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Escape to Egypt
Lesson 17
Bible Story Matthew 2:1-15
Teacher Challenge Notice the way God arranged circumstances to protect young Jesus! He displayed a unique star and positioned some curious men to notice it. He gave them a desire to find and worship the King of that star, and then led them to His exact location (without GPS!). He sent a dream to keep them from returning to Herod. God arranged details of astronomy, history, geography and psychology to perfectly prepare these international visitors for a vital role in protecting Jesus’ life!
God’s Word
“The Lord your God is with you.” Zephaniah 3:17
God’s Word and Me
I can thank God that
He is always with me.
¯ Look back at this week: What details did you notice God arranging in your life? ¯ In what ways did God protect you? Propel you forward? Surprise you? God arranges the details of our lives in ways just as amazing as He did for the wise men—if we’ll pause to notice! See how He has surrounded you with His love in great and small ways. Tell these stories to your children; help them become aware of the many ways God cares for them! And as you tell how God has cared for you, express your heartfelt gratitude!
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 9. 2. Plan who will lead each center, making sure to have one adult for approximately every six children. For staffing tips and ideas, see page 12.
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Play to Learn
Lesson 17
Active Game Center: Follow the Star Collect Bible, small doll or unbreakable nativity-scene figure of Jesus, flashlight.
Prepare Hide doll or nativity-scene figure of Jesus in classroom.
God’s Word
“The Lord your God is with you.” Zephaniah 3:17
God’s Word and Me
I can thank God that
He is always with me.
Do 1. Shine the flashlight on the floor, moving it along a path for the children to walk. Children follow the light around classroom to the doll or figure. 2. Children close eyes while you hide doll or figure again. Repeat as time and interest allow.
Talk About ¯ Today’s Bible story tells about some
wise men who saw a bright star shining in the sky. The wise men packed special gifts and started on a long trip to find God’s Son, Jesus. Let’s play a game where we follow a light!
¯ The Bible says, “The Lord your God is with you.” We can thank God that He is always with us. Pray briefly, Thank You, God, for loving us and always being with us.
For Younger Children Instead of using a flashlight, cut a star out of yellow card stock. Hold the star above your head. Children follow you around the room.
For Older Children Children take turns hiding the doll.
162 • © 2010 Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Growing with God Leader’s Guide
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Play to Learn
Lesson 17
Art Center: Travel Time God’s Word
Collect
“The Lord your God is with you.” Zephaniah 3:17
Bible, Lesson 17 Travel Time Car Pattern from Growing with God CD-ROM for each child, markers.
God’s Word and Me
Do Fold and open Travel Time Car Pattern for each child.
I can thank God that
He is always with me.
Do Children fold Travel Time Car Pattern and draw their family inside the car. Children color outside of car.
Talk About ¯ In today’s Bible story, Mary, Joseph and Jesus
went on a long trip to a country called Egypt. In Bible times, when people went on trips, they usually walked. When we go on trips, we usually ride in a car.
¯ Brooke, where have you gone on a trip with your family? God is with you when you go to your grandma’s house.
¯ The Bible says, “The Lord your God is with you.”
God is with us everywhere we go! I’m glad God is always with me. Pray briefly, Dear God, thank You for always being with me.
For Younger Children Ask children to name the people they draw. Label each person.
For Older Children Children name a place their family goes in the car. Assist children in writing the place name on the Car Pattern.
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Play to Learn
Lesson 17
Construction Center: Wrapping Gifts Collect Bible, blocks, a variety of boxes (shoe boxes, shirt boxes, empty food boxes, etc.), scissors, several rolls of Christmas wrapping paper, tape.
Prepare
God’s Word
“The Lord your God is with you.” Zephaniah 3:17
God’s Word and Me
I can thank God that
He is always with me.
Attach short pieces of tape to a nearby table edge for children to use.
Do Children wrap blocks and boxes in wrapping paper. Children act out giving gifts to each other.
Talk About ¯ In today’s Bible story some wise men
went on a trip to visit Jesus. They packed gifts to give to Jesus. At Christmastime, we give each other gifts, too. Let’s pretend we are wrapping gifts!
¯ Luke, who do you deliver gifts to at
Christmas? God is with you when you ride to your cousin’s house to deliver gifts.
¯ Maria, God is with you when you are at the store buying gifts. God is with us everywhere we go!
¯ The Bible says, “The Lord your God is
with you.” God is with us all the time. Lily, what are some words we could say to show our thanks to God? (“Thank You.” “I love You.”) Pray briefly, Thank You, God, for being with us. We love You!
For Younger Children Provide Christmas gift bags and tissue paper. Children fold tissue paper around blocks and place blocks into gift bags.
For Older Children Children arrange gifts by size or pattern.
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Play to Learn
Lesson 17
Dramatic Play Center: Passenger Travel God’s Word
Collect Bible, Lesson 17 Passenger Travel Tickets from Growing with God CD-ROM, chairs, travel objects (small suitcases and/or backpacks, maps, travel brochures, cameras, compasses, postcards, pencils, etc.).
“The Lord your God is with you.” Zephaniah 3:17
God’s Word and Me
I can thank God that
He is always with me.
Prepare Copy and cut out Passenger Travel Tickets. Set out chairs in rows for airplane.
Do 1. Children pack travel objects into suitcases and/or backpacks. Children show tickets to a child or helper pretending to be airline personnel and then pretend to fly on the plane. 2. When children arrive at pretend destination, children go on a walking tour and use cameras and compasses. Children can write postcards to family describing their trip.
Talk About ¯ In today’s Bible story, some wise men went
on a long trip to Bethlehem. Mary, Joseph and Jesus went on a long trip to Egypt. Let’s pretend we’re going on a trip, too!
¯ Enrique, what are some things people do to
get ready for a trip? Packing is an important thing to do before a trip. What kinds of things do you want to take with you on your trip?
¯ Jessica, where are you going on your trip? God will be with you when you go to the beach. God is with you always.
¯ The Bible says, “The Lord your God is with you.” God is with us everywhere we go! I’m glad God is always with me.
¯ Let’s thank God for always being with us. Pray briefly. For Younger Children Provide only suitcases and/or backpacks and two or three other travel objects. Children pack suitcases and/or backpacks, walk around the room, and then unpack suitcases and or/backpacks.
For Older Children Provide magazine pictures of different locations (mountains, beaches, amusement parks, etc.). Children glue pictures to sheets of construction paper to make their own travel posters and/or brochures. © 2010 Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Growing with God Leader’s Guide • 165
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Listen to Learn
Lesson 17
Matthew 2:1-15
Collect Bible, Bible Story 30 pictures from God’s Story for Me Poster Pack #2, Preschool Music #2 DVD or CD and player, beanbag or ball.
Greet Each Other Children sit in a circle. Play “Welcome, Hello!” (track 1 on CD). Children pass beanbag or ball around the circle. After beanbag or ball has been passed to several children, stop the music. Child holding the beanbag or ball when the music stops tells a place he or she goes.
God’s Word
“The Lord your God is with you.” Zephaniah 3:17
God’s Word and Me
I can thank God that
He is always with me.
Tell the Story Open your Bible to Matthew 2:1-15. Tell the story using the pictured motions (keywords in bold) or show Bible Story 30 pictures. How many stars do you think are in the sky? There are too many stars for anyone but God to count! Let’s listen to our story and hear about one very special star. Jesus had been born in Bethlehem. And God wanted some men far away to know about Jesus’ birth. So God put a very bright star in the sky. The star showed the wise men that a great new King had been born! “Let’s go and find this King!” the wise men said. “We’ll take special gifts to give the new King.” The wise men packed their camels. They rode for days and days. The wise men went to King Herod’s palace. They asked King Herod, “Where is the new King? We saw His star. We want to worship Him.” King Herod got angry! He wanted to be the ONLY king! King Herod asked his helpers where this new King would be born. “God’s Word says He will be born in Bethlehem,” they said. King Herod told the wise men, “Go. Find the child. Then come and tell me. I want to worship Him, too.” But King Herod really wanted to hurt Jesus! The wise men went to Bethlehem. They saw the bright star right over Jesus’ house! When the wise men saw Jesus, they bowed. They gave Him the special gifts they’d brought. Then God told the wise men in a dream, “Do NOT go back to King Herod.” The wise men went home by another road. They never told King Herod where Jesus was! Soon after the wise men left, an angel talked to Joseph in a dream. ”Get up,” the angel said. “Take Mary and Jesus to Egypt. King Herod wants to hurt Jesus.” Joseph got right up. He woke Mary and they packed a few things. Mary, Joseph and Jesus started for Egypt in the quiet nighttime. They traveled for many days. Finally, they were in Egypt. Joseph and Mary and Jesus were safe! 166 • © 2010 Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Growing with God Leader’s Guide
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Lesson 17
Talk About the Story Where did the angel tell Joseph to take Mary and Jesus? (Egypt.) God kept Joseph, Mary and Jesus safe by sending the angel to tell them to go to Egypt. They must have been very thankful that God was with them. God is always with us, too! Where do you like to go with your family? God is with you when you go to the park!
Sing to God Let’s sing a song that reminds us of the night Jesus was born. Lead children in singing “Christmas Joy” (on DVD or track 5 on CD). When the wise men found Jesus, He was no longer a baby. Jesus was a little boy!
Hear and Say God’s Word Holding your Bible open to Zephaniah 3:17, say verse aloud. God shows His love for us by being with us all the time! Lead children in repeating the verse. Children point up on the words “Lord” and point to a different child in the class on the word “you.” Repeat several times.
Option: Children experiment with singing the words of the verse to familiar tunes (“Mary Had a Little Lamb,” “Are You Sleeping?” etc. ).
Pray to God We can thank God for always being with us. Invite each volunteer to pray this brief thank-you prayer: Thank You, God, for being with me always.
Praise to God Children stand on one side of classroom. In our Bible story today, God was with Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. I’m glad that God is with us wherever we go. Let’s walk across the room in different ways, showing different places we go. Lead children in walking across the room in a variety of ways: slowly as if carrying heavy bags from the grocery store, skipping and pretending to hold a beach ball as if going to the beach, tiptoeing quietly as if walking in the library, etc.
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Talk to Learn
Lesson 17
Bible Story Activity Pages Center Collect • What did God use to show the wise men where to go? • God is always with you. Where do you like to go?
Zephaniah 3:17
“The Lord your God is with you.”
A copy of Activity 30 from The Big Book of Bible Story Activity Pages #2 for yourself and each child, crayons or markers.
Do Lead children to complete pages following the instructions. Use the conversation suggestions as children complete their pages and retell the story.
fold
Name ________________________
Bible Story Activity 30
____
Preschool Puzzle Center Collect Copies of Bible Story Puzzle 17, Bible Verse Puzzle 17 and/or Challenge Puzzle 17 from The Big Book of Preschool Puzzles #2 for each child; pencils, crayons or markers.
• Teacher cutscuts • Teacher slitsslit in rolled page in rolled (see(see sketch page on back sketch of this on back of page). this page). • Child colors • Child page. colors page and adds Bag stickers to cover gifts. • Child cutscuts • Child off star strip, off star folds strip, page and and folds stripstrip page and and slidesslides stripstrip into into slit to review story action. slit to review story action. © 2010 Gospel Light. Permission
to photocopy granted to the original
purchaser only. The Big Book of Bible
Do
Story Activity Pages #2
127
Children complete the puzzles and color pages. Use the conversation suggestions on the pages.
Read-Aloud Story Center Collect © 2010 Gospel Light. Permission
A copy of Story Picture 17 from The Big Book of ReadAloud Stories #2 for yourself and each child, crayons or markers.
to photocopy granted to
Do
original purchaser only.
Read the story and distribute pictures. Use the conversation suggestions as children complete their pages.
“The Lord your God is with you.” Zephaniah 3:17 In the box, draw what Matthew made for his grandpa. Tape wrapping paper on the box. Draw decora tions on the Christmas tree. Color the picture.
(Ta pe
The Big Book of Read-Aloud
at to
p on
ly.)
Stories #2
Story Picture 17
39
168 • © 2010 Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Growing with God Leader’s Guide
