During the lesson, the information for you to know is written in regular type, and what we suggest speaking or reading aloud to children is in bold. All resources for this lesson, including the Teacher Guide and Student Page, can be downloaded in a ZIP file by clicking on the following link:
In some lessons you will find "resource articles." These are articles written by experts from around the world to help equip you for your work with children and adolescents. Share them with parents or guardians if you consider it appropriate.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God— this is your true and proper worship.
Romans 12:1
This verse from Romans is speaking about keeping our bodies from sin. But God also cares about our physical bodies and how we take care of them. Pause for a moment and consider your body—how it is made, how the parts work together, how your heart beats, how your lungs bring in air. In all these things, you can praise God.
Every one of us has a body to care for. Think about your physical health. In what ways can you be a good steward of the gift of your body? What leads you to praise God for His marvellous creation of you?
Let families know the children will begin learning about staying healthy. Encourage the children to share with their families the 4 health tips they learn in today’s lesson.
Teacher Tip: If possible, email or text the Family Connection Card to the families of your students.
Greet the children as they come into class. Let them know that today they will learn how their bodies work and tips to stay as healthy as possible.
Our bodies are amazing gifts from God. There is a lot to know about the body and how it works. Let’s play a game that reminds us of different systems that work in our bodies. I will give you some instructions, and you will decide if you are allowed to follow them. If I say, “Teacher says, scratch your knee,” then you can scratch your knee. If I only say, “Scratch your knee,” then you cannot scratch your knee. If I say, “Scratch your knee,” and you do, then you are out of the game.
Have the children stand facing you. As you read each statement, do the action even if you do not say, “Teacher says.” Be sure to read the statements quickly so the children have to react quickly.
That was a fun game! God gave us bodies that can do amazing things!
Ask the children to sit down.
Our marvellous bodies are wonderful gifts from God. Today we will have fun learning about how our bodies work. You will be amazed to hear some of the details about your body.
Many of your body’s functions work without you even thinking about it. Every day your heart beats, you breathe, your blood flows, and you blink your eyes. And you never have to think about making it happen.
Sometimes when you are sick you have a fever. This is a way the body helps fight sickness. You can feel if someone has a fever by putting your hand on his forehead. Put your hand on your forehead now. Turn to your neighbour and do the same thing. Does one of you feel warmer than the other? Of course, the best way to see if someone has a fever is to use a thermometer. If someone feels warm to your hand, she may have a fever.
If you get an infection, special cells called white blood cells move through your body to get to the infection and destroy it. These white blood cells surround the infection and destroy it. Your body makes white blood cells inside your bones. Put your hand on your hipbone. Inside of that bone you are making infection-destroying white blood cells!
Your amazing body knows what to do when it gets a cut. The broken skin sends a signal, and your blood clots together to form a scab to stop the bleeding. Look at your arms or legs to see if you have any scars showing where your skin has healed.
Your heart pumps blood all through your body. Put your hand on the left side of your chest. Can feel your heart pumping? Your hearts beats over 100,000 times per day. That is over 35 million times a year!
The liver is an important organ we cannot live without. The liver does more than 500 different things! One of the most important things it does is remove waste from the body. If the liver is damaged but at least one-quarter of it remains, a completely new liver can grow back!
Your skeleton has more than 200 bones. Bones give the body shape, protection, and the ability to move and be upright. Our ribs are bones that protect our lungs and heart. Where can you feel your bones?
What amazing bodies we have. We want to take good care of our bodies so we can be as healthy as possible. Even before we get sick, we can do things that will help protect us from getting sick. Listen to what this verse says about your body:
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Psalm 139:14
Let’s learn 4 tips for caring for our bodies so we are as healthy as possible.
Optional Supplies:
Give the children paper and pencils. Have them draw 4 squares on their papers. After you read each tip, pause and let the children write or draw it in one of the squares.
If you are using the Student Pages, the children can do the activity on them.
End of Option
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
1 Corinthians 9:24–27
Allow the children to answer, and then add the following if any is not mentioned: after using the toilet, before eating or preparing food, after touching anyone who is sick, after touching anything dirty, or after touching your face.
Washing your hands is the easiest way to keep you from getting sick. Everyone pretend to wash your hands.
What are the 4 tips to staying healthy?
Eat healthy foods, get enough rest, exercise, and keep your hands clean.
God created each one of us in wonderful ways. Listen again to these verses you have heard before. Listen carefully because you will work with a partner to create your own version of these verses.
If you are using the Memory Verse Poster, show it to the students.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Psalm 139:13–14
Divide the children into pairs. Have each pair think of how to say these verses in their own words. After a few minutes, ask the pairs to share their version of the verses.
God made each of us in amazing and specific ways. He even knows how many hairs we have on our heads! God wants us to offer our bodies to Him as a way to honour Him. We can do this by taking care of our bodies and keeping them from sin.
Let’s review the tips for being healthy. We should eat healthy foods, get enough rest, exercise, and keep our hands clean.
Which of these tips do you want to practice this week to take care of your amazing body? Turn to your partner and share what you will do.
Close class for the day by speaking this blessing based on Romans 12:1 over the children.
Blessing: Children, may you remember God’s amazing gift of your bodies. Offer them to Him in worship.
Lead the children in singing this quarter’s song, if possible.
Life on Life ©2020 David C Cook. Reproducible for home or classroom use only. All other uses require written permission from David C Cook [email protected]. All rights reserved.
