Before class, you might want to watch the following video if you are not familiar with how to play the concentration game called Categories. Be aware that in our version, a slightly different rhythm is being used and no one leaves the circle [1:02]: Category Circle Game
The season of joy celebrating the Savior’s birth is in full swing with numerous activities, parties, family gatherings, and more. Keeping your students focused today may be a bit more difficult than usual.
Begin with a game. This game should take about five to ten minutes. Be sure to end the game with the categories of “countries” (see categories list below).
Have students sit in a large circle (in chairs or on the floor) and play a concentration game where they follow a rhythm of slapping their upper thighs two times, then clapping two times, then snapping their right hand, then snapping with their left hand, and then calling out something that would fit under the category you give them (see category list below). Example: If the category is fruit, the first person might list cantaloupe, the next person might say apple, the next peach, and so on. Play continues until someone misses the rhythm on their turn, can’t think of something that fits in the category, or they call out something that has already been used. You will then call out the next category on the list. Students will go clockwise, in order, for this game. The following round of categories will be directed to the person in the circle who is sitting to the left of the person who has most recently messed up. No one exits the circle or is eliminated in this game. Everyone can keep playing.
Category list: desserts, restaurant names, favorite movies, favorite celebrities, music groups, etc., countries. (Be sure to end this game by playing the country category last.
End this game using the category of countries. You may want to play this topic twice to see how many countries your students can come up with. This game ties in nicely with today’s lesson on how all people are called to worship Jesus.
Today’s lesson is about how all people are called to worship Jesus. This interactive map shows the percentages of people who have not been reached with the good news of Jesus in each country throughout the world. Let’s take a look.
Display the following interactive map for students on a projector or screen-shared browser. Hover over several countries on various continents, including the United States. Read aloud the summary for those countries, noting the number of people still unreached for Christ. (Option: if students have smartphones, you can invite them to pull up the interactive world map on their smartphones and spend a few minutes exploring countries on various continents.
- What stood out to you about the countries we explored? (Accept all reasonable responses.)
- Were you surprised by the percentages of unreached people in some of these countries? If so, what surprised you? (Accept all reasonable responses. Students may express surprise that 18% of people in the US are still unreached.)
Today we’re excited about celebrating the birth of our Savior! Many in the world still don’t know about Jesus but all are called to worship Him. Let’s see how we can be a part of getting this message out around the globe!