Category Archives: Lesson Plans

Before we begin to teach, we must understand how to be a student. This is most applicable when we are teaching God’s Word to children. Because of this, I have been led to structure all curriculum as a personal Bible study; a way to first lead you as a student of God, and to then empower you as a teacher of God’s Word.

Each lesson begins with a section called “Be the Student,” which takes the lesson text and breaks it into daily Bible study. Before you can effectively teach a passage, you must give God the time and space to speak to your heart, allowing His Word to become personal and applicable in your life. These daily study questions will be reflected in the weekly review sheet that you will send home with your students.

The final section called “Be the Teacher” should not be read until you’ve completed your personal Bible study. I’ve designed the crafts and activities to have minimal preparation required, and to use items that are common and easy to assemble. While I’m passionate about making every moment with children a teaching moment, and appealing to all learning styles throughout the class, we are not seeking to create art masterpieces. As a teacher, I’ve learned that preparing my heart to teach is far more effective and beneficial than preparing intricate craft components.

I have created teaching points and a take-home review sheet for each lesson, written in language that is easily understood by young children. Teaching points are included so that everyone has a starting point and a consistent message across classes. However, I encourage you to include insights that you’ve gleaned from your personal study. The student take-home review should have 5 stickers attached, a small incentive that encourages daily participation among both students and parents. You will find a review sheet for both small group (1^st hour) and Children’s Church Worship (2^nd hour). While the Bible text will remain the same for both hours, Children’s Church Worship will review the lesson with a specific focus upon how the text reveals God’s character. I recommend learning the memory verse using the American Sign Language (ASL) prompts as this often helps children by engaging visual, physical, auditory and verbal learning styles. Another option is to create visual cue cards using clip art to illustrate each key point of the verse while incorporating ASL.

I pray “the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. (I) pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. “

(Ephesians 1.17-19)

• Allow the child to choose a Bible from the shelf. Place it in front of them and tell them the book of the Bible that you’re looking for that day.
• Ask them if that book is in the Old Testament or New Testament.
• Ask them what they need to do to find the scripture. (Open the Bible to the middle)
• After they’ve opened the Bible to the middle, ask them if that puts them in the OT or NT (OT).
• Ask them again if the scripture text you’re seeking is in OT or NT.
• If NT, ask the child what they need to do next. (Go to the right section of the Bible, then go to the middle again).
• Ask them where this puts them, in the OT or NT (NT).
• Slowly pronounce the book of the Bible that you’re seeking (if Luke, say LLLLL-Luke, ask what letter do you hear at the beginning?)
• Review the books of the NT up to the one you need: Matthew, Mark, Luke, etc.
• Flip through the Bible, stopping at each book to show them the book name, pointing out that Matthew is a longer “M” word and Mark is the shorter “M” word, etc. Involve the child as much as they are comfortable. Many children want you to open the Bible, but they will tell you what to do.

Review/Retell the Lesson using Visual and Auditory Cues

• Use the teaching picture to review the details of the lesson and draw their attention from the object to the actual lesson. (Often simply describing the picture and asking questions will encourage children to participate in the review.

• Tell children that the lesson you just told them is found in ________book of the Bible. Tell them to open their Bibles using their bookmark. Ask them which book they found that morning. (i.e. Luke) Ask them if they can find the same lesson in their Bible if this means it’s true. (YES). Ask them if God’s Word is true. (YES) Retell the story as you are “reading” it from the Bible, encouraging children to follow along and asking review questions.

• Remind children to gently place Bibles back on shelf and to treat God’s Word with respect. After they return Bibles, children should stand on the red carpet and get ready to practice their memory verse. (Posted on the wall to your left, above the teaching pictures). Practice 2-3 times, changing from soft or loud, etc. to encourage repetition.

• Tell children it’s time to talk to God, and hold hands to form a circle around the red carpet. Ask if anyone wants to pray aloud. Keep it short unless a child chooses to pray.