Curriculum for Preschoolersstorage.cloversites.com/questunitedmethodistchurch/... · (Taking a few deep breaths to calm yourself.) “Okay. I know I can do this. It’s just a grand

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April Week 03 3–5 year olds

Curriculum for PreschoolersApril 17, 2011

We want preschoolers to

take a first look at who God is and

understand...

God mAde me

God loves me

jesusWAnts to

be my friendforever

key Question: Who wants to be your friend forever?

bottom line:

Jesus wants to be my friend forever.

memory verse:

“I am with you always.”Matthew 28:20, NIV

bible story focus:

Jesus makes me happy. Triumphal Entry •Matthew 21:1-11

Here’s an overview of what you’ll be teaching in 3s–5s this week.

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Make It Fun(Choose one or all of these activities)• It’s a Parade!• If You’re Happy ...• Palm Branches

Make It True• Introductory Sketch• Bible Story• Worship

Make It Stick(Choose as many of these activities as you like)• Sweet Bingo• Matching Faces• Hosanna! (Bible story review)• Feel the Beat• Pieces of Praise (Especially for 5s)

Make It Real• Small Group Time• Prayer• Dismiss–Small Talk

April

Week 03

bAsic trutH

3–5 year olds

April 17, 2011

If you are choosing to lead “Sweet Bingo” during Make It Stick, post the “Allergy Alert Poster” (from Other Resources on the Web site). Be sure to list the foods you will be serving today. As parents bring their children to your room, call their attention to the sign.

Jesus wants to be my friend forever

3

1. it’s a parade!What You Need: An assortment of handheld musical instruments or a CD player and a CD with fun preschool music.

What You Do: Play the CD or give each child an instrument to play. Lead the children in a parade around the room while they march and dance. You can even show them how to play a pretend instrument and make their own instrument sounds.

What You Say:At the start of the activity: “Raise your hand if you have ever seen a parade. (Look around.) Parades are so exciting! You get to watch lots of people and animals coming down the road. Some people are singing and others are yelling and waving their hands in the air. Sometimes there are marching bands playing music. Hey! Why don’t we have a parade? We can pretend to be a marching band!”

At the end of the activity: “Boy! That was fun! Do you know that our Bible story today has something like a parade in it? It sure does. All kinds of people cheer for Jesus as He comes riding down a road on a donkey.”

2. if you’re Happy ...What You Need: “Happy Song” (from the Activity Pages on the Web site) and a piece of paper.

What You Do:Before the activity: Make one copy of “Happy Song” for the leader.

During the activity: Lead the children in singing the song, “If You’re Happy and You Know It.”

What You Say:At the end of the activity: “I’m feeling very happy after singing that song! Are you happy? Let me see your best happy faces. Wow! You are happy! Our Bible story today is about how Jesus makes us happy!”

3. palm branchesWhat You Need: A few real leaves from outside, “Leaves” (from the Activity Pages on the Web site), green paper, and scissors.

What You Do: Before the activity: Make a copy of “Leaves” on green paper for each child. (Option for younger children: Cut out the leaves for the children.)

During the activity: The children will make two palm branches to take to the Bible story. Begin by letting the children look at the real leaves. Give each child an Activity Page and allow him to cut out the leaves.

Prepare to offer one or more of the following activities as your 3-,

4-, or 5-year-olds arrive. Let one or two teachers lead activities in different areas of the room while

another teacher greets parents and kids at the door.

Make it Fun key Question: Who wants to be

your friend forever?

bottom line: jesus wants to bemy friend forever.

memory verse: “i am with you always.”

matthew 28:20, niv

bible story focus: jesus makes me happy.

Triumphal Entry •matthew 21:1-11

April

Week 03 mAke it fun mAke it true mAke it stick mAke it reAl

Curriculum Materials for 3- through 5-year-olds • © 2011 Orange. All rights reserved. • www.whatisorange.org

4

What You Say:At the start of the activity: “God made all kinds of leaves. I brought a few leaves for you to look at today. (Look at the leaves together and then continue.) I am going to help you make a pretend palm branch to take to Bible time.”

At the end of the activity: “I want everyone to hold your palm branches up high in the air. Now wave them side to side. Good! Lots and LOTS of people in our Bible story today waved palm branches in the air and laid them on a road because someone very special was coming. Can you guess who the special person was? Let’s go find out!”

Make it Fun

April



5

introductory sketchWhat You Need: A stick donkey you can ride, a cowboy hat, jeans, boots, and a black makeup pencil. (Tip: You could make a stick donkey from the pattern on the Week 3 Younger Activity Pages and attach it to a broomstick or dowel rod.)

HOST: (Enter dressed like a cowboy with a fake mustache drawn on your face. You should make a grand entrance by galloping in on your “horse” and galloping all over the stage.) “Yee-haw! Giddy up, horsey! Giddy up! Yee-haw! Giddy up! Come on, doggies! Giddy up! Yee-haw!

(Stop in front of the kids. Talk in a cowboy accent at first.) “Good morning, partners. Howdy (tipping your hat). It’s a beauuu-T-ful morning out there, and I thought I’d ride on down and say good morning, partners! Yee-haw!

(Get off your ‘horse,’ lean it in a corner, and go back to your normal voice.) “How did I do? I am going to be in a play this week! I gallop in on my horse (gesture to your horse) and get EVERYONE’S attention. It’s going to be a GRAND entrance. It’s going to be my greatest moment, I’m sure! So I thought I would just ride on in this morning and let you see how I was doing.

“By the way, I’m a little nervous. I’m a little scared. I’ve never been in front of such a big crowd before. What if I forget my lines? What if I forget my hat? What if I forget my HORSE? (Pause dramatically.) Oh, no! What if ... what if I fall off my horse? That would be just awful! Just terrible! Horrible! What if that happens? Oh, no!

(Taking a few deep breaths to calm yourself.) “Okay. I know I can do this. It’s just a grand entrance and a little gallop around the stage. I know I can do this. I’m going to practice one more time, and then I’ll (change back to your cowboy accent) ride off into the sunset, partners.

“Yee-haw! Giddy up, horsey! Giddy up! Yee-haw! Giddy up! Come on, doggies! Giddy up! Yee-haw!

(Stop in front of the kids like you’re practicing again.) “Good morning, partners. Howdy (tipping your hat). It’s a beauuu-T-ful morning!

(Change back to your normal voice.) “Okay! I think I’ve got it. I think I’m ready! Yee-haw! Giddy up!”

(Host gallops off the stage.)

bible storyWhat You Need: A Bible, a stick donkey, the palm branches the kids made in “Palm Branches” during Make It Fun, and several coats and blankets.

Make it True

After children have participated in Make It Fun, gather them for a large group time that includes an introductory sketch, a Bible story,

and interactive worship.

Choose an adult who relates well to preschoolers to tell the Introductory

Sketch. If possible, use the same adult all year. To add variety,

consider videotaping the sketch and playing the video during Make

It True.

A Worship Leader and live instruments are recommended to sing along with the music tracks. Encourage children to be active

during worship by incorporating the appropriate hand motions found on the Web site. Smaller groups

may want to provide assorted percussion instruments for children

to play while singing.

First Look offers monthly introductory sketches on the DVD

titled “Wonder! Look at God’s Story.” This DVD is available for purchase at the reThink store on

our Web site.

key Question: Who wants to be




matthew 28:20, niv



April



6

STORYTELLER: “I am so excited about today’s story! It just makes me happy to tell it. It’s a true story about Jesus that I can read about right here in my Bible (holding up your Bible). Who is our story about? (Kids respond.) Yes! It’s a wonderful story about Jesus!

“Let me start at the very beginning. Jesus was traveling with His friends when one day He said to His friends, ‘Go to the next village and get a donkey. If anyone asks you, tell them that Jesus needs to use it.’

“So His friends went to the village, found a donkey, and then brought it back to Jesus. (Go pick up your stick donkey.) Then His friends put their coats on the donkey to make it a little more comfortable for Jesus to sit on. (Pick up a coat and drape it over the stick donkey.) Jesus was going to ride the donkey along the road.

“Here’s the really exciting part. As Jesus was going down the road, there was a big group of people there to greet Him. They knew that Jesus was special. They knew that Jesus loved them. They knew that Jesus was their friend. That’s why these people were REALLY excited to see Him. They were SO VERY happy that Jesus was their friend. (Lean the donkey to the side.)

“The people were so excited to see Jesus that they threw their coats on the road in front of Him. (Start throwing down coats to make a path.) Some of the people had great big palm branches that they laid in front of Jesus. (Spread the kids’ palm branches to make the path bigger.) The people made a path out of coats and palm branches for Jesus!

“When Jesus came down the path on His donkey, the people were so happy to see Him that they started to shout and sing and yell praises to Him. Do you know what they said? (Pause.) They said ...

(Pick up your two palm branches. Reach your hands above your head and do a dance while you wave the branches back and forth and sing the following to the tune of ‘Hosanna Rock,’ found at www.amberskyrecords.com in the album “I Count On You.”)

“Hosanna! Ho! Ho! Hosanna!Hosanna! Ho! Ho! Hosanna!

(Speaking) “Everybody on your feet! Let me see you dance, and I want to hear you say ...

(Singing) “Hosanna! Ho! Ho! Hosanna!Hosanna! Ho! Ho! Hosanna!

(Speaking) “Oh, yeah! That sounds great! You see, everyone was so happy to see Jesus. They knew that He was a special friend. They knew that Jesus loved them. He wanted to be their friend forever. That made them happy, so they just sang ...

Make it True

April



First Look offers a once-a-month Bible story on our DVD titled

“Wonder, Look at God’s Story,” which you may choose to use

rather than a live Storyteller this week. This DVD is available for

purchase at the reThink store on our Web site.

7

(Go back to your silly dance and waving the palms.)


(Speaking) “Come on, everybody!


(Speaking) “Oh, yeah! Jesus is my best friend, and He is your friend, too! Jesus makes me SO happy! He is a GREAT friend! He wants to be your friend FOREVER! Who wants to be your friend forever?”

CHILDREN and STORYTELLER: “Jesus wants to be my friend forever.”

STORYTELLER: “Oh, yeah!

(Singing, dancing, and waving palm branches) “Hosanna! Ho! Ho! Hosanna! Hosanna! Ho! Ho! Hosanna!

(Speaking) “Who wants to be your friend forever?”

CHILDREN and STORYTELLER: “Jesus wants to be my friend forever.”

STORYTELLER: “Whew! That was fun! Jesus is a GREAT friend. I love Him so much, and knowing that He loves me too makes me so, so happy! Let’s pray!”

prayerSTORYTELLER: “Dear Jesus, thank You for loving me and being such a great friend. You make me happy. I love You with all my heart. Thank You for loving me. Amen.”

WorshipWhat You Need: Paper clip “Memory Verse Card” (from the Activity Pages on the Web site) in your Bible at Matthew 28:20. You will also need a CD player and this month’s worship song, “My Friend Forever,” which you will need to download from the Web site. You will also need “Hosanna Rock,” available at www.amberskyrecords.com in the “I Count on You” section. Be sure to download the hand motions that accompany each song.

WORSHIP LEADER: “I am so happy that Jesus wants to be my friend FOREVER! The dance you were just doing and the song you were just singing reminds me of a very special song. Do you want to sing with me?”

Lead children in singing “Hosanna Rock.”

Make it True

April



For additional worship resources to equip your worship leaders and worship team, visit www.

amberskyrecords.com.

8

WORSHIP LEADER: “That was fun. You guys sounded great. I know that Jesus loves to hear us praise Him! Our verse tells us that Jesus is with us ALWAYS! Jesus wants to be my friend forever. Do you think you can say the verse with me? First I want to hear it from all of the girls!”

GIRLS and WORSHIP LEADER: “‘I (point up) am with you (cross your arms across your chest) ALWAYS’ (spread your arms out wide), Matthew 28:20.”

WORSHIP LEADER: “Now I want to hear the boys!”

BOYS and WORSHIP LEADER: “‘I (point up) am with you (cross your arms across your chest) ALWAYS’ (spread your arms out wide), Matthew 28:20.”

WORSHIP LEADER: “I am so happy to be here with you today and to be singing songs to Jesus. He is my very best friend. Jesus wants to be your friend forever! Let’s sing!”

Lead children in singing “April’s Song,” this month’s worship song.

WORSHIP LEADER: “That was the best! I love to sing with you. You guys are going to have a great time in your small groups today! I will see you NEXT week!”

Make it True

April



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1. sweet bingoBe sure to list the foods you will be using today on the “Allergy Alert Poster” (from Other Resources on the Web site) and post it at the door to your room.

What You Need: “Playing Cards” (from the Activity Pages on the Web site); “Calling Cards” (from the Activity Pages on the Web site); white cardstock; white paper; scissors; M&M’s® candies; and a small, re-sealable plastic bag.

What You Do:Before the activity: Make enough copies of “Playing Cards” on white cardstock so that each child has a card for the game. Make one copy of “Calling Cards” on white paper. Cut the “Calling Card” pictures apart, fold them, and place them in the plastic bag.

During the activity: Give each child a playing card and a handful of candies. Draw a folded picture from the plastic bag, unfold it, and hold it up for the children to see while you call out the picture. As you play the game, casually make the connection between the card pictures and the Bible story. Once you are finished playing the game, give each child a handful of candies to eat while you close the activity.

What You Say:At the start of the activity: “I have a really fun game for us to play today. Have you ever heard of the game ‘Bingo’? Come on! I’ll show you how to play.”

During the activity: “Who has a picture of a donkey on their card? (Pause for responses.) Yay! Put an M&M’S® candy on the donkey. Jesus road a donkey in our Bible story. Who has a palm branch on their card? Put an M&M’S® candy on the palm branch. Remember how the people waved palm branches and laid them on the road for Jesus? Do you have a happy face on your card? Put an M&M’S® candy on the happy face. Jesus makes me happy! This is a picture of Jesus riding the donkey. Who has Jesus riding the donkey on their card?” (Continue like this with each picture card you draw. Note: Once a child calls “Bingo,” place all the cards back in the plastic bag and play again.)

While the children eat: “Jesus is such a good friend. He makes me happy, just like He made the people in our Bible story happy. Jesus is my best friend. Who wants to be your friend forever? Jesus wants to be my friend forever!”

2. matching facesWhat You Need: “Faces” (from the Activity Pages on the Web site), light colored cardstock, and scissors.

What You Do:Before the activity: Make two copies of “Faces” on a light colored cardstock. Cut the cards apart. This will give you one set of matching cards, 10 cards in all. You will need one set of cards for every three to four children.

Make it Stick

These activities are designed to help preschoolers understand

and remember today’s Bible story and Bottom Line. Offer as many

of the following activities as your time, facilities, resources, and

leadership allow. You may want to lead one activity at a time. Or

offer two activities at once and allow half the kids to participate in each, then switch groups and

repeat the activities.

key Question: Who wants to be




matthew 28:20, niv



April



10

During the activity: Lay the cards faceup on the floor or table. Ask the children to help you find the happy face, the sad face, the scared face, and so on. Once the children have identified all the faces, point out to them that there are two matching pictures for each face. Once you mix up the cards and turn them facedown, the children will play the matching game. Their job is to find the matching faces by turning over two cards at a time. If it’s a match, they keep the cards. If it is not, the next person gets a turn. Play again and again!

What You Say: At the start of the activity: “Who can find the sad face? What about the scared face? Do you see a mad face? Do you see a happy face? What about a surprised face? Wow! You really know your feelings. Today we are going to play a matching game. I’m going to mix up the cards. Your job is to find all the matching faces. Ready to play? Here we go!”

During the activity: “Look! You found a sad face match. Wow! You found the excited face match!” (Continue saying the names of the feelings on the faces.)

At the end of the activity: “Were the people in our Bible story today happy or sad? (Pause for responses.) Yes! They were VERY happy! Why were the people so happy? (Pause for responses.) You are so smart! Jesus was coming down the road, and this made the people very happy. They knew Jesus was their good friend. Jesus makes me happy, too. He makes me happy because He is my good friend. He’s my BEST friend! Who wants to be your friend forever? Jesus wants to be my friend forever!”

3. Hosanna!What You Need: Lots of coats, scissors, green construction paper, and masking tape.

What You Do:Before the activity: Cut out green palm leaves from the green construction paper. Make them large enough so that one piece of paper makes one leaf. Cut out enough leaves so that combined with the coats you can cover the road you make with the tape. Use the tape to make a road outline on the floor.

During the activity: Pretend to be looking for Jesus down the road. Wait ... you see Him! Lead the children in singing the following lyrics to the tune of “Hosanna Rock,” found on www.amberskyrecords.com, just as you did during the Bible story. Cover your road with the coats and paper leaves while you sing.

What You Say:At the start of the activity: “Let’s pretend this is the road Jesus came down on the donkey. We can be the people who were happy to see Him. Come with me! (Stand on the side of your road and look down it like you are looking for Jesus.) Look with me. Do you see Jesus yet? Wait ... I see Him! I see Jesus! He’s riding on a donkey!

Make it Stick

April



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(Speaking) “Help me cover the road with these coats and leaves like the people did in our story.

(Singing) “Hosanna! Ho! Ho! Hosanna!Hosanna! Ho! Ho! Hosanna!” (Repeat until the road has been covered. Once the road has been covered with coats and paper leaves, continue walking up and down the road waving branches and singing as long as the children are interested.)

At the end of the activity: “That was awesome! Jesus is awesome! I think it is SO special that Jesus wants to be our friend forever. Who wants to be your friend forever? Jesus wants to be my friend forever.”

4. feel the beatWhat You Need: A drum for each child. You can use some of the following items as drums: empty coffee cans with plastic snap on lids, large cardboard blocks, plastic containers with lids, or large wooden blocks. You can use drumsticks, rhythm sticks, wooden spoons, or just your hands to beat on the drums. (Option: Use your hands to start out with and then add a rhythm stick or wooden spoon.)

What You Do: You and the children will say one word of the Bible verse each time you hit your drums.

What You Say: At the start of the activity: “Who likes playing the drums? (Pause for responses.) Then you are going to love this!”

During the activity: “‘I (tap) am (tap) with (tap) you (tap) always (tap-tap).’” (Continue to repeat the verse as long as the children are engaged. Speed up the tempo as the children get the hang of saying the verse while tapping their drums.)

At the end of the activity: “It makes me happy knowing that Jesus is always with me. Jesus is such a special friend. He’s my best friend. Who wants to be your friend forever? Jesus wants to be my friend forever.”

5. pieces of praiseWhat You Need: “Puzzle” (from the Activity Pages on the Web site); scissors; white cardstock; a Sharpie® marker; and a small, resealable plastic bag for each child.

What You Do:Before the activity: Make a color copy of “Puzzle” for each child on white cardstock. Follow the outline of puzzle pieces and cut the pieces apart. Place a set of puzzle pieces in a plastic bag for each child.

Make it Stick

April



12

During the activity: Give each child a plastic bag with puzzle pieces in it. Assist when needed, but try to let the children work on their puzzles by themselves as much as possible. Ask them to guess what the picture is as they add pieces. Once everyone has assembled the puzzles, talk about what is going on in the picture. Take the puzzles apart and put them back into their plastic bags for the children to take home. Make sure to write names on the bags. What You Say: At the start of the activity: “I have a surprise for each of you. (Give each child a plastic bag full of puzzle pieces.) It’s a picture of someone very special, but I can’t tell you who it is. You’ll have to put your puzzle pieces together to find out!”

During the activity: “Those look like animal legs, don’t they? What could that green leaf be? That looks like a person yelling.” (Continue going from child to child asking questions and commenting on their puzzles as they progress.)

At the end of the activity: “Well, now we know who the special person is in our puzzle pictures. It’s Jesus! Jesus is the best friend you could ever have. Who wants to be your friend forever? Jesus wants to be my friend forever. That’s why the people in our story and in our puzzle picture were so happy to see Jesus. They knew Jesus was full of love and would be their best friend FOREVER!”

Make it Stick

April



13

April



What You Need: Paper clip “Memory Verse Card” (from the Activity Pages on the Web site) in your Bible at Matthew 28:20. Provide a journal and a fun-shaped pen for each small group.

SMALL GROUP LEADER (SGL): “Today was such a happy day! It was so fun to sing ‘Hosanna! Ho! Ho! Hosanna!’ Do you think it was fun? Jesus is such a good friend. Singing to Him makes me very happy! I’m so thankful to have such a good friend. Jesus is my good friend. He’s you’re good friend, too! Jesus wants to be my friend forever.

“Jesus makes me very happy. Can you think of something that makes you happy?”

(Discuss with the kids and make a list. Things mentioned might include birthday parties, visiting grandma, taking a bath, going swimming, etc.)

SGL: “Those are some good things. Jesus has given us so many good things that make us happy. He is a good friend. Let’s pray and thank Him for all the things He has done for us.”

prayerSGL: “Dear Jesus, You have given us so many good things. You have given us many things that make us happy. Singing to You and worshipping You was so fun today. You are my best friend, and I love You. Amen.”

Make it Real key Question: Who wants to be




matthew 28:20, niv



Make It Real is designed to help preschoolers understand how the Bottom Line applies

to them. They’ll discuss real-life experiences and share prayer

requests.

Divide kids into small groups of about five to eight children with

each leader. Ideally, assign the same small group leader to the same group of preschoolers for

the entire year.

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Set any take-home creations where you or parents can get them easily. Greet par-ents at the door and tell them that this month preschoolers are learning that Jesus wants to be my friend forever. Encourage parents to repeat the Bottom Line at home and help their child understand that Jesus wants to be my friend forever.

Have this month’s Small Talk available for parents to pick up or send it in a monthly email. Encourage parents to use the activities found in Small Talk to reinforce that this month’s Bottom Line: Jesus wants to be my friend forever.

Dismiss

April



Documents

Curriculum for Preschoolersstorage.cloversites.com/questunitedmethodistchurch/... · (Taking a few deep breaths to calm yourself.) “Okay. I know I can do this. It’s just a grand