Elementary Lesson Plan Week 3
Elementary Lesson Plan Week 3
Materials
Pre-Stations
Morse Code Alphabet sheet Paper & Pencils 1. Morse Code - Have the kids write out short messages using the Morse Code alphabet to each other, then have them try to decipher the messages. Explain to them how each letter is signified by a certain pattern of dots and dashes. This activity is to supplement the idea in today’s lesson of Jonathan’s special code for David to stay or run.
Materials
Lesson: True Friends UNDERSTAND
Video Bible
1:00 Countdown Welcome / Prayer. Worship Time Offering Time MEMORY VERSE: “Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we are friends forever, no matter what, under our pledge to the Lord.” 1 Samuel 20:42
1
Go in peace: make a peace sign with your fingers
for we are friends forever: shake someone’s hand
no matter what: move hands, one over the other, in a “no” motion
under our pledge to the Lord: point to the sky
1 Samuel 20: hold up 2 fingers with your left hand, and an “O” with your right.
42: hold up 4 fingers on your left hand, and 2 fingers with your right.
VIDEO: True Friendship Week 3
TEACHING LESSON: Scripture Reference From Last Week: I Samuel 19 Last week we learned how King Saul became so angry with David’s blessings that he tried to send many people to kill David, including his own son, and David’s best friend Jonathan! But Jonathan, being a great friend, warned David of this and talked to his father. King Saul promised Jonathan that he wouldn’t harm David, but later on he broke that promise and tried to kill David again, causing David to run away in the middle of the night with the help of his wife, Michal. David had to trust Jonathan and his wife to take care of him. After he ran away, David came to his friend Jonathan, asking for help. READ: 1 Samuel 20:1-4 See, Saul knew that Jonathan and David were great friends, and that Jonathan would be sad if he killed David, so Saul lied to his son. David had figured this out and told Jonathan about it. Upon hearing this, and understanding that David was a true and honest friend, Jonathan made an agreement with David to do whatever he could in order to ensure his safety. READ: 1 Samuel 20:17-22 Jonathan understood what it meant to be a friend no matter what, and even though his father Saul wanted to kill David, Jonathan stood by David’s side, even renewing the promise of their friendship with him so that David wouldn‘t have to worry, and allowing him to hide! They then created a secret code for David to know whether or not he should escape to safety. Later, at the feast, Saul became angry that David wasn’t there, which allowed Jonathan to see the truth; that Saul truly did mean to kill his friend David! So Jonathan went back, shot the arrows, and sent the signal so David knew to run. But before David left, he and Jonathan talked one more time. READ: 1 Samuel 20:42 Jonathan UNDERSTOOD what it meant to be a true friend, and so he told David to leave in peace, saying that their friendship would be not only between them, but between their children and grandchildren, as well as future generations. He risked it all for his friend David, even standing up to his own father in order to save his friend’s life. Sometimes in life we are faced with tough decisions when it comes to our friends. Ask: Have you ever faced a tough decisions when it came to your friends? Have you ever been in the middle of a fight between friends and been forced to choose a side?
2
(Allow for discussion) Understanding what it means to be a true friend like Jonathan was will help us to make the right decisions instead of the wrong ones when it comes to our friends. Let’s pray that God will give us spiritual understanding so that we can be better friends towards those we love, and make the right decisions, especially when times get tough.
PRAY
Group Activity #1: Red Light, Green Light
- READ: As a group, read 1 Samuel 20:20-22 -
EXPLAIN: This game will play as a similar representation to the way Jonathan and David used the code with the arrows to signal David to stay or flee. This will deal with understanding signals and following instructions. One person will play as Jonathan (the "stop light") and the rest will be “David“. At the start, all the children form a line up at the opposite end of the room from “Jonathan“. “Jonathan” faces away from the line of kids and says "green light". At this point the kids are allowed to move towards “Jonathan“. At any point, “Jonathan” may say "red light!" and turn around. If any of the kids are caught moving after this has occurred, they are out. Play resumes when “Jonathan” turns back around and says "green light". The stop light wins if all the kids are out before anyone is able to tag “Jonathan“. Otherwise, the first player to tag “Jonathan” wins the game and earns the right to be "Jonathan” for the next game.
3
Materials
Materials
Group Activity #2: Discussion
-
ASK: What kinds of situations can we think of where we might have to show how true of a friend we are? This might mean that we stick up for a friend who is being picked on, or it might mean that we stop a friend from doing something they shouldn’t be doing. Allow the kids to participate in a discussion on their understanding of what it means to be a true friend, and situations they may have faced that were similar to David and Jonathan’s.
-
PRAY: You can pray individually or as a large group. Allow the kids to discuss what they need prayer for in terms of understanding what being a true friend is.
Materials
Group Activity #3: Drawing Closer Together
Paper Crayons Colored Pencils Markers -
EXPLAIN: In 1 Samuel 20, David and Jonathan had to work together in order to make sure that David stayed safe.
- DO: Have each child partner up (if there is an uneven number, either you or another volunteer can partner up with the remaining child). On drawing paper, have them draw one line dividing the paper in half (either up and down, side to side, or diagonal). Then, have them draw a picture of David; one child will draw one half of the picture, while the other child draws the other half. This promotes teamwork, and also makes for some very interesting creations!
4
Materials
Pre-Stations
Morse Code Alphabet sheet Paper & Pencils 1. Morse Code - Have the kids write out short messages using the Morse Code alphabet to each other, then have them try to decipher the messages. Explain to them how each letter is signified by a certain pattern of dots and dashes. This activity is to supplement the idea in today’s lesson of Jonathan’s special code for David to stay or run.
Materials
Lesson: True Friends UNDERSTAND
Video Bible
1:00 Countdown Welcome / Prayer. Worship Time Offering Time MEMORY VERSE: “Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we are friends forever, no matter what, under our pledge to the Lord.” 1 Samuel 20:42
1
Go in peace: make a peace sign with your fingers
for we are friends forever: shake someone’s hand
no matter what: move hands, one over the other, in a “no” motion
under our pledge to the Lord: point to the sky
1 Samuel 20: hold up 2 fingers with your left hand, and an “O” with your right.
42: hold up 4 fingers on your left hand, and 2 fingers with your right.
VIDEO: True Friendship Week 3
TEACHING LESSON: Scripture Reference From Last Week: I Samuel 19 Last week we learned how King Saul became so angry with David’s blessings that he tried to send many people to kill David, including his own son, and David’s best friend Jonathan! But Jonathan, being a great friend, warned David of this and talked to his father. King Saul promised Jonathan that he wouldn’t harm David, but later on he broke that promise and tried to kill David again, causing David to run away in the middle of the night with the help of his wife, Michal. David had to trust Jonathan and his wife to take care of him. After he ran away, David came to his friend Jonathan, asking for help. READ: 1 Samuel 20:1-4 See, Saul knew that Jonathan and David were great friends, and that Jonathan would be sad if he killed David, so Saul lied to his son. David had figured this out and told Jonathan about it. Upon hearing this, and understanding that David was a true and honest friend, Jonathan made an agreement with David to do whatever he could in order to ensure his safety. READ: 1 Samuel 20:17-22 Jonathan understood what it meant to be a friend no matter what, and even though his father Saul wanted to kill David, Jonathan stood by David’s side, even renewing the promise of their friendship with him so that David wouldn‘t have to worry, and allowing him to hide! They then created a secret code for David to know whether or not he should escape to safety. Later, at the feast, Saul became angry that David wasn’t there, which allowed Jonathan to see the truth; that Saul truly did mean to kill his friend David! So Jonathan went back, shot the arrows, and sent the signal so David knew to run. But before David left, he and Jonathan talked one more time. READ: 1 Samuel 20:42 Jonathan UNDERSTOOD what it meant to be a true friend, and so he told David to leave in peace, saying that their friendship would be not only between them, but between their children and grandchildren, as well as future generations. He risked it all for his friend David, even standing up to his own father in order to save his friend’s life. Sometimes in life we are faced with tough decisions when it comes to our friends. Ask: Have you ever faced a tough decisions when it came to your friends? Have you ever been in the middle of a fight between friends and been forced to choose a side?
2
(Allow for discussion) Understanding what it means to be a true friend like Jonathan was will help us to make the right decisions instead of the wrong ones when it comes to our friends. Let’s pray that God will give us spiritual understanding so that we can be better friends towards those we love, and make the right decisions, especially when times get tough.
PRAY
Group Activity #1: Red Light, Green Light
- READ: As a group, read 1 Samuel 20:20-22 -
EXPLAIN: This game will play as a similar representation to the way Jonathan and David used the code with the arrows to signal David to stay or flee. This will deal with understanding signals and following instructions. One person will play as Jonathan (the "stop light") and the rest will be “David“. At the start, all the children form a line up at the opposite end of the room from “Jonathan“. “Jonathan” faces away from the line of kids and says "green light". At this point the kids are allowed to move towards “Jonathan“. At any point, “Jonathan” may say "red light!" and turn around. If any of the kids are caught moving after this has occurred, they are out. Play resumes when “Jonathan” turns back around and says "green light". The stop light wins if all the kids are out before anyone is able to tag “Jonathan“. Otherwise, the first player to tag “Jonathan” wins the game and earns the right to be "Jonathan” for the next game.
3
Materials
Materials
Group Activity #2: Discussion
-
ASK: What kinds of situations can we think of where we might have to show how true of a friend we are? This might mean that we stick up for a friend who is being picked on, or it might mean that we stop a friend from doing something they shouldn’t be doing. Allow the kids to participate in a discussion on their understanding of what it means to be a true friend, and situations they may have faced that were similar to David and Jonathan’s.
-
PRAY: You can pray individually or as a large group. Allow the kids to discuss what they need prayer for in terms of understanding what being a true friend is.
Materials
Group Activity #3: Drawing Closer Together
Paper Crayons Colored Pencils Markers -
EXPLAIN: In 1 Samuel 20, David and Jonathan had to work together in order to make sure that David stayed safe.
- DO: Have each child partner up (if there is an uneven number, either you or another volunteer can partner up with the remaining child). On drawing paper, have them draw one line dividing the paper in half (either up and down, side to side, or diagonal). Then, have them draw a picture of David; one child will draw one half of the picture, while the other child draws the other half. This promotes teamwork, and also makes for some very interesting creations!
4
