In the Beginning . . .

Growing into a Life of Faith

UNIT 1: LESSON 4:

Creation Station

God Made Everything: Review

Key Concept
God made everything.

KEY CONCEPT MOTIONS:

Every time you say the key concept during the lesson, use these motions: God [point up] made everything [reach arms forward and move them out to the sides].

Bible Summary
Genesis 12 God created everything in six days, including light and dark, the water and the sky, the land and plants, birds and fish, animals, and His most wonderful creation: people. On the seventh day, God rested.

Objectives
KNOW WHAT:

Supplies
(Labeled items below can be found in the Lesson 4 Visual folder on the Summer Quarter CD.) CD player Music for singing The Beginners Bible White board covered in butcher paper Dot paints (many colors) Watering can Stuffed cat Toothbrush Washcloth Creation book (Lesson 4 SG 1 Lesson 4 SG 7) Beret and smock (or bright, artsy clothing) for Teacher and Helper (optional) Flashlight or lamp (optional) For each child Creation book (Lesson 4 SG 1 Lesson 4 SG 7) (optional) Key Concept sticker (Lesson 4 SG 8) Two-sided take-home coloring sheet (Lesson 4 SG 9 and Lesson 4 SG 10) Snack

Children will hear the whole Creation story and focus on Gods instructions to care for all He has given us.
SO WHAT:

Children will learn that God made everything, and He wants us to take care of what He made.
NOW WHAT:

Children will participate in activities to review the six days of creation and discuss ways they can take care of Gods creation.

Bible Verse
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1

Spiritual Formation
Responsibility and Celebration

People Needed
Teacher, Helper

Summer Quarter

2007 Willow Creek Community Church / Sunday School Teachers Guidebook / Lesson 4

UNIT 1:

Creation Station Notes:

In Advance
Recruit a Helper to operate the music CDs. The Helper also has a number of lines. Make sure your Helper is comfortable with this. Determine which songs you will use and be prepared to lead the children in singing. Song suggestions: Upbeat song for transition from Activity Stations to the Creative Bible Teaching God Made Me (Reach Up High CD) Seven (Touch the Sky CD) Dance, Shout & Sing (Touch the Sky CD) Gather the supplies listed above and arrange your classroom as follows: Designate one area or corner of the room as your teaching area. Set up props that will be used during the lesson and consider covering them with a sheet or a large piece of fabric to keep them from curious kids during Activity Stations. Also consider placing a line of tape on the floor to help keep kids out of the teaching area. For the lessons in Unit 1, the teaching area is Creation Station. Decorate the space as an artists studio. Place art supplies of all kinds on a small table or desk and paint, finger paint, or draw a splashy, bright-colored backdrop on butcher paper to hang at the back of the teaching area. Consider hanging the childrens artwork from Activity Stations on the walls, as well. Hide the paints in or under something in the room. Optional activity: Print and copy the seven pages of the Creation book. Attach the pages in the upper left-hand corner with a staple. Use one copy to read to and engage with the kids during the application time. If desired, make additional copies so each child can take a book home to color. Prepare the materials that will be given to each of the children. To prepare the stickers, print or copy the pages onto Avery label sheets #5294. Consider cutting the stickers apart for easier distribution. Print out the lesson and practice the teaching time.

Teachers Prep
REVIEW GENESIS 12. Creation week was a busy one, possibly the busiest one ever! Can you imagine what it would have been like to witness all that God was creating? You couldnt have taken it all in to process, make sense of, or understand. As a matter of fact, people today are still discovering, processing, and studying creation. Astronomers discover a new planet, leading us to search further into the vast heavens to see what else God has created. Nanotechnology now leads us inward and allows us to examine the tiniest of the small pieces of life. Scientists continually discover new species in the oceans and on remote islands. What took God only six days to create will take man an eternity to fully discover and understand. When God was done creating, He said, It is good. He is a humble God. When we look at what God created, we say, It is awesome beyond comprehension.

Summer Quarter

2007 Willow Creek Community Church / Sunday School Teachers Guidebook / Lesson 4

UNIT 1:

Creation Station

Activity Stations
(20 MINUTES)

Choose which Activity Stations you will use from the list included in the Activity Stations folder.

Creative Bible Teaching

(15 MINUTES)

[Play upbeat music as children transition to the teaching area. Encourage kids to clap their hands along with you. Clap in a variety of styles like overhead, on your knees, on your belly, etc.]
TEACHER:

Hello, everyone! Today is the last time we are going to visit Creation Station. Weve had so much fun learning about creation here at Creation Station! When you create something, it means you make something. Creation Station is a fun place where we can come and make all kinds of neat things, like paintings and drawings. We also get to play games and sing songs. And the best thing we do at Creation Station is hear a Bible story about how God created everything! Lets all stand and sing a song to God right now.
MUSIC

Song suggestion: God Made Me [Invite kids to sit on the count of three.]
TEACHER:

Today is going to be a very super special day at Creation Station! Its our last day here, and we are going to hear the creation story from the Bible. We are going to have a lot of fun! Everyone, on the count of three, shout out and tell me who made everything! [Hold up fingers.] Ready, one, two, three . . . [Kids respond.] Thats right, God [point up] made everything [reach arms forward and move them out to the sides]. How many days did it take God to make everything? [Kids respond.] Okay, everyone. Lets count to seven. Ready? [Count on fingers.] One, two, three, four, five, six, seven days! Lets remember all the things God made. Lets see how much we remember about the seven days of creation. I brought along some paper to paint on. [Point to paper-covered white board.] Today, we are going to paint the story of creation. But first, I have to find my paints. Oh, wait. I know where I put them. [Look in or under something in the room.] Oh, theres my sandwich from yesterday. Hm. Maybe my paint is over here. [Look in second place.] Nope, not here. Thats my juice box from yesterday. Let me try one more place. [Look in third place.] I found them! I found my paints. [Take out paints.]

Summer Quarter

2007 Willow Creek Community Church / Sunday School Teachers Guidebook / Lesson 4

UNIT 1:

Creation Station

Now we are ready to hear the Bible story. [Show Bible.] Click on your listening ears, friends. Click! Click! [Tug on each earlobe.] Now lets put on our special eyes. Shookum! Shookum! [Hold hands to eyes, one at a time, shaping glasses.] * * * * * * *

In the beginning, there was nothing on the earth. The earth was empty and very, very dark. But, God had a plan! On Day One [hold up one finger] . . . friends, can you hold up one finger? On Day One, God said, Let there be ______________. Do you remember what God said? [Kids respond.] Thats right. _______________ [Helper], get ready. God said, Let there be light . . . [Helper turns on high-powered flashlight or lamp, if available.] . . . and there was light! God called the light day, and He called the darkness night. After God made the light, He said [pause and give a thumbs up], It is good. What did God say? It is good.
HELPER:

[Turn off light.] On Day One, God made the bright light and the dark night!

TEACHER:

On Day Two [hold up two fingers] . . . friends, hold up two fingers. [Paint a blue cloud and water waves.] On Day Two, do you remember what God made? He made the beautiful blue _________? [Kids respond.] He made the beautiful blue sky. And He made the water that comes from the sky. God also made the big, blue ____________? [Kids respond.] Right. He made the water thats in the big ocean and the smaller seas. When God saw the beautiful, blue sky and the oceans and seas, He said [pause and give a thumbs up], It is good. What did God say? [Kids respond.]
HELPER:

On Day Two, God made the sky of blue and water, too! *
TEACHER:

On Day Three [hold up three fingers] . . . friends, hold up three fingers. [Paint a green line of grass.] On Day Three, God made __________? [Kids respond.] Thats right. God made the land. God made lots of things to grow on the land. [Paint a tree.] What is this? [Kids respond.] Good job! God made trees to grow on land. God made some trees to give us food. [Paint a plant.] God made plants to cover the ground. [Paint a red flower.] And He made beautiful things for us to look at. What is this? [Kids respond.] Youre right. God made flowers in all colors for us to look at. When God saw the dry land and all the plants, trees, and flowers, He said [pause and give a thumbs up], It is good! Lets say that together. It is good.

Summer Quarter

2007 Willow Creek Community Church / Sunday School Teachers Guidebook / Lesson 4

UNIT 1:

Creation Station

HELPER:

On Day Three, God made the land, plants, flowers, and trees. *
TEACHER:

On Day Four [hold up four fingers] . . . friends, hold up four fingers. On Day Four, God made a big, yellow light. [Paint a yellow sun.] What is this? [Kids respond.] You are right! God made the big, yellow light of the sun to shine up in the sky during the day. He made the sun to keep us warm. He gave us four different seasons: summer, winter, fall, and spring. And, He made the sun to help the plants, flowers, and trees grow. [Paint a moon.] God also made the smaller light, called the moon, to shine up in the sky at night. [Paint yellow stars.] And God made the smallest lights in the nighttime sky, called stars. Lets use our fingers [hold up fingers and wiggle them] to twinkle, twinkle, twinkle like the stars in the sky. When God saw the sun, the moon, and the stars, He said [pause and give a thumbs up], It is good. Say that with me. It is good.
HELPER:

On Day Four, God made the sun so bright and moon and stars at night. *
TEACHER:

On Day Five [hold up five fingers] . . . friends, hold up five fingers. On Day Five, God made an animal that swims in the ocean. [Paint one fish.] What are these? [Kids respond.] Fish! Youre right.
HELPER:

Remember how to make a fish face, everyone? [Demonstrate for the kids.]
TEACHER:

Thats right. God made all kinds of different fish to swim in the ocean. He made big fish like whales. And God made little fish, like goldfish. He made all the different fish that live in the ocean and seas. On Day Five, God also made something else. God made animals that fly. [Paint a red bird.] Whats this? [Kids respond.] God made birds that fly in the sky! God made red birds. He made birds of every color. When God saw the fish and the birds, what did God say? [Kids respond.] Thats right. It is good!
HELPER:

On Day Five, God made fish, big and small, and birds, one and all. *
TEACHER:

On Day Six [hold up six fingers] . . . friends, hold up six fingers. On Day Six, God made all kinds of these. Some hop, some walk on four legs, some are furry. What are they? [Kids

Spring Quarter

2007 Willow Creek Community Church / Sunday School Teachers Guidebook / Lesson 4

UNIT 1:

Creation Station

respond.] God made animals to live on the dry land. God made animals like this. [Paint a snake.] Do you know what it is? [Kids respond.] A snake! And God made animals like this. [Paint a giraffe.] Do you know what it is? [Kids respond.] A giraffe. God made animals like this, too. [Paint an elephant.] Do you know what it is? [Kids respond.] An elephant! God made all kinds of different animals. God made something else on Day Six. He made something very, very special. What was the most special thing God made? [Kids respond.] The most special thing that God made was people. God made two people. He made a man and a woman. [Paint two stick figures.] God made people so they could be His friends. People were Gods most special creation. God made them with His own two hands. God loved all the things He made, but He loved people more than anything else! When God saw all the animals and the people He made, He said [pause and give a thumbs up], It is very good. Lets say that together. It is very good.
HELPER:

On Day Six, God made animals on land and a woman and a man. *
TEACHER:

On Day Seven [hold up seven fingers] . . . friends, hold up seven fingers. On Day Seven, God stopped making things. What did God do? [Kids respond.] Thats right, God rested. Lets take a rest right now! Lets stretch those arms way up to the sky. [Stretch]. Now lets sit back and relax. [Hum for a few seconds.] Now look at all the things God made. [Point to painting.]
HELPER:

On Day Seven, God took a rest!

TEACHER:

God [point up] made everything [reach arms forward and move them out to the sides]! Friends, say that with me. God [point up] made everything [reach arms forward and move them out to the sides]. Lets say that together in our high voices. God [point up] made everything [reach arms forward and move them out to the sides]. Now, lets try that in our low voices. God [point up] made everything [reach arms forward and move them out to the sides]! Lets stand up and sing a fun song about Creation!
MUSIC

Song suggestion: Seven [Invite kids to sit on the count of three. Helper returns to the stage area.]

Spring Quarter

2007 Willow Creek Community Church / Sunday School Teachers Guidebook / Lesson 4

UNIT 1:

Creation Station

Life Application Activity

(10 MINUTES) TEACHER:

Friends, lets say our special words. God [point up] made everything [reach arms forward and move them out to the sides]!
HELPER:

Is it time to play a game?

TEACHER:

It sure is. Today we are going to play a game that will help us learn ways we can take care of all the things God made. God wants us to take special care of everything He made. Lets look at our first special thing. [Show the watering can.] Friends, what is this? [Kids respond.] Thats right. Its a watering can. We can water the plants and take care of them. Lets pretend to water a plant right now. Ready? Get out your watering can. [Hold up the watering can.] Hold it up in the air and tip it over. [Model.] Pour out the water. Gluck, gluck, gluck, gluck, gluck. Down, down, down to the ground. We can take care of the plants, flowers, and trees by giving them water. Water helps them grow and get bigger and bigger. God wants us to take care of everything He made. Lets say our special words. God [point up] made everything [reach arms forward and move them out to the sides]! Lets try another one. Oh, look at this! [Show stuffed cat.] What is this? [Kids respond.] How can we take care of the animals God made, like cats? [Kids respond.] Thats right. Lets pretend to pet a cat right now. Okay, lets pick up the kitty cat. [Model picking up a pretend cat.] Lets pet the cat. Ready? [Pretend to stroke a cat.] Be nice. Pet the kitty softly. Great job! We can take care of our pets by feeding them, giving them water to drink, and loving them. God wants us to take care of everything He made! Lets say our special words. God [point up] made everything [reach arms forward and move them out to the sides]! Lets try one more. Lets all stand up. [Kids stand up.] God made us. We can take care of ourselves. Lets take care of our teeth. [Hold up toothbrush.] Okay, everyone. Hold up your pretend toothbrush. Now pretend to brush your teeth. [Model.] Back and forth. Back and forth. Good job! Lets pretend to take care of ourselves by taking a bath. [Show washcloth.] Pretend to hold a washcloth. Now pretend to wash yourself. [Model.] Good job! God made us. God made everything, and He wants us to take care of all the things He made, especially ourselves! Lets say our special words. God [point up] made everything [reach arms forward and move them out to the sides]! I love all the things God made. God made me, too. So, why dont we stand up and sing God Made Me!
MUSIC

Song suggestion: Dance, Shout & Sing [Invite kids to sit down in a circle. If there is time, do the following Creation book activity. Otherwise, go ahead to the prayer.]
7 Spring Quarter 2007 Willow Creek Community Church / Sunday School Teachers Guidebook / Lesson 4

UNIT 1:

Creation Station

TEACHER:

Lets do something else to remember all the things God made. We are going to look at a special book about Creation. [Hold up one copy of the Creation book for the children to see. Read the words on each page. Pause each time to allow the kids to say, It is good. Optional: give each child a copy of the book to color and take home.]

God made everything!

On Day 1, God made the light and darkness.

On Day 2, God made the sky and water.

Color yellow

Color black

Name

And God said, It is good!

And God said, It is good!

Lesson 4 SG 1

Lesson 4 SG 2

Lesson 4 SG 3

On Day 3, God made the ground and things that grow in the ground, like trees and flowers. God also made the oceans and seas.

On Day 4, God made the sun, moon, and stars.

On Day 5, God made the birds in the sky and the fish in the ocean.

And God said, It is good!

And God said, It is good!

And God said, It is good!

Lesson 4 SG 4

Lesson 4 SG 5

Lesson 4 SG 6

On Day 6, God made animals and people, a man and a woman.

And God said, It is very good!

Lesson 4 SG 7

Spring Quarter

2007 Willow Creek Community Church / Sunday School Teachers Guidebook / Lesson 4

UNIT 1:

Creation Station

TEACHER:

Friends, God [point up] made everything [reach arms forward and move them out to the sides]! We can take care of the things He made and be happy for all the things He gave us! Lets pray and thank God for everything He made right now.[Do Open them, close them. Children will say the finger play with you and repeat each line of the prayer after you.] Open them. [Open hands.] Close them. [Close hands.] Open them. [Open hands.] Close them. [Close hands.] Give a little clap. [Clap hands.] Open them. [Open hands.] Close them. [Close hands.] Open them. [Open hands.] Close them. [Close hands.] Fold them in your lap. [Fold hands in lap.] Dear God, Thank You for making everything. Please help us take care of everything You made. Thank You for our snack. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Go

de everyth ma in
g!

Snack and Coloring Activity

(15 MINUTES) Lesson 4 SG 8

This is the time for you and the children to build community. A great way to let the kids know you care about them as individuals is to ask them questions about themselves. GIVE each child a snack to eat. GIVE each child a Key Concept sticker to put on their shirt while they are eating their snack. GIVE each child a coloring sheet to color while they are waiting to be picked up. ASK each child a question or two: What is your favorite thing God made? Do you take care of any pets at home?

God made everything.

The Beginning (Genesis 1)

Lesson 4 SG 9

Spring Quarter

2007 Willow Creek Community Church / Sunday School Teachers Guidebook / Lesson 4