Main Idea: God made a promise never to destroy the Earth and wants us to be faithful in not destroying the Earth either.
Suggested Schedule: (90 mins)
- Welcome (5 mins)
- Game 1(5mins)
- Review Big Verse (5 mins)
- Set the Scene: Bible story/skit and review questions (10-15 mins)
- Object Lesson 1 talk (5mins)
- Game 2 (5 mins)
- Object Lesson 2 talk (5 mins)
- Game 3 (5 mins)
- Object Lesson 3 talk (10 mins)
- Love our Planet Game (5 mins)
- Sense How You Feel – activity (10 – 25 mins)
- Seek God – prayer (5 mins)
Setting the Stage: This series helps children understand their responsibility to be a good steward of the Earth. With the rise in interest in our environment and concerns for the world’s future, children and young people are more passionate than ever about sustainable living and looking after our world. Over four weeks we will explore the ways that we can practically help the Earth in a Biblical way, understanding why God cares so much about our planet and everything on it.
If you have the space, you could decorate your stage with maps, globes, animals, giant leaves, recycled materials, love hearts and other ‘caring for the environment’ props.
Supplies:
- Paper
- Pen
- Container
- Lots of recycling
- 2 bins
- Bible
- Flashlight
- Mirror
- Pan of water
- CD
- Prism
- White paper
- Small cue card
- Tall clear straight sided glass of water.
- The Lorax
- Guest or leader who could speak to the children about the changes that they have made to tackle climate change
- Paper
- Pens
- 2 large world maps
- 12 inflatable globes
- 48 heart shaped post it notes
- Pintables:
- Paper
- Pens
- laminator pouches
- laminator
- Playdough or clay
- Lego or construction toys
- Prayer tent materials – cushions, bibles, fairy lights, cross, candles etc
- All PowerPoint games with some way of showing them (i.e. laptop and screen)
SONG and BIBLE STORY VIDEO IDEAS available via our dedicated Pinterest Board
GAME IDEAS:
GAME 1 ENDANGERED ANIMAL CHARADES – 5 mins
Description: Team Game.
Supplies: List of endangered animals, paper, pen and container.
Details: Endangered Animal Charades. Write the name of each animal on a sheet of paper. Fold the pieces of paper and place in a container
Each of the team members picks a piece of paper and pretends to be an endangered species without talking – the rest of the team try to guess what these animals are.
GAME 2 BUCKET TOSS – 5 MINS
Description: One on one Game.
Supplies: Washed plastic containers, 2 bins
Details: Bucket Toss. Players have one minute to throw as many pieces of recycling into the bins as possible. The winner is the person to put the most recycling in their bin!
GAME 3 FILL IN THE BLANKS – 10 MINS
Description: PowerPoint Game
Supplies: No supplies needed.
Details: Fill in the blanks Leaders shows the powerpoint slides of climate trivia and the children need to guess the answer!
- We should _____ paper, glass and plastic material (Clean, recycle, pollute, Litter)
- We should eat ______ food (junk, organic, white, more)
- We should _______ to school (Drive, walk or ride a bike, not go, go on an aeroplane).
- We should use less _____ (wood, metal, plastic, paint).
- We should save ______ (pennies, chocolate, water, bread).
- We should protect ________ (our stuff, endangered animals, books, pens)
BIG VERSE: “The Lord placed man in the garden of Eden to tend and care for it.” Genesis 2:15
SET THE SCENE: 10-15 MINS
Description: Bible story and questions
Supplies: Bible,
Details:
Say: Last week we saw how God was so sad with how wicked people were that he wished he had never put people in charge of the Earth! But the story doesn’t end there! Let’s read what happened next.
Read Genesis 6: 9-22.
REVIEW QUESTIONS:
- Who found favour with God?
- Why did Noah find favour with God?
- What did He tell Noah to do?
- Do you think God was right in doing what He did?
- What is a covenant?
SPOT THE SIMPLE MEANING:
1) GOD’S PROMISE – 5 MINS
Description: Object Lesson 1
Supplies: Bible, flashlight, mirror, pan of water, CD, a prism, white paper, small cue card, tall clear straight sided glass of water.
Details: If you have time practice making your own rainbow How to Make Rainbows at Home – One Time Through
Say: As we have just read, Noah ACTED and was faithful. Because of this, God made a promise with the people AND the Earth’s creatures never to destroy the Earth again.
(Read Genesis 9: 8-17)
So God gave a visible sign as a reminder – can any one remember what it was (await for a response). That’s right a RAINBOW! (show the children your rainbow if you have time).
God gave us a visible sign as a reminder of his promise – if God has promised to never destroy the Earth then how should we respond?
2) UNLESS SOMEONE LIKE YOU CARES A WHOLE AWFUL LOT – 5 MINS
Description: Object Lesson 2
Supplies: The Lorax from 1:12:43 – 1:20:43
Details:
Say: Maybe you might be thinking that saving the planet is such a HUGE job – where can you start?! Well let’s go back to the Lorax. Last week we saw that the situation looked bleak. Oncer-ler was so greedy that there were no more tree’s and all that was left was pollution and destruction. BUT the story doesn’t end there thanks to one boy, Ted. Let’s see what happens!
(show clip)
Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.
God is asking you to care and make things better!
3) START SMALL – 5 MINS
Description: Object Lesson 3
Supplies: a guest or leader who could speak to the children about the changes that they have made to tackle climate change. Paper & Pens.
Details:
Say: So what can we do? You might think that taking care of the entire Earth is too big a job for one person! But if everyone thinks that way no one will do anything to take care of our planet!
There are lots of things that we can do in our community to help tackle climate change! (if you have a guest who can talk about the things that they have done then invite them to speak)
So what can you do this week? Walk to school instead of driving? Eat less meat? Use less paper? Buy only products that can be recycled? (invite the children to write their idea’s on a sheet of paper).
SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES:
LOVE OUR PLANET GAME – 10 MINS
Description: Team or individual game
Supplies: Bibles, 2 large maps (or one for each team), 12 blow up globes (or 6 for each team), 12 heart shape post it notes, pens.
Details: Print out the bible verses and place each one on one of the globes (making sure you have enough for each team). Give each team 6 post it notes and pens. Hang the large maps on the wall.
The children need to run and grab a ball then find the verse. Once found they write it on the post it note and then stick the post it note around the edge of their map on the wall. Keep going until all the scriptures have been found, written on post it notes and stuck on the maps! The team that finishes first is the winner!
Love our planet verses:
- Genesis 9: 13 I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth.
- I John: 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
- I Corinthians 4: 2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
- Hosea 4:3 Because of this the land dries up, and all who live in it waste away;
the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea are swept away. - Revelation 4: 11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
- Galations 6: 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Then discuss the questions below.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- What have you learnt about taking care of God’s creation?
- What things are you going to do to help stop climate change?
- How could you encourage others to help stop climate change?
- What things could you do differently at home or in your school?
SENSE HOW YOU FEEL – 10 MINS EACH OR IN TANDEM/ROTATION
Encourage the children to think about the questions above as they do one of the activities:
Description: Craft.
Supplies: printables, scissors and glue.
Details: Cut out the bottom of the ark. Curve the bottom of the ark and stick it around the sides to the picture that has the top of the ark on it. Then children cut out the animals and Noah and stick them wherever they want on the ark.
Description: Moulding activity.
Supplies: Playdough or clay.
Details: Mould something that helps stop climate change in your school
Description: Building activity.
Supplies: Lego or construction toys.
Details: Build something that reminds you that God cares for the planet.
Description: Sensory activity.
Supplies: Create a prayer tent space using cushions, lights, a cross and tent if you have one. Have some quiet music playing.
Details: Encourage the children to spend some time listening to God. Have some scriptures around to help focus them. Allow time to draw or write anything that they have heard.
Description: Activity sheets.
Supplies: 5-7s coloring sheet (included in download), markers.
Details: Fill in or color the sheets
SEEK GOD: 5 MINS
Description: Prayer/Encounter activity
Supplies:
Details: Ask the children to stand. Play some quiet music in the background
Say: Today we have been looking at how God made a promise never to destroy the Earth and wants us to be faithful in not destroying the earth either.
Have a time of worship and during this time ask the children to spend some time asking God for ways that they can help stop climate change.
Dear God, Thank you for your promise that you will never destroy the Earth again. Help us to care for this planet and give us the boldness and courage to ask others to do the same. AMEN
Download the ‘Noah’s Ark’ Children’s Ministry Lesson on Genesis 6:9-22title here.
