Beginning with God Teacher's manual

Welcome Beginning with God is a Religious Education curriculum designed for use with students in the first year of primary school. It is Bible-based and offers 40 lessons for use over one school year, including Easter and Christmas lessons.

The curriculum has as its foundation the belief that it is important to allow the Bible’s own theological framework to determine what is taught and how it is taught. It is therefore content-centred, teaching the major events, concepts and doctrines of the Bible.

The intention of Beginning with God is to introduce students to God and his saving purposes for the world through Jesus Christ, his Son. It is designed to engage students holistically as well as develop the skills needed for an appreciation of the Christian faith.

Educational approach Beginning with God draws on recent research on the way students think and learn. Importance is placed on:

Beginning with God is a one-year curriculum designed for use with students in their first year of formal schooling. It creates a broad understanding for the more detailed presentation of the Christian faith in the curriculum for subsequent years.

Other CEP curricula for use in schools include: • Connect: a three-year curriculum designed for use at three levels—Infants, Lower Primary and Upper Primary • Big Questions: a one-year course for students in their last year of primary school who are ready to explore big issues about life, share their own opinions and investigate the Bible for themselves.

• Think Faith: a digital teaching resource for nurturing, equipping and guiding secondary students in their understanding of the Christian faith. For years 7–10.

See the current CEP catalogue for details or contact CEP (details on the back cover of this manual).

• teaching concepts in a way that is appropriate for the age and developmental stage of the students

Content

• recognising that intuitive or tacit knowing means that students generally have more of a grasp of a concept than they can express in words

• God and his world

• an understanding that knowing requires more than an intellectual experience because it involves the emotions as well • relating all that is taught to their experience • providing discussion and activities that encourage students to process information and make it their own.

Beginning with God uses a range of teaching and learning strategies to engage the preferred learning styles of all students. Teachers are encouraged to try these to see which approaches best suit the needs of students in their classes.

The overriding aim of this curriculum is to present the heart of God’s message of salvation in a clear and attractive manner. It could be helpful to think beyond the immediate lesson to ways interested students can be encouraged to explore church-run children’s and youth activities, so they can experience Christian community and learn more about the Christian faith.

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Curriculum structure

Beginning with God

Beginning with God is divided into seven units:

• A troubled word and God’s remedy (includes two Easter lessons) • Jesus is God’s Son and is always with us • Jesus cares for people • Responding to Jesus and God • People in God’s unfolding plan • God’s plan fulfilled (with four lessons for Christmas).

The 40 lessons survey the broad sweep of Bible history from Creation to God’s ultimate purposes for humanity. The key theme is that of God’s loving purpose in saving humanity from the consequences of its rejection of him. Key Old Testament figures that appear in these lessons include Adam and Eve, Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, Daniel and Nehemiah. The teaching about Jesus is drawn mainly from Luke’s Gospel.

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

5 7 8 8 9

God and his world Lesson 1 God, you and me Lesson 2 God made the world Lesson 3 God made people Lesson 4 God loves and cares for everything

Psalm 57:8–10a Genesis 1:1–25 Genesis 1:26—2:25 Psalm 145:3, 8b–9

10 16 22 26

A troubled world and God’s remedy Lesson 5 God’s perfect world was spoilt Lesson 6 God sent his Son at the right time Lesson 7 Jesus teaches people about God Lesson 8 A sad day with a surprising ending Lesson 9 A wonderful day for God’s people

Genesis 3 Luke 1:26–33; 2:1–20, 40, 52 Matthew 9:35–38; Mark 1:14–20; 4:1–2 Luke 23; John 12:12–19; 18 Luke 24:1–12

32 38 44 52 58

Jesus is God’s Son and is always with us Lesson 10 The road to Emmaus Lesson 11 The Holy Spirit Lesson 12 Together forever

Luke 24:13–35 Acts 1:7–11; 2:1–13 Revelation 21:1–7, 23–27

66 72 78

Jesus cares for people Lesson 13 Fish, fish and more fish Lesson 14 Jesus cares Lesson 15 Loaves and fish for 5000, please!

Lesson 16 Jesus and his friend Lazarus Lesson 17 Jesus and the children Lesson 18 Jesus heals Bartimaeus

Luke 5:1–11 Mark 1:21–22, 29–31 John 6:1–14 John 11:1–44 Mark 10:13–16 Mark 10:46–52

84 90 96 100 106 110

Responding to Jesus and God Lesson 19 Getting to know Jesus Lesson 20 Jesus and Zacchaeus Lesson 21 The loving father Lesson 22 I will pray to you Lesson 23 The good Samaritan

Luke 10:38–42 Luke 19:1–10 Luke 15:11–24 Luke 11:1–13 Luke 10:25–37

114 120 126 130 136

People in God’s unfolding plan Lesson 24 God makes promises to Abraham Lesson 25 A son for Abraham and Sarah Lesson 26 Joseph Lesson 27 Baby Moses Lesson 28 Exodus from Egypt Lesson 29 The Promised Land Lesson 30 The birth of Samuel Lesson 31 Chosen to be king

Genesis 12–15 Genesis 17:17–22; 18; 21:1–7 Genesis 37; 45 Exodus 2:1–10 Exodus 2:23; 6:6–8; 7–12 Joshua 3 1 Samuel 1 1 Samuel 16:1–13

142 148 154 166 172 178 184 190

Contents continues over page.

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People in God’s unfolding plan (continued) Lesson 32 The shepherd boy Lesson 33 God’s promise to David Lesson 34 Daniel in exile Lesson 35 Nehemiah the builder

1 Samuel 17:34–38 2 Samuel 7 2 Chronicles 36:11–23; Daniel 1–2; 6 Nehemiah 1–2; 8–9

196 202 208 214

God’s plan fulfilled Lesson 36 God promises to send his Son Lesson 37 Mary’s song of praise Lesson 38 Jesus is born Lesson 39 He’s the One! Lesson 40 Gifts for the King

Isaiah 9:6, 7 Luke 1:29–33, 46–55 Luke 2:1–20 Luke 2:21–35 Matthew 2:1–12

220 226 230 234 238

Teaching ideas Help with classroom management 247 Helpful teaching techniques 249 Teaching Memory verses 252 Teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students 255 Understanding the student: the learning theory undergirding Beginning with God 256 Using appropriate language in the (S)RE/RI class 258 What the Bible says about living as God’s friends 259 Christian Education outcomes 260

Note Beginning with God is authorised for use for SRE by the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney. Within the Diocese of Sydney it is essential that all Anglican SRE teachers using Beginning with God have undertaken all required training and accreditation, and also undertake appropriate ongoing professional development.

Beyond the Diocese of Sydney, it is an expectation of Christian Education Publications that all (S)RE teachers and RI instructors using Beginning with God will also undertake appropriate and approved training and accreditation. This includes classroom management, child protection, and general teaching practice, as well as ongoing professional development.

Christian Education Publications works carefully to ensure that Beginning with God complies with state legislation and regulation. Beginning with God is sold or otherwise made available for (S)RE/RI on the understanding that (S)RE teachers and RI instructors using Beginning with God refrain from inserting unauthorised additional or replacement lessons into this curriculum.

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Beginning with God

What you will find in each lesson Lesson layout Each lesson has four parts: Welcome, Way in, Bible focus and Students’ response. These will require approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

Teachers are encouraged to adapt the lesson to the learning needs of their students, since no two classes are ever the same. However, care should be taken not to distort the main points of the Bible’s teaching.

For those following the lesson exactly, the words the teacher will use are printed in bold, while instructions to the teacher are in normal type. Questions for the students are marked with a bullet point. Suggested student answers are placed in brackets.

Icons are used to indicate Bible readings, Activity pages and audio tracks.

Bible: Each lesson has at least one occasion Bible icon where a verse or short passage is read from the Bible. The underlying belief is that God’s Holy Spirit Activity Books icon brings to awareness the message of the Scriptural text.

Exposing students, Visual Aid icon even at an early age, to Bible icon readingBible is important because of its authoritative place inBible theicon lives of Christians.

CD icon Books icon Activity

Activity page: This indicates at what point in Activity Books icon the lesson students are required to work on Music icon Visual Aid icon the Activity page for that lesson.

Visual Aid icon

Audiovisual resource: This icon is shown Word icon CD icon when a song, drama script or sound effect CD icon should be played.

Maths & Logic icon Music icon Music icon Body icon Word icon It is recommended that teachers allocate at least Word icon 30 minutes for preparation before each lesson.

Space & Vision icon Maths & Logic iconbe well in advance to allow the Preferably this should Maths & Logic Holy Spirit to makeicon the Bible text relevant first in the Interpersonal icon life of the teacher.

Inexperienced teachers may have Body icon Body icon time to lesson preparation. to devote more

Preparation

Self icon Space & Vision icon Space & Vision icon Nature icon Interpersonal icon presents the focus

Lesson aim

This concept to be taught in Interpersonal icon each lesson.

Bible Exploration icon Self icon Self icon

Lesson outcomes These are theicon list of knowledge, understanding, Nature skills, values and Nature icon attitudes that the lesson seeks to teach. An outcome is an observable accomplishment.

Bible Exploration icon Most can beExploration assessedicon through direct questioning or Bible the unaided completion of the Activity page. Value

and attitude changes often have to be discerned or inferred over time. Some of the outcomes are repeated in subsequent lessons, because not all students will achieve all outcomes at the same time or in the same way.

Many of the outcomes will be assessed in the Students’ response stage of the lesson, so it is important to allow sufficient time for as many students as possible to respond to the open-ended questions. Additional time may also need to be factored in so that students of all abilities have opportunity to complete activities.

Memory verse The Memory verse is included in the belief that the Bible has the power, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to change lives. In many cases there is a separate Memory verse for each lesson. The Activity page for each lesson is used to reinforce the Memory verse. (For additional ideas for ways of teaching the Memory verse, see page 252.)

Lesson background The notes assist the teacher to understand the main elements of the lesson, their place in the Bible and their historical background. Further information can be obtained from standard Bible dictionaries (see references, page 8).

Timeline The timelines are designed to inform the teacher of the lesson’s place within the broader framework of God’s activity in world history, or in the life and ministry of Jesus.

You will need This section lists all the items needed for each lesson.

It is designed to be a handy checklist. Teachers will find that the Activity pages and audio tracks form an integral part of the lessons. An optional Coloured Visual aid pack is also available.

Key Bible words This section provides clear definitions of key Bible words for the teacher. If these particular words are used in the lesson, an age-appropriate version will generally be provided for the students.

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Preparatory notes This section provides details of the preparation the teacher will need to do before the lesson, such as photocopying and preparing Visual aids.

Teaching tips These give help with preparation and presentation.

They advise about some of the pitfalls to avoid and they present creative ideas and information about successful teaching techniques. (For additional information about teaching techniques, see page 249.

For help with classroom management, see page 247.)

Note of caution Warnings of potential problems and no-go areas are posted in this section to assist the teacher to avoid situations that may damage the lesson’s effectiveness.

Teacher’s prayer This helps the teacher focus on the one about whom we teach, the students and their needs, as well as the teaching task.

Parts of the lesson Welcome provides an opportunity for the teacher to greet and interact with the students.

Way in is an essential part of the lesson. It may revise concepts, link lessons to prior learning, set the scene and gain the students’ interest.

Bible focus is the body of each lesson. The main ideas, the biblical content and learning concepts are dealt with in this section. Lessons seek to involve the students actively in their own learning. In many cases the Activity pages are integrated into the learning during Bible focus.

Students’ response draws everything together.

It seeks to connect students with Christ and his Church. Many of the questions and activities are designed to evaluate the students’ understanding and to allow them to process, internalise and give expression to what has been learned. Teachers may wish to incorporate some of the ideas suggested in the Activities section at this point in the lesson.

Activities offers a number of suggestions designed for incorporation into, or as extensions of, the lesson.

These suggestions are optional and the teacher will need to consider the amount of time and space available to them. They cover a range of learning styles. The teacher is able to choose those activities that best cater to the needs of the students in their class.

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Beginning with God

Teacher’s reflections This section encourages the teacher to think back over the lesson.

For next lesson Teachers are given a list of the items that need to be purchased or organised in advance of the following lesson.

Visual aids Where required, blackline Visual aids for use in the presentation of the lesson are included. Purchase of the Teacher’s manual carries with it the right to photocopy one enlargement of each Visual aid for use with the classes that teacher has.

It is strongly recommended that you buy a Teacher’s pack which includes a set of nine full-colour A3 posters and 16 full-colour A4 timeline posters to enhance the teaching in the lessons. There is also an A3 sheet of finger puppets that the teacher can use to help the students recall a number of the lessons.

Students’ Activity pages The Activity pages are an integral part of every lesson.

Each Activity book consists of 40 double-sided, perforated pages. One Activity page is used in each lesson. The students should be encouraged to take home the Activity page after the lesson.

The first side of each Activity page is a stimulus to encourage discussion between the teacher and the students, as well as the students and their parents. The second side features engaging activities appropriate for the stage of development of the students, including colouring, drawing, tracing, writing and sequencing.

The teacher will need to explain carefully the instructions for each of the activities on the pages.

In some instances, it would be beneficial to describe and work through the activities as a class.

Music, drama, PowerPoints and PDFs One Music and Drama CD is included in this Teacher’s manual. This audio, as well as the PowerPoints and PDFs, are available for free download at cepconnect.com.au. See page 7 for more information.

Introducing Jesse and Jo The students will have the opportunity to meet and get to know two characters throughout the lessons.

Jesse and Jo appear on a number of Activity pages, as well as on some audio tracks. They reiterate what has been taught and show the students that it is fun to love Jesus.

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God sent his Son at the right time Luke 1:26–33; 2:1–20, 40, 52

Lesson aim To help students to appreciate God’s reason for sending his Son, Jesus: to make peace between himself and people.

Learning outcomes The students will: • recall from the Bible that Adam and Eve had to leave the Garden of Eden because they made a wrong choice and disobeyed God • appreciate that God sent his Son, Jesus, to make peace with people • grow in their understanding of God’s love for all people and that he invites them to be his friend.

Memory verse God sent our Lord Jesus Christ to make peace with us. Romans 5:11b (CEV)

Lesson background Adam and Eve’s banishment from the Garden of Eden, as a consequence of their ill-advised choice of doubting God’s goodness and truthfulness, meant their relationship with him was no longer perfect (Genesis 3:8–10, 22–24). Humanity could do nothing to restore this relationship. It was now under sin’s control.

of this blessing to be extended to all nations. Certain psalms (Psalms 2, 16, 72, 110) and prophecies (Isaiah 7–12; Daniel 7) looked forward to Christ. Hebrews 1:1–4 and 2 Corinthians 1:20 make it clear that these promises were fulfilled in Jesus. God’s plan, to send his Son to live on earth and die for his people, reveals he is a loving Creator, a promise keeper and one who desires fellowship and peace with his people.

Ephesians 1:4 reveals that God had a saving plan in mind from before the world was created. It involved his own dear Son, Jesus Christ. Out of kindness, God chose us to become part of his family by adoption through Christ. This involves the forgiveness of sin through the riches of God’s grace (Ephesians 1:7).

This lesson focuses on Jesus Christ, the one whom God sent to make peace between himself and his people.

Although the concept of ‘friendship’ is not as strong as that of a ‘relationship’, it is easier for students of this age to grasp it. In later years the concept of a relationship with God will be explored thoroughly.

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Beginning with God

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Various promises were made, starting with Abraham (Genesis 12:1–3), that Israel would become the vehicle

You will need • Hello (track 7) and God cares for me (track 2) on CEP’s Beginning with God Music and Drama CD • A photocopy of the Chocolate cake visual aid (page 37) or coloured photo of a chocolate cake from a recipe book • Scissors • Adhesive tape • A prepared copy of the Paper doll visual aid on page 43 (see Preparatory notes) • A CEV Bible marked at Luke 1:26–33; 2:1–20, 40, 52 • Song words for Hello and God cares for me (see Preparatory notes) • A sheet of A4 paper • Activity page 6 for each child • Materials for Activities

As you tell the story of Jesus in Bible focus, use a sheet of A4 paper to cover the pictures on the first side of the Activity page. Slide the paper across the Activity page to reveal each picture at the appropriate time.

Song words will need to be prepared for this lesson.

Download them from cepconnect.com.au/myconnect (see page 7 for more details).

Teaching tips • Continue to look for opportunities to praise the students for correct behaviour. If you have noticed a student who struggles with behaviour, try to give them a positive comment before the lesson begins, such as, ‘It’s great to see you, Patrick. I know you’re going to enjoy our lesson today’.

• Make sure that you read the Bible passages given for each lesson as part of your preparation.

Key Bible words Angel: God’s messenger who knows God face to face. Angels are holy, uncorrupted but endowed with free will. Angels appear to people as the bearers of God’s specific commands and announcements (Hebrews 1:14). Angels also render military assistance on behalf of (2 Kings 19:35) or against (2 Samuel 24:16ff) Israel. In a number of Old Testament passages ‘the angel of the Lord’ is virutally identified with God and speaks as God in the first person singular (see Genesis 16:7ff; 21:17ff; 22:11ff; 31:10ff). Both the Old Testament and the New Testament also use the word ‘angel’ for human messengers.

• Who is praying for you and your class? Ask someone from your church to do this for you.

Remember to give them some feedback so they will be encouraged to keep praying.

Teacher’s prayer • Praise God for each student in your class by name and pray that they will be excited to learn about Jesus.

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• Pray that you will be able to help the students make a link between Jesus and God’s desire to make peace with people.

Preparatory notes Photocopy the Paper doll visual aid (page 43).

Concertina fold along the dotted lines. Cut around the outline, but do not cut along the middle of the doll. Unfold the page to reveal the paper doll chain.

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Bible icon Activity Books icon Welcome suggest 2 minutes

Bible focus suggest 7 minutes

Greet the students warmly and ask them to sit on the floor inVisual frontAid oficon you.

Have the paper doll chain and Activity page ready to show the students.

Revise the song Hello (track 7) on CEP’s CD icon Beginning with God Music and Drama CD. Music icon

Way in suggest 3 minutes Word icon The students should be sitting together on the floor.

Choose from the following options.

Maths & Logic icon

Option 1: Choose this option if you listened to the Chocolate cake drama (track 12) on CEP’s Beginning Body icon with God Music and Drama CD during Lesson 5. If time permits, play the drama again.

Space & Vision icon

Ask the students the following questions.

Put upInterpersonal your handicon if you remember the story we heard about Jesse, Jo and the chocolate cake.

SelfChocolate icon Show the cake visual aid from page 37.

• What happened to the cake?

Nature icon (Accept responses. Jesse and Jo ate some of it, then it fell out of the fridge and broke.)

Bible Exploration icon

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• Do you think Jesse could fix it?

(Accept responses.)

• How could he fix it?

(Accept responses.)

• Would it be the same as it was before it broke?

(Accept responses.)

• Can you tell me the names of the people who lived in God’s perfect garden?

(Accept responses. Adam and Eve.) • Why did Adam and Eve have to leave the garden?

(Accept responses. They ate the fruit that God told them not to, they disobeyed God.) • Did God still love Adam and Eve? (Accept responses. Yes, because God’s love reaches higher than the heavens!)

When Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden they must have felt really bad. They had disappointed God. Their friendship with God was spoilt and they couldn’t fix it.

God was really disappointed too. But he knew exactly what he would do. He was going to send a person, like no-one else, to make peace with people.

• Do you remember what to ‘make peace’ means?

(Accept responses. To make peace is to mend a broken or spoiled friendship, or in the students’ language, ‘to make friends again’ or to ‘make up’.)

But God didn’t send that person straight away—he waited until just the right time.

Option 2: If you did not listen to the Chocolate cake drama in Lesson 5 begin here.

Adam and Eve had children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Cut the Chocolate cake visual aid into four pieces.

Unfold the paper doll chain slowly.

Here is a broken cake.

Soon there were many, many people living on God’s earth. They waited and waited for God to send someone to put things right. They must have wondered just when that person was going to come.

• Can you fix this cake?

(Accept responses.)

Ask a volunteer to help tape the pieces together.

We can fix this picture of a cake by sticking it together, but it might be hard to fix a real cake without help.

Sometimes we can fix things by ourselves, while other times we need help.

Flick through the Bible until you reach the first of the marked passages.

When the time was right, God sent an angel to a woman named Mary.

An angel is a messenger from God. Listen to what the angel said to Mary.

Read Luke 1:30–32a from a CEV Bible.

Bible icon

• Who wasBooks Godicon going to send?

Activity (Accept responses. A baby, a son, God’s Son.) Visual Aid icon

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Beginning with God

CD icon Music icon

Bible icon

Hold up the Activity page covered with Activity Books icon another sheet of paper. Uncover the picture of Jesus, the baby, on the Activity page.

Visual Aid icon

Just as the angel said, Mary had a baby son and she named him Jesus.

CD icon

Look at the baby in the picture.

Music • What doicon babies do?

(Accept responses.)

Word icon

Jesus was a baby just like you and I once were.

He learned to sit, crawl and talk—just like we Maths & Logic icon did. But Jesus was different to us. Like the angel said, Jesus is the Son of God. Now he came to Body icon live among people by being born as Mary’s baby.

• Did Jesus stay a baby?

Space & Vision icon (Accept responses.)

Listen to what the Interpersonal iconBible says.

Read Luke 2:40 from a CEV Bible.

Bible Bible icon icon Self icon

Uncover the picture of Jesus, the boy, on the Activity Activity Books Books icon icon Nature icon Activity page.

Aid Like allVisual babies, Jesus grew and grew and grew Visual Aid icon icon Exploration icon (slowly Bible stretch arms to make a growing action). Each birthday he was a year older.

CD icon CD icon

Put up your hand when Jesus is the same age as Music icon you: one, Musictwo, icon three, four, five, six.

Jesus learned to read and do all sorts of other Word icon things,Word justicon like you are doing now.

The Bible tells us that when Jesus was twelve, Maths & icon Maths & Logic Logic he called God ‘myicon Father’. He knew more about God than most grown-ups and he loved God Body Body icon icon very much.

He always did what his Father, God, wanted him to do.

Space Space & & Vision Vision icon icon

• Did Jesus stay a child?

(Accept responses.)

Interpersonal icon icon Interpersonal

Read Luke 2:52 from a CEV Bible.

Bible Bible icon icon Self Self icon icon

Uncover the picture of Jesus, the man, on the Activity Activity Books Books icon icon Activity page.

Nature icon Nature icon Visual Aid Still Jesus grew, until finally he was a man. He Visual Aid icon icon Bible Exploration icon lived inBible a town called Nazareth where he worked Exploration icon as a carpenter, making things from wood.

CD icon

Put up your hand if you think you know how Jesus will make peace between people and God. Next week we’ll hear about how Jesus did this.

Students’ response suggest 7 minutes Encourage the students to crouch down with you.

Invite them to pretend they are babies like Jesus was.

Instruct them to begin to ‘grow’, stretching up higher and higher until they are ‘grown-up’ like Jesus was.

Teach the students the following verse. This verse is recited to the tune of Johnny works with one hammer. Repeat it while you simultaneously do the ‘growing actions’.

Jesus was a baby, a baby, a baby Jesus was a baby, just like me Jesus was a child, a child, a child Jesus was a child, just like me Jesus was a grown-up, a grown-up, a grown-up Bible icon Jesus was a grown-up, like I will be Distribute the Activity pages. Invite the students Activity Books icon to complete the first side of the Activity page by tracing over the dotted lines to complete the Visual Aid icon words: ‘baby’, ‘boy’, and ‘man’. Read the words they have traced and ask them to repeat them after you.

CD icon

Invite the students to draw themselves as babies and write their names. You may need to help them write Music icon their names.

Read the Memory verse printed on the bottom of the page, then ask the students to repeat it after Word you. icon God sent our Lord Jesus Christ to make peace Maths & Logic icon with us.

Romans 5:11b (CEV) Body icon

Concluding prayer Spacethe & Vision icon to repeat the following Encourage students prayer after you if they would like to, a few words at a time. Interpersonal icon

I’m going to pray now. If you would like to pray Self icon too, please join me. If you would rather not, that’s OK. Please just sit quietly so we don’t get distracted.

Nature icon

He was a grown-up, just like your mum or Music icon dad, your and me! But Jesus was also Musicteacher icon different to other grown-ups.

Dear God, icon Jesus to fix broken Thank Bible youExploration for sending relationships and make peace. Thank you for wanting all people to be your friends.

Amen.

Word Word icon You see, heicon was the one God sent to fix the broken friendship and make peace between Maths Logic God and his&& people.

Maths Logic icon icon Jesus was the only one who could do this.

Give the students the opportunity to pray aloud to complete the sentence, ‘Thank you God for …’ They could thank God for something he has made, for sending Jesus and so on.

CD icon

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Body Body icon icon Space Space & & Vision Vision icon icon

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Activities Bible icon Activity page Activity Books icon If time permits, ask the students to look at the Visual Aid icon second Bible sideicon of the Activity page. Work together to complete the matching activity. Encourage the CD icon Activity Booksa icon students to draw line between each word and its corresponding picture. Encourage the students to Music icon colour the word ‘Jesus’.

Visual Aid icon Word icon Singing CD icon

Maths & Logic icon Sing God cares Music icon for me (track 2) on CEP’s Beginning with God Music and Drama CD. Body icon Word icon

Questions

& Vision icon Ask theSpace students the following questions.

Maths & Logic icon

• If someone is mean to their friend, can they Interpersonal icon stillBody be God’s friend? icon • If someone doesn’t listen to their mum, can Self icon theySpace still&be God’s Vision icon friend?

• If someone Nature iconbreaks something that belongs to Interpersonal icon their dad, can they still be God’s friend?

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Bible Exploration • If someone doesicon something wrong at school, icon can Self they still be God’s friend?

Nature iconthe students understand that the Make sure that answer to all of these questions is a resounding ‘Yes!’ Even though we all sometimes make wrong choices, Bible Exploration icon God still loves us. God’s love reaches higher than the heavens.

• Who can help you to be God’s friend?

(Accept responses. Jesus.)

Invite the students to use their bodies to make giant ‘J’ shapes for ‘Jesus’ on the floor.

Teacher’s reflections

For next lesson

• Were you able to remind students that God sent Jesus because he wanted to make peace between himself and people?

• You will need a small piece of wood and a small hammer.

• How can you help the students to understand this truth from the Bible?

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Beginning with God

• You will also need a large sheet of paper and a thick felt pen.

Š 2003 The purchaser of this manual is entitled to photocopy this page for classroom purposes.

Beginning with God

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