Prepare

Lesson Preparation

CCome On In

MMemory Verse

Memory Verse

Choose a Memory Verse Game and print/gather necessary items.

  Down the Line

  Egg Hunt

  Now You See It

  Look Behind You

  Review Card Relay

  Stack Em Up

  Your Turn

  Popcorn

Down the Line

Say your part of the verse while passing the spoon—under your left leg with your right hand, that is!

Materials

• Passing Cards
• Plastic spoon
• Cotton ball
• Container

Instructions

Print and cut out one set of the Passing Cards and put them into a container. Have the students line up facing you. Put a cotton ball into the plastic spoon and give it to the student on one end of the line.

Draw a card from the container. The students must pass the spoon from one end of the line and back again according to what the card says, keeping the cotton ball on the spoon (without touching it). For example, they may have to pass the spoon with their left hand or under their right leg! As they pass the spoon, they each must say the next word in the memory verse. If the cotton ball falls or someone says the wrong word, you may have the students start the verse over. Repeat with a new card until the verse has been recited several times.

Try using a larger spoon and balancing a small orange or boiled egg on it!

Egg Hunt

Hunt for all the parts of the memory verse hidden in the eggs! This game can be played all year round. The plastic eggs just happen to be great little containers that can be hidden easily.

Materials

• Flip Chart Memory Verse Page (Pre-K-1) or Memory Verse Poster (included in lesson)
• Strips of paper
• Plastic Easter eggs

Instructions

Write the memory verse on strips of paper with one or two words on each strip. Put one strip inside of each plastic Easter egg. Hide all the eggs around the room.

Have the students search for the eggs and bring them back to the table. They will open the eggs and work together to put the verse in the proper order.

For a larger class, prepare more than one set of eggs (sorted by colors for different teams). Students can work in teams to collect and construct the verse.

Now You See It

Start out with all the words then erase them one by one. Can you still say the verse?

Materials

• White board
• Marker and eraser for white board

Instructions

Write the memory verse on the board. Recite the verse together. Choose a student to come up to the board and erase one or two words at a time. Have the class recite the entire verse each time another word is erased. Continue erasing words and reciting until all of the words are gone. Then ask students to try reciting the whole verse without any words left on the board.

Look Behind You

“What does mine say?” “Turn around!” “You go here.” Students help each other get in the right order according to the signs on their backs in this crazy group game.

Materials

• Books of the Bible Flashcards
• Masking tape

Instructions

Print and use a set of 10 flashcards at a time. Tape the flashcards onto students’ backs. Students will work together to put themselves into the correct order. Once they think they are standing in order, check by reading the book titles out loud according to how they are standing.

If you have fewer than 10 students, tape more than one card, in the proper order, on some students. If you have more than 10 students, assign the students without the flashcards to put the students with the flashcards into the proper order. Repeat if time allows.

For a challenge, use a timer or count how many changes it takes to finish.

After putting the students with flashcards in order, have the class recite the books in order.

Review Card Relay

“On your mark, get set, go!” Teams will race to put the memory verse cards in order.

Materials

• Index cards
• Tape or poster putty

Instructions

Write one or two words from the memory verse on each index card. Make one set for each team. Divide the class into teams. Randomly lay out each set of cards facedown on the floor—one set for each team. Put a piece of poster putty or tape on each one.

Have teams line up away from the cards. When the relay begins, the first student in each line will race to the cards, pick one up, and put it on the wall or board. As the relay continues, students will put each card on the board in the proper order. They may need to rearrange the cards to fit others.

When finished, have the class read the verse aloud together.

Stack Em Up

Teams of two will stack the cups in the right order. Add a timer or make it a race!

Materials

• Colored markers
• Foam or plastic cups with the memory verse written on them for each team
• Optional: timer

Instructions

Turn each cup upside down so the stack will have a wide base. On the rim of each cup, write one or two words from the memory verse, including the reference. Make sure the words show when the next cup is stacked on top of it. (See picture below.)

Mix up the cups and have teams stack them up in the correct order. Have teams race against each other or time them as they stack the cups in the correct order.

Your Turn

Students recite the verse taking turns back and forth. Will they remember their parts?

Materials

• Optional: timer

Instructions

Pair the students together. Have each pair stand back to back. Allow pairs to take turns reciting the verse. One student begins with the first word of the memory verse. Then the other student must say the next word. Keep going back and forth until the verse is completed. If a student makes a mistake or can’t remember the right word, allow another pair to try.

After everyone has had a turn, mix up the pairs and repeat. Have students race against a timer for an extra challenge.

Popcorn

Students “pop” up as they say their part of the memory verse. Start out slowly and see how fast you can go!

Materials

• None

Instructions

Have students squat down in a circle. Begin by saying the first word in the memory verse. As you go around the circle, have each student take turns “popping” up as they say the next word then squat back down. Repeat.

You may want to divide the class into two groups. Have the first group pop up and say the first word then squat back down. Then the second group pops up saying the next word and squats back down and so on until the verse is completed. Repeat—going faster and faster!

 

Play the Memory Verse Song (Genesis 12:1–2 or Genesis 12:1–2 Lyrics Video) to help your students learn the memory verse.

Find extra verses to practice in the Additional Memory Verses list

AStudying God’s Word

LLesson Review

Lesson Review

Print one copy of the Review Questions.

Choose a Lesson Review Game and gather necessary items.

  Board Game

  Box Toss

  Draw Dice

  Four in a Row

  Goofy Golf

  Oh No

  Pick a Point

  Toss for It

Board Game

Teams will answer questions and make their way to the finish on the Game Board.

Materials

• Review Questions
• Game Board (provided in the Teacher Kit)
• Dice, numbered cards, or spinner
• Buttons or other small items as game pieces for each team

Instructions

Print one copy of the Review Questions for your use. Divide the class into teams.

Team members will take turns answering the review questions. If they answer correctly, they will roll the dice, spin, or draw a numbered card and move that number of spaces on the Game Board. Follow the directions on the spaces to move ahead, fall back, or switch places with another team. If someone does not know or does not answer correctly, he may ask his teammates for help. Alternate between teams as long as time permits, repeating questions if necessary. The first team to make it all the way to the Finish wins.

Box Toss

Students will answer review questions then toss the beanbag at the holes in the box to gain points for their team.

Materials

• Review Questions
• Medium-sized cardboard box
• Scissors or knife
• Four beanbags
• Masking tape

Instructions

Print one copy of the Review Questions for your use. Use scissors or a knife to cut two or three holes in the bottom of the box. Make sure they are large enough for a beanbag to easily pass through. Label each hole with a point number: 5, 10, and 15. Use masking tape to make a tossing line several feet away from the box.

Divide the class into teams. Have the teams line up behind the line across from the box. Give each team two beanbags. Alternate asking each team a review question. Students who answer correctly will toss the beanbags at the target holes in the box to earn points for their team. If they answer incorrectly, they may toss the beanbags for fun without the points counting. Students will go to the end of the line after tossing the beanbags. Keep score for both teams. Continue play until all questions have been answered correctly and students have all had a chance to toss the beanbags.

Draw Dice

Teams will answer questions and complete a simple drawing to win. Who will finish their drawing first?

Materials

• Review Questions
• One drawing area for each team (paper, white board, etc.)
• Pencils or white board markers
• One die

Instructions

Print one copy of the Review Questions for your use. Divide the class into two teams. Give each team a sheet of paper and a pencil, or divide the white board in half. Draw a mouse on the board as an example.

Ask the first team a question from the lesson. If they answer correctly, have them roll the die.

To begin drawing their mouse, each team must wait until they get a six. They will then draw the mouse’s body on their paper or the board. After they have drawn the body, as they give correct answers to the questions, they can continue to draw the other parts of the mouse according to the numbers they roll.

They can draw according to the numbers below:

6 = body

5 = nose

4 = whiskers

3 = eyes

2 = ears

1 = tail

Continue giving each team a turn to answer a question and roll the die. Repeat the questions as necessary. The first team to finish their mouse wins.

You may choose to draw a simple object from the lesson, such as a crown, an open Bible, a fish, etc. Be sure to assign numbers (as above) to each part of the object to be drawn before the game begins.

Four in a Row

Students will answer questions and add a marker for their team onto the grid. Which team will be the first to get four in a row?

Materials

• Review Questions
• Masking tape
• Red and black paper circles or other markers for each team

Instructions

Print one copy of the Review Questions for your use. Use masking tape to make a 16-section grid on the floor. The grid should be four sections wide by four sections long. Each section should be equal in size. Use eight red circles and eight black circles cut from construction paper or other markers for the two teams.

Divide the students into two teams. Give each team eight markers. They will take turns answering the questions. If they answer correctly, they can put a marker in a square on the grid. The first team to get four markers in a row wins the game.

Goofy Golf

Hit the sock with the noodle? Teams must work together to answer the questions and putt to get a hole-in-one in this crazy golf game!

Materials

• Review Questions
• Swimming noodles or rolled up newspapers
• Rolled up socks
• Masking tape
• Ten sheets of paper
• Markers

Instructions

Print one copy of the Review Questions for your use. Use the markers to number sheets of paper 1–10 (use more or less depending on class size and time). Tape down the sheets of paper around the room in a random pattern to form a golf course. You may want to add chairs as obstacles in the path.

Divide the class into teams. Give each team a rolled up sock and a swimming noodle. Ask the first student a review question from the lesson. If he answers correctly, allow him to use the noodle to drive the rolled up sock toward the first sheet of paper labeled #1. Continue with the next team. Take turns allowing team members to answer questions and continue putting the socks along the course to each hole, continuing from where the last teammate left off. The sock must touch or roll over the sheet of paper to consider it in the hole. The first team to reach the tenth hole wins.

Oh No

Not every roll of the dice will be good for the team. Answer the question, roll the dice, and be prepared to say, “Oh no!”

Materials

• Review Questions
• Two dice

Instructions

Print one copy of the Review Questions for your use. Divide the class into teams. Each team will take turns answering review questions. When a team answers correctly, have them roll the dice to determine their points. If a team does not answer correctly, give the answer and repeat the question later. Keep track of team scores.

Numbers aren’t always a winner! If students roll:

• 2 or 3 that team gives 5 points away to the other team
• 4 or 5 that team takes 5 points from the other team
• 6–10 face value
• 11 subtract 10 points from the team score
• 12 double the team score

(Note: no team can have less than 0 points.)

Pick a Point

Answer the questions correctly to earn the right to pick a point.

Materials

• Review Questions
• Small paper strips
• Cup or basket

Instructions

Print one copy of the Review Questions for your use. Write various numbers in increments of 5 or 10 on strips of paper to use as point cards. Put the point cards into the cup or basket. Divide students into teams of 4–5 students each. Have each team take turns answering a review question. After each correct answer, let a member of the team draw a point card from the cup.

The number of points on the cards will vary, so the score will have nothing to do with how skilled one team might be. Keep track of each team’s points. If time allows, repeat the questions!

Toss for It

How many points? Toss for it! Students answer the questions and toss the beanbag to earn points for their team.

Materials

• Review Questions
• A deck of numbered cards, or numbers and “wild” written on index cards
• One beanbag
• Masking tape
• Two baskets or containers for cards

Instructions

Print one copy of the Review Questions for your use. Place several rows of numbered cards facedown with a few inches between them to form a grid pattern (make sure to put several wild cards or Jokers down, too). Use the masking tape to make a tossing line several feet from the cards.

Divide students into teams and have them line up behind the tossing line. Ask the first student a review question. If he gives the correct answer, have him toss the beanbag onto a card. Turn the card over to reveal the points he receives for his team. Face cards or word cards are 10 points each. Wild or Jokers are also 10—plus another turn. All other cards are face value.

Have the student pick up his card and put it in the team’s basket to be counted at the end of the game. Next team’s turn. If a student gives an incorrect answer, he should go to the end of the line. Give the answer and repeat that question later. Continue taking turns until all the questions have been answered. Add more cards to the grid if necessary.

GGo to Prayer

Optional Supplements

Hands-On Activities

Video Clips

PowerPoint

Come On In

As students arrive, direct them to the activity you chose for today.

Memory Verse

Studying God’s Word

Introduction

• • Don’t forget! Review the Optional Supplements and determine where you can use them.
  Refer to Lesson 33 Theme Poster. So, in this lesson we learned that God called Abram to a land that he would show him. What was that land called? Canaan.
  Slide #3
  Slide #4
  Slide #5
  Slide #6
  Yes. Abram obeyed God and left the city of Ur. He traveled with his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot.
• Refer to Lesson 34 Theme Poster. Who remembers why Lot and Abram separated from each other? Their herdsmen were fighting. They had too many animals to stay together.
• Right. And what city did Lot end up living in? It was a wicked city. Sodom.
• Refer to Lesson 35 Theme Poster. Yes. And what happened to the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah? God destroyed them with fire.
  • This is a good spot to show the “Stars” video clip.
  Show the Lesson Theme Poster. Abram remained in the land of Canaan, waiting for God’s promises. Another word for a promise is a covenant, which is a serious agreement or promise. God made a covenant with Abram, promising he would have descendants as numerous as the stars.
• Slide #7
  How many stars do you think are in our galaxy, the Milky Way? Allow guesses. 100 billion stars! Write number on board.
• That’s a huge number! Remember, the Milky Way is just one galaxy. How many galaxies do you think are in the universe? Allow guesses. 100 billion galaxies. Write number on board.

  Wow! God created a lot of galaxies! So, if each of these 100 billion galaxies has millions or trillions of stars, our universe is estimated to have 10 sextillion stars! Write number 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 on board (10 then 21 zeros). That’s a lot of stars!

God Promises Abram a Son and Many Descendants

Let’s read what God said about the stars when he spoke to Abram.

Turn to Genesis 15. We’re going to read a conversation between God and Abram in verses 1–6. Choose readers.

Now that we have read the text, let’s take some time to see what we can learn from it.

• What did the Lord tell Abram in verse 1? Fear not.
• What did the Lord call himself? Look in Genesis 15:1. His shield.

  That’s right. The Lord was Abram’s shield. Abram did not need to be afraid. Remember that the Lord had promised Abram’s family would be a great nation one day.

• As we move to verses 2 and 3, Abram questioned the Lord. He seemed to be concerned about something. What was it? He was childless. He had no offspring.

  That’s right. Abram was older now and still had no children of his own. He realized that what God had promised seemed even more impossible. How would God give him this great nation?

• What is offspring? Can someone tell us? Allow discussion.

  Abram’s offspring would be his descendants—his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, and so on. There was only one problem. It was just him and his wife; they did not have ANY children! At this point, Abram’s only heir, the person who would take over his household and get all his wealth, was his servant Eliezer.

• Look at verse 4. Who did the Lord tell Abram his heir would be? Your very own son.

  God was telling Abram that he was still going to have a child of his own.

• In verse 5, God told Abram to look toward heaven. Then what did he tell Abram to do? Number the stars.
• God wanted Abram to try to count the stars. Then what did he tell Abram about the number of stars? So shall your offspring be.
• How many offspring or descendants did God say Abram would have? Allow discussion.

  Refer to the 10 sextillion number written on the board. When God told Abram to count the stars—if he could—he was telling Abram that he would have many descendants. And they would be numerous—just like the stars!

• How did Abram respond in Genesis 15:6? He believed the Lord.
• Right! And what did God think of Abram because of his faith? He was righteous.

  Abram believed God. He had faith that God would fulfill his promise. And God counted Abram’s faith as righteousness.

• Slide #11
  Slide #12
  Let’s review this passage with our Class Notes. The answers are spelled backwards in the stars. Who will read #1? What did God tell Abram? Assign a reader. Fear. Complete #1.
• What was Abram concerned about? Who can answer #2 based on verse 2? Assign a reader. Child. Eliezer. Complete #2.
• And #3? Abram’s descendants would be as numerous as what? Assign a reader. Stars. Complete #3.
• So, God promised that Abram would have many descendants, and he would have his own child. Look at #4. How did Abram respond when God promised this? Assign a reader. Believed. Complete #4.

God Seals His Covenant with Abram

• Slide #13
  So, Abram believed God’s promise. What is our word for a serious agreement or promise? Covenant.
  Covenant: a serious agreement or promise
  God wanted to officially seal, or finalize, the covenant he made with Abram. And he did it in an old-fashioned way that was familiar to Abram.

  In Genesis 15:9–21, God commanded Abram to get a three-year-old cow, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon. Abram killed these animals and cut the large animals in half and placed each piece on the ground opposite the other, like he was making a pathway between them. He did not cut the birds but laid them on either side of the path. When the sun went down, the Lord caused Abram to fall into a deep sleep. And after dark, what looked like a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch appeared and passed between the animal pieces. The pot and torch represented the Lord’s presence.

• What do people normally do today when they agree on something and want to make a deal? Shake hands.

  Yes, a handshake is what we use today, or maybe a written agreement or contract. But the agreement I just described was a sacred sign that a covenant or promise had been made. The cut up animals were a warning of what would happen to whoever broke the covenant. That’s a serious promise! In Abram’s day, both people making the covenant would walk between the animals. The difference here is that only God walked between the dead animals. Abram was asleep. God was showing that this was his agreement—he made it, and he would keep it. Abram had nothing to do with it. God alone would fulfill his promise.

  God had already promised Abram many descendants. Here, he promised to give Abram’s descendants the land of Canaan.

• Slide #14
  Let’s answer #5 in our Class Notes now. What did God seal by passing between the animal pieces? Assign a reader. Covenant. Complete #5.

Abram and Sarai Become Impatient

After God made the covenant with Abram, time passed. Abram and Sarai started to doubt God’s promise because they were getting older and still had no child. Sarai decided that they should do something to “help” fulfill God’s promise.

• Does God need our help? No.

  No, God wants us to trust him and wait for his timing. Turn in your Bibles to Genesis 16. In this chapter, we learn that Sarai and Abram didn’t want to wait any longer. Sarai had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. Back in those times, if a servant had a child, that child belonged to the owner. Sarai thought that maybe their promised child could come through Hagar instead of her.

• Slide #15
  Will someone read Genesis 16:15–16? Assign a reader.
• So, Abram and Hagar had a son. What was his name? Ishmael.
• How old was Abram when Ishmael was born? Eighty-six.
• Why was it not a good idea for Abram and Hagar to have a child together? Allow answers. They should have waited for God’s timing.

  Abram and Sarai believed that God would give them a child, but they chose to involve Hagar. This was not God’s plan. They were trying to fulfill God’s promise on their own.

• Remember the covenant we just talked about? Who walked down the path between the animals? God.

  That’s right. God was the one who would fulfill this covenant—not Abram, not Sarai, and not Hagar. Involving Hagar only led to trouble in their family. When Hagar found out she was going to have a child, she began to think she was better than Sarai. That upset Sarai, and she was mean to Hagar. Hagar ran away, but God appeared to her and told her to return to Abram and Sarai. Hagar obeyed God. She went back to Sarai and Abram, and soon she had Ishmael.

• Slide #16
  Let’s finish our Class Notes. Who will read #6 for us? Assign a reader. Waiting. Complete #6.
• And #7? What was the name of Abram and Hagar’s son? Assign a reader. Ishmael. Complete #7.

Application

Refer to the Lesson Theme Poster. God made a covenant with Abram. A covenant is a serious promise. God promised that Abram would have many descendants and that they would be given the land of Canaan. Abram believed God. He had faith that he would have a son despite his old age.

• But as time passed, Abram and Sarai grew tired of waiting and decided to take matters into their own hands. They decided that Abram should have a child with Sarai’s servant. What was her name? Hagar.
• And what was the name of the son of Abram and Hagar? Ishmael.

  Yes. Abram and Sarai thought that God would use Ishmael to fulfill his promises to Abram. But that was wrong for them to be impatient and to try to fulfill God’s promise on their own.

• Sometimes it’s hard to wait, isn’t it? Abram and Sarai grew concerned when time passed and they still didn’t have a son. What’s something that you’ve had to wait for? Something you were really looking forward to? Allow discussion. Christmas, birthday, vacation, field trip, etc.
  • Pass out the Student Take Home Sheets and remind students to practice the memory verse this week.
  Most of us have had something that we were excited about. Now, think about how excited Abram and Sarai were to hear that they’d be parents! But their solution of using Hagar to try to fulfill God’s promise led to problems in their family; Hagar and Sarai didn’t get along. We can avoid getting ourselves in trouble, too, if we’ll wait for God’s timing.

Lesson Review

We all learn best with review and repetition! We encourage you to play a lesson review game.

Group Prayer

Be sure to pray with your students and take requests if time allows.

• Thank God for his covenant with Abram.
• Ask God for the patience to wait for his timing and not try to solve problems on our own.