ACTIVITY #10 – “Presenting A Better
Sunday School Lesson”
Read the following outline about preparing and presenting a better Sunday school lesson.
Then answer the questions that follow.
Preparing & Presenting A Better Lesson...
1.
Start early in the week. Don’t wait until the last minute. Start by reading the scripture for the next lesson and glancing through your curriculum materials on the previous Sunday afternoon or by Monday or Tuesday. At this point, your primary purpose is just to start thinking about the lesson and the curriculum materials in a very general way.
Start early in the week. Don’t wait until the last minute. Start by reading the scripture for the next lesson and glancing through your curriculum materials on the previous Sunday afternoon or by Monday or Tuesday. At this point, your primary purpose is just to start thinking about the lesson and the curriculum materials in a very general way.2.Establish your “aim” for the lesson. This is probably the most important part of the planning process! The aim is that primary goal or purpose for the lesson. What is the one most important thing that you want the students to learn from the lesson? The aim should fit the needs that you see in your students. The aim will also help the teacher prepare the lesson. Knowing where you are going will help you make plans to get there. As you plan the rest of the lesson, keep the aim in mind and use it as the focus for the methods and techniques that you will use.
Establish your “aim” for the lesson. This is probably the most important part of the planning process! The aim is that primary goal or purpose for the lesson. What is the one most important thing that you want the students to learn from the lesson? The aim should fit the needs that you see in your students. The aim will also help the teacher prepare the lesson. Knowing where you are going will help you make plans to get there. As you plan the rest of the lesson, keep the aim in mind and use it as the focus for the methods and techniques that you will use.3.Later in the week, study the scripture and lesson materials carefully. Read the scripture from several different translations. If you have questions about what you have read, refer to a Bible dictionary, concordance or other resource materials. Also, read the curriculum materials for both the teacher and the students.
Later in the week, study the scripture and lesson materials carefully. Read the scripture from several different translations. If you have questions about what you have read, refer to a Bible dictionary, concordance or other resource materials. Also, read the curriculum materials for both the teacher and the students.4.Next, arrange an outline for the lesson:
Next, arrange an outline for the lesson:•How will you start the lesson? It is important to “start with a bang.” Get your students excited and involved right from the start. To get off to a good start, you might use a map, an object, a story from everyday life, a newspaper article, a scripture reading, music, a question, a photo or slide, a video clip, a quotation, a drawing or a game.
How will you start the lesson? It is important to “start with a bang.” Get your students excited and involved right from the start. To get off to a good start, you might use a map, an object, a story from everyday life, a newspaper article, a scripture reading, music, a question, a photo or slide, a video clip, a quotation, a drawing or a game.•Make a list of questions that you want to ask. Avoid questions that require only a “yes” or “no” answer. Ask open-ended questions. Ask follow-up questions. Give students time to think. Ask students to write answers occasionally. Allow students to work in small groups to answer questions. Encourage students to ask questions. Help them use their Bibles to find answers. Rather than look for one perfect answer, look for 10 good answers.
Make a list of questions that you want to ask. Avoid questions that require only a “yes” or “no” answer. Ask open-ended questions. Ask follow-up questions. Give students time to think. Ask students to write answers occasionally. Allow students to work in small groups to answer questions. Encourage students to ask questions. Help them use their Bibles to find answers. Rather than look for one perfect answer, look for 10 good answers.•List facts that you want your students to learn. Yes, you have your primary aim or goal for the lesson, but there are probably also other things that you want to be sure that your students learn along the way, things about the culture, the people, etc.
List facts that you want your students to learn. Yes, you have your primary aim or goal for the lesson, but there are probably also other things that you want to be sure that your students learn along the way, things about the culture, the people, etc.•Write transitional statements that will help you move from one activity to the next. With small children, you may also want to plan “fidget busters,” deliberate activities that are used to relieve tension, help students relax and burn off some built up energy before the lesson continues.
Write transitional statements that will help you move from one activity to the next. With small children, you may also want to plan “fidget busters,” deliberate activities that are used to relieve tension, help students relax and burn off some built up energy before the lesson continues.•List the scripture that you want to explore. It’s important for students to learn that the Bible is not made up of 66 independent, unrelated books. The things in the Old Testament relate to the things in the Gospels and they, in turn, relate to the writings of Peter and Paul and others. Help students find scriptures throughout the Bible that relate to each week’s study.
List the scripture that you want to explore. It’s important for students to learn that the Bible is not made up of 66 independent, unrelated books. The things in the Old Testament relate to the things in the Gospels and they, in turn, relate to the writings of Peter and Paul and others. Help students find scriptures throughout the Bible that relate to each week’s study.•Select the techniques and tools that you will use to teach the lesson. Very few students – especially children and youth – will sit still and stay interested in one 45-minute activity for your lesson. It’s a much better idea to use a variety of different activities. But, as you plan these activities, always keep your aim in mind; that’s your primary concern. All activities, tools and techniques should help focus your lesson on that aim and help you reach your goal for the day. Your curriculum teacher’s guide will probably have ideas for you to consider, but remember, this is just a “guide.” If you don’t think the curriculum’s suggested activities will work or get the results that you want, think about other things that you might do.
Select the techniques and tools that you will use to teach the lesson. Very few students – especially children and youth – will sit still and stay interested in one 45-minute activity for your lesson. It’s a much better idea to use a variety of different activities. But, as you plan these activities, always keep your aim in mind; that’s your primary concern. All activities, tools and techniques should help focus your lesson on that aim and help you reach your goal for the day. Your curriculum teacher’s guide will probably have ideas for you to consider, but remember, this is just a “guide.” If you don’t think the curriculum’s suggested activities will work or get the results that you want, think about other things that you might do.•Think about how you will close your lesson. What happens in your class when you realize that you have only about five more minutes of class time? Do you hurry to get over the material that you haven’t covered? Well, you shouldn’t! When you realize that you have only a few minutes left, stop! If you have been successful in teaching the few verses or sections of the lesson that you have covered, great! Don’t worry about what you didn’t get over. If it’s important, pick up the lesson at that point next week. In a few minutes remaining your class, you should…
Think about how you will close your lesson. What happens in your class when you realize that you have only about five more minutes of class time? Do you hurry to get over the material that you haven’t covered? Well, you shouldn’t! When you realize that you have only a few minutes left, stop! If you have been successful in teaching the few verses or sections of the lesson that you have covered, great! Don’t worry about what you didn’t get over. If it’s important, pick up the lesson at that point next week. In a few minutes remaining your class, you should…- Briefly summarize what you’ve covered in today’s lesson. You might play a quick review game or ask questions to be sure that your students have learned what you wanted.
- Give your students some specific ideas on how they can apply the lesson to their day-to-day lives. The key here is to be specific!
- Think about next week’s lesson. True, you probably won’t get very many students to spend a few hours on extra “Sunday school homework” during the week ahead, but if you can give each of them a question to answer or use a similar activity to get them thinking about the lesson, it will be a help.
- Finally, close with prayer. Commit the lesson to the Lord and pray for each of the students as they strive to live each day for Him.
QUESTIONS:
1.Why is it important to start thinking about your Sunday school lesson early in the week?
Why is it important to start thinking about your Sunday school lesson early in the week?2.Why do you think it is so important to have a clear “aim” for each lesson?
Why do you think it is so important to have a clear “aim” for each lesson?3.Why is it important for the “aim” of your lesson to focus on the needs, interests and concerns of your students?
Why is it important for the “aim” of your lesson to focus on the needs, interests and concerns of your students?4.Why is it important to start each lesson with a “bang?”
Why is it important to start each lesson with a “bang?”5.Why is it important to list some of the questions that you would like to ask during your lesson?
Why is it important to list some of the questions that you would like to ask during your lesson?6.What are some of the different teaching methods or activities and/or teaching tools that you might use in presenting a better lesson?
What are some of the different teaching methods or activities and/or teaching tools that you might use in presenting a better lesson?7.Why is how you close each lesson important?
Why is how you close each lesson important?
