Kids on a Mission: Portugal
Lesson 3
Time needed: 25-35 min
Age: 4-7 years old
Purpose: students will be able to
- Understand the importance of building relationships in light of sharing the love of Christ
- Recall basic facts about Portugal and the people there
- Pray for the people of Portugal
- Plan an activity to have friends over and build friendships
Materials:
- Passports
- Area set up with a rug
- The Great Commission verse
- Large piece of paper to record responses on (optional)
- Construction paper cut up into small squares for a mural
- Glue sticks
- Map/ globe
Helping Hints:
- Have students’ passports filled out ahead of time to make
- Have two areas set up, one for introduction of lesson, the other to serve as your Portugal. If time allows, you can decorate your Portugal with items for children to explore on a table or the floor. Items can include: pictures of the area, play boats, nets, fishing materials, interesting tiles, map with Portugal highlighted, fish snacks (gold fish), etc.
Review of Previous Lesson(s):
- China: Christians live in many places in the world, even those places where Christians may not be allowed, but God has made a way for them. Do you remember anything about the people of China and the underground church?
- The Great Commission: We’ve talked before about that special command called the Great Commission. Can anyone remember something that Jesus commanded us to do in the Great Commission?
- Make disciples
- Teach them
- Baptize them
- Do not be afraid, I’ll be with you
Lesson:
- Lesson begins by teacher asking her students to recall a time that they have gone fishing. “Raise your hands high in the air if you’ve ever gone fishing before.”
- “Great! Can you help me make a list of all the things you might bring to catch a lot of fish?” (Encourage students to name things that a person would need outside of physical objects, i.e.: patience, or the correct lures for the correct fish.)
Record student’s answers on a piece of paper or poster board or dry erase board where students can see. Help the students with the list if they are struggling: fishing pole, bait, water, boat, nets, weights, cooler to keep fish, you need to know what you’re fishing for, you need to have the right bait, and fish in the right spot, you need to know about fish, etc.
- “Wow! There is a lot needed to go out and have a good fishing trip. What do you think happens if you don’t do any of these things? Will you catch a lot of fish? Maybe, but probably not. “
- “Did you know that Jesus talks about fishing in the bible? He does! In the book of Matthew, while asking men to follow him, Jesus talks to them about fishing. Let’s read what he says,”
Jesus Calls the First Disciples
18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.
19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them.
22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.’
- “Jesus says to his disciples that he’ll make them fishers of men! What a funny thought to be a fisherman, but not to catch fish. Instead you fish for men!
- It takes skill to fish remember, you need to know what you’re trying to catch, have the right bait, fish in the right area, be patient, and so much more. A true fisherman is very good at catching fish because they’ve learned all about the fish they are to catch.
- So what does this mean for us? Does Jesus ask us to be fishers of men too? YES! If Jesus asks us to go and make disciples like we’ve read, then he’s asking us to go fish for men and teach them about Jesus! And to do that we have to learn how to be good fisherman!
- Today we’re going to learn about building friendships. Why? Because loving others and truly valuing them, and becoming their friend, is a wonderful way to share the Love of Jesus and make disciples!
- To help us learn to be better fishermen, we are going to travel to a beautiful country called Portugal. (Show students Portugal on a map)
- Okay let’s head off to our country, this week we have to sail our boat there! Are you ready? Help me paddle the boat!”
Pretend to paddle a boat to a special area where kids can sit.
- “Welcome to Portugal!
(If you have special items out that represent Portugal, allow students to explore the items and see if they can tell you a little about the country.)
- When students are settled, “Can I see your passports please? Excellent, well let’s begin by recording some basic information about this wonderful place! I’m going to read to you some information about Portugal, and when I’m done we’re going to look at the information in your to see if you can remember the answers from what I’ve read. Are you ready?”
Portugal is a beautiful place filled with lovely people. It is a small country on the edge of Spain that has almost 500 miles of beach. People say you can surf almost every day of the year! Since it’s on the ocean, you better believe the Portuguese eat fish. In fact, their favorite dish is dried salted fish with salt… almost like a fish beef jerky. A long time ago, Portugal was famous for its explorers. The Portuguese king was so interested in exploring the unknown world that he created a college just for explorers! One of the most famous explorers to attend this college was Christopher Columbus! Today the most popular thing to do is not explore however, but to play soccer. Soccer in Portugal is like Football in America. Everyone watches and gets excited about the games! But if soccer doesn’t interest you, don’t worry, Portugal has an incredible book store. In fact, they have the oldest bookstore in the world! It’s been open for almost 300 hundred years. And did you know that Portugal grows cork? That’s right, they grow cork trees for 25 years, and then harvest the cork from its tree trunk. They are the only country in the world to do that!
Although most of the people there would call themselves good, Christian people, missionaries have discovered that only about 1 person in every 100 has a relationship with God. Most people think God is distant and doesn’t care about them. Missionaries in Portugal work hard to build trusting friendships where they can share how much God is with them and does deeply care for their lives.
- “Okay, so were you listening? Let’s see if we can fill in the blanks in your passport!”
- Read the questions and help the kids answer the questions in their passport.
Most popular food: DRIED FISH WITH SALT
Favorite sport: SOCCER
Had the first school for: EXPLORERS
The oldest BOOKSTORE in the world is still open today in Portugal
Portugal’s largest exported crop is CORK
Only 1 out of every 100 Portuguese person has a relationship with God
Portugal has almost 500 miles of BEACH
Activity:
Tiling is an ancient and beloved art in Portugal. Artists traditionally use blue and white colors to create beautiful tiles and murals all over the city. Today, students will be making their own mural!
Print out some simple geometric designs from the websites provided
Give children the blue and white paper pieces and allow them to glue them on their geometric designs in interesting ways. When everyone has finished, arrange pictures on the wall to make a mural!
Conclusion:
Once everyone’s mural is finished, gather everyone back to the floor.
- “Wow, great with your tiles! Let’s take some time and think for a minute what we learned about Portugal. Can anyone remember anything about the missionaries?
- If I want to get to know someone, I usually will try to spend time with them doing things they want to do. What are some things we heard that missionaries might do to spend time with the people in Portugal? (Play soccer, visit the bookstore, swim or surf, eat a meal of fish jerky)
- Wow! The missionaries are being fishers of men! They are loving others and teaching them to follow Jesus!
- Could we do that to? Can you help me think of some things we could do in our neighborhood to get to know our neighbors better and serve them? (allow kids to respond)
- Wow, those are incredible ideas, let’s take time this week to invite some neighbors over and get to know them by playing and doing things they like to do! Let’s pray for that:
Dear Jesus, thank you so much for your love toward us. Thank you for never wanting us to remain the same, but to grow and become more like you. Help us to be fishers of men. To learn how to love others better so that we can share about Jesus’ love. God, even this week help us to have our unknown neighbors over to play and get to know. Thank you God for always loving me and showing me that you are with us wherever we go. In your Son’s name we pray, Amen.”
Home connection/ Extension:
- Football (soccer) is the most widely played sport in Portugal. This week, invite some friends over in your neighborhood to play soccer! Let the kids have a large part in planning. Go to different houses around the neighborhood and invite kids personally to come play. Have your child plan a snack and even a question he/she can ask each person who comes to get to know them better.
- Shooting hoops • Divide the class into 5 teams. 1 member from each team takes their go at a time. • The teacher calls 2 colors in Portuguese; the first corresponds to the color of a beanbag and the second to the color of the hoop. • 1 member from each team must run to the other end of the hall and select the correct color of beanbag and throw it in the correct hoop. • If they get it right they get 1 point for their team, but if they are wrong they lose a point.
- Stat bucks cup boat, explorers
7 Days of Prayer
Day 1: That the missionaries in Portugal would see more people trusting in Jesus
Day 2: For the Portuguese that their hearts would be open to the Gospel
Day 3: That God would make me in to a fisher of men
Day 4: That I would seek to build friendships with people I wouldn’t normally play with
Day 5: That God would encourage the believers in Portugal
Day 6: For God to send more missionaries to Portugal
Day 7: For God to open my eyes to people around me who I can love and serve
Photo credits: Here, here, here, here, here
