Joseph Shares With His Brothers Lesson 4 Bible Point God wants us to share. Bible Verse Be kind to each other (Ephesians 4:32a). Growing Closer to Jesus Children will n hear a story about how Joseph shared food with his brothers, n practice sharing with each other, n talk about what makes sharing hard, and n teach Whiskers the Mouse how to share. Teacher Enrichment Bible Basis n Joseph shares with his brothers. Genesis 39:2 43:34 One might think that the brothers would have recognized Joseph when they first saw him. However, it had been years since they had been together, and Joseph had been a young man when he was sold into slavery. Joseph was also, no doubt, dressed as Egyptian royalty. His name had been changed, and he had married into the ruling class of Egypt. Why did Joseph put his brothers through all the testing and struggle? He likely did it to help his brothers come to terms with their guilt for what they had done to him. He may also have wanted to see if they had changed their way of treating others. It became obvious the brothers regretted what they had done and truly cared about Benjamin and Jacob. Prayer Read 1 Timothy 6:17-18. What has God given to you for you to share with others? Pray: God, thank you for richly giving all I need for my enjoyment. Help me be willing to share. As I share my life with the children I teach, help me to Before the Lesson n Collect the necessary items for the activities you plan to use, referring to the Classroom Supplies and Learning Lab Supplies listed on the chart. n Make photocopies of the Today I Learned handout (at the end of this lesson) to send home with your children. n Pray for the children in your class and for God s direction in teaching the lesson. 53
Lesson 4 This Lesson at a Glan ce Welcome Time What Children Will Do Classroom Supplies Learning Lab Supplies Welcome! Receive name tags, and be greeted by the teacher. Shirt Name Tags (p. 24), scissors, marker, safety pins or tape Let s Get Started Direct children to one or more of the optional activities until everyone arrives. Option 1: Super Scooping Scoop and pour grain, and talk about how Joseph stored up grain. Option 2: Grain Collage Learn about types of grain, and create a collage. Dishpans or baking dishes, rice or cornmeal, scooping and pouring utensils Small paper plates, glue, all types of grains Option 3: Palace Plans Build a palace with blocks. Blocks Bible Story Time Pick-Up Time Sing a song as they pick up toys and gather for Bible Story Time. Setting the Stage Pair up to make shakers, using macaroni and small containers. Bible Song and Prayer Time Sing a song, bring out the Bible, and pray together. CD player CD player, large containers filled with macaroni or grains, small containers with lids, tape Bible, CD player, shakers from Setting the Stage Closing Hear and Tell the Bible Story Hear a story from Genesis 39:2 43:34 about Joseph s position in the palace and how he shared with his brothers. Do the Bible Story Work as partners to store grain. Sharing Feels Good! Teach Whiskers to share. Bible, CD player, shakers from Setting the Stage Shakers and containers from Setting the Stage Paper, markers, tape Share and Prayer Sing a song about sharing, and close in prayer. CD player *See the end of this lesson for extra-time ideas and supplies. 54
Joseph Shares With His Brothers Welcome Time SUPPLIES: Shirt Name Tags (p. 24), scissors, marker, safety pins or tape Kneel down and make eye contact with children as they arrive. Greet each child individually with an enthusiastic smile. Thank each child for coming to class today. As children arrive, ask them about last week s lesson or take-home page. Use questions such as What did you tell your family about how Joseph s brothers lied? and Tell me about a time you told the truth this week. Say: Today we re going to learn that God wants us to share. Hand out the shirt name tags children made during Lesson 1, and help them attach the name tags to their clothing. Have some extra shirt name tags on hand for children who weren t in class last week or to replace damaged name tags. Direct children to the Let s Get Started activities you ve set up. Let s Get Started Set up one or more of the following activities for children to do as they arrive. After you greet each child, invite him or her to choose an activity. Circulate among the children to offer help as needed and direct children s conversation toward today s lesson. Ask questions such as What are some ways you re sharing? or How does it feel when someone shares with you? n Option 1: Super Scooping SUPPLIES: dishpans or baking dishes, rice or cornmeal, scooping and pouring utensils Set out dishpans or shallow baking dishes and scooping and pouring utensils such as measuring cups, large spoons, sieves, funnels, and small plastic containers. Put two or three cups of rice or cornmeal into each dishpan. Have the children scoop, pour, and measure the grain. Tell children they ll be learning about a time Joseph had to store up lots of grain. As children work, encourage them to share the different utensils you ve set out. Remind them that God wants us to share. n Option 2: Grain Collage SUPPLIES: small paper plates, glue, all types of grains Have the children create a grain collage. Set out a variety of grains including rolled oats, granola cereal, or whole grains such as wheat, millet, rye, or barley. (Whole grains are easily obtainable at health food stores.) Allow the children to glue the grain to the paper plates. Tell the children that today they will hear about how Joseph stored up lots of grain to share. Three-year-olds are just beginning to grasp the concept of sharing. Preschool classrooms ring out with choruses of I had it first and mine. Sharing isn t easy for these children. But they can do it! Use this lesson to teach children that sharing makes everyone happy and that God wants us to share. Keep a broom and dustpan nearby to clean up spilled grain. Cleanup will go faster if you put a sheet or tablecloth under the pans. See page 5. 55
Lesson 4 You can add empty oatmeal boxes or other containers to your block palace scene to represent the storehouses Joseph used for grain. Have children fill the storehouses with macaroni noodles. n Option 3: Palace Plans SUPPLIES: blocks Set out blocks, and help children build a palace. Tell children that Joseph lived in a palace when he became the king s helper. As children work, encourage them to help each other and share the blocks. Remind them that God wants us to share. When everyone has arrived and you re ready to move on to Bible Story Time, encourage the children to finish what they re doing and get ready to clean up. n Pick-Up Time SUPPLIES: CD player Lead children in singing Come Along With Me (track 2) with track 2 the CD to the tune of Come and Go With Me. Encourage children to sing along as they help clean up the room. Come along with me and pick up all our things, Pick up all our things, Pick up all our things. Come along with me and pick up all our things So our room will be clean. (Repeat 2x.) See page 5. Bible Story Time n Setting the Stage SUPPLIES: CD player, containers filled with macaroni or grains, small containers with lids, tape tracks 3 & 10 Tell the children you ll play a fun marching song (track 10) to get their attention. Explain that when you play the song, the children are to stop what they re doing and march toward you. Practice this signal a few times. Encourage children to respond quickly so you ll have time for all the fun activities you ve planned. Ask: What did you make or do when you came to our class today? (We built a palace; I made a picture; we poured and scooped.) Say: Some of you scooped and poured the grain, some of you worked together and shared the blocks while you built a palace, and some of you made pictures with grain. If you made a picture, stand up. If you scooped and poured the grain, stand up. If you built a block palace, stand up. Now let s all sit down. I liked the way you shared and helped each other during our activities. God wants us to share. We re going to do one more activity together to get ready for our story and learn how to share. 56
Joseph Shares With His Brothers Have children form pairs, and tell them they ll be working with their partners during the next activity. Give each child a small plastic container with the lid still on. Set several large containers filled with macaroni or grain near you. Say: Open your containers and look inside. Ask: What s inside your containers? (Nothing; it s empty.) Say: You re right. Your containers are empty. There s no food or grain inside. Our Bible story today tells about a time Joseph s brothers had empty tummies and came to storehouses in Egypt to get grain. Let s pretend these containers next to me are our storehouses. Hold your container near a storehouse, and wait for your partner to put the grain in for you. When your container is about half full, set your container down and put some grain in your partner s container. Help children share with each other and fill each other s containers. Help the children put the lids on their containers, and wrap tape around the closed containers. Ask the children to sit down. When all the children are sitting down, say: You were sharing and helping each other. Sharing is one way to be kind to each other. Our Bible verse says, Be kind to each other. You can use your containers as shakers. Let s hear how they sound. Let children shake their containers and listen to the sound they make. After a few moments, play the Marching Music to regain their attention. Wait for them to respond. Then say: You can shake them while we sing our Bible verse song. Remember to use your strong singing voices so I can hear you over the sound of your shakers. Lead the children in singing Be Kind and Loving (track 3) with the CD to the tune of Ten Little Indians. Pair up children with similar abilities during activities. When you ask a question, have children ask that question of their partners. Be kind and loving to each other. Be kind and loving to each other. Be kind and loving to each other Ephesians 4:32. (Repeat 2x.) n Bible Song and Prayer Time SUPPLIES: Bible, CD player, shakers from Setting the Stage Say: Now it s time to choose a Bible person to tracks 4 & 5 bring me the Bible marked with today s Bible story. As we sing our Bible song, we ll pass around our special Bible. The person who s holding the Bible when the music stops will be our Bible person today. Lead the children in singing I m So Glad for the Bible (track 4) with the CD to the tune of Give Me Oil in My Lamp. As you sing, pass around the special Bible. Encourage children to shake their shakers as they sing. I m so glad for the Bible. Keep me learnin, learnin, learnin. I m so glad for God s book today. I m so glad for the Bible. 57
Lesson 4 Keep me learnin, learnin, learnin Keep me learnin all about his way. Let me hear bout God s love Keep me learnin, learnin, learnin. Let me hear bout God s love for me. Let me hear bout God s love Keep me learnin, learnin, learnin. Let s shine the light for all to see. (Repeat first verse.) When the music stops, invite the child who s holding the Bible to bring it to you. Stamp the child s hand with the coat stamp, and thank the child for bringing you the Bible. Then stamp the other children s hands. Return the coat stamp and ink pad to the Learning Lab. Say: I m thankful for [name of child who brought you the Bible], and I m thankful for everyone in our class today. Let s thank God together for all our friends in this class. Lead children in singing I m So Glad We re Together (track 5) with the CD to the tune of Give Me Oil In My Lamp. Encourage children to shake their shakers as they sing. I m so glad we re together. Keep us prayin, prayin, prayin. I m so glad we re all here today. I m so glad we re together. Keep us prayin, prayin, prayin. Prayin for each other every day. Lead children in folding their hands and bowing their heads as you continue to sing. Thank you, Lord, for each one. Keep me thankful, thankful, thankful. Thank you for everyone who s here. Thank you, Lord, for each one. Keep me thankful, thankful, thankful Thankful for our friends both far and near. n Hear and Tell the Bible Story SUPPLIES: Bible, CD player, shakers from Setting the Stage Place the Learning Mat: Joseph s Journey on the track 10 floor. Have children gather around the mat. Open the Bible to Genesis 39:2 43:34. Say: Our story comes from the Bible, God s special book. Our Learning Mat shows us pictures of the Bible story. Let s play a game to see what we remember about our Bible friend Joseph. I m going to 58
Joseph Shares With His Brothers play some music. While the music is playing, let s all march around our Learning Mat. When the music stops, I ll name one of the pictures on our Learning Mat. When you find that picture, line up behind it. Play the Marching Music segment from the CD as you lead children in marching around the Learning Mat. After about 30 seconds, stop the CD, and say: Joseph s special coat. Wait for children to line up behind the picture, and invite them to tell you what they remember about Joseph s coat. Lead them in saying the Bible Point for that lesson: God wants us to be happy for others. Restart the CD, and repeat the activity to review the following Bible Points and pictures: God wants us to be kind. (Picture of Joseph in the well.) God wants us to tell the truth. (Picture of Joseph s brothers showing the torn coat to their father.) After you ve reviewed the three Bible Points and pictures you ve covered so far, stop the CD, and have children sit around the Learning Mat. Say: This week I have some exciting news to tell you about Joseph. He s living in Egypt, and he has a special job to do for the king. Let me tell you what s been happening to Joseph since he was sold to the men on camels. While I tell you this story, I want you to listen very carefully. Hold your shakers very still in your laps until I say the word grain. Whenever you hear the word grain, shake your shakers three times. Are your shakers ready? Let s find out what s been happening to Joseph. Read the following story. Be sure you have a shaker so you can lead children in making noise each time they hear the word grain. Say: When Joseph arrived in Egypt everything went well for him. The man who bought him put him in charge of important things. Then a terrible thing happened. Someone lied about Joseph and told his master a story that wasn t true. Joseph s master believed the story and put Joseph in jail. Joseph was lonely and sad. He didn t even get very much grain to eat. Joseph had to stay in jail a few years. But God was with Joseph and still had great plans for Joseph. While Joseph was in jail he heard two of the other prisoners talking about their dreams. Joseph said, God helps me tell people about their dreams. Can I help you? Everything Joseph said about their dreams came true. Soon the king found out that God helped Joseph tell about dreams. The king asked, Can you tell me what my dream means? Joseph said, There will be seven years when there will be more than enough grain for all of Egypt. In fact, there will be so much grain, we ll fill up all the storehouses. Then there will be seven years when no grain will grow and everyone will be hungry. Joseph told the king to put someone in charge of saving the grain in the good years so there would be enough to feed everyone in the bad years. The king thought Joseph s idea was so great that he put Joseph in charge of saving the grain. For seven years, Joseph helped the Egyptians put their extra grain away in big, huge storehouses so they would have enough food for the years ahead. Ask: Can you find the picture of Joseph storing the grain? Wait for children to point out the picture of Joseph and the grain, and then continue. Here s a tip about the mental development of your preschoolers. They can recall some facts and events; can memorize stories, songs, and finger plays; ask lots of questions; and have an attention span of no longer than 10 minutes. 59
Lesson 4 Say: When the grain stopped growing, Joseph opened the storehouses. People in nearby countries were very hungry. They heard that Egypt had grain for sale. Joseph s father and brothers lived in a nearby country. Joseph s father sent his sons to find food for their family. When the brothers came to buy grain from Joseph, they didn t know who Joseph was. He had grown up and looked so different that they didn t recognize him. But Joseph knew who they were. Joseph also knew that God wants us to share. Joseph still loved his brothers even though they had been mean to him. He wanted to help them. He invited them to his house for dinner. Later he shared the grain with his brothers. Ask: How do you think Joseph felt when he saw his brothers again? (Happy; worried they might hurt him again; mad at them.) What would you do if your brothers or sisters had been that mean to you? (I d be mean to them; I d be afraid of them.) When someone has been mean to you, how does it feel to share something with them? (It s hard; I don t like to share with people who are mean.) Say: It s not always easy to be nice and share with someone who has been mean to us, but God wants us to share. Let s play a game that will help us practice sharing now. Return the Learning Mat to the Learning Lab. If you have a watch or clock with a second hand, time the activity and tell children how fast they were. n Do the Bible Story SUPPLIES: shakers and storehouse containers from Setting the Stage Have children bring their shakers from the Setting the Stage activity, and carefully remove the tape and the lids. Ask children to find partners. Across the room from the children place several of the storehouse containers that children emptied when they filled their shakers. Say: Let s be like Joseph s brothers and take the grain Joseph shared with us back home. The containers over there will be the brothers home. We ll need to cooperate and share in order to play this game. You ll both work together to carry one container back home and empty it in the big containers there. Then hold hands as you walk back here to get the other partner s grain. Work together to carry that container back home and empty it. Then hurry back here with your partner and sit down! Have the children play the game. Then say: That was fun! You have shared and worked so well together! I can tell you re learning that God wants us to share. It feels good to share with our friends. Speaking of friends, let s see what our friend Whiskers has been doing lately. 60
Closing n Sharing Feels Good! SUPPLIES: paper, markers, tape Before class, use markers to draw a childlike picture of a mouse. Tape a marker and the picture you ve drawn to Whisker s paws. Bring out Whiskers the Mouse, and go through the following puppet script. When you finish the script, put Whiskers away and out of sight. Joseph Shares With His Brothers Whiskers: Hi! How are you today? Teacher: Children, do you remember what happened to Whiskers last week? (Wait for answers.) Whiskers: (Interrupting) I remember what happened. Even though my friends helped me learn that God wants us to get along with others and not be jealous, I was still jealous of my brother because he had colored markers and I didn t. I took his markers and lied about where they were. (Hangs head.) Teacher: Are you and your brother Sammy still friends? Whiskers: At first he was very mad at me, but now we re drawing pictures for each other. He s sharing his markers with me again. Do you want to see my picture? (Shows picture.) Teacher: You drew a picture of Sammy. Are you getting along with him now? Whiskers: (Nodding) I m learning to get along with my brother by being kind and sharing with him. It makes me feel so happy! Teacher: Will you let me draw a picture with the markers? Whiskers: (Shakes head.) I don t think so. I had them first. Besides, I m not done using them. Teacher: Children, I d really like Whiskers to share with me. Can you tell Whiskers what we re learning today? (Lead children in repeating the Bible Point: God wants us to share.) Whiskers: Well, I guess I could let you use them while I watch you. Since they re Sammy s markers, I need to take good care of them. Teacher: Thank you for sharing the markers with me. Would you like to practice sharing some more? I ll share my coat stamp with you, and you can share by putting a coat stamp on each of your friends. (Help Whiskers stamp each child s hand. As Whiskers is stamping, have him ask the children the following questions.) What do you do when you really don t want to share? How do you feel when someone in your family shares something with you? 61
Lesson 4 Teacher: (After Whiskers has stamped all the children s hands, put the coat stamp and ink pad away and out of sight.) Whiskers, how did you feel about sharing the markers with me? Whiskers: It was hard at first, but then I remembered how happy I felt when my brother shared with me. And I was really happy when you shared your stamp with me and I shared it with everyone. My friends helped me learn that God wants us to share. I ll remember that from now on. Goodbye, friends! Permission to photocopy this script from Group s Hands-On Bible Curriculum Preschool granted for local church use. Copyright Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Ave., Loveland, CO 80538. group.com n Share and Prayer SUPPLIES: CD player Say: God wants us to share. Jesus is our best friend and wants to help us learn to share. Let s say a prayer to Jesus to ask him to help us learn to share. Wait for children to bow their heads, and then say a prayer similar to this one. Pause after each line for the children to repeat what you have said. Dear Jesus, thank you for sharing your love with each one of us. Thank you for the ways we shared with each other in our class today. Please help us share what we have with others. In your name, amen. Say: Now let s sing a song and share our pinwheels as we sing. If you have a small class, hand out fewer pinwheels so that not every child has one. That way, kids can practice sharing. track 11 Give six children the pinwheels to wave in the air as they march around the room while singing the song. Pause the CD briefly after each verse so the children can share their pinwheels with others. Lead children in singing with the CD (track 11): All Get Along (Lesson 4) to the tune of I ve Got the Joy, Joy, Joy. 62
Joseph Shares With His Brothers I know that God wants us to all get along, All get along, all get along. I know that God wants us to all get along, All get along today. And we re so happy, so very happy When all of us are kind to everyone. And we re so happy, so very happy When all of us are kind to everyone. I know that jealousy is not nice it s wrong. Not nice it s wrong. Not nice it s wrong. I know that jealousy is not nice it s wrong. I d rather get along! So let s be kind to everyone, To everyone, to everyone. Let s be kind to everyone, To everyone, to everyone. I know that God wants me to speak only truth, Speak only truth, speak only truth. I know that God wants me to speak only truth Speak only truth to you. I know that God is happy when I share, When I share, when I share. I know that God is happy when I share, When I share with you. Growing closer to Jesus extends beyond the classroom. Photocopy the Today I Learned handout (at the end of this lesson) for this week, and send it home with the children. Encourage parents to use the handout to plan meaningful family activities to reinforce this week s topic. 63
Lesson 4 For Extra Time If you have a long class time or want to add additional elements to your lesson, try one of the following activities. n Lively Learning: Pair-Share Relay To promote sharing, form pairs for this activity. Mark a line on the floor with string or masking tape. Allow plenty of space between the line and the wall. Have pairs join hands and stand along the line. Call out the following directions: Hop with your partner to the wall and back. Tiptoe with your partner to the wall and back. Shuffle with your partner to the wall and back. Stomp with your partner to the wall and back. Walk backward with your partner to the wall and back. Talk with the children about what it was like to follow the directions with their partners. Remind them that God wants us to share. n Make to Take: Macaroni Necklaces n Treat to Eat: Great Grains Before class, cut yarn into 18-inch lengths. Tie each length of yarn to a piece of macaroni to create a stopping point for the noodles the children will be stringing. Wrap a piece of transparent tape around the other end of the yarn. The taped end will serve as a needle for stringing the macaroni. Set out the yarn and macaroni, and help children make their necklaces. Point out to the children that macaroni is made from a type of grain. As they work, comment each time you see a child who is sharing. Be sure to repeat the Bible Point several times as they work. Provide several snacks that are made from grain products such as wheat crackers, whole-wheat bread, cooked rice or pasta, and cereal. Help children practice sharing as they prepare plates of great grains for everyone. Have children line up along both sides of the table. Set out plates and containers of each grain you ve brought. Have the children pass the plates down the table, one at a time. As they pass the plates, have them each add a different grain snack. Encourage children to help each other and share the work. Have children set finished plates aside until they ve created enough for everyone. When all the plates are in place, praise the children for sharing. Remind them that God wants us to share. n Story Picture: Joseph Shares With His Brothers See page 5. Give each child a photocopy of the Today I Learned handout (at the end of this lesson), glue, grains (such as rice or oats), and crayons. Have children glue the grains to the picture. Then have them color the rest of the picture. As children work, encourage them to share the supplies. Remind them that God wants us to share. 64
Help me learn this: Be kind to each other (Ephesians 4:32a). Ask me: n Do you think it was hard for Joseph to share with his brothers? Why or why not? n When is it hard for you to share? n How can our family practice sharing this week? God wants us to share. Family Fun Today your child learned that GOD WANTS US TO SHARE. Children heard how Joseph shared with his brothers (Genesis 39:2 43:34). They talked about ways they could share with others. n Encourage your child to invite a friend over to play. Say, Let s practice sharing with [name of friend]. What toy would you like to share? Observe the children as they play together. Remind them that God wants us to share. n Work a simple puzzle together. Give each family member a few of the pieces. Tell them that the puzzle can only be completed if each person shares his or her pieces. When the puzzle is completed, praise everyone for sharing. Joseph Shares With His Brothers (Genesis 39:2 43:34) Lesson 4 Permission to photocopy this handout from Group s Hands-On Bible Curriculum, Preschool, granted for local church use. Copyright Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Ave., Loveland, CO 80538. group.com 65