Angels Tell the News. Teacher Challenge. Bible Story Luke 2:8-20. God s Word. God s Word and Me

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1 Angels Tell the News Bible Story Luke 2:8-20 Teacher Challenge God first announced the arrival of His Son to the lowliest of people: shepherds. By doing this, God showed that His grace and love are for everyone. The shepherds rushed to see the Messiah, and after they saw Him lying in a manger, they rushed to share the good news with everyone they found. Who shared the good news with you? What difference has it made in your life? With whom have you shared the good news this month? God has chosen you to share His good news, just as He chose those shepherds. Share His joy and good news with the little ones in your class. Lead them to express thanks to God for the gift of His Son. Just as the shepherds left the manger with words of praise on their lips, let your words announce your joy and thankfulness. Then encourage your children to share the good news of Jesus birth with members of their families. Teacher s Planning 1. Choose which centers you will provide and the order in which children will participate in them. For tips on schedule planning, see page Plan who will lead each center, making sure to have one adult for approximately every six children. For staffing tips and ideas, see page Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Discovering God s Love Leader s Guide 153

2 Play to Learn Active Game Center: Shepherd s Walk Bible, classroom items (chairs, table, blocks, toys, etc.), nativity set or picture of baby Jesus; optional crawl-through tunnel. Prepare Create an obstacle course using classroom items that ends near the nativity set or picture of baby Jesus. (Optional: Incorporate a crawl-through tunnel into the obstacle course.) 1. Children take turns moving through the course to reach the nativity set or picture of Jesus. 2. Repeat the activity, with children moving in a variety of ways (walk, run, hop, etc.). Talk About The Bible tells us that when Jesus was born, angels told some shepherds to go find baby Jesus. Let s pretend we are going with the shepherds to find Jesus. When the shepherds found Jesus, they told others the good news. At Christmas we can thank God and tell others the good news. Who can you tell about Jesus birth? What can you say? Let s thank God for sending Jesus to be born. Pray briefly, Thank You, God, that Jesus was born. For Younger Children Children may hesitate to walk through the course by themselves. Take each child by the hand and walk with child. For Older Children Children rearrange the obstacle course between rounds Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Discovering God s Love Leader s Guide

3 Play to Learn Art Center: Angel s News Bible; for each angel: cardboard tube 4½-inches (11.25-cm) long, 2-inch (5-cm) Styrofoam ball and white fluted coffee filter; scissors; white tissue paper; yellow yarn; gold foil; gold-colored star stickers; newspaper; tape; glue; glue brushes. Prepare Assemble a sample angel following directions below. Cut tissue paper to cover each tube. Cut yarn in 6-inch (15-cm) lengths for hair. Cut 2-inch (5-cm) circles from gold foil. Cut filters in half. Cover work area with newspaper. 1. Children tape tissue paper to tube and stand tube on one end. Brush glue along top edge of tube and attach Styrofoam ball for head. Spread glue on top of head and place lengths of yarn for hair. 2. For halo, glue foil circle to back of head so that gold color shows in the front. For wings, spread glue on flat edges of filter halves and attach to back of body. Stick stars on angel body front. Talk About In our Bible story the angels told the shepherds the good news that Jesus was born. Let s make angels to remind us of this good news. The angels we make will remind us of the angels who told the shepherds about Jesus. What other things remind you of Jesus birthday? Who can you tell about Jesus birth? The Bible says, It is good to give thanks to the Lord. I am thankful that Jesus was born! Invite children to join you as you pray briefly, Dear God, thank You for sending Jesus to be born. For Younger Children Assist children by spreading glue for them. For Older Children Allow children to complete as much of the project as possible Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Discovering God s Love Leader s Guide 155

4 Play to Learn Block Center: Christmas at Home Bible, blocks, miniature Christmas trees, toy people; optional Tree Patterns from Discovering God s Love CD-ROM, green construction paper, scissors. Prepare Optional: Make copies of Tree Patterns onto green construction paper. Cut apart triangles, cut slits and attach triangles as shown on Patterns page to make stand-up paper trees. Make several trees. 1. Children use blocks to build houses and rooms. Children set up miniature Christmas trees. (Optional: Children arrange stand-up trees.) 2. Children play with toy people pretending to decorate Christmas trees. Talk About The Bible tells us, Lord is another name for God. At Christmas, we celebrate and thank God for Jesus birth. We can thank God for many things. Let s build our homes and celebrate Christmas. Olivia, what is something you are thankful for when you are tired and want to lie down? You can build a bed! The Christmas tree looks pretty. I thank God for the good news that Jesus was born! Brett, who is someone you can tell the good news to? Thank you for handing Brianna a block, Joey. That was very kind of you. God gives us things we need. We can thank Him, too! Pray briefly, Thank You, God, for sending Jesus to be born. For Younger Children not expect young children to be able to make representational objects. They will simply enjoy stacking blocks and carrying blocks from one place to another. For Older Children Bring a variety of small unbreakable Christmas decorations for children to play with Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Discovering God s Love Leader s Guide

5 Play to Learn Science Center: Jingle Bells Bible, a variety of bells (jingle, sleigh, hand, bicycle, kitchen timer, etc.). 1. Children explore the bells, ringing them and listening to their sounds. 2. Use the conversation suggestions below to lead children in comparing and contrasting the sounds the bells make. Talk About The Bible says, We are thankful that Jesus was born! We celebrate Christmas to show our thanks to God. Some people play bells when they sing songs at Christmas. Let s listen to some different kinds of bells. These bells make different sounds. Beth, which bells make a high sound? Hannah, which bells make a low sound? What are some other kinds of bells? (orbells, church bells, school bells, etc.) We sing songs to thank God that Jesus was born. What are some other things we do to show our thanks for Jesus? (Decorate our houses. Give gifts.) The most important thing that ever happened was that Jesus was born. And that s good news we can tell everyone we know! For Younger Children Include a variety of rhythm instruments for children to play. For Older Children After children have had several moments to examine bells, gather bells. Ask children to close their eyes as you ring one of the bells. Children tell which bell was played Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Discovering God s Love Leader s Guide 157

6 Listen to Learn Luke 2:8-20 Bible, Bible Story 29 pictures from God s Story for Me Poster Pack #1, Preschool Music #1 CD and player, unbreakable Christmas ornament. Greet Each Other Madison, who s your friend? Child you ve named chooses another child in the group. Repeat by calling on another child. Continue until all children have been paired. We can tell others the good news that Jesus was born! Have pairs face each other and say together Jesus was born! Tell the Story Open your Bible to Luke 2. Tell the story using the pictured motions (keywords in bold) or show Bible Story 29 pictures. What do you see when you look at the sky at night? Listen to find out what some shepherds saw in the sky on one very special night. Some shepherds were in the fields at night. They were watching their sheep. All the sheep were sleeping. Stars twinkled high in the nighttime sky. Everything was still and quiet. Suddenly, the shepherds saw a bright light in the dark sky. What could this be? they wondered. Then they saw an angel! The shepherds were very afraid. not be afraid, the angel said. I have good news to tell you. Today in Bethlehem, a Savior has been born for you. You will find this special baby lying in a manger. Before the shepherds could say a word, the sky was FULL of angels. The angels thanked God that Jesus was born. Then the angels left and went back to heaven. The nighttime sky grew dark and quiet again. The shepherds said, Let s go right now and find this special baby. The shepherds hurried as fast as they could go. They ran down the hillside. Then they ran along the road to Bethlehem. When they came to the stable, they saw Mary and Joseph. Quietly the shepherds came near to see the baby. And in the manger lay baby Jesus, just as the angel had said. The shepherds were excited and happy about baby Jesus. Jesus is born! they told everyone they saw. Then the shepherds went back to their sheep. And all the while they praised and thanked God for sending His Son, Jesus Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Discovering God s Love Leader s Guide

7 Talk About the Story After visiting the baby Jesus, what did the shepherds do? (Told others that Jesus was born.) The shepherds were so thankful that Jesus was born, they told everyone they saw! We can tell others about Jesus, too! Who can you tell about Jesus birth? Sing to God Let s sing about some good news! Lead children in singing God Loved Us (track 5 on CD). This song tells us the good news that God loves us and sent His Son. I m so glad that God loves us! Hear and Say Holding your Bible open to Psalm 92:1, say verse aloud. What is it good to do? ( Give thanks to the Lord. ) Lead children in repeating the verse by echoing phrases after you: It is good/to give thanks/to the Lord. Point to children when it is their turn to speak. Repeat verse several times in this manner. Option: Ask children to name things for which they want to thank God. Volunteers then choose one of the things mentioned and thank God aloud. Option: Lead children in saying the words in different manners (loudly, softly, in a high voice, in a low voice, whisper, fast, slow, etc.). Pray to God Lead children in prayer, thanking God that Jesus was born and asking for His help to tell others the good news. Praise to God Hand an unbreakable Christmas ornament to a child. The child tells a reason to thank God at Christmastime or prays a sentence prayer thanking God for sending Jesus. Child then passes the ornament to the child sitting next to him or her. Repeat for each child. Younger children simply hold the ornament while you say, (Michael) is glad that Jesus was born Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Discovering God s Love Leader s Guide 159

8 Talk to Learn Bible Story Activity Pages Center A copy of Activity 29 from The Big Book of Bible Story Activity Pages #1 for yourself and each child, crayons or markers; optional cotton balls, glue. Bible Story Activity 29 Name Lead children to complete pages following the instructions. (Optional: Children spread out cotton balls and glue them to sheep.) Use the conversation suggestions as children complete their pages and retell the story. Preschool Puzzle Center Copies of Puzzles 31 and 32 (p. 69 and p. 71 from The Big Book of Kindergarten Puzzles) for each child; pencils, crayons or markers. 123 Child colors page. Child folds down corner flaps, opens flaps and then turns page over to retell Bible story. Puzzle 31 Look at the picture of the shepherds hearing the good news of Jesus birth. Find and draw a around the numbers 1 to 15 hidden in the picture. What good news did the angels tell the shepherds? What did the shepherds do? What can you say to thank God for Jesus? Who can you tell that Jesus was born? 2009 Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to the original purchaser only. The Big Book of Bible Story Activity Pages #1 Children complete the puzzles and color pages. Use the conversation suggestions on the pages. Read-Aloud Story Center A copy of Story Picture 16 from The Big Book of Read- Aloud Stories #1 for yourself and each child, crayons or markers. Read the story and distribute pictures. Use the conversation suggestions as children complete their pages Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. The Big Book of Read-Aloud Stories #1 We can thank God that Jesus was born. Our Bible says, It is good to give thanks to the Lord. BONUS IDEA! Draw a line to connect each of the numbers in the correct order Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted. The Big Book of Reproducible Kindergarten Puzzles Connect the dots. Color the picture Story Picture Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Discovering God s Love Leader s Guide