First Look
3- through 5-year-olds, May, Week 3
May 18, 2014 Basic Truth: God made me. Key Question: Who will take care of you? Bottom Line: God will take care of me. Memory Verse: “My God will meet all your needs.” Philippians 4:19 NIrV Bible Story: God gives me people to help me. Elijah and the Widow • 1 Kings 17:7-16
Make It Fun (Introductory Activities, 10 minutes) 3. Fresh Bread What You Need: Several mini loaf baking pans and Play-Doh®. What You Do: Show the children how to make bread loaves with Play-Doh®, using the mini loaf pans as molds. What You Say: During the activity: “Come sit with me! I’m going to show you how to make bread with this Play-Doh® and these pans. We’re going to take the Play-Doh® and pack it into these loaf pans like this. (Demonstrate.) Once we get it all packed in, we turn the loaf pan over (demonstrate) and tap it so that the Play-Doh® falls out. Look! We have PlayDoh® that looks like bread.” (After the children make some loaves.) “Let’s pretend this is fresh bread right out of the oven. Mmmm, it smells so good! I love fresh bread! Let’s count and see how many loaves we have. One, two, three … loaves of bread!” At the end of the activity: “Making bread is fun, but eating it is even better! A woman helps a man named Elijah, by making him some bread in our Bible story today.”
Make It True (Large Group, 15 minutes) Worship WORSHIP LEADER: “Hi, friends! Tell me: Who will take care of you?” CHILDREN and WORSHIP LEADER: [Bottom Line] “God will take care of me!” WORSHIP LEADER: “You got it! God will ALWAYS take care of us! (Excited voice) Let’s jump up on our feet and sing about that right now!”
First Look
3- through 5-year-olds, May, Week 3
Lead children in singing “God Will,” this month’s worship song. WORSHIP LEADER: “Great singing! What a great way to remember that God will always take care of us no matter where we are or what might happen. Our Memory Verse this month talks about another way that God takes care of us. Do you remember what that is? (Pause.) Yes! He gives us what we need each day. Let’s say our Memory Verse together and let’s say it as LOUD as we can! Are you ready? (Pause.) One, two, three, GO!” CHILDREN and WORSHIP LEADER: “‘My God (push both palms up into the air) will meet (bring both hands together in front of you in a clap/clasp on the word ‘meet’) all (do jazz hands from above your head and down to each side) your needs’ (jump and land with your hands on your hips and your feet planted like a cheerleader), Philippians 4:19.” (Open hands like a book.) WORSHIP LEADER: “Great job! Now let’s say it as QUIETLY as we can.” CHILDREN and WORSHIP LEADER: “‘My God (push both palms up into the air) will meet (bring both hands together in front of you in a clap/clasp on the word ‘meet’) all (do jazz hands from above your head and down to each side) your needs’ (jump and land with your hands on your hips and your feet planted like a cheerleader), Philippians 4:19.” (Open hands like a book.) WORSHIP LEADER: “God will meet ALL of our needs. How great is that? And He’ll meet our needs wherever we are or whatever happens. That is one AMAZING God! I can’t wait to hear another AMAZING Bible story about how [Bottom Line] God will take care of me and all of you, too.”
Introductory Sketch What you Need: Tan short sleeve shirt, tan shorts, construction boots, “Stan” nametag, big bucket with the word “food” written on the side, clipboard, oversized scrub brush, wound up hose, empty bucket with an oversized sponge, and rubber dishwashing gloves. HOST: (Enter dressed as a zoo keeper, carrying hose on shoulder, holding bucket with scrub brushes inside, and wearing the big rubber gloves. Notice kids while reading off checklist on clipboard.) “Oh, hey there! (Point to nametag.) I’m Stan the zookeeper. It’s been an exciting couple of weeks here at the zoo. Do you remember who our newest animal friend here at the zoo is? (Listen and use arm as an elephant trunk.) That’s right! A new baby elephant! Woo-hoo! We’ve been working on getting all the things ready for the little guy. A few weeks ago we got his cage all ready for him and made him a comfy bed of hay and then last week we talked about getting his food ready. We talked about how much he’s going to eat. I have a feeling that the little guy is going to turn into a big guy very fast with how much food he will eat every day.
First Look
3- through 5-year-olds, May, Week 3
“This week I’m focused on other ways we’re going to need to take care of our little baby elephant friend. What other things do you think our elephant friend is going to need to be well taken care of? (Pause.) Oh man, those are some great things. The folks here at the zoo and I are going to clean off the new baby elephant with a hose. Even animals have to take baths! They like to roll around in the mud and dirt. (Point to scrub brush.) And this scrub brush here is to scrub behind the elephant’s big ol’ ears! Do you wash behind your ears sometimes when you take a bath? (Pause.) It’s important to keep things clean. It’s just another way of taking care of ourselves. Even animals need to do that, too! My job is to make sure that we get all the things checked off this checklist so that our elephant friend is happy and well taken care of, and that we aren’t missing anything that we might need. “You know, today’s Bible story that you’re about to hear is sort of similar. It’s all about a man and a woman who needed to be taken care of. Get your fantastic, super-duper, excellent listening ears ready to hear all about it.”
Bible Story What You Need: Bible. STORYTELLER: “Hi, friends! It is so great to see you again. Today I want to share one of my favorite stories from the Bible with you. It’s about how God takes care of us! Ready to hear it? (Pause.) Great! “Who remembers who we talked about last week? Shout out his name if you know it. (Pause.) Elijah! That’s right. There was hardly any food or water in the whole land because it hadn’t rained! God had given Elijah food and drink by a little stream, but then the stream dried up. Do you think God stopped taking care of Elijah? (Pause.) No way! God told Elijah to go to a town where a woman would help him. “When Elijah got to the town he found the woman picking up sticks to make a fire. Elijah asked her for a drink of water. Do you think she got it for him? (Pause.) Yes! The woman gave Elijah water to drink. What else did Elijah need? (Rub tummy.) Elijah needed food! So he asked for a piece of bread. Do you think she gave him bread? (Pause.) No! She didn’t, because she didn’t have any bread. She only had an eensyteensy (hold fingers close together) bit of flour and an eensy-teesy bit of oil. She said (in a high-pitched voice), ‘I have just enough to make a little bit of bread for my son and me. Then we won’t have ANYTHING left to eat.’ “Oh, no! That is SO sad, isn’t it?! BUT God gave Elijah something special to tell the woman. He told her (in a deep voice), ‘Make some bread for you and me and your son. The flour won’t be used up. The oil won’t be used up. There will always be more until it rains again!’ Isn’t that amazing?! Let’s pretend to bake bread like the woman. (Demonstrate.) Shake out the flour, pour out the oil, and now mix, mix, mix. Pat, pat, pat. Now put it in the oven. Good job!
First Look
3- through 5-year-olds, May, Week 3
“The woman baked her bread just like we pretended to. Then she looked into her jars. (Pretend to look in jar and be shocked.) Oh, my! What do you think she saw? (Pause.) There was still flour left over and still oil left over! That’s amazing! Wait a minute! She just used up all the flour and all the oil to make the bread. Who do you think put flour and oil back in the jars? (Pause.) Yes! (Excited voice) God did it! The woman baked more bread … and more bread … and more bread but the flour and oil didn’t run out! (Shocked voice) Elijah and the woman and her son all had enough food to eat. Wow! God sent the woman to give Elijah something to drink and then God used Elijah to help the woman have food to eat! God took care of them both, and God will take care of us, too! Who will take care of you? (Pause.) [Bottom Line] God will take care of me! Ready to say it with me?! Who will take care of you?” CHILDREN and STORYTELLER: [Bottom Line] “God will take care of me!” STORYTELLER: “Great job! One more time! Who will take care of you?” CHILDREN and STORYTELLER: [Bottom Line] “God will take care of me!” STORYTELLER: “It’s true, friends! [Bottom Line] God will take care of me and He’ll take care of you, too! Great job! Let’s pray. “Dear God, thank You for this incredible true story. Jesus, help us to always remember that You will take care of us. We love You, God! Amen.
Make It Stick (Application Activities, 35 minutes) 2. Mix It Up What You Need: The “Allergy Alert” poster downloaded from the “Start Here” tab on the Website copied onto white cardstock, large mixing bowl, flour, oil, wet wipes, mixing spoon and enough fresh bread so that each child can have a snack. What You Do: Review today’s Bible story while allowing the children to mix together flour and oil in a mixing bowl. Let them each have a turn pouring in the ingredients and stirring the dough. Once it is all mixed up, give each child a small piece to play with (add flour if it is too sticky). Towards the end of the activity, collect all the dough pieces, and give children wet wipes to clean their hands. Then give each child a piece of real bread to eat as a snack. What You Say: During the activity: “Okay, listen very carefully so you’ll know when to pour and when to stir. You’re going to help me make some bread dough in a minute! Our Bible story today was about a man named Elijah. Can you say Elijah? (Pause.) Good job! All the food had run out where Elijah was staying, so God told him to go see a woman and she would help him get food. Elijah did what God said and he went to see the woman. When Elijah
First Look
3- through 5-year-olds, May, Week 3
got to the woman’s house, he told her he was very hungry. Do you remember what she said? (Pause.) All she had was a little flour (hold up flour) and a little oil (hold up oil) for her and her son. She could make a little bread but then there would be NO MORE FOOD! So Elijah did something AMAZING. He told the woman to make the bread anyway. So she poured the flour (let children help you pour flour), poured the oil (let children help you pour oil), and mixed it all up (let children help you mix). Once it was all mixed she baked that bread because God was going to do a miracle! Elijah had told the woman that God would not let the flour or oil run out. Wow! God sent Elijah to help the woman, and God had the woman ready to help Elijah. God helped them both by not letting the flour and oil run out! I love that story! God really does give us people to help us. That’s one way He takes care of us. Who will take care of you? (Pause.) [Bottom Line] God will take care of me. Okay, who wants to play with some bread dough? I have lots for everyone!” At the end of the activity: “Guess what! I have some REAL bread for everyone to eat. We can have a yummy bread snack just like Elijah, the woman, and her son did. Tell me one more time: Who will take care of you? (Pause.) Yes! [Bottom Line] God will take care of me!” 5. Making Bread “Making Bread” is a craft-based activity that reinforces the Bible story with a visual aid. What You Need: “Bread” from the Activity Pages on the Website, white cardstock, brown or yellow watercolor paint, paint brushes, water, paper cups, glue stick, and uncooked oatmeal. What You Do: Before the activity: Copy “Bread” from the Activity Pages onto the white cardstock. Fill the paper cups 1/4 of the way full of water. During the activity: Give the children an Activity Page and allow them to paint the bread with the watercolors. When the children finish coloring encourage them to rub the glue stick on top of the bread and sprinkle some oatmeal on top of it. At the end of the activity: Allow the paint to dry and send the projects home. What You Say: Before the activity: “Today in our story we talked about how the woman and Elijah made bread with the oil and flour that God provided for them. We are going to paint a picture of bread so that we can share the story of Elijah with others!” During the activity: “There is a picture of bread on your paper. (Hold up Activity Page.) Use the paint and the paintbrush to paint the bread. Remember you will need to dip your brush in the water first before you get paint. This is a special kind of paint that needs water to work. (As the children paint) Awesome job! Bread usually has a crust on top, so we will use this for our picture. (Hold up oatmeal.) Use your glue stick and rub
First Look
3- through 5-year-olds, May, Week 3
glue on top of the bread, and sprinkle some oatmeal on top. Now we have our crust! Nice job!” At the end of the activity: “Now we can let our pictures dry. Elijah was hungry and thirsty in our story today and God sent someone to help him. God helps us anytime we need Him, and He wants us to be helpers, too! Who will take care of you? (Pause.) Absolutely! [Bottom Line] God will take care of me!”
Make It Real (Small Groups, 5 minutes) Small Group Time SMALL GROUP LEADER (SGL): “What would you do if someone asked you to give them your very last bit of food … and you were hungry? (Pause.) That’s exactly what happened in our Bible story today. God told Elijah to go see a woman for food. When Elijah got to the woman’s house, she told him all she had was a little flour and a little oil. She was going to make some bread with it for her son and her and then there would be no more food. None! Elijah told her to make him some bread first. But that’s not all Elijah said. He told the woman to give him some bread and then God would make sure her flour and oil never ran out! AMAZING! God promised to take care of the woman, just like He was taking care of Elijah. “In this story, God gave Elijah the woman to help him. And God gave the woman Elijah to help her. God gives you people to help you, too! It’s one of the ways God takes care of you. Who will take care of you?” CHILDREN and SGL: [Bottom Line] “God will take care of me.” SGL: “Yes, He will! Our Memory Verse says so! It says, ‘My God will meet all your needs,’ Philippians 4:19. Say that with me.” CHILDREN and SGL: “‘My God (push both palms up into the air) will meet (bring both hands together in front of you in a clap/clasp on the word ‘meet’) all (do jazz hands from above your head down to each side) your needs’ (jump and land with your hands on your hips and your feet planted like a cheerleader), Philippians 4:19.” (Open hands like a book.) SGL: “I think you’re just about ready to say that all by yourself. I’ll have some stickers/hand stamp for you next time so come ready! “Okay, it’s time to pray. This time we’re going to make a list of some of the people God gives us to help us. When we pray we can thank God for them!” Write down the children’s names and what they say in your journal. Remember to print the words so they can recognize their names and letters.
First Look
3- through 5-year-olds, May, Week 3
Prayer SGL: “Dear God, You have given us so many people to help us and we want to say thank You. (Name of child) wants to thank you for (person). (Repeat for each child.) You are so good, God! Thank You for taking care of us. We love You, God. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Get Ready to Dismiss Set any take-home creations where you or parents can get them easily. Greet parents at the door and tell them that this month preschoolers are learning that [Bottom Line] God will take care of me. Encourage parents to repeat the Bottom Line at home and help their child understand that [Bottom Line] God will take care of me. Have this month’s Parent CUE available for parents to pick up or send it in a monthly email. Encourage parents to use the activities found in Parent CUE to reinforce this month’s Bottom Line: [Bottom Line] God will take care of me.