Welcome to Witness Overview of Witness Structure of

Welcome to Witness! • Overview of Witness • Structure of Witness • Components of Witness • Planning and Preparation • Enrichments

Overview of Witness A witness is someone who: To witness is to: • KNOWS the word • SHARE the word • GROWS in faith • EXPRESS faith • SHOWS service • LIVE service

Overview of Witness • Witness is based on a strong biblical foundation • Witness includes Bible stories tell the salvation story • Witness provides resources for ageappropriate teaching and learning • Witness helps kids apply the gospel to daily life—witnessing/evangelism

Ages and Components • Curriculum for age 2 through grade 8 • Learners are grouped by age/grade (Ages 2 -3, Pre-K/K, Grades 1 -2, Grades 3 -4, Grades 5 -6, Grades 7 -8) • Main components – Teacher Guide – Learner Resource – Teacher Class Kit

Using Witness • Two-year cycle of resources: Year Red Year Blue • Two 15 -week semesters each year – Semester 1: Old Testament stories, Advent and Christmas sessions – Semester 2: New Testament stories, including the ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus • Sessions are undated and

Bonus Sessions! • In addition to 15 Core sessions, 5 Bonus sessions per semester • When should you use Bonus Sessions? – During Advent or Lent (Seasonal Preparations) – When more movement is needed (Field Trip) – When Sunday school begins in August or runs through June – When the text is read during worship – When the topic fits!

More Bonus Sessions • Five Bonus areas for each semester – 1. Teachings of Jesus (most from John) – 2. Connections between the Old and New Testaments – 3. Field Trip – 4. Seasonal Preparations (Advent, Lent) – 5. Worship (A place to pray, sing, celebrate, give)

Scope and Sequence • Year Red Scope and Sequence: pp. 12 -13 in Planning Guide • Year Blue Scope and Sequence: pp. 14 -15 in Guide Planning • For each session – Session number – Space for notes – Bible story and text – Faith Trait • Many stories are the same between the Lower and Upper age/grade groups

Components • Teacher Guide • Learner Resource • Teacher Class Kit

Components: Teacher Guide • Core session sections – Page 1: Session-at-a-Glance – Page 2: Bible Background, Age-Level Connection – Page 3: Ready for the Story – Page 4: Explore the Story – Page 5: Live the Story • Bonus session sections – Page 1: Bible Background, Ready for the Story – Page 2: Explore the Story, Live the Story

Components: Teacher Guide • Lots of support for teachers before during sessions and • Support for session preparation – Bible Background – for digging into the story – Teacher Prayer – for using as a personal devotion – Question for Reflection – for thinking about the story’s meaning for you – Learner Goals – for planning how learners will know the story, grow in faith, and show service to others

Components: Teacher Guide • Support throughout the session – Factoids – for learning more about the Bible and its context – Transition Tip – for planning how to move activities story between – More Movement – for getting out the wiggles – Kid Connect – for making connections between you, learners, and the stories – Teacher Boost – for affirming you as you answer the call to teach kids and nurture their lives of faith

Components: Learner Resource • Leaflet for Lower Levels (Age 2–Grade 4) – Page 1: Activity to prepare for story – Page 2: Bible story – Page 3: Witness activities – Page 4: Witness at Home • Magazine for Upper Levels (Grades 5 – 8) – Four pages of activities for Ready, Explore, Live the Story – Brain Builders, Bible Connections, Creative Corner, Digging In

Components: Teacher Class Kit • Posters: Bible art, contemporary images • Activity Cards: Faith Traits, storytelling, game cards • Reproducible Sheets: Bonus session learner resources, session activities, Go Global!, puppets, games • CD: song or comedy track for each session

Finding Your Materials • Make sure you have necessary to plan and prepare materials – Age/grade level Teacher Guide – Age/grade level Learner Resource n Lower grades: take-home leaflets n Upper grades: booklet – Lower or Upper Teacher Class Kit (posters, activity cards, reproducible sheets, CD)

Getting Ready • Review the Scope and Sequence chart for the semester • Check with your education planner to determine if all age/grade levels will learn the same story each week • Make sure the seasonal sessions (Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter) are planned on the appropriate dates • Plan if and when you’ll use Bonus sessions

Preparing your mind and heart • Read the Bible Text • Review the Key Verse and Big Idea • Read the Bible Background and Factoids • Use the Teacher Prayer • Consider the Question for Reflection • Review the Learner Goals

Planning Your Session • Review the Session at a Glance chart to identify needed materials and preparation • Review each part of the session – Ready for the Story: How will you prepare learners for the Bible story? – Explore the Story: How will you present the Bible story to learners? – Live the Story: How will help learners apply the Bible story to their own lives? • Make sure you have your own copy of the Learner Resource – look for when and how it’s used

Highlights • In addition to teaching the Bible story, plan how you will use… – Big Ideas to sum up the story in a sentence – Faith Traits to build character and strengthen discipleship – Witnesses in the World to support learners in exploring how they can witness to others near and far – Go Global! activities (5 per semester) and accompanying Reproducible Sheet to connect kids to other places and people

Use Your Teacher Class Kit! • Review Teacher Class Kit contents – Posters n Some posters can be used during every session (Big Ideas, Faith Traits) n Some posters are specific to one or two stories – Cut out the Activity Cards before the session – Make copies of Reproducible Sheets and Pages before the session – Listen to the CD track for each session