Introduction:
This is a lesson about Joseph that can be used with the visual posted earlier of Joseph’s pit. Help you teach this Bible story with these fun, low effort activities. Remember to share God’s Word but enjoy the moments you do so.
Bible Lesson
Scripture: Genesis 37: 1-36
Lesson: Joseph Sold As A Slave
Objective: TLW nod or shake head when the teacher asks did Joseph’s brothers tell the truth and should we always tell the truth?
- Review of Previous Bible Lesson and Prior to class: Before children come to class set out a Joseph’s Coat of Many Colors Playdough Mat at each space with several different colors of mini balls of play dough. Children are to tear off or teachers show how to roll playdough and make lines of playdough. Add to coat to make different colors.
- Put on carpet, blocks, vehicles, and animals. As children come to class, they can choose a toy to play with if using toys. They may move around to play with different toys or they may build with blocks on the floor. If using playdough, the children can play at the table or they may decide not to play with the dough and play on the floor with blocks and animals.
- After a little bit of time give 2 minute warning for clean-up time. Then start singing the clean-up song. Encourage children to help with clean up. As they do so, praise them for their efforts.
- Routine for class: Using clock sing: It’s Time for Bible Class (Teacher uses big yellow clock and children are given smaller ones.)
Tune: the Farmer in the Dell
It’s time for Bible School. It’s time for Bible School.
With all the other boys and girls.
It’s time for Bible School.
- Welcome each child to Bible Class by name using a mirror. (If available, use pictures of children peeking over church building to say who came to Bible school today. If visitor put mirror in front of child to let them see self and sing the song, “I See”.
Tune: Fere Jaques
I see __________________. I see ________________________.
I see __________________. I see ________________________.
I see __________________. I see ________________________.
They’re at Bible School. They’re at Bible School.
3. Who is Missing? Name friends that are missing and that Susie is too. Susie flashcard song. (optional)
4. This Little Christian Light of Mine with Flashlights.
5. The Wheels on the Car (optional) Pass out vehicles that children roll as song is sung.
The wheels on the car go round and round
Round and round, round and round
The wheels on the car go round and round
Bringing you to Bible School
The horn goes toot, toot, toot
The wipes go swish, swish, swish
The lights on the car go blink, blink, blink
5. Bible Time
a. Hold up a Bible and ask, “What is this? Yes, It is a Bible.”
b. Ask, “Whose word is it? God’s Word” Pass out a small Bible to children and tell them we are playing a game today with our Bibles. Give directions to the children: You can have them get up and sit on the floor to pass around the Bible or pass it with yours and your aide’s help.
Pass, Pass, Pass the Bible
Tune: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”
Pass, Pass, Pass the Bible
Pass it to a friend
Let them learn about God’s Word
From the beginning to the end.
After finishing the game of passing the Bible, explain how important the Bible is and we should share God’s important words with everyone.
c. Sing: The Bible is God’s Word
Tune: The Farmer in the Dell
The Bible is God’s Word
The Bible is God’s Word
I love to read it every day.
The Bible is God’s Word
d. Ask: “Do we read the Bible? Yes! Do we love the Bible? Yes!”
e. Sing: “Oh I love to love my Bible”.
Tune: “Have you ever seen a Lassie”
Oh, I love to love my Bible, my Bible, my Bible!
Oh, I love to love my Bible! It’s God’s Word to me.
Do we read our Bible? Yes!
Sing: Oh I love to read my Bible!
Oh, I love to read my Bible, my Bible, my Bible!
Oh, I love to read my Bible! It’s God’s Word to me.
f. How many books are in the Bible? 66
g. 66 Books in the Bible Chant like a train
How many parts are in the Bible? Two parts Stretch
Two parts, two parts
Two parts in the Bible
Old Testament, New Testament
Old Testament, New Testament
Two parts in the Bible
h. How should I treat my Bible? Flashcards
i. Bibles away. Bibles away. Everyone put your Bibles away. (Teacher picks up the Bibles.)
Introduction. Present small decorated treasure chest. Explain that God’s word is a treasure to us. Inside of it is something that reminds me of today’s story. Would you like to peek? Flash lid open. Can anyone guess what they saw? Would you like to look a little longer? What is that? (Let each child look. Pull out a little shepherd in stand or Fisher Price shepherd after each child has taken a look inside and had a chance to guess.)
Bible Story. This is Joseph without his special coat. Let’s find out why he doesn’t have it on.
Tell Bible story using picture cards from FreeBibleimages.com and props: Show small Joseph in stand with coat of many colors on.
- Remember Jacob had 12 sons and one’s name was Joseph. Say Joseph. Do you remember what Joseph had? (Show picture) He had a beautiful coat? Who gave it to him? His father, Jacob, gave him a beautiful coat of many colors. Why did Jacob give Joseph the coat of many colors? Did Joseph’s brothers like it when Joseph got the new coat? Noooooo! (Show picture card of their mad faces.) Sing song below.
- A Coat
Tune: A Tskit, A Tskat
A coat, A coat
A pretty, colorful coat
Jacob gave to his son
Because he loved him so.
A coat, A coat
A pretty, colorful coat
- Do you remember that I showed you this picture of Joseph running to his brothers? I told you something bad was going to happen. Let’s look and see what happened next.
- Bible words from the book of Genesis tell us that Joseph’s brothers were shepherds working in their father’s fields. Joseph’s father sent Joseph to the field to check on his brothers. (Show flannel graph and pass out sheep.)
- Ask: What do you think Joseph was wearing? Yes, his coat of many colors. (Show picture of Joseph with coat on running towards brothers.)
- When the brothers saw Joseph coming they became very angry. Why were they so angry? Do you remember the dreams Joseph had? (Show poster.) They decided they wanted to hurt him a lot. His brothers ripped his coat off his arms and they put him in a pit. A pit is a very deep hole in the ground, something like this one. (Show picture) It is dark inside and Joseph could not get out. He was stuck and very scared. Look at Joseph’s face. Does it look like he wanted to be in there? (Let children drop their Joseph without colorful coat on into the pit.)
- Fall into the Pit
Tune: Row, Row, Row Your Boat
Fall, fall, into the pit
Brothers pushed him in.
Fall, fall into the pit.
God will take care of him.
Oh no! Where Did Joseph Go?
Tune: Bring Them in
In the pit, in the pit
Joseph’s brothers put him in the pit
In the pit, in the pit
Joseph’s brothers put him in the pit.
- Show pictures. While they were eating lunch, some traders came by. They sold him to these men who were going by on their way to Egypt. The men were going to make him a slave. That is a man who has to wait on other people. He would never be free to do whatever he wanted. Joseph’s brothers made money by selling him! (Show picture of money being counted out. “See them tying poor Joseph up”.) Show your money bag and count out coins. How might Joseph have felt? Scared? Hurt
- They took Joseph’s coat of many colors and tore it up. They put animal’s blood all over it and told Jacob, their daddy, that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal. Jacob was very, very sad. (Show last picture.)
- Did Joseph’s brothers do the right thing? Did they tell the truth? (Child should shake head yes or no) No, they told a lie. They hurt Joseph and they hurt their Dad, Jacob. It was a very terrible lie. Should we tell the truth? (Child should nod head.)
We Should Tell the Truth
The Farmer in the Dell
We should tell the truth
We should tell the truth
Everyday, everywhere
We should tell the truth
- Get children up out of seat. Have them walk around several times as you say the memory verse. “God is with him.” Explain the him in the Bible verse is Joseph. Also explain that God is with us too. Sing song below.
Memory Verse Song: “God is with Him” 2 Chronicles 1:1
Tune: “Fere Jacques”
God is with him. (Repeat)
Bible words say. (Repeat)
God is with him. (Repeat)
Second Chronicles 1:1
- Let children create a craft with Joseph in a pit. Review the Bible story as the children work. Ask was God with Joseph? Is He with us? Craft is a styrofoam cup is wrapped with brown construction paper. The paper is glued down. This is the pit. Before class the teacher will make a hole in the bottom of the cup big enough for a a craft stick to go through. A Joseph figure is taped on one end of the craft stick. The children color the Joseph figure with either washable makers or crayon pencils. Sing the song below as the children move their Joseph in and out of their cup pit.
- Sing the review song below.
Put Him in a Pit
Tune: Old MacDonald
Joseph had a beautiful coat his father gave to him
And now his brothers are not happy
What will they do to him?
With a grab him up here,
Take his coat there,
Tie him up, push him down, put him in a pit.
What will they do to him?
Traders on their way to Egypt came right by that pit.
Brothers sold Joseph for some silver
What’s God’s plan for Him?
With a grab him up here,
Take his coat there,
Tie him up, push him down, put him in a pit.
What’s God’s plan for Him?
- Application activity. Remember Joseph’s brothers were not happy that Joseph got the beautiful coat. What did they do to Joseph? Did they tell their daddy the truth? Let’s play a game called That’s Not True.
- Tell children that you will tell them some statements and they have to decide if it is true or not.
- There is a big fuzzy ball sitting in that chair. No that’s not true.
- _____________ is sitting in that chair. That is true.
- Basketballs are falling from the sky. No that’s not true.
- Ms. Zee is smiling at you. Yes, that is true.
- Fish are swimming in the water in this room. No that’s not true.
- Boys and girls are sitting in this room. That is true.
- I am holding up two fingers. NO that is not true.
- I am now holding uo 2 fingers. Yes, that is true.
- Tell children that you will tell them some statements and they have to decide if it is true or not.
- Point out that we should always tell the truth. Remind students that Joseph’s brothers did not tell the truth and it was very sad for Joseph’s daddy.
