Teaching Plan

The Customizable Teaching Plan is where you will find every activity needed for an amazing time of Bible Study with your students.

  • There are four different plans to choose from, Complete, Younger, Older, and Master Teacher. (Although activities have been carefully designed with age-appropriate behavior, topics, and learning styles in mind, you know your own group better than anyone – feel free to customize your plan to best fit your group’s personality and needs.)
  • Each plan is broken into three sections: Connect, Explore, and Transform.
  • Simply click on the activity titles below to see each activity.
  • Activity PDFs can be downloaded within the specific activity window.

Connect

Connect options are fun ways to introduce the lesson's theme(s). Your choices for Connect activities include:

  • Drama—A short drama script that can be performed by your students
  • Media Option—Media options are videos, photos, audio files, or slide shows
  • Age Specific Options—Activities to get your students ready for the lesson
  • Review Questions—Questions to review the previous lesson's content

Explore

Explore options are where Bible Study happens. Your choices for Explore activities include:

  • The Key Study—An interactive, small group Bible Study focusing on the Biblical Passage (includes Map and Timeline reference)
  • The Master Teacher Key Study—A sermon-style Bible Study focusing on the Biblical Passage
  • Age Specific Options—Bible Study activities developed specifically for younger and older students

Transform

Transform options help your students apply the lesson's truths. Your choices for Transform activities include:

  • Deeper Discussion—Questions to take your students deeper into the application of the lesson
  • Creative Prayer—Interactive ways to pray
  • Age Specific Options—Application activities developed specifically for younger and older students
Choose a Teaching Plan:

Connect

Connect activities get students ready to learn. Choose one or two of the activities below to introduce this week’s lesson.

Review Questions

(5–8 minutes, easy set-up)
Students will answer five review questions from the previous lesson.
Print one copy of the “Review Questions” activity sheet for your own use.

Especially for Younger Students: Extravagant Gifts

(10 minutes, easy set-up)
Students will describe ways they would profess their love to someone.
Provide paper and pen.

Especially for Older Students: Greatest Love Stories

(10 minutes, easy set-up)
Students will compile a list of the most famous couples from love stories throughout history.
Provide paper and pen.

Master Teacher Option: Greatest Love Stories

(10 minutes, easy set-up)
Students will compile a list of the most famous couples from love stories throughout history.
Provide paper and pen. Also, create a slide show listing one couple per slide from the list below.

Explore

Explore activities lead students to study Scripture. Teach the Key Study to focus on the Biblical Truth. If you choose, support the Key Study with one or two of the following activities.

Key Study: The Presence of Love

(15–20 minutes, easy set-up)
Students will study Luke 2:1-20 to better understand the presence of God’s love in the circumstances of Jesus’ birth.
Provide a copy of the Student Worksheet and a pen for each student. Also provide a dry erase board and marker.

Master Teacher Key Study: The Presence of Love

(15–20 minutes, easy set-up)
Students will study Luke 2:1-20 to better understand the presence of God’s love in the circumstances of Jesus’ birth.
Print one copy of the Master Teacher Key Study for your use. Provide a copy of the Student Worksheet and a pen for each student. Provide a picture of a stable and manger.

Especially for Younger Students: The Birth of Jesus

(10 minutes, easy set-up)
Students will compare the different birth narratives to get a full picture of how God proclaimed the birth of Jesus.
Provide paper and pens, a dry erase board and a marker.

Especially for Older Students: What Does it Mean to be Humble?

(10 minutes, easy set-up)
Students will search Scripture to learn what it means to be humble.
Provide paper and pens (and concordances if available).

Transform

Choose one or two Transform activities to challenge students to live differently. Keep in mind that the Holy Spirit ultimately brings about change, so help students draw near to Him.

Deeper Discussion

(5–10 minutes, easy set-up)
Students will discuss how Jesus’ birth demonstrated the presence of God’s love for us.

Especially for Younger Students: Retell the Story

(10 minutes, easy set-up)
Students will create a modern-day version of Luke 2:1-20 describing the love of God being put on display through the humble birth of Jesus.
Provide a dry erase board and marker

Especially for Older Students: Responding to God’s Love

(10 minutes, easy set-up)
Students will write poems that reflect the presence of God’s love in the birth of Jesus.
Provide paper and pens. Also, provide a dry erase board and marker.

Master Teacher Option: Reframe the Story

(10 minutes, easy set-up)
Students will create a modern-day version of Luke 2:1-20 describing the love of God being put on display through the humble birth of Jesus.
Create a slide with these phrases: a humble place for the birth, and humble people to hear God’s news.