Foundational Truth Lessons

Themed Lessons

2018-19Gopher Buddies Bible Study

The Gopher Buddies curriculum is a three-year Bible study program for ages 4-6 that makes God’s Word come alive by using a modular approach to learning. The curriculum has 48 lessons and is divided

into several two and four-lesson modules as well as individual stand-alone lessons. A variety of active teaching methods are used, including puppets, to engage the students each week.

THE BIBLE - I Will Hear God's Word and Do It

King Josiah Follows God’s Word: When King Josiah heard the Word of God, he chose to obey. The children will understand that reading God’s Word and spending time with Him through their Quiet Time and prayer will help them know what God wants them to do.

The Farmer and the Seeds: Children will understand the meaning of Jesus’ story “The Farmer and the Seeds” through this lesson. They will know that the good soil is like people who hear God’s Word and do what it says.

Timothy Hears about God’s Word: Timothy was taught God’s Word as a young child from his mother and grandmother. The children will learn that when Timothy grew up, he taught others about God’s Word, the Bible.

Module Review Lesson (Puppets): Using the Gopher Buddies Puppets, this lesson reinforces and reviews the material covered in the first three lessons.

GOD - God Can Do Anything

God Sends Ten Plagues: In this lesson, children will learn that God can do anything. He sent ten plagues upon Egypt to show stubborn King Pharaoh He is all-powerful.

God Parts the Red Sea: God rolled back the waters of the Red Sea when the Israelites needed help. The children will learn that God can help them when they are afraid or when something seems too hard for them to do.

God Sends Manna from Heaven: Children will learn that just as God took care of the children of Israel by sending them manna when they were hungry in the desert, He will take care of them too.

Module Review Lesson (Puppets): Using the Gopher Buddies Puppets, this lesson reinforces and reviews the material covered in the first three lessons.

JESUS - Miracles of Jesus

Jesus Walks on the Water: The children will learn that Jesus and Peter walked on the water, and Jesus helped Peter when he began to sink. The children will learn to ask Jesus to help them when they are afraid.

A Blind Man Sees: Jesus helped Bartimaeus by healing him. The children will understand that this is one of Jesus’ miracles and something only God can do.

A Big Catch: The children will hear how Jesus helped Peter to catch a large number of fish. They will understand that this was a miracle that only God could do.

Module Review Lesson (Puppets): Using the Gopher Buddies Puppets, this lesson reinforces and reviews the material covered in the first three lessons.

Parent Night

The Loving Father: The children will come to understand that God loves them just as the father in the lesson loved

his son. They will also begin to realize that God loves them and forgives them even when they do wrong things.

Friend Night

The Two Friends: The children will learn that David and Jonathan were very good friends. They will learn how they

can be a good friend.

Christmas

Angels Announce Jesus’ Birth: This lesson describes how the angels announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds. At the conclusion of this lesson, the children will name someone they can tell about Jesus’ birth this Christmas.

Easter

The Road to Emmaus: Jesus appeared to two of His followers on the road to Emmaus after His death. The children will understand that Jesus’ followers were excited to tell others the good news that Jesus was alive, and they should tell others too.

Christian Growth - I Can Pray

Jesus Teaches How to Pray: This lesson explains what prayer is. The children will begin to learn what to pray for.

Daniel Prays to God: Children will learn that Daniel knew it was important to talk to God every day. They will also learn that God protected Daniel in the lions’ den.

Jesus Wants Me to Pray: After hearing Jesus’ story about a Pharisee and a tax collector praying, the children will begin to understand that God wants us talk to Him with respect and to think about Him when we pray.

Module Review Lesson (Puppets): Using the Gopher Buddies Puppets, this lesson reinforces and reviews the material covered in the first three lessons.

SIN - Sin Separates Us from God

Samson Disobeys God: Samson’s choice to disobey God was sin. The children will begin to understand what sin is and that they have to choose to obey God.

David Asks God to Forgive Him: This lesson explains how God forgave David when he told God he was sorry for his sin. The children will learn that God will also forgive them when they ask Him to forgive them for their sin.

Jesus Came to Forgive My Sin: It’s a fact--everyone has sinned. Through this lesson, the children will begin to understand that Jesus loves them so much that He took the punishment for their sin by dying on the cross.

Module Review Lesson (Puppets): Using the Gopher Buddies Puppets, this lesson reinforces and reviews the material covered in the first three lessons.

THE CHURCH - I Learn About Helpers in the Church

Lydia Helps the Missionaries: This lesson describes what a missionary is. The children will learn how Lydia helped Paul and how they too can help missionaries.

Priscilla and Aquila Help Paul: Priscilla and Aquila were tentmakers who helped Paul tell others about Jesus. At the conclusion of this lesson, the children will name one person with whom they can share the good news about Jesus.

Onesiphorus Is Kind to Paul: Onesiphorus visited and cheered Paul up while he was in prison. At the conclusion of this lesson, the children will name a Christian worker to whom they can show kindness.

Module Review Lesson (Puppets): Using the Gopher Buddies Puppets, this lesson reinforces and reviews the material covered in the first three lessons.

Beaches and Boats

Jonah’s Fish Tale: Jonah disobeyed God when God told him to go to Nineveh, but he later obeyed God after spending three days inside a big fish. Through this lesson, the children should begin to understand the importance of obeying God.

Paul and the Sinking Ship: The children will learn that Paul and the others on board a ship were afraid during a very bad storm at sea. They will also hear how God helped Paul and the others reach land safely.

Wet and Wild

The Blind Man Goes to the Pool: The children will learn how Jesus healed a blind man. They will begin to understand that Jesus cares for them just as He cared for the blind man.

Jesus Calms the Storm: Jesus ordered the wind and waves to stop during a wild storm at sea, and the wind and sea obeyed Him. At the conclusion of this lesson, the children will realize that Jesus is strong and powerful.

Sand and Stones

Let’s Build a House: The children will hear about Jesus’ parable of the wise and foolish builders. They will learn that when they choose to read (or listen to) God’s Word and obey it, they will be like the wise man who built his house on the rock.

A Sling and a Stone: David believed God would help him defeat Goliath. The children will begin to understand that just like David, they should believe God will help them.

Wow, is it Ever Hot!

Moses and the Burning Bush: In this lesson, the children will learn that God spoke to Moses from a burning bush. They will begin to understand that God has a plan for their lives just as He had a plan for Moses’ life.

A Fiery Contest: Elijah showed the people that God is the one true God; only God could send fire from Heaven to burn the sacrifice on the altar. At the conclusion of this lesson, the children will thank God that He is the one and only true God and for all the wonderful things He does for them.

Are We There Yet?

Jesus Goes Home: Jesus appeared many times to His disciples after He rose from the dead. The children will hear how Jesus told the disciples to tell others the Good News about Him, and then He was taken up in a cloud to Heaven.

Finding a Wife for Isaac: The children will learn that Abraham’s servant asked God to help him find the woman He had chosen to be Isaac’s wife. The children will understand that just as God heard the servant’s prayer and helped him, He will hear the children’s prayers and help them.

Going For the Gold

Peter and John Heal a Lame Man: The children will learn how Peter and John helped the lame man at the temple. They will begin to understand that God also wants them to help those who are in need.

The Golden Calf: The children of Israel disobeyed God by worshipping a golden calf instead of worshipping Him. At the conclusion of this lesson, the children will know that God forgave the people for the wrong things they had done. They will also realize that God will forgive their sins just as He forgave the Israelites’ sins.

Summer ModulesWhile most churches choose to run a nine-month program using 36 lessons, there are some who prefer to meet throughout the summer months. For those

groups, there are an additional twelve summer series lessons provided in each year’s Gopher Buddies Bible Study. These lessons are grouped into six two-lesson modules. Because attendance in the summer months may be somewhat irregular, each summer lesson is designed to stand on its own.

Obedience

Noah Obeys God: Children will learn how Noah obeyed God, even when others made fun of him. They will understand that because of Noah’s obedience to God his family was safe from the flood. At the conclusion of this lesson, the children will name one way they can obey God in the coming week.

Module Review Lesson (Puppets): This lesson reinforces and reviews the material covered on obedience in the previous lesson.

Thankfulness

The Man Who Said, Thank You: Children will learn how Jesus healed ten men with leprosy but only one man said “thank you.” At the conclusion of this lesson, the children will pray and thank God for one specific thing.

Module Review Lesson (Puppets): This lesson reinforces and reviews the material covered on thankfulness in the previous lesson.

Kindness

David Shows Kindness to Mephibosheth: David showed kindness to Mephibosheth. The children will hear what kindness is and that God wants them to be kind to others. At the conclusion of this lesson, the children will name someone they want to be kind to this week, just as David was kind to Mephibosheth.

Module Review Lesson (Puppets): This lesson reinforces and reviews the material covered on kindness in the previous lesson.

Faithfulness

Joshua Marches Faithfully: Joshua was faithful when he obeyed God and marched around Jericho. The children will begin to understand what faithfulness is and know that God wants them to be faithful and obey Him just as Joshua did.

Module Review Lesson (Puppets): This lesson reinforces and reviews the material covered on faithfulness in the previous lesson.

Character Trait Lessons

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