THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT: LOVE!

Galatians 5:22-26 / Exodus 1:9-14 / John 15:5-8 / John 3:16 / 1 John 4:16

 

DECLARE THE WORD OF GOD AT THE CLASSROOM DOOR:

  • Today we are declaring that “GOD IS LOVE!” 1 John 4:16
  • When you hear that GOD IS LOVE, what do you want to say to Him?
  • Print a student’s response on the GIVE THANKS TO GOD poster before entering the classroom

 

 WORKTABLES / WORKSHEET: PDF

  • Printing Text: JESUS HELPS ME SHARE (sharing is a classroom expression of LOVE)
  • Review Strawberry Fact Sheet PDF and recipe PDF
  • Painting of Edible Fruit- Strawberries: Step-by-step Lesson Packet PDF
  • Strawberry Taste Test Time!  Give thanks to God for sweet and delicious strawberries!  What a cool fruit. He is so creative!  
  • Save some seeds for planting (cross-section slice of strawberry; plant in soil; observe over next several weeks)   
  • Add a piece of fruit to the glass jar to observe the process of decomposition.
  • “Let’s go to the carpet and learn about another kind of fruit: LOVE!”

 

SONGS:

OTHER OPTIONAL SONG IDEAS:

 

LESSON VISUALS:

  • Fruit of the Spirit poster (PDF)
  • Basket of plastic fruit or fruit pictures from the Garden of Eden Lesson
  • Glass Jar for observing rotting fruit
  • Good vs Rotten Fruit game cards 

 

LESSON: 

  • Teach sign language for LOVE (MySmartHands.com)
  • READ: LOVE BOOKLET (PDF)

 

PRAYER SUGGESTIONS: 

  • WORSHIP (statements about God’s character): God is LOVE.  He showed us His LOVE by SHARING His Son Jesus with us.
  • Sharing is one way of showing love.  But sometimes it’s HARD to share.  Think of a time that you did NOT want to share.  For some reason, it was extra hard!
  • Ask God to help you when it’s hard to share.
  • Classroom Blessing: “Father God, thank YOU for loving us all the time.  Sometimes it’s HARD to SHARE.  Help us to share even when it’s hard.  Help us to love others the way YOU love us, all the time!”

 

FREE PLAY: Before you hand out play cards, show them you are setting the FREE PLAY TIMER (to go off about 5 minutes before parents are expected to arrive/11:40 AM in the WD classroom).  The timer will let them know they have 1 more minute to play then everyone will STOP PLAYING and clean up the centers.  After centers are in order, students will be directed to the carpet to pick a book from the shelf and quietly “read” until families arrive.  This will be a good lesson on classroom  responsibility.  It also helps students stop playing before parents arrive (facilitates transition).

  • During FREE PLAY, call the children one at a time to work on the art project: Add LOVE to Fruit Trees (PDF)
  • Overtime Activity:  Should the service extend beyond the normal dismissal time, there are some circle games that can be played (Marbles, Bean Bag Toss, Doggie’s Bone etc).   These games are located under the TV stand.

DISMISSAL:

  • Call the students one at a time when parent/guardian arrives.  Prompt other students to call out “GOODBYE (student’s name)”
  • Student returns PLAY CARD to the tray
  • Student checks mailbox for take-home papers
  • Student selects a snack from the table in the hallway 

 

CLOSING DOWN THE CLASSROOM:

  • Wash brushes and close paint jars
  • Turn off battery operated keyboard
  • Stack chairs and carpet mats
  • Vacuum area rug (rechargeable vacuum plugged into corner outlet)
  • Turn off heat and lights
  • Place garbage can outside classroom door
  • Return teaching materials to packet

 

 

Love
Joy
Peace
Patience
Kindness
Goodness
Faithfulness
Gentleness
Self-Control