In the Verse Kit box:
Review:
Lesson:
James 3:4,5 are on the verse card, and we read through both verses to give the context, but we only memorized verse 5. I asked if they had ever been on a boat/canoe, but most hadn’t, so that illustration didn’t pan out. Some had watched shows (the Titanic came up) and the kit has a rudder, so they were able to connect some dots.
I emphasized how small the rudder is compared to the rest of the ship, and then I asked them to stick out their tongue (I did too!). We talked about how small our tongue is compared to our body. Then we discussed how just like a rudder controls the direction that the ship goes, our tongue sends us down different paths too: if you are constantly bragging about yourself, your tongue sends you down one way, whereas if you are encouraging others and lifting them up, your tongue directs you down a different route.
I was surprised to discover that most of the kids did not know what BOAST means (to brag; be proud of yourself).
Ask if the book of James (where our verse is from) is in the Old Testament or New (New). Then, depending on how well they know those books now, ask if they can tell you the book just before James and the one right after it.
Kit:
Bible Literacy:
Have your student look up James 3:5 in their Bible, preferably without looking at the Table of Contents. Read and highlight it.