FAITH QUEST
This lesson plan is copyrighted and belongs to the Kirk of Kildaire Presbyterian,
Cary North Carolina. It may be used for non-profit uses only.
DANIEL AND THE LIONS’ DEN
The book of Daniel in the Old Testament is divided into 2 different sections. The first half of the book (chapters 1-6) tells how Daniel and three of his friend from Judah are taken prisoner by the Babylonian army when Jerusalem was captured and became important officials in the government at Babylon. The second half of the book of Daniel is where Daniel reports several visions and their meaning.
The section of the Book of Daniel for this unit of study will focus on Daniel 6:1-28, the story of God rescuing Daniel from the pit of lions.
Concepts: God is with us in good and bad times.
God listens to us
when we pray.
Daniel prayed
regularly.
God helps us when we are in trouble.
Daniel trusted God even when it
was hard
Scripture: Daniel
6:1-28. Key scripture verse 6:27, “God
rescues people and sets them free by working miracles.”
Objectives:
1. Children will view the video Veggi Tales “Daniel and the Lions Den”
2. Children will learn about the 4 elements in prayer and the acronym ACTS.
3. The children will practice writing a prayer that contains the 4 elements.
Procedure:
Welcome and Introductions:
1. Greet the children and introduce yourself. Wear your name tag. Make sure the children are wearing name tags.
2. Distribute the popcorn with help from the Shepherds or volunteer children. (Popcorn should already be made) OR you may need to start the video immediately and then pass popcorn.
3. Tell the children that today they will be watching a video about Daniel and the Lions’ Den and talking about prayer.
Bible Story:
1. The children may not have seen the Veggie Tale videos. Explain that in these videos people are shown as vegetables.
2. Ask a couple of questions for the children to focus on while watching the video. Tell them you will discuss the video after watching it. Why was Daniel thrown into the Lions’ Den? What law did he break? Why did Daniel decide to break the law?
3. Show the video. It should be set to start at the beginning of the Daniel segment - halfway through the tape. It’s about 11 minutes long. Stop it at the end of the Daniel Segment. The tape goes on so you’ll need to stop it. Older children: they might be offended at the idea of watching Veggie Tales. Assure them of their maturity and that they are watching the video for the basic outline of the story. This Bible story is really a very scary story. Veggie Tales presents it in a way that little kids can understand. Ask the older children to watch for ways in which the real story might have been different or more REAL and scary.
Application:
1. Discussion Time: What happened in the story?
Older Children: How was the Veggie Tales version different from the real story? There are the obvious: animation, vegetable characters, singing, etc. Then you can discuss: real lions and how very frightened Daniel must have been and how jealous and angry the administrators were with Daniel, etc. You might read the Bible version (Daniel 6:1-28) for comparison.
Younger Children: recap the main events of the story with the children.
2. We are going to focus on prayer:
· Why was Daniel put in the Lion’s Den? What law did he break?
· Why were the jealous leaders so sure they could trap Daniel with this law? (he was well known as someone who was faithful to God. They made a law that tried to force him to be unfaithful).
· Look in your Bibles and read 6:10-11. What 2 things did Daniel pray for? (Thanks and help) How many times a day did Daniel pray? (3) How did Daniel pray? (on his knees) Why do you suppose he prayed in front of an open window where he was sure to be caught? (he did not want to hide his faithfulness to God)
· Ask the children about their prayer habits: When/where/how they pray. What do they pray for? Do they pray regularly? Just when they need help?
· Daniel was in serious trouble in the den. If you were Daniel, what would you pray for? Children might answer: “Help”! What kind of help? Wait until you get responses like: “Kill the lions”, “get me out of here!” God didn’t do that though. How did God help Daniel? (6:22 God shut the mouths of the lions so they couldn’t hurt him) Does God always help us the way we ask God to help? (God gives us the help we need. Sometimes we don’t see it that way, though.) What kinds of things might you ask help for? What might you talk to God about?
3. Learn about the 4 elements of Prayer. We are going to look at the 4 parts of formal prayer. It is OK to talk to God and ask for help and make little one-sentence prayers. When you pray more formally, at church, before going to bed or in the morning or whenever you want to make a prayer to God, you can practice using the 4 parts. They are ACTS. A- adoration, C confession, T thanksgiving, S supplication or “send help”. They are usually found in that order too.
4. Brainstorm your ideas for the 4 parts. Using flip chart paper, one page for each part, brainstorm ideas for each of ACTS. List the phrases, words to use. A - words of adoration (starts the prayer and addresses God/Jesus/Holy Spirit, C - what might we confess, T - what are we thankful for, S send help, what help do we need (be careful of telling God exactly how to give help)
5. How do we usually end a prayer? (Amen) What does Amen mean? ("So be it.")
6. Optional, with time permitting. Distribute copies of simple prayers as examples. Let the children find the 4 elements. Older Children: Look at the Lord’s Prayer and find ACTS, use the worship bulletin to find the 4 parts of prayer throughout the service. Tell the children to listen to the ministers’ prayers and look for the 4 parts.
Reflection Time:
1. Ask the shepherds to pass out the journals and pencils/markers. Ask younger children to draw a picture of Daniel or of themselves praying. Ask older children to write a brief 4 sentence prayer. They can use words from the flip chart paper.
2. Ask the students to close their journals and sit quietly for prayer.
Prayer: Ask for volunteers to help with the prayer. Assign one letter for each of ACTS to 4 volunteers. The volunteers can read one sentence from their journal or from the flipchart paper. Go in order of ACTS.
Tidy and Dismissal: Ask
children to help clean up popcorn as they wait for their parents to arrive. Put
bean bag chairs in piles against the walls, clearing the floor space. Wipe out
popcorn machine thoroughly.
Teacher preparation in
advance:
1. Prepare an opening/closing prayer.
2. Write your key scripture verse on the white board.
3. Get the flipchart stand and paper from the church office.
4. Obtain copies of simple prayers that contain ACTS. Obtain the worship bulletin for Sunday or any other Sunday that works for you.
5.
Check out the room before your first Sunday workshop so that
you know where everything is located.
6.
Preview the video and have it cued to the correct starting
place.
7.
Practice operating the
Popcorn Machine.
References
Veggie Tales Video Where’s God When I’m S-scared?, Visual Audio