Leader Guide

Leader Introduction

G.E. Wellington, the world-famous author of the Woodwind Chronicles, is visiting Quantum Labs, and Widget is her biggest fan! Then the little robot finds a tablet that may contain the author’s next book in the series. Should Widget give in to temptation and read it—or not?

Miss Tina provides the answer to Widget’s dilemma in a Bible story about Daniel and his three friends who use self-control to obey God. Children will learn the importance of self-control: to resist temptation and do what is right.

*Scripture is quoted from the New Living Translation unless otherwise indicated.

Optional Opening Game

Raise your hand if vegetables and fruit are your favorite kinds of food. Children respond.

Raise your hand if you like to drink water instead of soda or pop. Children respond.

Some food and drinks like water, fruits, and vegetables are healthier for our bodies than other food and drinks with unhealthy things in them like sugar. In this game, each card has a picture of a healthy or unhealthy drink or food. You are going to try to find all of the healthy food and drink cards and leave the others behind.

The first player selects a card, says what the image is, and then gives the card to the leader.

The same player then selects a second card and repeats the process.

The leader holds up both cards, and the children say if either card is a healthy choice.

If one or both cards are healthy choices, remove the card(s) from the game.

If one or both cards are unhealthy, return the card(s) to the game face-up.

Play continues until all the healthy cards are removed, and only the unhealthy cards remain.

Note: If a player does not know what an image is, ask the class to help identify it.

Conclusion: Excellent job finding the healthy foods and drinks! Today’s lesson is about self-control. Self-control means resisting temptation and doing what you know is right. We may be tempted to eat and drink unhealthy things all the time, but we need to resist temptation and make better choices like you did in this game.

In today’s video, a very special guest is visiting Quantum Labs, and one of the robots is very excited to meet her. Let’s watch the video to see what all the excitement is about!

Video Lesson

Play Video (Tale of Two Widgets — Opening Dilemma)

Tale of Two Widgets - opening dilemma

Optional discussion following the video:

● What did Miss Wellington tell Widget she didn’t have to wait to do because she could do it now? Be an author.

● What did Widget find backstage? A tablet.

● The tablet didn’t belong to Widget. Why was she tempted to open it? She thought it was Miss Wellington’s tablet with her newest book.

● Who tried to help Widget resist temptation and do the right thing—Rig or Gears? Rig.

● What did the two tiny widgets tell Widget? The yellow one told her to open the tablet; the blue one told her not to because it wasn’t right.

● Raise your hand if you have ever been tempted to do something you knew was wrong. Raise your own hand as the children respond.

● Yes, we’ve all been tempted to do wrong. Who did Widget ask to open the tablet because she had no passcode? Rodney.

● What was the right thing for Widget to do? Put the tablet back; don’t open it; give it to Miss Tina.

Play Video (Resolution Video)

Resolution Video

· Who did Widget apologize to for opening the tablet? Miss Wellington.

· Why couldn’t Miss Wellington forgive Widget? The tablet didn’t belong to Miss Wellington.

· Who was hurt the most by opening the tablet? Widget.

· How did Miss Wellington resist the temptation to hear the end of the story on the tablet? She used self-control.

· Who was the owner of the tablet? Professor Spectrum.

· Who is Professor Spectrum’s favorite author? G.E. Wellington.

· What did Professor Spectrum want to do while he and the robots were trapped in the suitcase? Play games on the tablet.

Object to GO!

Hold up the broccoli image and discuss it using the questions and comments below.

● When I count to three, shout the name of what I am holding. 1,2,3! Broccoli.

● Raise your hand if you like to eat broccoli? Children respond.

● What type of food is broccoli; is it a fruit, meat, or vegetable? Vegetable.

● Can you name some other vegetables? Children respond.

● Do you think vegetables are good or bad for your body? Good!

● Yes, God gave us vegetables to eat so our bodies can be strong and healthy. In our video, some men chose to eat vegetables instead of other foods they were given to eat.

Let’s watch our video to see who chose to eat vegetables.

In today's video, we will watch four young men who used self-control even when it was very hard!

Play Video (Bible Story)

Bible Story

Teaching Time

● A long time ago, the King of Babylon’s soldiers attacked God’s people, the Israelites. The king with the crown on enters, holding the scepter, and sits on the throne.

● Many Israelite men were taken as prisoners to serve the king. Four of these men were named Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Daniel and his three friends enter, arms down, with sad faces, and stand beside the table.

● These four men and other Israelite men would be trained to serve the king.

● The king ordered his chief official to give the men the best food and drink from the king’s table. The king holds out scepter to the chief official. Chief official enters, bows, and takes the King’s Food Plate to Daniel and his friends.

● The Israelite men did not want the king’s food. It was against God’s law to eat and drink it. The four men make sad faces, put their hands up to resist, and shake heads "no."

● This was a problem because the king ordered the men to eat his delicious food!

● But Daniel and his friends used self-control to resist the temptation to eat the king’s food and did what they knew was right!

● Daniel had a plan—a kind of test. He asked the king’s official to give them only vegetables and water for ten days while the other servants ate the king’s food.

● The king’s official was afraid of letting them disobey the king’s instruction, but then he thought about it and said yes to the test.

● So he brought them the food they wanted. He brings the Vegetable Plate to Daniel.

● Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were very happy. The four men smile and jump up and down.

● After ten days, Daniel, his three friends, and the other servants stood before the king. Daniel and his friends walk over to the king with big smiles and stand up tall and straight at one side of the king, facing the audience.

● The other servants came and stood before the king too. The two servants enter with handcuffs on and sad faces, then shuffle slowly to the king and stand on the other side, opposite Daniel, facing the audience.

● The king stood up and looked at the two servants who had eaten all the best food and drinks from his table. The men looked sick, tired, and sad. King stands up, looks at the two servants, and shakes his head "no."

● Then the king walked over to look at Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He saw that they looked ten times healthier than the other servants. He was very happy! The king walks over to Daniel and his friends and shakes his head "yes," puts hands in the air, holding the scepter, and jumps up and down with a big smile.

● Daniel and his friends had passed the test! God had rewarded their self-control in resisting temptation to do what was right!

Optional Review Questions

Hold up the broccoli from Object to Go! Who chose to eat vegetables instead of the king’s food? Daniel and his three friends (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego).

How many days did Daniel’s test last? Ten days.

How did the four men look compared to the other servants? Healthier.

Verse to GO!

Proverbs: 16:32 (NLT)

Play Video (Verse to Go)

Verse to Go

Today’s Bible memory verse is Proverbs 16:32. Say the memory verse slowly.

“Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city.” Proverbs 16:32

Now, let’s learn the first part of the verse together with some motions.

Stand facing the children and lead them in to repeat phrases and imitate the motions.

Better… Hold out both hands with your thumbs up.

To be patient… Smile, take a deep breath, then exhale slowly.

Than powerful… Make a serious face and flex your biceps.

Repeat slowly a few more times.

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

To be patient means to trust and wait without complaining. Patience comes from having self-control. It is easy to lose our temper and show anger when we feel wronged. It takes self-control to show God’s love and to forgive.

Note: Preschool children may not be able to memorize the entire verse. They may simply repeat it with you. Be sure all children understand its meaning.

Prayer Time

Close the lesson with a simple prayer to encourage the children to use self-control in their lives.

For example: Dear God, we thank You for giving us the Holy Spirit who helps us to use self-control every day. In Jesus name, we pray, Amen.

Music Time

Self-Control

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 “Self-Control” under Resources or under Extras! in the DVD main menu.

Self-Control

Play the video song “Self-Control.” Encourage children to sing the words and do the following motions during the chorus:

Self-control… Point to self with one thumb.

Self-control… Point to self with the other thumb.

Mind your head… Point to head with index finger.

Your heart… Place hands over heart.

Your hands… Hold both hands in front, palms out.

Self-control… Point to self with both thumbs.

Note: This will be a fun challenge because the song speeds up as it progresses.

Take Home Coloring Page

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

● Who are the four men standing together in the picture? Daniel and his friends.

● Do the men look happy or sad? Sad.

● Why were they sad? They were in exile. They were taken from their homes.

● Do you remember the country they were forced to live in? Babylon.

● Who did the men have to be servants to? The king (of Babylon).

● Even though the men were forced to serve the King of Babylon, who do you think they truly loved and served? God.

OPTIONAL TRADING CARD:

Optional: Hand out GizmoGO! A Tale of Two Widgets trading cards for G.E. Wellington, 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 Sunday school each week, they can collect all three! (Save the cards for Daniel and Self-Control to be given out in Lessons 2 and 3.)

Lesson Wrap Up

WRAP UP VIDEO:

Wrap Up

● What was Miss Tina worried Widget had done? That she had spoiled or ruined the Woodwind series of books for herself.

● What lesson do you think that Widget learned? It is better to have self-control than to do something you know is wrong. You hurt yourself when you don’t use self-control. Resist temptation because you will feel guilty if you give in.

● What did Rig do with the suitcase and tablet? He threw them away in the garbage container.

● Who was in the suitcase? Professor Spectrum and his robots (Doodad and Grip).

● What did Miss Tina say was our turn to do? Go and have self-control.

Widget had a hard time using self-control. She did not resist the temptation to open the tablet, even though it didn’t belong to her. Using self-control isn’t easy, but God gave you the Holy Spirit to help you resist temptation and do what you know is right. When you do make a mistake, Jesus loves you and is always ready to forgive!