Day 1
Stand for God!
Bible passages
Genesis 1–3; Genesis 6:5–9
Lesson Focus
Just like Noah, we can rely on God to help us stand for Him.
Lifeline Verse
Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13
Animal Pal Fun Phrase
Hydro the Whale reminds us there’s a whale of a problem. 
Apologetics focus
Before the Flood:
Wow! Were people really that smart back then?
Today’s Exploration Stations
Discovery Center: Option 1: Aquarium/Fish Bowl or Option 2: Leaf/Flower Rubbings
Touch Table: Perfect World
Dramatic Play: Bible Time Construction Zone
Coloring Corner: 1 Corinthians 16:13
Today’s Lesson at a Glance
Introduce It!
Welcome to the Ocean
Teach It!
Part 1: Eyewitness News Report
Part 2: Puppet Pal—Standing for God
Apply It!
Part 1: Lifeline Verse
Part 2: Go and Do
Optional Song 1: “Stand!”

Optional Activity: Play Acting ReviewPreparing for the Lesson 
Read Genesis 1–3 and Genesis 6 several times. 
Read this lesson several times and prepare the materials. For more information on Noah and the pre-Flood world, visit answersvbs.com/ocfaq.
Pray.
Lesson Materials
From Teacher Resource kit
Theme verse poster
Day 1 memory verse poster
Day 1 Fun Phrase poster
Exploration Station Names posters
News report posters 1–4
Optional: Bonus memory verse posters 1–2
From Resource dvD-ROM
Day 1 memory verse coloring sheet (Expl. Station)
News report script
N-O-A-H letters
2 copies of today’s puppet script
Other Materials
Exploration Station supplies (see back cover)
Bible or children’s Bible
Costumes for dive instructors (teachers)
News anchor jacket/umbrella/play microphone
Beach bag
Large cardboard box or tri-fold board for TV (see Decorating Decisions)
Optional: Two people puppets (different from one used in Puppet Pal script)
Boy or girl puppet (in costume) and puppet stage
Clipboard
Mounting putty or tape
Apply It! section supplies
Memory Verse Music CD and player
Optional: Props for Play Acting Review
Student extras
Student guides (11-4-073, 11-4-134), 1 per child
Dive Logs (11-4-090, 11-4-138), 1 per child
Stamp for Dive Logs 11-4-093)
Hydro bookmarks (11-4-078, 11-4-140), 1 per child
Ark on Water bookmarks (11-4-077), 1 per child 
Exploration Stations
Discovery Center: Aquarium/Fish Bowl or Leaf/Flower Rubbings
Materials
Option 1: Aquarium/Fish Bowl—Bring in live fish, turtles, hermit crabs, frogs, or other animals whose natural habitat is in or near the ocean—in an aquarium, fish bowl, or other appropriate container.
Option 2: Leaf/Flower Rubbings—Bring in a variety of leaves and flowers, plus copy paper and crayons.
Pre-prep
If you are able to bring in one or more live animals, get those together. If not, gather the supplies for the leaf/flower rubbings and cut the copy paper in half.  Take the paper off some crayons so they can be used sideways. 
Optional: Depending on what you are bringing in, check online and see if you can find some cool design features God created in those particular plants and animals. Check answersingenesis.org for starters!
Directions
For Option 1: Show the children the live animals and talk about how God created them. Supervise carefully!
For Option 2: Have the kids put the copy paper over their leaf or flower and gently rub the crayon on the copy paper.  
Teaching Tie-In
For either option, talk about the beautiful world God made at the beginning of time and how it had amazing plants and animals. Highlight some of the creatures or plants you are using and share special design features God gave them.
Touch Table: Perfect World
Materials
Under-the-bed storage container, small wading pool, or “official” touch table
Tarp or plastic tablecloth
Plastic play fish and other plastic ocean animals and plants
Pre-prep
Tarp the floor under the touch table. This will be used all week.
Directions
Divers play with the ocean animals and plants.
Teaching Tie-In
At the very beginning of time, God made all kinds of animals and plants and the first two people, and everything was good. There was nothing bad in the world at all!
Dramatic Play: Bible Time Construction Zone
Materials
Bible Time Construction Zone backdrop (see Decorating Decisions)
Bible time costumes (simple tunics and/or headdresses)
Play tools and play construction supplies (play hammers, saws, toolbelts, etc.)
Wooden blocks, boxes, play bricks or boards (strips of corrugated cardboard), or interlocking blocks
Pre-prep
Put up the Bible time construction zone backdrop. This will be used all week. Gather the costumes, which will also be used all week. Gather the suggested props, which can be borrowed, made, or bought from thrift stores, garage sales, or online companies like Oriental Trading Company or Rhode Island Novelties.
Directions
Pretend to be building a city during Bible times.
Teaching Tie-In
Did you know the first people, Adam and Eve, were very, very smart? Sometimes people picture the first people as apelike creatures; but really, back in the early times on earth, people were people, not apes, and they were building cities and making musical instruments and other “smart” things, according to the Bible. Genesis 4:17 says this about Adam’s son Cain: “And he built a city.” That takes lots of smarts to build a city! Let’s pretend we’re builders during Bible times and try to build something ourselves right now!Coloring Corner: 1 Corinthians 16:13
Materials
Under-the-sea supplies (see Decorating Decisions)
Day 1 memory verse coloring sheet (Resource DVD-ROM)
Markers or crayons
Optional for marker and crayon storage: Sand pail
Optional: Additional supplies to glue on, glue sticks, and stickers
Pre-prep
Photocopy the coloring sheet, 1 per child. Make or gather the decorating supplies and set them up. These will be used all week. Gather additional supplies to glue on.
Directions
Color the sheet. Add additional supplies if desired.
Teaching Tie-In
Practice saying the memory verse on the sheet. Discuss its meaning.
Additional Exploration Station Ideas
Animal Puppets—Because we’re talking about Noah’s Ark, animal puppets are a great center idea, so have a small puppet stage and animal puppets for the kids to play with.
Dive into Books—Make a cozy reading spot using a baby pool or blow-up raft that has beach towels lining the bottom of it. Add books about the wonderful animals God made or about Noah and the Ark. Make sure they have accurate accounts and pictures of the Ark. Children’s picture Bibles are a perfect addition.
Carpentry Center—As a supplement to your Bible Time Construction Zone, have a carpenter or handyman come in one day to talk about construction/building.
Animal Antics—Set up an area with Noah’s Ark animals for free play, along with Noah’s Ark animal puzzles and animal-themed toys. Check the Answers bookstore for possibilities.
Live Animals—Consider having a live animal or animals either inside or out for the kids to look at one or more days.
Scuba Time—Since part of the exploration station room is “land” (where the dramatic play construction zone is) and part is “sea,” the kids may enjoy “swimming” from one area to the other. Make fun scuba costumes for them to wear. Scuba tanks can be made from empty two-liter bottles. Duct tape two together and add some heavy yarn or cording so they can put them on like a backpack. (See craft guide for an example.) Snorkel masks can be made using the snorkel mask pattern (Resource DVD-ROM), or buy some at the dollar store. Make flippers from shoeboxes or buy some at the dollar store.
Introduce It!
Welcome to the Ocean Hi everyone, and welcome to the ocean! Raise your hand quietly if you’ve ever been to the ocean before. Well, this week we’re going to have a blast as we dive into God’s Word and talk about a time when the ocean was in great commotion, but before we get to that, let me introduce myself. I’m _____ 
And I’m _____ You know, there are lots of animals at the ocean, so let’s take a minute to pretend to swim like some ocean animals. 
Good job, divers! God is the one who thought up and made all those  ocean animals back at the beginning of time, including the blue whale, like this one here.  His name is Hydro, and he reminds us that there was a great big whale of a problem that happened not long after God created the beautiful, perfect world. Let’s tune in to this little newscast to hear more about it.
Teach It!
Part 1: Eyewitness News Report You need two people for Part 1—either two teachers or, if teaching alone, a teacher and a dive club leader or older child/teen you ask to help out. One of you will be Teacher One, and one will be Teacher Two. Teacher Two will be behind a makeshift TV. Teacher Two needs the script and a couple props as listed in the supply list, or Teacher Two can use puppets to be the people mentioned in Teacher Two’s part. If using puppets for the parts, you’ll need two different people puppets. (Only one puppet is up at a time, so Teacher Two can work both puppets.)Let’s hear more about the beginning of time from the greatest book ever. Do you know what book that is? It’s God’s Word, the Bible! I love God’s Word! It’s not like any other book. Every word is true.
Now let me open to the beginning of the Bible. Have you heard about the beautiful world God created at the beginning of time?
Pull out Poster 1: Beautiful World
The world back then looked quite a bit different than it does today. Let’s go to a live newscast from Eyewitness News Channel 7 to hear more about it.
Welcome to Eyewitness News. I’m Stan the Man reporting We’re back in time about 6,000 years ago in a place called the Garden of Eden. It’s a beautiful place, sort of like a tropical island, or a rainforest. Let’s check in with Sunny Smith in the ForeWarned Weather Center to see what the weather’s like. Sunny? 
Thank you, _____. Well, this IS a beautiful place, and the weather is beautiful, too. The weather  in this long ago world seems to be quite nice. In fact, I don’t think I even need this umbrella. 
 Okay. Well, as I was saying, and as Eyewitness News reported, the early world was a beautiful place. In fact, it was a perfect paradise, made by God, with nothing bad in it. But something happened in this early world that was NOT so beautiful. The evil Satan, in the form of a serpent, came into the perfect, beautiful world and messed it up. He tempted the first two people, Adam and Eve, to eat fruit that God told them not to eat—and they ate it.
Pull out Poster 2: Broken World
 When Adam ate the fruit God said not to eat, he was not obeying God. That means he did not do what God asked him to do. Not obeying God is called sin, and sin is a big problem. It was a big problem for Adam and it’s a big problem for us. In fact, every person after that was born sinful. That includes you and me! God says the punishment for sinning, or not obeying Him, is separation from Him. That’s not good! And besides that, when sin entered the world, that’s when bad things like sickness and hurt began. 
After the Garden of Eden, the world continued on its way. Adam and Eve had many children, and their children had many children, and their children had many children, and the earth began to fill up with people. 
Pull out Poster 3: Intelligent Pre-Flood World
The people were very smart, and they were busy building cities, making music, and making things out of iron and bronze. Let’s tune back in to Eyewitness News to hear the latest on their situation.
 Now we’re at the time right before the big, worldwide Flood. These people were smart, but they were also very wicked, doing bad stuff. The Bible says this in Genesis 6:5: Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great . . .  and that every thought of his heart was only evil (bad) continually (all the time).
Pull out Poster 4: Wicked World
Can you imagine living in a world where every thought of every person was only bad always? They thought up lots of bad stuff to do. Wow! 
  This just in. Our news team found one person still standing for God. His name is Noah. He seems to be the only person left on the face of the earth who still loves God, by God’s grace. We will keep following this story and see what more we can find out about this man Noah. This is Stan the Man reporting for Eyewitness News.
 So, out of a world with millions of people, only one could be found who still loved God and followed Him—Noah. He’s a super cool guy, and we’re going to hear a little more about him as we learn a little rhyme right now.
N—O—A—H Noah loved God and obeyed N—O—A—H Noah was a man of faith N—O—A—H Noah stood for God by grace Part 2: Puppet Pal—Standing for God Each day, the puppet pal will reinforce the lesson the kids just heard. It’s a quick, but important, part of the day. If you don’t have a teaching assistant or a co-teacher, enlist someone (a dive club leader or other volunteer) ahead of time to work the puppet each day. If you’re alone, have the puppet enter from a beach tote bag, or string up a beach towel and have the puppet come from behind there.
The puppet can be a boy or a girl. Use a consistent voice for the puppet all week. Speak clearly and exaggerate words and expressions. For instance, draw out certain words for emphasis, or make an exaggerated action for things like groaning, turning its head, or sneezing. Use your free hand to do things with the puppet’s hands or arms. For example, if the puppet is “thinking,” put the puppet’s hand on its chin. When the puppet is talking, make sure the mouth is open. (This is the opposite of what people often do!) In other words, the mouth should be open on most syllables. You don’t have to open very wide, which will help you move the mouth faster and more naturally. 
Your puppet should come out of the life preserver circle that is on the shack. (See Decorating Decisions.) When entering, hold your arm back and down and have the puppet take three steps forward, getting higher each time, until the puppet is out and visible.  When exiting, turn the puppet toward you and take three steps down until out of sight.
Boys and girls, let’s call for Sandy, our puppet pal. Sandy! Sandy! Sandy!
Oh, hey. I was just down at the beach picking up some seashells.
That sounds like fun!
Well, it usually is, but today it wasn’t so great.
Why? Did something happen?
Yeah. Some kids I know from school came along and started making fun of me.
 Just because you were picking up seashells?
 No, because they know I believe in God and love Him. They want me to quit talking about God so much.
 Oh. I see. So what happened?
First they called me names. Then they tried to get me to go over to the Snack Shack and steal some money while the owner was gone. 
 Hmm . . . did you do it? 
Nope.
 Why not?
 Because God says, “Do not steal.” I love God, and I want to do what’s right. I want to please and honor God.
 That reminds me of a man named Noah. He also wanted to do what was right and live in a way that pleased God. And even when nobody else believed in God, or did right in God’s eyes, or talked about God, or obeyed God, or stood up for God, Noah still did by God’s grace. Wait. You said Noah stood up for God. What does that mean? Does it mean you stand up on your legs?
No. Standing for God doesn’t mean you actually stand up. It means that you love God and obey Him and speak about Him no matter what. For example, let’s say that every kid in your class is doing wrong and making fun of you for following God. If you stand for God, you will still obey Him and stay true to God. Even if every kid in your school or every kid in the whole world is against God, you still obey Him and tell others about Him. That’s what standing for God means.
Wow. That sounds like a really big deal.
 It is. You never know when you may get in a situation when you’re the only one who loves God. But God doesn’t want you to turn against Him or even to stay quiet about Him. He wants you to tell others about Him and always be true to Him. And, if you’re His child, He’ll give you the strength and grace to do that through His Holy Spirit.  
 If I’m the only one standing for God, I sure will need to be brave.
 Yes, you will, but God is the one who can keep you brave. You need to talk to God (that’s called prayer) and ask Him to help you. The Bible gives us a good verse to pray and ask God to help us with that: “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.” Let’s stand up and say that together. 
 I’m going to ask God to help me stand for Him—even if I’m the only one!
 That’s awesome, Sandy! And it’s been awesome to see you, but now we’re going to go over our Lifeline Verse a little more, so we’ll see you later!Apply It!In the remaining time, complete one or more of the following ideas in class. Review the student guides and/or the Dive Logs (or dive club leaders can do so during snack time or send them home at the end of the day). Pass out the bookmarks, or have dive club leaders do so at the end of the day.  
Supplies for this section are not listed in the supply list on the back cover since they will vary depending on the activities you choose, so decide what you will do and add them to your supply list accordingly.
Part 1: Lifeline Verse
 “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.” 1 Corinthians 16:13
Review the verse by playing the memory verse music CD and singing today’s verse. It’s fun to do motions with the verse as well. Explain what the words/phrases “watch,” “stand fast in the faith,” “be brave,” and “be strong” mean, using the daily memory verse poster as a reference. Then try singing the verse again before trying the challenge.
 Run to one corner of the room and shout, “Watch.” Run to the next and shout, “stand fast in the faith.”  Then shout, “be brave” in the third corner and “be strong” in the fourth corner.
“
Practice tomorrow’s verse if time permits. Say the new verse together several times and try the challenge again, dividing the verse into four parts for running to the four corners of the room. You also may want to go over the theme verse, using the theme verse poster as a reference. Each word can go with one corner of the room, and the kids can walk from corner to corner (i.e., “But Noah” in first corner, “found grace” in second corner, “in the eyes” in third corner, and “of the Lord” in fourth corner). 
Also, there is a long bonus memory verse passage with excerpts from Genesis 6–9. Because of its length, it is geared more for older kids, but is included just in case you want to use it with the littles.
Part 2: Go and Do
Say today’s Lifeline Verse to someone. (“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.”) Are you being brave and strong and telling others about God?
Talk to God (that’s prayer!) and ask Him to help you follow Him like Noah did—standing for God no matter what, and being a light who shines God’s love to everyone.
Ask an adult who follows Jesus to share a time he (or she) had to stand for God. What happened?
With someone’s help, check answersvbs.com/ockids for more fun information.
Ask yourself this question: When I get in hard situations, am I going to ask God to help me stand strong for Him, even if I’m the only one?
Optional Song 1: “Stand!”
Here’s a fun song to incorporate into any part of your day. Sing this one to the tune of “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes.” 
Stand for God no matter what, no matter what Stand for God no matter what, no matter whatNoah did. He loved the Lord. Stand for God no matter what, no matter what Optional Song 2: “Peace Like a River”
I’ve got peace like a river 
I’ve got peace like a river 
I’ve got peace like a river in my soul 
I’ve got joy like a fountain 
I’ve got joy like a fountain 
I’ve got joy like a fountain in my soul 
I’ve got love like an ocean 
I’ve got love like an ocean 
I’ve got love like an ocean in my soul 
I’ve got peace like a river 
I’ve got joy like a fountain  
I’ve got love like an ocean in my soul  
Optional Activity: Play Acting ReviewDo this little activity with any extra time. Have the kids act out the lesson about the Garden of Eden and the pre-Flood world they just heard. You may want to use simple props, like stuffed animals or fake flowers. Or just use your imaginations! 
Remember: The student guide is great to send home as a fun review!
Day 2
Obey God!
Bible passage
Genesis 6:9–22
Lesson Focus
Just like Noah, we can rely on God to help us obey Him, no matter what.
Lifeline Verse
If you love Me, keep My commandments. John 14:15
Animal Pal Fun Phrase
Hammer the Shark reminds us to nail obedience.
Apologetics Focus
Preparing for the Flood: 
Hmm. It was a big boat, but still, how did everything fit?
Today’s Exploration Stations
Discovery Center: Animal Card Fun
Touch Table: Floatable Boat-ables
Dramatic Play: Bible Time Construction Zone
Coloring Corner: John 14:15
Today’s Lesson at a Glance
Introduce It!
Diving In
Teach It!
Part 1: Dr. I. M. Wise
Part 2: Puppet Pal—Obey Without Delay
Apply It! 
Part 1: Lifeline Verse
Part 2: Optional Activity: Play Acting Review
Preparing for the Lesson
Read Genesis 6 several times.
Read this lesson several times and prepare the materials. For more information on the Ark, visit answersvbs
.com/ocfaq.
Pray.
Lesson Materials
From Teacher Resource kit
Day 2 memory verse poster
Day 2 Fun Phrase poster
Ark Comparison poster
Ark posters 1–5
From Resource DVD-ROM
Day 2 memory verse coloring sheet (Expl. Station)
“Yes” and “No” signs
Ark video clip
2 copies of today’s puppet script
Other Materials
Exploration Station supplies (see back cover)
Bible or children’s Bible
Costumes for dive instructors (teachers)
Masking tape or painter’s tape
Beach bag
Dr. I. M. Wise costume/props (see text)
Ark replica (see text)
Device on which to play video clip
Boy or girl puppet and puppet stage
Clipboard
Mounting putty or tape
Apply It! section supplies
Memory Verse Music CD and player
Optional: Props for Play Acting Review
Student Extras
Student guides (11-4-073, 11-4-134), 1 per child
Dive Logs (11-4-090, 11-4-138), 1 per child
Stamp for Dive Logs (11-4-093)
Hammer bookmarks (11-4-078, 11-4-140), 1 per child
Exploration Stations
Discovery Center: Animal Card Fun
Materials
Pairs of animal cards (see DVD-ROM or craft guide)
Pre-prep
Make or borrow a set of the Memory Game cards (explained in the craft guide) from the craft workers.
Directions
Flip all the cards over so you can’t see the animals. Divers choose two cards and try to get a match. If they do, they should take those two cards and put them in their pile.
Teaching Tie-In
God told Noah to build a big boat, and Noah did! The animals came and got on the Ark, most of them two by two. 
Touch Table: Floatable Boat-ables
Materials
Water
Fleet of floatable “boats”: corks, styrofoam meat trays, sponges cut into a boat shape, foil shaped as boats, plastic tubs
Pre-prep
Take out yesterday’s supplies and put in today’s.
Directions
Divers play with the boats and blow them across the touch table, checking to see if their boats stay afloat and racing to see who wins.
Teaching Tie-In
You’re watching your boat to make sure it stays afloat and doesn’t sink. But do you think Noah’s boat would sink? No. God gave Noah the directions for building it so it would be a strong and sturdy boat. God even told Noah to put something called pitch on the boat so water wouldn’t come in to the boat. And God watched over the Ark, too. 
You’re racing your boats to see if you win, but did Noah need a fast, racing boat? No! He just needed a boat that would float and not fill up with water and sink. And his boat did float!
Dramatic Play: Bible Time Construction Zone
Materials
Day 1 supplies
Pre-prep
None
Directions
Dress up and pretend to be Noah and his family building the Ark.
Teaching Tie-In
God gave Noah directions and many years to build the big boat called the Ark. Noah and his family worked on it, and maybe he hired other people to help build it, too. Noah was most likely telling everyone about God and warning them about the coming Flood, but they didn’t listen to him. God wants us always to listen to the Bible and do what it says.
Coloring Corner: John 14:15
Materials
Day 2 memory verse coloring sheet (Resource DVD-ROM)
Markers or crayons
Optional: Additional supplies to glue on, glue sticks, and stickers
Pre-prep
Photocopy the coloring sheet, 1 per child. Gather additional supplies if you want them.
Directions
Color the sheet. Add additional supplies if desired.
Teaching Tie-In
Practice saying the memory verse on the sheet. Discuss its meaning.
Introduce It!
Diving In 
Welcome back, divers! We dove into our account of Noah yesterday and introduced Hydro, our animal pal. Hydro reminded us there was a whale of a problem on earth when Noah was alive. Let’s play a quick game to see if you can remember what that problem was.
Have everyone line up in a straight line. Ask the following questions. Each child decides if he wants to “dive” to the right or “dive” to the left. This simply means to jump over to the right or to the left of the line. (No real diving, of course!) Because they won’t know their left from their right, model it for them. The teachers or two volunteers can also hold up the “Yes” or “No” signs on either side of the line.
Q1: At the beginning when God made the world, everything was perfect and beautiful. 
If you think that’s a yes, jump this way. (Teacher jumps left.) If you think everything wasn’t perfect and beautiful when God made the world, jump the other way.  (Teacher jumps right.)
A1: Yes, it’s true. When God first made the world, it was perfect and beautiful.
Q2: But then Adam and Eve sinned. Sin is when we don’t obey God. Jump.
A2: Yes, that’s true.
Q3: By Noah’s time, every thought of every person’s heart, except Noah, was sinful all the time. Jump.
A3: Yes, that’s true.
Q4: The Bible says only one man was still following God, and his name was Nathan. Jump.
A4: No. There was only one man still following God and his name was Noah. He was standing for God, so God gave Him an important job to do. Let’s check it out! Every time you hear me say the word “Ark,” stomp your feet two times.  
Pull out the Bible from the beach bag and have them listen as you read or summarize what Genesis 6:13–16 says.
God gave Noah careful instructions on how to build the Ark, didn’t He? He said it was to be made of wood. And it was to have one window and one door. And it was to be very, very big. 
The Ark was longer than 1 football fields (510 feet)!
The Ark was about about as wide as two school buses put end to end (85 feet).
The Ark was three stories high. That’s about the height of three giraffes stacked on top of each other (50 feet).
The Bible tells us Noah did everything God told him to do. Our new animal pal for today, Hammer the Shark,  is here to remind us that Noah hammered away and obeyed God. He nailed obedience and built that Ark! But, I’m still wondering some things about this Ark. I think we should get a little help from our scientific expert, Dr. I. M. Wise.
Teach It!
Part 1: Dr. I. M. Wise 
Dr. Wise (Teacher Two or guest helper) should be dressed in a lab coat and should stand behind a table with various science books and scientific-looking supplies. He (or she) should use the Ark replica or the Ark Comparison poster. He may want to have a pointer and talk in a foreign accent. 
At this point, Teacher One will engage in dialogue with Dr. I. M. Wise. 
 Dr. Wise, I have some questions about Noah’s Ark. Do you think you can answer them for me?
Sure! 
 Well, first of all, I thought Noah’s Ark looked more like a cute, little rounded boat stuffed full of smiling critters. Kind of like this.
Show Ark Poster 1: Bathtub Ark (then have  the Ark replica or Ark Comparison poster ready)
 Well, the artists who drew those pictures didn’t check the Bible, because the Bible says the Ark was a very long and large boat with a roof over the top. And no animals would have been sticking out. They were all safely tucked inside. 
 Okay, that makes sense. But then, how was Noah able to build the Ark? I mean, he didn’t have computers or anything.
 It’s true he didn’t have computers, but remember, people back then were very smart—smarter than we are most likely! And God was instructing him.
Show Ark Poster 2: Construction site
And we know from the Bible that the people back then were building great cities and other things, so they probably had great machines to help them build. You shouldn’t imagine Noah with just a hammer and saw. He probably had much more special machines and tools.
 Okay, even with it being as huge as it was, I still wonder how everything would have fit. The Bible tells us animals came two by two, and even by sevens for some. That’s a ton of animals and animal food and other supplies.
 Noah would have been able to fit everything and still have room left over! Scientists have figured out that the Ark had room to fit almost 500 semi-trailers like the ones you see on the highway.  The animals and supplies wouldn’t even fill up half of it!
Show Ark Poster 3: Semi-trailers
Okay, but what about dinosaurs? Were there dinosaurs on the Ark, and if so, how did they fit?
 There were dinosaurs on the Ark. How do we know that? Because our trustworthy book, the Bible, tells us that when God created the world, He made land animals on Day Six. That would include land dinosaurs. They were still living at the time of the Flood.
So land dinosaurs would have to have gotten on the Ark. But who says the biggest dinosaurs would have gotten on? Some dinosaurs were the size of chickens. The average dinosaur was probably somewhere around the size of a large cow, so small dinosaurs would have gotten on, and they would have fit.
Show Ark Poster 4: Animals Coming In
And when it was time for the dinosaurs and other animals to get on board, Noah didn’t have to go around gathering them. God sent them in! 
I’d love to see that Ark actually on the water.
 Here, let me play a little video clip to show you what it might have been like.
Show Ark video clip.
 But, Dr. Wise, the Bible tells us Noah and his family and the animals were on the Ark for about a year. How in the world did Noah and his family take care of all those animals for all that time?
 The Bible tells us God is a God of order . 
Show Ark Poster 5: Inside the Ark
Since God designed the Ark and sent the animals, God would also have an orderly way for Noah to care for the animals. Scientists have lots of ideas of how it happened, but the important thing is, we know it DID happen, because the Bible says it did!
 A wonderful thing about all this is how Noah obeyed God, isn’t it, Dr. Wise?
 Yes! Yes! By God’s grace, Noah obeyed God completely and right away!
 What a great example for us, Dr. Wise. God wants us to obey, too. I know our puppet pal, Sandy, has been having a little trouble with this lately. Boys and girls, let’s say good-bye to Dr. Wise, and then we’ll sing a song and check in on our puppet pal Sandy.
Sing either yesterday’s song (“Stand!”) or today’s (“Arky, Arky”). While singing, Teacher Two can get in place for the puppet show.
Part 2: Puppet Pal—Obey Without Delay 
 Hey, Sandy! What’s going on?
 I can’t believe it! This is so frustrating! Aaahhhh!!!
 Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down. What’s got you so upset?I wanted to play with my best friend, but my parents said we can’t get together until I clean my room.
Well, that seems okay to me. Work before play. Sure, I understand why your parents said that. 
But they don’t understand! Here’s a chance to have a whole afternoon together. But where will I be? Stuck in my room, cleaning.
 You know, if you’d get right to it, I bet you could be done by the time your friend gets here.
 Have you looked at my room lately? I mean, it’s a disaster! My mom has been asking me to clean it for a week, but I haven’t touched it.
 Oh, so you haven’t been obeying your mom?
 Well, I wouldn’t put it that way.
 If your mom or dad or teacher or babysitter asks you to do something, you know what God wants you to do?
Obey?
Yes! And not just obey, but to obey right away and with a good attitude. And God wants you to obey completely.
What’s that mean?
 It’s really not obeying if you only do part of what you’re supposed to do. For instance, if your mom asks you to clean your room and you only make your bed, but you leave all your clothes and toys on the floor, then that isn’t really obeying.
 I see what you mean.
 Or if you delay and delay and don’t obey right away, that’s also a problem.
 Sort of like how I didn’t clean my room earlier this week when Mommy asked me to?
 Right! Or if you have a bad attitude and you grumble and complain about it.
Uh-oh. I was grumbling and complaining a little bit ago.
 I know. I heard you.
Why is it such a big deal to obey?
 Because the Bible tells us that if we love God, we will obey Him. And when you obey your parents, it’s like obeying God, because God tells you to obey your parents (Ephesians 6:1). That shows you love God! 
 Wow, I never thought of it like that.
 You know, we’ve been talking about Noah today and how he obeyed God. He didn’t talk back to God, or have a bad attitude, or take too long. The Bible tells us Noah did what was right and he obeyed everything God told him to do. 
 Wow, that’s pretty incredible! Noah’s like a superhero!  No. He was just a guy. He made mistakes, but he did love God and want to please Him. I’m sure he talked to God all the time and asked God to help him obey. And God did!
 Maybe that’s what I need to do. 
 That’s a great idea. Let’s go over our Lifeline Verse right now, then we’ll pray and ask God to help us love Him and obey Him.
Go on into learning the verse, then pray. (Teacher Two can leave the puppet area while Teacher One does so.)
Apply It!In the remaining time, complete one or more of the following ideas in class. Supplies for this section are not included in the supply list on the back cover since they will vary depending on the activities you choose, so decide what you will do and add them to your supply list accordingly. 
Pass out the Hammer bookmarks, one per child, or have dive club leaders do so at the end of the day. Put a stamp in the Dive Logs (or do so during snack time) and/or review the student guides.
Part 1: Lifeline Verse
 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” John 14:15
Practice the verse by playing/singing the appropriate verse song from the memory verse music CD. It’s fun to do motions with the verse as well. Use the memory verse poster as a reference, then try the following challenge if time.
 First, try to say the verse while pretending to saw. Next, say it while pretending to hammer. What other construction motions can you do while saying the verse?
“I trust in You, O Lord.” Psalm 31:14
Try practicing tomorrow’s verse with more active motions.
Part 2: Go and Do
Draw a picture of the Ark. Think about how hard it must have been for Noah to obey God on such a tough assignment, and how sometimes God gives us tough assignments, too. Remember that God helped Noah to obey, and He will help us to obey, too!
Talk to God in prayer today. Ask Him to help you grow to love and obey Him more and more.
Ask an adult who follows Jesus to tell how he’s grown to love and obey the Lord more over the years.
With someone’s help, check answersvbs.com/ockids for more fun information.
Ask yourself this question: What is one area I’m having trouble obeying?
Optional Song 1: “Arky, Arky”The Lord said to Noah there’s gonna be a Floody, Floody Lord said to Noah there’s gonna be a Floody, FloodyThere will be e-normous muddy, muddy Children of the Lord So, rise and shine and give God the glory, glory Rise and shine and give God the glory, glory Rise and shine and give God the glory, glory Children of the Lord The Lord said to Noah to build an Arky, Arky Lord said to Noah to build an Arky, ArkyBuild it out of gopher barky, barky Children of the Lord The animals they came on board two by two-sies, two-siesAnimals they came on board two by two-sies, two-siesElephants and dinosaur-ies, saur-ies 
Children of the Lord It rained and poured for 40 day-sies, day-sies Rained and poured for 40 day-sies, day-sies 
No sun shone, it sure was gray-sie, gray-sie Children of the Lord They stayed on the Arky for lots more long day-sies, day-sies Stayed on the Arky for lots more long day-sies, day-siesFinally left and gave God praise-ies, praise-ies Children of the Lord So Noah obeyed and did all God commanded-manded Noah obeyed and did all God commanded-mandedGod took care of Noah and family, family Children of the Lord Optional Song 2: “N-O-A-H”
Sing this to the tune of B-I-N-G-O.
There was one man who loved the Lord and Noah was his name-oN-O-A-H  
N-O-A-H  
N-O-A-H And Noah was his name-o
He obeyed God and stood for Him and Noah was his name-o
N-O-A-H  
N-O-A-H  
N-O-A-H And Noah was his name-oHe listened to God and built the Ark and Noah was his name-oN-O-A-H  
N-O-A-H  
N-O-A-H And Noah was his name-oOptional Activity: Play Acting ReviewDo this little activity with any extra time. Have the kids act out the lesson they just heard about Noah obeying God and building the Ark. You may want to use simple props, like play tools. Or just use your imaginations!
Day 3
Trust God!
Bible passage
Genesis 7
Lesson focus
Just like Noah, we can rely on God to help us trust Him with our lives.
Lifeline Verse
I trust in You, O Lord. Psalm 31:14
Animal Pal Fun Phrase
Piers the Puffin reminds us to trust the Lord and get on board.
Apologetics Focus
The Flood: 
Yikes! Was water really everywhere?
Today’s Exploration Stations
Discovery Center: Blue “Ocean” Cream
Touch Table: Sink or Float
Dramatic Play: Bible Time Construction Zone
Coloring Corner: Psalm 31:14
Today’s Lesson at a Glance
Introduce It!
First Word
Teach It!
Part 1: Act it Out!
Part 2: Puppet Pal—Gospel Presentation
Apply It!
Part 1: Lifeline Verse
Part 2: Go and Do
Optional Song 1: “Trust and Obey”
Optional Song 2: “If You Trust God and You Know It”
Optional Activity: Play Acting Review
Preparing for the Lesson
Read Genesis 7 several times.
Read this lesson several times and prepare the materials. For more information on the Flood, visit answersvbs.com/ocfaq.
Read “Leading a Child to Christ” found on the inside back cover of this guide.
Pray.

Lesson Materials
From Teacher Resource kit
Day 3 memory verse poster
Day 3 Fun Phrase poster
Gospel posters 1–4
From Resource DVD-ROM
Day 3 memory verse coloring sheet (Expl. Station)
2 copies of today’s puppet script
Other Materials
Exploration Station supplies (see back cover)
Bible or children’s Bible
Costumes for dive instructors (teachers)
Painter’s tape, masking tape, and/or chairs
Boy or girl puppet and puppet stage
Clipboard
Mounting putty or tape
Apply It! section supplies
Memory Verse Music CD and player
Optional: Props for Play Acting Review
Student Extras 
Student guides (11-4-073, 11-4-134), 1 per child
Dive Logs (11-4-090, 11-4-138), 1 per child
Stamp for Dive Logs (11-4-093)
Piers bookmarks (11-4-078, 11-4-140), 1 per child
Gospel bookmarks (11-4-076), 1 per child
Exploration Stations
Discovery Center: Blue “Ocean” Cream
Materials
Shaving cream
Blue food coloring
Zippered sandwich baggies, 1 per child
Packing or duct tape
Optional: Ocean fun foam shapes or sequins
Pre-prep
Spray some shaving cream into each zippered sandwich baggy, one baggy per child. Add a drop of blue food coloring. Add the fun foam shapes or sequins. Seal the baggies and secure the zippers with packing or duct tape.
Directions
Kids play with the blue shaving cream in the baggies, making waves and pretending it’s the ocean. 
Teaching Tie-In
After Noah got on the boat, it began to rain, and the ocean got into great commotion! There would have been high waves and the boat would need to ride through them. Noah had to really trust God to protect Him, and God did. 
Touch Table: Sink or Float
Materials
Water
Variety of “sinkable” or “floatable” objects
Pre-prep
Take out yesterday’s supplies and put in today’s.
Directions
Test the various items. Decide ahead of time if you think it will sink or float, then put it in the water and see what happens.
Teaching Tie-In
Some stuff sinks and some stuff floats. During the big Flood, we know the Ark remained floating the whole time, but most everything and everyone else ended up sinking and dying. If the people had listened and gotten on the Ark, they would have been safe and floated, too. It’s always best to trust God and do as He says, just as Noah did.Dramatic Play: Bible Time Construction Zone
Materials
“Ramp” to Ark (corrugated cardboard sheet on the floor going to the Ark)
Stuffed animals or animal masks and animal headbands for kids to dress up in
Pre-prep
Add in the ramp for loading the Ark (and stuffed animals if using them).
Directions
Kids dress up and pretend to be Noah, his family, and the animals getting into the Ark.
Teaching Tie-In
Let’s pretend we’re Noah and his family and the animals. Let’s get ready to get on the Ark. Do you think Noah had to go around gathering up all the animals? No! God had the animals come to the Ark by themselves. Everyone got on, and God shut the door behind them! He kept them safe, just as He promised He would. 
Coloring Corner: Psalm 31:14
Materials
Day 3 memory verse coloring sheet (Resource DVD-ROM)
Markers or crayons
Optional: Additional supplies to glue on, glue sticks, and stickers
Pre-prep
Photocopy the coloring sheet, 1 per child.
Directions
Color the sheet. Add additional supplies if desired.
Teaching Tie-In
Practice saying the memory verse on the sheet. Discuss its meaning.
Introduce It!
First WordHi again, divers! We’re glad to see you again! We’re going to start today with a quick game. I’m going to say a word, and then you say the first thing you think of. For instance, if I say candy, what do think of? Okay, let’s do some more! 
Ocean 
Hydro 
Hammer 
Bible 
Ark 
Noah 
Awesome! We talked about Noah and how he stood alone for God when everyone else was doing bad stuff. Hydro the Whale reminded us that there was a whale of a problem. Everyone was sinning all the time, except for Noah! Then Hammer the Shark reminded us that Noah obeyed God and was hammering away, building the Ark. Today, I get to introduce you to a special bird that lives by the sea. His name is Piers the Puffin.  He reminds us we need to trust the Lord and get on board. Let’s learn more about trusting the Lord as we find out what happens next to Noah.
Teach It!
Part 1: Act it Out! 
Act out the Genesis 7 account. The teachers should recount each part of Genesis 7 as outlined below, and the kids will do the suggested actions. Put your notes in your Bible so they can see this comes from God’s Word. Have an area taped off that signifies the boat, or use chairs or some other way to have an area that is your “Ark.”
 So when we left off, Noah was building the Ark. Let’s all pretend to hammer to finish the Ark. 
 Okay, now at this point, the Ark was built. Noah finished it and did everything just as God told him to! Let’s cheer for Noah! 
 Then the Lord told Noah that he should take two of some animal kinds and seven of some animal kinds and get on the Ark, because in just seven days it was going to rain. Let’s make some animal sounds as if we are animals entering the Ark. 
 So Noah and his wife and his sons and his sons’ wives all entered the Ark. Let’s walk around the room and pretend we’re getting on the Ark. 
 And all the animals went into the Ark, two by two. Noah didn’t have to run around and gather them. God brought them! Let’s get into pairs of twos and have each pair be a different animal entering the Ark. 
 After everyone entered the Ark, God shut them in. Noah didn’t close the door. God Himself did. Let’s make a sound like a door closing with a big bang. 
 Now the Flood came on the earth. A flood is when water covers areas of dry land. This Flood was a one-of-a-kind Flood because it covered the whole earth. That has never happened except this one time! One way water came was the rain from the sky. The Bible says it rained for 40 days and 40 nights at the beginning of the Flood! Let’s make it sound like it’s raining. 
 Along with the rain, the Bible says the fountains of the deep broke open. That means the floor of the ocean broke and water came pouring out from down there. Let’s make a sound like rushing and gushing water. 
 And the water was so deep it kept getting higher and higher. Let’s make waves that start down low and keep getting higher and higher. 
 The waters got so high, they covered every mountain! Let’s act as if the Ark is rocking on all those waves!  I know all the people who weren’t on the Ark were really wishing they had listened to Noah and gotten on the boat! He had warned them and invited them to come, but they didn’t! What do you think happened out there in all that water? Yes, it’s so sad!
 Only Noah and those on the Ark stayed alive. The waters of the Flood stayed on the earth for 150 days! It’s so important for us to listen to and obey God, isn’t it? 
Let’s sing our “Arky, Arky” song we sang yesterday that reminds us of that, and then we’ll see what Sandy our puppet pal is up to. Part 2: Puppet Pal—Gospel Presentation Sandy, did you hear us talking about the Ark and the big Flood?Wow, I did, and that sure is incredible!
It is, but you know what the most incredible part is?
What?
 That God made a way for Noah and his family to be saved. Because they trusted and got on the Ark, God saved them from the Flood.
Show Poster 1: Ark Door with Cross
 We need to be saved too, don’t we? Is there going to be another Flood and another Ark we can get on? No, the Bible says there will never be another worldwide Flood. But remember how we learned that now we all have a problem with sin and disobeying God? Even you and me?
 Yeah. We talked about that the other day.
 Well, all those people who didn’t get on the Ark died because they didn’t listen to God and believe how He could save them. They ended up separated from God forever! 
That sounds absolutely awful to be separated from God and His goodness!
Well, there is good news! God doesn’t want us to be separated from Him either. He loves us and wants us to be part of His family. So just as He offered a way for Noah’s family to be saved, today He offers a way for us to be saved, too.What is the way?
Well, God sent His Son, Jesus. Jesus came to earth and was born as a baby. He lived a perfect life because Jesus was actually God! But then, He died on a cross, even though He never did anything wrong.
Show Poster 2: Cross
But why did He die on a cross?
 Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment for the sins we do.
 Wow, that sure was nice of Jesus to do that!
 It was amazing love! It would be like if I did something really bad and I was supposed to get in big trouble, but then my brother came and said he had taken the punishment for me instead. Wouldn’t that be incredible?
 It sure would! 
 And the awesome thing is, Jesus didn’t stay dead! He came back to life!
Show Poster 3: Empty Tomb
Wow! That’s incredible!
 It is! And Jesus did all this because He loves us and wants us to be part of God’s family and live with God forever someday. But to be part of God’s family, you have to do something important first.
What?
Show Poster 4: Admit, Believe, Forever ReceiveWell, first, we need to admit we sin. Every person here has sinned, whether you’ve thought about it or not. For instance, God says we’re to always tell the truth . Have you ever told a lie? God says we’re to obey our parents . Have you ever not obeyed your mom or dad? When we admit we have sinned and want to turn from those sins, this is called repentance. It means you’re sorry for doing those things and you don’t want to keep doing them.
Then what?
 We need to believe that Jesus lived a perfect life, died on a cross, and came back to life again, all to take the punishment for our sins so we won’t have to.
 And after that?
 We need to ask God if we can forever receive Him and become part of God’s family. Boys and girls, if you are part of God’s family, you’ll never be separated from Him and His love.
 Admit, believe, and forever receive.
Yep! Boys and girls, if you want to learn more about becoming part of God’s family, please make sure you talk to your parents, your leader, or me sometime today. We’d love to talk to you more about it. Let’s pray.Apply It!In the remaining time, complete one or more of the following ideas in class. Pass out the student guides and bookmarks (or have dive club leaders do so at the end of the day), and stamp the Dive Logs (or have dive club leaders do so at snack time).
Supplies for this section are not included in the supply list on the back cover since they will vary depending on the activities you choose, so decide what you will do and add them to your supply list accordingly. 
Part 1: Lifeline Verse
  “I trust in You, O Lord.” Psalm 31:14
Practice the verse by playing/singing the appropriate verse song from the memory verse CD. It’s fun to do motions with the verse as well. Use the memory verse poster as a reference, and keep in mind that the verse on the CD is the full verse and is a bit longer than this Pre-Primary verse. Then try the following challenge if time.
 Pretend you’re in the Ark and the waters are rocking you back and forth as you say your verse. Start with little waves, then get bigger and bigger!
”In everything give thanks.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Try the challenge again with tomorrow’s verse. You also may want to go over the bonus memory verse poster.
Part 2: Go and Do
Say today’s Lifeline Verse to someone (Psalm 31:14). Have you repented of your sin and trusted God with your life like Noah did?
Talk to God and ask Him to help you trust Him.
Ask an adult who is part of God’s family to share when he first trusted God with his life.
With someone’s help, check answersvbs.com/ockids for more fun information.
Ask yourself this question: Has there been a time when I decided to admit, believe, and forever receive the Lord?
Optional Song 1: “Trust and Obey”Trust and obey For there’s no other wayTo be happy in Jesus But to trust and obey Optional Song 2: “If You Trust God and You Know It”If you trust God and you know it, clap your hands If you trust God and you know it, clap your hands If you trust God and you know it, then your life will surely show it If you trust God and you know it, clap your hands If you obey God and you know it, stomp your feet If you obey God and you know it, stomp your feet If you obey God and you know it, then your life will surely show it If you obey God and you know it, stomp your feet If you love God and you know it, say “Amen!” If you love God and you know it, say “Amen!” If you love God and you know it, then your life will surely show it If you love God and you know it, say “Amen!” If you trust God and you know it, do all three If you trust God and you know it, do all three If you trust God and you know it, then your life will surely show it If you trust God and you know it, do all three Optional Activity: Play Acting ReviewDo this little activity with any extra time. Have the kids act out the lesson they just heard about Noah/his family/animals getting on the Ark, and the Flood beginning. You may want to use simple props, like stuffed animals. Or just use your imaginations!Day 4
Thank God!
Bible passage
Genesis 8
Lesson focus
Just like Noah, we can rely on God to help us thank Him in everything.
Lifeline Verse
In everything give thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Animal Pal Fun Phrase
Paws the Sea Otter reminds us we “otter” thank God.
Apologetics Focus
End of the Flood: 
Whoa! What happened to this planet?
Today’s Exploration Stations
Discovery Center: Wet or Dry
Touch Table: Fossil Impressions
Dramatic Play: Bible Time Construction Zone
Coloring Corner: 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Today’s Lesson at a Glance
Introduce It!
Play Dough Pals
Teach It!
Part 1: Genesis 8 in Miniature
Part 2: Puppet Pal—Counting My Blessings
Apply It!
Part 1: Lifeline Verse
Part 2: Go and Do
Optional Song 1: “Count Your Blessings”
Optional Song 2: “If You Trust God and You Know It”
Optional Activity: Play Acting Review
Preparing for the Lesson
Read Genesis 8 several times.
Read this lesson several times and prepare the materials. For more information on fossils and how the earth was changed by the Flood, visit answersvbs.com/ocfaq. 
Pray.
Lesson Materials
From Teacher Resource Kit
Day 4 memory verse poster
Day 4 Fun Phrase poster
Genesis 8 posters 1–5
From Resource DVD-ROM
Day 4 memory verse coloring sheet (Expl. Station)
2 copies of today’s puppet script
Other Materials
Exploration Station supplies (see back cover)
Bible or children’s Bible
Costumes for dive instructors (teachers)
Play dough (1 small ball per child, each on a paper plate)
Boy or girl puppet and puppet stage
Clipboard
Mounting putty or tape
Apply It! section supplies
Memory Verse Music CD and player
Optional: Props for Play Acting Review
Student Extras
Student guides (11-4-073, 11-4-134), 1 per child
Dive Logs (11-4-090, 11-4-138), 1 per child
Stamp for Dive Logs (11-4-093)
Paws bookmarks (11-4-078, 11-4-140), 1 per child
Exploration Stations
Discovery Center: Wet or Dry
Materials
Variety of wet or dry objects, such as seashells, sand, goggles, a splash ball, beach ball, flip flop, sponge, towel, smooth/small rock
Spray bottle and/or bucket of water
Pre-prep
Make sure some of the objects are wet and some are dry.
Directions
Kids guess whether each item is wet or dry. Have them feel to see if they are right.
Teaching Tie-In
Some things are wet and some are dry, aren’t they? During the Flood, almost everything was wet except for Noah and his family and the animals in the Ark. It took a long time for all the water from the Flood to finally go away and for the earth to dry up. Noah had to be so thankful that he was alive and back on dry land!
Touch Table: Fossil Impressions
Materials
Play sand that is damp (use a water bottle to keep it so)
Shells, small pine cones, and/or small plastic/rubber animals
Optional: Fossil impression of some kind
Pre-prep
Take out yesterday’s supplies and put in today’s.
Directions
Divers make impressions in the sand by pressing the various objects into the sand, then lifting the objects back out.
Teaching Tie-In
During the Flood, almost all the plants and animals died. They were covered with sand and mud, which killed them quickly and turned some of them into fossils (stone). We can find fossil impressions today, kind of like this one. You are going to make (or made) some impressions sort of like this fossil impression. I’m sure Noah continued to thank God over and over for keeping the animals, his family, and him alive so they didn’t become fossils!
Dramatic Play: Bible Time Construction Zone
Materials
Day 1 supplies
Play bricks (for building altar)
Pre-prep 
Make sure there are plenty of bricks for building the altar, besides the other materials.
Directions
Dress up as Noah and family and animals and pretend to get off the Ark and build the altar.
Teaching Tie-In
The Bible says Noah built an altar when he got off the Ark, after the Flood was over. We don’t know what the altar looked like, but perhaps it was a pile of stones. The altar was something Noah used as a reminder to thank God. Even though he had lots to do (homes to build, food to find, etc.), he put God first and thanked Him.
Coloring Corner: 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Materials
Day 4 memory verse coloring sheet (Resource DVD-ROM)
Markers or crayons
Optional: Additional supplies to glue on, glue sticks, and stickers
Pre-prep
Photocopy the coloring sheet, 1 per child.
Directions
Color the sheet. Add additional supplies if desired.
Teaching  Tie-In
Practice saying the Bible verse on the page. Discuss its meaning.

Introduce It!
Play Dough Pals 
Hi, everyone! Welcome back! We’re going to have some fun making something with play dough, so let’s pass it out, and then we’ll get started.
Let’s first make a whale to remind us of our animal pal. What’s our whale’s name? Yes, it’s Hydro, and Hydro reminds us there was a whale of a problem.
Now try to make a hammer. That hammer reminds us of our hammerhead shark animal pal. What’s our shark’s name? Yes, it’s Hammer! Hammer reminds us that Noah hammered away building the Ark, obeying God, and doing everything He said. Noah nailed obedience, by God’s grace!
Next, let’s make a bird. Our bird reminds us of our puffin animal pal. What’s our puffin’s name? Yes, it’s Piers! Piers reminds us that we need to trust God with our lives. We don’t need to get on a boat, but we do need to tell God we trust Him and want to be part of His family.
Now today, we’re going to meet a new animal pal. He’s a sea otter named Paws. He reminds us that we “otter” thank God! Let’s hear more of our Noah account and learn lots more about thanking God!
Teach It!
Part 1: Genesis 8 in MiniatureYesterday we left Noah and his family and the animals in the middle of that HUGE, worldwide Flood. Rain was pouring down for how many days and nights? (40.) And the water stuck around for 150 days! Let’s pick it up there. As I read each part, I’ll tell you what to make out of your play dough. Can you be really good listeners and make the right thing? Okay, here we go!
Part 2: Puppet Pal—Counting My Blessings 
It sounds like you’re counting. Why are you doing that? Are you counting seashells?
No, I’m counting my blessings.
 What do you mean?
 You know. Blessings. Good things God has done for me or given me. Things I want to thank God for.
 Oh, I love that idea! How many have you counted so far?
 Well, I just started, but I thought of five different foods that I want to thank God for.
Hmm . . . I wonder what foods our friends here are thankful for. Can you guys think of any foods you want to thank God for? 
They did great
 What else will you thank God for?
 Well, there are some people I want to thank God for. So far, I’ve thought of four.
 That’s great! Boys and girls, can you think of any special people to thank God for? 
 And of course, I thank God for my home, my bed, clothes, books, church, Jesus, and the Bible!
 Sandy, there’s one very important thing you forgot to thank God for.
What?
Being part of God’s family. Have you thanked God lately for saving you and making you part of His family?
I guess I didn’t think to do that.
 We should never get over that God loves us and made a way through Jesus to save us so we can be in His family. 
 Wow, that’s true. God is soooooo wonderful and amazing. He cares for each one of us and loves us. It’s the greatest blessing of all to be part of His family.
 It sure is! Thanks be to God! 
You may want to briefly review the gospel with the kids and then move on to the Apply It! section if time.
Apply It!In the remaining time, complete one or more of the following ideas in class. Pass out the student guides and bookmarks (or have the dive club leaders do so at the end of the day). Stamp the Dive Logs (or have the dive club leaders do so at snack time). 
Supplies for this section are not included in the supply list on the back cover since they will vary depending on the activities you choose, so decide what you will do and add them to your supply list accordingly. 
Part 1: Lifeline Verse
 “In everything give thanks.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Practice the verse by playing/singing the appropriate verse song from the memory verse music CD. It’s fun to do motions with the verse as well. Use the memory verse poster as a reference, and keep in mind that the verse on the CD is the full verse and is a bit longer than this Pre-Primary verse. Then try the following challenge if time.
Practice the verse several times. Then shout back and forth, sort of like an army cadence, using the following:
Teacher/Person 1: (Stomp, stomp) In how many things?
Kids/Person 2: (Stomp, stomp) In everything!
Teacher/Person 1: (Stomp, stomp) What should you do?
Kids/Person 2: (Stomp, stomp) Give thanks!
”Blessed is the man who fears the Lord.” Psalm 112:1
Practice tomorrow’s verse, making up a new cadence.Part 2: Go and Do
Draw a picture of someone you thank God for. Give the picture to the person!
Talk to God today and thank Him for as many things as you can think of.
Ask an adult to share about something/someone that he (or she) thanks God for.
With someone’s help, check answersvbs.com/ockids for more fun information.
Ask yourself this question: Do I want God and others to know me as a grumbler or a thanker?
Optional Song 1: “Count Your Blessings”
Sing just the chorus of this hymn. (Check the Resource DVD-ROM for a recording of the song.)
Count your blessings 
Name them one by one 
Count your blessings 
See what God has done Count your blessings 
Name them one by one 
Count your many blessings 
See what God has done 
Optional Song 2: “If You Trust God and You Know It”Sing yesterday’s song, but add in a verse about thanking God. (It’s written as the last verse, but if you don’t have enough time to sing all of them, highlight that one.)
If you trust God and you know it, clap your hands If you trust God and you know it, clap your hands If you trust God and you know it, then your life will surely show it If you trust God and you know it, clap your hands If you obey God and you know it, stomp your feet If you obey God and you know it, stomp your feet If you obey God and you know it, then your life will surely show it If you obey God and you know it, stomp your feet If you love God and you know it, say “Amen!” If you love God and you know it, say “Amen!” If you love God and you know it, then your life will surely show it If you love God and you know it, say “Amen!” If you thank God and you know it, say “Thank you!” If you thank God and you know it, say “Thank you!” If you thank God and you know it, then your life will surely show it If you thank God and you know it, say “Thank you!” Optional Activity: Play Acting ReviewDo this little activity with any extra time. Have the kids pretend to be Noah, his family, and the animals as they get off the Ark. You may want to use a couple simple props, like stuffed animals. Or just use your imaginations!
How to Make Play Dough
2 c. flour
 c. salt
2 c. warm water
4 t. cream of tartar
2 t. oil
Food coloring
Optional: Glitter
Mix the first five ingredients in a saucepan. After they are blended, mix in food coloring. Stir over low to medium heat until the dough is formed and is no longer sticky. Remove from the pan and knead until smooth, adding the glitter. After it has cooled, store in an air-tight container.
Day 5
Fear God!
Bible passages
Genesis 9:1–17; Hebrews 11:7
Lesson focus
Just like Noah, we can rely on God to help us take Him seriously.
Lifeline Verse
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord. Psalm 112:1
Animal Pal Fun Phrase
Fin the Dolphin reminds us “no-fin” is a bigger deal than taking God seriously.
Apologetics Focus
After the Flood:
Hey! Why do different cultures have similar Flood stories?
Today’s Exploration Stations
Discovery Center: Rainbow Pom-Pom Painting
Touch Table: Dino Dig
Dramatic Play: Bible Time Construction Zone
Coloring Corner: Psalm 112:1
Today’s Lesson at a Glance
Introduce It! 
Animal Pals
Teach It!
Part 1: Puppet Pal—Promise Keepers
Part 2: Yes or “No-ah” Review Game
Apply It!
Part 1: Lifeline Verse
Part 2: Go and Do
Optional Challenge: Lifeline Verses and Songs
Optional Activity: Play Acting Review
Preparing for the Lesson
Read Genesis 9:1–17 several times.
Read this lesson several times and prepare the materials. For more information on Genesis 9 and the rainbow, visit answersvbs.com/ocfaq. 
Pray.
Lesson Materials
From Teacher Resource Kit
Day 5 memory verse poster
Days 1–5 Fun Phrase posters
From Resource DVD-ROM
Day 5 memory verse coloring sheet (Expl. Station)
2 copies of today’s puppet script
Other Materials
Exploration Station supplies (see back cover)
Bible or children’s Bible
Costumes for dive instructors (teachers)
Masking tape or painter’s tape
Boy or girl puppet and puppet stage
Clipboard
Mounting putty or tape
Apply It! section supplies
Memory Verse Music CD and player 
Optional: Props for Play Acting Review
Student Extras
Student guides (11-4-073, 11-4-134), 1 per child
Dive Logs (11-4-090, 11-4-138), 1 per child
Stamp for Dive Logs (11-4-093)
Fin bookmarks (11-4-078, 11-4-140), 1 per child
Exploration Stations
Discovery Center: Rainbow Pom-Pom Painting
Materials
Pom-poms
Springform clothespins
Washable paint in variety of rainbow colors
Paper or white paper plates cut in half
Whole paper plates for paint
Wipes for clean up
Optional: Smocks
Pre-prep
Put small amounts of various colors of paint on the paper plates. Put one springform clothespin on the end of each pom-pom. Kids will hold on to the top of the clothespins and dab the pom-pom into the paint. Make one (or several) pom-pom painters for each color. 
Note: You may want to have a plate that is just red paint with several pom-pom painters for red, another plate with yellow and yellow pom-pom painters, etc.
Directions
Divers use the pom-pom painters to dab different rainbow colors onto their paper or half of a paper plate (their rainbow).
Teaching Tie-In
After Noah and his family got off the Ark and thanked God, God sent a rainbow as a promise that He would never send a Flood to cover the whole world again. And God hasn’t, because God is a promise keeper.
Touch Table: Dino Dig
Materials
Yesterday’s play sand and water bottle
Small plastic or rubber dinos
Any of yesterday’s items that were used for the fossil impressions
Sand bucket shovels
Wipes for clean-up
Pre-prep
Add the dinosaurs today. You may want to take out some or all of the fossil impression items from yesterday.
Directions
Divers dig to find the dinosaurs and other items.
Teaching Tie-In	
Were dinosaurs on the Ark? Sure, because the Bible says two of every land kind of animal went on, and dinosaurs were land animals. But after the dinos got off the Ark, what happened to them? Well, it may have been much more difficult for the dinosaurs to stay alive after the Flood because the world was very different. It didn’t have all the plants and animals it used to have, and some dinosaurs may have starved because they couldn’t find enough food. God also allowed Noah and his family to start eating meat at this time, so dinosaurs may have been hunted, killed, and eaten. Over time, there were fewer and fewer of them, just like many other animals, until now, there are probably no more dinosaurs left at all!
Dramatic Play: Bible Time Construction Zone
Materials
Day 1 supplies
Pre-prep
None
Directions
Dress up and pretend to be Noah and his family building places to live after coming off the Ark.
Teaching Tie-In
Noah and his family had to start their lives all over after the Flood because their homes would have been washed away. I wonder what kind of home or homes they built for themselves? Maybe they used the wood from the Ark to help them! What kind of home do you have? Aren’t you thankful God provides a home for you? 
Note: In the event that anyone is homeless in your group, be sensitive to that situation.
Coloring Corner: Psalm 112:1
Materials
Day 5 memory verse coloring sheet (Resource DVD-ROM)
Markers or crayons
Optional: Additional supplies to glue on, glue sticks, and stickers
Pre-prep
Photocopy the coloring sheet, 1 per child.
Directions
Color the sheet. Add additional supplies if desired.
Teaching Tie-In
Practice saying the Bible verse on the page. Discuss its meaning.
Introduce It!
Animal Pals 
Welcome back, divers! We’re so glad you’re here! We’ve sure had a good time this week at , haven’t we? Can you believe this is our last day together? Let’s start with a fun game. How about if we all stand up together? We’ll ask some questions about our animal pals. See how we have them taped on the walls all around the room today? When we ask a question, you should run to the animal pal that you think is the answer.
Which animal pal reminds us of a big problem? 
Which animal pal reminds us that Noah obeyed God? 
Which animal pal reminds us to trust the Lord and get on board? 
Which animal pal reminds us that Noah thanked the Lord when he got off the Ark? 
Great job! Go ahead and find a spot back on the floor. We have one more animal pal for today. Do you know his name yet? It’s Fin the Dolphin.  Fin and all dolphins are fun and playful. They like to leap out of the water, and surf the waves, and follow boats. Fin reminds us that “no-fin” is a bigger deal than to fear God—which means to realize how great and awesome and mighty He is! Let’s call Sandy, our puppet pal, and we’ll talk more about this.Teach It!
Part 1: Puppet Pal—Promise Keepers 
Sandy, can you come out? Are you home?
 Here I am!
Oh no, you seem kind of sad today. What’s wrong?
 Daddy promised to take me to the zoo to see the animals. But I’m wondering if we’re ever going to go!
 Well, does Daddy normally keep his promises? Does he do what he says he’ll do?
 Yes.
 Then I’m sure he’ll keep this promise, too. Sounds like he’s a promise keeper, like God!
 How is God a promise keeper? He’s not going to take me to the zoo.
 No, but God made a promise to Noah.
 He did?
 Yep! After the whole earth flooded and Noah got off the Ark, God promised He would never, ever, ever flood the whole earth again. And He even put something in the sky as a reminder of that promise. Do you know what He put in the sky?
 The rainbow!
 That’s right! Every time we see a rainbow in the sky, we are reminded that God always keeps His promises, and He’ll never send another Flood to cover the whole earth. And do you know what? God has kept that promise! We’ve never had another flood that covered the whole earth, and we never will.
 Because God is a promise keeper!
 You’re catching on! And since God keeps His promises, don’t you think we should keep our promises, too?
 Yeah, we should!
 Keeping our promises shows we fear God, we honor Him, and we try to please Him.
 Wait! You said we should fear God. What does that mean? Does it mean to be afraid of Him?
 It means you realize how amazing and great and big and powerful God is and that He’s Someone to be listened to and obeyed. Who else can make animals from nothing? Who else can make people? Who else can control the weather? Who else can save us? Only God! We need to realize He’s in charge, and we need to take Him seriously!
 Okay, that sounds important, so I won’t forget that. Oh, I hear my dad calling. It’s time for the zoo! Hey, Daddy is a promise keeper!
 Bye, Sandy! Have fun at the zoo, and remember to fear God and be a promise keeper!
Part 2: Yes or “No-ah” Review Game 
Make an outline of a boat out of painter’s tape or masking tape on the floor. Have the kids stand on the tape perimeter of the boat with toes on the tape. Ask questions from any of the material covered this week. The questions should be phrased so they can be answered either “yes” or “No-ah” (“no”). For example, did Noah obey God? (“Yes!”) When God created the world, He made it a bad place. (“No-ah!”) If the kids think the answer is “yes,” they should jump out of the boat. If the kids think the answer is “no,” they should jump into the boat. They should yell “Yes!” or “No-ah!” (“no”) as they are jumping to their chosen spot. Some possible questions follow.
God made the world a bad, ugly place. 
Noah was the only man during his time who stood for God. Noah obeyed God. Noah’s wife called the animals one by one into the boat. Noah trusted the Lord and got on board.The first thing Noah did when he got off the Ark was to thank God.God is not a promise keeper.Fearing God means we should take Him seriously. Apply It!Part 1: Lifeline Verse
In the remaining time, complete one or more of the following ideas in class. Pass out the student guides and bookmarks (or have the dive club leaders do so at the end of the day). Stamp the Dive Logs (or have the dive club leaders do so at snack time).
Supplies for this section are not included in the supply list on the back cover since they will vary depending on the activities you choose, so decide what you will do and add them to your supply list accordingly. 
”Blessed is the man who fears the Lord.” Psalm 112:1
Practice the verse by playing/singing the appropriate verse song from the memory verse music CD. It’s fun to do motions with the verse as well. Use the memory verse poster as a reference, then try the following challenge if time.
Say your verse as you try different voices. Possible ideas are under­water voice, speaking “whale,” “crabby” voice, frog croak, and quiet, bottom-of-the-sea whisper.
Part 2: Go and Do
Talk to God and ask Him to help you to fear Him (to take Him seriously and realize how big and powerful and great He is).
Draw a picture of a rainbow. God keeps His promises, so we should, too!
Ask an adult to share a thought about how we can fear God.
With someone’s help, check answersvbs.com/ockids for more fun information.
Ask yourself these questions: Do I fear God? Do I honor Him with my actions?
Optional Challenge: Lifeline Verses and Songs
Optional Activity: Play Acting ReviewDo this little activity with any extra time. Have the kids act out the lesson about Noah and the rainbow that they just heard. You may want to use a couple simple props, like streamers of different colors to wave (for the rainbow). Or just use your imaginations! 
Note: End by praying with the divers before they leave for the week!