Bible Verses
Work with your child and your students to learn each verse. Then, discuss the meaning of the verse and how it can be applied to everyday lives. On Sundays during class, riding in the car, or at dinner, it's fun to share stories of how the children have used the verse in their lives that week.

We provide memorization verses for each week. You can add your own.

November 2
(NKJV) Ex. 20:16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

• Who is your “neighbor”?
• What does it mean to “not bear false witness”?
• Has anyone ever told lies about you? What did you do?
• Why is this an important commandment?
• What do you think causes people to tell lies?

November 9
(NKJV) Ex. 20:17 You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.

• What does “covet” mean?
• Why didn’t God just say, “Don’t covet”? Why did He add your neighbor’s house, your neighbor’s wife, male and female servants, farm animals, or anything that is your neighbor’s?
• What’s the big deal about coveting?
• Of all the commandments, this is the only one that deals with your inward behavior. Why is it important to think correctly?

November 16
(Basic English Bible) 2 Tim 3:15 And that from the time when you were a child, you have had knowledge of the holy Writings, which are able to make you wise to salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus.

• Do you remember the first verse of the Bible you memorized?
• When did you start memorizing verses?
• Why is it important to know the Bible?
• How can knowing the Bible make you wise?

November 23
(KJV) Ps 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.

• How do you praise God?
• Why do you praise God?
• What songs do you sing to God?
• How does giving thanks magnify God?

November 30
(KJV) Matt 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

• What does this prophecy mean to you?
  • Why wasn't Jesus named Emmanuel?
  • What is the significance of "Emmanuel"?
  • How do you know God is with us?

Bible Stories
This month we are finishing the last two commandments and preparing for National Bible Week and Thanksgiving. Stories are used to support the commandments and these special activities.

Ninth Commandment Ex. 20:16
Read: Genesis 3:1-14
Younger: A Sad Day
Older: The Story of a Beautiful Garden

Tenth Commandment Ex. 20:17
Read: Genesis 25:27-34
Younger: Esau and Jacob
Older: How Jacob Stole His Brother's Blessing

Studying the Scriptures
Read: Acts 8:26-35
Younger: The Man from Ethiopia
Older: Philip and the Ethiopian

Gratitude is Riches
Younger: A Psalm for Giving Thanks; A Praise Psalm
Older: Psalms 67; 100; 113; 136; 139; 145

Prophecy Fulfilled
Read: Luke 1:5-25;57-80
Younger: Preaching Prophecy
Older: The Angel by the Altar

Exercise: Commandment Work
Teachers might like to look at Mary Jane Chaignot's article called, "The Ten Commandments - The Making of the Covenant" for background information. What is a commandment?

Exercise for 9^th Commandment
Discuss the importance of the 9^th commandment by talking about all the Bible characters who kept the ninth commandment. You might also look at those who broke it and discuss what effect it had on those around them. The serpent is the first liar. Did Cain bear false witness when he said, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Potiphar’s wife certainly lied.

Exercise: Commandment Review
Take 3x5 cards and put words, phrases, questions or stories that will prompt the reader to think of specific commandments.

1. How many commandments might you possibly break if you disobey
   # 8? [6,7,9,10, 1]
2. King David broke these commandments….[1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 10?]
3. Are video games graven images? If so, which commandment might you break by spending too much time playing them? [2]
4. How many gods do you worship? [1]
5. Being “green” with envy fits which commandment? [10]
6. What are we to do on the Sabbath? [4^th commandment – rest]
7. If you aren’t careful in a court of law, which commandments could you break? [3, 9]
8. Who are we to honor and which commandment must we obey? [5]
9. Life is essential in which commandment? [6]
10. Which commandment is the hardest for you to obey?
11. Which commandment is the easiest for you to obey?
12. What is the 2^nd commandment?
13. Recite the 1^st commandment.
14. Does “Oh gosh” break the 3^rd commandment -- why or why not?
15. Why do you think God wanted us to rest?
16. Why do you think we need a commandment to remember to honor our parents?
17. What are the first four commandments about?
18. What are the last six commandments about?
19. What happens to our relationships if we break commandments 5-10?
20. If you could add one more commandment, what would it be?

Exercise: Complete Adam and Eve Disobey God

Print/Download Adam and Eve Disobey God
Print/Download Adam and Eve Disobey God Answer Sheet

Exercise: Complete Gardener’s Dilemma

Print/Download Gardener’s Dilemma
Print/Download Gardener’s Dilemma Answer Sheet

Exercise:
Last month, we asked you to create a set of commandments for you personally, that you will obey at home, school, church, and in your community. Discuss how those commandments are working for you. Have you introduced your family to your new commandments? Have you shared them with your Sunday school class?

Exercise: Make a poster of the Commandments for Sunday school.
See Swap Shop for examples of Commandments 1-8. Three others were submitted by other students.

Exercise: Complete Break the Code

Print/Download Break the Code
Print/Download Break the Code Answer Sheet

Exercise: Complete What Is It?

Print/Download What Is It?
Print/Download What Is It? Answer Sheet

Exercise: Philip Tells the Good News

Print/Download Philip Tells the Good News
Print/Download Philip Tells the Good News Answer Sheet

Exercise: Philip's Journey

Print/Download Philip's Journey
Print/Download Philip's Journey Answer Sheet

Exercise: Work with Shep and Lily on How I Use My Bible

Print/Download How I Use My Bible

Exercise: The Holy Bible

Print/Download The Holy Bible
Print/Download The Holy Bible Answer Sheet

Exercises: National Bible Week November 23-30
Have your pupils make posters to post around the church to remind everyone of this important week

The poster might include questions about the Bible, like:

• How many books are in the Bible?
• How many books are in the Old Testament?
• How many books are in the New Testament?
• What is the shortest verse in the Bible?
• What is the longest book in the Bible?

Or questions about Bible characters and stories, like:

• Who was the first prophet?
• Who brought down the walls of Jericho?
• Who are the women in Jesus’ genealogy?
• What is the 5th commandment?
• How old was Jesus when the Wise men arrived?
• How many Beatitudes are there?

Exercises: Ask each pupil to fill in the blanks and post their responses on a church bulletin board for members to enjoy:

• What I love about the Bible is ______________________.
• Whenever I have a problem, I turn to _______in the Bible.
• My favorite passage, story, character in the Bible is __________ because __________________________________________.

Exercise:
Teachers, share why you love the Bible with your students. Ask them to look for articles in newspapers and magazines or to search for ideas in television programs and movies that mention God, the Bible, or the importance of gratitude this next week. Have them bring the results next Sunday.

Exercise: Plan an activity for the family to recognize National Bible Week

• Agree to read the Bible as a family for 15 minutes after dinner.
• Share any Bible verse that has helped you.
• Assign a different task for each day. The following is just an example. Create a program that will work for your family.
• Sunday, quote your favorite verse and discuss it.
• Monday, have each member tell his or her favorite story.
• Tuesday, play twenty questions about a character in the Bible.
• Wednesday, divide up the responsibility for writing a prayer for each meal on Thanksgiving. Make certain it includes a Bible verse. Ex. The Bible says to make a joyful noise unto the Lord. Thank you God for everyone sitting at this table. Thank you for ….
• Thursday, each person gets to share his or her prayer prepared for all of the meals.
• Friday, write out your favorite Bible verse and give it to a family member.
• Saturday, list all the things you learned about the Bible this week to share in Sunday school.
• Sunday, share what you learned with your Sunday school class.

Exercise:
This can be an individual or group exercise. Have a contest and see who can recite the most Bible verses. You can make a nice Bible bookmark or buy some at a local religious bookstore.

Exercise: Talk about the different ways we can praise God. Look at the following Psalms 67; 100; 113; 136; 139 and 145.

Using I Give Thanks For…or the exercise questions below, help your pupils write their own Psalms to read at Thanksgiving dinner or anytime during Thanksgiving day.

Print/Download I Give Thanks For

Use a series of questions for children to answer as part of the process of writing a psalm. The age of the children will determine how long it will take to get the answers. Older children can probably answer all the questions in one sitting or do them as homework. Younger children can handle up to about 5-7 questions in an hour. Some of the questions need explanation to make certain the child understands what's being asked.

Have a sheet of paper with each pupil's name and the questions on it. If the children can print or write their answers, great. If not, don't hesitate to be the scribe. Even the older children love to have you write their words on paper.

Take Psalm 100.

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. [Say something nice about God!]

Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. [Say something about how glad we are to serve or belong to God and how we do that.]

Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. [What do you know about God and your relationship to Him?]

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. [What should we do for God?]

For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. [What is true about God?]

After you've gathered the answers, type out or print each psalm.

The students get pretty excited about their ability to write down their ideas. Synonymous structure means the first part of the line makes a statement and the second part echoes or repeats the meaning of the first part.

Example: Ps 92:1

Lord, it is good to praise you. [1st line of the verse] Most High God, it is good to make music to honor you. [2nd line restates the first]

Another type of structure is the antithetical. First line states something true, and the second line states the opposite.

Example: Ps 1:6

For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: [first line] but the way of the ungodly shall perish. [the second line is the opposite of the first line]

There are other types, but these are the easiest to teach children.

Now try the following questions. I've listed a five-year-old's responses below.

• What would you like to say to God?
• What do or would you thank God for?
• What makes you happy or glad?
• What makes you sad?
• When are you afraid? [if they haven't been introduced to any concept of fear, you might want to skip this and the next question.]
• What makes you afraid?
• What do you need help with?
• Where is God?
• How do you know God exists?
• How have you been blessed by God?
• Why should we obey God?
• What do you like about your parents or your friends?
  • Are those comments true about God as a parent or a friend?
• Do you have enemies?
  • How can you love your enemies?
• Sing a song to God.

After you have their responses to the questions, put them in an order - with praise in the beginning and closing, the tough answers to life's questions in the middle.

Here is an example from a five-year-old.

Psalm 151

Thank you, God, for keeping me safe. I love you.

You made everything here on earth. You are very helpful all around the world. I'm glad you made us.

Thank you, God, for making me glad. Thank you, God, for loving me and my family.

Thank you for loving my brother and seeing his needs. Give him the strength to walk, run, and jump. Keep him from falling and feeling sad.

Hold me tight the way I hug and kiss my Mom. Help me not feel hurt when my parents say, "No."

Please help me feel safe when the lights are out. I am grateful for you, God, and all that you have made.

Jacquelyn

It really was quite simple and effortless.

Get a nice piece of paper and let them draw an appropriate picture to go with their psalm.

Post these masterpieces on a bulletin board at church.

Exercise: Help your pupils study the Psalms and build a "first aid" kit of verses to help in times of trouble.

Example:

Ever have an embarrassing moment? Ps 25:20 O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.

Is cheating a challenge? Ps 25:21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.

Sunburn? Ps 121:6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

Afraid to go to bed at night? Ps 4:8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.

Concerned about health? Ps 67:2 That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.

Afraid? Ps 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

Ps 56:11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.

Exercises: Gratitude Lists
In preparation for Thanksgiving, ask each student to make a gratitude list. Or print off the following page for each student:

Exercise: Write thank you notes to:

• Family members (aunts, uncles, grandparents, siblings, cousins, parents)
• Tuck the thank you notes to parents under their pillows, or tape on the mirror in their bathroom, or set in the refrigerator, or slide into work spaces, obviously a place they will find them and have a quiet moment to read your special message.
• Make sure your note says more than just “Thank you,” but includes examples of gratitude. Maybe you’re grateful for clean laundry, great meals, all the driving to and from school, music lessons, athletic practices and games, quiet times together, etc. Think of one special moment this past year that meant something particularly special to you. Maybe it was the hike you took with Dad or the cooking lesson with Mom, or learning how to wakeboard. You know what wonderful things you’ve done with your family. Just let them know you haven’t forgotten and that you are grateful. Don’t forget grandparents, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles.
• People at church (SS teacher, fellow classmates, minister, priest, youth pastor, choir director, clerk, etc.)
• If you start early enough, it is a nice gesture to write a thank you note to your city’s mayor, state’s governor, your country’s president or prime minister, or men and women serving your country in the military.

Look for all kinds of opportunities to express gratitude.

Exercise: His Name Is

Print/Download His Name Is
Print/Download His Name Is Answer Sheet

Exercise: A Picture Prophecy

Print/Download A Picture Prophecy
Print/Download A Picture Prophecy Answer Sheet

Ninth Commandment; Ex 20:16
Read: Genesis 3:1-14; A Sad Day; The Story of a Beautiful Garden

• What does it mean to “bear false witness”?
• Why do you think we needed a commandment on not bearing false witness?
• Why is lying a bad thing?
• What about “little white lies”? Is any lie okay?
• How do you bear false witness without actually lying? (repeating mean or unkind stories about someone)
• Why does it seem so easy for people to lie?
• How do you avoid being duped?
• Was the serpent lying to Eve?
• Did Adam and Eve lie to God?
• Why is it important to obey the Ten Commandments?
• Do you know anyone in the Bible who lied?
• What were the consequences of their actions?

Tenth Commandment; Ex 20:17
Read: Genesis 25:27-34; Esau and Jacob; How Jacob Stole His Brother's Blessing

• What does it mean to “covet”?
• Is this commandment outdated? Why or why not?
• What did Jacob covet of Esau’s?
• Why didn’t the birthright mean as much to Esau?
• What is a birthright?
• What else did Jacob covet that belonged to Esau?
• What happened to the family when Jacob went beyond coveting to stealing?
• Did Jacob break any commandments? [No, there weren’t any commandments yet]
• Why do you think coveting is the last commandment?
• How many more commandments might someone end up breaking by disobeying the 10th Commandment?
• What other Bible characters do you know who coveted something that belonged to someone else?

Studying the Scriptures
Read: Acts 8:26-35; The Man from Ethiopia; Philip and the Ethiopian

• What is this story about?
• Who spoke to Philip?
• What did the angel tell Philip to do?
• Do you ever find angels telling you to do something? What?
• Did Philip obey the angel?
• Who did Philip meet in the road?
• Who was the man and what was his occupation?
• What did he ask Philip to do?
• What was the man doing?
• What book was he reading?
• What did he ask Philip to do?
• Did Philip agree to his request?
• How well do you know the life of Jesus?
• Can you explain Jesus’ life to others?
• If someone asked you to tell something significant about the Bible, what would you say?
• Why should we study the Bible?
• How much do you know about the Bible?
• What are some of your favorite Bible stories?
• Why do we have a week set aside for us to honor the Bible?
• Why is it important to learn Bible verses?
• What have you learned about God from the Bible?
• What have you learned about man from the Bible?

For Fun:

• The mid point of the entire Bible.
  • Psalms 118:8
  • 594 chapters before Psalms 118
  • 594 chapters after Psalms 118
  • Add these numbers together and you get 1188.
  • Read Ps. 118:8 out loud.
    • "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man."
      • What does that tell you about your life?

Gratitude is Riches
Read: A Psalm for Giving Thanks; A Praise Psalm; Psalms 67; 100; 113; 136; 139; 145

• What is a psalm?
• What is the purpose of a psalm?
• What is your favorite psalm?
• Why is it important to be grateful?
• As you read the above psalms, what do you notice?
• What is your psalm today?

Ask your students which book of the Bible contains the longest chapter and the shortest chapter.

• Open your Bibles to book 5 of the Psalms and search for the shortest and longest psalms.
  • The shortest psalm is Ps. 117.
  • The longest psalm is Ps.119.
    • How many verses in each?

Prophecy Fulfilled
Read: Luke 1:5-25;57-80; Preaching Prophecy; The Angel by the Altar

• Who is Zacharias?
• What is so important about the story of Zacharias? (Luke 1:5-25)
• Why do you think the story of Jesus' birth starts with the story of Zacharias?
• What was Zacharias doing when the angel appeared?
• What did the angel tell him?
• What happened to Zacharias?
• Who was Zacharias’ wife?
• When did Zacharias speak again?
• Who is Elisabeth?
• What is special about her?
• Who is related to her?
• What did people want to name her son?
• Why did she stop them?
• What is the name of Zacharias and Elisabeth’s baby?
• What was the prophecy concerning John the Baptist?