Sample Sunday School Lessons for Children

The following Sunday School lesson for children is a free sample Sunday School lesson.
There are many more Sunday School lessons available on The Resource Room.

Go Fish
Written by Carolyn Warvel

Memory Verse:  ". . . Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."—Matthew 4:19.

Bible Story Reference: Luke 5:1-11 and Matthew 4:17-22

Printable Bible Phrase Cards:  Print out onto card stock, cut apart, and send home with each child. (Available to members only.)

Teaching Concepts: Children learn what it means to be a "fisher of men" and are given examples of how to "fish for men".

Early Arrivers Activity

1. Color the "Fish Talk" color sheet. Have children color the fish with crayons and then use watered down blue paint to paint over top of the fish and the rest of the picture. (Pattern available to members only.)

2. Work on a "Fishers of Men" Bulletin Board Display. Before class print out the "fish kids" pattern and cut them out. Prepare your bulletin by placing blue paper for the background and drawing a net pattern on top. Or find net material and staple it onto the board. In class have the children color the "fish kids" and staple or clip them to the net. Cut out some extra fish and write the memory verse on the fish or use the ones in the game below. (Pattern available to members only.)

3. Study Night Crawlers - Bring in worms for the children to observe. You can buy these at bait shops or go outside at night with a flashlight after watering the yard. You can also make a worm habitat by placing garden soil in a glass jar. Add a free worms and cover the entire jar with black construction paper. After a few days take the construction paper off the jar. You should see how the worms have made tunnels down through the dirt along the sides of the jars.

How to Print or Copy these instructions.

4. Practice Printing and Writing - This lesson was designed to go along with ABC worksheets using the Bible verse. Children practice writing the letter A in print or cursive or write the complete verse in cursive. (Available to members only.)

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The Lesson

How many of you have ever gone fishing? What did you use as bait? Did you use nightcrawlers like these? Did you catch any fish? (Give each child a chance to tell about their fishing experience.) Fishing can be fun, can't it? It can also be kind of disgusting. You have to pull the worm apart and squish it onto the hook. Or do your parents do that part? Then if you catch a fish, you have to cut it open and take the guts out. Yuk. I don't like that part.

Our story today is about some men who were fishermen. They didn't just fish for fun. Fishing was their job. They fished just about every day and they were probably pretty good at it. They didn't use bait to catch their fish. They used a net and would scoop up lots of fish all at one time.

This one night, though, they weren't having much luck. All night long they sailed their boats from one side of the lake to the other trying to catch some fish. They threw their nets in the water and pulled them back out many times, but there just didn't seem to be any fish. They fished all night and all they got were some dirty nets.

As they were cleaning their nets the next morning Jesus came up to Simon Peter, who was one of the fishermen and told him to take his boat back out into the lake and throw out his net again.

Simon Peter and his friends were very tired and hungry but they did what Jesus said and went back out into lake again and threw out their nets just where Jesus told them to throw it. And when they pulled up their nets this time, they were so heavy with fish the nets started to rip. Simon Peter called to his friends in the other boat to come and help him. Soon they caught so many fish that their boats were beginning to sink. The fishermen were amazed. How did Jesus know where the fish were? They had looked all night long and couldn't find them. They thought that there had to be something very special about this man Jesus. They were really excited to meet him.

Then Jesus did something else really amazing. He told the fishermen that if they followed him, he would make them fishers of men. This sounded really exciting to the fishermen. They knew how to catch fish, but men? How could they not follow a man who seemed to know everything. The fishermen left their boats and everything they had and followed Jesus. They became Jesus' disciples and learned from Jesus how to become "fishers of men".

When we follow Jesus we also learn how to be "fishers of men".

What does it mean to be a "fisher of men?" Instead of catching fish we catch men. We tell people about Jesus so that they too want to follow him too.

What do you need to catch fish? (Let the children respond.) You need a net or a fishing pole. If you use a fishing pole, you have to have bait. What kind of bait can you use to catch fish? night crawlers, lures, bugs, caterpillars, etc.

But what kind of bait do you use to catch men? God's words.

Fishing can be fun, but it can be a little messy and smelly. But when we catch men for Jesus we don't have to clean them; Jesus takes care of that part.

How to Print or Copy these instructions.

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Activity

1. Fish for Men - In this game children pull on a string to see if they can catch a fish. If the string has a fish at the end the children answer a question.

Before class print out the "fish kids" and cut them out. Make enough so that you have one for each child. Punch a hole at the top of each "fish kids" and tie some yarn through the hole. Cut some extra pieces of yarn. Hang the "fish kids" and the extra pieces of yarn over a box so that the ends with the "fish kids" are inside the box so that the children can not see them. Make sure the aren't overlapping because a child may pull out more than one by mistake. Let the children take turns pulling on a string to see if they can catch a "fish kid". If they "catch one" read one of the following scenarios and have the children tell how they can be a "fisher of men".

1. Amy - Amy is new in school and is very shy. She doesn't have any friends and stands by herself most of the time. How can you be a fisher of men to Amy? You can ask Amy to join in when you are playing a game. You can talk to her and introduce her to your friends. You can ask her to come to church with you and meet more people.

2. Mike - Mike is your neighbor. His parents work on Sunday and don't take him to church. What can you do to be a "fisher of men" to Mike? You can tell Mike about Jesus. You can invite him to church and offer to pick him up and take him.

3. John - John is your neighbor. He is a big boy and picks on the little kids in your neighborhood, calling them names and hitting them. What can you do to be a "fisher of men" to John and the kids in your neighborhood? Talk to John about Jesus. Tell him that he doesn't want us to treat others that way. Everyone is special no matter how big they are or small or what they look like.

4. Rachel - Rachel loves to sing and is very good at it. You asked her to come to Sunday School with you several times but she said she didn't like school and she didn't want to get up that early. How can you be a "fisher of men" (talk to her about Jesus) to Rachel? Invite her to join your kid's choir at church which meets on a Tuesday night or introduce her to some good Christian music.

How to Print or Copy these instructions.

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Prayer

Father, Help us to become good fishers of men. Help us to be good examples by the way we act and what we say. Help us to tell others about you and to invite them to church so that they will know you and follow you.

Songs

Sing "I will Make you Fishers of Men."

Activities

1. Play "Go Fish" Game - Before class print out the net pattern and the fish patterns onto computer paper. Write the memory verse on the fish patterns, one word per fish. Tape the fish onto the back of the net patterns. Leave some papers blank. Spread out the papers on the floor with the net side up. Before the game, go over the memory verse. Write it on the board if you have children that can't read. (Available to members only.)

Before starting remind the children that the fishermen in our story didn't have much luck fishing until Jesus told them where to find the fish. Let's see if you can catch some fish today. Have the children stand in a circle around the papers (nets) on the floor. Have them take turns picking up the nets and seeing if they caught any fish. If they turn over a paper with a fish taped to the back, ask them if they know what the word is on the fish and to find the matching word on the board. Give them a piece of tape to hang up the paper underneath the matching word. Or you can hang a string or net up in the room and have the children clip the fish to the net with clothes pins in the correct order.

2. Make Dirt Pudding with Worms - Print out the recipe In class have the children help prepare the dessert. (Available to members only.)

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Craft

1. Make "Fisher of Men" Pictures.

What you will need: Card stock, paper, crayons, sticks, yarn, tape, and small bobbers (optional)

What to do:

1.Before class print out the fish kids pattern and cut them out and print out the "Follow Me" background pattern. (Available to members only.)

2.In class have the children color the "fish kids", punch a hole at the top, tie a length of yarn to the hole and place a bobber onto the yarn. Give them a stick and help them tie the yarn to the string. Tape the fishing pole stick to the background paper with the Bible verse.

Caution: Do not use pointy sticks with young children. Make sure that they tape their fishing poles onto the paper. If you don't want to use sticks because you are afraid someone might get hurt. Draw a fishing pole on the paper and then tape the string to the end of the fishing pole drawing. Make sure you let the children know that the bobbers are not toys. You could also draw a paper bobber instead of using a real one. They should not play with them. They are only for looking at and reminding them of the lesson. Also let their parents know.

(I am doing the Fishers of Men lesson and I love the paper with the bobber! But I am not able to use the bobbers so I dipped small styrofoam balls 1/2 way into red paint and then dipped some toothpicks or you can use skewers into white paint. I cut these so they could be placed in the top of my make believe bobber and then glued it onto your memory verse sheet with the boy or girl. I let the kids dip the bobbers into the paint but if you don't want to do that you can do this ahead of time This was very inexpensive. Thanks, Nancy )

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2. Make a Pail with Memory Verse Night Crawlers - First make pails using typing paper. Go to http://www.wipapercouncil.org/origami.htm for directions on how to make these pails. If you can't find the directions on this site, Microsoft Publishers has the pattern under "publications" and "wizards" and "origami". If you have older children, you can have them make their own pails. If you have younger children, make them ahead of time and have them decorate them. Write the memory verse on the pail. Glue in a pipe cleaner for a handle. Older children can cut out their own worms from pink construction paper. Cut them out yourself if you have younger children and let them make faces on the worms. Write one word of the memory verse on each worm.

Children can use their pail of worms to review the Bible verse by putting the worms in order to spell out the verse.

You can also use this craft to hold a snack of gummy worms. Children might enjoy making a pail of worms for their friends. They can include a Bible verse with the snack also or write something on the outside. Remind them that fishermen use worms as bait to catch a fish. We are using Gods' words as bait to catch people for Jesus.

How to Print or Copy these instructions.

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Learning Activities for Home School Children - If you would like even more ant related learning activities in math, phonics, spelling, and reading go to the Night Crawlers Learning Activities Page. (Available to members only.)

Copyright 2000, Carolyn Warvel, Digital by Design
Danielle's Place of Crafts and Activities
http://www.daniellesplace.com

All rights reserved.   No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information or storage retrieval system, except for local church or school use only.  This copyright notice must be included on all copies. Requests for permission to copy this material for any other uses should be addressed to Carolyn Warvel, 588 Duran Street, Henderson, NV  89015 or e-mail me at care@daniellesplace.com

Comments

We would love to hear your comments about this lesson. If you have done this lesson with your class we would love to hear how it went, if you changed anything, added anything, what age you taught and was it appropriate. Any comments that would help other teachers would be greatly appreciated and posted here for everyone to read.

This week we are doing the miraculous catch of fish so I am using your Fish Kids poster craft idea and also using the fish kids to write questions on, putting magnetic tape on the back and letting the children fish" for questions to review the story. Sherry Winter, Carmel, Indiana

I did the fishers of men lesson with my Sunbeams and it went really well. I use the wall tacky a lot to stick lesson parts on the wall. I put the words across the wall for them to match on. When we did the "Go Fish" Game each time a child matched a word on the wall we all said the verse together, very repetitious and they loved it. Not only did they learn their memory verse but also a week later they still knew it! With the activity we made up more scenarios so each child would have a chance to answer one. I did make the mistake of using crochet twine so they kept tangling on the edge of the box. I think Macramé or twine would be better. You could also make the fish and boys and girls out of foam sheets and decorate for a more permanent game or send one home with each child to remind them to be fisher of men. When we were done, I divided the fish evenly among the children, the class had only five that night and tied the strings together like a string of fish caught and wrote heir memory verse on one for them to take home. I also ran the fish off on the copier on bright wallpaper with all kinds of designs. Made them pretty, fun and cheap to make! I did find two really neat snacks to make to go with the lesson: They were on http://childfun.com/themes/fish.shtml#food . They have a lot of neat 'fish' ideas someone might want to use. I used the first snack - fish crackers on a blue napkin and Jell-O aquariums.

We did the Fishers of Men lesson last night, and it was well received by the kids (preschool through 5th grade). I added a snack that was a hit ... I made berry blue Jell-O in a trifle bowl, let it partially set, and then added gummy fish, gummy octopuses (octopi?) and gummy worms and served goldfish crackers on the side. They enjoyed the link to the theme. If I'd taken more time, I might have done it as gigglers with fish cutouts. Thanks!! Cheryl Gross

I really love your site. We use it almost every Wednesday night for our preschool children. The last lesson we did was "Go Fish". My children had a wonderful time especially making the fisher man. They really enjoyed listening to the story about the fishermen and then really enjoyed making fishers of men on there papers. The real bobbers did it for them. They were hooked. Thank you so much. Christina

I did this lesson with my preschool class. Instead of using sticks and bobbers, I just drew the fishing pole on the pre-printed follow me background paper and took a yarn needle, threaded it with a 6-inch piece of yarn and poked it through the paper at the top of the fishing pole and tied a knot in it on the back of the paper so it wouldn't go all the way through, then I let the children color their boy or girl and tied it on the end of the line. It was a lot more economical and easier and you didn't have to worry about the children getting hurt on anything. They loved it.

My husband and I work with the two and three year olds in our church on Wednesday night. Since they are too young to be in AWANA, we started the "Lambs" class. I absolutely love your craft ideas. To be honest, we don't usually use a lot of the lesson ideas, but usually because it's too old for our audience. I did use the Go Fish game, but changed it into a craft for our little ones. I enlarged the net so it covered a piece of blue stock paper, then made orange fish with the words of the memory verse on them. I had each child glue the fish onto the net (making sure I emphasized that the fishermen caught lots of fish!) then gave them some stickers of shiny fish to also put on their papers. It turned out really cute and the kids love anything with animals on it. They are so excited to show their parents something they make themselves. As a treat, I took little Ziploc snack bags and drew lines on them to resemble a "net" on either side then filled them with Goldfish, so the kids could take home their own net full of fish! The kids loved it and it was easy and cheap for me to make! Thanks for all your hard work, Rachel O'Dell

In my 2 - 6 year old Sunday school class this week, I did the "Fishers of Men" lesson. It turned out very well. My children really enjoyed it!

Instead of making a craft this week, we did an activity for the children to put together to take home. Before the lesson, I printed the fish patterns, with a few words of the scripture verse printed on each of them, onto different colors of construction paper (Red--Jesus said,--Orange--"Follow Me--Yellow--and I will make--Green--you become--Blue--fishers of men--Purple--Mark 1:17). I cut out the fish and attached a paper clip to the mouth. For the lake, I set up a small wading pool with blue Easter grass as water and placed the fish inside. I made fishing poles using wooden dowels, string and magnets. When we finished our lesson, the children got to fish out the scripture verse by catching one of each color fish. After they each caught their fish, I gave them a piece of yarn to use as a "stringer" and they returned to the sanctuary carrying their "catch" proudly. I have used this lesson two times before, but this was one of my better ideas for the take home item. Thank you for such wonderful lessons. Theresa Bostick

I did this lesson with a few twists. I made fishing poles from those super large pixie sticks and I laminated the fish which I had the memory verse written on them, and put magnets on the back of them. I had the children get into the refrigerator box that I painted a boat with blue plastic table clothes around it and seaweed made from green and orange paper. I had the children fishing for a while and I didn't put the fish into the water. The children pretended to sail back to land and "check out" Jesus. Then, I had them put Jesus in the boat and sail back out so that He could teach from the water. I told them that Jesus would forgive all of our sins and God would meet the desires of our hearts. I told them that we all need to follow Jesus. Then, I asked the children what did they desire at that moment...they shouted out FISH. So, I threw the fish into the water. I had made a huge rainbow fish from paper and this fish actually went home with the winner. This lesson was taught to all children from age 3 - 8. They loved it. A four-year-old little boy caught his fish. I had him step out of the boat and gave him the rainbow fish. I took their pictures with him in the front of the boat. There was an impatient 8-year-old in the boat screaming that she couldn't catch the fish. I told her that we all wait on Jesus with patience and in his time all things will come. This lesson was so worth doing just to see how the children had patience to actually do the activity. They were so interested in catching the fish that they didn't even notice that their fishing poles were candy. I also had a review questions on the door of the classroom. The children were able to answer all of the questions. They remembered both scriptures that I added to the lesson, Psalms 37:33 & 34. I also made sugar cookies that had Teddy Grahams fishing in the water. I used Hershey bars for a boat, thin licorice for the poles and licorice fish. All were attached to the water, which was a sugar cookie with blue icing. The children were so excited that they didn't even realize that their fishing poles were candy. You can buy these pixie sticks 4 for $1.00 at Marcs or local YWCA's in the candy counters. This was the best active lesson I have done. Thank you. Ann

We just did a month of making fisher of men. I wish I had had your lessons then, anyway we had a man come to class and teach the children how to throw a cast net, which is how the disciples fished instead of with poles and hooks. The children were really impressed to learn about the nets and how they were used long ago. Becky Collins

I used the "Go Fish" lesson with my 4 years through 1st grade class. As an opener/interest getter, I put a bunch of rubber night crawlers into the bottom of a bag. I let the children reach in to feel and guess what was in the bag before the lesson. For a craft, we made the "Fishers of Men" picture; they loved the pole (stick) and bobber. I made a larger pattern of the "pail with memory verse," and filled it with gummy worms for the kids. (Address labels are great for printing out the verses and they are ready to stick on.) For a review, I let the children get into a cardboard box "boat" and catch (paper clipped) fish that had questions written on them using a magnet tied to a string and pole. The whole lesson was great, but I think their favorite part was the fishing review. Hello, I loved this project! We were talking about Fishers of Men in our Sunday school class (3rd and 4th graders) and we made the pail with the memory verse on it. The kids loved the project! For a game I used the net pattern you have and shrunk them to 4 on a page. I found a clipart tire, flashlight, boot and a small fish net, also all four of your "fish kids" and 4 plain fish and I left four of the nets blank and the other 8 I mixed up their memory verse (so it took all 8 to complete it), and I explained that in Bible times that they would have used nets for fishing. I mixed up all of the 24 nets (net side face up) I had glued the pictures and verses to the blank side. I had the kids reach into a shallow plastic bucket and see what they "caught". If they caught a "fish kid" we used your ideas to talk about how they could be fishers of men. It was GREAT! Thanks again. Diana

As I was getting the craft together for this lesson, I realized getting all the bobbles I needed would be an expensive endeavor as I knew the little ones would want to play with them instead of use them for their craft. So instead I used foam craft pieces. I took two different color circles and cut them 3/4's of the way up. I took the larger piece for the bottom and the smaller piece of the different color for the top, and a really small square piece to sit on top of it all, and I created my own bobble that's safe and yet brings a third dimension into the project. For the pole, I didn't use sticks and the children are young, so I cut the poles out of brown felt and glues them on. It came out nice. Thanks for all your hard work, it is appreciated. Mindy

Just did lesson "Go Fish" this past Sunday. I teach 3-5 year olds and they had a blast. We took the picture of the two fish talking and glued fruity pebbles on for the "scales". We made chocolate pudding and pretended it was dirt and put the gummy worms in for bait. I added a puppet skit with one of our puppets "skeeter" who was being silly and trying to fish for men using a dollar bill, pizza box, and a cookie for bait on the end of a wooden dowel, yarn and clothes pin. We also set up some boxes for boats and had an old volleyball net we used to tell story while kids took turns casting nets. We all had a great time. Thank you for your site. Mr. Ricky

I did the night crawler lesson in two parts. I got library books on earthworms that told about them and their life cycle and had many pictures. Some even had experiments that I plan to use. I read one to the children and used bits and pieces of the others. We learned about different kinds and also measured 10 feet, the length of the longest earthworm! We especially discussed how the earthworm took the dirt in and after it went thru him it came out something good and useful to the soil and our plants. We talked about how some people say things to us that are unkind, mean or impure - like dirt. And we can choose to answer and do what Jesus would and turn that dirty into something good for us and the other person. We discussed how by doing this we don't let the things they say and do affect us by us getting angry or hateful and getting dirty with things that are of
Satan. I printed on tan cardstock the night crawlers in the activity section and in spelling. I then made a copy of the questions below and cut and rolled the first one, "the dirt" into a strip and paper clipped one to each night crawler. I put them in a large tin can and told the children I had caught some worms. The children took turns drawing one and we reading the "dirt" question and discussing what we could say or do like Jesus would that would turn it into something good for themselves and others. They got to keep the night crawlers they drew and we had gummy worms for snack

Here are the questions:

1. If you don't lie, steal, cheat, or do what your Mom said not to, you are a yellow bellied chicken! Reply: I am sorry but I cannot do that. Jesus didn't do that and He wasn't chicken, I want to be like Him.

2. You are stupid. Reply: God didn't make anyone stupid. I am good at some things and some things I am not.

3. You are ugly. Reply: I am beautiful in Gods eyes. He only cares what we look like on the inside.

4. Did you (girls or boys name) is a rotten person. Answer: We all have faults. Jesus died for everyone. I will pray for them.

5. I think you are boring. Reply: Not everyone can like to do the same things. I
know people that like me and have fun being my friend.

6. Listen to this dirty joke I heard. Reply: I don't want to listen to things like that. It is wrong and Jesus didn't listen to dirty jokes.

7. If you don't fight you are a wimp. Reply: Jesus didn't fight and He was the strongest man in the world. So I don't need to either.

8. Don't play with (name) they wear weird clothes or a weird. Reply: It doesn't matter what you wear or how you are, Jesus loves everyone. He was kind to everyone and I will be too.

9. (Name) isn't my friend cause the made me mad, so don't you be their friend either. Reply: I cannot let other people choose my friends or be a part of their problems with each other. I will be friends with everyone.

10. If you don't do this I won't be your friend anymore. I will just go home. Reply: I am sorry you won't be my friend. I still like you. I will be your friend if you change your mind but if you need to go home I understand. Jesus is always my friend no matter what.

11.You are too fat (or skinny). Reply: I may be bigger or smaller than some kids, but that is okay. God loves me just the way I am so I like me too.

12. Your mom/dad is stupid, ugly, mean. Reply: I love my parents. And everyone won't like them like I do. Jesus wants me to honor and love them. It doesn't matter what other people think

13. Going to church is for sissies. Anyone that goes to church is dumb. Reply: Jesus started the church and died for it and He went to church, and He was the strongest man that ever lived. It is for strong people. I'd like it if you'd come with me sometime. Hope you can use this! Narita Roady

I used the "Fisher of Men" with four year-olds.  I, too, feared the harm from sticks.  I used the long pipe cleaners instead.  They are bendable and easily placed on the paper.  Also, instead of the bobber I used small fish beads on the stringer above the fish kid.  It is colorful, cute, and appealing to younger children.  This is a very vivid pictorial representation of what it means to be fishers of men for young non-readers who must get their understanding from other senses along with the printed word. Jean

We then came back to our classroom and ate a blue jello snack in a clear plastic cup with a gummyworm in it. Another idea would be to give each child a gummyworm with their "fishingpole" (pretzel sticks) snack. Shari

I wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your web site. This week I am going to be using the craft pattern of the Fish w/ kids in the center. I am teaching a lesson on fishers of men. I am taking the little fish and attaching paper clips to each one, I have created little fishing poles with magnets on the end to catch the paperclip and fish!  We will have a paper fish Fishing Derby! I am planning on passing out small prizes, to my fish catchers.  I am also giving cups of gummy worms out for bait.  We are going to talk about what bait we would use to catch people.    I am looking forward to my lesson this week, and I thank you for such a great web site!  Great Work! ~ Love in Christ Tammy ButcherI really enjoy the site and great ideas. When I did "I Will Make You Fisher's of Men" lesson with the night crawlers, I helped the children learn this:To the rythme of Five Little Monkeys

Five little fishermen fishing in the sea (Act like you are casting out a rod.)
Jesus came along and said, (Walk fingers across plams of hand.)
"Come follow me." (Motion with arms to follow.)
Put down your fishing rods
and then I will make you
Fisher's of Men. (Cover heart with hands.)

We also fished for men by attaching paper clips to paper cutouts of people; and when the people were pulled from the "water" we said, "Jesus loves you!" Debbie Bucks

I prepare the crafts for our young children from 2-5 years old . I changed the pail of worms . I used a hole puncher and put 2 holes in a plastic cup and then got a pipe cleaner and put it thru the holes and twisted it . They loved it . The kids are always eager to come each week and do not want to leave.

My preschool Sunday school class recently did the "Follow Me" lesson.  The children made tropical fish necklaces from a kit that I bought from Oriental Trading Company.   Ella