow and orange crayons, and glue sticks

What You Do: Before the Activity: Copy the “Bible Story Pepperoni” Activity Page onto the cardstock. You’ll need one set of pepperonis per child. Copy the “Pizza Label” on labels. Each child will need one label. Place the paper plates, yellow and orange crayons, and glue sticks in the center of the table. You’ll need one plate per child.

During the Activity: Encourage the children to use the yellow and orange crayons to color the inside of the plate (not the rim). This will be the cheese part of their pizza. Pass out a set of pepperonis to each child. Point out the different pictures to review the stories from this month. Encourage the children to use the glue sticks to glue their pepperonis to their pizzas. Have the children add a label to the their pizza.

After the Activity: Write each child’s name on the back of their pizzas and set aside to dry.

What You Say: Before the Activity: “Raise your hand if you love pizza. (Pause.) Me too. I LOVE pizza.”

During the Activity: “Today we’re going to make a special thankful pizza to see if we can remember all the fun things we’ve talked about this month. First, let’s color our plates to make our pizzas look like they’re covered in yummy, gooey cheese! Then I’ll give you some special pepperonis to glue onto your pizzas.”

After the Activity: “Your pizzas look good enough to eat! Now let’s talk about the pictures we see. The Bible (hold up picture) reminds us that God has given us His Word to know how to live. I am thankful for the Bible. These praying hands (hold up picture) remind me that I can talk to God! And this picture with people (hold up picture) reminds me that God has given us so many people that help us! And this picture with the water bottle and apple (hold up picture) remind me that God gives me what I need. We have SO much to be thankful for. Who can you thank for everything? [Bottom Line] I can thank God for everything.”

Prayer SGL: “Dear God, You are such a good, good, GOOD Father. You give us everything we need, just like a shepherd who takes care of His sheep. Thank You for giving us (read the list the children made). I pray that (name each child) will grow up thanking You with their whole heart for the people who help them and that they will want to follow Your commands and talk to You. There is no one else like You, God. You are the best. We love You. In Jesus’ name, amen.”