Leader Guide

Leader Introduction

Today’s Bible story reinforces and expands the lesson from the previous two lessons about Nehemiah. Nehemiah was filled with God’s wisdom and strength to unite the people of Israel to work together for a common goal. The people worked tirelessly even as they were mocked and threatened. Because they worked together, the Jerusalem wall was rebuilt in only 52 days! Children will learn the importance of working together with others to do God’s will and accomplish great things that may be impossible to do alone.

*Scripture is quoted from the New Living Translation unless noted.

Optional Opening Game

Drawing list: (modify as desired)

Body and head

Two eyes

Nose and mouth

Two arms (optional: hands)

Two legs (optional: feet)

Optional: Spear, shield, brick, or stone in a hand

In the Bible story, many workers were needed to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem—the more workers, the better! In this game, you will work together to draw workers to help Nehemiah.

One player might make a head and body, another will add two arms, and another the two eyes or two legs. Once a worker is completed, you will start another one! Are you ready to work together and do your job to succeed? Children respond.

We will work together as teams for three minutes to see how many we can all make together. Note: adjust the time to your children and the time available.

This game is similar to a relay. Line up the separate teams several feet from the sheets of paper.

Give the first players of each team Drawing Instruction #1: Body and head.

When the first players return, give the next player Instruction #2. Continue this way until a complete worker is drawn. Then immediately begin a new figure. Continue until time runs out.

Optional: Call out different ways to travel as the children carry the blocks: skip, walk backward, hop on one foot, on two feet, tiptoe, shuffle, walk sideways, etc.

If time permits, mix up teams, and play again to try and beat the number of figures drawn in the first round.

Conclusion: Let’s count the number of workers you made together.

Slowly point to each figure and count aloud with the children for a grand total. Wow, you worked together to make so many workers! Each of you did your part so we could succeed— good job!

In today’s video, Nehemiah gave each person a job to do. No job was more important than the other, and the wall was repaired in record time because everyone worked together!

Video Lesson

Nehemiah

In the video, we will learn the importance of working together as we trust God to protect and strengthen us.

Play Video (Bible Story)

Bible Story

Teaching Time

Today we are going to work together to tell the Bible story as we build a wall at the same time!

Point to the boxes. The Israelites had piles of stones to rebuild the Jerusalem walls. We won’t use stones for our wall; we will use this pile of boxes instead.

Direct the children to sit in a curved line between the pile of boxes and the table. Leave a few feet between each child so everyone can see the presentation. 

Ask the child closest to the boxes to find Box #1. That child will give the box to the next child, and so on until the box travels along the line of children and is given to you at the table.

You will open the box and remove the picture, then place the box on the table to begin building the wall. You will then hold up the picture and discuss it using the bullet points.

Continue this way for all eight boxes to complete the Bible story and wall.

(Box #1 Exile)

● Who are these people in the Bible story? God’s people; the Israelites.

● Do they look happy or sad? Sad.

● Why are they sad? They were forced to leave their country.

● Do you remember the big word we learned for that in the video? Exile.

(Box #2 Cupbearer)

● Who are the two men in this picture? Nehemiah and the king (of Persia).

● Nehemiah had an important job; what was he called? A cupbearer.

Being a cupbearer was very important. He had to make sure that nobody tried to put poison or something bad in the king’s drink. It meant that the king trusted Nehemiah with his life!

(Box #3 Nehemiah is sad)

● Why is Nehemiah sad? He heard the Jerusalem wall was destroyed (broken; in ruins).

● What did Nehemiah ask the king for permission to do? Travel to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall.

● Did the king refuse to let Nehemiah go? No. Nehemiah was a favorite of the king, and he said, "Yes!"

● Do you remember why the wall was important to a city in Bible times? For protection; if a wall was broken down, the city looked weak.

(Box#4 Nehemiah in Jerusalem)

● Where is Nehemiah in this picture? He was in Jerusalem.

● Why did he travel there? To visit friends and take a vacation? NO! He went to Jerusalem to rebuild the city walls.

● Nehemiah is alone in this picture. Why is he carrying tools? He is going to rebuild the walls.

(Box #5 Work together)

● Who are these people standing by the wall? God’s people; the Israelites.

That's right! God’s people from many places returned to Jerusalem.

● What do they do to help Nehemiah? They worked together to help him rebuild the wall.

Yes! God sent people to help Nehemiah do this big job! And today, if we ask God for help, He will answer our prayers!

(Box #6 Threats)

● Was everyone happy the walls were being rebuilt? No, Nehemiah’s enemies were angry.

● What did the unhappy people do as the Israelites worked together on the wall? Nehemiah’s enemies laughed and threatened them.

● Why did they do that? They didn’t like the Jewish people and did not want them to return to live in Jerusalem.

● What did the enemies who threatened Nehemiah hope would happen? They hoped that Nehemiah would be scared and stop working on the walls.

(Box #7 Protection)

● Oh no! What did Nehemiah do? Did the Israelites stop working? No, Nehemiah trusted God, and they kept working.

● What did Nehemiah do so they could continue working? He had some people work while the others stood guard to protect them from their enemies.

(Box #8 Celebration)

● Why are the people so happy in this picture? Because they finished rebuilding the walls.

● A job this big must have taken years to finish, right? No, it only took 52 days.

Point to the wall you made with the boxes. Wow, look! Nehemiah wasn’t the only one who built a wall! We also made our wall by working together. Nehemiah and the Jewish people succeeded because God gave them strength as they worked together. With God’s help, we can do big things when we work together!

Object to GO!

Hold the Rocket or image vertically and raise it slowly to simulate blasting off. Lead a discussion with the comments and questions below:

● What is this called? Rocket (rocket ship).

● Raise your hand if you have ever seen a rocket launch or blast off. Children respond.

● When a rocket launches, what can you see coming from the bottom? Fire.

Yes, a rocket launch is very exciting and noisy, too; so much power is needed to lift it off the ground and into the sky.

● How high do you think a rocket can go? To the moon, Venus, other planets, into space, miles and miles, etc.

One of the bots in the video has a rocket on his costume, so look carefully to spot who it is.

● In the next video, you will meet a new superhero. Can you guess if it is Miss Tina, Rodney, Gears, Gizmo, Rig, Widget, or possibly even Mr. Gizmo? Children guess.

Let’s watch the video to see who guessed correctly!

Leave the question unanswered until it is revealed in the video.

Today we are going to visit not one, not two, but three superheroes. I can’t wait to see who they are!

Play Video (Patient Prayer)

Rocket Rig

Optional discussion following the video. 

● Hold up the Object to Go! megaphone or image. Who used this? Gears.

● Raise your hand if you guessed correctly. Children respond.

● What role was he playing in the video? A (movie) director.

● What competition were Gears and Rig making a movie for? The Protonatron film competition.

● What did Gears and Rig disagree on? Which Protonatron movie is their favorite or the best.

● Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt like Rig, and it was important to share what you were feeling with someone. Children respond.

● What did Rig suggest to solve their disagreement? That they come up with their own line to say instead of a Protonatron line.

● Who apologized for freaking out? Gears apologized to Rig.

When we work together, chances are we won’t always agree on the best way to do something or who should do it! What is important is to show kindness and respect for others’ ideas and feelings even when we disagree or feel our way is best. Just like Gears and Rig, we should work together to find a solution that works for everyone.

Verse to GO!

Ecclesiastes 4:9 (NLT)

Play Video (Verse to Go)

Ecclesiastes 4:9 (NLT)

Verse to Go

We practiced the verse in two parts in the previous two lessons. Today we will connect the two parts. No worries if this is your first time. We will work together to practice the verse.

Two people… Hold one arm out with two fingers pointing up.

Are better off than one… Hold the other arm out with only the index finger pointing up.

For they can help each other… Move both hands with the same fingers inward until they meet.

Succeed… Move the fingers upward together like a rocket lifting off.

Repeat a few more times slowly.

Optional: Make sure the children understand what it means to succeed.

The word "succeed" means to reach a goal or to complete a task you choose to do.

Here is an example. Let’s say one of your chores is to take out the trash. There are two bags full of trash. That means you will succeed when you take the two bags out to the curb. Now, what if a friend offers to help you? Will the task go faster or slower? Faster!

Yes, correct; two are better off than one, right? Your kind friend helped you to succeed—even faster than you could on your own.

Note: Some preschool children may not be able to memorize the entire Verse to Go. They may simply repeat it with you. Be sure all children understand the meaning.

Prayer Time

Close the lesson with a simple prayer to thank God for His love.

For example: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for showing us Your love through Your Son, Jesus. He died for us. Help us to look for ways to show Your love to others as we work together in Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

Music Time

The Solution

The lyrics and chords for this song are found in Resources.

Create your own motions or use the suggested motions as seen in the Quantum Karaoke “The Solution” under Resources or under “Extras!" in the DVD main menu.

Play the video song “The Solution.”

Encourage the children to dance, sway, and sing with Miss Tina and the robots while imitating their moves or freestyling on their own.

The Solution

Repeat “WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER” with the children while holding both arms in the air to imitate the robots each time it is sung. In most cases, this is every other line.

Singing Activity

Lead the children in singing the song “Together.”

Additional instructions are located in the previous lesson.

Take-Home Coloring Page

As children color, review today’s lesson using the discussion points below:

● What are the people building in the picture? A wall around the city of Jerusalem.

● Why were some people holding spears and shields? To protect the workers from their enemies who did not want the walls rebuilt.

● Who gave strength and courage to Nehemiah and the other (Israelite) workers? God.

● Do you remember how long it took to rebuild the city wall? Fifty-two days.

OPTIONAL TRADING CARD:

Optional: Hand out GizmoGO! trading cards for NEHEMIAH, one per child. These are available for purchase under Products. Explain that there is a different trading card for each of the three lessons, so if they come back to class each week, they can collect all three! (Lesson 1 was THE INVASION OF THE BUG-O-MYTES—WORKING TOGETHER, Lesson 2 was RODNEY.)