2011 Elementary leader's guide summer

1 Today s Bible StoryBook of JonahObjectivesHChildren will connect with the biblicalstory of Jonah and the fish. HChildren will recognize that God s graceis for book of Jonah is unique from the otherOld Testament prophetic books in that it givesthe account of a single event in the life of aprophet. The story can be divided into threeparts. First, Jonah receives instruction fromthe Lord and decides to run away rather thanobey. There are times when children canidentify with Jonah in his desire to flee ratherthan to follow. Children can go to greatlengths to avoid obeying parents or teachers. Second, after spending some time in the bellyof a great fish, Jonah decides he cannotescape God s reach. He then goes to Ninevehand deliver s God s message to the his surprise, the Ninevites heed God swarning and repent of their ways. They beginto live faithfully, and God responds to theirfaithfulness by offering forgiveness andredemption. Jonah s response to God scompassion for the Ninevites is surprising.

2 The third part of our story concerns Jonah sanger toward God s compassion. Jonahbecame sullen and bitter at God scompassion and mercy when the peoplerepented. It was as if his struggles were invain if God was only to forgive the was the fire? Where was the wrath?Where was the vengeance? Children have awell-established sense of justice. They, too,want to see the wicked get their justsentence. However, God has different story of Jonah and the big fish is a classicBible story for children. Its moral tale, alongwith the animal story, is a timeless favorite ofboth children and their parents. As you teachthe story today, invite the children to view thestory from several points of view: Jonah thereluctant prophet, the joyfully repentantpeople of Nineveh, and even merciful you prepare today s lesson, look at thisfamiliar story with new eyes. Try to hear it as iffor the first time. Jonah s response to run awaywhen given a difficult task is something withwhich both children and adults can s frustration with God s mercy and hiscorresponding desire to see God s vengeanceis also a very human condition.

3 However, Goddoes not leave us alone in our struggles andfrustration. Jonah encountered God when thestorm ended his flight from obedience andwhen the fish turned his path back towardNineveh. Jonah encountered God when he satand waited for fire and brimstone that wouldnever come. Jonah encountered God whenreminded of the preciousness of each humanlife. Yes, God stands in the way when we runand challenges our selfishness. God helps usto become better people. Lesson 6 granted to photocopy for local church use. Abingdon Press. Lesson 6 July 10, 2011 July s IdeaWe believe that we can live and act with love and couragebecause God is always with s Bible VerseThe LORD will keep your going out and your comingin from this time on and 121:8 July s ThemeCome, Live the AdventureJuly 10, 2011 One Big Room73 Permission granted to photocopy for local church use. Abingdon Press. The Station kids are doing their finalrehearsal of a scene they re going to perform forAna s vacation Bible school class.

4 Ethan, who forgot hiscostume, blames Luke for not reminding him. Luke sayshe s tired of being responsible for Ethan. Ana comparesLuke to Jonah, who didn t want to tell the people ofNineveh that God was going to punish them. Your kids willsee that God wants to give us mercy, even when otherswant us to get what we deserve. DVD Summary: The StationActivityTimeSaverEcoFriendlyTimeS aver Activities that require little or no planningand only basic Activities that encourage responsible earthstewardship by providing options to use recycledor repurposed them in .. (15 minutes)Who Am I? Big-Fish Word Search Jonah s Map Quest Swallowed Up!.. Into the Bible (30 minutes)Outside In Paper-Bag Fish Withered-Vine Memory Verse .. Into Life (15 minutes)At The Station The Sound Running Away From God Closing Worship TimeSaverEcoFriendlyInvite them in .. Lesson 6 July 10, granted to photocopy for local church use. Abingdon Press. The IdeaWe believe that we can live andact with love and couragebecause God is always with us.

5 Choose one or more activities to introduce your children to the Bible Am I?Supplies: Leader page 83, crayons, pencilsPrepare HPhotocopy Who Am I? (Leader page 83)for each :God used a special creature to stop the prophet in today s storyfrom running away. Look at the dots on your activity sheet. See ifyou can connect the dots to find out what kind of creature Godused to turn Jonah each child a copy of Who Am I? (Leader page 83). HEncourage the children to connect the dots and discover what creatureGod used in today s story. HHave the children color the picture. Live used a big fish to help Jonah listen to Word SearchSupplies: Leader page 81,pencilsPrepareHPhotocopy Big-Fish Word Search (Leader page 81)for each each child a copy of Big-Fish Word Search (Leader page 81).HSay:Today we re going to hear a story about a very big fish and a manwho lived inside of the fish! See if you can find some of the wordsfrom our Bible story in this big the children to find the words listed on the page inside ofthe fish-shaped word from the Bible story will introduce the children to someelements of the Bible s Map QuestSupplies: Leader page 82,scissors, gluesticksJuly 10, 2011 One Big Room75 Permission granted to photocopy for local church use.

6 Abingdon Press. PrepareHPhotocopy Jonah s Map Quest (Leader page 82)for each each child a copy of Jonah s Map Quest (Leader page 82).HHave the children cut out the vine, fish, and Jonah :Find Nineveh on the map. Glue the vine onto the children glue the vine on : Find the Mediterranean Sea on the map. Glue the big fish on theMediterranean the children glue the big fish on the Mediterranean :Find Tarshish on the map. Glue Jonah walking on the children glue Jonah walking on :Each of the places we marked on the map are places where part of today sstory took place. What do you think happened in Tarshish? What do you thinkhappened on the Mediterranean Sea? What do you think happened inNineveh?HEncourage the children to imagine things that could happen in cities and on thesea. They should not be expected to have the correct answers, but to use theirimaginations to create their own ideas of what today s story could be can learn about the places where today s story Up!

7 Supplies: gray fun foam, paper blowout party favors (unrolls as you blow into it), craftsticks, wiggle eyes, glue, fine-tip markers, crayons, stapler & staples, scissorsPrepareHFor each child, cut a chubby, open-mouthed fish shape from the gray foam. HCut out a 1-by-3 strip of gray foam for each each child with a big fish, a craft stick, a wiggle eye, and a foam the children use the fine-tip markers or crayons to decorate the craft stick tolook like Jonah. Have the children write their name or initials on the back of the children place the blowout on the backside of the big fish so that thepart they blow into is at the back of the fish, and the roll-out part goes past thefish s mouth. HAttach the blowout using the 1-by-3 strip of foam. Staple one end of the strip on thefish on top of the party blowout, wrap the strip firmly across the blowout, andstaple the remaining-free strip end under the blowout, holding it firmly in the fish and blowout tongue are assembled, have the children place theJonah craft stick in the center of the rolled-up fish tongue.

8 When they blow on theblowout, the fish will spit out today s story, God rescues Jonah from the inside of a big .. Into the Bible Lesson 6 July 10, granted to photocopy for local church use. Abingdon Press. The IdeaWe believe that we can live andact with love and couragebecause God is always with us. Choose one or more activities to immerse your children in the Bible InSupplies: Leader page 80; large appliance box, dark closet, or tablecovered over by a dark blanket; flashlightPrepare HPrepare the space with either the appliance box, blanket-covered table,or have a closet cleaned out and ready to hold Jonah and the Ninevites (Leader page 80)for each child. DoHInvite the children to sit with you inside the prepared space. HSay:Jonah spent three days and nights living in the belly of a fish. Let simagine that we are living inside a fish right the door, cover the table, or close the box. HUse the flashlight to illuminate your face as you talk to the : If we are in the belly of a big fish, what does it look like?

9 (dark)What do we hear? (tummy rumbles, muted sounds from outside)What does it smell like? (seaweed, salty water, rotten food)Whatother things do we see? (fish parts, trash, ribs) Let s go to thestorytelling area and learn more about someone who spent timeinside the belly of a Jonah and the Ninevites (Leader page 80). HAsk: Why did Jonah run away from God? What did God do? Did Godgive up on Jonah? Had God given up on the Ninevites? Does Godever give up on us?Live should take good care of what God provides for FishSupplies: old newspapers, paper lunch bags, large rubber bands, scissors,construction paper, glue, poster paint, markers, glitter, sequins, paintbrushesDoHSay:God used a big fish to showJonah that God wouldn tgive up on him. Let s make a big fish to remind us that God won t give up on cover the work area with newspaper. HHave the children take some sheets of newspaper and wad them them stuff the paper into the lunch bag loosely to help it stand fish take some time to dry, so if time isan issue, paint the bags early in the sessionand come back to them after anotheractivity.

10 Use thin paint to limit drying 10, 2011 One Big Room77 Permission granted to photocopy for local church use. Abingdon Press. HHave them open the bag up all the way and stand it on its open end. HHave the children paint the entire paper bag the color they want their fish to can add glitter, if they wish, while the paint is still wet. HHave them mash the newspaper into the bottom half of the bag. Pull the open endof the bag together and tie it off tightly with the rubber band. Then fan the top ofthe sack to make the tail of the fish, and lay the bag down on the table. HUsing the construction paper and scissors, cut out a large fin for the fish s back andthen cut out two smaller fins for the sides. The large fin is called the dorsal fin andthe smaller fins are the ventral fins. HNext, have them make half-inch folds along the bottoms of all three fins. Havethem glue the folded edges of the fins to the top and sides of the fish, and let dry. HUsing poster paints, markers, glitter, sequins, and their creativity, have the childrenpaint their fish with an imaginative design, being sure to include eyes and a mouth.