Answering God's Call

Curriculum Area: Religious Studies | Levels 3-4

Lesson Plan Overview:

This unit plan is designed for Year 5-8 students to explore the concept of answering God's call, even when we are imperfect, through the stories of Jonah, Jeremiah, David, and Goliath. Each story will be covered over four lessons, emphasising partner and group work, readings from the Bible, songs, multimedia clips, and creative technology use.

Lesson 1-4: Jonah

Lesson 1: Introduction to Jonah

Objective: Recognise the story of Jonah; understand the concept of running from God's call.

• Partner Work: Share what you know about Jonah with your partner.
• Reading: Jonah 1:1-3.
• Discussion: Why did Jonah run away? Share with the group.
• YouTube Clip: Short animated video summarising Jonah's story.
• Group Activity: Act out the first part of Jonah's journey in groups.
• Song: "Jonah and the Whale" – sing along and reflect on the lyrics.

Lesson 2: Jonah's Journey

Objective: Understand Jonah's experiences and reflections inside the whale.

• Reading: Jonah 1:4-17.
• Discussion: Discuss Jonah's thoughts and feelings in the whale, in pairs.
• Creative Activity: Create a diary entry for Jonah using tablets or laptops.
• Song: Repeat "Jonah and the Whale" – focus on the part about God's plan.
• Sharing: Read diary entries in groups.

Lesson 3: Jonah's Response

Objective: Explore Jonah's change of heart and action upon being saved.

• Reading: Jonah 2:1-10.
• Discussion: What can we learn from Jonah's prayer? Discuss in small groups.
• Group Activity: Rewrite Jonah's prayer in modern language and present.
• YouTube Clip: Story of Jonah – part 2.
• Song: Reflect on "God's Plan" by Michael W. Smith.

Lesson 4: Nineveh’s Repentance

Objective: Understand the impact of Jonah's message to Nineveh.

• Reading: Jonah 3.
• Discussion: Discuss the transformation of Nineveh, pair up.
• Group Activity: Create a digital comic strip of Jonah's journey to Nineveh.
• Song: "God of Second Chances" – sing together.
• Reflection: Share comic strips and reflect on God's forgiveness.

Lesson 5-8: Jeremiah

Lesson 5: Call of Jeremiah

Objective: Learn about Jeremiah’s reluctant call.

• Reading: Jeremiah 1:4-10.
• Discussion: Discuss feelings of being unworthy with a partner.
• YouTube Clip: Introduction to Jeremiah.
• Group Activity: Use iPads to create a short video about answering a difficult call.
• Song: "Here I Am, Lord" – sing and reflect on answering God's call.

Lesson 6: Jeremiah's Prophecies

Objective: Explore the messages Jeremiah was asked to deliver.

• Reading: Jeremiah 7:1-15.
• Discussion: Discuss in groups why delivering tough messages is important.
• Creative Activity: Write a message of hope that Jeremiah might share today.
• Song: Reflect on "Voice of Truth" by Casting Crowns.

Lesson 7: Jeremiah’s Trials

Objective: Understand the challenges Jeremiah faced.

• Reading: Jeremiah 20:7-18.
• Discussion: Share in pairs difficulties of speaking the truth.
• Group Activity: Create a digital presentation on Jeremiah’s challenges.
• YouTube Clip: Jeremiah’s lament – animated reflection.
• Song: "Stand" by Britt Nicole.

Lesson 8: Jeremiah’s Legacy

Objective: Reflect on Jeremiah's life and lasting impact.

• Reading: Jeremiah 29:11.
• Discussion: Reflect in groups on Jeremiah's trust in God's plan.
• Creative Activity: Design a digital poster with Jeremiah 29:11 as the theme.
• Song: Sing "Be Bold, Be Strong".

Lesson 9-12: David and Goliath

Lesson 9: David’s Call

Objective: Discover David’s call and his faith.

• Reading: 1 Samuel 16:1-13.
• Discussion: Discuss what it means to be chosen by God.
• YouTube Clip: David’s anointing by Samuel.
• Group Activity: Draw David being anointed using tablets.
• Song: "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus" – group singalong.

Lesson 10: David Faces Goliath

Objective: Understand David’s courage and faith in God's strength.

• Reading: 1 Samuel 17:1-25.
• Discussion: Share in pairs the biggest challenges faced.
• Group Activity: Recreate the battle between David and Goliath using stop-motion animation apps.
• YouTube Clip: David and Goliath - animated clip.
• Song: "Whom Shall I Fear" by Chris Tomlin.

Lesson 11: Victory and Humility

Objective: Reflect on David's victory and his humility.

• Reading: 1 Samuel 17:26-54.
• Discussion: Discuss in groups how humility played a part in David’s victory.
• Group Activity: Create a victory banner for David using digital tools.
• Song: "Humble and Kind" by Tim McGraw.

Lesson 12: David’s Leadership

Objective: Learn about David’s leadership qualities.

• Reading: 1 Samuel 18:1-16.
• Discussion: Reflect on leadership traits in pairs.
• Group Activity: Develop a short documentary on David’s traits using video editing software.
• Song: "Lead Me" by Sanctus Real.
• Conclusion: Share documentaries and discuss how we can emulate David’s traits.

Assessment and Reflection

• Individual Reflection: Journals detailing personal responses to each story.
• Group Presentation: A final showcase of all digital projects completed during the unit.
• Discussion: Group reflection on key learnings about answering God’s call despite imperfections.

This unit plan aligns with New Zealand's curriculum area and levels, integrating various teaching methods and technology to engage students in both individual and collaborative learning experiences.