Big Ears
Object Lesson ·
Early elementary ·
2 min
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Grace Community Church
POWERED BY KIDOLOGY
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OBJECT LESSON · Ages 6–8 · 9-12 MIN · 1 Samuel 3:8-10
Big Ears
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BIG IDEA
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God speaks, and like Samuel we have to learn to stop and listen for his voice.
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GENERATED WITH 4 EDITOR NOTES · READ THEM AT THE END BEFORE YOU TEACH
SUPPLIES · 2 ITEMS
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Paper bunny ears, prepared |
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A Bible |
| HOW TO SHOW IT |
YOUR NOTES |
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1
1-2 min |
Put on the bunny ears
| DO |
Put on the prepared bunny ears. Let one or two children answer the question. Rabbits can turn their big ears toward a sound to help find where it is coming from. |
| SAY |
Why would a bunny need ears this big? |
| SAY |
Bunnies use their ears to listen. Let’s try some bunny-ear listening. |
| DO |
Turn your head so one paper ear points toward the far side of the room. Do not explain more yet. |
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2
1-2 min |
The whisper test
| SAY |
Point your bunny ears toward me. Now hum and softly clap. |
| DO |
Move to the far side of the room. While the group hums and claps, whisper once: The bunny found a blue button. Do not ask anyone to repeat it. Let the missed words be the payoff. |
| SAY |
Keep what you think you heard in your head. Everybody freeze. Hands down. No humming. No clapping. |
| DO |
Keep the bunny ears pointed toward the group. From the same spot, whisper the same sentence once. Let the whole group say the sentence together. If they cannot hear it, move a few steps closer and repeat it. |
| SAY |
The bunny ears pointed the right way both times. But when the room was noisy, the words got covered up. Quiet helped us listen. |
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3
1-2 min |
Samuel in the dark
| DO |
Read 1 Samuel 3:8-10 (WEB) aloud from the Bible. Keep the Bible open where children can see it. |
| SAY |
God called Samuel. At first, Samuel did not know who was calling him. Eli, an older man, helped Samuel know how to answer. |
| SAY |
God speaks to us through the Bible. A quiet moment can help us pay attention to God’s words. |
| SAY |
Tomorrow morning, before the TV or tablet goes on, ask a grown-up to read you one Bible verse. Sit still and listen. |
| DO |
Pause briefly so children can think of a grown-up they could ask. Do not require answers. Pray the closing prayer. |
| SAY |
Big bunny ears can point toward a sound. A quiet minute can help us listen to God’s words. |
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THE PASSAGE · 1 Samuel 3:8-10
God called Samuel, but Samuel did not know at first who was calling. Eli helped Samuel know how to listen and answer God.
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TALK ABOUT IT · PICK ONE OR TWO
YOUNGER
What do you think a rabbit uses its big ears to listen for?
What kinds of noise can make it hard to hear someone talking?
OLDER
What might your morning sound like before the TV or tablet goes on?
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STILL BEING FINISHED · 4 EDITOR NOTES
This piece is usable as it stands. An editor has flagged the points below — read them before you teach, and use your judgement where they apply.
NOTE |
The cited reading is 1 Samuel 3:8-10, but the explanation says, “At first, Samuel did not know who was calling him.” That information is stated in verse 7 (“Samuel didn’t yet know Yahweh”), which the leader does not read or cite. Expand the reading/reference to include verse 7, or remove that claim from the explanation. |
NOTE |
“Eli, an older man” adds a detail that 1 Samuel 3:8-10 does not state. The passage identifies him as Eli and shows that he understood what was happening; it does not identify his age in these verses. Say “Eli helped Samuel know how to answer” instead. |
NOTE |
This cannot realistically fit the requested two-minute whole-piece target. The opening question, two-round whisper demonstration, Bible reading, explanation, application, thinking pause, and prayer will take substantially longer than two minutes even when run briskly. Cut or combine steps so the demonstration and Scripture connection can be completed in about two minutes. |
NOTE |
The paper bunny ears are decoration rather than the thing that makes the truth land. Removing them leaves the same noise-and-whisper demonstration and the same Bible connection almost unchanged. Make the ears part of the discovery rather than only a costume and introductory joke, so children can connect what happens with the ears to the point about quiet attention. |
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BEFORE YOU TEACH IT
Please review and adapt all generated content before use.
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Grace Community Church · OBJECT LESSON · Big Ears
KIDOLOGY.ORG
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