Grades 1–6: God Hears People — Session 3: People Praised God (January 19)

Grades 1-3

Introductory Activity – Joyful Praise

Materials: any items that can make noise, music player

Before class, gather items that the kids can use to make a “joyful noise.” Pick a well-known and upbeat worship song and download it to your music player. In class, allow the kids to pick one of the noise-making items. Tell them you will begin playing a worship song, and inform them they are to sing along and use their item as an instrument. Afterward, tell the children that in today’s lesson, they will see God’s people praise Him as they begin to rebuild the Temple. Write the Life Point on the board and have everyone say it together. 
Possible items for you to gather: plastic cups, maracas, wooden spoons, toy xylophone, tambourines, plastic soda bottles

Live It Out

Game – Puzzle It Out

Materials: card stock, marker, scissors

Print the complete Life Point on two pieces of paper. Cut each into 8 pieces to make puzzles. Mix the two puzzles together. 

Group the kids into two teams. Ask a team a review question. If the team answers correctly, give them 1-2 puzzle pieces. Give out the pieces randomly. Then ask the other team a review question. After all the puzzle pieces have been distributed, guide teams to try to put their puzzles together. (Make sure both teams have 8 pieces; if one team has more, they should give the extra pieces to the other team.) After a few minutes, if teams cannot complete their puzzles, they can choose 2 pieces to trade to the other team. Continue this for a few turns until both puzzles are completed. If teams cannot get the puzzles completed after a few turns, bring all the pieces to the middle of the room and guide children to work together to assemble both puzzles. Say the Life Point together.

Craft – Praise Hands

Materials: construction paper, markers

Give each child a piece of construction paper and markers. Instruct them to trace their hand in the middle of their page. Direct them to write the Weekly Verse on the palm of the hand. Tell them to write a reason they have to praise God on each of the fingers. Instruct them to decorate the rest of the page around their hand. Remind the kids that God always hears their praises, and say the Life Point together. 

Grades 4-6

Introductory Activity – Impromptu Band

Materials: unsharpened pencils, rulers, clipboards, books, small boxes and cans, other items that could be drums or instruments; worship music and player

Play the worship music. Invite kids to gather one or more of the available items to create quick rhythm instruments. They can tap to the beat of the music with their instruments. As the song changes, kids should change to different instruments. Tell kids that people sang and worshiped God in today’s Bible story.

Live It Out

Game – Bible Search

Materials: Bibles

Help kids find today’s Bible story in their Bibles. Ask a review question and lead kids to look in the Bible passage to find the answer. Each kid should point in his Bible where the answer is located. No one can answer the question until everyone has found it in the Bible. Encourage kids to work together and assist one another as needed. Call on a volunteer to answer the question and read the verse where the answer is located. Ask another review question and start the search again. Remind kids that the people worked together and sang songs to worship God.

Craft – Praise Banner

Materials: bulletin board paper, markers, tape

Place a large piece of paper on the floor. Write the Life Point in large letters in the middle of the paper. Instruct the kids to surround the paper and give them all markers. Direct them to draw pictures of themselves worshiping God. Tell them to write down one reason they have to worship God next to their picture. Allow volunteers to share what they wrote on the banner. Hang the banner in your room to remind the kids to worship God each week.