******************************************************* Title: Kindergarten Sabbath School Program, October 27, 2001 From: NAD Children's Ministries (author: Lisa Seeders) Date Completed: September 15, 2001 Abstract: Activities to use in place of program helps to teach the lesson, GIDEON AND THE BRAVE SOLDIERS ******************************************************* Lesson Aim: We can depend on God's power and strength. Memory Verse: "'Not by might...but by my Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty." Zech. 4:6, NIV GETTING THEIR ATTENTION - MARBLE COUNT DOWN Materials needed: Marbles (Enough for each child to have 15 + one large shooter) Masking tape WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Make a large circle on the floor with the masking tape. (Diameter at least two feet) Place the large shooter marble in the center of the circle. Place small piece of masking tape at equal distance from the circle around the outside of the circle. Place enough so each child can sit or lie down behind the masking tape line. WHAT THE CHILDREN DO: Have the children sit or lie down behind a piece of masking tape facing the circle. Give them each 15 marbles. Tell them the shooter marble in the center of the circle is the enemy. They each have 15 marbles or 15 chances to knock the enemy out of the middle of the circle. They will roll each marble from behind their masking tape line. Before anyone goes tell the children that you have decided that they have too many chances. Each of them must give you 5 marbles back. Prepare to begin the game again. Then before anyone rolls any, say again that there are too many chances and ask for 5 more marbles. (By now the children are probably complaining that you're taking all their marbles.) Call attention to the fact that they now have only five chances to knock the enemy out. Give each child an opportunity to roll their five marbles into the center circle. When the game is over ask the following questions: 1. How did you feel when I took some of your marbles away? 2. Do you think you could have done a better job against that shooter marble if you had had more tries? This is like what happened in our Bible story today. God gave Gideon a job to do. Remember last week, when we proved to Gideon with the fleece that he was the right man for the job? Gideon's job was to go out and fight against the Midianites. God does something strange with Gideon's army. He takes men away just like I took marbles away from you this morning. How is Gideon suppose to fight against a large enemy army with only a few men? Let's find out! GO STRAIGHT INTO THE BIBLE STORY. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - BIBLE SAND STORY Materials needed: Toothpicks (box) Sand Tray or box to hold the sand in Small birthday candle Matches Masking tape Small piece of paper WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Place the sand in the box or tray deep enough for the toothpicks to stand up straight in. Tape a small birthday candle to one of the toothpicks. Make a very small trumpet from the piece of paper and tape it to the lower end of the birthday candle. WHAT THE CHILDREN DO: As you narrate the story help the children visualize it adding the following pieces as the story unfolds: 1. Give each child some toothpicks. Even though vast numbers do not mean anything to children of this age, tell them that each toothpick stands for 10 men. Have the children insert the toothpicks into the sand in neat soldier-type rows. (For the Midianite army you will end up with 10 rows with 10 toothpicks in each row, then just add 3 rows with 10 toothpicks in each row and 5 toothpicks in the last row. This does not equal the exact number of 135,000, but Kindergarten children are not concerned with those figures.) 2. As you talk about the Israelite army, give each child toothpicks that will make 3 rows with 10 toothpicks in each row and 2 toothpicks in the last row. Call attention to the different sizes of the armies. 3. As you narrate the events in the story of how Gideon's army decreases remove toothpicks. By the middle of the story have only 3 toothpicks left on the Israelite army side. 4. When you narrate the instructions and equipment that God told the Israelite army to carry with them into battle, replace one toothpick on the Israelite side with the toothpick that has the candle and trumpet attached. Briefly light the candle to show the burning torch. Wrap the story up calling attention to God's power and ability to help us when we follow His instructions and plans. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - MEMORY VERSE RHEBUS Materials needed: Sheets of white paper (one for each child) Crayons Markers Bibles WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) On a sheet of white paper write the following leaving blanks where indicated for children to draw pictures. NOT BY NOT BY BUT BY MY SAYS THE LORD ALMIGHTY. ZECHARIAH 4:6, NIV Xerox this paper so each child in the group has one. WHAT THE CHILDREN DO: Show the children where the memory verse is found in the Bible. Give them each a memory verse sheet. Ask them to think of an animal that makes them think of might or strength. Have them draw it in the blank where the word, might, has been omitted. Next ask them to think of an animal that makes them think of power. Have them draw it in the blank where the word, power, has been omitted. Explain to them that in the Bible the Holy Spirit or Spirit of God is shown as a dove, which is a bird. When Jesus was baptized the Holy Spirit came down from Heaven in the form of a dove. Help them draw a dove in the blank where the word, spirit, has been omitted. Practice saying the memory verse using the paper. Point to each word and add in the words that the pictures remind you of. Do it several times until the children can say the verse without stumbling. ACTING ON SCRIPTURE - GOD'S POWER AND STRENGTH OBJECT LESSON Materials needed: One plastic bucket with handle 3 apples One permanent black marker Clothes pins Tape Rope 12 - 15 feet Paring knife (optional) WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) On the outside of the white plastic bucket write the words, GOD'S POWER AND STRENGTH in large bold letters. Place the bucket, apples, clothes pins and tape on the floor together. WHAT THE CHILDREN DO: The purpose of the following activity is to show the children that our ideas and thoughts are puny. Often we run into problems we cannot solve. But with God's power and strength we can accomplish anything he asks us to do. You, and another adult hold the rope at least 10 feet apart. Leave a couple feet of rope hanging down on each end. Show the children the supplies on the floor. Tell them you need to get the apples from one end of the rope to the other. Using the clothes pins, tape and whatever other means they come up with encourage the children to think of ways to get the apples over to you on the other end. If no one comes up with putting them into the bucket, read the words on the bucket and give them hints to try putting them in the bucket and sending the bucket over by the handle. Give the children turns holding the rope and practicing sending the apples over. Emphasize repeatedly that God's power and strength, His ideas and plans are always better than ours.