Peter and John in Front of the Sanhedrin

Peter and John in Front of the Sanhedrin

Acts 4:1-22

Pop-up books like these are always a favorite of the children.  The jail is the first part that pops up.  

Instructions for making the pop-up jail:

• Fold a piece of blue construction paper in half.
• Cut a small rectangle from black paper and cut slits to be the bars. 
• Fold the black paper in half.  
• Fold each end of the black paper under about 1/4 - 1/2 an inch. 
• Glue one fold to the top half of the blue page. 
• Glue the other fold to the bottom half of the blue page.  
• Fold the blue page in half again while the glue is still wet to make sure it will close correctly.

Instructions for making the people stand up:

• Cut a small rectangle about 2 inches by 1 inch.
• Fold one end of the rectangle about 1/2 inch.
• Glue the folded end of the rectangle to the page allowing the rest of the rectangle to stand up.  (See pictures)

I made the people using a Sizzix little body die cut machine.  A coloring page pattern or other small person pattern will work. 

When reading about Peter and John sitting in prison, set the men in the prison.  When reading about them standing in front of the Sanhedrin, lean them up against the small blue standing rectangles.  

When letting the Kindergarten or First Grade children make one, I put a mark where they should glue the jail pieces.  It makes it a little easier.

Other stories that the pop-up jail craft could be use with include Paul and Silas in Prison (Acts 16) and an Angel Frees Peter from Prison (Acts 12).

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Missions

Missions Lesson

I was asked to teach a series of lessons on missions and missionaries to 3rd and 4th Graders.  To introduce the series, I wanted to do a mini-version of a mission's experience that I participated in during my time of working in the Missions Department in college.

The purpose of the experience was to show a little of what goes into being a foreign missionary (on a very, very simple scale).  I wanted to show them that it wasn't as easy as it sounded.

I divided the children into two groups.  Group 1 was the missionaries from America sent to reach the native people of Waggly. Group 2 was the Wagglies.

I separated the two groups and secretly gave each a set of instructions that the other group could not know about until the experience was over.  The missionaries were instructed to learn about the culture and teach the Wagglies the entire story of the Good Samaritan.  (Fortunately for them, English is the national language in Waggly.)

The Wagglies were given instructions on how to behave which included some odd customs.  These natives would only listen to people who followed all their customs.  

Each group has their own instructions.

The evening went very well.  Some "missionaries" picked up on some of the Waggly customs very quickly while others never figured out any of the strange customs.  Some missionaries learned enough of the customs and befriended some Wagglies to the point of beginning to tell the story of the Good Samaritan but none were able to make it all the way through the story as instructed.

We brought the two groups back together and discussed the instructions that each group was given.  Then we discussed what it was like to be the missionary.  All of them said it was much harder than they thought it would be.  Learning the odd customs was their first challenge.  Then when they thought they had learned the customs, they began telling the Bible story and the Wagglies ran off. The missionaries never could figure out why that happened. (See instructions for the Wagglies for details.)

They also said that when they were trying to reach the Wagglies on their own, they became discouraged quickly.  But when some friends were able to come alongside them after learning some of the customs, they felt like they could work together to reach these people.

Though this is an extremely simplified version of what it can be like to be a missionary, the children were more sympathetic and more mindful of the current missionaries we are supporting.  They were even more anxious to hear from many of the people in our congregation who are or have been missionaries and who would be presenting real life missions experiences in Bible class over the next few weeks.  

In the end, several decided they would like to be foreign missionaries when they grow up and others said it changed the way they pray for the missionaries we have and will have in the future.  

All in all, it served as a great opening lesson to our series on missions!

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Paper Sack Backpack

The children like to make and decorate their own backpacks.  I have used these paper sack backpacks for many stories.  Sometimes I use them when the story talks about travelling such as Abraham travels, Mary and Joseph travelling to Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph going to the Festival at the Passover when Jesus was 12, Paul's Missionary Journeys, and many more. 

Sometimes I use the backpacks to hold crafts and papers from the entire quarter.  I send it home at the end with all their "goodies" inside.

For instructions with pictures, click here.


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Saul's Conversion

Saul's Conversion

Acts 9:1-19

Verses 18 - 19 say, "Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength."

This visual will allow the children to see "something like scales" magically falling from his eyes. (See the first picture.)  I made the picture of Saul poster size.  I colored it using pastel chalks and laminated it.   I cut out two ovals from white paper so his eyes would not show through the "scales".  The "scales" were made from 8 layers of wax paper.  

To attach the "scales", I used an Exact o knife to cut slits just above the eyes.  I made the slits just large enough for the small part of a small paper clip to fit through.  I then layered one white oval and 8 wax paper ovals on each eye.  The paper oval is on the bottom.  I put the "scales" between the paper clip and his face.  (See closeup picture.  The kids cannot see this if the picture is a small distance away from them.)

On the back, you see the paper clips.  I attached a short string to each paper clip and then to a popsicle stick.  I looped a short string around the popsicle stick and taped the top of that string to the poster.  This loop will keep the popsicle stick in place until you need to move it.

For the fun visual effect, show the children the face and talk about it.  When you get to the part where the scales fall off, pull the popsicle stick upward slowly with your thumb.  The scales will begin to slide off one or two at a time.  (Practice ahead of time.  Pulling too fast does not get the correct effect.)

Click here for instructions and pattern.

The pattern is on an 8 1/2 X 11 paper.  Feel free to make it larger. 

The head was made with a pattern from the book Bible Story Clip and Copy Patterns by Corbin Hillam.  This is one of my favorite books to use as patterns for many, many things!  This precious book is no longer in print, so Mr. Hillam has graciously allowed me to give you the pattern for free.  He is producing a CD with the art from this book.  The drawings are fantastic!  If you would like to purchase a CD for $15, you can contact him at corbinhillam@yahoo.com.  It is well worth the money!  Other items by him can be seen at www.corbinhillamdesign.weebly.com.

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Paul and Silas in Prison

Paul and Silas in Prison

Acts 16:16-40 

This is a sample I made of a take home for this story.  I found a coloring page that looked like Paul and Silas.  I reduced it to the size I needed.  I was able to fit four on one page.  I printed it on cardstock.  I punched 4 holes at the top of the picture and 4 holes at the bottom.  Then I let the children color it.  I gave the children a long piece of yarn.  I rolled a piece of scotch tape tightly on one end so it would make it easier for the children to "sew" and lace up the picture. 

I have had several requests for this coloring page. I drew my own picture to go with this instead of posting the coloring page.  

I put two on a page. 

Pattern

 

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Saul's Conversion Blacklight Story

Saul's Conversion

Acts 9:1-19

I drew this picture  on 1/2 of an off white sheet.  I used a coloring page for a pattern and blew it up on an overhead projector.  I just traced the outlines with a fabric pen then painted over the lines that I wanted to glow with glow in the dark paint (from the local craft store).  I heat set it in the dryer. It can be used as a glow in the dark picture or used with a blacklight.  

After telling the story, I let the children make the "Saul's Conversion Take Home" (Click on the word Saul on the index at the right to find this craft.)  The children then have their own version of this picture so they can go and tell others the story in a unique way.

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Styrofoam Shackles

The long pieces of Styrofoam were used for packaging some electronics.  I lined them up with the flat sides facing me and drew where I wanted the arm holes to be cut.  I used an exact o knife to cut them out from each piece. I painted them brown. I did not glue them together. When I need someone to act out the stories of Paul and Silas in Prison (Acts 16:16 - 40) or Peter in Prison (Acts 12), the kids or teens can easily get in and out of the shackles as needed.

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Paul and Silas in Prison

 Paul and Silas in Prison

Acts 16:16-40

This used to be an old wooden napkin holder with salt and pepper shaker that I found at a garage sale.  I painted the salt and pepper shakers to be Paul and Silas.



When telling this story, we can easily put them in prison and get them out!  I am showing this no because I think anyone will find something exactly like this but because I want people to keep their eyes open at garage sales and think outside the box.  You may come across something that you could use in a totally different way for Bible class. 

On another day, I found this old wooden napkin holder (pictured below) at another garage sale.

There were no people for this one so I copied a story from a coloring book. I reduced the size to fit inside the napkin holder. 

When using this one to tell the story, I read the words on the bottom of the page and then pass it around and let each child look into the "prison" to see what is happening.  Each child really gets a kick out of holding it and looking inside to see what's going on.



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Saul's Conversion Take Home

 Blacklight

In the dark

Acts 91-19

Here's another idea for Saul on the road to Damascus.  On regular construction paper, let the children draw a scene with a road.  The children can either draw Saul or glue on a pre-cut Saul.  (I cut Saul and his clothes using a Sizzix die cut machine but you could use a Cricut machine.)  Using glow in the dark paint (available at a craft store), let the children paint lines going away from Saul.  (The photo makes the rays show up more than they do in real life.)  Then when you get to the point in the story where the light from heaven flashes around him, you can turn on the blacklight and make it glow, or you can turn off the lights and it will glow.  (Just a hint:  if you want the paint to glow in the dark again, keep the paper in the light and it will "charge" the glow in the dark paint again.)

When the children take this home, they will be able to retell the story!

Instructions

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Saul's Conversion

Acts 9:1-19

Take an empty, washed Pringles chip container, glue construction paper on the outside of it, and cut an opening near the bottom. 

Put some Easter grass in the bottom. Cut out a little man out of fun foam (I used a Sizzix die cut.) Put fun foam clothes on both sides. Put small googly eyes on one side and just two white glue dots for eyes on the other.  Glue a small amount of doll hair on his head if desired. Stand Saul up in the grass with the googly eyes showing. 

When you tell the part in the story where Saul is blinded by the light, turn Saul around and shine a flashlight down into the Pringles container from the top. It will make a "bright light". The white dots for eyes will make him look blind.

For printable instructions, click on the link:

https://docs.google.com/a/greenlawn.org/file/d/0B1LCriLmUdgnTU1Kbng4TkMxX1U/edit

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