In this lesson, children will discover that greed is not just a simple desire; it's a sickness that can poison their hearts. They will learn that Jesus desires for them to experience true happiness and gratitude for the blessings they have. Through the engaging story of "Greedy Petie," a puppet character, children will meet a boy who is consumed by selfish thoughts and cravings. His obsession leads him to catch a dreadful illness called "the greedies." Yet, the powerful message is that when we shift our focus to appreciating all the wonderful gifts God has provided and express genuine thanks for them, the "greedies" will fade away. By the end, children will be inspired to reflect on their own blessings and share what they are thankful for.

The puppet, "Greedy Petie," envisions all the things he desires for Christmas. With each wish he shares, the teacher adds a spot to his body. By the end of the lesson, every time a child expresses gratitude, a spot is removed, reminding us that thankfulness can get rid of the greedies.

Download includes all the crafts and activities on this page and more.

 

 

(This Pattern is available to members on The Resource Room and as an Instant Download with the complete lesson above.)

 

 

As your children work ask them what they are thankful for and have them write it on the picture around the turkey. If you have children that cannot write, write the words for them.

(This pattern is available to members on The Resource Room and as an instant download with the complete lesson above.)

 

 

This turkey can be used as a craft and/or a learning activity.

How to make:

1. Before class write on small pieces of paper some different categories of things the children can be thankful for such as: toys, family, school, outside,inside, home, store, bedroom, etc. Roll up the papers and stick them inside a balloon. Make sure you have a least one piece of paper for each student.

2. Print out Turkey Patterns and use the patterns as templates to cut from construction paper.

(This pattern is available to members on The Resource Room and as an instant download with the complete lesson above.)

3. Cut the lines on the tail feather pattern by folding the pattern in half and cutting the two layers at once. Be careful not to cut all the way to the end.

4. Weave the feathers into the turkey tail pattern. Glue or tape the tail feathers to a balloon.

5. Glue the wattle and beak to the body pattern. Draw on eyes with a marker. Tape or glue the turkey's feet, neck and wings to the balloon.

6. In class have the children try to break the turkey balloon by sitting on it. Let the children collect the pieces of paper and have them name one thing they are thankful for in the category written on the paper they found.

©2000, Digital by Design, Inc. -*See Copyright Information

 

 

What to do:

1. Before class print out the feather patterns onto different colors of card stock and cut them out. Make at least one set for each child.

(This pattern is available to members on The Resource Room and as an instant download with the complete lesson above.)

2. In class mix up the feathers and deal each child seven feathers.

3. Tell the child to try to collect all seven colors of feathers. Have them pick one feather to pass and keep passing feathers until a child collect all seven different colors. The child who gets all seven colors first picks a feather and tells at least one thing he or she is thankful for in the category written on the feather.

 

 

How to make:

1. Before class print out the feather patterns and body patterns.

(This pattern is available to members on The Resource Room and as an instant download with the complete lesson above.)

Use them as a template to cut shapes from construction paper. If you have older children cut the lines on the tail pattern by folding the pattern in half and cutting two layers at once. Be careful not to cut the ends.

2. Show older children how to weave feathers into the turkey tail feather pattern. (If you have younger children, they can just glue the feathers to the pattern. (Let the children make their turkeys the way they prefer. Don’t force them to do it a certain way.)

3. Cut pieces of brown construction paper big enough to fit around the jars. Tape and glue the paper to the jars.

4. Glue or tape the tail feathers to the back of the jar.

5. Tape the turkey’s feet to the back of the neck pattern or onto the bottom of the bottle. Glue the wings onto the back of the neck pattern and then the neck onto the front of the bottle. Glue on the wattle and beak. Use markers to draw on the eyes.

 

 

Make a turkey using a child's plastic bowling pin. Fan fold two pieces of construction paper and tape them together. Tape one end to make a fan. Tape the fan onto the plastic bowling pin for the turkey's tail feathers. Cut out a wattle and beak, and glue them to the front of the bowling pin. Use a permanent marker to draw the eyes. Cut feet from orange construction paper and tape them to the bottom of the pin. Have the children take turns trying to knock over the turkey by throwing a beanbag at it.

 

 

Each child takes turns naming one thing he or she is thankful for. The children must first name all the other things that were named before him and then add to the list something he is thankful for. You can also use the alphabet and have the children name things that start with a letter of the alphabet going around the circle in order.

 

 

Make up some blank books before class. Cut typing paper in half lengthwise. Fold together 14 pages and staple down the edge to make a book. On the front cover write or have the older children write the memory verse. Write a letter of the alphabet on each page (have the older children write the letters themselves.) Provide magazines, newspapers, crayons, glue, markers, etc. Have the children draw or glue pictures on each page of the book to represent each letter. Encourage the children to finish their books at home.

 

 

Make a Thanksgiving Quilt

Give each child at least one sheet of paper with one of the letters of the alphabet printed on it. Have them draw a picture of something that starts with that letter that they are thankful for. Place all the pictures on your bulletin board so that they are touching each other. Staple strips of paper around the edge of all the drawings to make it look like a quilt. Write the memory verse along the edges of the quilt.

 

 

Comments about Greedy Petie Sunday School Lesson

I teach Junior Church, Kindergarten, first and second graders. For the month of November I decided to do lessons on thankfulness. The first week we learned about the ten lepers. This past Sunday I taught the lesson on "Beat the Greedies." At first the children were a little concerned that this was a real disease, something like leprosy - the past Sunday's lesson. After we got past that, the children really seemed to get involved in things we should be thankful for. One little boy mentioned that we should be thankful for our food because many people don't have food. I was able to talk about homeless people, people who go to bed hungry, children who don't have books and toys, and how thankful we should be because God truly has blessed us abundantly! For our craft, I had cut out 12-inch Greedy guys from poster board, just like the one I used for the lesson. The children colored them with crayons adding clothes and hair. We had labels with our memory verse that fit right in the middle of the body. And just to remind us not to be greedy, but to be thankful, we added a few dabs of poster paint dots on the body. It was just enough to make the kids think they were painting but not enough to be messy! The kids enjoyed this and I believe the lesson got us all thinking about how good God is to us! Thank you for the great lessons. Kelly Garner

I have a first and second grade youth group (I also have a few Kindergartners). I taught this lesson last Sunday and incorporated a project where we decorated banks for Share-A-Christmas. We discussed thinking about all that has been given to us, that we all have things that we should be thankful for 24/7. I made a poster boy name Greedy Petie and told the story. At the end I asked how many of them go to the store with their moms or dads and ask for something: pop, candy or a toy. For the next month, they are to think about putting that money, change that their parents would have given them to buy the above mentioned items, in their banks. This was a great lesson for my little ones. Even though the story was based on material things, we discussed things that they have that are not materialistic, that money can not buy, and how thankful they should be: A loving family, good health, caring parents, etc. Thank you for all the great lesson ideas and crafts. I do try to have a craft project of some sort every week to keep them busy and hands-on. It helps this age learn and remember. Thank you and God bless, Cindy Vickers, Ohio

I am just thrilled with the lessons and crafts offered in your Resource Room. I currently am leading the school's Bible club and have already used several of your lessons. However, the most memorable lesson was the lesson on "Greedy Pete". I had to do a chapel for the 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students two weeks before Thanksgiving. I used this lesson, but instead of using the pattern or the puppet with the dots all over his face, I used one of my students. I sat the boy on the chair and painted a black dot on his face and arms every time he got the greedies. The children laughed and we all had a great time in that chapel. Thanks and God bless, Laura

I just wanted to let you know that I used your Thanksgiving Prayer Book craft with my class of 2-4 year olds and they really enjoyed it. Thanks so much for the wonderful craft ideas and stories. We also made the felt pompom Turkeys. I have really enjoyed the web site. Hill Country Evangelical Free Church, Fredericksburg, TX, Kim Remlinger

I just did the lesson on the greedies and being thankful. I used a Real Puppet to tell the lesson, the children loved the spots and it was very interactive, all the kids got involved.

I have an active bunch of kids ages 5-8 so we also played a game which I called “thankful musical hairs” I put the letters from A – Z on our black board. I played a song about being thankful which was actually a bible verse to music. We set up chairs as for musical chairs. Each time the music stopped and a child would miss out on a chair, he or she would have to say something he or she was thankful for that began with the next letter on the board. I would then write it on the board next to that letter. They loved it; and it really reinforced the lesson. It got to the point that when the music stopped children would not run to chairs; they would stay standing so they could say thank you to God. The children are still talking about it. What an achievement, praise the Lord. Rosi

Last week in Sunday school (ages 0 to 6), I taught the lesson "Beat the Greedies". The lesson went very well and the children really enjoyed it. During the lesson, I allowed each child to tell something that makes them feel greedy at this time of year and as they did, they added a green sticker to our "greedy guy". Later in the lesson, "greedy guy" was passed around the table and when he was passed, the person who got him told something that they were thankful for, teaching"greedy guy" how to be thankful and less greedy and then they removed one of the green "greedies". For easier "greedy" removal, when I made my "greedy guy", I covered him with contact paper. It helped the stickers to come off, otherwise, they stick to the paper. Thank you for such a wonderful lesson. Theresa Bostick

I used the lesson "Beat the Greedies" for Christmas instead of Thanksgiving. I thought this was a perfect opportunity for the children to learn that they should be giving instead of being greedy and wanting everything they see. They learned that it angers God for us to be greedy. I made the snowman hot cocoa craft to give to them from me. The only catch was they had to give it away!" Boy, were they surprised! They had to find someone in the sanctuary, after class was over, and give their present to that person! They participated excellent with this. They did not complain at all. This was their way of "Beating the Greedies" by giving what they have to others.

I called them all back to the classroom after Sunday School and gave each of them a cup of cocoa with marshmallows to take home. THEY DID NOT KNOW THIS WOULD HAPPEN. I heard a grandmother tell her granddaughter, "See, it pays not to be greedy." God will bless each of us if we are giving instead of greedy! Thank You so much for your helpful site. I really enjoy it! Suzie Harmon

 

 

Thanksgiving Crafts on Other Pages