Leader Guide
Object to Go
- Sponge or Sponge Image (provided)
- Optional: Table, bowl of water, and a towel for spills
Hold up the sponge or image and lead a discussion with the comments and questions below:
● Who knows what this is? A sponge
● What is a sponge used to do? To clean things
● If you have used a sponge, what did you use it for? Children respond.
● A sponge can soak up or absorb something that has spilled.
● Optional: Place the sponge in the bowl so it absorbs some water and then squeeze it out
● You can use a sponge with soap and water to clean things in the home, or a car or bike.
● In the video, Widget uses a sponge to clean something. What do you think she uses a sponge to clean; is it a dish, a floor, her tablet screen, or a window? Children respond.
● Let’s watch the video to see what he cleaned.
Leave the question unanswered until it is revealed in the video.
Today we are going to visit Widget in her bedroom loft. She is having trouble cleaning something and it looks like she may even lose her self-control!
Play Video (A Smudge Ugly)
A Smudge Ugly
Hold up the Object to Go! sponge or image. What was Widget trying to clean with a sponge? A window.
● Was Widget able to clean her window? No.
● What invention by Gears did Widget use when two sponges didn’t work? The Jack-Sponge.
● What happened when Widget didn’t use self-control and lost her temper? She threw down the Jack-Sponge.
● Who was hit by the Jack-Sponge when Widget got mad? Gizmo.
● How long did Gears say it took him to invent the Jack-Sponge? Five minutes.
● Gizmo said that self-control is very important, especially when controlling what? Our emotions. Emotions are what we feel on the inside, like being happy, sad, disappointed, afraid, frustrated, angry, or excited. What emotion or feeling didn’t Widget control? Anger.
● What did Widget tell herself to do to control her emotions? Slow down and take a breath.
● Why couldn’t Widget clean her window with all the different sponges? The dirt or smudge was on the outside of the window.
Conclusion: How you show emotions or feelings is difficult to control sometimes, especially anger. One thing you can do is to slow down, take a breath, and ask for God’s help. When you lose self-control, feelings on the inside, like anger, can quickly be seen or felt.