The Parable of the Lost Son • Lesson 11 Bible Point We can ...storage.cloversites.com/thechurchatrutledge/documents/Feb 8... · righteousness without inner faith. The younger son

We can help others by forgiving them.

Bible Verse“Work…as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people” (Ephesians 6:7).

Growing Closer to JesusChildren will n learn that we all do wrong things, n realize that forgiving helps others feel better, n teach Pockets about forgiving, and n discover that forgiveness is a way to express love.

Teacher Enrichment

Bible Point

Bible Basisn The parable of the lost son

Though this story is often called the parable of the prodigal son or the lost son, it is really the story of two lost sons. The older, hardworking son is a symbol of a person who tries to obtain righteousness without inner faith. The younger son is a symbol of a person who turns away from God to sin but returns in repentance.

The younger son’s request for his share of the inheritance shows that his heart was no longer with his father but on all that freedom had to offer. In Jewish law, the oldest son received two-

thirds of the inheritance, and the rest was divided among the other children. Since it appears that there were only two sons, the younger would have been entitled to one-third of the father’s holdings. The younger son foolishly spent his inheritance and was left with nothing. At that point, he realized how wrong he had been and decided to return to his father, hoping only that the father would accept him back as a hired hand.

Because a family would not normally forgive a son for such a sin, Jesus’ listeners would have been extremely surprised and angry to hear that the man ran out to meet his returning son. The son’s actions had been so bad that the neighbors would have considered it their duty to kill him if he returned. In fact, by meeting the boy first, his father may have saved him from execution. In addition, wealthy landowners did not go out to meet anyone; servants did that. And a man of high stature would not have run anywhere because to do so he would have to lift the bottom of his long robe, improperly exposing his ankles. What Jesus described was a father intent on getting to his son before the neighbors did. And the father’s kisses symbolized the forgiveness he offered his son even before the son uttered his confession.

Prayer• Read 1 John 1:9.• How do you demonstrate God’s forgiveness to the children in your class?• Pray: Lord, please forgive me, and help me be more forgiving to…

Luke 15:11-32

The Parable of the Lost Son • Lesson 11

145Hands-On Bible Curriculum—Pre-K & K, Ages 5 & 6

What Children Will Do Classroom Supplies Learning Lab Supplies

Welcome Time

Welcome!—Receive name tags, and be greeted by the teacher.

“Perfect Present Name Tags” (p. 22), markers, safety pins or tape

Let’s Get Started

Direct children to one or more of the

optional activities until everyone

arrives.

Option 1: Mud Paint—Paint with chocolate pudding.

Prepared chocolate pudding, plastic spoons, plastic tablecloth, paint shirts, baby wipes

Option 2: Upside-Down Frown—Make a puppet with two faces.

Paper plates, markers, red construction paper, scissors, paper fasteners

Option 3: Oopsee Blocks—Build with blocks, and practice forgiveness.

Building blocks, blindfolds

Pick Up Our Toys—Sing a song as they pick up toys and gather for Bible Story Time.

CD player

Bible Story Time

Setting the Stage—Show how mistakes can hurt others, and gather for Bible Story Time.

Modeling dough

Bible Song and Prayer Time—Sing a song, bring out the Bible, and pray together.

Bible, construction paper, scissors, CD player, basket

Hear and Tell the Bible Story—Learn about forgiveness as they listen to a story-poem based on Luke 15:11-32.

Bible, CD player

Do the Bible Story—Create pictures to help retell the story.

White drawing paper, construction paper, crayons, scissors

Closing Forgive Me…Please?—Forgive Pockets, and teach her that forgiving others helps them.

Candy wrappers, wrapped candies

I Can Help—Eat a snack, and sing a helping song.

Candies from previous activity

This Lesson at a Glance

Before the Lessonn Collect the necessary items for the activities you plan to use. Refer to the Classroom Supplies and Learning Lab Supplies

columns to determine what you’ll need. n Make photocopies of the “Today I Learned…” handout (at the end of this lesson) to send home with your children.n Pray for the children in your class and for God’s direction in teaching the lesson.

*See the end of this lesson for extra-time ideas and supplies.

146 Hands-On Bible Curriculum—Pre-K & K, Ages 5 & 6

Lesson 11

Welcome TimeSUPPLIES: “Perfect Present Name Tags” (p. 22), markers, safety pins or tape• Bend down and make eye contact with children as they arrive.• Greet each child individually with an enthusiastic smile.• Thank each child for coming to class today.• As children arrive, ask them about last week’s lesson. Use questions such as “Who did

you tell about Jesus last week?” and “Why is it important tell others about Jesus?”• Say: Today we’re going to learn that we can help others by forgiving

them.• Hand out the present name tags children made during Lesson 1, and help children

attach name tags to their clothing. If any of the name tags were damaged or if children weren’t in class that week, have children make new name tags using the photocopiable patterns.

• Direct the children to the Let’s Get Started activities you’ve set up.

Let’s Get StartedSet up one or more of the following activities for children to do as they arrive. After

you greet each child, invite him or her to choose an activity.Circulate among the children to offer help as needed and to direct their

conversation toward today’s lesson. Ask questions such as “How do you feel when people say they’re sorry?” or “What do you do when you make a mistake?”

n Option 1: Mud PaintSUPPLIES: prepared chocolate pudding, plastic spoons, plastic tablecloth, paint shirts, baby wipes, straws

Before class, cover a table with a clean plastic tablecloth. Set a bowl of chocolate pudding, the plastic spoons, and the straws around the table. Have children clean their hands with baby wipes or at a nearby sink both before and after this activity.

Have children put on paint shirts. Encourage the children to create pictures of pigs in mud using the pudding as paint and using spoons and straws as paintbrushes. Children may paint right on the tablecloth. As the children work, ask them what it would be like to live with pigs. Tell children that the Bible story today is about a man who fed pigs. Then let children use the spoons to gobble up their paintings.


The Parable of the Lost Son

n Option 2: Upside-Down FrownSUPPLIES: paper plates, markers or crayons, red construction paper, scissors, paper fasteners

Set markers or crayons, paper fasteners, scissors, red construction paper, and paper plates on a table. Ask children to draw and color faces without mouths on paper plates. As children work, make comments such as “My, these are funny faces—I don’t see smiles or frowns.”

After the faces are done, have each child cut a smiling mouth from the construction paper. Show children how to attach the mouth using a paper fastener. Let the children make smiles and frowns by spinning the mouths around. Point out that a smile is a frown turned upside down. Tell children that today they’ll hear a story about a young man who was sad and frowning because he did something foolish. When the boy’s father forgave him, the boy was happy. Point out that we can help others by forgiving them.

n Option 3: Oopsee BlocksSUPPLIES: building blocks, blindfolds

Set building blocks in a corner of the room. Invite children to build block towers with partners. Tell children that one partner will be blindfolded and the other partner will direct where to place the blocks. If a tower falls, encourage the children to work together to build a new tower. Have them switch places so each has a turn building while blindfolded. Tell the children that sometimes we’re sad when people spoil something we’ve worked on. Explain that they’ll hear a story today about being forgiven and that we can help others by forgiving them.

After everyone has arrived and you’re ready to move on to Bible Story Time, encourage children to finish what they’re doing and get ready to clean up.

n Pick Up Our ToysSUPPLIES: CD player

Lead children in singing “Pick Up Our Toys” (track 2) with the CD to the tune of “Skip to My Lou.” Encourage children to sing along as they help clean up the room.

If you want to include the names of all the children in the class, sing the song without the CD, and repeat the naming section. If you choose to use the CD, vary the names you use each week.

We will pick up our toys.We will pick up our toys.We will pick up our toys,And put them all away.

It’s important for children to see and understand that adults make mistakes and need forgiveness, too. When you make a mistake during the next few weeks, ask for forgiveness.

track 2

There’s [name] picking up toys.There’s [name] picking up toys.There’s [name] picking up toys,Putting them all away.

(Repeat.)


Lesson 11

Bible Story Timen Setting the StageSUPPLIES: modeling dough

Before class, make a figure of a person from modeling dough.Tell children you’ll clap your hands to get their attention. Explain that when you

clap, children are to stop what they’re doing, raise their hands, and focus on you.Sit with children in a circle. Hold up the modeling-dough person and say: We’ll

pass around this dough person. When it comes to you, say something unkind to it such as “You look silly.” Take off a small piece of dough, and pass the dough person to the friend beside you. After each child has taken a piece, ask:

• Who can tell about a time you were unkind to someone or someone was unkind to you? What did you do? (A friend broke my bike, and I forgave him; I knocked a girl down by accident, and I said I was sorry.)

Say: When people do something wrong, they need forgiveness. Forgiving people means we won’t be mad about the wrong things they’ve done. Let’s pass around the dough person again. When it comes to you, say, “Will you forgive me?” Then press your dough piece back on the dough person. After each child has replaced a piece, ask:

• Who always forgives us when we do something wrong? (God; mom or dad.)

• How does it help when we’re forgiven? (It makes us feel better; it helps us feel like we can be friends with that person again.)

Say: Jesus forgives us and wants us to forgive others, too. Jesus knows we can help others by forgiving them. Let’s hear a Bible story about how

a father forgave his son.

n Bible Song and Prayer TimeSUPPLIES: Bible, construction paper, scissors, CD player, basket or box

Before class, make surprise cards for this activity by cutting construction paper into 2x6-inch strips. Prepare a surprise card for each child, plus a few extras for visitors. Fold the cards in half, and stamp the flower stamp inside

one of the surprise cards. Bookmark Luke 15:11-32 in the Bible you’ll be using.Have the children sit in a circle. Say: Now it’s time to choose a Bible person

to bring me the Bible marked with today’s Bible story. As we sing our Bible song, I’ll hand out the surprise cards. Don’t look inside your surprise card until the song is over.

Lead children in singing “Read God’s Book” (track 3) with the CD to the tune of “The Muffin Man.” As you sing, hand out the folded surprise cards.

Now it’s time to read God’s book,Read God’s book, read God’s book.Now it’s time to read God’s book.Let’s hear a Bible story.(Repeat 3x.)

track 3



After the song, say: You may look inside your surprise cards. The person who has the flower stamped inside his or her card will be our Bible person for today.

Identify the Bible person. Ask the Bible person to bring you the Bible. Lead the class in clapping for the Bible person, cheering, and making fun applause sound effects by slapping your thighs with your palms. Help the Bible person open the Bible to the marked place, and show children where your story comes from. Then have the Bible person sit down.

Say: [Name] was our special Bible person today. Each week, we’ll have only one special Bible person, but each one of you is a special part of our class! Today we’re all learning that we can help others by forgiving them.

Let’s say a special prayer now and ask God to help us forgive others. I’ll pass around this basket. When the basket comes to you, put your surprise card in it and say, “God, please help me forgive others.”

Have a child pass around the basket or box. After your helper has collected everyone’s surprise card, set the basket aside, and pick up the Bible. Lead children in this prayer: God, thank you for the Bible and for all the stories in it. Teach us today that we can help others by forgiving them. In Jesus’ name, amen.

n Hear and Tell the Bible StorySUPPLIES: Bible, CD player

Bring out the Learning Mat: Parables of Jesus and the CD. Lay the Learning Mat on the floor, and gather the children around it.

Say: Our Bible story today comes from the book of Luke. Jesus told stories to help us learn important things. Jesus’ stories are called parables. Our Learning Mat shows us

some exciting pictures from some of his parables.Open your Bible to Luke 15:11-32, and show children the words. Say: Today we’ll

hear a parable about a young man who learned about forgiveness. I’ll point to the pictures on the Learning Mat as we listen to the story. Listen for what the boy did when he left home and why the boy came back. When you hear each answer, put a hand on your knee.

Cue the CD player to “The Son Who Was Forgiven” (track 14). After the story, stop the CD. Say: I know you were listening carefully because I see lots of hands on knees.

Ask: • Why did the young man leave home? (He wanted to see what the rest of the world was like; he wanted adventure; he was tired of being on the farm.)

• Why do you think he came home again? (He was hungry and poor; he was sorry for leaving; he missed his family.)

• How did the son feel on the way home? (He felt alone; hungry and sad; maybe a little scared his dad would be mad.)

• What happened when the father saw his son? (The father ran to the boy; the father hugged his son.)

• Why did the father forgive his son? (Because he loved his son; because he was happy his son was home again.)

track 14

This Bible story is featured in My First Hands-On Bible™. Order several now for your ministry at group.com.


Lesson 11

• Who is the father in the story like? Explain. (The father is like God because God loves us and forgives us; God wants us to come to him.)

Say: When the father forgave his son, the son felt happy. That’s how it is when we forgive others. We can help others by forgiving them.

Ask: • How can we show forgiveness to people who’ve done something wrong? (We can say we forgive them; hug them; tell them we love them.)

Say: Sometimes we need to remember that forgiveness is for everyone—friends and families. Forgiving others is a good way to show love, and

we can help others by forgiving them. When it seems like it’s too hard to forgive someone, we can remember our Bible verse, Ephesians 6:7. This verse says “Work...as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” Have the children repeat the Bible verse with you: “Work...as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people” (Ephesians 6:7). When we forgive someone, it may seem like work. But when we remember to forgive because we love God, it gets easier.

Return the Learning Mat and CD to the Learning Lab box.

n Do the Bible StorySUPPLIES: white drawing paper, crayons, construction paper, scissors

Gather kids in the work area. Scatter the rubbing plates so that each child can easily reach at least one. Give each child a sheet of drawing paper and some crayons. Show children how to place the rubbing plates under the drawing paper. Have them rub crayons back and forth over the paper to make imprints.

While children work, discuss the pictures. First, hold up the picture of the boy running. Say: This picture shows the boy

in our story running away from home. Ask: • Why did the boy in our story run away from home? (His dad gave him

money, so he left; he wanted to have fun.)• What do you think he was thinking as he ran away? (I don’t need my dad;

I’m going to have fun now.) Say: The boy took his part of the family money and ran away from home.Ask: • What did the boy do after he ran away? (He tried to find an adventure;

he spent all the money.)• Do you think the boy had fun on his adventures? Tell me about that.

(Yes, he had lots of fun; yes, he didn’t have to think about anyone but himself; probably, because he had all that money.)

Hold up the picture of the boy shooting an arrow. Say: This picture shows the boy trying something that may have been new or fun for him. He’s having an adventure.

Ask: • What do you like to do on adventures? (Run; explore; go someplace I’ve never been before.)

• What’s something new you learned on an adventure? (How to catch a ball; how to ride a bike.)

Hold up the picture of the boy sitting by the rocks.

If you have a large class, divide children into groups of four and let each child make one of the four rubbing plate pictures. If you have a smaller class, let each child make all four pictures.



Ask: • Why does the boy look sad now? (He made a mistake; he ran out of money; he wanted to go home.)

• What happened to the boy after that? (He spent all his money; he found a job feeding pigs.)

Hold up the picture of the people embracing. Ask: • What happened when the boy got home? (His dad ran to meet him; his

dad threw a party to welcome him home.)• What do you think might have happened if the father didn’t forgive his

son? (Maybe the son would have had to feed some more pigs; everyone would have stayed sad.)

Say: While the dad and his friends and family were welcoming the boy home (point to the picture of the people embracing), the older brother was still mad. He didn’t want to forgive his brother, so he refused to join the party. But the father told him not to be upset.

Ask: • How do you think it helped the older son when his father talked to him? (His dad reminded him that he was still loved; his dad wasn’t mad at him because he didn’t want to forgive his brother.)

• How does it help people when we forgive them? (They can be friends with us again; they don’t have to feel badly for hurting us anymore.)

Let children cut around their pictures. They can cut circles, squares, wiggly lines or blobs. Have kids glue the pictures to construction paper. Show them how to cut the construction paper about one-half inch around the pictures to make simple frames for the story cards.

Say: The father helped his son when he forgave him and welcomed him home. God helps us when he forgives us and welcomes us into his family.

We can help others by forgiving them, too!

Closingn Forgive Me…Please?SUPPLIES: candy wrappers, wrapped candies

Before class, place candy wrappers in Pockets’ pouch, leaving a portion of the wrappers visible. Place a wrapped candy for each child in a gift box from the Learning Lab. Bring out Pockets the Kangaroo, and go through the following puppet script. After you finish the script, put Pockets away and out of sight.


Lesson 11

(Pockets comes in, rubbing her tummy and moaning.)

Teacher: Good morning, Pockets. How are you today?

Pockets: Not so good. I have a tummy ache.

Teacher: What did you have for breakfast, Pockets?

Pockets: Cereal and scrambled eggs and juice.

Teacher: That sounds like a good breakfast. (Look at the candy wrappers and point to them.) But are you sure that’s all you ate?

Pockets: No. (Shaking head and rubbing tummy) I ate a little candy, too.

Teacher: A little? Oh, Pockets. Did you eat the candy you were bringing to share with your friends? (Pockets nods.) Well, Pockets, I can see why your tummy hurts. Can’t you, children?

Pockets: I feel sick.

Teacher: You know, Pockets, we heard a story today about a boy who wasn’t happy because he did something wrong. Maybe you’ll feel better if the children tell you what happened in the story and what helped the boy feel better. (Lead the children in retelling the story. Encourage them to tell about how the boy felt before and after he asked for forgiveness.)

Pockets: (Speaking quietly into your ear; be sure children hear) But if I ask the children to forgive me, do you think they will?

Teacher: Why don’t you try it, Pockets?

Pockets: Children, I’m sorry I ate the candy that I was going to share. Will you forgive me?

(Lead children in saying, “We forgive you, Pockets.”)

Teacher: Of course we forgive you. You’re our friend, Pockets, and we can help others by forgiving them. Now I have something to share with everyone. (Hold up the gift box containing the wrapped candies.) We’ll have a snack in a moment.

Pockets: Thanks for forgiving me, friends. You did help me feel better—but I don’t feel good enough to eat any more. Ugh! I think I’ll go lie down. ’Bye.

Permission to photocopy this script from Group’s Hands-On Bible Curriculum®, Pre-K & K, granted for local church use. Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Avenue, Loveland, CO 80538. group.com



n I Can HelpSUPPLIES: candies from previous activity

Say: I’ll pick two children to each choose a candy. They’ll each take a candy to a friend and say, “Jesus forgives you when you say you’re sorry.” Then those two children may get a candy to give to someone.

After all the children have a snack, pray: Dear God, thank you for loving us and forgiving us. Please teach us to

forgive one another and to share your love. Help us realize that we can help others by forgiving them. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Today we’ve been learning that we can help others by forgiving them. Jesus wants us to help others whenever we can, and we show our love for Jesus when we help others. Let’s thank Jesus for his love and ask him to help us show love to others by helping them.

Hold a gift box and pray: Jesus, my gift to you is that I will help others by [name one helpful action you’ll do this

week]. Then pass the gift box to a child, and have the child hold the box and pray the same prayer, ending with an action he or she will do to help others. Continue passing the box and praying until each child has had a turn.

Say: It’s not always easy to forgive, but we can ask Jesus to help us. We can help others by forgiving them.

Collect name tags for next week’s use, and remind children to take home any crafts they made today.

Growing closer to Jesus extends beyond the classroom.Photocopy the “Today I Learned…’’ handout (at the end of this lesson) for this week, and send it home with your children. Encourage parents to use the handout to plan meaningful family activities to reinforce this week’s topic.


Lesson 11

n Lively Learning: Happy, Sad, MadHelp children form pairs. Tell them they’ll play a game called Happy, Sad, Mad that’s similar to the popular

game Rock, Paper, Scissors. Both partners start by making a fist and counting, “one, two” as they softly pound their fists on the floor. On the count of “three,” they should do one of these actions with their hands:

• make a fist—this stands for “mad”;• lay one hand flat on the floor—this stands for “sad”; or• put a thumb in the air—this stands for “happy.”Encourage children to see how many times they match their partner’s actions. Point out that we have many

different feelings but that it makes us especially happy to forgive others and to be forgiven. Remind children that we can help others by forgiving them.

n Make to Take: Family ForgivenessUse tongue depressors or craft sticks and markers to make family stick-

puppets. Encourage the children to make puppets to represent each member of their families. Let children use their puppets in groups of two or three to act out family situations that involve forgiveness. Remind children that Jesus is always willing to forgive us—even when we don’t deserve to be forgiven. Tell them it’s important to forgive the people in our families because we can help others by forgiving them.

n Treat to Eat: Pigs in a BlanketFor every two children, you’ll need baby wipes,

toothpicks, a plastic knife, a warm or cold hot dog, and a slice of bread. Have children clean their hands with baby wipes or at a nearby sink. Let the children work in pairs. Have one partner cut the hot dog in half and the other partner cut the bread in half lengthwise. Have children roll the hot-dog half in the bread and stick a toothpick through to keep it from unrolling. (For extra fun, use colorful party toothpicks.) As children eat their treats, have them retell the parable of the prodigal son and how he had to feed the pigs. You might want to provide ketchup in cupcake papers for dipping the “pigs in blankets.”

n Story Picture: The Son Who Left HomeGive each child a photocopy of the “Today I Learned…” handout. Set markers, glue sticks, potting soil, and

uncooked rice on a table. Let children color the picture. Then have them spread glue in the field and sprinkle potting soil on the glue. Allow children to glue rice on the picture to show how the boy fed the pigs.

For Extra Time If you have a long class time or want to add additional elements to your lesson, try one of the following activities.



Family Funl Make Hug Cookies together. Have your child roll

refrigerator sugar-cookie dough into a 1/4-inch-thick rope. Cut 6-inch lengths of dough, and lay them on a cookie sheet. Show your child how to fold the ends of each rope in a crisscross pattern much like a pretzel. Bake at 325 degrees until the cookies are golden brown. Talk about how a hug crisscrosses around people with love and how forgiving others is like giving them a hug.

Verse to Learn“Work…as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people” (Ephesians 6:7).

Ask Me...l What happened when the son went home to his father?

l How do you feel when you make a mistake?

l How does it help to forgive people in our family?

The Parable of the Lost Son (Luke 15:11-32)

Today your child learned that we can help others by forgiving them. Children learned how a father forgave his son, and they talked about forgiveness as a way to show love.

Lesson 11

We can help others by forgiving them.

156Permission to photocopy this handout from Group’s Hands-On Bible Curriculum® Pre-K & K granted for local church use.

Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Avenue, Loveland, CO 80538. group.com

Documents

The Parable of the Lost Son • Lesson 11 Bible Point We can ...storage.cloversites.com/thechurchatrutledge/documents/Feb 8... · righteousness without inner faith. The younger son