Needed for Story: Pictures of axe, hammer, raindrops
Instructions:
When children see AXE picture they say "Chop-chop, chop-chop." When HAMMER picture is shown the boys and girls say: "hammer-hammer, hammer-hammer." At the sight of the RAINDROPS they say: "Pitter-patter, pitter-patter."
Story
Noah and his sons cut down trees. (Show AXE picture.) They cut down MORE trees. (AXE picture). And MORE and MORE trees (AXE picture). They needed to make boards. Lots and lots of boards (AXE picture).
Noah and his sons put the boards together (Show HAMMER). They put more and more boards together (Show HAMMER).
God had asked Noah to build an ark -- a really, really BIG boat. Noah obeyed God. It took a long time to build the ark, the really big boat. (Show HAMMER).
They worked (Show HAMMER) and worked (Show HAMMER) and worked (Show HAMMER).
The ark was going to be SO big that there would be room for two of every kind of animal in the whole world and seven of certain types of animals and all of Noah's family. When everyone was inside the ark, God closed the door.
Listen. I hear something!
RAINDROPS! (Show RAINDROPS picture.)
For 40 days it rained (Show RAINDROPS). And rained. (Show RAINDROPS). And rained (Show RAINDROPS).
For 40 nights it rained (Show RAINDROPS). And rained (Show RAINDROPS). And rained (Show RAINDROPS.)
When the rain stopped, God placed a rainbow in the sky as a promise that He would never again destroy the whole earth with a flood.
SONG: "Noah" from In the Beginning CD by Mary Rice Hopkins.
BOOK: "Noah" available from Crossway Books (ISBN1-58134-002-8)
BIBLE VERSE: "We must obey God" (Acts 5:29).
Activity to Learn Verse: "Verse Tag"
The teacher tags one child and both quote the verse. The teacher and child tag a third person. All three say the verse. Continue until all in the group have been tagged. (If you have a large group, tag 2 or 3 people at one time.)
CRAFT: Ark with Animals
Needed: One large sheet of construction paper for each child; animal stickers; crayons or washable markers; "Noah Obeyed God, Genesis 7-8" strips, glue.
Activity: Children draw and cut out an ark on large paper. For younger boys and girls, a teacher may need to provide the boat. Each child glues the "Noah Obeyed God, Genesis 7-8" strip to the ark. Children attach animal stickers. Older boys and girls could draw their own animals, if preferred.
Discussion While Children Work: Talk about how Noah was both obedient (as story talks about) and faithful (which book and song highlight) and how they can do both on an everyday basis.
SNACK: If possible, provide a large bag(s) of animal crackers. Dump them out on a tray. Let the children select 6 to eat, 2 of a kind.