Welcome to Witness!

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

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

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

5. 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

6. Using Witness • Two-year cycle of resources: Year Red and 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

7. 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!

8. 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)

9. Scope and Sequence • Year Red Scope and Sequence: pp. 12-13 in Planning Guide • Year Blue Scope and Sequence: pp. 14-15 in Planning Guide • 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

10. Components • Teacher Guide • Learner Resource • Teacher Class Kit

11. 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

12. Components: Teacher Guide • Lots of support for teachers before and during sessions • 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

13. Components: Teacher Guide • Support throughout the session • Factoids – for learning more about the Bible story and its context • Transition Tip – for planning how to move between activities • 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

14. 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

15. 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

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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. Highlights • In addition to teaching the Bible story, plan how you will use… • Big Ideasto sum up the story in a sentence • Faith Traitsto 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

21. Use Your Teacher Class Kit! • Review Teacher Class Kit contents • Posters • Some posters can be used during every session (Big Ideas, Faith Traits) • 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