Nature Basket: Hibernation
Some animals, like bears, go into a deep, long sleep during the winter called hibernation. Photo #1368742 by Paul Flores, Courtesy of FreeImages.com
When winter comes, there is not a lot of food available for the animals. Some animals grow a thick, warm coat to stay warm. Some animals move to a warmer place, like some birds and the monarch butterfly. We call that big move migration. Other animals find a safe place to sleep all winter long. We call this long sleep state, hibernation. When animals hibernate, their breathing and heart rate slow down. For some animals, like chipmunks, even their body temperature gets very cold. When bears hibernate, their body temperature doesn't drop much. When the sun shines more in spring time and warms the earth, the sleeping animals wake up!
Hibernation reminds me of the state of the dead. When people die, their breathing and heart rate stops, and their bodies go cold. It's like they go into a sleep so deep that no one can wake them up, except for one special person - Jesus! He's the only one that can wake up the dead from their sleep. When Jesus comes again, he's going to call the dead who loved him to wake up. They will go to heaven with Him, along with those that are alive and love Jesus. Our Bible story is about a little girl who was dead, but Jesus woke her up!
Below are some options for experiencing the nature lesson this month. Choose one to do each week.
2. PLAY - Let's role play hibernation! You pretend to be little bear. I will be the clock. It's getting cold outside, little bear. Let's build a cave for you to sleep for the winter. [Put a blanket in a spare closet, or build a fort with chairs and sheets.] Winter is here, go in your cave. Close your eyes and snore softly. I am the clock. I will tell you when springtime is here. Wintertime. Wintertime. Wintertime. Little bear has sure been sleeping a long time. Wintertime. Wintertime. I wonder when she/he will wake up. Wintertime. Wintertime. Springtime! [Tickle your little bear.] Wake up, little bear!
When Jesus comes again, He is going to say to all those who loved Him and died that are sleeping in their graves, "Wake up! Time to go to heaven!" Jesus is the only one that can wake them up. What a happy day that will be!
4. THINK - Why do you think bears and other animals have to hibernate for the winter? Do you know what bears like to eat? They are omnivores. That means they eat plants, fruit, and meat, like fish. In the winter, there is not as much food available as there is in the summertime. Most plants bear fruit in the late spring, summer, or early fall. Fish go into their own state of rest during the winter, called torpor, at the bottom of lakes and ponds. In the winter, there simply is not enough food available for the bears to have an active life. So, they eat a lot when food is available during the warmer months and store up fat on their bodies. Then during winter, while they sleep, their bodies live off of the fat they gained.
The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 3:1, "to everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under the heaven." How do the seasons affect your life? As a family, make a list of the things you like to do in fall, winter, spring, and summer. Memory Mastery: Sanctuary Revisited
God showed Moses the sanctuary in heaven, so Moses could make the sanctuary on earth. The sanctuary service teaches us how God saves us from sin. Courtesy of Sweet Publishing and FreeBibleImages.org
This quarter, we will again study the Sanctuary. Hopefully, by now your child knows the names of the parts and the pieces of furniture. This time we will review its significance. See if your child can learn to fill in the blanks of the following statements. If your child can name the parts of the sanctuary and fill in these statements from memory, then they will earn a Bible artifact.
Mission Mail: A Preschool for Kazakhstan
This quarter our world church has special mission projects in the Euro-Asia Division. Will you bring your coins to Sabbath School all quarter long to give to the world mission projects? There are lots of interesting countries in the Euro-Asia Division, including Russia and others that used to be part of the former Soviet Union.
This month, let's learn some interesting facts about the geography of Russia, the biggest country in the Euro-Asia division.
Bible Story: Get Up, Little Girl!
Reference: Luke 8:40-56
Mr. Jairus was a leader at the local church, called a synagogue. He lived in Capernaum, a city by the Sea of Galilee. He was very worried. His little girl was very sick. When he found Jesus, he fell down on the ground and begged, "please come to my house! Heal my little girl before she dies!" Jesus set off at once to Mr. Jairus' house. 
Mr. Jairus begged Jesus, "Please come and heal my little girl!" Can you fold your hands in prayer? Courtesy of Sweet Publishing and FreeBibleImages.org
Jesus could only walk very slowly because a crowd of people surrounded Him. Along the way, a sick woman touched Jesus' robe and was healed. Jesus stopped to encourage her that her faith saved her.
Suddenly, a servant of Mr. Jairus met them and said to Jairus, "Your little girl is dead now. Don't bother the teacher anymore." Jesus quickly responded, "Don't be afraid. Only believe in Me, and she will be well again." Jairus pressed even closer to Jesus.
When Jesus got to Mr. Jairus' house, there were people outside crying and wailing. Jesus told Jairus, "Don't cry. Your daughter is not dead. She is just sleeping. Show her to me." Mr. and Mrs. Jairus led Jesus to her room. Jesus only allowed Peter, James, and John to come inside.
The little girl was dead when Jesus got to the house. "Do not cry," Jesus said, "She is not dead, but sleeping." Can you close your eyes? Courtesy of Sweet Publishing and FreeBibleImages.org
The little girl lay very still. Jesus grabbed her hand and said to her, "Little girl, get up!" She opened her eyes and got up. Mr. and Mrs. Jairus hugged their daughter and cried with joy. Jesus had brought her back to life.
Jesus grabbed the little girl by the hand and said, "Little girl, get up!" The girl opened her eyes and got up. Everyone was so happy! Can you clap your hands? Courtesy of Sweet Publishing and FreeBibleImages.org
Our prayer verse is John 11:25, in which Jesus says, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live." Did you know that Jesus has the power to call dead people back to life? We call that the resurrection. When Jesus comes again to take us to heaven, He will call those who have died and loved Him back to life. They will have new bodies. Those who are alive when he comes will get new bodies, too. Then we will live forever with Jesus!
Dear Father God, I believe that Jesus has the power to raise the dead back to life. I want to be ready for His second coming. In Jesus' Name, Amen
Below are some options for experiencing the Bible story this month. Choose one each week.
1. Jairus most likely lived in Capernaum. It was a town beside the Sea of Galilee. Jesus spent a lot of time during his ministry doing miracles in Capernaum. Let's learn where Capernaum is on our map of Israel, along with other cities we have learned. 
Blank map of Israel courtesy of FreeBibleImages.org
Let's connect all the places we know on the floor with painters tape (or string) and two pieces of paper (one bigger than the other). Make a straight line with the tape/string - that will be the Jordan River. Put a small piece of paper at the top - that's the Sea of Galilee. Put a big piece of paper at the lower end - that's the Dead Sea. Stand at top of the Sea of Galilee and say, "Capernaum." Then at the bottom of the Sea of Galilee, take one step to the right and say, "Nazareth." Then walk down beside the Jordan River. When you get to the middle of it, take step to the right and say, "Samaria." Follow the Jordan River all the way till you get to the top of the Dead Sea (the big piece of paper). Take a step to the right and say, "Jerusalem."
2. Jairus was a ruler, or leader, in the local synagogue. Synagogue means assembly, or gathering of people. It referred to the churches in Jesus' time, where the people would come together to sing, read the Bible, and hear a teaching, like a sermon. (Sacrifices were not performed at synagogues. The Jews went to the temple in Jerusalem to perform sacrifices.) What activities do you like to do at church? Do your favorite activities at home for family worship time. Hebrews 10:25
3. Jairus' daughter was really sick. They didn't have hospitals back then. Doctors or priests would come to your house to try and do something for you. Jairus must have called everyone in to help his little girl. Only Jesus could help her. Do you know anyone who is sick right now? Why don't you pray for them each day this week, so Doctor Jesus can take care of them? James 5:15
4. It's very sad when someone you know dies. Jesus told Jairus and his wife that their little girl wasn't dead, but sleeping. She really was dead when Jesus got there, but death is really like a sleep when Jesus comes around. That's because Jesus is the only person that can wake a dead person up out of that sleep. When He died on a Friday, He slept in the tomb on Sabbath, and rose from the grave on Sunday. When someone like the little girl or Jesus comes back to life, we call that resurrection. The little girl grew up, died again, and sleeps in her grave to this day. When Jesus woke up from the dead, He woke up to live forever. He is in heaven right now preparing a place for us. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, the Bible describes what it will be like on the last day. When Jesus comes back in the clouds, He will call the dead in Christ to wake up. He will give them new bodies. He will take them and all those who are alive and love Him to heaven. Meanwhile, let's tell each other happy memories of those we love who have died!
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