Scripture Reference: Genesis 1:1-8
This lesson will help children understand that God has created everything they see and can’t see. In many schools, children hear the theory of evolution but aren’t taught the theory of creation. Teachers should introduce God as the source of creation without instilling a negative spirit within the children toward their teachers or others who might believe something differently. Children should be given the knowledge needed to present a strong case for creation. Make sure children understand that they should give their beliefs and viewpoints with love, not anger or hate.
Icebreaker Questions:
Is it possible to make something out of nothing? Why not? (Materials are needed to make all items.)
Do you think it’s possible for God to make things, animals, and people out of nothing? (The Bible says he did. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen (Hebrews 11:3 NLT).
How can God make things out of nothing when people cannot? (Because God is God and has powers people don’t. He created us which makes him more powerful than we are.)
Have any of you ever watched television shows or movies or played video games where you saw someone make something magically appear or disappear? Or perhaps they had superhuman powers? (Let children give examples, and then make sure they understand that these depictions are fictional.)
Today we’re going to begin a month long story about how God created the world and made animals and humans. The story may be different than the one you have or will hear in school in science classes. They often teach a concept called evolution, which means that life forms developed from other life forms. You may hear that at one time humans were monkeys but that over time we developed into what we are today. You may hear the same about animals. You may also hear that the world is billions of years old rather than thousands of years old. As a student, you have the opportunity to tell your teacher what you believe as a Christian. Perhaps your witness will help them come to know Jesus as their Savior.
Let’s say our memory verse together. This will be our memory verse for the entire month. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1 NLT).
Tell children about the first two days of creation.
Can you imagine a time when there was nothing but God and heaven—wherever that was? There were no animals, plant, trees, or people other than the angels in heaven and the animals and plants that might have been there. God loves, and he wanted to share his life with more than just animals, plants, and angels. He decided to create a beautiful world and fill it with animal life, plant life, and people. He wanted these people to worship him and love him in return. But how did it all begin?
God began by creating the earth. After all, if he was going to create plants, animals, and humans, he had to have some place to put them. In the beginning, the earth God created was empty and shrouded in darkness. If plants, animals, and humans were to exist and survive, there had to be light. This was the first thing God created. God said, “Let there be light,” and light appeared. He then separated the light from the darkness. The early earth was just as we know it now. We have so many hours of daylight and so many hours of darkness. God did this on the first day. Some people believe these days were actual 24-hour days like we have while others believe they may have been longer periods of time. Either way, God made the light and darkness.
What would God do on the second day? He had to make a separation so that the water on the earth would be separated from the mists of the skies. The mists above are what we refer to as sky and space.
Everything that God will make from now on, he will say is good. God doesn’t create bad things. Make plans to come back next week so we can read about what God did after he created the earth and the sky.
Craft Time:
Planet Earth Coffee Filter Craft
This is one of those crafts that’s really simple for little kids (toddlers and preschool) but remains fun as you get older.
Materials:
- coffee filter
- blue and green washable markers
- squirt bottle or small glass of water
- black construction paper
- glue
- Optional: white paint, old toothbrush and popsicle stick
Instructions:
Flatten out a coffee filter on a plate.
Scribble the filter with blue and green washable markers.
Use a squirt bottle to spray the coffee filter 2 or 3 times.
Squirt it just once in the middle and watch for a bit so they can see the process unfold. Let dry (This takes about 1/2 an hour).
Glue earth to a piece of black construction paper.
(Craft courtesy of www.dltk-kids.com)
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