Wednesday Night Lessons 101

Paul & Timothy
Text: Acts 15-16
1. Welcome Song
I found a new version of the "Books of the New Testament" on the CD "Bible Songs for Toddlers." I found out that I can borrow quite a few different CDs from our local library, so have ordered a few more for ideas.
Sang the song about 4 times, with actions. A few of the kids picked up on it pretty fast, but it has a lot of words in it so it will take a couple more weeks to know it.
2. Bible Time
Did a few more Bible drills, marked the book of Matthew in their Bibles with a blue bookmark to help them find it.
3. Story Time
Read Acts 15:22, Acts 15:40,41, and Acts 16:1-10 from the Message translation Bible. Broke the class into two parts to listen, using one half to listen for WHO went on a trip, and the other half to listen WHERE they went on a trip.
Brought in my suitcase for a visual aid. Talked just briefly about going on trips before starting the story.
4. Break Time
Had some issues with rowdy kids tonight. One thing worked fairly well, if I can just practice it more, is letting them know a break time is coming up when they will be allowed to move around, talk, get a drink, etc but during story time it's time to listen. I've found out it helps the more active kids to have a schedule that is regular so they know what to look forward to and when to sit still and when they can move. I haven't perfected it yet, but I think it helps.
5. Mailbox
Tonight I had only 3 letters in the mailbox (there were 5 kids). Two letters that hadn't been picked up by absent kids, and one birthday card. In the birthday card I had the beginning of the activity for tonight.
6. Activity
Treasure Hunt!
I made 5 clues on yellow slips of paper that I hid before class around the room. While the birthday boy can't read yet, it was his job to lead the others around. The others could help him read the clue, but they weren't allowed to touch or find the next one, only help. The clues led them to our Memory Verse bulletin board, and after practicing it a few times and reminding them about the paper party coming up, I gave them the last clue which led to a snack of cupcakes in the fridge.
7. Craft
We made twirling puppets out of tag-board and straws. They were supposed to be Timothy.

Note: This week I had a little difficulty with the older students not listening. One idea for next week is, when I ask them a question and they purposely don't know the answer, to move on quickly to another student and not give that one any more attention than necessary. "I'm sorry you don't know the answer.....Penny, how about you tell me the answer?"

Wednesday Night Lessons 101

Story of Saul/Paul
Text: Acts 9:1-28
1. Welcome song
* Brought my boombox and played "If You're Happy and You Know It Clap Your Hands...."
* Made sure to welcome each kid by name.
2. Bible time
I have a "Treasure Box" decorated up in which I keep enough children's Bibles for each kid in the class. At this time, I tell them, "It's time to use our Bibles! Go and grab one that you want to use from the treasure box!" I have one picture Bible I keep in there for the non-reader in my class. Once they all have their Bibles, I have them sit down at the table and we do some Bible drills (see below).
I have drawn on our blackboard a simple open book marked with Old Testament half and New Testament half. I also have written out MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE, JOHN. At this point in the lesson I go over these words with them.

3. Story Time
* I introduced ACTS to them. (it comes after John), showed it to them in their Bibles, and mention that is where our story comes from today.
* I read the story to them, and brought my big flashlight in for special effects.
4. Break Time
* The kids have been pretty ant-sy the past couple of weeks, so I introduced a "break time" into our 45 min class time. I allowed them to stand up and move around, talk to each other, play around etc while I prepared the snack and craft materials.
5. Snack time
* Mystery bags (paper bags with question marks all over them). "Just like Paul couldn't see, we can't see what our snack is....put your hand in the bag and see if you can guess without using your eyes!" (Had cheese puffs)
* Prayed before eating
6. Memory verse review
* This month our goal is to memorize Galations 5:13 and John 3:16. If everyone in the class gets it done, I've promised a paper party at my house for them all.
* I had written John 3:16 on the 2nd blackboard in big colorful chalk last week. This week, I printed out word pictures and glued them to small pieces of flannel. Then, I arranged them on the flannel board and we read them out loud as a class. After a couple times, I removed one of the pictures and they tried to say the whole thing again. It worked really well. Sample Here
7. Mailbox
* I created a carboard mailbox out of a Kleenex box, construction paper, and stickers. This I hung from the ceiling (high enough so they can't really reach it but I can). I wrote a card to each student and put it in the box. At this time we "distributed" the mail. Not all the kids were there, so I left the extra cards in the box for next week.
8. Close
* We reviewed the lesson about Paul, and our Galatians 3:15 verse. Then, I briefly told them about what to look forward to next weeks class. I had them help me clean up/put away the Bibles. Then we went out in the backyard and played Pom-Pom-Pull-Away until their parents were ready to go.

Bible Drills:
* "The Bible is known as the 'Sword of the Spirit'
* Have the kids sit on their Bibles and then I say...."Ready?" "Draw your swords!" (they lift them above their heads) "Find the book of Psalms.." (we also know Genesis, Matthew, and are learning how to find simple chapters and verses) "GO!" (at which point, they drop their Bibles down to the table and see who can find it first.)

Funeral Bells

A minister well known for his beautiful singing voice came home visibly upset after consulting with a new widow about funeral plans for her recently deceased husband. His wife asked him what was wrong, and he revealed that the wife had asked him to sing her husband's favorite song, "Jingle Bells," at the funeral. He was troubled that it wasn't appropriate to the solemn occasion.He struggled and prayed about it, and finally decided to honor the grieving widow's wishes. At the funeral, still sensitive about how some of the mourners might react to hearing "Jingle Bells" at a funeral, he carefully introduced the song with words about appreciating the sense of humor and lightheartedness of the deceased. The widow had been very tearful during the service. Hearing the introduction to her late husband's "favorite song" she sat up and began to appear quite interested. As the preacher began the song, the widow began to smile, and her tears dried up. She was actually giggling as he concluded, and he felt glad he'd decided to honor her request since it obviously had been so comforting. After the service she thanked the pastor for sharing his music ministry, and with a big grin she added, "By the way, the favorite song I requested was 'When They Ring Those Golden Bells!'"

(You_Make_Me_Laugh@crosswalkmail.com)

Wednesday Night Lessons 101

Lame Man Walks
Text: Acts 3:1-21
1. Story Time
* Read story to them from a children's Bible.
* Used balloon for visual help.....drew face on baloon (sad face on one side, happy on the other), left the end untied. As the story went on, this balloon man was the main character "This poor man couldn't walk....." I made the balloon squeak for the man "begging," and when Peter said, rise up and walk, I let the balloon go and fly around the room! The kids were quite excited!
2. Memory Verse Review
* Galatians 5:13 "Serve One Another in Love"
* Talked about ways we can serve as kids. Wrote them on the board (Wash dishes, visit Grandparents, make cookies, share toys). The only problem was I talked to long and the kids lost attention span.
3. Snack Time
* Apples and Peanut butter (served on plastic plates). On the bottom of each plate I had taped a picture card (about the size of a business card) with the memory verse John3:16 typed on it.
4. Craft
* We made memory verse mobiles using two popsicle sticks, string, and words printed on paper (Gal. 5:13, SERVE, ONE, ANOTHER, IN LOVE.) They strung beads on the strings too.
5. Close
* I asked them to look on the bottom of their plastic plates and pull off the card hidden there. They took those and the mobile home.
* I wrote "Come Next Week!" in white crayon on white paper. Then, as they watched, I told them "Next week we will learn about a man who couldn't see...." and painted over the crayon with blue paint and the words showed up.