Unit: Learn and Tell
Session Titles: Jesus and the Woman at the Well
Life Point: God has a plan for every person
Unit Verse: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark 16:15
Weekly Bible Verses: “I know the plans I have for you… plans for your well being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
Bible Passage: John 4:1-30
Extras from LifeWay (GREAT Ideas Here): http://blog.lifeway.com/biblestudiesforlife/leaderextras/by-age-group/
Craft: Cup of Living Water
White Paper
Paper 9-oz. Party Cups
Crayons or Colored Paper
Scissors
Hole Punch
Blue Card Stock
Yarn
What to do:
Before class cut water drop shapes from blue card stock so that they fit inside the cup. Make enough water drops so each craft has enough to write one word of the verse on each water drop.
- Punch holes at the top of each water drop.
- In class have your children string the water drops in order on the string tying each water drop to the string before they add another water drop.
- Have your children color the cup and write the Bible verse on one side. Punch a hole in the bottom of the cup and string the yarn through the hole. Tape the string to the bottom of the cup.
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Craft: Woman at the Well Spinning Craft
This craft is going to be better for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders because it is semi-complicated. All the instructions as well as the printables are on the website. It is pretty cool but will be time consuming so plan accordingly.
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Game: Running on Thirsty (Could be Messy)
Teach children about the woman at the well from John 4.
For this game, every child will need two cups (one with water, one without) and a drinking straw.
Have kids stand against one wall, and give each child a straw. Place cups with water on the ground near each child while placing empty cups on the floor about 10 feet away. Demonstrate how to hold water in the straw by dipping it in the cup, plugging the top with a finger, and lifting the straw. On “go,” give kids 60 seconds to see how much water they can transfer to their empty cups using only their straws.
When time’s up, read aloud John 4:7-10.
Then say: Talk about a time you were really thirsty and how you quenched your thirst.
Read aloud John 4:11-14. Say: The woman drew water at the well, just like you drew water with your straws. Jesus, though, talked about a different kind of water.
Kids love our Sunday School resources!
Ask:
- What “water” do you think Jesus talked about?
- What kinds of “thirsts” do you think Jesus’ water could quench?
Hold up a cup of water and say: Just like the water the woman got out of the well, the water in this cup will run out but Jesus’ living water never runs out!
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Craft/Food: Refreshing Treat
Let each child choose a bottle of water or juice and give them a long piece of paper and markers to write and decorate the bottle with JESUS GIVES US LIVING WATER. Tape their piece of decorated paper onto the bottle to remember today’s lesson.
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Illustration: Crackers and Water (Older Kids)
I need four volunteers to come upfront for a cracker eating challenge. If you want to be picked, you have to like crackers.
(Choose four volunteers)
(Optional – During the competition, play a countdown video from freecountdowns.net. Another option is to play upbeat background music.)
(Get out the box of saltine crackers. Have preteens stand near the box. Place four bottles of water near the crackers.)
The four of you are going to race and see who can eat the most saltine crackers in two minutes. Whoever completely swallows the most crackers wins. You might notice the water bottles near the crackers. Well, you can’t have any water. Sorry. The rest of you in the audience, your job is to cheer for all four of them. Make some noise.
Ready, set, go!
After the competition congratulate the winner.
Say – I have a question for all four of you. What does your mouth feel like right now? (Get responses) How thirsty are you? (Get responses) What would you think if I said you couldn’t have any water till after church? (Get responses) Well, that wouldn’t be fair of me, would it? I can see you’re very thirsty, so each of you, go ahead and take a bottle of water to drink. Enjoy! You can go back to your seats now.
[Volunteers return to their seats]
**Please play this game carefully. I would suggest you have to finish one cracker before you can go to the next one so they do not stuff too many crackers into their mouths and get choked.**