Curriculum
And It Was Very Good
Memory Verse:
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1
Bible Background
What Kids Will Learn
In the beginning of time, God had a great idea to create the world and everything in it, and so He did. The best part? God saw that His creation was good.
Scripture Summary
Before history books and before family trees, there was nothing in this world but God. God, in all His divine creativity, spoke into being the vastness of our world today.
In this account, God created the entire world in the span of seven days. Biblical scholars view this passage in one of two ways: a literal seven- day (24 hours each) period, or a figurative period where each “day” represents a period of time.
- Day 1: God created the heavens and the earth and provided light that separated day from night.
- Day 2: God made the sky and separated the clouds from the oceans.
- Day 3: God formed dry land, apart from the seas, and created plants to grow.
- Day 4: God sprinkled the sky with stars and made the sun and moon.
- Day 5: God created birds to fly in the sky and fish and creatures to thrive in the seas.
- Day 6: God formed all kinds of animals to roam the land and made humans, male and female, in His image.
- Day 7: After He had finished all His work, God rested.
And after each day, God looked at what He’d created and remarked just how good it was. God created the world in an organized fashion. God formed the sky before He created the birds that would live in the sky.
He didn’t create plants before He created the light that plants need to survive. He formed celestial bodies to order our days and time.
Why Is This Important
God knew what He was doing from the start. He created everything – including you and me. The God who created us is the same God who loves us.
Teacher Devotion
Scripture
Complete Darkness
“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5)
As a teenager, I enjoyed a weekend trip spelunking in the mountains of Colorado. A group of us teens, a couple of adults, and a trusted guide joined together, each equipped with a flashlight. The cave was natural and uncommercialized. While there was a corrugated metal drainage tube with a ladder marking the entrance down into the cave, there were no lights, no guardrails, and no gift shop at the end. What an adventure!
Our guide led us throughout the cave, up to different levels, down along narrow passageways. My individual light would only illuminate the small amount of space in front of me. We gathered in a “room,” and our guide led us through a devotional. At his instruction, we turned off all lights and observed the darkness for a few minutes.
Those few minutes lasted an eternity, as I had never before experienced such utter darkness. I couldn’t see anything—no faint outlines or shadows. I remember my mind playing tricks on me causing me to wonder whether the others were still near me.
And then our leader struck a match, illuminating the entire room. The planned devotional continued as we took turns lighting individual candles. The light of the world extinguished the darkness. In the beginning, God created light. He was and continues to be our light.
Take a look around you. Name three things within your view right now that you’re thankful God created. How would your life be different without these things in your life?
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for creating everything. I’m so thankful that You illuminate the world and my heart. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Bible Memory Verse
You’ll Need: Large piece of newsprint, Markers or crayons, Plant and animal stickers
Get Ready: Draw open letters for words from today’s Bible memory verse.
Gather children in a large circle and roll out the newsprint on a table. Read the Bible memory verse, then have children follow these instructions.
- Color in the letters.
- Add stickers of things that God has created.
- As you are working, repeat the Bible memory verse after the teacher.
Once they are done coloring, hang their Bible memory verse banner in the classroom or hallway. Have children say the Bible memory verse with you
SAY: Wow, look what you created! Did you know that because of God’s Word we can be confident that God alone is Creator and created all things.
Interactive Bible Experience
You’ll Need: Random supplies like: Tape, Straws, Playdough, Paper, Crayons, Popsicle sticks, Sequins, Glue
Divide the class into small groups and set out all the random supplies in the middle of the room. Explain to each group that they have six minutes to create anything they want out of the provided supplies or supplies they have on them.
Start time and cheer them on as they work together to create something in the minutes. Call time exactly after six minutes and then have them sit quietly for one minute and study their work.
AFTERWARD, ASK:
- How do you feel about your creation?
- How would you describe your creation?
- What did it take to make your creation?
SAY: In today’s passage in Genesis 1 we learn that God is our Creator. How did He create? Well, He spoke things into existence. Verse three: “and God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” Verse six: “and God said, ‘Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.’ ” In verse nine: “And God said, ‘Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.’ ” And it goes on and on through Genesis 1.
We needed supplies to create, but God didn’t need supplies. He spoke and His creation was formed. As He finished His creation, He said “it was very good.”
Snack
Day 5 Treat
You’ll Need: Cupcakes, Blue icing, Goldfish cracker, Paper plates, Napkins, Plastic knives
SAY: In today’s Bible lesson, we learned that God is the creator and what He creates is very good! So let’s take five for our Day 5 Treat. Can anyone remember what God created on day 5? (Allow children to guess.) On day 5, God created the fish and the birds, so today we are having fish cupcakes. Let’s get started.
Help children follow these steps to make their Day 5 Treat.
- Put blue icing on your cupcake to represent the sea.
- Place goldfish crackers in the blue “sea” icing to represent the fish that God created on day 5.
- Before you take the first bite, say aloud “and it was very good.”
- Enjoy.
Game
Creation Bingo Game
You’ll Need: “Creation Bingo” card for each child, Bingo dots or a, stamp per child
Give each child a “Creation Bingo” card and Bingo dots or a stamp.
Play the game as follows:
- Call out various creations. Children will look for them on their cards and put a dot on them if they have them on their card.
- You can play until a child gets a straight line of bingo or until they cover their card.
AFTER THE GAME, ASK:
- What are some of your favorite creations on your Bingo Card?
SAY: God is an amazing creator. And with all He created He said, “It was very good.”
Craft
Creation and Me Art
You’ll Need: Large newsprint or construction paper, Markers, Glue sticks, Various craft supplies, such as: Yarn, Fabric swatches, Googly eyes, Construction paper
Give each child a piece of paper and some markers. Help children follow these steps to make their Creation and Me Art.
- Draw yourself on the paper.
- Add yarn for hair, mini pieces of cloth for clothes and other colored pieces of construction paper, if desired, to make the picture more alive.
- At the bottom of your picture, write “Made in the Image of God.”
SAY: Of all the amazing things that God created, only one was made in His imageUs! Use your Creation and Me masterpieces as a reminder that you are made in the image of God.
Prayer
Creation Walk Prayer
SAY: When was the last time you just paused at a sunset or applauded at the site of an amazing animal? As we stop and thank God for His creation, may we have eyes to see all He has made and remember that He alone is Creator.
Line children up and take them on a creation walk outside. If it’s rainy, take them on a walk inside near the windows.
Follow these steps:
- As you walk, when children see a creation they are thankful for, have them raise a hand.
- Call on children with raised hands and invite them to thank God aloud for that creation.
- Continue walking and thanking God for His creation.
PRAY: Dear God, there is not enough time to thank You for all You have created. There are so many amazing things we see and even more we don’t see that You so skillfully made. Give us eyes to see Your creation and hearts to pause and thank You for being a great creator and for all Your creations being good. In Jesus’ name, amen.
