NT2023, Uncategorized

52 Weeks of New Testament Activities: Weeks 9-12

Week 9 Water Bottle Storms

Matthew 8; Mark 4 “Thy Faith Hath Saved Thee”

Song: “Master, the Tempest Is Raging

Storm Sound Effects

Church Videos:
Calming the Tempest
Jesus Commands the Winds and the Waves
The Man Who Could Not Walk
Gordon Hinckley: Lessons I Learned as a Boy
Jesus Forgives Sins and Heals a Man Stricken with Palsy
The Coat
Widow of Nain

More Videos:
Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man from Latter Day Kids
How to Draw a Storm and a Boat

Friend Stories:
Comforted by the Scriptures
Finding the Way Back
He Is There
Peace from the Savior
How Can I Keep From Being Afraid When Scary Things Happen in the World?

Church Talks:
Master, the Tempest is Raging (Howard W. Hunter)
Peace, Be Still (Lisa L. Harkness)
My Peace I Give Unto You (Dieter Uchtdorf)

Treat:
Make orange slice boats on Jell-O like these ones from Momtastic.

Week 10 Christ’s Help and Healing

Matthew 9-10 “These Twelve Jesus Sent Forth”

Song: “When Faith Endures

Online Dice Roller (can be used for activity in this week’s lesson plan if you don’t have real dice)

Church Videos:
Jesus Healed People
Jesus Organizes the Church: A Bible Story for Children
Jesus Calls Twelve Apostles to Preach and Bless Others
Jesus Heals a Woman of Faith
Jesus Raises the Daughter of Jairus
Apostles: Special Witnesses of Jesus Christ – Now You Know

Other Videos:
Jesus Has Power to Heal Us from Latter Day Kids

Friend/Church Stories:
Meet the Apostles (short videos about each apostle)
Special Witness Cards (facts about apostles)
Apostles Around the World

Treat: Eat a favorite treat while watching a past conference talk from church leaders or short messages about apostles on the “Meet the Apostles” website. Come up with a plan for how to make our next conference more meaningful as we listen to messages that are given.

Week 11 Prayer Cards

Luke 11 “I Will Give You Rest”

Church Videos:
The Light That Shineth in Darkness
Upon My Holy Day – Getting Closer to God
Upon My Holy Day – Honoring the Sabbath
Upon My Holy Day – Rest and Renewal
Jesus Acclaims John the Baptist
A House Divided

Song: “How Gentle God’s Commands” or “Saturday

Stories from The Friend:
The Earthquake Prayer

More Stuff:
How to Draw Yoked Oxen
Take My Yoke Upon You from Latter Day Kids
Primary Kids Explain Prayer
Come Follow Me: Keeping the Sabbath Holy
How to Draw Children Ready for the Sabbath Day

From the Manual:
We’re planning on starting our lesson with this idea of inward cleanliness and then using it to lead into discussion on how both prayer and keeping the Sabbath Day holy can help us be clean on the inside: Luke 11:37–44 Perhaps your family could discuss these verses while washing dishes together. You could talk about why it would be a bad idea to wash only the outsides of things like bowls and cups. You could then relate this to the need to be righteous not just in our outward deeds but also in our inward thoughts and feelings.

Matthew 11:28–30 You can help your family visualize the Savior’s teachings in these verses by having them take turns trying to pull something heavy, first by themselves and then with help. What are some of the burdens we carry? What does it mean to take Christ’s yoke upon ourselves?

Read Matthew 11:28–30, and show the picture of yoked oxen in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families. Ask the children to point to the oxen and the yoke. Explain that yoked oxen can pull more weight together than each could separately. Testify that when we feel sad, worried, or scared, we can seek Jesus and He will help us.

Matthew 12:10–13 As you read about Jesus healing a man on the Sabbath, your family could talk about how we are “restored whole” by the Savior. How can the Sabbath be a day of healing for us? Inspired by the Savior’s example in these verses, your family could make a list of ways you can “do well on the sabbath” (verse 12). Be sure to include opportunities to serve others. It could be helpful to keep your list and refer to it on future Sundays.

Invite a child to pretend to be the man whose hand was healed by the Savior (see Matthew 12:10–13). Another child could ask him or her questions about the experience.

Treat:
Compare our arms being folded when we pray to the twists on pretzels. Blog Lovin has a cute printable that could be put onto bags of pretzels. If you want to make it more of a sweet treat, you could dip them into chocolate while talking about how following God’s commandments and praying each day brings more sweetness into our lives.

If we are feeling ambitious enough, we might try to make homemade pretzels using this recipe from BriannaJoycee. We’ll dip them in butter with cinnamon and sugar instead of using salt to make them a little sweeter. 💖

Week 12 Parable Story Time

Matthew 13; Luke 8; 13 “Who Hath Ears to Hear, Let Him Hear”

Song:We Are Sowing

Church Videos:
Jesus Declares the Parable of the Wheat & Tares, Mustard Seed, and Leaven
Parable of the Sower
Jesus Declares the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares
The Kingdom of Heaven

From the Manual:
Matthew 13 As your family members read the Savior’s parables, they might enjoy thinking of their own parables that teach the same truths about the kingdom of heaven (the Church), using objects or situations that are familiar to them.

Matthew 13:3–23Luke 8:4–15 After reading the parable of the sower together, your family might discuss questions like these: What can make our “ground” (our hearts) “stony” or “choke” the word? How can we make sure our ground is good and fruitful? If you have younger children in your family, it could be fun to invite family members to act out different ways to prepare our hearts to hear the word of God while other family members guess what they are doing.

Luke 8:1–3 In what ways did “certain women” minister to the Savior? “Female disciples traveled with Jesus and the Twelve, learning from [Jesus] spiritually and serving Him temporally. … In addition to receiving Jesus’s ministering—the glad tidings of His gospel and the blessings of His healing power—these women ministered to Him, imparting their substance and devotion” (Daughters in My Kingdom [2017], 4). Women who followed the Savior also bore powerful testimony of Him (see Linda K. Burton, “Certain Women,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2017, 12–15).

Other Videos:
The Parable of the Sower from Latter Day Kids

Treat: Follow directions from Bitz & Giggles to make dirt cups with flowers.

Additional Activity Ideas For Parables:
If you’d like to spread your study out throughout the week, here are some additional fun activities that could be used for the parables:

The Wheat and Tares(Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43)
http://www.biblewise.com/kids/read/young/weeds-mixed.php
https://childrensministry.com/object-lesson-great-separation/
http://biblewise.com/kids/fun/wheat-and-tares.php
From the manual:

  • Let the children act out the parable of the wheat and the tares (see Matthew 13:24–30). Explain that the wheat represents people who make righteous choices, and the tares (harmful weeds) represent people who do not. One day, Heavenly Father will gather the righteous people to live with Him.
  • Give the children some examples of right and wrong choices. Ask the children to say “wheat choice” when you describe a right choice and “tare choice” when you describe a wrong choice.
  • Bring pictures of stalks of wheat, and let the children draw on the pictures some ways they can be righteous.

The Mustard Seed (Matthew 13: 31-32)
http://www.biblewise.com/kids/read/young/a-tiny-seed.php
http://www.just4kidsmagazine.com/rainbowcastle/mustardseed.html
https://www.ehow.com/how_7676974_make-mustard-seed-necklace.html

The Leaven (Matthew 13:33)
http://www.biblewise.com/kids/read/young/leaven.php
http://discoverymoments.com/thoughts/the-parable-of-the-yeast/
http://childrensbiblelessons.blogspot.com/2015/01/lesson-parable-of-leaven.html

The Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Price (Matthew 13:44-46)
Make bracelets from crafting pearls
http://www.biblewise.com/kids/read/young/the-treasure.php
http://www.jesus-without-language.net/parable-of-the-pearl-matthew-13-make/
From the manual:

  • Hide pictures of a treasure chest and a pearl in the room, and let the children find them. Use the pictures to teach about the parables in Matthew 13:44–46. Talk about why someone might give up everything they have for a beautiful pearl or a treasure in a field. Explain that sometimes we give up something good for something even better. Tell the children why the gospel is valuable to you.
  • Place in a box or chest several objects or pictures that represent “treasures” in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, such as the Savior, temples, or the Book of Mormon. Ask each child to choose an object or picture and talk about why it is a treasure.
  • Sing together “The Church of Jesus Christ” (Children’s Songbook, 77), and ask the children to talk about reasons they’re thankful for the Savior’s Church. Testify of the blessings you’ve experienced because of your membership in the Church.


The Net(Matthew 13:47-50)
http://cutandpasteministry.blogspot.com/2013/01/parable-of-net.html
http://www.biblesongsandmore.com/2013/07/13/goodbad-fish-floor-activity/
(could write things on fish in this link that are good/bad things we can do)

The Householder (Matthew 13:52)
You could have them find/talk about scriptures or things that they’ve learned that are considered treasures to them


NT2023, Uncategorized

52 Weeks of New Testament Activities: Weeks 5-8

Week 5 Jesus Christ’s Mission

Matthew 4; Luke 4-5 “The Spirit of the Lord is Upon Me”

Song: “Come, Follow Me” or “I Will Follow God’s Plan” or “I Will Walk With Jesus

Church Videos:
Jesus Declares He Is the Messiah
Jesus Is Tempted
Angry People in Nazareth
I Want to Follow Jesus
Who Is Jesus? A Bible Story for Children
Fishers of Men: A Bible Story for Children

More Videos:
I Will Make You Fishers of Men from Latter Day Kids
I Will Lead You Along- A Story About Following Jesus Christ from Latter Day Kids

Friend Stories:
Following Jesus in Sweden from The Friend magazine
Following Jesus Together from The Friend magazine (kids share examples of ways they follow Jesus)
Follow the Leader Come, Follow Me Activity

Stuff from the Manual:
Matthew 4:1–2Luke 4:1–2.What insights can we gain from this account about the power of fasting? To help your family learn about fasting, you might use “Fasting and Fast Offerings” in Gospel Topics (topics.ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Family members could share experiences they have had with fasting. Perhaps you could prayerfully make plans to fast together for a specific purpose.

Luke 4:16–21. Do we know anyone who is brokenhearted or who needs to be “set at liberty”? (Luke 4:18). How can we help others receive the Savior’s healing and deliverance? You might also discuss how performing temple ordinances helps bring “deliverance to the captives” (Luke 4:18).
We plan on talking about how one way to follow Christ is to help others, such as the brokenhearted. Then we’ll put together little note/treat packages to send to others we know. (Tie this into being “fishers of men”)

As you read Matthew 4:1–11 and Luke 4:1–13, what do you learn that can help you when you face temptations? You could organize your thoughts in a table like this one:

More Stuff:
How to Draw Jesus Christ

Treat: Swedish Fish/Goldfish crackers to put in the boats from 52 Weeks of New Testament Activities.

Survivingateacherssalary and Catholic Icing also have fun ideas that could go along with this lesson (click on pictures below to go to their instructions).

Week 6 Water Musical Envelopes

John 2-4 “Ye Must Be Born Again”

Song: “God’s Love” or “He Sent His Son

Church Videos:
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
Jesus Teaches a Samaritan Woman
Jesus Teaches of Being Born Again
Jesus Turns Water Into Wine

Friend/Church Stories:
The Wedding in Cana
The Woman at the Well

Treat: Follow instructions from Easy Breezy Sunday School to use Kool-Aid drops to act out the wine miracle.

Week 7 Blessed Are the Peacemakers

Matthew 5; Luke 6 “Blessed Are Ye”

Song: “Shine On

Church Videos:
Sermon on the Mount: The Beatitudes
Sermon on the Mount: The Higher Law
The Goal: A Story of Faith, Friendship, and Forgiveness (7-minute cartoon)
Sophia Stands for Right (6-minute cartoon)

Activities from The Friend:
Scripture Toss Activity
Sermon on the Mount Booklet

More Stuff:
Blessed by the Beatitudes Come, Follow Me Family Fun activity in The Liahona magazine (scroll down to see activity)
A Tale of Two Trucks: A Story About Resolving Contention from Latter Day Kids
Peacemaker Cookies: A Recipe for Being a Peacemaker from Latter Day Kids
Peacemaker Stories and Resources from The Friend
How to Draw a City on a Hill (Matthew 5:14)

Treat:
Read Matthew 5:13. Does salt make popcorn better or worse? What other ingredients could be added to popcorn to make it yummy? Would we want to add dirt to it? Or would we rather add sugar/good ingredients? While we’re on Earth, would we rather add good/nice things by the way we treat people or bad/yucky things? Put caramel popcorn ingredients in for each good thing the kids can think of for ways to be kind to others and make the world a better place. Is the popcorn better when you add good ingredients? Is the Earth
better when we do good things? What can we do to make the world a better place (How can
we be like the salt/good ingredients of the Earth)? How can Jesus Christ help us do good things?

Week 8 A Strong Foundation

Matthew 6-7; Luke 3 “He Taught Them As One Having Authority”

Song:The Wise Man and the Foolish Man

Church Videos:
Sermon on the Mount: The Lord’s Prayer
Sermon on the Mount: Treasures in Heaven
Jesus Teaches About Prayer
Suggestion from the CFM manual: One way to learn from Matthew 6–7 as a family is to watch the videos “Sermon on the Mount: The Lord’s Prayer” and “Sermon on the Mount: Treasures in Heaven” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Family members could follow along in their scriptures and pause the videos whenever they hear something they want to discuss. This activity could span several days, if needed.

More Videos and Resources:
The Wise Alligator from Latter Day Kids
Wise Man and Foolish Man with Popsicle Sticks
The Golden Rule from Latter Day Kids

Friend Resources:
The Wise Man and The Foolish Man Scripture Figures

Treat: Follow directions from Almost Unschoolers to make a “Foolish House Snack.”


NT2023, Uncategorized

52 Weeks of New Testament Activities: Weeks 1-4

Week 1 Mary & Joseph Puzzles

Matthew 1; Luke 1 “Be It Unto Me According To Thy Word”

Song: “He Sent His Son

Treat: After studying Matthew 1 and Luke 1, take turns rolling a die and answering questions based on what was rolled. Give each person a favorite small treat when they answer a question.

Church Videos:
Mary and the Angel
Joseph and the Angel
Elisabeth and Zacharias
John the Baptist is Born
The Naming of John the Baptist I like how this video shows Elisabeth having the courage to speak up and say, “Not so; but he shall be called John” to let others know that they were following what the Spirit prompted them to do rather than following the societal traditions for naming him. That is a great example for our kids to follow. After we’ve done the Mary and Joseph puzzles, we’ll probably show this video, spend some time talking about Elisabeth, and do some role-plays of how we can also be bold in following the Spirit’s promptings in our own lives.

More Videos:
Nothing Shall Be Impossible from Latter Day Kids

Extra Stuff:
How to Draw Mary and Joseph Video from Art for Kids Hub
How to Draw Mary and the Angel


Click on Mary picture below to download the color version of Mary and Joseph Puzzles:


Week 2 Photos & Stories

Matthew 2; Luke 2 “We Have Come to Worship Him”

Song: “Stars Were Gleaming

Treat: Baby Jesus Cupcakes

Church Videos:
Jesus Christ is Born
The Christ Child 17-minute video
Shepherds Learn of the Birth of Christ
The Christ Child is Presented at the Temple
The First Christmas Spirit
When Jesus Was a Child
Jesus Was Born in Bethlehem
Jesus Learned and Grew

Friend Stories:
Gifts for Jesus

Extra Stuff: How to Make the Nativity with Rock Art

Week 3 Hidden Picture Game

John 1 “We Have Found The Messiah”

Song: “The Lord is My Light” or “Jesus is My True Light

Church Videos:
Inviting Others to Come and See
Introduction: Our Heavenly Father’s Plan

Activities from The Friend:
The True Light Activity from The Friend‘s Come Follow Me Activities page
How Are You Following Jesus? questionnaire from The Friend
Where is Jesus?

More Stuff:
Jesus Christ Chosen as Savior reading passage from Gospel Topics
From the manual: John 1:45–51. “What did Nathanael do that helped him gain a testimony of the Savior? Invite family members to talk about how they have gained their testimonies.”
From the manual: “Share object lessons. Invite family members to find objects that they can use to help them understand principles found in the scriptures you are reading as a family. For instance, they might use a candle to represent the Light of Christ (see John 1:4).” (We plan on giving them time to find objects that represent Christ being the Light, the Word, the Creator, and the Life, and then discussing each)
Jesus Created All Things video from Latter Day Kids
How to Draw a Bird video that ties into The Savior creating the world

Treat: Make edible playdough. Read John 1:3. Memorize the phrase “all things were made by [Jesus Christ].” Take turns molding a chunk of the playdough into something in nature that was made by Jesus Christ (trees, flowers, rivers, clouds, etc.). Whoever guesses what it is first gets to mold another item for others to guess.

Week 4 Turning Toward Jesus

Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3 “Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord”

Song:Baptism

Church Videos:
Jesus Was Baptized
Jesus is Baptized by John
Baptism: A Bible Story for Children
Sophia’s Baptism Promises

More Videos:
Jesus Was Baptized video from Latter Day Kids
Baptism video from Latter Day Kids
How to Draw a Child Being Baptized

Friend Stories:
Jesus Was Baptized short retell
Jesus Was Baptized story (includes questions)
Ready to Be Baptized?
A Promise to Try
Feeling New

More Stuff:
Baptism” reading passage from Gospel Topics

Treat: Follow directions from Dixie Delights to make 8-shaped treats while reviewing the covenants and requirements for baptism.