Hello God! - Semester 1 Teacher's Manual SAMPLE

SAMPLE

SEMESTER 1

FEATURES

This Hello God!Teacher’s pack includes

• Two 10-lesson units specially designed for preschool students

• A balance of Old Testament and New Testament lessons introducing children to God’s character and his plan for his world

• Lesson background notes for teachers’ preparation

• Suggestions for free play and extra activities

• Clear lesson aims and outcomes to develop children’s learning and understanding

• Access to songs and movement music

• 20 fun and colourful posters to make lessons more effective and fun.

SAMPLE

PO Box A287, Sydney South, NSW 1235

P +61 2 8268 3344

E sales@cepstore.com.au

W cepstore.com.au

Hello God! Semester 1 album

The Hello God! Semester 1 album contains songs referred to in these lessons.

Songs

1. In the beginning

2. God made me

3. Baa baa

4. God cares for me

5. Jesus loves kids like us

6. God keeps his promises

Movement music

12. Pack it up

13. Get up and run

14. Jumping jelly beans

7. He’s Jesus

8. Jesus, he’s the one

9. Are you ready?

10. Jesus is alive today

11. The Saviour of the world

15. Stop and rest

16. Skip or gallop

17. Sway away

Other recommended resources

Books

Sally Lloyd-Jones, The Jesus Storybook Bible, Zondervan. David Helm, The Big Picture Story Bible, Crossway. Francis Bridger, Children Finding Faith—Exploring a Child’s Responses to God, Scripture Union. Jody Capehart, The Discipline Guide for Children’s Ministry, Group Publishing. Anglican Diocese of Sydney, Safe Ministry Training.

Music

Promises, promises, CEP

How cool is that, Johnny Burns

10, 9, 8 … God is great, Colin Buchanan

Practise being godly, Colin Buchanan

Remember the Lord, Colin Buchanan

Follow the Saviour, Colin Buchanan

Baa baa doo baa baa, Colin Buchanan

Jesus rocks the world, Colin Buchanan

King of Christmas, Colin Buchanan

The King, the snake and the promise, Emu Music

J is for Jesus, Emu Music.

Sample introducingletterChit-chat

This should be sent home attached to the first copy of Chit-chat to explain to carers what it is and how they can use it.

Dear parents and carers,

Please find attached a copy of Chit-chat. We are happy to provide you with this handy resource that is used in conjunction with our curriculum Hello God!

Hello God! aims to create a firm foundation for children to understand the Christian faith. It provides 40 lessons throughout the year with 4 and 5 year olds in our early childhood setting. Each week we will be providing you with a copy of Chit-chat, which is a summary of what we have been teaching the children, where the story or teaching is located in the Bible and suggested activities that you and your child can do at home to further enhance this learning. Our aim is to provide strong and consistent teaching in the home and early childhood setting about the Christian faith.

If you don’t have access to a Bible, we suggest an easy-to-use Bible website such as biblegateway.com. This will allow you to search and review a Bible reference easily. Alternatively, if you would like to receive your own copy of the Bible, please see a member of our staff and we would be happy to arrange this for you.

If you have any further questions or would like to share anything with us about this new resource please speak to

We look forward to working alongside you and helping your child as they explore the Christian faith.

The staff

Introduction Who is God? Who is Jesus?

Unit aim

■ To introduce the children to God, our Creator, and his Son, Jesus.

Unit outcomes

By the end of this unit the children will:

■ know that God is our loving and caring Creator

■ understand that God is trustworthy and keeps his word

■ understand that Jesus is God’s Son

■ know that Jesus taught people about God

■ know that Jesus died and came back to life again

■ appreciate that we can be friends with God because Jesus died for us and rose again

■ appreciate that God wants us to tell people about Jesus.

Memory verses

Lessons 1–4

You are good to everyone, and you take care of all your creation. Psalm 145:9 (CEV)

Lessons 5–7

Trust the Lord and his mighty power. Psalm 105:4 (CEV)

Lessons 8–10

Jesus said … ‘I am the Son of God’. John 10:36a (CEV)

Bible background

The first seven lessons concentrate on God’s character as revealed through the Psalms. Each psalm explores a different aspect of God’s character, encouraging the children to learn more about God and challenging them to trust him more.

The various writers of the Psalms celebrate the character of God. They write about who God is and what he has done for them. The God Israel worshipped is the same God we worship today. He is our eternal God who is never changing. Therefore it is great to have the opportunity to reflect on the character of God with the children.

Lessons 8 to 10 focus on who Jesus is and what God has done for us through Jesus.

Lesson 8 looks at Jesus’ baptism and how this event revealed that Jesus is God’s Son (Matthew 3:17). It also shows the children that Jesus always obeyed his Father, God, and this pleased God. Lessons 9 and 10 focus on the Easter story, reinforcing that everything God does is good and right, and that Jesus dying for us is part of God’s good plan (Matthew 26:28). The children will understand that Jesus is alive and be encouraged to practise telling others of this wonderful truth (Matthew 28:1–10).

Teacher’s posters

There is a Teacher’s poster to be displayed in each lesson, which illustrates the theme of the Bible teaching. These are useful for reinforcing teaching, summarising and recalling past lessons, and creating a colourful timeline of learning.

Child’s component

The Child’s component for this unit consists of:

■ one A3 display folder

■ nine cards to be added to the folder each week.

In Lesson 1, the children will receive their folders and decorate the front cover and crown. Each lesson following, the children will receive a cut-out card to be attached to the display folder which will remind them of what they have learned that week. The children may also choose to add their own small drawings of what they have learned to the front and/or back of the folder. These display folders can be used as aids for revision throughout the unit.

When completed, the children can take home their folder to display, as a reminder of what they have learned about God and his Son, Jesus. Additional sets of cards may be purchased from CEP and laminated to make playing cards. These can then be incorporated into the children’s learning and used for games such as matching games, memory games or snap.

Printable masters

Printable masters have also been included with most lessons to provide extra craft activities to reinforce key learning concepts. They provide an opportunity for children to add their own ideas and creativity to the picture from what they have learned in the story.

SAMPLE

Unit 1 and the Bible

Purchase of the Teacher’s pack entitles you to make one copy for each child in your group.

The markers on the timeline below show where this unit’s teaching fits in the Bible history as a whole. We encourage the children to understand that Jesus is the ‘centrepiece’ of God’s plan and that we can also be part of the plan by having faith in Jesus ourselves. As the children learn about God’s Son, Jesus, they will see that he was sent by God to teach people about God so that they can have a relationship with God, their Creator, who loves them.

(c.0–AD 29) (c. AD 29–33) (c. AD 33–35)

Jesus’ birth Jesus’ ministry Jesus’ death & resurrection

Present day

The Church begins … … God’s people today

Lesson 1

God is King of the world

Psalm 93

Lesson aim

■ To help children to learn that God is King of all creation.

Lesson outcomes

By the end of the lesson the children will:

■ know that God made the world

■ understand that God is King and ruler of his creation

■ begin to appreciate that they can love and trust God as their King.

Memory verse

You are good to everyone, and you take care of all your creation. Psalm 145:9 (CEV)

Teacher’s notes

Read Psalm 93.

SAMPLE

our position under his rule. Furthermore God is still active in the world today—he has not left it to function by itself. The Bible makes clear the fact that God continues to rule over and care for our world (Psalm 104; Matthew 5:45; 6:25–30; 10:29–30). God is active in creation every day.

In this lesson, the children will review the creation story and be reminded that God continues to look after the world we live in today. You may find it helpful to review the creation narrative before this lesson (Genesis 1).

Teacher’s prayer

■ Thank God that he rules over all the earth and that we can trust him, even in times of drought, famine, flood, bushfire and other hardships.

■ Thank him for his beautiful creation.

■ Pray that the children will remember God daily as they see his creation, and understand that he is King over all the earth.

This unit explores the theme of Who is God? Who is Jesus? This first lesson introduces God as the King who created and sustains everything. Future lessons will explore how God our Creator loves and cares for us.

Each of the psalms that are explored in this unit reveal something of God’s character to us. Psalm 93 teaches us that God is our King who rules in majesty. It outlines how God’s creation and his control of it show him to be a majestic King. God is our Creator, he is our ruler, and he is our King. When we relate to him we need to remember

Resources

✔ A prepared cardboard crown and collage materials for each child (see Lesson preparation)

✔ Prepared Creation wheel (see Lesson preparation)

✔ A CEV Bible marked at Psalm 93:1

✔ Teacher’s poster 1

✔ Crown display folder, coloured pencils or collage materials and glue for each child

✔ Resources for chosen activities in Free play and Extras sections

✔ Copy of Chit-chat 1 for each child to take home ✔ Blu-Tack.

Lesson preparation

Display Teacher’s poster 1 in your area.

Draw and cut out a cardboard crown shape for each child to decorate in Free play. Leave the crown as a flat piece of cardboard so it will be easy to decorate and can be fitted to the child’s head. Write ‘God is the King’ on each crown with thick texta. Make up a sample crown for the children to follow and for use in Group time

To construct the Creation wheel used in Bible focus, enlarge the Visual aids on pages 23–24. Colour the pictures and then cut out the wheels. Make a ‘window’ on the second wheel by cutting along the lines. Place the second wheel on top of the first and join them in the centre with a split pin. The children may also make their own Creation wheels, although their version doesn’t need to be enlarged. To save time, cut out their wheels before the lesson.

Free play

Choose from the following activities to suit the time and space in your program. They are intended to be available for children to choose from, along with the other activities that are offered in your program during Free play

Creation wheel

Purpose

■ To begin to be aware of all that God has made.

Resources

✔ Copies of the Visual aids on pages 24–25 of the Creation wheel

SAMPLE

Keep your Creation wheel as it will be used in future lessons.

Prepare any resources needed for your chosen activities in the Free play and Extras sections.

✔ Pencils

✔ Scissors

✔ Split pins

✔ Sample Creation wheel pre-made (see Lesson preparation).

Encourage the children to draw and colour a different type of creation in each segment on the wheel, for example, birds, fish or plants. Discuss their pictures as they draw. Alternatively, the children could colour in the pre-drawn Creation wheel featured on page 23. Help the children to cut out their Creation wheels. (They will need to cut around the circumference of each wheel and then make a ‘window’ on the second wheel by cutting along the lines. Alternatively, you could pre-cut the wheels before the activity.) Help the children to place the second wheel on top of the first and join the two in the centre with a split pin. Show the children how to use the Creation wheel by spinning the top wheel to display one picture at a time from the wheel underneath. As they come to each picture, tell them that God made all of these things.

‘God is King’ crown

Purpose

■ To consider the characteristics of a king.

Resources

✔ Large crowns cut out of cardboard with ‘God is King’ written on each

✔ Collage materials (include shiny/sparkly materials such as foil and cellophane)

✔ Glue

✔ Stapler or tape

✔ Sample crown already constructed.

Allow the children to decorate their crowns with the collage materials and glue, showing your sample Crown so they can see the final product. Discuss what kind of a person would wear a crown and introduce the idea of kings/leaders/rulers with the children. Assemble each child’s crown with the stapler or tape and encourage the children to take the role of a king/queen.

Group time

Bible icon

Way in

Activity Books icon

Visual Aid icon

Hold up the sample crown you made in Lesson preparation

CD icon

Who might wear a crown? (Kings and queens.) Can you think of any kings or queens from storybooks or movies? Do you know what kings and queens do? (They are in charge of countries.) Today we’re talking about someone who is a very special King.

Music icon

Word icon

Maths & Logic icon

We can find lots of stories about kings in the Bible. (Show your Bible.) Can you tell me the names of any kings from the Bible? (Accept responses.)

Body icon

This song will be sung in Lessons 1–7 with a new verse added each lesson. For easy reference a copy of the whole song can be found on page 74.

If God is…

If God is the King, make a crown, If God is the King, make a crown. If God is the King, and you want us all to know it, If God is the King, make a crown.

Bible icon

Bible focus

Activity Books icon

Visual Aid icon

Make sure you have your pre-made Creation wheel (see Lesson preparation) and Teacher’s poster 1 ready.

CD icon

The Bible tells us that God is King of the world. Listen as I read more about this from the Bible.

Music icon

SAMPLE

There was King Saul, King David, King Solomon, King Herod … and lots more. They were all in charge of their countries.

Space & Vision icon

Interpersonal icon

Self icon

There is also one very special King in the Bible who is greater than all the other kings. This King is in charge of the whole wide world! In fact, he made the world. Who is this King? (Accept responses. God.)

Nature icon

Bible Exploration icon

Sing the song ‘If God is …’ below to the tune of ‘If you’re happy and you know it’. The children could make a crown shape with their hands on their head when the clapping usually occurs in the song.

Read Psalm 93:1 from your CEV Bible.

Bible icon

Bible icon

Activity Books icon

God is King of the world because he made the world. Let’s look at some of the things he made.

Activity Books icon

Maths & Logic icon

Visual Aid icon

Visual Aid icon

Word icon Body icon

Display the Creation wheel and the Bible. As you tell the story, show the relevant picture on the wheel where indicated. Each time, ask the children what God made in the picture.

CD icon

CD icon

Space & Vision icon

Music icon

Music icon

Interpersonal icon

Show picture 1 of Day and night.

Bible icon

Self icon

The Bible tells us that on the first day God made … (Day and night.)

Maths & Logic icon

Nature icon

Who is the King of day and night? (God.)

Activity Books icon

Maths & Logic icon

Show picture 2 of Sky.

Word icon Body icon

Visual Aid icon

Bible Exploration icon

Word icon icon

Space & Vision icon

Bible icon

The Bible tells us that on the second day God made … (Sky.)

Space & Vision icon

CD icon

Interpersonal icon

Music icon

Interpersonal icon

Activity Books icon

Who is the King of the sky? (God.)

Show picture 3 of Land and ocean.

Self icon

Visual Aid icon

Self icon

Bible icon

CD icon

Nature icon

The Bible tells us that on the third day God made … (Land and ocean.)

Nature icon

Maths & Logic icon

Music icon

Activity Books icon

Who is the King of the land and ocean? (God.)

Bible Exploration icon

Bible Exploration icon

Word icon icon

Show picture 4 of the Sun, moon and stars.

Visual Aid icon

Space & Vision icon

The Bible tells us that on the fourth day God made … (Sun, moon and stars.)

CD icon

Maths & Logic icon

Interpersonal icon

Music icon

Self icon

Word icon Body icon

Word icon

Nature icon

Space & Vision icon

Maths & Logic icon

Bible Exploration icon

Interpersonal icon

Body icon

Self icon

Bible icon

Who is the King of the sun, moon and stars? (God.)

Activity Books icon

Show picture 5 of Birds and fish.

Visual Aid icon

The Bible tells us that on the fifth day God made … (Birds and fish.)

CD icon

Bible icon

Music icon

Who is the King of the birds and fish? (God.)

Activity Books icon

Memory verse

You are good to everyone, and you take care of all your creation. Psalm 145:9 (CEV)

Repeat the verse with the children a few times, teaching them the following hand actions:

You: point to the sky

Good: thumbs up action

Everyone: point to each other in the circle

Show picture 6 of Animals and people.

Visual Aid icon

Maths & Logic icon

CD icon

The Bible tells us that on the sixth day God made … (Animals and people.)

Word icon Body icon

Music icon

Who is the King of the animals and people? (God.)

Space & Vision icon

Word icon

Interpersonal icon

God made the world a long time ago. Even though it was so long ago, God still looks after the world so we can enjoy it. He does this because he is the King of the world—the King of everything!

Maths & Logic icon

Bible icon

Self icon

Body icon

You: point to the sky

Take care: rock arms in a cradle motion

All creation: draw a large imaginary circle in front of yourself using both hands.

Prayer

Nature icon

Hold up your crown and read the words God is King

Activity Books icon

Space & Vision icon

Point to Teacher’s poster 1.

Visual Aid icon

Bible Exploration icon

Interpersonal icon

The crown on this poster will remind us that God is the King of the world. He is the greatest King ever.

CD icon

Self icon

Music icon

Nature icon

Wrap up

Word icon

Bible Exploration icon

Can you remember who made the world?

(Accept responses. God.)

Maths & Logic icon

Who is the King of the world forever?

Body icon

(Accept responses God.)

Space & Vision icon

Interpersonal icon

God looks after, or rules over, his world in lots of different ways. How do you think God looks after the world? (Accept responses. By providing food, water, shelter, rain, light and so on.)

Tell the children that you are going to talk to God, or pray, now, so they can close their eyes or look at the crown to concentrate on what is being said. Dear God, you are the King of the world. You are King of everything and everyone and you care for all of your creation. Help us to learn more about why you are the greatest King ever. Amen.

Crown display folder

Show the children their Crown display folder and tell them that each week they will be adding a card to it that will remind them of what they have learned. Hand the folders out and ask the children to write their names on the back of their folders and, if there is time, allow the children to use coloured pencils or collage materials to decorate the front cover, especially the crown. Talk with the children about what they have learned about God as they decorate their folders, then collect the folders for next lesson.

Ensure a copy of Chit-chat 1 is sent home with each child.

Self icon

Why do you think God looks after the world?

(Accept responses. Because he made it and loves his creation.)

Nature icon

God loves what he has made. That means he loves us! He wants us to love him too and call him our King.

Bible Exploration icon

Extras (optional)

These are additional activities you may choose to use in your program as time permits.

God made …

Purpose

■ To continue to recognise all that God has made and is King over.

Resources

✔ Paper, red and yellow paint, sponges to make sunrise/sunset paintings OR

✔ Glue, paper, collage materials to make flowers OR

✔ Playdough to create animals and people.

Choose one of the above activities to make something from God’s creation with the children. As they work, remind them that God is the King of creation.

Munchies

Purpose

■ To continue to recognise all that God has made and is King over.

Resources

✔ A simple biscuit dough recipe (see page 77), ingredients, oven and cutters to make various shaped biscuits, such as sun, moon, stars, animals or people.

Make the dough and cut out the biscuits with the children, talking about the things that they remember from the story about what God made and is King over. When the biscuits are cooked, have a picnic either inside or outside. Before eating the biscuits with the children, thank God for caring for us by providing us with food to eat.

Music

These are suggested music resources that reinforce the aim and theme of the lesson and may be used at any time during your program, as background music or for singing or dancing activities.

Resources

✔ In the beginning, track 1 and God made me, track 2 of CEP’s Hello God! Semester 1 album

✔ Who’s the King of the jungle, track 9 on Colin Buchanan’s 10, 9, 8 … God is great

Teacher reflection

SAMPLE

■ Did the children understand why God is the King of the world?

■ Did the children grasp that even though God created the world long, long ago, he still looks after it today?

For next lesson

■ Gather together a number of pictures that demonstrate ways in which God cares for his creation, and cut them out.

■ You will also need to prepare a simple shepherd puppet and shepherd display (see Lesson preparation on page 27).

Notes

SAMPLE

© 2012

The purchaser of this manual is entitled to print this page for classroom purposes.

Chit-chat

This is what we learned today about God.

This is what we learned today about God. Chit-chat

THE BIG QUESTION … Who is God?

THE BIG ANSWER … God is King. WE LEARNED TODAY THAT … God is King of the world—he made everything.

WE FOUND IT IN THE BIBLE AT … Psalm 93:1 and Genesis 1.

LET’S LEARN SOME MORE THINGS TOGETHER!

If the weather allows, take your child for a walk this week outside. Encourage them to look up and around them at all the things God has made. Listen to the sound of the birds. Feel the ground, trees, grass, leaves and flowers. Talk to your child about the fact that God is the King of the world and he looks after his creation. You could say a prayer of thanks together to God for all he has made and cares for.

MEMORY VERSE You are good to everyone, and you take care of all your creation.

SAMPLE

Psalm 145:9 (CEV)

1

THE BIG QUESTION … Who is God?

THE BIG ANSWER … God is King.

WE LEARNED TODAY THAT … God is King of the world—he made everything.

WE FOUND IT IN THE BIBLE AT … Psalm 93:1 and Genesis 1.

LET’S LEARN SOME MORE THINGS TOGETHER!

If the weather allows, take your child for a walk this week outside. Encourage them to look up and around them at all the things God has made. Listen to the sound of the birds. Feel the ground, trees, grass, leaves and flowers. Talk to your child about the fact that God is the King of the world and he looks after his creation. You could say a prayer of thanks together to God for all he has made and cares for.

MEMORY VERSE You are good to everyone, and you take care of all your creation.

© 2012

The purchaser of this manual is entitled to print this page for classroom purposes.

© 2012

The purchaser of this manual is entitled to print this page for classroom purposes.

Creation wheel

SAMPLE

© 2012

The purchaser of this manual is entitled to print this page for classroom purposes.

Creation wheel

SAMPLE

© 2012

The purchaser of this manual is entitled to print this page for classroom purposes.