RUTH TO EZRA,

NEHEMIAH

Teacher Manual
DISCOVERING GOD’S WAY - NURSERY YEAR 1, BOOK 2
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RUTH TO EZRA,
NEHEMIAH
Teacher Manual
Written by Amy Bruns

Editors: Teacher Resource CD

Robert Harkrider Activities prepared by:
Arline Harkrider Leanne Bullington
Rachel Neeley
Layout & Design:
Lauren Mayeux Songs prepared by:
Ronda L. Duvall
Flipchart Artwork:
Sean Sullivan

Published by:

RC
S
©

Religious Supply Center, Inc

4001 Preston Highway
Louisville, KY 40213

1-800-626-5348
 Contents

Note to Teacher...........................................................................................1
Goals...........................................................................................................5
Sample Lesson Plan...................................................................................6
Lesson 1 • Ruth...........................................................................................8
Lesson 2 • Samuel....................................................................................10
Lesson 3 • King Saul; David & Goliath......................................................12
Lesson 4 • Kings David & Solomon..........................................................15
Lesson 5 • Elijah.......................................................................................18
Lesson 6 • Elisha......................................................................................21
Lesson 7 • Jonah......................................................................................24
Lesson 8 • King Hezekiah.........................................................................27
Lesson 9 • King Josiah..............................................................................29
Lesson 10 • Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream & The Fiery Furnace...................31
Lesson 11 • Daniel in the Lion’s Den........................................................34
Lesson 12 • Esther....................................................................................36
Lesson 13 • Ezra & Nehemiah.................................................................39
Dear Teacher,

Thank you for being willing to share yourself and present God’s word to
young children who are able and eager to absorb as much as you will give them.
There are many facets to putting a 2-3 year old classroom together. Don’t get
overwhelmed. Take it one step at a time. Before you know it, you will be well on
your way to an established room, where great spiritual learning can happen! After
the initial “set up” of the program, feel free to add your own touches to it year after
year!

1. LESSONS: We have done most of that for you. The lessons are intended as a
guide for teaching, NOT as a substitute for your personal study of the Bible text.
The lessons are written in a way to help tell the whole story in a manner that the
young ones will understand. Many foundational points and vocabulary have been
highlighted for you to bring out concepts important for the children to learn.

2. OUTLINES OF THE LESSONS: These have been provided as an easy way to

remember the facts that should be presented each week to cover the lesson’s
objective. These can be found on the back of the flip charts provided in the Activity
Packet and can be used in class to present the lesson.

3. A TABLE OF CONTENTS: This is included at the beginning of each quarter’s

lessons. A good suggestion may be to copy this at the beginning of the quarter and
give to each parent along with a letter from the teacher. This lets the parent know
what the children will be studying each week and what they should be learning for
their memory work.

4. LESSON PLAN: A master copy of a lesson plan has been included for you on the
Activity CD. Make as many copies as you need and fill them in accordingly.

5. VISUALS: There are two kinds included:

a) “visual interactive” - In the packet you will find an 11X14 flip chart. On
one side are pictures to help illustrate the story. On the back of a coinciding
chart, the outline and review questions are given. This provides an easy way
to help keep the kids focused on the lesson as you tell it in your own words.
They can also tell the story back to you using the pictures as a guide.

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 b) other visuals - The same pictures have been provided on the activity CD
for you to use however you would like. Two suggestions are:

1) You may enlarge them (e.g. 8x10) and back them with some colored
paper and make a “story wall” in your classroom. This is useful for review
during the quarter. (Qtrs 1 and 2 can build on one another as they will
complete “The Old Testament.” Qtrs 3 and 4 can be done in the same way
as “The Life of Christ.”

2) You may reduce them (e.g. 4x3) and use them as a “take-home visual”
for the parent/child review. Print all thirteen pictures and put them in a
ring. You can even put the review questions on the back.

6. CRAFT ACTIVITIES: These have been provided for you on the Activity CD. These
can be used in whatever manner you choose. We have tried to provide you with
two sets per lesson. In this way, as a child goes through this class for two years, one
activity will be used the first year and a different one the second year. These can
be made so that each child may take one home, or made to use in class as added
emphasis to the lesson.

Some additional Internet sources are:

http://hennypenny.ourjunction.com
http://dltk-kids.com/crafts
http://thedowsschoolroom.com

7. SETTING UP YOUR ROOM: Your room should be colorful and inviting. An easy
way to decorate or make bulletin boards is to use a simple “calico” print, or no
pattern, cotton material. Using material allows you to use it over and over again.
It doesn’t tear or get worn-out looking. Once attached to the wall, border it with
some colorful borders found at most school or office supply stores.

Another way to make a bulletin board is to use colored paper. This can be
found at any school or office supply store. Again, border it with a colorful border.

You can “name” or label your bulletin boards with computer banners, or with
letters also found at a school or office supply store. (A picture example has been
included on the activity CD.)

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 Bulletin Boards: Attendance
Memory Verse
Lesson Review (“story wall”)
Books of the Bible – you may want to make this a
“permanent” wall to be referred to time and time again

You may want to decorate the door with the “theme” of your class for the
quarter or use some of the same ideas of the bulletin boards. Use the children’s
names and pictures on the door; they enjoy seeing which room they should enter!

8. “STARTER INTERACTIVES”: Examples of interactives are given on the Activity

CD. They include charts to emphasize:
Bible songs
Songs that pertain to God’s love for us, the family, the world
Creation
Worship
Behavior/attitudes
These should be made as you start getting ready for your teaching quarter. If
you can, involve other women. Ask some of the older women of your congregation
to color, cut, or even glue for you. It would help you not to feel overwhelmed, and
most likely they would love to be a part of a new program for the young children.

There are several of these to be made, but once you have made them, you
don’t have to do them again. You may want to make two sets at the same time.
They can be used for the Infant class, if you have one, or even the 4-5 year olds still
enjoy singing about these concepts.

9. SONGS: We have provided songs and fingerplays that can be used as a

component to teaching the lesson. It is good to use a song every now and then
within a class period to keep the young ones’ attention. They usually love to sing if
you will sing with expression and love for what you are singing about. Once you are
comfortable with the songs, find ways to “express” the words with pictures (make
a flipchart) or with “hands on” objects. (For Example, “I want to be a worker for the
Lord”- use a toy hammer and mouse pad.)
You may take the songs we have provided and make your own song book:
- put them in sheet savers (found at an office supply store)
- put the sheets/songs in a 3-ring binder
- place tabs on the sheet savers and label so it becomes a quick
reference for you. (For example: Welcome, Prayer, Old Testament,
or Lesson 1,2,3 etc.)
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 All of the songs we have provided have been written by and are sung by
Ronda L. Duvall. There are many songs that can be used in this class! We have
provided you with just a few to get started! Feel free to add songs to the new
songbook you have just made! Here are a few contacts for songs and melodies:

1) Musical Memory Builders- by JoLinda Crump

Published by Florida College Bookstore
(This is a very effective tool for memory work for the children)

2) There are a number of children’s songs written by Glenda Schales. She can
be contacted at: auntiegg@sbcglobal.com

10. MEMORY WORK: You will be so surprised at how much these young children
can learn. They will retain facts about the story and application as you reveal it to
them. Use these precious years to give them as many facts about the Bible that
they can handle. We have provided you with suggestions of memory facts that
correlate to the theme of each quarter. Included are some ways to make it easy
for the children to learn these facts. Memory work charts for easy learning (word
pictures) are recorded on the CD and can be reproduced.

As a suggestion to help build ideas and refer to old ones, take pictures of bulletin
boards and “door themes” throughout all your classes of different age levels and put
them in a picture binder as a reference. You will use these resources over again as
the material is repeated.

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 Goals
Memory Work for this Age Group to Begin to Learn
Books of the Old Testament
Genesis 1:1
Days of Creation
Jacob’s 12 Sons
The 10 Commandments
15 Judges

5
 Lesson Plans: Week #1
SAMPLE
Welcome:
Attendance Chart (put up stickers)
Welcome Song: Come to Class
Where is (Child’s Name) ?
(use a mirror for children to look into)

Prayer Time:
What is prayer? It is how we talk to God
Where/When can we pray? Anywhere/Always
What are some things we can say in our prayers?
Families, homes, friends, many blessings, Jesus
Prayer Song: I’m a Little Christian

Bible:
Who gave us the Bible? God
How many parts are in the Bible? 2
How many books are in the Bible? 66
Number of Books in Bible (song)
How many books are in the Old Testament? 39
How many books are in the New Testament? 27
About how many men wrote the Bible with God’s help? About 40
Let’s name some of them: Moses, David, Matthew, etc.
How do we take care of our Bibles?
This is the way we read our Bible
Are the stories in the Bible like the fairy tales we read? no
How are they different? These are God’s words and they are people
who really did live!
Bible Songs: Read your Bible and pray every day
B-I-B-L-E
Books of the Old and New Testaments

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Story:
Today’s story from the Bible is found in the book of: Ruth, it is
about a woman who chose to serve God.

**Remember: How God promised Abraham that Jesus Christ

would be born through his family. This is an important story
of a woman who was a great-great (repeat many times),
grandmother of Jesus.
God tells us: Outline/Flip Chart (lesson 1)

Songs/Fingerplays: (per story)

Ruth was Naomi’s Daughter-in-law
Ruth and Boaz Had a Son

Interactive: (per story)

Craft/Activity (if you have one)

“General” Songs: My God is So Great

Jesus Loves Me
Jesus Loves the Little Children
I’m A Little Seed

Story Review – Go over major points of the story

Worship Reminders:
How do we behave when we worship God?
We sit still and we are quiet
We can pray when our Mommies and Daddies pray
We can sing when our Mommies and Daddies sing
What are some things we do when we worship God?
Sing, pray, listen, open our Bibles, give money to help men
preach the Gospel

Dismissal Song: Tip Toe in God’s House

7
 1
Ruth
Ruth 1-4
Long ago when the judges
ruled Israel, there was a time of
famine, or shortage of food. An
Israelite man named Elimelech left
the town of Bethlehem, in Judah, to
live in the country of Moab, where
there was food. Elimelech had a wife,
Naomi, and two sons. After moving
to Moab, Elimelech died and soon
after the two sons married women
from Moab. Their names were Ruth
and Orpah. At this time Naomi
stayed with her sons and their wives.
Ten years passed and her two sons
also died. Naomi decided to return
to her homeland of Bethlehem since
she also knew that the famine was
over. She told Ruth and Orpah that
they should stay in Moab with their
families. Orpah went home, but Ruth
hugged Naomi and said, “Where you
go, I will go. Where you live, I will live.
Your people will be my people, and
your God will be my God....not even
death will separate us.” (Ruth 1:16-
17) Ruth was not an Israelite, God’s
8 | Ruth to Ezra, Nehemiah - Teacher Manual
promised nation, but she wanted
to be like Naomi who was a Godly
woman who showed Ruth love
and kindness.
The two women arrived
in Bethlehem at the time of the
barley harvest. Ruth was willing
to work hard in the fields with the
hope that someone would give
her their leftovers for Naomi and
herself. Ruth worked in the fields
of one of Naomi’s rich relatives
named Boaz. When Boaz saw how
hard Ruth worked and found out
that she was taking care of Naomi,
he showed her great kindness. He
allowed her to work in his fields,
drink from the water jugs, and eat
with him and the workers until
she was full. He also allowed Ruth
to take food home to Naomi.
Naomi had a piece of land
to sell, but whomever bought the
piece of land also had to marry
Ruth. This was a tradition of the time, so that “property” would stay within
the family. Boaz loved Ruth and wanted to marry her. First, he had to ask a
relative’s permission. The relative gave Boaz his permission and Boaz was
glad. He would buy the piece of land that had once belonged to Elimelech,
take care of Naomi, and marry Ruth.

Ruth and Boaz soon had a son named Obed. Obed had a son named
Jesse, and Jesse had a son named David. David became the second king
of Israel. Ruth is an important part of the family of which Jesus Christ was
born into many years later.

Review Questions:

1. Where did Elimelech take his family during the famine?

2. Which daughter-in-law chose to go home to Bethlehem with Naomi?

3. How did Ruth take care of Naomi?

4. Who did Ruth marry?

5. Who was Ruth’s great-grandson who would become a king of Israel?

6. Who was born into Ruth’s family that would be our Savior?