Lesson 3 - Noah's Ark
I have set my rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. (Genesis 9:13)
Noah and The Ark
Parent Explanation:
We are going to learn about a man named Noah. Noah loved God, and God asked him to do something very important.
God saw that people were doing bad things. But God also saw that Noah was a good man.
Questions:
What was Noah's big job? (Answer: To build an ark)
Why did God choose Noah? (Answer: Because Noah loved God)
Hand Motions:
Noah Gesture: Cup hands together like holding a small boat, saying, "Noah loved God and listened to Him."
Ark Gesture: Spread arms wide to show a big ark, saying, "God told Noah to build a big boat."
Activities:
Storytelling: Briefly introduce Noah and his family and explain how God asked Noah to build the ark.
Interactive Question: What do you think a big boat looks like? (Encourage imaginative responses)
Building the Ark
Parent Explanation:
God told Noah to build a big ark to keep his family and the animals safe.
Noah worked hard and obeyed God because he trusted Him.
Questions:
What did Noah build? (Answer: The ark)
Did Noah listen to God? (Answer: Yes)
Hand Motions:
Building Gesture: Pretend to hammer and build, saying, "Noah built the ark just like God told him."
Big Ark Gesture: Spread arms wide, saying, "The ark was very big!"
Activities:
Building Role-Play: Pretend to build the ark with your child, using hand motions to hammer, saw, and paint.
Simple Reflection: When someone we love asks us to do something, do we listen like Noah listened to God?
The Animals Enter the Ark
Parent Explanation:
God told Noah to bring animals into the ark, two by two, so they could be safe from the flood.
God saved all kinds of animals - big ones like elephants and little ones like birds.
Questions:
How many animals went into the ark at a time? (Answer: Two by two)
What kinds of animals do you think went into the ark? (Encourage answers like lions, birds, etc.)
Hand Motions:
Animal Gesture: Move hands like different animals walking (e.g. big stomps for elephants, flapping arms for birds), saying, "The animals came two by two."
Ark Entry Gesture: Pretend to lead animals into the ark with your hands, saying, "Noah led them into the ark."
Activities:
Animal Imitation: Pretend to be different animals with your child - stomping like an elephant, hopping like a rabbit, or flapping like a bird.
Question: What’s your favorite animal? Do you think it was on the ark?
The Great Flood and God's Protection
Parent Explanation:
It rained for a long time - 40 days and 40 nights. The water covered the whole earth.
Noah, his family, and the animals were safe because God was taking care of them inside the ark.
Questions:
How many days did it rain? (Answer: 40 days and 40 nights)
Who kept Noah and the animals safe? (Answer: God)
Hand Motions:
Rain Gesture: Wiggle fingers downward like raindrops, saying, "It rained and rained for 40 days and 40 nights."
Protection Gesture: Hug yourself or your child, saying, "But God kept them safe in the ark."
Activities:
Rain Imitation: Pretend to be the rain with your child by making soft rain sounds and wiggling fingers.
Flood Role-Play: Sit inside a pretend "ark" (like a blanket fort) and imagine being safe inside while the rain falls outside.
God's Promise and the Rainbow
Parent Explanation:
When the rain stopped, God made a promise to Noah that He would never flood the earth again.
God put a beautiful rainbow in the sky as a sign of His promise. The rainbow reminds us of God’s love.
Questions:
What did God put in the sky after the rain? (Answer: A rainbow)
What is the rainbow a sign of? (Answer: God’s promise)
Have you ever seen a rainbow? (Encourage the child to share their experiences)
Hand Motions:
Rainbow Gesture: Sweep arms in an arc like a rainbow, saying, "God put a rainbow in the sky as a promise."
Promise Gesture: Point to the sky, saying, "God promised to never flood the earth again."
Activities:
Rainbow Imitation: Use your arms to create a big rainbow, then ask your child to do the same.
Reflection Question: When you see a rainbow, what does it remind you of?