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Ideas, Activities, and Resources for Teaching "Samuel" in Sunday School.

Post your Sunday School ideas, activities, and resources for "Samuel" here. Even simple ideas can spur someone to something creative. As an example, some of the following lesson ideas have been fleshed-out in the workshop lessons in this forum! So add your ideas!

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I Samuel 1-3,  Bible lessons for "Samuel"

Last edited by CreativeCarol
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My favorite rotation was on Samuel. We used the PC(USA) Bible school material (it might have been "God's Brave People")for alot of the lesson plans.

 

Art Idea


I had the younger children decorate a robe made out our craft fabric (it's like plastic-lined paper towel and comes on a large roll - costs about $20). The younger children focused on Samuel outgrowing his robe and his mother bringing him a new one every year. One of the boys wore his "robe" in worship and I had him explain to the congregation what it was.

 

Update: they sell paper robes/gowns.


 

Mission Project Idea

 

You could do a mission project and have the children bring outgrown clothes for a local charity.


Music Idea

 

My favorite part of this rotation was illustrating the hymn "Here I Am, Lord" on transparencies. Each class did a verse, then we showed these in worship and the congregation sang the hymn as I showed the pictures. There wasn't a dry eye in the house! Samuel is a wonderful rotation - you and your kids will enjoy it!

Last edited by Rotation.org Lesson Forma-teer

Samuel Ideas collected from the old board...

Posted by JCarey

Art idea

We did a mini rotation for kick off Sunday and did Samuel. In the art room we created book marks from the black scratch paper and I also made some stickers using clip art and Avery brand sticker paper. The children scratched out "Speak Lord for your servant is listening" and put the ear stickers on the top through a hole that they punched. They can design a border also. If I were to do this in a full rotation, I would probably have them actually make the black scratch paper from scratch! This can be done by covering a paper solidly with crayon and then paint on a coat of black tempera (probalby could be any color but because of the night theme...) Use a blow dryer to speed up the drying and they could be scratching by the second part of class. They LOVE that paper. If you are going to buy it, it can be found in any of the art catalogues on line and possibly at Michaels Craft stores.



Posted by Wendy In Roch

Game ideas

Listening exercise: Have students gather in pairs. Each pair sits back to back on the floor. They are each given 5-6 toothpicks.
Have the person that's Birthday is closest to New Year's Day begin by placing a toothpick on the floor. They have to tell the person behind them how to place their toothpick.
So they would say something like "place your toothpick so that the points face your knees (if the know vertical/horizontal - those are good words also).
This needs to be done with all the toothpicks (watch the kids to make sure they are looking over the shoulders to see where to place). It's okay to get it different, we are just learning how difficult listening can be.

Another game we will use is called I think Guess Who? One of the teachers or shepherds taps a person on the shoulder and they say a short sentence (EX: God is calling you) and the other student has to guess who it is.



Posted by Nanette Goings

Art idea

We learned more about Samuel during our Church Library Story hour this summer by. . .
Using the small boxes that Bath and Body Works soap comes in to make a bed for Samuel. Then cutting kids face/body pictures from magazines to lay in the bed and covering "Samuel" with a fake fur blanket (cut from fabric). We also attached the 1 Samuel 3:10 verse to the bed.

Cooking idea

Another fun snack idea we have used to discuss listening and how Samuel listened to the voice of God: We discussed what part of our body we use to hear with, then cut apple slices (sort of an ear shape.) We put the apple slices in ziploc bags sprinkling cinnamon sugar in the bag before closing. While the kids were shaking their bags to coat the apple slices, we said Bible verse of the morning: 1 Samuel 3:10.



Posted by Pastor Beth

Cooking idea

We made "Sleeping Samuel Treats" to remind us that God can call us even as we sleep. Here are the directions for those:

Materials Needed:

  • Graham Crackers (for the bed)
  • Marshmallow Cream (or peanut butter or anything sticky and spreadable)
  • Mini Marshmallows
  • Pretzel Sticks
  • Raisins
  • Grapes
  • Fruit Roll-Up

Give each student a graham cracker and instruct them to spread marshmallow cream on it. Next place a marshmallow for the pillow. (You now have Samuel’s bed).
Give each student several pretzel sticks and raisins. Have them make a stick figure (using the raisins as connecting pieces) put a grape on for Samuel’s head. Lay Samuel in his bed.
Give each student a fruit roll-up for a blanket to put over Samuel.

This is an original idea (as far as we know). And our kids LOVED it! Hope it helps.
Beth



Posted by Brenda V.

Art:

Tying in with the idea that God called Samuel each night after he went to bed, we're having the students design (using fabric crayons) their own pillow case with something that reminds them that God is with them always (even when they're asleep).

Music:

Each individual student will be videotaped holding their pillowcase while singing a few words of the song "Here I Am, Lord." After the rotation, this videotape will be played to the congregation during worship service for all to see and enjoy.
Exchange Volunteer notes: here is a link to a website with a downloadable midi file of 'Here I Am, Lord". This detail provided by JanS
http://rosemck1.tripod.com/jukebox-worship.html

Drama:

We are thinking of having the students perform an impromptu re-enactment of their choice of one of the following scenes. Hannah - Giving Samuel Away; Samuel - Called by the Lord; and Eli - Instructing Samuel.



Posted by rhondab

Picture Books on the Temple

  • The Kregel Pictorial guide to the Temple (Details of the Temple!), 0825430399.
  • Solomon's Temple Model, 0825424607.
Last edited by Luanne Payne

Cooking Idea

 

These are all great ideas! We are doing a rotation on Samuel and cooking is focusing on God talking to Samuel in his dreams. We made individual "dream pies". Go to cooks.com, there are lots of recipes for "dream pie". It is basically a grahm cracker crust with Dream Whip topping mix blended together with milk, vanilla and Jell-O pudding. It is quick and easy. We used the individual grahm cracker pie crusts so each student could bring home their own pie. Smile

Last edited by Rotation.org Lesson Forma-teer

Music - Blacklight for Samuel listens

We put together a black light hand show for our music workshop using the song Here I Am Lord. The kids wore white gloves in a darkened room and we put black lights in front.

We sang "Here I Am Lord." and made hand motions (like a rolling wave, a giant heart, the word "save".) Each class practiced individually as part of our rotation. We added an extra week onto the rotation and had all the kids practice together and then perform the song for their parents. We found "Here I Am Lord" to be a perfect illustration for our kids about the story of Samuel.

A few notes that might help others:

  1. We had permission to copy a song so we made a CD and sent it home with the kids to help them learn the song.
  2. This only works if you can get the room really dark.
  3. Washing the white gloves in Tide (which contains phosperous) helps the gloves glow better in the dark.
  4. We used the same motion for the chorus and assigned one verse to each class to make it simpler to learn.
  5. A women who knows sign language helped us with the sing-signs for much of the song which helped us come up with hand motions.
  6. Go to you tube and see what adult choirs are doing to get ideas. (Don't think our children's performance equaled the professionalism of the adult shows. In fact, some of their hand motions were pretty hard to pick out. But they learned a lot and had a great time.)


See a full lesson which uses this idea of blacklight for this story.

Originally posted by member kbalbert

A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.

Last edited by CreativeCarol

Cooking Idea:

 

When I did this rotation several years ago, the children made "elephant ears" with pre-made breadstick dough. Then, just to be sure they understood the connection, I reiterated that since ears are what you use to hear, our elephant ears were reminding us of Samuel hearing and listening to God.

Last edited by Rotation.org Lesson Forma-teer

Cooking:

 

Made sandwiches out of sourdough bread -Hannah visiting Samuel each year and bringing him a "care package").


 

Games:

 

Ways to listen to God (bible, sermons, older Christians) - games involving listening:

  • T or F game: Read the story of Samuel getting the call from God. (1 Samuel 3:1-21) Give each child a T and F sheet. Ask questions about the story. Have them lift the card for the answer they think is correct. Give them the answer.
  • Toothpick game - Have students gather in pairs. Each pair sits back to back on the floor. They are each given 5-6 toothpicks. Have the person who's birthday is closest to New Year's Day begin by placing a toothpick on the floor. They have to tell the person behind them how to place their toothpick. So they would say something like "place your toothpick so that the point faces your knees (if they know vertical/horizontal - those are good words also). This needs to be done with all the toothpicks.
  • Review the focus verse by having you say it through only once. Can they repeat it? Say it again. Can they repeat it? How many times do you have to say it before they can repeat it correctly?
  • Play a Simon Says game using the name Samuel instead of Simon.
  • Have a variety of small "noisy" items such as a coin, pinecone, pencil etc. and a large, metal can or bowl. Turn your back to the children and drop an item in the can. See if they can identify the item. Continue with all your items.
  • Using the sound effects CD's, ask the children to listen carefully and identify the sounds.

Video:

  • Jacob’s Ladder DVD, Episode 7 - Samuel's Destiny Part 2, Vision Video.  This is a drama and for use with pre-teens & youth.  Vision video provides a free downloadable study guide.

 

Art:

  • made fabric painted pillowcases to give to our church leadership (for encouragement)
Last edited by Luanne Payne

We are making a robe. (Older kids) * Using a simple pattern, we will precut (with pinking shears) and allow kids to help with the sewing at the shoulders or (younger kids) use a men's t-shirt split open in the middle. Then kids will decorate their robe with buttons, ribbons, etc they will also use Fabric Paint Pens to write the memory verse on the back.  You can use scrap fabric to make a belt for the robes, just cut with pinking shears to prevent raveling and so you don't need to hem anything. 

* I googled coupons for our local fabric store, found a 50% off coupon and was able to buy a solid inexpensive light colored knit (t-shirt) fabric. No need to hem, but using pinking shears anyway. 

*Instead of actual fabric that requires minimal sewing at the shoulders, you can purchase a bolt of vinyl coated paper. 

"For this child I have prayed, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him." 1 Samuel 1:27

or "For this child I have prayed..." 1Samuel1:27

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  • Samuel's Robe: Sleeveless robe

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