Kindergarten: The Spirit on the Move
LESSON INFORMATION
Unit Essential Questions:
How was the Holy Spirit on the move during the early church?
How is the Holy Spirit on the move today?
How does the Holy Spirit work through followers of Jesus?
Lesson Essential Questions:
How critical is it that each lesson has essential questions filled out? Essential would seem to indicate that it’s important.
What does the Holy Spirit invite Lydia to do?
How does the Holy Spirit invite people to know Jesus?
Bible Text:
Acts 16:1-15
Contextual Lenses:
Learning Goals:
Students will be able to explore how the Holy Spirit invites us to know Jesus.
Students will be able to explain what the Holy Spirit invited Lydia to do.
Common Core ELA:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.K.3- Ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.K.5- Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions as desired to provide additional detail.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.K.1.a-Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others and taking turns speaking about the topics and texts under discussion).
Teaching Points:
Jesus went UP (point up)
The Holy Spirit came DOWN (point down)
The disciples went OUT (point anywhere using both hands)
The Holy Spirit invites us to be in relationship with Jesus, and when we enter into that relationship, we enter into Jesus’ family just like Lydia did.
LESSON PREPARATION
What you should prepare . . .
Use the arrow symbol as a visual anchor.
Get the presentation slides ready on your computer, screen, or smart board.
Find a purple piece of cloth or scarf to use during the lesson.
Get a long piece of paper. Gather art supplies for the class.
What you should know . . .
These lessons focus on the powerful stories of the Holy Spirit’s work in the early followers of Jesus. Jesus promised that after He ascended into heaven, He would send a Helper to be with His followers. That Helper is the Holy Spirit, who now dwells within everyone who believes in Jesus.
LESSON INTRODUCTION
Where are we? (time and location):
Outside of the city of Philippi.
Do you remember: (Show arrow symbol.)
Jesus went UP (point up)
The Holy Spirit came DOWN (point down)
The disciples went OUT (point anywhere using both hands)
Today we are going to continue journeying with Paul and his new friends as they travel around, telling people about Jesus. We’ll also meet an important woman called Lydia.
Do you remember how Paul, Silas and Timothy were really brave and sailed across the ocean to Macedonia? (It’s called Greece now.) (Slide 1: Map of Macedonia, Troas, Philippi) They went to a city called Philippi. (Slide 2: Show Philippi.) And that’s where they met a lady called Lydia. She sold purple cloth. (Put a purple cloth or scarf around your shoulders.) Let’s get ready for our story today. I want you to get comfy. You can lie down, or just sit. Close your eyes and listen carefully. See all the pictures in your mind.
GOD-CENTERED STORYTELLING
Read the following. Be sure to pause after each sentence.
Take three deep breaths. See a river running gently along. Hear the water as it splashes over the rocks. See some women sitting by the river. There are children too. How many children are there? What are they doing?
See the women praying by the river. Now they begin to sing praises to God. What do their voices sound like?
Now see Paul and Silas walking to the river. What do they look like? Now hear Paul and Silas singing too. What do they sound like?
When they finish singing, hear Paul say, “Let me tell you about Jesus. Let me invite you to join his family.” The women and children sit down. Hear Paul tell them the wonderful story of Jesus. What do their faces look like as they listen?
Now see a woman dressed in purple. Her name is Lydia. See her jump up. “I believe in Jesus!’ she says. “I want to join Jesus’s family! I want to get baptized.”
See Lydia and all her family plunge in the water to get baptized. When they come out of the water, what do their faces look like?
The Spirit was definitely on the move.
When you are ready, open your eyes, and slowly come back to the room.
EXPLORE THE STORY
Ask the children to share what they saw.
Possible wondering questions:
I wonder if you would have liked to be by the river that day?
I wonder if the people there could feel the Holy Spirit?
I wonder why it was important for Lydia to feel that she belonged to Jesus’s family?
I wonder if the Holy Spirit still invites people to join Jesus’s family today?
After the sharing time, tell the children that Lydia is important because she helped to spread the good news of Jesus in a new place to new people!
Option: sing I’ve Got Peace Like a River.
RESPOND TO THE STORY
Lay out a really long piece of paper. Have someone draw a river along its length. (Or have the river already drawn.) Invite the children to gather and draw pictures around it. Ideas to include: Lydia, Paul, Silas, the women, children, trees, birds, flowers etc.
Lesson Files Include:
Lesson PDF
Presentations Files (Keynote, Power Point, Google Slides)
Additional Lesson Resources
Contact info@lovegodloveothers.com if you are interested in trying out this unit with your students!