Leader Guide

Game

Two different sized containers, such as clean trash cans, buckets, or boxes—one smaller and one larger
Four sheets of white paper and four sheets of any other color—8 sheets total. If you don’t have colored paper, you may use a marker to color the sheets, or substitute newspaper sheets or other paper
Whiteboard or chalkboard
Marker or chalk
Assistant to score points

Crumple the paper into eight balls, four of each color.

Mark a line near one end of the room.

Place the larger container about 10 feet from the mark.

Place the smaller container about 1 foot to the side of the large container.

Place the balls in two piles at the mark, 1 pile for each color.

Read through the list of questions to help choose easier ones to ask younger children, those with disabilities, or students who missed previous lessons.

Since this is the last lesson of our Superbook story about Esther, we will play a fun game called “Review Toss.”

Divide the class into two equal teams. If teams are uneven, have a helper play, or one child may play twice. Assign each team a ball color. One player for each team will play at the same time. Each player gets four chances to throw the ball into the containers.

Points are scored as follows:

Larger box—per shot made = 1 point
Smaller box—per shot made = 2 points
Correct answer = 5 points

This is not a race. The players try to toss the four balls of their team’s color into the containers. The score is recorded on the board. Have an assistant or a child retrieve the balls and place them at the mark. Now ask the same question to both players. The player who raises a hand first gets a chance to answer within three seconds. You may count the seconds aloud. If that player cannot answer, the other player gets a chance to answer within three more seconds. Add the points for a correct answer to the previous ball toss scores for the total points of that round. If both players in a round cannot answer the question correctly, ask the question to both teams, but no points will be scored. Give hints to help as necessary.

Play another round with two new players. After all players have had a turn, the team with the most points wins.

Questions and Answers:

In our SuperTruth today, what will God help us fulfill? His purpose.
In our SuperVerse today, who can we cry out to for help? God; God Most High.
Who was Esther’s cousin? Mordecai.
What was the name of the king? Xerxes.
What did the king hold while sitting on his throne? A golden scepter.
True or False: Anyone could stop by to talk to the king any time. False.
Who wanted to get rid of all the Jewish people? Haman.
When Haman passed by, what did he expect people to do? Bow, show respect.
What was placed on Esther’s head by order of the king? Queen’s crown.
What did Mordecai ask Esther not to tell others, especially the king? Her nationality, that she was a Jew.
True or False: Esther did not care about her people, the Jews, once she became queen. False.
After the king signed Haman’s decree, who put on sackcloth and ashes to mourn for the Jewish people? Mordecai.
Why was Esther afraid to approach the king when Mordecai first asked her to speak to him? She wasn’t invited - she could be put to death.
What did Esther ask the Jewish people to do for three days and nights before she went before the king? Fast, not eat or drink.
Who asked King Xerxes and Haman to come to a banquet? Esther.
Who sent a message to Queen Esther, saying, “Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” Mordecai.
Who tricked the king into signing a decree to kill the Jews? Haman.
What did the king use to seal the decree? His ring.
What did Haman do to decide when he would take action against Mordecai and the Jewish people? Cast lots.
Who saved the king’s life by warning about a plot to kill him? Mordecai.
What was the name of King Xerxes’ queen before Esther? Queen Vashti.

Now let’s see who can answer the bonus questions about our video today! You may use these as tie-breakers.

What did Haman build in his courtyard. Gallows.
When Esther went before the king, what did he say he would give her? Up to half of his kingdom.

Good job everybody! Esther and Mordecai showed courage in standing up for God’s people. God strengthened them and helped them fulfill His purpose for them. It is now time to discuss our Signposts video that we watched today and look a little deeper into how the story of Esther points to the life and mission of Jesus.