PIRATE THEME TITLE: TREASURE HUNTING FOR GOD

LESSON TWO – HUNTING FOR GEMSTONES TREASURE OBJECTIVE The children will be introduced to the “Wrong Way Pirates” and the “Right Way Pirates” and pirates in general. They will distinguish “right” from “wrong” according to God’s Words in the Bible. TREASURE SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR THIS LESSON ____Gemstone bags (these can be purchased from Oriental Trading or sewed)

____Gemstones marked “Bible”

____Pirate pictures, ships, and maps (See pages 7-11)

____Flashlights (2)

____A bag of wrapped candy

____Bible Picture to make bracelets (See page 5) Laminate and hole punched on each end.

____Cut 4 inches of Yarn for bracelets

____Treasure Maps (See Theme Set Up and Schedule)

____Paper Starfishes with the word “Bible” (See page 12)

____Plastic trowels

____Cut Out Words for the Bible Verse II Timothy 3:16-17 (See pages 15-16)

TREASURE SET UP

Teachers will be dressed as pirates with some being the “Wrong Way Pirates” and some being the Right Way Pirates. Set up all the Treasure Stations.

TREASURE SIGN IN

____ “SHIP’S JOURNAL” ____Stickers ____Pens ____Black Markers

Each child will sign in and put a sticker on their log page in the “Ship’s Journal”. If they are new then they will fill out a “log page”. The teacher will put a tattoo on their wrist to indicate the different groups, “fish”, “moon”, “sun” and/or “cross” and get a “Treasure Page”.

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TREASURE PAGE

_____ “Treasure Page” _____Markers ______Crayons _____Gemstone Bags

Copy the “Treasure Page” (on page 3) of this lesson plan. Each child will receive a copy to color after signing the “Ship’s Journal”. They will also get their “gemstone bag”. Write the name of each child on their “Gemstone Bag”.

TREASURE MAPS

____ Four Treasure Map Chests for each Map #1, #2, #3, and #4

When a group is called to line up to go to their first “Treasure Station”, the lead child will receive a map and be responsible for getting their group to the right Treasure Station. Each group will receive a different numbered “Treasure Map” so that all the groups are going to a different “Treasure Station”. At each “Treasure Station”, a group of children will be instructed to complete a task in ten minutes and is then sent to their next treasure map stop. During their treasure stops, the children will earn gold coins for “good behavior” to either save or spend at the “Pirate Treasure Store” in the “Pirate’s Lair”. They will return to the “Pirate’s Lair” and complete their Treasure Page, say a prayer, return their gemstone bag, shop at the Pirate’s Store and wait for their parents to pick them up from church.

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TREASURE PAGE

II TIMOTHY 3:16-17 “ALL SCRIPTURE IS GOD-BREATHED AND IS USEFUL FOR TEACHING, REBUKING, CORRECTING AND TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, SO THAT THE MAN OF GOD MAY BE THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK.”

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TREASURE STATION #1 – “ON THE MOUNTAIN”

____Timer ____Man’s Treasure Chest (from Lesson #1) _____ Wrapped Candy ____God’s Treasure Chest (from Lesson #1) ____ Laminated Slips of paper of the Bible ____Gold Coins for “good behavior” ____Coins from Lesson #1 ___Hole Puncher _____ Pre-cut Yarn ___Scissors

The teacher will take out the coins from both treasure chests and fill Man’s Treasure chest with candy and God’s Treasure chest with laminated slips of paper with the scripture of II Timothy 3:16-17 on it, and pre- cut pieces of yarn. These treasure chests will be placed “on top a mountain”. As the children enter this learning station, they will sit in a circle on the floor. The teacher will set the timer and have the following discussion:

TREASURE LESSON

Last week, we talked about God’s treasures and Man’s treasures. Let’s review the coins again and after they are read, the teacher will ask each child to make a decision to go and sit at “God’s Treasure Mountain” or “Man’s Treasure Mountain”. Whatever is in that treasure chest, each child will keep.

1. The teacher will then open “Man’s Treasure Chest” with candy in it. Those children that chose this treasure chest will receive one piece of candy which the teacher will allow them to eat.

2. Point out that man’s treasures are fun for a short time, but what happens when they eat the candy. It is gone and can never be shared with others. Now the teacher will open “God’s Treasure Chest” and find slips of paper that reads Whereas, God’s treasure is shared with others and you are never alone.

3. Today’s God’s treasure is the “Bible” with laminated slips of paper with a Bible Verse. The teacher will ask the children why the Bible is such a “treasure”. The Bible tells us how to live a life for God and that we will be blessed with “treasures” every day of our lives. Our hearts will feel love, our lips will say loving words, our actions will be loving and kind towards others. Will this last a life time? The teacher will read the scripture, II Timothy 3:16-17 says that….. “All scripture is God breathed and useful for teaching, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

4. The teacher will discuss the meaning of scripture, and have the children practice saying the verse.

5. The laminated slips of paper can be hole- punched and yarn put thru to make bracelets for the children to wear. The teacher will offer those children who took the “Man’s Treasure” a bracelet from God’s Treasure Chest. Have the children help each other make their bracelets. When the timer goes off, the teacher will then ask the children to check their treasure maps and go to their next treasure spot.

-5- TREASURE STATION #1 – ON THE MOUNTAIN (Cut Out, Laminate and Hole Punch each end for a bracelet for each child. Cut yarn for each end about four inches long)

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TREASURE STATION #2 – “ON THE OCEAN” ____ Timer ____Fish Net ____Starfish with Word “Bible” (See page 12) ____Pictures of Pirates, Ships, Treasure, Maps (See pages 7-11) ____Someone dressed as Right Way Pirate and a Wrong Way Pirate ___Good Behavior Gold Coins As the children enter Treasure Station #2, the teacher will set the timer for 10 minutes and the children will sit in the swimming pools. The Pirate teacher will talk about what the children know about treasure hunters called “pirates”. Place pictures of pirates, ships, islands and treasure maps will be in the swimming pools. A person will be dressed as a “Wrong Way Pirate” and another as a “Right Way Pirate. Each person will play their part of being “good” and “bad” during the class time for each group of children. “Kidnapping a child” can be fun, but be prepared for screams and kaos in the classroom by the Wrong Way Pirate with the Right Way Pirate stopping him. Have fun with the play acting!

TREASURE LESSON 1. When we think about treasure hunting, who comes to mind? (pirates – who stole

from other ships on the sea, sunken ships with treasures like gold, etc.) Have a child pull out some pictures of “pirates” from the swimming pool area.

2. Were pirates considered “bad people” and dangerous? (yes, they were feared) Why?

3. How did pirates find their treasure? (made maps, so others would not find their treasure) Have a child pull out a picture of a “treasure map”.

4. Were there good pirates? (yes, those that would save kidnapped victims and protected those on the sea) Today, people are trained to become “treasure hunters” to find expensive items as well as historical information. Discuss various treasures that pirates found and what we find today. Have a child pull out “treasures” from the swimming area.

5. Let’s look at different pirates…did they dress different than other people? (yes) Where do we find “pirates”? (on the oceans) Are there “pirates” today? Yes, those who steal from other ships. Have a child pull out pictures of various “pirate ships”.

6. The Pirate teacher will ask the students to get into their boats. (Upside down tables) for a fishing trip. The teacher will then throw starfish around the boats and give some nets to the children to net the starfish. While they are fishing for starfish, a Wrong Way Pirate and Right Way Pirates will act their parts of being “good” and “bad” while the children are fishing. Be dramatic and have fun.

7. The children will look at the back of their starfish for the real treasure…the Bible given to us by God. This is the treasure that God left us to find….the Bible which is God’s word and helps us to live like a Right Way Pirate.

-7- When the timer goes off, the teacher will then ask the children to check their treasure map and go to their next treasure spot. (CUT OUTS FOR TREASURE STATION #2 – ON THE OCEAN)

-8- (Cut Outs for Treasure Station #2 – On the Ocean)

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-10- (Cut Outs for Treasure Station #2 – On the Ocean)

-11- CUT OUTS FOR TREASURE STATION #2 “ON THE OCEAN”

-12- (Cut Outs- Treasure Station #2 – On the Ocean- Tape the word to back of starfish)

BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE

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TREASURE STATION #3 – “AT THE DIG” ____Timer ____Trowels ____Gemstone Bags ____Gemstones marked “BIBLE” ____ Bible with the verse marked for the teacher to read, II Timothy 3:16-17 The teacher will hide the gemstones marked “Bible” in the grass, under the dirt and/or in woodchips on a playground (whatever is appropriate for the area). Make sure these gemstones are hid in a way that the children can be directed to search for them. For example, the teacher could say, “there are gemstones buried near the end of the slide”. The teacher will make sure the pegs are set up with the rope around the pegs marking the area for the “dig site” where the children will sit. As the children enter this station, they will sit in between the roped area called “the dig”. The teacher will set the timer for 10 minutes and start the discussion.

TREASURE LESSON 1. The teacher will ask the children what choice they have made or will make as to

God’s treasure or Man’s treasure. When the children choose God’s treasure and can explain “why” in their own words, the teacher will hand them a trowel and a gemstone bag and ask them to dig for one gemstone in the dirt and direct them to a spot.

2. When the child digs out their gemstone, they are to place it in their “Gemstone bag”.

3. The teacher will ask them what is word is written on their gemstone. The children should respond with “Bible”. Why is the “Bible” such a treasure? Have a short discussion.

4. The teacher will read from the Bible, II Timothy 3:16-17, asking the children to repeat a few words at a time, stopping to explain parts of the verse.

When the timer goes off, the teacher will then ask the children to check their treasure map and go to their next treasure spot.

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TREASURE STATION #4 “IN THE CAVE”

____Timer _____ Flashlights (2) ____Words for Bible verse II Timothy 3:16-17 (see pages 7-8) ____Gold Coins ____Bible marked II Timothy 3:16-17 ____Tape

The Pirate teacher will set up the cave and tape the words of the Bible verse to various places in the cave. The children will crawl into the cave in the darkness. The teacher will shine a light for the children to find a place to sit and set the timer for 10 minutes.

TREASURE LESSON

The teacher will ask certain questions and lead a discussion.

1. Where is God’s treasures found? (In the Bible) 2. The Pirate teacher will use the flashlight to center on the words that have been

taped up on the walls of the cave. The Pirate teacher will use the Bible to look up II Timothy 3:16-17 and say one word for a child to find that word (preschoolers will need direction to the word since they cannot read) with the flashlight. When the word is found, the child will take the word and give it to the teacher. The Pirate teacher will give out another word along with the flashlight to another child to look for the next word. When the words are given to the teacher, they will be put side by side to form the Bible verse. (The Pirate teacher could use a board or another part of the cave wall.)

3. The Pirate teacher will then ask the group of children to repeat the Bible verse out loud as the light shines on the Bible verse. If time, the Pirate teacher can have a contest, “how many times can the group say the Bible verse in one minute”. The Pirate teacher will set the timer for one minute and keep track of how many times. A gold coin will be given to the children for their success and for trying (since some children will not be able to read).

When the timer goes off, the Pirate teacher will direct the children to search for their next treasure spot or if this is the last treasure station, the children will return to the Pirate’s Lair.

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(TREASURE STATION #4 – IN THE CAVE -Cut out each word and tape to cave walls) “ALL SCRIPTURE IS GOD-BREATHED AND IS USEFUL FOR TEACHING, REBUKING, CORRECTING AND TRAINING

IN RIGHTEOUSNESS,

SO THAT THE MAN OF GOD MAY BE THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK.” II TIMOTHY 3:16-17

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PIRATE’S LAIR

All the children will return to the “Pirate’s Lair” with their “Gemstone Bags”, and bracelets. They will sit at the tables to finish their “Treasure Page” if not done. The Wrong Way Pirate and Right Way Pirate will appear and talk with the children. The Wrong Way Pirate will leave the classroom. A prayer will be said and the children can go to the “Pirate Store”. Their Gemstone Bags will be collected and put in the treasure chest and parents will pick them up. The Pirate teachers will talk about the antics of the Right Way Pirate and Wrong Way Pirate to see who the children would want to be like!