Elementary Margin
WATCH THE WORD

WATCH & NOTICE

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Watch it once. Read it again. See what you missed.

Watching gives children the big picture. Watch & Notice slows them down afterward and asks them to locate individual details in Scripture.

The goal isn't remembering the entire story. It's learning how to observe.

For the Child

After watching, open the Bible. You'll be given several things to look for. Find as many as you can.

When you find something interesting, stop!

That's what we're here for.

For the Grown-Up

If your child isn't reading independently, read the passage aloud and turn the study into a listening hunt. Tell them what they're listening for before you begin.

For children who struggle with larger amounts of information, search for one thing at a time.

Instead of “Find these six things,” try:

“First, we're only looking for the stones.”

Once they find them, move to the next clue.

Workpage: Watch & Notice (optional)

  • Scripture: 1 Samuel 17
    Time: 20–30 minutes
    You'll Need: Bible

    Video: David and Goliath video
    Recommended Workpage: Watch & Notice

    Directions for the Child: Watch the story. Then open 1 Samuel 17 with your grown-up.

    Find:

    • David

    • Goliath

    • Saul

    • David's brothers

    • Five smooth stones

    • David's sling

    Now tell your grown-up three things you noticed in the Bible.

    Pick your favorite detail and show them the verse where you found it.

    Take It to the Margin: What did David say about God before he fought Goliath?

    If Your Child Is Having Trouble: Don't ask them to summarize the chapter. Give them a scavenger hunt: “Can you find where the Bible talks about stones?” Once they find it, celebrate the observation and ask one small follow-up.

  • Scripture: Daniel 6
    Time: 20–30 minutes
    You'll Need: Bible

    Video: Daniel and the lions den
    Recommended Workpage: Watch & Notice

    Directions: Watch the story, then read Daniel 6 together.

    Find three things Daniel does, three things the king does, and one thing God does.

    Then ask:

    What happened before Daniel entered the lions' den?
    What happened while he was there?
    What happened afterward?

    Take It to the Margin: Who rescued Daniel? Find the verse that gives your answer.

    If Your Child Is Having Trouble: Give them one character at a time. Start with, “Let's only watch Daniel. What does he do?”

  • Scripture: Mark 4:35–41
    Time: 15–20 minutes

    Video: Jesus Calms The Storm
    Recommended Workpage: Watch & Notice

    Directions: Watch an age-appropriate version, then read Mark's version.

    Find:

    • Where Jesus was

    • What the weather did

    • What the disciples said

    • What Jesus said to the storm

    • What happened afterward

    Then tell the story using those five details.

    Take It to the Margin: What question did the disciples ask at the very end?

    If Your Child Is Having Trouble: Turn each item into a direct search: “Can you point to where Jesus was sleeping?”

  • Scripture: Luke 19:1–10
    Time: 15–20 minutes

    Video: Zaccheus
    Recommended Workpage: Watch & Notice

    Directions: After watching, find Zacchaeus in the Bible.

    Look for:

    Where he went
    Why he climbed
    What Jesus said
    What Zacchaeus said afterward

    Then choose the detail you think is funniest, strangest, or most interesting.

    Take It to the Margin: What changed after Zacchaeus met Jesus?

    If Your Child Is Having Trouble: Ask before-and-after questions: “What was Zacchaeus doing at first? What is he doing near the end?”

  • Scripture: Daniel 3
    Time: 20–30 minutes

    Video: The Fiery Furnace
    Recommended Workpage: Watch & Notice

    Directions: Watch, then return to Daniel 3.

    Find the names Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

    Count how many men were thrown into the furnace.

    Then find how many the king says he sees.

    Look closely at what happens when the three men come out.

    Take It to the Margin: What did the king learn about the God Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego served?

    If Your Child Is Having Trouble: Help with the long names! You can even give each child a nickname while reading, but point to the actual biblical names so they begin recognizing them.

  • Please see the following work page(s) to utilize with this section of prompts:

    R001 Watch & Notice