YEA Lesson Library
Happiness Is
About This Lesson
This lesson uses the term “Bee-attitudes” to emphasize eight Godly actions which bring contentment and God’s blessing.
Scriptures
Psalm 19:8-9
Psalm 126:5-6
Psalm 128:1-2
Psalm 144:15
Proverbs 3:11-13
Matthew 5:3-10
Luke 6:20-26
Luke 15:10
2 Corinthians 5:18-21
James 2:5
1 John 1:2-4
Words to Know
HIVE - a home for bees
CONTENT - happy
DEBT - money owed to another person
ATTITUDE - feelings or thought
The Lesson
Sammy and Grandpa were out in the back yard. It was a warm summer day. Sammy closed his eyes and listened. He could hear the bees as they buzzed from flower to flower. They seemed to know just what to do. They seemed happy!
Sammy thought about his morning. He and his sister had a fight. His mother sent them to their rooms. Sammy was mad at his sister and his mother. “Grandpa, why don’t people get along like the bugs and animals?”
Grandpa showed Sammy a bee hive. Hundreds of bees were busy working. “These bees know the sweetest flowers,” said Grandpa. “They know their way home. They do their job as they are supposed to.”
He said, “God made the bees to make honey. As long as they do what they are supposed to do, they are content.”
Grandpa pointed to the pond. “Do you see that bullfrog? What would happen if he tried to act like a bee?” Sammy laughed. That fat frog couldn’t get into the bee hive to make honey. “God made bees pretty smart. They do what God created them to do,” Grandpa said. We can learn a lesson from bees. We will call it the “Bee Attitudes.”
Jesus went to the mountains around Galilee. He began to teach His followers how they could be happy. Jesus knew that these followers loved God. They wanted God to bless them.
Bee Needy! Do you want to be with God in His Kingdom? You can’t get there by yourself. You need God’s help. You can’t earn a place in God’s Kingdom. We all do things that are wrong. We need Jesus who died for our sins.
BeeSorry! Tell God you are sorry for doing bad things. He will not scold you, or send you to your room. He wants to love you.
Bee Gentle! Don’t demand your own way. Sometimes life just isn’t fair. Learn to give and share with others instead of always grabbing and taking. Be gentle and kind. Someday Jesus will give us everything we want.
Bee Dudley-Do-Right! Be “hungry” to do what is right. Search for the right thing to do. Do good, even when people treat you badly. Don’t get even! God will take care of that. You will feel better for doing what is right.
Bee Forgiving! There was once a man who owed his boss a lot of money. The boss wanted his money back. The man didn’t have the money. He begged his boss not to put him in prison. His boss forgave the debt. But when the man’s servant owed him money, he wasn’t so nice. The man put his servant in prison. Who do you think God will forgive? If we want to be forgiven, we must forgive others.
Bee Pure! Would you want to drink water from a dirty glass, with things floating in it? Don’t put anything into your body that is dirty. Jesus wants us to put clean things into our minds and bodies. Keep your minds and bodies pure and clean.
Bee a Peacemaker! A peacemaker will do all he can to stop a fight. He wants those who are fighting to be friends again. Have kind words to say to others, not hateful words. Bee a peacemaker super-hero!
Bee God’s Soldiers! We are in God’s army. Be strong, like soldiers. Someday God will take us to live in His Kingdom.
Student Prayer
Dear Father, Thank you for all the wonderful things you have created—especially the bees! Please help me remember the lessons they taught me today. And help me have the right attitudes. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Daily Devotions
Sunday - Psalm 128:1-2
Monday - Proverbs 3:11-13
Tuesday - 1 John 1:2-4
Wednesday - Luke 15:10
Thursday - Psalm 126:5-6
Friday - 2 Corinthians 5:18-21
Saturday - Psalm 19:8-9
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Recite the memory verse.
2. Give the reason the animals and bees seem to be happy.
3. Discuss some of the things we must do in order to be happy.
4. Explain that God wants us to be happy.
Topics & Themes
Beatitudes
Blessings
Gentleness
God’s Soldiers
Holy Conduct
Parables
Unforgiving Servant
Peace
Purity
Repentance
Preparation
Before class, you may want to decorate your room with bees. Copy the bee and beehive pattern page. Use yellow construction paper for the bees and tan for the hive. Make at least eight bees. Write one word (NEEDY, SORRY, GENTLE, DUDLY-DO-RIGHT, FORGIVING, PURE, PEACE- MAKER, GOD’S SOLDIER) on each bee, and tape them on the walls around your room as a reminder for children during the review part of your lesson. These same bees and hive may be used to play the game in the activity section of this lesson.
Using two strips of masking tape, mark a winding path on the floor. (You may also make the path by using two lengths of rope.) Make two columns on a piece of newsprint. In one column, write bad things to do: Hit, Yell, Pout, Steal, Lie, Cheat on a test, Make fun of new kid, etc. In the other column, write good things: Hug, Forgive, Offer to share, Ask permission, Tell the truth, Study, Include new kid in games, etc. (Mix up the words on your lists so children can match them later in the lesson.)
How to Teach This Lesson
Helping children become familiar with the Word of God is part of a teacher’s mission. But equally important is helping students put Bible truths to work in their own lives. This lesson deals with eight different attitudes that, if developed in our lives, will bring happiness. To impress them on the minds of Primaries, it will be necessary to give them real life examples. The purpose is to teach children that happiness comes as a result of loving and obeying God. Note: please differentiate between a temporary happiness (i.e. I’m happy Mom made fried chicken for supper) with the deep happiness (contentment and peace) that comes from obeying God.
Since a child’s attention span parallels his age and this lesson teaches some concepts difficult for Primaries to grasp, it will be necessary to keep the lesson moving. It can be broken into eight mini-lessons, with opportunities for the children to interact and physically be involved with each part.
*Bee Needy! Pair children and blindfold one of the partners. One pair at a time, have the child without the blindfold lead the blindfolded child through the path. Ask the blindfolded children: Could you have followed this path without someone to lead you? (If someone says yes, let them try it alone.) There are some things we cannot do alone. We need help! Ask: Why do you think Jesus had to come to earth to die? Did He die because He did something wrong? Why do we need Him?
*Bee Sorry! Ask: When you do something wrong, like disobeying your mom, what usually happens? (Children may give examples like, getting a spanking, being sent to their room, etc.) Ask: What do you think would happen if you told your mother you were sorry you disobeyed, and that you won’t do it again? Would she would be as angry if she knew you were truly sorry? Explain that God wants us to be sorry for our sins, to tell Him we were wrong, and we will not do the same thing again. Ask: What will God do when we say we are sorry? Will He hate us? Romans 5:8 tells us God showed His love to us even while we were still sinning. He wants us to do what is right. Even though there are consequences for not doing what is right, God loves us even when we do wrong.
*Bee Gentle! For his seventh birthday, Mark got a battery-operated helicopter. He warned his sister to stay away from his new toy. Lori ran into the kitchen and didn’t notice the helicopter. Crunch! She accidentally stepped on it and broke it. Ask: What would you do if this happened to you? Would you get mad? How do you think Lori felt? Jesus tells us we are to be gentle and kind. Ask: Would it be kind for Mark to hit his sister? The kind thing would be to let her know he wasn’t mad.
*Bee Dudley-Do-Right! List examples of right and wrong things. One at a time, have children draw a line matching a bad thing with a good one. (Help them make the right choices.) Explain that God wants us to always try to do right things.
*Bee Forgiving! In today’s lesson we read about a man who refused to forgive his servant who owed him some money. Ask: What do you think will happen when this man needs to be forgiven? Would you want to forgive someone who refused to forgive you? The important lesson is that there are times when we all need to be forgiven. If we want to be forgiven, we need to be forgiving!
*Bee Pure! Children are often led astray by wrong influences. They follow the crowd. It is important to teach them to think pure thoughts (Philippians 4:8). By teaching them what is right and what is wrong, we will be helping them to make right decisions. We are told not to blindly follow those who do wrong (1 Timothy 5:22).
*Bee a Peacemaker! Ask: If Superman saw two men fighting, what would he would do? And Batman is always ready to help. We call these men superheroes. Their job is to keep peace—to make sure things are done right. Ask: If you were Peacemaker Superhero what things would you do? If someone wanted to fight with you, what would superhero Peacemaker do? God wants His children to be peacemakers, so put on your cape!
*Bee God’s Soldiers! Soldiers are well disciplined and well trained. They are not afraid to defend what is good. If people attack you and make fun of you for being good, God will reward you in His Kingdom—a home with Him Forever!
Review Questions
1. What does God say will make us happy?
2. What should we do when we realize we have done something wrong?
3. When someone does something wrong to us, how should we treat them?
4. When people make fun of us for being good, should we feel sorry for ourselves? Why?
Teacher-Directed Activity
Use the bees and hive used as wall decorations to play “Place the Bee in the Hive,” similar to “Pin the Tail on the Donkey.” Place a small amount of double stick tape on each bee. Blindfold one child at a time and give him a bee. Tell him to try to place the bee in the hive. A small award may be given to the child who comes closest to the hive.
Pattern Page
NEED bee pattern
REACH Activity
Special Materials:
glitter, hangers or dowel rods, camera, bee stickers
1. Before the YEA lesson, have students make a list of reasons why people don’t get along. Each student can write the list in their Bible notebook, or make the list together as a class. After sharing, brainstorm ways to get along better.
2. Find out more about bees. Are all bees the same? Use an encyclopedia or other nonfiction book. Write the information in your Bible notebook.
3. How many different ways can you use honey? Share ideas. Then have a honey of a snack!
4. What is the meaning of the phrase “Busy as a bee”? Discuss the question and then draw a picture of yourself as “busy as a bee.”
5. Draw a picture of yourself on the side of a hill listening to Jesus teach you and other followers. Draw a conversation bubble above yourself, and inside the bubble write what you are thinking. Share with family and friends.
6. Make a calendar for the next month. Decorate it with drawings, pictures, or stickers of bees. Each time you have a Bee Attitude listed in the YEA lesson, write it on the calendar. Were you happier after having a Bee Attitude? Why or why not? Share the calendar with family.
7. In your Bible notebook, write about a time when you needed God’s help. How did you let God know about the help you needed? What happened after that? Talk to friends and family about your experience.
8. In a Bible dictionary, find the word “comfort.” Use a concordance to find two Scriptures with “comfort.” Write them in your Bible notebook.
9. How can you be more giving and sharing to others? Write your ideas in your Bible notebook. Choose at least one way to give/share this week and write about your experience in your Bible notebook.
10. In your Bible notebook, write about when you were last forgiven for something you did or said that was wrong. How did you feel? Did you ask God to help you?
11. Pretend that you have been outside playing ball and riding your bike on a hot summer day. You have been sweating and there is dirt all over you from the ball park and the bike rides. You get to the house and your mom says you cannot take a bath for a whole week! How would you feel after the second day? The fifth day? Remember, each summer day you are outside playing! Finally the seventh day arrives and you get to wash off all the dirt, sweat, and grime from your body. How would that bath or shower feel? That dirt is like sin. Jesus wants you to stay clean on the outside, and also on the inside. Every time you watch or read something that is bad, sin collects like dirt inside your body. Write down your feelings about this example in your Bible notebook.
12. Make a large circle on a piece of construction paper. On the inside of the circle use a marker or crayon to write words that a peacemaker would use. Cut out the circle. Use a single hole punch to make a hole at the top of the circle. Thread with yarn or string. Wear the peace circle. Tell others how they can be a peacemaker too, by using the words in the circle.
13. Find the words to the song “I’m in the Lord’s Army.” Who wrote this song and why? Are you in the Lord’s army? Write the information in your Bible notebook. Learn the song and teach it to family and friends.
14. Write sentences in your Bible notebook about yourself and Jesus using these words: happy, happier, happiest, and happiness.
15. Take a picture of your family or friends. Make a frame and write your memory verse on it. Practice and memorize the verse. Display your picture where you will see it each day.
16. Sing: “Trust and Obey” on page 193 of the CEM Hymnal.
17. Sing: “I’m in the Lord’s Army” on page 33 of Kids Classics Collection.
18. Make a Happiness Is book: Each day this week, draw a picture of something that makes you happy. Write the memory verse on a blank page to use as the cover. At the end of the week, bind all the different pictures and the cover into a book.
19. Sing: “If You’re Happy” on page 47 of Kids Classics Collection.
20. Sing: “Down in My Heart” on page 69 of Kids Classics Collection.
21. Draw a large bee. Copy eight bees, one for each of the Bee Attitudes from the YEA lesson. Assign one bee to each child, or do two bees each day if you’re working at home. Color in the black and gold stripes and use glitter on the wings. Cut out the bees. When bees are cut out, turn them over. On the backs, do the following writing assignments.
*Bee Needy! Write why we need God.
*Bee Sorry! Write what we should always do when we’ve done something wrong.
*Bee Gentle! Write what it means to be gentle to other people.
*Bee Dudley-Do-Right! Write how important it is to do the right thing even when it’s not easy.
*Bee Forgiving! Write about how God has forgiven you. He gave you examples to follow.
*Bee Pure! Write what things we should stay away from so we can be pure.
* Bee a Peacemaker! Write a definition of a peacemaker.
*Bee God’s Soldiers! Write how you can be a soldier for God.
22. With string and two hangers (or dowel rods) make a mobile out of the bees from number 21.
23. Take the tune “If You’re Happy” and make up verses for each of the bees. For example, “If you’re needy and you know it, ask for help,” or “If there’s fighting and you know it, be a peacemaker.” Add appropriate actions. Putting each Bee Attitude to music will help the child(ren) remember the lesson.
24. Write an acrostic poem for A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E. Each letter should relate to one of the bees from the lesson.
25. Do a sword drill with the Daily Devotionals. (See Notes, Explanations, and Materials Needed for directions.)
Song
“Happy All the Time” is on page 40 of the Kids Classics Collection.
Closing Prayer
Lead in prayer, thanking God for the lessons of the “bees.” Ask God to help the children have the right kinds of attitudes.
Printable Pages
