Leader Guide
| Site: | Superbook Academy |
| Course: | A Tale of Two Widgets - A Lesson in Self Control |
| Book: | Leader Guide |
| Printed by: | Guest user |
| Date: | Saturday, April 12, 2025, 8:16 PM |
Leader Introduction
Welcome students as they arrive with their parents.
OPTIONAL: As they arrive, play the song "Self-control.”
Today’s Bible story reinforces and expands the theme from Lessons 1 and 2 about Daniel and his three friends who displayed self-control. Daniel was filled with God’s wisdom and proposed a test to eat and drink according to God’s law. After the test, the king found Daniel and his friends healthier and wiser than anyone in his kingdom.
In the Quantum Lab’s kitchen, Rig has made a delicious chocolate cake—so delicious that Rig gives in to temptation and eats the entire cake by himself! Now Rig must endure the immobilizing effects of what every robot dreads: “sludgy oil.” Children will learn the importance of self-control—to resist temptation and do what you know is right.
*Scripture is quoted from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.
Optional Opening Game
- Stop Sign
- Slow Sign
- Go Sign
- Cardstock—three sheets
- Optional: green, red, and yellow crayons or markers
- Optional: The "Self-Control" song
Make a copy of each sign on cardstock.
If the copies are in black and white, color them: GO – green, SLOW – yellow, STOP – red.
Self-control means resisting temptation and doing what you know is right. In this game, you will practice self-control by listening and watching to know when to go, slow down, and stop.
Hold up each sign and ask children what they mean.
Tell children that they must listen and watch carefully during the game so they can show self-control and do the right thing.
Have children stand with lots of room between them.
Start the game. Hold up the GO Sign and shout, “GO!” Children can walk around, dance, run in place, jump, walk, etc., as long as they do so safely.
After a moment, hold up the SLOW Sign and shout, “SLOW!” Children should continue their movements but slow down.
After a moment, hold up the “STOP” Sign and shout, “STOP!” Children should immediately stop and stand in place until the “GO” sign is held up. Continue playing, varying the time between signs and the order by going directly to STOP from GO or from SLOW to GO, etc.
Note: Children may change their movements at any time during the game.
Optional: Tell the children what movements to make each time, such as hop on one foot, pat your head, make arm circles, etc.
Optional: If you have an assistant or helper, play the “Self-Control” song on “GO,“ then stop the song on “STOP.”
Conclusion: Good job controlling yourselves! Controlling yourself means you are using self-control. Sometimes it is difficult to use self-control, especially when you are having fun. It can be difficult to slow down or stop when all you want to do is GO!
Let’s watch our video about four men who practiced self-control so they could resist temptation and do what they knew was right to please God.
Video Lesson
Daniel and Friends
In today’s video, Daniel and his friends are faced with a very big decision: to use self-control and keep God’s law or please the king of Babylon! Could it be possible to do both? Let’s watch the video to find out!
Play Video (Bible Story)
Bible Story
Teaching Time
- Crayon or marker
- Cardstock
- Sad Faces Image
- Test Results Page
- Test Calendar Page
- Unhealthy Servants Image
- Daniel and Friends with the King Image
- Toy crown or paper crown from Lesson 1
- Water bottle
- Toy or real carrot, celery stick, or another vegetable (bagged)
- Empty can of soda and a snack cake bag, candy bar wrapper, or potato chip bag
- Seven paper bags—lunch bag size
- Table
- Scissors
- Bible or Superbook Bible App
Make one copy of the Test Results Page in color or black and white on cardstock or a sheet of paper.
Make one copy of the Test Calendar Page in color or black and white on cardstock.
Make one copy of the Sad Faces Image.
Make one copy of the Unhealthy Servants Image.
Make one copy of the Daniel and Friends with the King Image.
Use scissors to cut out the two individual images of the Test Results Page.
Write one large number on each bag (1–7)
Place the item(s) in specific bags: #1-Sad Faces Image, #2-Crown, #3-Soda can and wrapper, #4-Water bottle and vegetable, #5-Calendar Page (folded to fit), #6-Unhealthy servants image, #7 Daniel and Friends with the King Image.
Place the bags with numbers visible in a line on the table.
Have the children sit in chairs or on the floor a few feet from the table.
Today you are going to help me tell the Bible story about Daniel and his friends.
Point to the bags. Each bag has something in it that will help us tell the story.
Ask for a volunteer to open the first bag. Have the child open the bag, remove the item, and hold it so everyone can see it. Ask the child to identify the object or open it up for the class to say what it is.
Have the volunteer hand you the item and sit down again. Then tell the story using the bullet points below. Continue this way until all seven bags have been opened and discussed to finish the story.
(Bag #1 Sad Faces)
● Who was sad at the beginning of our Bible story? Daniel and his three friends.
● What is the word for someone who is forced to live away from their home or country? Exiled.
● Daniel, his three friends, and many other Israelites were taken captive or became prisoners when their country was attacked by their enemy.
● What country attacked Jerusalem? Hint: if needed: the first part of the word sounds like the noise a sheep makes. Babylon.
(Bag #2 Crown)
● Who wore this crown in the Bible story? The king (of Babylon).
● What were the Israelite men brought to Babylon to do? Serve the king; be servants.
● For three years, the Israelite men were taught many important things, including how to serve the king. It was like going to school.
(Bag #3 Soda/Pop Can and Wrapper)
● This food and drink may taste good, but are they healthy or good for you? No.
● No, food and drinks like these are fun to eat and drink, but you have to resist the temptation to eat them all the time.
● What’s it called when we don’t give in to temptation and we do what we know is right? Self-control.
● They did not have soda pop and snacks like these in Bible times, but they did have unhealthy food and drinks that God’s law said they couldn’t eat and drink! Many of these foods and drinks were on the king’s table, and he commanded the Israelite men to eat and drink them.
(Bag #4 Water Bottle/Vegetable)
● Who wanted to eat vegetables and drink water instead of eating from the king’s table? Daniel and his three friends.
● This was a big, big problem! The king’s chief official was not happy that Daniel and his three friends refused to eat the king’s food! Why not? He would be in trouble if he let Daniel and his friends disobey the king!
(Bag #5 Calendar)
● Pick up the crayon or marker.
● Daniel told the king’s official about his plan for a test. Hold up the calendar so children can see the images. What food and drink would Daniel and his friends have during the test? Vegetables and water.
● The official thought about it for a while. Did he agree to Daniel’s test? Yes.
● Let’s count the number of vegetables and water bottles together to see how many days Daniel’s test lasted. Slowly point to each image and count one number (1–10) aloud. Make an X over each image with the marker after you count and before you move to the next image. Optional: Ask the children if they have tasted each vegetable and if they like it.
● Wow, you know your numbers really well! Daniel’s test lasted ten days.
(Bag #6 Unhealthy Servants)
● What did the servants in this picture eat for ten days? The king’s food.
● Do they look happy and well? No, they look tired and sick.
● The food they ate may have tasted delicious, but eating it for every meal wasn’t healthy for their bodies.
(Bag #7 Daniel/Friends with King)
● How do Daniel and his friends look? Alert/awake, happy, and healthy.
● How does the king look? Happy, proud.
● God blessed and rewarded Daniel and his friends for resisting temptation, obeying God, and doing what they knew was right!
Object to GO!
- Cake pan
- Optional: Cake pan Image (provided)
Hold up the cake pan. Lead a discussion with the comments and questions below:
● Do you know what this is? A (cake) pan.
● What would you bake in it? A cake.
● There are many kinds and flavors of cake. What is your favorite? Children respond.
● Raise your hand if you like to eat ice cream with your cake. Children respond.
● In today’s video, someone at Quantum Labs bakes an amazing cake—so amazing that the baker is tempted to eat all of it! Who do you think the cake baker is: Miss Tina, Gears, Gizmo, Rig, Widget, Protonatron, or Miss Wellington? Children guess.
Leave the question unanswered until it is revealed in the video.
Let’s watch the video to learn who the cake baker is that is having trouble using self-control!
Play Video (Pieces of Cake!)
Pieces of Cake!
● Hold up the cake pan. Who baked the cake in the video? Rig.
● What flavor was the cake? Chocolate.
● Did Rig make the cake just for himself to eat? No, to share with everyone.
● Where did Miss Tina want Rig to put the cake so he wouldn’t be tempted to eat it? In the fridge or refrigerator.
● Did Rig do what Miss Tina said? No.
● What happened the last time Rig ate too much cake? He got sludgy oil and froze up so he couldn’t move.
● Who had an idea for a new invention to lock up cakes so Rig wouldn’t be tempted to eat too much cake again? Gears.
Resisting temptation can be very difficult, especially when you can see it, smell it, touch it, and taste it! What can you do if you’re tempted to eat some cake that you’re not allowed to have? Put the cake away or walk away.
Sometimes the best thing we can do is to walk away! Doing this is not easy, but God has given us help! The Holy Spirit will help us to choose self-control when we pray and ask Him to!
Verse to GO!
- Superbook GizmoGO! "A Tale of Two Widgets" on DVD or in Superbook Academy
- Bible or Superbook Bible App
Proverbs 16:32 (NLT)
Play Video (Verse to Go)
Proverbs 16:32 (NLT)
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
We learned the first and second parts of this verse before. If this is your first time, no worries; we will learn both parts together today!
Stand facing the children and lead them in repeating the phrases and imitating the motions.
Better… Hold out both hands with thumbs up.
To be patient… Smile, take a deep breath, then exhale slowly.
Than powerful… Make a serious face and flex biceps.
Repeat slowly.
Now let’s practice the second part of the verse.
Better… Hold out both hands with thumbs up.
To have self-control… Point both thumbs to your chest (self), then clench your hands together and lower them in front of your waist while lowering your head (control).
Than to conquer a city… Raise clenched hands from in front of your waist to one side of your head and then to the other with a happy, proud face. Turn your head to face the opposite side of your hands each time (see image).
Raise your hand if you are ready to do both parts together! Children respond.
Better… Hold out both hands with thumbs up.
To be patient… Smile, take a deep breath, then exhale slowly.
Than powerful… Make a serious face and flex biceps.
Better… Both hands thumbs up.
To have self-control… Point both thumbs to your chest (self), then clench hands together and lower them in front of your waist while lowering your head (control).
Than to conquer a city… Raise clenched hands from in front of your waist to one side of your head and then to the other with a happy, proud face. Turn your head to face the opposite side of your hands each time (see image).
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 something goes wrong. 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 strive for self-control in their lives.
For example: Dear God, thank You for the Holy Spirit who lives inside us and gives us the strength to resist temptation so we can make good choices and obey You. 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
- Test Results Take-Home Coloring Page
- Crayons or washable markers
The Take-Home Coloring Page located in Resources can be printed and given to students to color at the end of class if time allows, then to take home.
Print one page for each child, plus extras.
Provide crayons or washable markers for children.
As children color, review today’s lesson using the discussion points below:
● Who is in this picture? Daniel, his friends, and the other (unhealthy) servants.
● After ten days, how did Daniel and his friends look compared to the other servants? Better; healthier.
● Who can we ask to help us to resist temptation and use self-control? God; the Holy Spirit; Jesus.
● What if we don’t use self-control and we do something that isn’t right—what should we do? Ask God /Jesus to forgive us.
● Will God always forgive us? Yes
OPTIONAL TRADING CARD:
Optional: Hand out GizmoGO! trading cards for SELF-CONTROL, 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! (Lesson 1 was G.E. WELLINGTON, Lesson 2 was DANIEL.)