Lesson Preparation
HOW TO PUT A LESSON TOGETHER:
There are many complete lessons and lesson series from which you may choose. To view a list of available lessons for the age range you will be teaching, click on either the preschool or grade school tab. Then, click on the lesson icon. You are free to select lessons in any order you wish; however, several recommended curriculum schedules are available at the top of the main lesson index page.
Yearly Curriculum Schedule:
Each April we produce a new Sunday school curriculum schedule for the upcoming year. Many public schools end their academic school year in June and it is at this time that students graduate to the next grade level. By having the new curriculum schedule available in April, we provide teachers ample time to review and prepare their lessons.
These suggested online curriculum schedules work well if your volunteers teach on a rotating basis or if a substitute teacher ever needs to fill in for an absent teacher.
Timeline Curriculum Schedule:
If you would like to teach lessons in a chronological order, we provide a timeline curriculum schedule, which will let you begin teaching in Genesis and then work your way through the Bible.
Lessons by Book/Verse:
An index listing lessons by book and verse is available for teachers wanting to see if there is a lesson available covering a specific passage in the Bible, or who wish to teach specific areas of the Bible in more detail.
AVAILABLE RESOURCES:
By clicking on the title of the lesson series you will get a brief overview of the series, along with a description of each lesson contained within the series. When available you will also find bulletin boards and other resources to enhance your lessons.
Each lesson contains everything you will need to teach each week, inlcuding appropriate activities, games, object talks, stories, songs, and crafts along with the approimate amount of time to spend on each one. We alternate these materials from one lesson to the next to provide a variety of learning experiences for the children. For a list of alternate materials not currently used within any of our lesson plans: Click here
Grade School Lessons Contain:
• List of topics that apply to the lesson.
• Activities for children to complete as they arrive.
• Opening prayer and praise.
• Memory work.
• Scripture reading and discussion.
• One or more class exercises that are used to reinforce the lesson. These include such things as activities, crafts,
games, object talks, puzzles, skits, songs, and stories.
• Application
• Introduction to next week's lesson
• Closing prayer
• Take home page
Preschool Lessons Contain:
• List of topics that apply to the lesson.
• Activities for children to complete as they arrive.
• Worship time.
• Bible verse.
• Bible story and discussion.
• One or more class exercises that are used to reinforce the lesson. These include such things as activities, crafts,
games, object talks, coloring pages, skits, songs, and stories
• Prayer and snack time
• Closing activity
• Introduction to next week's lesson
• Take home page
HOW TO PLAN A LESSON SCHEDULE:
Take into consideration the time of year that you will be teaching the lesson. It is far more effective to teach about the resurrection of Jesus on Easter, than to do so in August.
It is best to review all of the lessons contained within the series at least a week prior to teaching the first lesson. Reviewing the lessons in advance gives the teacher proper time to prepare and obtain the necessary materials for each facet of the lesson. Some lessons contain activities that run throughout the series. Crafts take more time to prepare than puzzles, so plan accordingly.
Always have extra lesson materials on hand for new students.
Keep the lessons interesting. Have a good mix between the Old Testament, New Testament, and Life Applications.
HELP FOR TEACHING:
In the "Teaching Aids" section of the site we offer many useful ideas for Sunday school teachers to help with preparing a lesson, managing children, making the classroom an enjoyable place to be, and much more. Teaching Sunday school can be fun, meaningful, and easy with these useful hints.
"The real power in Sunday School teaching is not methods, important as it is to have the best of these, nor in equipment, valuable as this is, but in the teacher’s own spiritual life. "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit," is the divine revealing of the secret of power in all Christian work." ~ James Russell Miller, "The Devotional Life of the Sunday School Teacher" (The Westminster Press, 1930.)