Grades 1–6: How to Treat Others — Session 1: David Spared Saul (February 2)

Grades 1-3

Introductory Activity – Coin Flip

Materials: coins or cardboard circles and marker

If you use cardboard circles, mark on side D and the other side S. Group the kids into pairs or threes. Give each group a coin. Tell kids to flip the coin. If the coin lands on “heads” (or D), kids should tell one another one thing they know about David. If the coin lands on “tails” (or S), kids should tell one thing they know about Saul. Groups should flip the coin several times and talk about David and Saul. Tell kids that today’s story is an important part of the story of David and Saul.

Live It Out

Game – Choose Like David

Materials: Bibles

Form three groups with the kids and ensure each group has a Bible. Instruct them to open their Bibles to 1 Samuel 24. Direct the groups to develop a skit based on the events of that passage. The roles for each group to assign would be David, King Saul, David’s soldiers, and Saul’s soldiers. Give the groups enough time to develop their skits. Allow each group to present their skits to the class. When each group has presented their skit, say the Life Point with the kids. 

Craft – Heart Response

Materials: red construction paper, markers

Give each child a piece of red construction paper and some markers. Instruct them to draw a large heart and cut it out. Direct them to decorate the heart and write the Weekly Verse in the center of it. Encourage the kids to place their hearts in their rooms to remind them how to treat others this week. 

Grades 4-6

Introductory Activity – Make Your Choice

Materials: slips of paper, pens, cup

Before class, write down scenarios the kids may experience, one scenario per slip of paper. Put the slips in a large cup. In class, ask volunteers to pull a slip of paper out of the cup. Instruct them to read the scenario and give the class two possible responses. Allow the class to vote on what choice they would make. Explain that in today’s lesson, they will see David have to choose how to respond during a difficult situation. Write the Life Point on the board and say it together. 
Possible scenarios to write down: a classmate criticized your science project; your sibling pushed you over while playing a game; your parent asked you to take out the garbage; your classmate didn’t cover their paper during a test

Live It Out

Game – Steal the Fabric

Materials: rag or square of fabric, masking tape

Make a tape line in the middle of the play area. Make a line at either end of the play area. Group the kids into two teams. Assign each team one end of the play area. Teams should line up on their lines. Count off the players on each team, assigning that number to the kid; tell kids to remember their numbers. (If you have an odd number of kids, ask an adult to play on one team to make the teams even.) Place the fabric on the middle line. Call out a number. The kids on each team with that number should try to steal the fabric in the middle. When one of the kids takes the fabric, the other team’s player must try to tag him before he reaches his team’s line. If the player is tagged, the tagging team gets a point. If the player takes the fabric to his line without being tagged, his team gets a point. Ask a review question for the team to answer and receive an additional point. Replace the fabric and call another number. You could also call two numbers and all four kids work to get the fabric.

Craft – Flag

Materials: white cotton fabric (cut into 8-inch squares), fabric markers

Give each kid a piece of fabric. Invite them to create reminder flags by drawing with the fabric markers. Suggest they create designs to remind them to make good decisions and to rely on God to make the best decisions. As they work, talk about the difficult decision that David made. Encourage them to think of decisions they must make. Say the Life Point.