2) Songs: Start the Story Hour with the learning our names song. Go around the circle or table and introduce each child.
(sing to the tune of “The More we get together”
Thank you God for (name)
For (name), for (name)
Thank you God for (name)
We’re glad (s) he is here!
3) Prayer... Thank God for sending his son, Jesus to be OUR savior!
4) Theme: Remind the children of the theme of the unit: God works among his covenant people to prepare the world for the Savior. Hebrews 12:1&2 “Therefore, since we are surrounded
by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us… look to Jesus.” Tell them that they are going to hear a Bible Story again today that shows how God works through Esther. Some people hated the Israelites, the Lord’s chosen people, but God used Queen Esther to save his people.
5) Bible Story: Today’s Story is about Esther Read pages 224-226 from the Read and Learn Bible (Scholastic). It’s hard to tell the whole story of Esther in three pages without loosing some of the message. Feel free to add to/explain the story where there are gaps.
6) Text: Today’s Text is: Esther said to the king, “For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?” Esther 8:6
7) Craft:
- Crown Craft #1… print out the picture of Queen Esther (see link below). Have the children color her with markers or crayons. Provide stickers or shiny confetti to decorate her crown. (oops, it's crooked! Sorry!)
- Crown Craft #2… make a paper plate crown by cutting the inside of the plate four times across and bending the triangles up to form the peaks of the crown. The crown can be decorated with stickers, foam shapes or froot loops for jewels. Your smaller children may want a string tied under their chin to hold the crown on more easily. :-)
You need: paper plates, craft knife or sharp scissors, stickers, foam shapes, glue, froot loops, yarn - Queen Esther /King Xerxes puppets… Before class, cut white fabric in squares large enough to form a head for the puppet. Have the child put a few cotton balls or stuffing in the center of the fabric. Close the edges of the fabric around the cotton and secure to the end of the pencil with an elastic. Use markers to draw a face on the puppet. Cut two crown shapes from yellow construction paper (or metallic paper if you have access to that) for each puppet. For each child, cut a series of lengths of curling ribbon for hair and knot the lengths together at one end. Put the knotted end of the ribbon between the two crowns. Grab a pinch of fabric at the top of the puppet’s head and staple through the 2 crowns, the end of the curling ribbon and the fabric. You should see only the two crowns on the top of the head with the “hair” hanging down the back. Allow the children to decorate their puppet with markers, fabric scraps, ribbon and lace if they like.
You need: square of white fabric, cotton balls or stuffing, pencils, elastics, yellow/brow/black curling ribbon, yellow (or metallic) construction paper, markers, fabric scraps, ribbon or lace to decorate
* This craft is a bit complicated, but you could prepare the heads with crowns before the class and have the children draw faces and decorate and “curl” the hair in class if you like.
8) Closing Prayer... say the Lord's prayer together with the children
9) Going Home: Sing the closing together. Then, check to see if all the children have collected their crafts and coloring sheets before they go home. Say goodbye and tell them that you enjoyed learning about God together and were happy to have them today! You were, weren’t you?
(sung to the tune of The More we Get Together,
just like the opening song)
We love to learn together,
Together, together
We love to learn together
And give thanks to God.
Also can be sung with: “sing” or “pray” or “work”
10) Optional Coloring Pages
There are a number of nice pictures here:
http://www.coloring.ws/esther.htm
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