 |
|
|
|
| |
This web-site is for everyone interested in learning more about the Bible.
This section helps Sunday school teachers find new ways of teaching familiar materials. Our goal is to augment lessons you may already have in your Sunday school curriculum.
This month is our seventh anniversary at BibleWise! So we’re celebrating the joy of sharing BibleWise as well as National Bible week (Nov. 22-29) and Thanksgiving. In commemoration of these events, we invite you to review Bible characters who taught us, by example, how to express gratitude.
The Bible is God’s story. Help children to learn more about God and to express gratitude to God. |
|
The entire Activities section is divided into Memory Work, Activities, and Discussion Questions. You can go to any of these sections and select what best works for your pupils.
You can now download all three sections for ease in using these materials for teaching. |
| |
|
| |
MEMORY WORK |
| |
|
| |
Teachers and Parents
It is so important to encourage our little ones as well as ourselves to memorize Bible verses and stories – to become so familiar with the passage or story that its timeless relevance appears to us more and more clearly with every retelling. A major difference was evident between Sunday school pupils required to tell the story versus those who gave nodding recognition to the same story. We can not overlook the significance of memorizing a verse or story.
Consider sharing with your Sunday school pupils and parents ways to help little ones learn the verse and understand the impact of the message on their lives.
- Write out or type this week’s Bible verse on a card and place it on a mirror the child uses each day.
- Place the verse for the week in his/her lunch box.
- Ask the child to recite the verse before or after grace at the dinner meal.
- Practice as a family at dinner, going around the table with each one saying a word until the verse is complete.
- Put the verse to music. Create your own tune for each Bible verse. Create pictures to help remember the verse.
- Write it in a Bible verse notebook as many times as you can.
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Bible Verses
Work with your child and your students to learn each verse. Then, discuss the meaning of the verse and how it can be applied to everyday lives. On Sundays during class, riding in the car, or at dinner, it's fun to share stories of how the children have used the verse in their lives that week.
We provide memorization verses for each week. You can add your own.
November 1
(NLB) Jonah 2:9 But I will give gifts in worship to You with a thankful voice. I will give You what I have promised. The Lord is the One Who saves.
- How do you express gratitude for the gifts God has given you?
- What promises have you made to God?
- Why should the last sentence of this verse be one of the promises you make to God?
- How do our promises to God affect our lives each day?
November 8
(NIV) Jeremiah 17:14 Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.
- Have you ever asked God to heal you?
- How often do you remember to praise God for a healing that you have had?
November 15
(NLT) I Ch 16:8 Give thanks to the LORD and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done.
- Why should we thank God?
- More to the point, why should we tell the whole world about God?
November 22
(NCV) 2 Cor 4:15 All these things are for you. And so the grace of God that is being given to more and more people will bring increasing thanks to God for his glory.
- Why is it important to give God the glory?
- How have you felt God’s grace?
November 29
(NKJV) 1 Cor 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
- What is the “gift of prophecy”?
- Why is love more important than knowledge?
Translations used:
NCV New Century Version
NIV New International Version
NLB New Life Bible
NLT New Living Translation
NKJV New King James Version |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
ACTIVITIES |
| |
Bible Overview looks at the early church.
BibleWise Guest this month is Rabbi David Louis.
Hot Topic - The Power of Flexibility
Parenting with the Bible focuses on It’s Time to be a Sheep!
As we celebrate our 7th anniversary, we are designing new ways to make our site more user-friendly. Watch each month for new activities. |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Exercise: Plan activities for the family to recognize National Bible Week. Here are several ideas:
-
Agree to read the Bible as a family for 15 minutes after dinner.
-
Share any Bible verse that has helped you.
-
Assign a different task related to the Bible for each day of the week. Create a program that will work for your family. For instance:
- Sunday - quote your favorite verse and discuss it.
- Monday - have each member tell his or her favorite story.
- Tuesday - play twenty questions about a character in the Bible.
- Wednesday - divide up the responsibility for writing a prayer for each meal on Thanksgiving. Make certain it includes a Bible verse. Ex. The Bible says to make a joyful noise unto the Lord. Thank you God for everyone sitting at this table. Thank you for ….
- Thursday - invite each person to share his or her prayer prepared for all of the meals.
- Friday - write out your favorite Bible verse and give it to a family member.
- Saturday - list all the things you learned about the Bible this week to share in Sunday school.
- Sunday - share your list with your Sunday school class.
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Exercise: National Bible Week November 22-29
Have your pupils make posters to place around the church to remind everyone of this important week.
The poster might include questions about the Bible, like:
- What’s your favorite book of the Bible?
- What has the Bible taught you?
- How have you shared the Scriptures with other people?
Or post some riddles about the Bible and tell them to find the answers on the Sunday school bulletin board:
- Who was the greatest financier in the Bible?
- A: Noah; he was floating his stock while everyone was in liquidation.
- Who was the greatest female financier in the Bible?
- A: Pharaoh's daughter; she went down to the bank of the Nile and drew out a little prophet.
- What kind of man was Boaz before he got married?
- Who was the greatest comedian in the Bible?
- A: Samson; he brought the house down.
- Where is the first baseball game in the Bible?
- A: In the Big Inning, Eve stole first, Adam stole second, Cain struck out Abel, and the Prodigal Son came home. The Giants and the Angels were rained out.
- Who was known as a Mathematician in the Bible?
- A: Moses, he wrote the book of Numbers.
Or questions about Bible characters and stories, like:
- Who was the first prophet?
- Who brought down the walls of Jericho?
- Who are the women in Jesus’ genealogy?
- How old was Jesus when the Wise men arrived?
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Exercise:
Ask the pupils to fill in the blanks and post their responses on a church bulletin board for members to enjoy:
- What I love about the Bible is ______________________.
- Whenever I have a problem, I turn to _______in the Bible.
- My favorite passage/story/character in the Bible is __________ because __________________________________________.
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Exercise:
This can be an individual or group exercise. Have a contest and see who can recite the most Bible verses. You can make a nice Bible bookmark or buy some at a local religious bookstore. |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Exercise:
Teachers, share why you love the Bible with your students. Ask them to look for articles in newspapers and magazines or to search for ideas in television programs and movies that mention God, the Bible, or the importance of gratitude this next week. Have them bring the results next Sunday. |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Exercise: Talk about the different ways we can praise God. Look at the following Psalms 67; 100; 113; 136; 139 and 145.
These Psalms can be seen in our Archives from November 2008:
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Exercise: Using I Give Thanks For…or the exercise questions below, help your pupils write their own Psalms to read at Thanksgiving dinner or anytime during Thanksgiving Day.
 Print/Download - I Give Thanks For...
Use a series of questions for children to answer as part of the process of writing a psalm. The age of the children will determine how long it will take to get the answers. Older children can probably answer all the questions in one sitting or do them as homework. Younger children can handle up to about 5-7 questions in an hour. Some of the questions need explanation to make certain the child understands what's being asked.
Have a sheet of paper with each pupil's name and the questions on it. If the children can write their own answers, great. If not, don't hesitate to be the scribe. Even the older children love to have you write their words on paper.
Take Psalm 100.
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. [Say something nice about God!]
Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. [Say something about how glad we are to serve or belong to God and how we do that.]
Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. [What do you know about God and your relationship to Him?]
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. [What should we do for God?]
For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. [What is true about God?]
After you've gathered the answers, type out or print each psalm.
The students get pretty excited about their ability to write down their ideas. Synonymous structure means the first part of the line makes a statement and the second part echoes or repeats the meaning of the first part.
Example: Ps 92:1
Lord, it is good to praise you. [1st line of the verse] Most High God, it is good to make music to honor you. [2nd line restates the first]
Another type of structure is the antithetical. First line states something true, and the second line states the opposite.
Example: Ps 1:6
For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: [first line] but the way of the ungodly shall perish. [the second line is the opposite of the first line]
There are other types, but these are the easiest to teach children.
Now try the following questions.
- What would you like to say to God?
- What do or would you thank God for?
- What makes you happy or glad?
- What makes you sad?
- When are you afraid? [if they haven't been introduced to any concept of fear, you might want to skip this and the next question.]
- What makes you afraid?
- What do you need help with?
- Where is God?
- How do you know God exists?
- How have you been blessed by God?
- Why should we obey God?
- What do you like about your parents or your friends?
- Are those comments true about God as a parent or a friend?
- Sing a song to God.
After you have their responses to the questions, put them in an order - with praise in the beginning and closing, the tough answers to life's questions in the middle.
Here is an example from a five-year-old.
Psalm 151
Thank you, God, for keeping me safe. I love you.
You made everything here on earth. You are very helpful all around the world. I'm glad you made us.
Thank you, God, for making me glad. Thank you, God, for loving me and my family.
Thank you for loving my brother and seeing his needs. Give him the strength to walk, run, and jump. Keep him from falling and feeling sad.
Hold me tight the way I hug and kiss my Mom. Help me not feel hurt when my parents say, "No."
Please help me feel safe when the lights are out. I am grateful for you, God, and all that you have made.
Jacquelyn
It really was quite simple and effortless. Get a nice piece of paper and let them draw an appropriate picture to go with their psalm. Post these masterpieces on a bulletin board at church. |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Exercise: Help your pupils study the Psalms and build a "first aid" kit of verses to help in times of trouble.
Example:
Have you ever had an embarrassing moment? Ps 25:20 O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.
Is cheating a challenge? Ps 25:21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.
Do you have a sunburn? Ps 121:6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
Are you afraid to go to bed at night? Ps 4:8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.
Are you concerned about health? Ps 67:2 That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.
Are you ever afraid? Ps 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
Ps 56:11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Exercise: Write thank you notes to:
Family members (aunts, uncles, grandparents, siblings, cousins, parents) Tuck the thank you notes to parents under their pillows, or tape on the mirror in their bathroom, or set in the refrigerator, or slide into work spaces, obviously a place they will find them and have a quiet moment to read your special message.
Make sure your note says more than just “Thank you,” and includes examples of gratitude. Maybe you’re grateful for clean laundry, great meals, all the driving to and from school, music lessons, athletic practices and games, quiet times together, etc. Think of one special moment this past year that meant something particularly special to you. Maybe it was the hike you took with Dad or the cooking lesson with Mom, or learning how to wakeboard. You know what wonderful things you’ve done with your family. Just let them know you haven’t forgotten and that you are grateful. Don’t forget grandparents, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles.
People at church (SS teacher, fellow classmates, minister, priest, youth pastor, choir director, clerk, etc.)
If you start early enough, it is a nice gesture to write a thank you note to your city’s mayor, state’s governor, your country’s president or prime minister, or men and women serving your country in the military.
Look for all kinds of opportunities to express gratitude. And then make the time to do it! |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Exercise: Gratitude Lists
In preparation for Thanksgiving, ask each student to make a gratitude list. Or print off the following page for each student:
Print/Download - Gratitude List
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS |
| |
|
| |
|
Giving Gratitude
Read Luke 17: 11-19; 10 Lepers; The Ten Lepers
- What did the lepers ask Jesus to do?
- Why do you think only one returned to give thanks?
- Have you ever forgotten to thank people when they helped you or when you received a gift?
- How often do we thank God for all He has given us?
- What does this healing account teach us?
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Jesus Raises Lazarus
Read John 11:1- 44; Jesus Raises Lazarus; Lazarus the Dead Man whom Jesus Called Out of the Grave
- Ask the students to tell the story of Lazarus.
- Who is Lazarus?
- Who are his sisters?
- How do we know Mary and Martha?
- Why do you think Jesus waited so long to see Lazarus?
- Do you think he knew Lazarus was going to die? Why?
- What does Mary say about resurrection?
- What is the shortest verse in the Bible? (Jesus wept)
- Why do you think Jesus cried?
- What did Jesus do before calling Lazarus?
- Why is it important to thank God before a healing?
- Why didn’t Martha want Jesus to remove the stone from the cave?
- Who believed Jesus could bring back someone who had been dead 4 days already?
- What is important about this healing?
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Feeding the Five Thousand
Read Matt 14:13-22; Jesus Feeds 5,000; A Boy’s Lunch-Basket, and a Great Miracle
- Why did the disciples tell Jesus to send the people away?
- Why didn’t they want to feed the crowd?
- How would you have handled the need to feed over 5000 people?
- What is so impressive about feeding that many people?
- What amount is 200 pennyworth of bread? [300 pennyworth was about a year’s salary]
- What does Jesus ask?
- What does Jesus tell the disciples to do?
- Why do you think they were put into groups of hundreds and fifties?
- What did Jesus do with the bread?
- Why do you think Jesus thanked God before sharing the food?
- Do you pray before your meals?
- How many baskets were filled with leftovers?
- Is there always room at your dinner table for company?
- Do you ever think you don’t have enough to share?
- What does this story teach you?
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
The Lost Sheep and Psalms of Thanksgiving
Read Matt 14:13-22; Psalms 100 & 150; A Psalm For Giving Thanks; A Praise Psalm; The Lost Sheep; “Lost” Parables
- What is a Psalm?
- Why do Psalms make great prayers?
- Which Psalms do you know by heart?
- How have Psalms helped you?
- How do you praise God?
- What is a parable?
- Why did Jesus use parables?
- What is the meaning of this parable?
- In the parable, who represents lost sheep?
- Who represents the shepherd?
- How have you felt God’s tender, nurturing care for you?
- Why would the shepherd leave 99 sheep behind to go find one?
- Have you ever found something you lost?
- How did you feel when it was found?
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Paul and Silas in Prison
Read Acts 16:19-40; Paul and Silas in Prison; The Prayer-Meeting in Prison, And It’s Happy Ending
- Why were Paul and Silas in prison?
- Would you risk getting thrown into jail just to talk about Jesus?
- Why did they love Jesus so much?
- Why was it important to tell Jesus’ message?
- What was Jesus’ message?
- How did they react to being in jail?
- Why had they been treated so cruelly?
- What happened at midnight?
- Why didn’t they just run out of the prison?
- What did Paul stop the jailer from doing?
- How were they rewarded?
- How do you know God exists?
- How was gratitude expressed in this account?
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
GAL |
| |
|
| |
Home | Teaching the Bible | Kids Korner | Teen Time
Bible Overview | Parenting
with the Bible | Living with the Bible | Contact
Us |
| |
|
| |
Copyright © 2009, BibleWise. All Rights Reserved. |
