Leader Guide

Leader Introduction

Welcome students as they arrive with their parents.
OPTIONAL: As they arrive, play the song “Friendship.”

Today’s Bible story reinforces and expands the previous lessons about David and Jonathan. An important part of friendship is supporting one another in good times and in difficult times. Jonathan and David’s friendship endured King Saul’s anger and jealousy and remained strong even when David had to flee for his life.

In the Quantum Lab’s kitchen, Rig sees Gizmo’s excitement about creating the world’s greatest taco turn to heartbreak when the recipe is lost. Will Rig be a good friend and support Gizmo during this difficult time or will someone else do it?

*Scripture is quoted from the New Living Translation except as noted.

Optional Opening Game

Raise your hand if you have ever seen a bow and arrow. Children respond.

Jonathan was in King Saul’s army, so he was very good at shooting arrows with his bow. When King Saul was angry with David, Jonathan came up with a plan to warn his best friend David by shooting some arrows. Jonathan told David to hide by a big rock, and Jonathan shot three arrows with his bow toward the rock, pretending to practice with his bow. Then Jonathan told his servant to run and get the arrows and bring them back to him. If Jonathan shouted to the servant to go farther to find the arrows, that was a secret signal to David that he must leave right away because King Saul was searching for him. (1 Samuel 20:19-23;35-42)

Point to the box. For our game, this box is the rock that David hid beside.

Hold up an arrow tube. In this game, you won’t use a bow to shoot the arrow, you will throw arrows at the rock. You will toss three arrows on your turn to try to hit the rock. You will score one point each time you do.

For each arrow that falls inside the box, you get two points! Note: Arrows will go farther if tossed underhand.

A different player will be Jonathan’s servant. The servant will pick up the arrows and bring them back to the line, then take a turn to throw them.

The first player steps to the line and tosses three arrows, one at a time toward the rock. When all three arrows have been thrown, the next person in line becomes the servant and retrieves the arrows and then takes a turn to toss the arrows. Keep a running count of total points scored for all players.

Repeat until all players have tossed the arrows. Announce the total score of all the players combined.

Play another round if time permits and try to beat the previous score.

Conclusion: Jonathan and David were best friends and found ways to help and protect each other in good times and in difficult and sad times.

Object to Go

Hold up the taco shell or the image. Lead a discussion with the comments and questions below:

● Do you know what this is? A taco shell.

● What do you like to put inside a taco shell to eat? Cheese, lettuce, ground beef, fish, chicken, tomato, onion, sour cream, hot sauce, etc.

● What kind of sound does a taco shell make when you bite it? Crunch!

● What do you need to do with your head when you bite into a taco? Tilt it sideways.

● In the next video, a robot is sad and begins to cry. Why do you think the robot is crying? Onions can make you cry, an ingredient is missing, the taco shells are broken, the recipe for tacos is lost.

● Let’s watch the video to see who guessed correctly and why someone is crying!

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

Play Video (Taco-Strophe)

Taco-Strophe

After the video, ask the following discussion questions:

● Who was making tacos? Gizmo.

● What made Gizmo so sad that he cried? The computer didn’t save the recipe and it was lost.

● Who did Rig want to help Gizmo? Miss Tina.

● How was Rig a good friend to Gizmo when he couldn’t find Miss Tina? He asked Gizmo if it would help to talk about the recipe with him. He listened to Gizmo and cared about his sad feelings.

● Rig said it’s important to love your friends even when they feel what? Sad.

● Have you ever been disappointed or sad and a friend helped cheer you up? Children respond.

● What was Rig’s idea that changed Gizmo from being sad to happy? To make a new taco recipe together.

It’s fun to be with friends who are happy, but it can be difficult and uncomfortable when they are disappointed and sad. That’s why Rig looked for Miss Tina, because he didn’t know what to do. But Rig found out that sometimes the best way to help is to just be there for someone and listen. Friends may not always know what to do, but there is a friend who loves you, who will never leave you, and who always knows what is best for you. Do you know His name? JESUS!

Video Lesson

Jonathan & David

In today’s video, Jonathan and David work together to save David’s life. Let’s watch the video to find out what happened.

Play Video (Bible story)

Bible Story

Teaching Time

Note: you may substitute a higher ply yarn and adjust the presentation accordingly.

Cut a one-foot length of yarn. Gently and slowly separate or untwist the yarn into three separate strands. Don’t pull hard on a strand; go back and forth between the three strands to loosen.

For the remaining two-foot piece of yarn, carefully untwist one end of the yarn only about three inches back from the end so the three individual strands are visible.

In the Bible story, why didn’t King Saul want David to be king? Because his son Jonathan should have been king.

King Saul was angry and jealous of David because everyone cheered and celebrated each time when David came home from defeating the enemies of God’s people.

Even though King Saul did not want David to be king, Jonathan was not jealous of David. He chose to be a good friend and help David because he knew God had chosen David to be the next king.

David was very thankful to Jonathan for helping to keep him safe. So after Jonathan died, David took care of Jonathan’s family. The two men show us what true friendship looks like.

The Bible tells us about how good it is to have a friend. Two people can help and protect each other. Just like Jonathan and David did. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-11)

The Bible also says: “Three (people) are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NLT) Another Bible version (CEV) puts it this way: “A cord of three strands is not easily broken.”

Hold up the two-foot long piece of yarn. Let’s say this is a triple-braided cord like in the Bible verse.

Do you know how many a triple is? Three.

Hold up the separated end. Do you see the three parts of the cord? Children respond.

Hold up 1 of the strands from the one-foot length of yarn that was previously separated. This is one part of a triple braided cord. Raise your hand if you think you can break this. Children respond.

Choose two volunteers to hold each end and pull the strand until it breaks. It will break easily.

Wow, that one by itself wasn’t very strong! Repeat for the other two strands with more volunteers.

All of you must be really strong! Each piece of the cord broke easily!

Hold up the two-foot length of yarn. Do you remember what the Bible verse said about a triple-braided cord—a cord with three strands? It isn’t easily broken.

Let’s try it! Grip the cord of yarn at each end, making sure you grip the yarn in front of the separated strands at that end.

Help me count to three and then I will pull as hard as I can. One, two, three!

Pull on the yarn, make exaggerated funny expressions as you pull. The yarn should not break.

Optional: after you have pulled the cord, choose pairs of children to try.

Wow, everything the Bible says is true! A triple braided cord is so strong it cannot be broken!

Hold up one strand of the separated end of the yarn. This piece is like someone who is alone.

Place another strand next to the first strand. This piece is like a friend. Two are better than one. Together they are stronger and can help one another.

Place the last strand by the other two strands. This piece can be Jesus. The Bible says that Jesus is our friend. He is the best friend we can have and He will never leave us.

God was part of David and Jonathan’s friendship. It was so strong it couldn’t be broken.

Pull on the cord of yarn. When Jesus is part of a friendship, it can’t be broken!

Verse to GO!

Ecclesiastes 4:9 (NLT)

To succeed means to reach a goal or to accomplish or finish something you planned to do.

Let’s learn this verse together with some actions.

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

Two people…. hold up the index finger on both hands.

Are better off than one,… hold up only one index finger, put the other hand down.

For they can help… hold up the other hand again and place both index fingers together.

Each other succeed…. Make a happy face and move both fingers forward together.

Repeat slowly a few more times.

David was better off with his friend Jonathan! David could not have escaped King Saul by himself. Jonathan loved David and risked his own life to help David.

Gizmo needed his good friend Rig to listen to him when he was sad about losing the taco recipe.

Good friends find a way to help each other even when it isn’t easy.

Jesus is your friend at all times and forever. It doesn’t matter if you are happy, sad, disappointed or scared; you can always trust that He will help you even when no one else is can.

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 in a simple prayer to encourage the children to help each other in difficult times. honest.

For example: Dear God, help us to be a good friend to others in good times and in bad times. Thank You for being our best friend who loves us and will never leave us. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Music Time

Friendship

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 “Friendship” under Resources.

Play the video song “Friendship” to your students.

Encourage the children to dance and move to the music. Optional: lead children in saying and doing actions to specific parts of the song below:

Verse 1

Line three: hold fingers up and shout “one, two, three!”

Line four: hug self when at “friendly hug.”

Line four: cover your eyes at “and hide-and-go seek!”

Verse 2

Line two: point to sky and shout “firmament!”

Line three: hold arms up and make big muscles at “stronger than cement.”

Chorus 1

Line three: sing “oh, oh, oh, oh” (x3)

Verse 3

Line two: shout “your very self”

Chorus 2

Line 4: sing Love, love, love, God’s love. Love, love, love, God’s love.

Verse 4

Line two and Line four: hold palms together at “prayer.”

Obey

Singing Activity

Singing Activity

Lead the children in singing the song “Be Nice to Your Friends.” Additional instructions are located in Lesson 1.

Take-Home Coloring Page

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

● Can you name one of the taco ingredients in the picture? Cheese, lettuce, meat, tomato, onion, sour cream, hot sauce, shells.

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

● How was Rig a good friend? He talked with Widget and listened to her when she was sad. He tried to cheer her up. He offered to make a new recipe together.

It is important to be a good friend in happy times but even more when someone is sad. In those times you can show God’s love by listening and encouraging someone.

Game

Game

Play the Optional Opening Game “Target Practice” at the beginning of this lesson.

Play the game “Who Am I?” from Lesson 1. 

Play the game “It Takes Two” from Lesson 2. 

Play the game “Hitting It Off” from Lesson 3. 

Play the game “Two are Better” from Lesson 4.