Key verse: Genesis 9:13
I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
Materials and Set up: Bibles and a boat large enough to sit in The boat could be anything from chairs set in rows to a cardboard ark creation. If space is limited decorate or pretend with the regular seats. If there are parts of the boat that can easily come off and on, leave them off.
Greet Children and open with prayer: Dear God, Thank you so much for allowing us to come here to learn more about you. Help us to understand how much you care for each one of us.
Lesson Introduction: Secretly assign students an animal by whispering in ears or handing out written papers with words or pictures. Make sure the children know not to share what their animal is yet. You should assign two of each animal. If you have an odd number of students, you or another leader will need to participate. Instruct students to move around the room acting like the animal they were assigned, but to stay very quiet. After a bit have the students see if they can find another animal like themselves. After another minute or so allow students to make any sounds their animal makes. Then instructs students to go to the boat when they have found their pair.
Bible time: Say this reminds me of a something that happened in the Bible. Who knows what this reminds me of? (Noah) Yes, after Noah built the ark pairs of animals entered the boat, so they would be safe from the flood that was coming. Put your thumb up if you have heard about how Noah was saved from the flood. Today we are going to review (learn) about what the Bible says happen when Noah was on earth.
Yesterday we talked about how Adam and Eve didn’t listen to God. Unfortunately, as time went on men were not listening to how God wanted them to act. It got so bad that the creation that God had called good now grieved him, that is it made him very sad and upset. He was so upset that God chose to wipe the people out with a flood. Fortunately, there was one man that was very different. That man was Noah. Noah was a righteous man who walked with God. God decided he would not allow Noah and his family to die in the flood. Instead, God gave Noah instructions on how to build a very large boat that would keep Noah and his family, along with every kind of animal, safe. Noah followed those instructions and built what we know as the ark. Let’s help Noah finish the ark. (Help students put on the last pieces on the ark or pretend to build.) After the ark was built God brought the animals onto the ark. (Have students act like their animal again and return to the boat seats) Finally Noah and his family entered the ark, and God shut the door.
Noah and the animals sure were glad to be on that boat. Do you know why? (Allow answers.) It rained for 40 days and 40 nights. (Have students use their hands to show the motions of a rainstorm) The only ones who were safe were the people and animals on the ark. They stayed on the ark until the waters receded. It took almost a year for the water to disappear. Finally, the dove that Noah released found a place to land. Noah, his family, and all the animals were able to come out of the boat. (Exit the boat or take down the decorations.)
Pass out Bibles and say let’s open our Bibles to read the promise that God gave to Noah after the flood. Have everyone open their Bibles to Genesis 9:13-15. Choose a volunteer to read or read the verses aloud. What should we remember when we see a rainbow in the sky? (A flood will never again destroy all living things) We can also remember that God will take care of us. Just as God took care of Noah, God will take care of each of us that follow Him.
Close in prayer: Dear God, Thank you so much for saving Noah and the animals from the flood. Thank you so much for taking care of each one of us as well. Amen
Extra time: Choice 1 Read more of the account of Noah directly from the Bible found in Genesis 6-9. Have students read on their own, with a partner or read aloud as a group.
Choice 2: Animal charades. Students act out an animal while others guess what they are.
Choice 3: Sing Arky-Arky
The Lord told Noah
There’s gonna be a floody, floody
The Lord told Noah
There’s gonna be a floody, floody
Get those children out of the muddy, muddy, children of the Lord
The Lord told Noah to build him an arky, arky
The Lord told Noah to build him an arky, arky
Build it out of gopher barky, barky, children of the Lord.
The animals, they came, they came in by twosies twosies
The animals, they came, they came in by twosies, twosies
Elephants and kangaroosie, roosies, children of the Lord
It rained and poured for forty daysies, daysies
It rained and poured for forty daysies, daysies
Almost drove those animals crazy, crazy, children of the Lord
The sun came out, and dried up the landy, landy
The sun came out, and dried up the landy, landy
Look! There’s the sun, it dried up the landy, landy
Everything was fine and dandy, dandy, children of the Lord
So, rise and shine, and give God the glory, glory
Rise and shine, and give God the glory, glory
Rise and shine, and give God the glory, glory
Children of the Lord