Scripture: Acts 17:16-34
Learning Objectives:
- Students will learn Paul used things people already understood to begin introducing them to Jesus.
- Students will learn Paul did not put down people who did not know about God and Jesus, but used the fact that they wanted to do what was right to help explain to them about the real God and His Son Jesus.
- Students will learn God wants us to respect those who have not heard about Him, but that He still wants us to teach them the truth so they can do what God wants them to do.
- Students will learn Greek root words and how they are used.
Guiding Question: How can students learn the meaning of Greek root words?
Materials: List of Greek root words in procedure to give to each student
Procedure: Review the story of Paul in Athens from the scripture above. Explain how there are many people that Paul served who did not know about God. Tell the students that there are even many people in the community or people they might know who do not know much about God. Talk with the students about how Paul was in Athens Greece waiting for Silas and Timothy to arrive. He was upset by all of the idols he saw everywhere he went even in the Agora which was the main marketplace in Athens. This was an opportunity for Paul to share the gospel. God wants us to respect all people and use different chances in our life to share the message of God with others.
Introduce the activity. Explain that many words in English actually have Greek roots. Give the students a list of Greek root words (https://www.readingrockets.org/article/root-words-roots-and-affixes). Have the students go on a treasure hunt to find items that use those roots in the word for the item. If the word they think of is not an item, they should try to find the word written on something in the search area.
Additional Questions: How can students incorporate knowledge of greek root words into narrative writing?
Supplemental Activity: Have the students create a story with 12 words using at least five different greek root words.