Unit 2: Lesson 11 PARABLE OF THE SOWER

1) Welcome Activity:


2) Songs: Start the Story Hour with the learning our names song. Go around the circle or table and introduce each child.


3) Prayer... ask God to sow his word in our hearts and make it grow.


4) Theme: Remind the children of the theme of the unit: God sends his greatest gift, Jesus Christ our Saviour. John 1:14 “we beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father”
Tell them that they are going to hear a Bible Story again today that shows the glory of God. Today’s story is a “parable”… that’s a heavenly story with an earthly message – a message for you and me!


5) Bible Story:Today’s Story is about the parable of the sower. Read pages 319 - 327 from the Read and Learn Bible (Scholastic).



6) Text: Today’s Text is: “Blessed are your eyes, for they see and your ears, for they hear.”
Matthew 13:16



7) Craft:

• Sowing the Seed… trace each child’s hand on colored construction paper and cut out the hands (older children may cut their own with some assistance). Don’t forget to write each child’s name on their hand. Set out small bowls of several different kinds of seeds (like oats, peas, beans, etc) and let the children glue some seeds in the palm of their hand with white glue. These are the seeds that the sower scatters in the field. The seeds mean the Bible – the word of the Lord. Print the text on each hand.
• Four Kinds of Listeners… draw lines to divide a sheet of construction paper into four squares. In each space, have the children color, cut and paste from the coloring sheet one of the four kinds of listeners: 1) “some that fall along the path are quickly snatched away” 2) “some that fall on rocky soil won’t last the whole day through” 3) “some that fall among the thorns grow weak from fear and woe” 4) “some that fall into good soil will live a life for Christ”. Give them a smiley face sticker or star sticker to put on the kind of listener that we should be!
http://www.coloring.ws/parables.htm

Note: You could print these 1/2 or a 1/4 page and make this a mini-book if you prefer. This would be a good companion craft if you choose to plant a seed today!
• Planting a Seed… fill a Styrofoam cup with potting soil for each child. Have them plant a bean seed in the soil. Cut out a square of colored paper for them to write their name and decorate. Write the text on each paper. Tape each child’s paper on the outside of their cups. Water the bean seed and watch it grow!
• Sow the Word (sung to the tune of Row Row Row Your Boat)
  Sow sow sow the Word,
  Precious seeds of Faith;
  Some that fall along the path
  Are quickly snatched away.
  Sow sow sow the Word,
  Precious seeds of Truth;
  Some that fall on rocky soil
  Won’t last the whole day through.
  Sow sow sow the Word.,
  Precious seeds of Hope;
  Some that fall among the thorns
  Grow week from fear and woe.
  Sow sow sow the Word,
  Precious seeds of Life;
  Some that fall into good soil,
  Will live a life for Christ.

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?

10) Optional Coloring Pages:
Sowing the seed: http://www.sermons4kids.com/parable_of_sower_colorpg.htm