TEACHER'S MANUAL
connect Infants B2
A Christian Education curriculum for children aged 5–7 years.
Contents For the teacher What you will find in each lesson Music, drama, PowerPoints and PDFs Curriculum stance Training and support Five circles of learning Connect icons Introduction—God keeps his promises Lesson 1 Wanted: rescuer Lesson 2 Saviour to the rescue! Lesson 3 Rescue resisted Lesson 4 Rescue complete Lesson 5 God teaches his people Lesson 6 God lives with his people Lesson 7 God’s people rebel Lesson 8 Remember the rescue Lesson 9 Into the Promised Land! Lesson 10 Jesus the rescuer Introduction—God’s promise for the world Lesson 11 The gospel: then and now Lesson 12 The good news about the gospel! Lesson 13 The response to the gospel Lesson 14 Gospel obedience Lesson 15 The Spirit of the gospel Lesson 16 The hope of the gospel Lesson 17 Gifts of the gospel Lesson 18 Lesson 19 Lesson 20
The gospel is our strength Christmas: God’s promise fulfilled in Jesus The Lovell family in Spain
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Exodus 1:1—2:10 Exodus 3:1—4:17 Exodus 7:1—10:29 Exodus 11–14 Exodus 19–20 Exodus 25–40 Numbers 13–14 Deuteronomy 4–11; 28–29; 30:11–20 Joshua 1–6 Various
Genesis 12:1–9; Romans 1:1–17 Romans 1:18—3:31; Matthew 18:12–14 Romans 4:1–15; Luke 8:4–15 Romans 6–7; Matthew 7:24–27 Romans 8:1–17; Acts 1:1–5; 2:1–21 Romans 8:18–39; Matthew 24:36, 44 Romans 10:1, 9–15; 12:1–8; 1 Corinthians 12:12–27 Romans 16:25a; Ephesians 6:10–17 Matthew 1; Luke 1; 2 Corinthians 1:20 Joshua 1:9; Mark 16:15; Psalm 119:105
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Christmas assembly
Matthew 1; Luke 1:68–79
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Special lesson
Genesis 1–2; 2 Peter 3:13
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Teaching ideas Help with classroom management Helpful teaching techniques Teaching Memory verses Is your class different? Teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students Understanding the student: the learning theory undergirding Connect Using appropriate language in the (S)RE/RI class What the Bible says about living as God’s friends
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The environment
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S B2 INFANT
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LESSON AIM Q To help students to understand that the promises God made to Abraham are also for people today.
LESSON OUTCOMES Students will learn about: Q Paul, who wrote about God’s message of the good news of Jesus Q Abraham, and the promises God made to him. Students will learn to: Q recite the Memory verse with assistance Q state the three promises made to Abraham.
MEMORY VERSE God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die. John 3:16 (CEV)
» Bible background God promised Abraham: 1) land; 2) a great nation; and 3) blessings to the nations (Genesis 12:1–3). The third promise specified that through Abraham the whole world would be blessed. These promises play a foundational role in God’s plan to save the world through Jesus. Jesus wasn’t plan B because Israel disobeyed God; Jesus was plan A from before Creation. Through Jesus, God’s family would include people from every nation, tribe, language and tongue (Revelation 7:9).
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The gospel: then and now Genesis 12:1–9; Romans 1:1–17 Romans is a letter written by Paul, slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle (one ‘sent’ by Jesus), and set apart to proclaim the gospel (‘good news’) of God, to Jews and Gentiles everywhere in the known world—including the Christian church in Rome (1:1, 7). While Paul founded many Gentile churches he was not the founder of the church in Rome. Nevertheless, Paul longed to visit the brethren there in order to encourage them and in return be encouraged by them (1:8–13) because he had heard reports of their faith spreading all over the known world. The book of Romans is all about the gospel, defined as the good news about Jesus. In the opening 17 verses the word ‘gospel’ is used six times. Paul describes the gospel as God’s gospel and reminds the Romans that it is not something new. It was God’s plan from the beginning of the world to save a people for himself through his one and only Son, who died, rose again and reigns in and from heaven right now. The gospel is, and always has been, about Jesus—David’s, and therefore Abraham’s, descendant. Although the promises began with Israel, they weren’t just for Israel. God had always planned to include the Gentiles as well, so that in all who put their trust in Jesus, the gospel would produce an obedience that comes through faith. And God did all this to glorify and honour his Son (1:1–6). Paul concludes this introduction by exclaiming his confidence in the gospel he preached. Paul was not ashamed to bear the name of Jesus or to preach the gospel, for it is the power of God to save those who believe: first the Jew, then the Gentile.
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Two photographs (see Before you start) A clock with batteries removed (optional) A CEV Bible marked at Genesis 12:1–5 He died upon the cross (track 33) on Colin Buchanan’s Practise Being Godly album (see Introduction to Lessons 11–20) Visual aids from pages 122–125 of Good news for you, Lesson 11 headline, and Three promises (see Before you start) Glue stick Activity books Abraham and Paul from the Coloured Visual aid pack Old Testament timeline from the Connect A1 Coloured Visual aid pack (optional) New Testament timeline from the Connect A2 Coloured Visual aid pack (optional) Materials for Taking it further (optional)
OTHER RESOURCES If your lessons are longer than the standard, you may find the following resources useful: Q The Lord don’t change at all (track 22) on Colin Buchanan’s 10, 9, 8 … God is Great album. Q This is the gospel (track 22) on Colin Buchanan’s Remember the Lord album.
›› INFANTS LESSON 11
» You will need
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Q You will need two photographs that show change over time. The photographs could be of yourself, your child or someone you know. Alternatively, you could show a photograph of a house or building, or a garden that has changed over time. Q This lesson revises the story of Abraham and also Paul. In preparation for the lesson, you may like to consult Connect A2 Lessons 13 and 14. Q There is a ‘true/false’ revision game in which students are asked to decide on the truth of each statement. Discourage competition in this game, as the purpose is revision of the story of Paul. Students should be encouraged to keep playing even when incorrect. Q The Memory verse introduced this week is lengthy. You may like to teach the first section only and build it up over the coming weeks. An idea is provided for you in the Connections section, using a clappy rhythm. Each star is intended to be an action, such as clicking fingers, clapping hands, patting hands on thighs or shaking hands. Change the action each week.
» Teacher’s prayer Pray that this unit of work on the gospel will encourage your students to think carefully about what Christians believe. Commit yourself to praying individually for each student prior to each week’s lesson.
BEFORE YOU START Q If you intend to use an interactive whiteboard, review the PowerPoint slides for this lesson (see page 6 for details on how to download these).
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Q The Visual aid on page 122 of the Good news for you should be photocopied onto A3 paper (see Introduction to Lessons 11–20). Photocopy the Visual aid on page 124 and stick the Lesson 11 headline onto the box labelled ‘11’.
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» Way in Show the students your old photograph. Briefly explain the person or place that is featured in the photograph. Then show the more recent photograph. Hold them side by side or attach them to the board. These photos are very different. Q What are some of the differences we can see? (Briefly accept students’ observations.) Although these two photos look very different, they are both pictures of the same person (or place). A lot of time has passed, but the person (or place) is still the same person (or place). Over the coming weeks, we’ll be learning how something that happened a long time ago is still the same for us today.
Read Genesis 12:1–5 up to ‘… while in Haran’ from a CEV Bible. Display the Visual aid on page 125 of the Three promises and invite a child to come out and tick each one as you cover it. Q Did God keep his promise to Abraham about giving him a new land? (Yes. We learned about that at the end of last term. Briefly remind students of the land the Hebrews entered.) Student ticks the box. Q Did God keep his promise to Abraham about giving him a large family? (Yes. Many of the people in the Bible are descendants of Abraham. Briefly remind students of how Abraham and his wife had a son when they were very old.) Student ticks the box. Indicate the third promise.
» Bible focus
›› INFANTS LESSON 11
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For today’s lesson, we’re going to be doing a lot of remembering. First of all we’ll need to go back a long way in time (if you have a clock, wind the hands backwards). We’re going back more than a few hours, more than a few days, more than a few years ... we’re going right back into Old Testament times, a long time before Jesus was born. Back, back, back, stop! I’m remembering with my little mind, someone beginning with ‘A’. Display the Coloured Visual aid of Abraham if you have it. Allow students to make guesses. Display the Old Testament timeline from the Connect A1 Coloured Visual aid pack, if you have it, and indicate Abraham. Do you remember Abraham? Q What can we remember about Abraham? (Allow a few students to share their recollections of the story of Abraham. They may confuse Abraham with Moses, so guide them to recall the details about Abraham.) God made three promises to Abraham. Let’s refresh our memories about those promises.
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When you bless people, it means you do something good for them. God told Abraham that many nations, many people, would be blessed because of him. God was going to do a good thing for his people through Abraham. This term we’ll be having a close look at this third promise to check whether God is going to keep it. So, we won’t tick this one yet, but at the end of the term, we’ll look at this promise again and check. Great remembering, everyone! Now we’ll need to do some remembering about someone else. To do this, we’re coming forward in time again, but still a long time ago. Forward, forward, forward, stop! If you have a clock, wind it forward. I’m remembering with my little mind, someone beginning with ‘P’. Display the Coloured Visual aid of Paul if you have it. Allow students to make guesses. Display the New Testament timeline from the Connect A2 Coloured Visual aid pack, if you have it, and indicate the section showing Paul’s ministry.
Paul’s letter to the Roman people is in the Bible, in the New Testament. It’s all about the good news! Display the Visual aid on page 122 of Good news for you. Each lesson, our ‘Good news for you’ will have an important message from God! Indicate the Visual aid on page 124 of the Lesson 11 Headline. Here’s the message from God for this lesson. Why don't you repeat it after me. God says, ‘I made promises to Abraham and these are for you too!’ So the promises that God made all that long time ago are for us too. Turn the clock forwards. Now we’re coming forward in time again, forward, forward, forward, stop! We’re back in our own time now.
I can’t wait for the next few weeks to discover what all this means for us! If you think it could be good news, put your hand up. Acknowledge hands. I agree with you. This definitely sounds like good news!
» Connections Indicate the Visual aid on page 125 of the Three promises again. God made these promises a long time ago to another group of people, but they are for people today too! Hide the promises. Q What were the three promises? (Accept responses.) Encourage students to state the promises from memory. Refer to the photos used in Way in. Remember these photos? Although a lot of time has passed, they are the same person (or place). And although a lot of time has passed, God’s promises are the same. Teach the Memory verse using a clappy rhythm (see Before you start) or use a Memory verse idea from pages 222–224. You may need to explain that ‘eternal life’ refers to living forever with God. Also, tell the students that ‘never really die’ doesn’t refer to physical death but expands on the concept of eternal life. God loved the people + + + of this world so much + + + that he gave his only Son + + + so that everyone who has + + + faith in him + + + will have eternal life + + + and never really die. + + + John 3:16 + + +
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Hold up your Bible.
Hmmm ... that’s very strange. I wonder what it is that God is telling us. A new land ... a large family ... blessings to all nations.
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Commend students for their participation and ask them to sit down.
Indicate the Visual aid on page 125 of the Three promises again.
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• Paul was always a follower of Jesus. (False) • Paul was an important religious leader. (True) • Paul would spy on people and if they loved Jesus, he would have them put into jail. (True) • God spoke to Paul in a very exciting way. (True) • Paul was too bad for God to love and forgive. (False) • Paul became a close friend of Jesus. (True) • God chose Paul for the special job of telling many people the good news about Jesus. (True) • Paul wrote a letter to the people in Rome giving them messages from God. (True) • Those messages from God are for us too. (True)
›› ›› INFANTS LESSON 11
It’s Paul. Let’s see what we can remember about Paul. Everyone stand up. I’m going to say something that is true or false. If you agree with it, put your hands on your heads. If you don’t agree with it, put your hands behind your backs. It doesn’t matter if you get one wrong, as we’re just remembering.
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Distribute the Activity books and direct students to page 26 so they can sing along to He died upon the cross (track 33) on Colin Buchanan’s Practise Being Godly album. Explain that this song describes what a Christian might say about what Jesus has done for them. Direct students to Lesson 11 so they can complete the activities. Note that there is no end play for this lesson. I’m going to pray now. If you would like to pray too, please join me. If you would rather not, that’s OK. Please just sit quietly so we don’t get distracted.
» Concluding prayer Dear God, we thank you for the way the Bible shows that you keep your promises and that you can be trusted. Amen.
›› INFANTS LESSON 11
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» Taking it further I’M GROWING AND CHANGING Students consider how they have changed and grown physically. Use a baby record card that shows the length and head circumference of a newborn and compare these measurements with now. Compare hand and foot prints as well.
TIME TRAVEL Ask the students, ‘If you could go back in time through the Bible and change something that happened, what would it be and why?’
CHANGES OVER TIME Give students examples of things that change over time. Ask them to list and/or draw the changes these objects would go through over given time frames. For example: What would an apple look like after being kept on the bench for 1 week? 1 month? 1 year? How would my hair look if I didn’t get it cut for 1 month? 6 months? 1 year? 5 years? How would the shrub outside the classroom change over 1 year? 3 years? 25 years?
LETTER WRITING Lead a discussion based around the following questions: Who do we write letters to today? For what reasons? How did people write letters over the ages? What is the main form of letter writing today? If Jesus was on earth today, how might he communicate his good news?
NEWS REPORTS Students write a news report of something that has happened at their school. They should cover the 5 Ws—Who? What? When? Where? Why?
» Teacher reflections Q How well did the students recall facts from past lessons? Q Were there any parts they recalled better than others? Why do you think these parts were more memorable? Q Are you communicating that the good news is exciting and urgent?
This activity could be written or verbal.
MEMORY VERSE WHEELS Make up a Memory verse wheel (see page 121) on A4 cardboard for each student. They could then colour these, cut them out and make them into a copy for themselves.
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» For next lesson Q There are Visual aids to prepare. Q You will need to place the Lesson 12 headline in an envelope so you can open it in front of the class.
Memory verse wheel Gear • Two cardboard circles • Scissors • Felt pens • Split pin ide the Cut out two cardboard circles. Div out a first circle into four equal parts. Cut mory piece of the top circle to show a me verse verse section. The reference for the can be written on the top circle. the first Fasten the second circle on top of . Print through the centres with a split pin t circle. the memory verse around the firs turn the Have the group say the verse as you ing com circle. They can ‘guess’ the section verse. up as they become familiar with the they if see Place the wheel face down and rence. can say the whole verse and refe
God loved the people of this world so much
that he gave his only Son,
and never really die.
so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life
John 3:16
God loved the people of the world so much
that he gave his only son,
and never really die.
so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life
© 2012 The purchaser of this manual is entitled to photocopy this page for classroom purposes.
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Good news for you 11
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© 2012 The purchaser of this manual is entitled to photocopy this page for classroom purposes.
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Good news for you God says, ‘I made promises to Abraham and these are for you too’.
God says, ‘Good news! Everyone has sinned, but I have a way to make things right!'
God says, ‘Choose me!’
God says, ‘My way is the best way to live’.
God says, ‘It’s not easy to live my way so I have given you the Holy Spirit as a helper’.
God says, ‘I promise that one day Jesus will come back. Those people who are part of my family will live with me forever’.
God says, ‘In my family, everyone has a part to play’.
God says, ‘Keep trusting in Jesus, even when it gets hard’.
God says, ‘I always keep my promises!’
© 2012 The purchaser of this manual is entitled to photocopy this page for classroom purposes.
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God says, ‘I made promises to Abraham and these are for you too’.
© 2012 The purchaser of this manual is entitled to photocopy this page for classroom purposes.
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Does God keep his promises? [ ] a new land [ ] a large family [ ] a blessing to all people
Š 2012 The purchaser of this manual is entitled to photocopy this page for classroom purposes.
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