bible studies for life kids broadly graded leader guide...

range tobottom edge

range tobottom edge

Kids

Kids

BIBLESTUDIESFOR LIFE

KIDS

Grades 1-3 & 4-6 FALL 2013 | LeAder Guide

ronnie FLoyd | GenerAL editor

WAtch out!

GettinG ALonG

Broadly_Graded_FAL-13_Ldr-Guide.indb 1 3/26/13 12:40 PM

Eric Geiger

Vice President, Church Resources

Ronnie Floyd

General Editor

David Francis

Managing Editor

Jeff Land

Publishing Team Leader

Landry Holmes

Manager, Kids Ministry Publishing

Lance Howerton

Director, Kids Ministry

Send questions/comments toPublishing Team Leader Bible Studies for Life Grades 1-3 & 4-6 Leader GuideOne LifeWay Plaza, MSN 172Nashville, TN 37234-0172Make comments on the Web atwww.lifeway.com.

Printed in the United States of America.

Bible Studies for Life Grades 1-3 & 4-6 Leader Guide (ISSN pending; Item 005075020) is published quarterly by LifeWay, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234, Thom S. Rainer, President. © 2013 LifeWay.

For ordering or inquiries, visit www.lifeway.com, or write LifeWay Customer Service, One LifeWay Plaza, MSN 113, Nashville, TN 37234-0113. For subscriptions or subscription address changes, email [email protected], fax 615.251.5818, or write to the above address. For bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address, email [email protected], fax 615.251.5933, or write to the above address.

Bible Studies for Life Grades 1-3 & 4-6 Leader Guide is designed to provide Bible study for older children which is foundational to their spiritual awareness and growth and which is developmentally appropriate.

Bible Studies for Life Grades 1-3 & 4-6 Leader Guide provides Bible study and teaching suggestions for workers who teach first through sixth graders. The Bible stories printed in this magazine are based on Scripture and are written in words children can understand.

We believe that the Bible has God for it author; salvation for its end; and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter and that all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. To review LifeWay’s doctrinal guideline, please visit www.lifeway.com/doctrinalguideline.

Aa noted Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and (HCSB)® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

contEntS

B I B L e S T U d I e S F O R L I F e G R A d e S 1 - 3 & 4 - 6

UNIT 1. Watch Out!SESSION 1: Good Attitudes .................................................................... 8

SESSION 2: Resist Temptation .............................................................. 16

SESSION 3: Treat Others Right ............................................................. 24

SESSION 4: Speak Kindly to All People .............................................. 32

SESSION 5: Loving the Unlovable ....................................................... 40

SESSION 6: It’s Not Going to Be easy .................................................. 48

UNIT 2. GEttING aLONGSESSION 1: The Best Option ................................................................. 58

SESSION 2: do the Right Thing ............................................................ 66

SESSION 3: Walk Away ........................................................................... 74

SESSION 4: Speaking Up ....................................................................... 82

SESSION 5: Stepping In ......................................................................... 90

SESSION 6: God’s Big Plan ..................................................................... 98

SPECIAL FOCUS: Thanking God .........................................................106

USE THE WEEK OF THANKSGIVING.

BonuS tEacHinG HouR: LaRGE-GRoup ExpERiEncECheck your enhanced Cd for even more Bible learning! Need a large-group plan or

kids worship plan? It’s now available on your enhanced Cd. Check it out for ideas on

how to use the plan in conjunction with your Bible Studies for Life Grades 1-3 & 4-6

curriculum.

B i B l e S t u d i e S f o r l i f e g r a d e S 1–3 & 4 – 6 3

005075020_2013-FAL_unit1.indd 3 4/3/13 2:55 PM

Good Attitudes

BIBLE PASSAGEMatthew 5:1-12

CHRIST FOCUSGod is for us. When we trust Jesus as Lord and Savior, we have peace with God. God works everything out for our good. God changes us to become like Jesus.

LIFE ACTIONWhen you face a problem this week, ask yourself how that problem might help you be more like Jesus.

LIFE VERSE

Humble yourselves in the

sight of the Lord, and he

shall lift you up.

James 4:10 (KJV)

Humble yourselves before

the Lord, and He will exalt

you. James 4:10 (HCSB)

LIFE pOINT Jesus teaches His followers to keep a good attitude at all times.

LEADER bIbLE STUDY

One popular professional football player

is currently being hailed by Christians

as a positive role model for kids. Any

sports figure’s standing as a moral

example is commendable. We pray that

more of them will speak up for Christ.

Nonetheless, the greatest role model

of all, of course, was Jesus. This unit will

examine Jesus’ example when he faced

life’s various situations.

We start early in Jesus’ ministry. Matthew

tells how Jesus went to a hilltop to teach

His disciples about the kingdom of

God. We call this section of the Book of

Matthew (chapters 5–7) the Sermon on

the Mount. The first portion, Matthew

5:3-12, is known traditionally as the

Beatitudes. (The word beatitude simply

means “blessedness.”) In this section,

Jesus outlined nine important personal

characteristics of His followers and the

blessings promised by each one. Key

qualities He spotlighted include humility,

caring for other people, courage in the

face of opposition, and total dependence

on God in all things.

How do the promises in verses 3 and

10 resemble each other? do they differ

from the others? What is meant by the

“kingdom of heaven”?

Soon after Jesus delivered this sermon,

He selected and commissioned twelve

men to be His closest disciples (Matthew

10:1-4). He charged them to carry His

message and equipped them to minister

in His name. In what ways does God call

us, star athletes or not, to be role models

in the world today?

CONNECT TO FAMILY

This week families will learn about

attitudes. Just as you are teaching kids

that they can have attitudes like Jesus’

attitudes, students and adults are

learning that life is not always going to be

easy. In the good times and bad times, we

all can have joyful attitudes of trust and

surrender.

LEVEL OF BIBLICAL LEARNINGJesus

DATE OF USE ________

Session 1

IMAg

E CrE

dIt:

thIn

kstO

Ck

8 S e S S i o n 1


Notes

bIbLE STORY

JEsus tauGht abOut attItudEsJesus chose twelve special helpers, called

disciples. Jesus went to a mountain. His

disciples sat near Him. A large crowd of

people gathered nearby.

Jesus talked about how God wants His

followers to live and what it means to be

truly blessed (happy). He said,

“People who are poor in spirit will be

blessed. They know that they need God’s

help for everything!

“People who are sad when others are sad

will be blessed. God will comfort them.”

Jesus continued, “People who are gentle are blessed. Those who have a hunger to be

good like God are also blessed.

“People who show mercy (love and care for others) are blessed. God will show mercy to

them. People whose thoughts and attitudes are pure are blessed. Peacemakers (people

who take action to help others get along) are blessed.”

Jesus finished by saying, “People who suffer because they follow Me are blessed. Their

reward in heaven will be great.”

— b a s e d o n M a t t h e w 5 : 1 - 1 2

IMAg

E CrE

dIt:

thIn

kstO

Ck



Notes

pRAcTIcE bIbLE SKILLS

GradEs 1-3• Tell kids that the Gospels tell the story of Jesus’ life and work on earth.

• Call attention to the tape grid with each of the four squares labeled Matthew,

Mark, Luke, John.

• Lead kids to play a miniature game of four square.

• Player 1 will bounce the ball inside a square, while everyone says the name of the

book in that square. Player 2 will catch the ball and do the same, then Player 3, and

so on.

• When a player misses a catch or his ball bounces more than once in a square,

pause the game.

• Lead kids to get a Bible and find the last Gospel named in the game before you

continue.

Option: “Jesus Taught the Beatitudes” coloring page (Cd).

GradEs 4-6• explain that four men recorded Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection in the Gospels,

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

• Lead kids to pair off and play a game similar to “Rock, Paper, Scissors” using one,

two, three, or four fingers to represent Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

• If partners’ gestures match, they may take a treat from the bowl. If their gestures

do not match, each partner should find her designated book in her Bible.

• Lead her to identify an event recorded in the book before taking a treat.

• Swap partners and play again as time permits.

Option: “Jesus Taught the Beatitudes” coloring page (Cd).

Grades 1-3

►painter’s tape–Make a 12-inch square on a table and divide into 4 equal squares to create a grid.

►On separate pieces of tape write the name of each Gospel and place 1 in each grid square.

►super bounce ball

Grades 4-6

►bowl of popcorn or snack

crackers

10 S e S S i o n 1


Notes

INTRODUcTORY AcTIVITY

GradEs 1-3• Form two relay teams.

• At your signal, Player 1 should put on the shirt, remove it inside out, and hand it to

Player 2, who will put the shirt on inside out before reversing it for Player 3.

• Alternate the inside out, outside in pattern until one team wins the relay.

• Remind kids that Jesus taught His disciples how to be happy from the inside out.

Jesus’ words about being happy and blessed are called the Beatitudes.

• explain that “outside in” happiness is often caused by events (a birthday) or by

things (toys and new clothes).

• Tell kids that “inside out” happiness is caused by loving and obeying God. Jesus

called it being blessed.

• Call attention to the “Watch Out! Banner” as you explain that no matter how a

person feels, he can learn to adjust his attitude so that it honors God.

• Show “Good Attitudes: Introduction” video.

GradEs 4-6• Comment that a person’s face often reflects his feelings.

• Whisper one of the following words to a volunteer: exhausted, confused, excited,

bored, surprised, depressed, frightened, hopeful, satisfied, worried.

• Then lead the other kids to ask in unison: “How are you feeling?”

• The volunteer should dramatize the emotion using only facial expressions.

• Lead kids to guess the emotion.

• Play again as time permits.

• Call attention to the “Watch Out! Banner.”

• explain that no matter how a person feels, he can learn to adjust his attitude so

that it honors God.

• Lead kids to find Matthew 5.

• Show the Teaching Picture as you explain that the Beatitudes are part of the

Sermon on the Mount—Jesus’ teaching to His followers about living in His

kingdom.

• Show “Good Attitudes: Introduction” video.

Grades 1-3

►Pack Item 15: “Watch Out! Banner”

►dVd

►2 oversized t-shirts

Teaching Tip: If your group is too small for a relay, lead kids to form a circle. Turn your back and challenge them to play the game while you count to a certain number. If kids finish the stunt before you finish counting, they win!

Grades 4-6

►Pack Item 15: “Watch

Out! Banner”

►Teaching Picture 1

►dVd



Notes

STUDY THE bIbLE

GradEs 1-3

►1. bIbLE STORY• Show the Teaching Picture as you

read aloud Matthew 5:1-2.

• Teach kids the sign for blessed: make

fists (the sign for the letter A) and

place them on near your chin. Then

open the hands flat as you swing

your hands out and down.

• direct kids to listen carefully and sign

the word blessed each time they hear

it in the Bible story.

• Open your Bible to Matthew 5.

Paraphrase the Beatitudes, using the

Bible Story as a guide.

• Christ Focus: God is for us. When we

trust Jesus as Lord and Savior, we

have peace with God. God works

everything out for our good. God

changes us to become like Jesus.

►2. REVIEW• Call attention to the poster. explain

that some of the words reflect Jesus’

teaching about good attitudes.

• Choose a volunteer.

• Tell her to hide her eyes while

someone hides a marker in the room.

The other kids can guide her to the

marker by buzzing loudly when she

is close or softly when she is far away.

• When she finds the marker, urge her

to circle one description of a good

attitude on the poster.

• Choose someone else to find the

hidden marker. Repeat the game

until kids circle all the appropriate

attitudes.

• Pray. Ask God to help kids honor Him

with their attitudes and actions.

►3. LIFE VERSE• display the “James 4:10 Life Verse.”

• Lead kids to find partners, crouch

on the floor, and read the verse

“popcorn style.” Partners should

take turns standing up quickly and

reading one word of the verse.

• Sing “Humble Yourself” (track 1).

►4. LIFE AcTION• drop the markers in a gift bag.

• Lead a child to choose one of the

circled phrases from the review

poster, draw a marker from the bag,

and respond as follows:

~ Yellow–how to display that

attitude at home

~ Green–how to display that attitude

at school

~ Red–an example of the opposite of

the attitude

• Take turns as time permits.

• Sing “Follow” (track 2).

• Show “Good Attitudes: Life Action”

video.

Grades 1-3

►Pack Item 16:

“James 4:10 Life Verse“


►dVd

►Cd

►poster board–On the

poster randomly print

these phrases: need

God’s help, selfish, gentle,

hungry to be good like

God, worried, show mercy,

pure thoughts, greedy.

►markers (red, yellow,

green)

►gift bag or lunch bag–

Place the markers in the

bag.

Grades 4-6

►Pack Items 16 and 17:

“James 4:10 Life Verse”

and “Beatitude Phrases”

►dVd

►Cd

►masking tape–Tape

“Beatitude Phrases” in

random order at kids’

eye level to the walls of

your room.

Optional Weekly Memory VerseProverbs 3:5a

12 S e S S i o n 1


Notes

LIFE pOINT Jesus teaches His followers to keep a good attitude at all times.

STUDY THE bIbLE

Grades 1-3

►Pack Item 16:

“James 4:10 Life Verse“


►dVd

►Cd

►poster board–On the

poster randomly print

these phrases: need

God’s help, selfish, gentle,

hungry to be good like

God, worried, show mercy,

pure thoughts, greedy.

►markers (red, yellow,

green)

►gift bag or lunch bag–

Place the markers in the

bag.

Grades 4-6

►Pack Items 16 and 17:

“James 4:10 Life Verse”

and “Beatitude Phrases”

►dVd

►Cd

►masking tape–Tape

“Beatitude Phrases” in

random order at kids’

eye level to the walls of

your room.

GradEs 4-6

►1. bIbLE STORY• Guide kids to examine the “Beatitude

Phrases” posted on the wall.

• Help the kids recognize that some

phrases describe an attitude; others

describe the result of the attitude.

• Lead each child to stand beside one

of the attitude cards.

• Open your Bible to Matthew 5 and

read aloud each Beatitude.

• When a child hears “his” Beatitude,

he should walk from the attitude

card to the result card. Use the Bible

story on page 9 to help clarify the

meaning of each Beatitude.

• Challenge kids to identify a word

that appears in each Beatitude

(blessed). define blessed as “made

happy by God or fortunate.”

• explain that being blessed is a

condition that cannot be changed by

outward circumstances.

• Christ Focus: God is for us. When we

trust Jesus as Lord and Savior, we

have peace with God. God works

everything out for our good. God

changes us to become like Jesus.

►2. REVIEW• Request that kids remove the

“Beatitude Phrases” from the wall.

• Remove the tape, scramble the

cards, and place them facedown.

• Lead kids to play a concentration

game, matching each attitude card

with its result.

• Ask: “If you show these attitudes, will

you be rewarded immediately? Why

or why not?”

• Help kids see that the real reward is

having a right relationship with God!

►3. LIFE VERSE• display the “James 4:10 Life Verse.”

• Whisper one of the words from the

“Introductory Activity” to a child. She

will read the verse in that manner.

The group will guess the emotion.

• That child may then whisper a word

to her neighbor, who will read the

verse in that manner.

• Continue until everyone participates.

• Conceal the Life Verse and challenge

kids to say James 4:10 from memory.

• Sing “Humble Yourself” (track 1).

• Challenge kids to explain how the

Life Verse is similar to the Beatitudes.

►4. LIFE AcTION• distribute the “attitude” halves of the

“Beatitude Phrases.”

• Lead each kid to use the card he is

holding to finish this sentence:

“I need to be (attitude) when ….”

• direct kids to trade cards and repeat.

• Sing “Follow” (track 2).

• Show “Good Attitudes: Life Action”

video.Optional Weekly Memory VerseProverbs 3:5a



Notes

LIVE IT OUT

GradEs 1-3

►cHOIcE 1: HANDY REMINDERS • Lead kids to remember as many

“good attitudes” from the Beatitudes

as possible.

• Guide them to find Matthew 5:1-12

and check their answers.

• Guide each child to choose an

attitude from the Beatitudes she

wants to remember this week.

• Help her print the descriptive word

or phrase on a blank label, then affix

the label to a disposable glove.

• Tell kids that one way to remember

something important is to tie a string

around their fingers.

• Allow kids to stuff the gloves tightly

with shredded paper. Use the eraser

side of a pencil to push the paper

shreds into the fingers.

• Use one yarn scrap to tie each

glove shut; use another to tie a bow

around its stuffed index finger.

►cHOIcE 2: SpINNY pENNY GAME• Lead kids to name some things that

might make them “outside in” happy.

(getting a puppy, winning a ball game,

pizza for dinner)

• Lead kids to name some things

that might make them “inside-

out” happy. (praising God, doing

something kind for others, being a

peacemaker)

• Help kids recognize that following

Jesus’ teaching results in an “inside

out” happy that cannot be changed

by people or events.

• distribute Kids Activity Pages and

pennies.

• Urge kids to practice placing their

pennies on the designated space and

spinning them.

• After a few trial spins, lead kids to

take turns spinning their pennies,

then answering the question on

which each penny lands. Help them

link their answers to the Beatitudes

they heard today.

• Suggest that kids play the Spinny

Penny Game at home.

►WRAp Up • Show “Good Attitudes: Wrap Up”

video.

• Remind kids to give their One

Conversation™ pages to their

parents.

Grades 1-3Choice 1 Supplies

►dVd

►clear or semi-opaque

disposable gloves

►colorful paper shreds

►2-by-4-inch labels

►yarn


►Kids Activity Page

►dVd

►large sheet of paper

choice 1 Note: Label the head with phrases such as: thinks of ways to make peace; label hands used for gentle actions.

Choice 2 Supplies


►dVd

►pennies

IMAg

E CrE

dIt:

thIn

kstO

Ck

14 S e S S i o n 1


Notes

LIFE POINT Jesus teaches His followers to keep a good attitude at all times.

LIVE IT OUT


►DVD

►clear or semi-opaque

disposable gloves

►colorful paper shreds

►2-by-4-inch labels

►yarn



►DVD

►large sheet of paper

Choice 1 Note: Label the head with phrases such as: thinks of ways to make peace; label hands used for gentle actions.

Grades 4-6

►ChOICE 1: EmbOdyINg gOOd ATTITUdEs• Distribute the Kids Activity Pages as

you lead kids to examine “Beatitude

Attitudes.”

• Challenge children to label each kid-

friendly Beatitude description with

a Beatitude from the Bible. (poor in

spirit, merciful, and so forth)

• Enlist a volunteer to lie flat on the

large sheet of paper. Outline the

volunteer’s body with a marker.

• Guide kids to creatively label the

outline’s head, hands, and other

body parts with actions and

characteristics that represent the

Beatitudes.

►ChOICE 2: ThrEE IN A rOw … gO!• Distribute paper squares.

• Challenge kids to recall the eight

characteristics featured in Jesus’

Beatitudes and to print one on each

square. (Square nine remains blank.)

• Allow kids to refer to Matthew 5:1-12

as needed.

• Distribute Kids Activity Pages.

• Direct kids to mark the “freebie”

space with a square.

• Collect the remaining squares and

drop them in the bowl.

• Explain that each phrase in

“Beatitude Attitudes” relates to one

of the phrases printed on the paper

squares.

• When you say “Go,” children should

draw one square at a time (without

looking) from the bowl and place it

on the corresponding space on the

grid.

• The goal is to be the first player

to complete a three-square row

horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.

• If a player draws a term he has

already used, he should return it to

the bowl and draw again.

• When a player completes a row, lead

him to read and explain his match-

up choices.

• Play more rounds as time permits.

►wrAP UP • Show “Good Attitudes: Wrap Up”

video.

• Remind kids to give their One

Conversation™ pages to their

parents.

Choice 2 Supplies


►DVD

►2-inch paper squares (9

per child)–Make sure

that the paper squares

will cover the squares on

the Kids Activity Page.

►large mixing bowl

Imag

e Cre

dIt:

thIn

ksto

Ck


005075020_2013-FAL_unit1.indd 15 4/5/13 9:05 AM

bible studies for life kids broadly graded leader guide...

Documents