Lesson 6: The ten commandments.
Passage: Exodus 19:1-20:21 - The Israelites came to Mount Sinai, which Moses climbed to meet with God. There, God gave Moses the Law of the Covenant to give to the Israelites, which was a reminder of how God had rescued them from slavery in Egypt and chosen them to be God’s people, as well as a guideline for how they were to live as God’s people in the Promised Land. God gave the Israelites Ten Commandments to follow, which Jesus later summarizes as “loving God and loving others.”
Big Idea: God’s law is love.
For Teachers:
Lesson plan.
-
Welcome Activity: (10 minutes) — All Leaders
Have one leader greet the children with the iPad roster outside the classroom door. Check-in the children in your classroom as they arrive.
Have another leader invite the children in to sit in a circle on the circle time rug. Introduce yourselves.
Activity: — Bible Story Circle Time Questions
Leader: “Good morning friends! It’s so nice to see you! We are glad you are here today. I have a big question for you today. If you want to share can you raise your hand to answer?
What are some of the rules that you have to follow at home or at school?
Why do you think your parents or teachers give you rules?
Leader: Today we are going to read another story about Moses and the Israelites and the time God gave Moses some rules up on a mountain.
Can you find a seat so you can see the pictures?
Can you give me a thumbs up when you are ready?
(Read ‘Moses and God’s Rules’ from the Tiny Truths bible)
Prayer — Leader
“Dear God, thank you for the story of the ten commandments that you gave to Moses and the Israelites to help them know how to live as your people. Please help us to remember that your rules are all about loving you and loving others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Leader: Alright friends I think we should get up and move around a bit before our craft can everybody stand up?
Body Break Activity: — Freeze Dance
Play Freeze dance video from Activity Playlist.
After the body break activity move to the tables for craft time.
Activity: Moses on the mountain colouring page
Children will use crayons, and dot stickers to decorate their page.
If a child is not interested in the activity, allow them to move to free play.
Dismissal: Dismiss children manually with Roster iPad and make sure each child leaves with their caregiver.
-
Welcome — All Leaders
Welcome the children to the front of the classroom.
Manually Check-in each child using the iPad Roster. Introduce yourselves.
Warm Up Activity: — What Time is it Mr. Wolf Game
Preliminary Discussion — Bible Story Leader:
We’re almost at the end of our series about the story of Moses and the Israelites.
Can anyone remember some of the things that's happened so far in the story?
Today's story is about how God gave the people 10 commandments or rules to follow. Let's watch our video to find out more...
Video Lesson — Bible Story Leader
Play: The Ten Commandments (Stories of the Bible video)
Then play Exodus Trivia video Episode 6
Follow Up Discussion — Bible Story Leader
Why do you think God gives us rules?
What are some of the rules that you have to follow at home or at school?
Do you think that parents and teachers give you rules because they want to make your life harder or because the rules are good and keep us safe? Do you think that God is the same way?
What did Jesus say God's rules were all about?
Prayer — Bible Story Leader
“Dear God, thank you for the story of the ten commandments that you gave to Moses and the Israelites to help them know how to live as your people. Please help us to remember that your rules are all about loving you and loving others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Activity: The Commandments fortune teller craft.
Children will create fortune tellers related to the bible story.
Colour the page first, the cut and fold the craft.
Colouring pages will also be available.
Dismissal: Use the iPad Roster to dismiss children making sure each child leaves with their care-givers.
-
Welcome — All Leaders
Welcome the children to the classroom.
Manually Check-in each child using the iPad Roster. Introduce yourselves and ask about their weeks.
Warm Up Activity: Roll and Answer Trivia
Students will roll 2 Dice and try to answer the question that corresponds to the dice.
Preliminary Discussion — Bible Story Leader
We’re almost done our series on Moses and the Exodus!
Today's story is all about the time when Moses climbed up a mountain called Mount Sinai to meet with God, and where God ended up giving him the Ten Commandments for the Israelites to follow as the people of God.
Let's watch our 2 videos to find out more…
Video Lesson — Play the 10 Commandments video first and then the Commons Kids Exodus Trivia Episode 6 video.
Follow Up Discussion — Bible Story Leader
What are some rules that you have to follow at home or at school? Why do you think our parents and teachers give us those rules?
What do you think makes a rule good or bad?
Later, in the New Testament, Jesus summarized all of the Laws of Moses into two greatest commandments? Can anyone remember what they were?
Prayer — Bible Story Leader
“Dear God, thank you for the story of the Ten Commandments, and how we learn from it that you are a loving God who gives us certain rules for our own benefit, not to make our lives for difficult, but so that we’ll know how to live as your people. Please help us to remember that the most important thing of all is to love you and love others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Activity: Fortune Tellers
Kids will use markers and scissors to decorate, cut and fold fortune tellers from the bible story.
Dismissal: Use the iPad Roster to dismiss children making sure each child leaves with their care-givers.
For Parents:
Follow-up questions.
-
What was the story you learned about in class today?
How many big rules did God give the Israelites to follow? Do you remember what some of them were?
Why do you think God gave them those rules? Do you think God did it to make their lives hard or to make their lives better?
What do you think the rules are really all about? (Loving God and others)
-
What was the story you learned about in class today?
How many commandments did God give the Israelites to follow? What were some of them?
Do you think God’s commandments are supposed to be for our good or to make our lives harder? Why?
What do you think the rules are really all about? (Loving God and others)
-
What happened in the story you learned about in class today?
What do you think about all the rules that God gave the people to follow? Why do you think God gave them so many rules?
Do you think that we could earn God’s love by following rules? Why or why not? (Note: God already loved the people before giving them the commandments; the law is not about earning God’s love, but learning how to live as God's people)
Do you remember what Jesus said was the greatest commandment of all? (Loving God and others)
