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Steps to a Successful Sunday School Class 5

Start with Curriculum

You’ve made the right choice in choosing this curriculum. It provides solid biblical teaching at a level your middlers will enjoy and understand. The lessons are designed for easy preparation, and the activities will keep your students interested and reinforce your lesson. As you begin your preparation, use the following checklist to keep track of the curriculum pieces you will be using.

 Middler Teacher Guide—13 easy-to-use lessons, plus helpful hints and tips  Middler Resource Packet—lesson helps for your classroom, including a CD  Middler Student Guide—hands-on activities that relate to the lessons  Action Tracks—take-home paper to reinforce the lesson throughout the week  Bible Fact-Pak™ (NIV)—576 questions covering biblical people, places, events, and teachings

2

Think about Your Class

Consider what you already know about your class.  Time—How much class time do you have? Be sure to consider total time as well as actual time (after greeting, transitions, etc.). Estimating the time it will take for each activity will help you decide which ones to use.  Setting—What is your classroom setting like? Is your classroom arranged in lecture style? Do you have a table? Don’t be afraid to get creative in your classroom arrangement. Arrange the chairs in a circle, or bring pillows and have everyone sit on the floor one week. If you have a small space, adapt activities to better fit your needs.  Teachers—How many teachers and helpers do you have?

You may want to choose or modify activities based on the amount of supervision required.  Students—Who are your regular attendees? How do they learn best? Do you frequently have visitors? It’s a good idea to plan your lesson for the regular attendees, but be prepared in case of visitors.

Now consider what you know about your regular attendees. You may want to keep notes (see sample) on each child describing how he or she learns best.

Nate—boy, 9 years old Learns by seeing & touching. He always looks nice, notices pictures and colors, and likes to draw. He is an enthusiastic participant and friendly to students, old and new. Michaela—girl, 8 years old Learns by hearing. She gets in trouble for talking, is always the first to answer a question, and loves to listen to and tell stories. She is wary of new activities and always watches before participating. Amber—girl, 9 years old Learns primarily by moving and touching. She is always moving, talking, and touching! It’s difficult for her to remain focused on the task at hand. She was diagnosed with ADD. Austin—boy, 8 years old Learns by moving. He’s athletic, enjoys energetic—even rough—play, rarely sits down, etc.

If your regular attendees cover all the learning styles* (like the sample note), you won’t have to plan other activities for less frequent attendees. If your class has primarily one or two learning styles, you may want to have variations or additional activities ready for visitors.