Overview

This 30-minute lesson introduces Years 2-3 students to the story of Moses, focusing on his birth, adoption by Pharaoh’s daughter, and upbringing in Egypt. The lesson aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh by incorporating key competencies, values, and learning objectives from the Social Sciences curriculum and integrating literacy skills through storytelling.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will:

• Understand the early parts of the story of Moses from religious texts.
• Recognise the significance of Moses' early life events.
• Develop key competencies of participating and contributing, relating to others, and using language, symbols, and texts.
• Engage with literacy activities to build oral language and comprehension skills as described in the English curriculum for years 0-3.

Curriculum References

• Social Sciences (Years 1-3): Identify stories and explain how they relate to beliefs and values of people in their community and cultures at a basic level.
• English (Years 0-3): Engage in listening, speaking, and storytelling to build understanding of text structure and vocabulary .
• Key Competencies: Participating and contributing; Relating to others; Using language, symbols, and texts .
• Values: Diversity, empathy, respect.

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

• Begin with a warm greeting and briefly introduce Moses as a significant figure in many religious stories.
• Show a colourful picture or puppet representing baby Moses in his basket.
• Ask simple questions to activate prior knowledge and curiosity; e.g., "Has anyone heard a story about Moses? What do you know?"

2. Storytelling - The Journey of Baby Moses (10 minutes)

• Tell the story in an engaging way, focusing on:
  • Moses’ birth in a difficult time.
  • How he was placed in a basket on the river.
  • His rescue by Pharaoh’s daughter.
• Use expressive voice, visual aids (pictures, flannelboard, or digital slides), and pause to ask questions: "Why do you think Moses had to float in the river?" "How do you think he felt being found?"
• Encourage students to respond, developing oral language skills.

3. Group Discussion (5 minutes)

• Discuss the significance of Moses’ story:
  • Ask what the children think about the story.
  • Introduce the idea that Moses was saved to do something very important later.
  • Highlight themes of courage, being cared for, and hope.

4. Creative Activity: Drawing Moses’ Basket (7 minutes)

• Provide simple art materials (paper, crayons).
• Ask students to draw Moses in the basket floating on the river.
• While drawing, encourage conversation about the story and feelings of Moses and the people who took care of him.

5. Sharing and Reflection (3 minutes)

• Invite a few students to share their drawings and what they remember about Moses’ early life.
• Reinforce key messages: Being cared for, important beginnings, and how stories teach us about people’s beliefs.

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Assessment

• Observe students’ ability to retell parts of the story or recall key details during discussions.
• Assess oral language engagement and willingness to share ideas.
• Collect drawings as evidence of understanding of story elements.

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Teaching Tips & Extensions

• Use storytelling props or digital media to enhance engagement.
• Link this story to local cultural stories about important beginnings or being cared for.
• Plan subsequent lessons to explore Moses’ later journey, connecting themes of leadership and courage.
• Incorporate te reo Māori vocabulary where appropriate (e.g., wai for water, kori for basket).
• Support diverse learners by using visuals and gestures.

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Alignment with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh

This lesson embraces the curriculum’s emphasis on thriving in literacy-rich environments (English years 0-3) and developing understanding of people and cultures within Social Sciences. It also fosters the key competencies essential for learning and living:

• Using language, symbols, and texts: Listening to and retelling stories.
• Relating to others: Sharing thoughts and feelings about stories.
• Participating and contributing: Engaging in group discussion and creative activities.

The lesson supports the overarching principles of inclusion, the importance of culturally responsive pedagogy, and the development of positive learning relationships through storytelling and shared reflection .

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Summary

Time	Activity	Purpose
5 min	Introduction	Tap prior knowledge and spark curiosity
10 min	Storytelling	Introduce Moses’ early life engagingly
5 min	Group Discussion	Explore story significance and key values
7 min	Drawing Activity	Foster creativity and reinforce story details
3 min	Sharing & Reflection	Consolidate understanding and confidence

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This lesson plan provides a lively and reflective start to the "Journey of Moses" unit, creating language-rich opportunities and cultural awareness aligned with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh, tailored to years 2-3 students.