Activity (Series A3 - Lesson 7): His Gift

Sunday Schoolhouse Series Activity - Unit A3
Lesson 7: Mary Encounters the Risen Jesus (John 20:11 - 18)

As part of this lesson the children will wrap "His Gift" to us:
For this project each child will need a shoe box (or other small box) with a cover, wrapping paper, tape, markers, extra paper to write on and for the smaller children copies of the picture of Jesus and Mary from Page 29 of Sunday Schoolhouse Resource Book A3 (it may need to be shrunk on the copier). Explain to the children that the greatest gift we have ever received was Jesus raised from the dead - an empty tomb represented by our empty wrapped gift. Use the wrapping paper to wrap the box and the cover separately. The Smaller children can color the picture of Jesus and Mary from page 29 and tape it to the inside cover of the gift box. Older children can write "He is Risen" and copy the prayer from Page 28 on the extra paper and tape it to the inside cover of the box.

The point is to leave the box empty - remind the kids to ask their family if they can guess what the best gift is that is inside the box and have them teach their family what the gift of the empty box reminds us of. Teaching is also an excellent way to learn.

Activity (Series A3 - Lesson 6): Stained Glass Cross

Sunday Schoolhouse Series Activity - Unit A3
Lesson 6: Pilate has Jesus Crucified (John 19:13 - 30)

As part of this lesson the children will make Stained Glass Crosses:
For this project you will need at least 2 - 8.5x11 pieces of black construction paper per child, clear contact paper, a variety of different colored tissue paper, scissors, a hole punch and yarn. About 2/3 the way up black construction paper begin cutting the paper into the shape of an arch with a pointed top. Then cut out the center of the paper leaving approximately 1/2 inch of the arch (younger children may need their arches pre-cut). With another piece of construction paper cut out a cross that will fit inside of the arch.

Stick the arch on a piece of contact paper and stick the cross inside the arch on the contact paper. Using the tissue paper cut out various geometric shapes from the different colors. Stick them inside the arch/around the cross butting up to one another giving a stained glass look. Cover the "stained glass" with a second piece of contact paper. Trim off the excess. Punch a hole in the top of the arch and add a loop with a piece of yarn for hanging.

For very young children cut out a solid piece of black construction paper in the shape of an arch, cut the cross out of a brown piece of paper and glue various colors of construction paper directly onto the black arch instead of using contact paper. For older children, use thread/yarn to give a lead outline look to their stained glass tissue pieces.

Activity (Series A3 - Lesson 5): Rooster Craft & Detective Game

Sunday Schoolhouse Series Activity - Unit A3
Lesson 5: Peter Denies Jesus Three Times (Luke 22:47 - 62)

As part of this lesson the younger children can make a rooster craft and the older children can play the detective game:
For the rooster craft each child will need two styrafoam cups, a set of googlie eyes, three feathers, one piece of 5" string, construction paper in orange, yellow and red, and tacky glue. The 5" piece of string will be used to make a loop to hang the rooster for decoration. Cut two rooster legs from the orange construction paper and fold it accordian style. Using the tacky glue, paste the two open ends of the styrofoam cups together making sure to have the two ends of the string tucked in between the cups on the top and the ends of the rooster legs tucked in on the bottom. You should now have the body with the legs hanging out the bottom and the loop on the top. Glue the googlie eyes to the front of the roster (which is the bottom of one of the cups). Cut out a triangle beak and glue it under the eyes. Using the red paper cut out the roosters "comb", the wavy part that sticks up on a rooster head. Fold over a small part of the bottom of the comb in order to glue it to the top of the chickens head so that it can stand up. Glue a feather on each side of the body and one sticking up from the back side of the rooster.

Detective Game: For this game choose a detective who is working for the chief priests in Jerusalem and have that person leave the room. From the group pick another person to be Peter. Everyone, including Peter, chooses an alibi or story explaining why they could not have been with Jesus in the Garden at Gethsemane. Have the detective return to the room and hear everyones alibi. Then everyone tells their alibi a second time, but Peter changes his story slightly. The detective tries to discover which student is Peter by detecting the change in the story. When Peter is discovered by the detective Peter could say, "I am a disciple of Jesus. Jesus please forgive me for denying you."

Activity (Series A3 - Lesson 4): Life Preserver

Sunday Schoolhouse Series Activity - Unit A3
Lesson 4: "Peter Tries to Walk on Water" (Matthew 14:22-33)

As part of this lesson the children will make a Life Preserver:
You will need a white styrofoam craft wreath, red construction paper (or fabric), tape, markers, tacky glue and rope or thick string. Cut 4 thick strips of red construction paper or fabric of equal widths. Make a stripe on the top, bottom, and both sides of the preserver by wrapping the paper around the wreath and taping it in the back. You will need to use tacky glue if using red fabric. Using the markers the children will write "Jesus" on the strip on the top of the wreath, "is" on the left side, "our" on the right and "Savior" on the bottom strip. Use the rope and tacky glue to decorate the wreath. Rope could outline the inside of the wreath or stripes or outline the outside of the wreath with it.

Alternatives: Each child could make a life preserver or there could be one for the class. If the children are making one wreath each, they could add photos of themselves to the inside of the preserver hanging from some rope. If the class is making one life preserver a class photo could be added to it.