Here is a 30–40 minute lesson plan that highlights the following lesson objective: “Recognize the need for courage in facing and confronting difficult situations; see that courage is a decision to move past fear and to persevere in doing right,” and “Understand that courage enables us to face the daily challenges that are known to us, as well as the unknown fears that we have yet to encounter.” (Character Building: Values and Virtues: Courage-2a,d)

Read “The Wonders of Change.”

Read Ecclesiastes 3:1. (Focus on the concept that change is inevitable.)

Discuss with your children how change is a natural part of life. Change happens daily and affects the things around us. Ask them to think of things around them that they observe changes in, for example:

• A banana that wasn’t ripe one
• Wet clothes that are hung to dry or put in the dryer become dry again.
• Some animals grow thicker coats of fur for the winter and then shed the extra fur for the summer.
  

Talk about how some changes could be more difficult to process or accept. For example:

• a move to another city,
• a friend moving to another school,
• a new grade,
• the change that happens to your body when going through puberty,
• a change in a daily routine or schedule.

Read “Change Equals Development.”

Ask your children to think about a change that happens or may happen that they are not too happy about. Come up with ways to help them accept the change and guide them through any negative feelings they may have regarding the change. Maybe talking about the process of the change with you, their parents, will help them to understand it better, or maybe preparing better for the change will make them feel safer and be more ready to accept it.

See “Poster: Change Equals Development.” Have your children think about changes they are experiencing that could be helping them to develop.

Talk about how Jesus can bring us through difficult times of change. Look up these references in your Bible, read them together, and take the time to see how they can apply to your children and help to bring them the comfort and courage they need in times of change:

• Jeremiah 29:11
• Hebrews 13:8
• Joshua 1:9

Note: You can also take time to see which other verses you can find that bring encouragement and strength in times of change.

End with listening to “Don’t Worry Be Happy.”

Additional materials:

• “The Ant and the Caterpillar”
• “The Story of the Four Seeds”