WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH A MEMORY VERSE?
Abraham L. Levi
Here are enough memory verse ideas to help you through a whole year of teaching. Ideas range from the very simple to the complex. As with anything you do in class, the use of a memory verse idea should always
tie into the daily lesson. Likewise we need to evaluate how we want to teach the verse. Are we doing it just for the sake of being able to quote the verse or do we want the child to know what the verse means?
1. Wax Paper- Before Sunday, cover 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheets of white paper with wax paper. Trace your memory verse on the wax paper, pressing hard with a sharp pencil. Use large letters in your work.
After the lesson of the day, hand each child a piece of paper upon which you have written the memory verse. Let the children brush tempra paint over the paper. If done properly, the paint will not adhere to
the wac from the paper. Your memory verse will seem to magically appear as the paint is brushed on.
2. Memory Verse – Write the memory verse backwards on the chalkboard and let the children figure what it says.
3. Memory Verse – Write the entire verse on a chalkboard and erase one word at a time. Have the children repeat the verse after each new word is erased. At the end, the board should be blank and the children should know the verse.
4. Memory Verse – Write the memory verse on strips of paper. Place one word on each strip. Mix the strips and have the children arrange the words in proper sequence. For use on a flannel board, back with flannel.
5. Translations – Look up your memory verse in some of the many different Bible translations. Do the verses say the same thing? Is one translation clearer than another? Which translation do the children
prefer to memorize the verse from?
6. Secret Code – During the week send each child in your class a letter containing a secret message. Ask the children to crack the code and learn your message. The message? It’s your memory verse, of course! Be sure to include the code index (i.e.: a=z; b=6, etc.) with your message. Books on various types of codes are found in your public library.
7. Life Application – When studying a memory verse show the children how they can use a particular verse in their own life. You may also want to ask the next week how many children used this verse during the
week.
8. Bulletin Board – Decorate your bulletin board to represent the verse of the day. Have the children tell you the correct verse.
9. Verse of the month – If your children are having a rough time learning memory verses because they are too difficult, try having them learn just one verse a month. Select the most appropriate verse to fit your lessons. It is better that three be learned than none!
10. Puppets – Let a puppet teach the memory verse to the children.
11. Competition – Let boys compete against the girls in a review of the past quarter’s verses.
12. Want Ads – Write the memory verse in black marker (or bring colored chalk) across the want ad pages of your local newspaper.
13. Pictures – Find pictures to match various verses you have studied. Let the children match the pictures to the correct verse.
14. Cassette Player – Prerecord the memory verse on a cassette tape before class begins. Allow the children to listen to the verse at their own pace. You may want to include some explanation as to what the verse means.
15. Mystery Voice – Similar to #14, but let a mystery voice record the verse. Children will then try to guess whose voice is saying the verse. This could be a means to introducing them to various people in the church (i.e.: pastor, deacon, etc.).
16. Key Words – Look up the meanings of various key words in a verse. Use a concordance and a Bible dictionary.
17. Mobile – Make a mobile using the various words of a verse. Display and let the children say the verse.
18. Slides – Put the memory verse on a write-on-slide(s) and show the verse on the wall. Allow the children to learn the verse while it is being shown.
19. Find the Verse – Place the individual words of a memory verse on strips of paper. Hide the pieces around the room and let the children find the. Just to be mean add a few extra words and let them discover which are the correct ones. If they need help let them look up the verses in their Bible.
20. Photo Cube – Put the words of a memory verse in the various windows of a photo cute. Let the children handle the cube and learn the verse.
21. Window Shade – Write the memory verse on an old window shade. Then as children learn one line of a verse you can pull the shade down to the next line. Be sure to start writing the verse at the bottom of the
shade and remember to use large letters.
22. Use the Wall – Place individual words of a memory verse on card strips. Place these strips on different sections of your wall. Have one child stand by each strip. Then let each child say the word they are standing by in the proper word sequence.
23. Picture – Have the children draw a picture of one way they can use that verse in their own life.
24. Paraphrase – After having learned a memory verse let the children write the verse in their own words.
25. Rebus – Find pictures or symbols to replace various words of a verse. Let the children read the verse.
26. Hot Potato – Let the children stand in a circle and pass an object around the group, When someone says “stop,” the one holding the object must be able to quote the memory verse. If unable they must sit out the rest of the game.
27. String Across Board– Make a simple string across board using the various words of a particular verse. Instructions for the string across board are as follows: On a piece of poster board in scrambled order write the words of your memory verse: At the start of each word place a wire brad. At the first word of the verse tie a long piece of yarn or string to the brad. then by wrapping the yarn around each brad let them follow the words of the memory verse in sequence.
28. Original Song – Learn the memory verse by putting it to music.
29. Fill-In-The-Blanks – Write your memory verse leaving out key words. Let the children supply the word which is missing.
30. Whispering – Seat the class in a semi-circle. Beginning with one of the end children, whisper the memory verse to them. Each child in turn whispers what they think they heard to the player next to them.
Compare what the first child heard with what the last child heard.
31. Bible – Let the children look up the memory verse in their Bibles.
32. Adding Machine Tape – Stretch a long pice of adding machine tape across one wall of your room. Call upon different children to come to the tape and write the next word of the memory verse on the tape.
33. Those With Red – In order to use variety try having various groups recite the verse together. For example: “Everyone who has red on, say the memory verse.”
34. Memory Verse – Print some of the quarter’s memory verses on colored slips of paper. Cut these slips in half. Hide one of the halves around the classroom. Then, give each child one of the remaining half pieces. The child is to find his matching piece only. When all are found, read the verses out loud.
35. Puzzles – Write the memory verse on a 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheet of paper. Cut this sheet into various sized puzzle pieces. Let individual children reassemble the puzzle. If you wish, each child could be given a separate custom-made puzzle.
36. Together – Read the memory verse in unison.
37. Responsive Reading – If you have an exceptionally long verse let the boys read one part of the verse; then let the girls read the next segment.
38. Key Word – For a quarter’s review place one or two key words from a particular memory verse on a strip of paper. Let the children repeat the verse by seeing only the key word(s).
39. Envelopes – Write the quarter’s memory verses on separate 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheets of paper. Cut each memory verse into puzzle pieces. Place in separate envelopes. Allow the children to choose one envelope
and complete the memory verse puzzle. When they finish they should sign their name on the envelope to show they did that puzzle.
40. Monk Writing – Print the memory verse with no spaces between words. Let the children draw lines to separate the words. For example: “Thou shalt not steal,” would be “Thou/shalt/not/steal.”
41. Morse Code – Place a copy of the International Morse Code on a piece of poster board. Write the memory verse in code and let the children translate it.
42. Antiphonal Response – While the children are doing other work you, as teacher, might say the first phrase of a particular verse. The children would respond by saying the next phrase, etc. For example:
Teacher: “For Thou, Lord” children: “art good, and ready to forgive” teacher: “and plenteous in mercy.” etc.
43. Scroll – Make a scroll. Write a verse or verses for the quarter on the scroll.
44. Scrambled Words – Scramble the words to a memory verse. Have the children give the corrected verse.
45. Picture Hunt – Place pictures that illustrate Bible verses around the room. Print memory verses on separate strips of paper. Let the children find the picture which matches the verse.
46. Drama – Many memory verses can be acted out. Sometimes you could pose a situation related to the verse too. (i.e.: “Thou shalt not steal.”)
47. Matching – Match Bible references and words. Look up the reference and draw a line from the reference to the correct word.
I John 2:17 rain
Leviticus 26:4 steal
Psalm 32:7 abideth
Exodus 20:15 hiding place
48. Booklet – Make a booklet of one’s favorite memory verses for the quarter. Select two or three verses and illustrate with a drawing or picture. Give the booklet as a gift.
49. Questions – Let the children answer questions with Bible verses. For example: What should be a Christian’s attitude toward taking something that belongs to someone else? “Thou shalt not steal” Exodus
20:15.
50. Mistakes – Quote a memory verse incorrectly, Let the children tell you what you should have said.
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