How to Prepare a Sunday School Bible Story Lesson

Choose one story and read its Bible source

Choose a story that fits the children in your class and the time you have. Read its Bible passage yourself before reviewing the illustrated version. Notice where an illustration or retelling adds a detail, and keep the Bible available while you prepare.

Write down one purpose for the lesson in your own notes. It should help you decide what to include and what can wait. Preview unfamiliar names, difficult scenes, and the story's length rather than assuming that every story suits every group.

FaithSow's current story editions focus on shared reading for ages 4–8. Profile settings can adjust the experience, but they do not mean that every story has a separate edition for every age group. Check the selected story and language before planning around it.

• Browse the story library

Read through the resources you plan to use

In the app, use your classroom profile to review the chosen story and its available teaching resources. Depending on the story and language, these may include character teaching, prayer, verses, discussion, and a group activity. Read the material before deciding how it fits your class.

Choose a manageable flow rather than trying to use every available resource. Reviewing a resource does not necessarily add it to your lesson; check the selected sections before starting. Free and paid access varies by story and feature.

For an existing group activity, check the materials, preparation, space, and instructions. Gather what it requires before class. If the activity is unavailable in your language or unsuitable for your setting, adjust your lesson plan before class.

• Open the selected story in the intended classroom profile and language.
• Read each resource you plan to include, including any activity instructions.
• Set out the required materials and allow time to put them away.
• Check the selected lesson sections and their order before the class arrives.

• See FaithSow Classroom Mode

An adaptable 25-minute lesson outline

Use this as a starting point for your own plan. The reading time depends on the story and the children's pace; shorten the plan or continue on another day if needed.

• 3 minutes: welcome the children and introduce the story's setting and any unfamiliar names.
• 8 minutes: read or listen together, leaving room to pause when someone needs help following.
• 5 minutes: use a reviewed discussion or character resource that is available for this story.
• 6 minutes: use an available group activity you have prepared if it suits the class; otherwise leave more time for the story.
• 3 minutes: revisit the lesson's purpose, use an available prayer resource if appropriate, and close the session.

Test the device and display in the room

Open the lesson on the device you will use, in the room where you will teach when possible. Check the connection, battery, volume, and readability from the back of the group. If you use a larger screen, test your device's screen mirroring and slide controls before the children arrive.

Classroom preparation and presentations need an internet connection. Downloading an eligible picture book does not make classroom tools available offline. Keep your Bible and preparation notes ready so that a connection problem does not leave you searching for the lesson in front of the class.

Use your own teaching judgment throughout. FaithSow's story content and illustrations are AI-assisted; check details against the Bible source. Classroom tools support the teacher's preparation and presence, and available features depend on the app version, story, age, language, and access.

Keep a short note for next time

After class, note the actual reading time, which resource you used, and anything you need to prepare differently. A small, specific note is easier to use next week than a plan that assumes every session will unfold in the same way.

For a holiday lesson, start with a relevant existing collection, then apply the same preparation steps to one story. The Thanksgiving collection is one place to begin.

• Explore the Thanksgiving stories