Leader Guide
| Site: | Superbook Academy |
| Course: | Kindness is No Joke - A Lesson in Kindness |
| Book: | Leader Guide |
| Printed by: | Guest user |
| Date: | Saturday, April 12, 2025, 8:18 PM |
Leader Introduction
Welcome students as they arrive with their parents.
OPTIONAL: As they arrive, play the song "Kind and Sweet.”
Today’s Bible story reinforces and expands on the previous two lessons about showing kindness. Miss Tina shares about a man who was paralyzed. He had four kind friends who were determined to bring him to Jesus. The man not only was healed but also received something far more important!
Back at the Gizmo Cave, the alarm sounds, and the bot superheroes spring into action. Professor Spectrum is at it again! His evil Meanie Ray has targeted peaceful Valley View and everyone is being mean! Is there anything Super-Gizmo, Rocket Rig, Wonder Widget, and Mighty Gear-O can do to stop this?
Children will learn the importance of showing kindness to others as Jesus shows kindness to us every day!
*Scripture is quoted from the New Living Translation except as noted.
Optional Opening Game
- Old-style wood slotted clothespins—one or more per child (or substitute jumbo craft sticks)
- Small box
- Utility knife
- Index card
- Tape
- Fine-tip marker
- Marker or crayon
- Ruler
On the top/middle of the box, carefully cut a square about 2.5” to 3”.
Draw a door and window on one box side and color them in with the marker or crayon.
Place a strip of tape on both sides of the index card—tape it loosely to one end or back of the house to save for later use.
Through the Roof
Note: If time is short, skip this activity or save it for the end of class.
In today’s Bible story, a man is lowered from the roof to a room below where Jesus is teaching. We will find out more about that later! In this game, you will try to drop the man (hold up a clothespin) into the opening of the roof. Do you think you can do it?
Line up children and give them a clothespin at their turn.
Each child steps up to the house and stands in front or over the top of it. Standing up straight, the child holds the clothespin up at a minimum waist high and drops it into the “roof” opening. Empty the box and give the children additional turns.
Option 1: For an added challenge, make the “roof” opening smaller by placing the index card over it and taping it loosely in place. The card can be adjusted as desired to add to the challenge, especially for older children.
Option 2: Move the box a few feet away from the children and have them take turns tossing the clothespins into the “roof” opening.
Good job for kindly helping the man to get into the house! There are many ways we can help people and show them kindness.
Object to GO!
- Canned goods
- Optional: Canned Goods Image (provided)
Object to GO!
We CAN be kind!
Discuss the canned goods or image using the questions and comments below. Adjust the dialogue accordingly if using the image.
● Hold up the canned good(s) or image. What is in the can(s)? Food, fruit, vegetables.
● What is your favorite food in a can? Children respond.
● Canned food is especially good because it stays fresh for a long time and doesn’t need to be in the refrigerator. And you can carry it someplace without it spilling!
One of the bots has a big box of canned food. Let’s watch our video to see what he does with it.
Play Video: Story Time with Gizmo (Meanie Ray)
Meanie Ray
Optional Discussion:
● Where were the bot superheroes when the alarm sounded? In the Gizmo Cave.
● What is Professor Spectrum’s new invention, and what does it do? Meanie Ray; it causes people to be mean to each other.
● Instead of being mean, how should we treat people? With kindness.
● What did Gears create to track the kindness spreading throughout the city? A Kindness Meter.
● How did Gears turn off the Meanie Ray so it didn’t work? He unplugged it.
● What did Gizmo do with the box of canned food? He gave it to others who didn’t have food to eat.
● What was the final act of kindness the bots did to stop the meanness from spreading? They forgave Professor Spectrum.
● What did God do for us so we could show kindness to others? He forgave us.
Miss Tina said that we can build people up and make them feel good by being kind. Or, we can use unkind actions and words to tear people down so they feel unhappy or sad. Let’s always choose to be kind and build people up, not tear them down! Remember: God forgave us, so we’re able to give kindness to everybody!
Video Lesson
Play the Bible Story Theme Song and Bible Story.
Optional: Sing along and do the motions with Miss Tina for the Bible Story Theme Song.
Bible Story Theme Song
“Have you heard the Word? Truth’s in the Word—oh!”
“Have you heard the Word? Truth’s in the Word—let’s go!”
In today’s Bible story, we will see how Jesus performs two miracles to show kindness and love to a man who could not walk.
Bible Story
Teaching Time
- Bible Story Pages (2)
- Shoebox (bottom)
- Craft sticks—five jumbo size or ten regular size
- Two sheets of paper or cardstock
- Utility knife
- Ruler
- Two 24-inch lengths of string or yard
- Scissors
- Tape
- Marker
- Hole punch
- Table
- Bible or Superbook Bible App
With scissors, trim about ¼ inch around all sides of the cut-out square (mat).
Use the hole punch to make a hole near each corner of the cardboard square.
Feed one string through both holes at each end and tape the string in place on the bottom of the square. Place a circle of tape in the middle top of the square.
Make one copy each of the two Bible Story Pages in color or black and white.
Cut out the sixteen numbered character squares.
Roll each character into a tube (image out) and tape closed.
Place the “house” with the open side toward the children. Place the craft sticks across the roof opening to close it.
Jesus Heals and Forgives a Paralyzed Man
Text: Luke 5:17–26; Mark 2:1–12
Slowly tell the Bible story as outlined below. Move tubes (T) as indicated.
● (T#1—in house) One day, Jesus was teaching about God in a house in Capernaum.
● (T#7–12—as you speak) As Jesus taught, a crowd gathered outside the house. It grew bigger and bigger and bigger until no one could go into the house or see Jesus!
● (T#4–6—in house) Some religious leaders called Pharisees were there. They did NOT like Jesus and were jealous of Him!
● (T#2—to the side of the crowd) There was a man who couldn’t walk. He lay on a mat and couldn’t move!
● (T#13–16—place beside T#2.) Thankfully, the man was blessed with four kind friends.
● The friends believed that Jesus could heal the man so he could walk.
● (T#13–16, T#2—pick up two strings on one side of the mat with thumb and index finger. Put the middle and ring finger each through a “friend” tube. Repeat with the other hand and two other “friend” tubes and strings. Rest all pieces behind the crowd, but hold onto them.) The four friends carried the man on his mat to see Jesus.
● Uh oh—the crowd was so big that they couldn’t go into the house to see Jesus!
● Then they had an idea! At the side of the house was a stairway. They could climb to the roof and lower the man down to see Jesus!
● (T#13–16, T#2) They climbed the stairs, higher and higher, until finally, the four friends and the mat were on top of the roof! But they STILL couldn’t see Jesus!
● They had another idea! Piece by piece, the four men removed pieces of the roof. (Slowly remove each craft stick to reveal the roof opening.)
● (T#13–14—look into the house.) Then, the men looked down into the house.
● “There He is! It’s Jesus!” the friends said.
● (T#13–16) The four men carefully lowered the man on his mat to Jesus!
● (T#1 moves to T#2.) Jesus saw the friends’ kindness and faith. He looked at the man on his mat and said, “Your sins are forgiven!”
● (T#4–6—move tubes up and down as you speak.) The Pharisees couldn’t believe what they heard! “Only God can forgive sins! Who does Jesus think He is?!!!!"
● (T#1—looks to Pharisees.) Jesus knew what the Pharisees were thinking. He said, “Is it easier to say your sins are forgiven or stand up and walk?”
● (T#1 looks at T#2; replace T#2 with T#3.) Jesus told the man who couldn’t walk, “Stand up, take your mat, go home!”
● (T#2—move off mat and then jump for joy, walk away with mat beside crowd.) The man jumped up, took his mat, and praised God as he walked away.
● (T#9–12—jump for joy.) The crowd celebrated the miracles that Jesus did that day!
● (T#13–16—jump for joy on the roof.) The man’s friends were so happy! They began to praise God, too!
Can you name the two miracles that Jesus did in the Bible story? He forgave the man’s sins; He healed the man’s legs so he could walk.
Jesus’ miracles began with four friends who were tenderhearted and showed kindness to the man. When we show kindness to people around us, we help them feel better, and God is pleased with us!
Verse to GO!
- Superbook GizmoGO! "A Lesson in Kindness" on DVD or in Superbook Academy
- Superbook Academy video #? (Play Video @ 11:10 – 11:24)
- Bible or Superbook Bible App
Ephesians 4:32 (NLT)
Optional: Show the memory verse video. Children will review the entire verse that was learned in the previous two lessons.
Play Video (Verse to Go)
Ephesians 4:32 (NLT)
Verse to Go
Today’s Bible memory verse is Ephesians 4:32. Say the memory verse slowly.
“Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”
Let’s say the Bible verse we learned before. If you weren’t here, we will say it together, and you can learn the motions too!
Stand facing the children and lead them to repeat phrases and imitate the motions.
Be kind to each other… Slowly raise both arms from your side and extend them in front of you, palms up.
Tenderhearted… Smile and gently pat your heart with both hands.
Repeat slowly a few more times.
Just as Christ… Raise both arms and point upward.
Has forgiven you… Bring both arms down and point inward to your heart.
Repeat a few more times.
Remember, our God forgave us, so we’re able to give kindness to everybody!
Optional: Make sure the children understand that tenderhearted means to care about other people’s feelings and to show them kindness.
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.
Play Video (Verse to Go)
Ephesians 4:32 (NLT)
Verse to Go
“Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”
Let’s say the Bible verse we learned before. If you weren’t here, we will say it together, and you can learn the motions too!
Stand facing the children and lead them to repeat phrases and imitate the motions.
Be kind to each other… Slowly raise both arms from your side and extend them in front of you, palms up.
Tenderhearted… Smile and gently pat your heart with both hands.
Repeat slowly a few more times.
Just as Christ… Raise both arms and point upward.
Has forgiven you… Bring both arms down and point inward to your heart.
Repeat a few more times.
Remember, our God forgave us, so we’re able to give kindness to everybody!
Optional: Make sure the children understand that tenderhearted means to care about other people’s feelings and to show them kindness.
Prayer Time
Close the lesson with a simple prayer to encourage the children to choose to be kind.
For example: Dear Jesus, thank You for all the kindness You show to us. Help us to be kind to others in all we say and do. In Your name, we pray, amen.
Music Time
Kind and Sweet
The lyrics for this song are found in Resources.
Play the Boomie time to celebrate the introduction and shout “Yo Boomie” at the appropriate times.
Play the video song “Kind and Sweet.” Encourage children to sing the words and imitate the motions with Miss Tina and the Quantum Lab robots.
Kind and Sweet
Suggestion: at the end of the second chorus, shout “Be Kind” with the children after Gizmo and Miss Tina’s three statements:
Gizmo: When you are hanging on a vine—Be kind!
Gizmo: When you are tied up in a bind—Be kind!
Gizmo: When you are feeling kind of tired because so many things are on your mind—Be kind!
Repeat in the same way with Miss Tina.
Singing Activity
Wrap-Up and Piano Song (Kind and Sweet—Play Video @ 23:22 – 25:14)
Optional Discussion Questions
● Besides speaking kind words, how can we show kindness? Do kind things for others.
● What are some other ways we can show kindness? Pray for someone, forgive, share a toy, give a gift, compliment someone (say something nice about them).
● What is the kindest thing we can do? Tell people about Jesus.
Take-Home Coloring Page
- Kindness in Action Take-Home Page
- Crayons or washable markers
- Optional: GizmoGO! Kindness trading cards, available under Products—one for each child
As children color, review today’s lesson using the discussion points below:
● How did Gizmo show kindness? He gave canned food to those who needed it.
● How did Widget show kindness? She told a lady that she liked her outfit.
● How was Rig kind to someone? He helped an old man safely cross the street.
● Can you name other ways to show kindness? Children respond.
● Why should we be kind to everyone? Jesus forgives us and shows us kindness so we can do the same to others.
OPTIONAL TAKE-HOME TRADING CARD:
Optional: Hand out a GizmoGO! Boomie Character Card to each child. These are available for purchase under Products.
Wrap up and Piano Song
Wrap up and Piano Song
Play Kind and Sweet:
Kind and Sweet
Optional: Discussion Questions:
● Besides speaking kind words, how can we show kindness? Do kind things for others.
● What are some other ways we can show kindness? Pray for someone, forgive, share a toy, give a gift, compliment someone (say something nice about them).
● What is the kindest thing we can do? Tell people about Jesus.
Game
Optional Games
Play the Optional Opening Game “Through the Roof” at the beginning of this lesson.
Play the game “Build Up or Tear Down” from Lesson 1.
Play the game “Unmatched Kindness” from Lesson 2.