Good Friday Curriculum for Preschoolers Date: April 6, 2012 Basic Truth: Jesus wants to be my friend forever. Key Question: Who is your friend? Bottom Line: Jesus is my good friend. Memory Verse: “A friend loves at all times.” Proverbs 17:17, NIrV Bible Story Focus: Good Friday - Jesus Loves Me. Jesus’ Death and Resurrection • Mark 15:22 - Mark 16:7

Here’s an overview of what you’ll be teaching this week: Make It Fun Story Clues

Make It True Worship Memory Verse Offering Video

Make It Stick Easter Story Boxes Snack

Make It Real Small Group Time Prayer Dismissal

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Make It Fun (Introductory Activities, 15 minutes) Set up the activity below before class begins. While the children are entering the classroom begin Story Clues. Let one or two teachers lead activities in the room while another teacher greets parents and kids at the door. 1. Story Clues What You Need: Easter eggs filled with various pieces of the Easter story: a cross, nails, sponge, toy bottle, cloth in a tomb, etc. What You Do: Before the activity: Hide eggs all over the room. Make sure to have enough eggs for each child to be able to find at least one. During the activity: Direct children to sit in a circle. Explain to the children that when you say, ‘Go,’ they should run around the room and find one Easter Egg hidden in the room. Be sure to have volunteers helping the children find a picture. When each child has found an egg, they are to bring them back to the circle. When everyone returns, ask each child if they know what they have a picture of and how it might be part of our story today. What You Say: “All of the things that you found are part of our story for today! We’re going to save your eggs and what is in side them to see if we can find them later today in the video that we see. I wonder what will happen to our friend Jesus in our story today and when we’ll see these pictures.

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Make It True (Large Group Worship, 20 minutes) This month’s songs are on the April Preschool Worship CD. Kids and teachers should play instruments during the verses and then do the motions during the chorus. The motions for the verses are provided if you find them helpful, but we encourage you just to dance around in worship. 1. Music “Jesus Can Do Anything” Chorus Anything, (Jazz hand up and to the right) anything, (Jazz hand up and to the left) Jesus can do (Both hands pointing up) anything (Both hands jazz hands up and to the sides) Verse He gave sight to the blind (Pointer fingers to eyes) Calmed the storm with His own hand (Both hands out in stop motion) Fed a big crowd with (Deal out cards motion) just two fish (right hand 2 fingers) So I believe He can do (Both thumbs pointing at chest) Bridge Anything? (Hands by shoulders and shrug) Anything! (Pump fist) Repeat 3x I believe He can do (Both thumbs pointing at chest)

”Oh, So Happy Day” Verse Did you know? (Right hand up by shoulder) Did you know? (Left hand up by shoulder) Jesus is alive today (Point both fingers up) He’s alive today, (Point both fingers up) that’s why we say (Hands to mouth like megaphone) It’s an oh - oh - so (Hands over head to form O and rock back and forth) happy day (Jump up and down while doing jazz hands in air) hey! (Fist Pump) Repeat Verse Chorus Clap your hands (Clap) Beat on your drum (Pretend to play drums) It’s an oh - oh - so (Hands over head to form O and rock back and forth) happy day (Jump up and down while doing jazz hands in air) It’s an oh - oh – so (Hands over head to form O and rock back and forth) happy day (Jump up and down while doing jazz hands in air) hey! (Fist Pump) Repeat Verse - Chorus (2 times) - Dance and use instruments for ending

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2. Verse LEADER: Are you ready to learn this month’s memory verse? It’s all about friendship! ‘A friend (hook your pointer fingers together) loves (hug yourself) at all times’ (stretch your arms out to each side with your palms facing up as you turn in a circle) Proverbs 17:17 (open your hands like a book) “Let’s do it together. Are you ready?” Do the verse with the kids two or three times. 3. Offering Pass around the offering bag or bucket to collect any offering for today. Say, “We collect offering every week to give the first of our money back to God- 2 Chronicles 31:5 says “... the Israelites gave generously. They didn’t hold back! They brought in a tithe of everything they owned.” Let’s offer to God with generous hearts our tithes for today. 4. Video *Be sure to prep for Easter Story Boxes in the Make it Stick section during this time. Play this week’s video from “Wonder, Look at God’s Story” DVD.

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Make It Stick (Application Activities, 35 minutes) 1. Easter Story Boxes What You Need: Take-out boxes, one activity sheet per child, red plastic pieces, one “rock” sheet per child, brass brads, cotton balls, glue sticks. Items to go inside take-out boxes: piece of sponge, nail, dice, sign on cross. What You Do: Give each child a take-out box and one activity page. Give time for the children to color the activity pages and cut along the dotted lines. Instruct kids to glue each activity page to one side of the take-out box. Together, have the children look at the first of the four pages with the crosses on it. Give each child a piece of sponge, nail, dice and the sign for the cross, while talking with the kids about how each item is used in the story. Showing the children how to open the take-out box and keep these items in side. Next, turn to the second side of the take out box and cut a small piece of red plastic to be glued onto the take-out box. Talk about how the curtain the the Holy place was torn when Jesus died. The third side of the box should show the empty tomb. Help the children pull a piece of cotton ball apart and glue it iinside the tomb. Cut the door to the tomb and attach it to the picture with the brass brad so it will open and close. What you Say: “Everyone has done a wonderful job on their story boxes! Let’s practice teaching others the story we learned about Jesus today! First let’s look at the cross, can everyone open their boxes and tell me what they find in side? What did we learn about these things? Yes! You’ve got it! On the second side, it says, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” What happened that help people believe in Jesus? (the curtain in the temple was torn in half!) Next, do you see the door on the tomb? Everyone open the door and look what is inside the tomb? (Pause.) That's right. There’s just a blanket. Do you see Jesus in the tomb? (Pause.) No! Jesus is not in the tomb! JESUS IS ALIVE! Jesus was buried in the tomb, but on the third day He came back. He is alive! That’s why we celebrate Easter and why we have a picture of Jesus’ feet on the last page. You can take this project home and tell your family the story of how Jesus LIVES! He lives today and wants to be everyone's friend. Who is your friend? [Bottom Line] Jesus is my good friend.” 2. Snack Time Ask the kids what they might do with their families this weekend to celebrate Easter Sunday.

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Make It Real (Small Groups, 5 minutes) Make It Real is designed to help preschoolers understand how the Bottom Line applies to them. 1. Small Group Time SMALL GROUP LEADER (SGL): “Our new Bible verse says, ‘A friend loves at all times,’ Proverbs 17:17. Let’s say that verse together a few times. ‘A friend (hook your pointer fingers together) loves (hug yourself) at all times’ (stretch your arms out to each side with your palms facing up as you turn in a circle) Proverbs 17:17 (open your hands like a book)

2. Prayer – If time allows feel free to ask for prayer requests. “Jesus, you for giving your life on the cross and loving us so much. You really are a good, good friend. Amen.” 3. Get Ready to Dismiss Set any take-home creations where you or parents can get them easily. ● Easter Story Boxes Greet parents at the door and tell them that this month preschoolers are learning that [Bottom Line] Jesus is my good friend! Encourage parents to repeat the bottom line at home and help their child understand that [Bottom Line] Jesus is my good friend!

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