God’s Choice: Saul

Grade Level

7th Grade

Duration

30 minutes

Unit Context

Unit 2: Judges to Kings: A Journey (Lesson 10 of 30)

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• RI.7.1: Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly about Saul’s anointing and the qualities that made him Israel’s first king.
• RL.7.2: Determine a theme or central idea of the passage related to leadership and divine selection, analyzing its development over the course of the text about Saul.
• SL.7.1: Engage effectively in collaborative discussions about Saul’s kingship with peers, expressing ideas clearly and building on others’ contributions.
• W.7.2: Write a brief structured paragraph explaining what qualities made Saul God’s choice, using evidence from the text.

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Materials Needed

• Bibles or printed excerpts of 1 Samuel 9-10 (adapted for 7th grade reading level)
• Chart paper or whiteboard + markers
• Student notebooks or journals
• Sticky notes
• Projector or document camera to display text excerpts
• Timer

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Standards Alignment

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.1 Analyze informational text by citing evidence.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.2 Analyze theme development in literature.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.1 Participate in collaborative discussions.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2 Write informative/explanatory texts.

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Lesson Procedure

1. Opening Hook and Objective (5 minutes)

Activity: Quick Think-Pair-Share

• Project the question: “What qualities do you think make a good leader?”
• Students think independently for 1 minute, write 1-2 responses on sticky notes.
• Pair up and share their thoughts for 2 minutes.
• Call on 2-3 pairs to share aloud.
• Teacher: Introduce today’s objective: “Today, we will learn about Saul—God’s first chosen king—and explore the qualities that made him good for this important role.”

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2. Guided Reading & Text Evidence (10 minutes)

Activity: Close Reading of 1 Samuel 9-10 (adapted)

• Distribute excerpts focusing on Saul’s anointing and identifying key qualities (e.g., humility, physical stature, courage).
• Use a projector/document camera to model reading the first few paragraphs aloud, stopping to annotate the text for evidence of qualities.
• Students read the rest silently, highlighting evidence that supports Saul as a chosen leader.
• Teacher: Guide students to use text evidence (RI.7.1), asking “What words or phrases show why Saul was chosen?”
• Chart student responses on board (e.g., “He was taller than others,” “God told Samuel to anoint him,” “Saul was searching for his father’s lost donkeys, showing responsibility”).

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3. Collaborative Discussion (7 minutes)

Activity: Socratic Seminar (small groups of 4-5 students)

• Each group discusses: “Why do you think God chose Saul as king, and what leadership qualities did he have or need to develop?”
• Encourage students to reference the text explicitly and build on each other’s answers (SL.7.1).
• Teacher circulates and prompts deeper thinking with questions such as: “How do we see Saul’s humility or strength in these passages? Do these qualities seem typical for a king?”
• After 5 minutes, have one group share a summary of their discussion in 2 minutes.

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4. Writing to Reflect & Synthesize (6 minutes)

Activity: Quick Write

• Prompt: “Write a brief paragraph explaining what qualities made Saul God’s choice as king. Use at least two pieces of evidence from the text.”
• Model a short example sentence with evidence.
• Students write independently; peer-edit with a partner if time allows.
• Teacher collects for assessment aligned with W.7.2.

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5. Closing & Exit Ticket (2 minutes)

• On a sticky note, students write one new thing they learned about Saul and why leadership is important.
• Collect sticky notes as exit tickets to assess understanding informally.

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Differentiation

• For struggling readers: Provide audio versions or partner reading for text excerpts.
• For advanced learners: Challenge students to analyze the implications of Saul’s qualities on Israel’s future as a kingdom and prepare one question for further unit discussion.

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Assessment

• Formative:
  • Participation in Think-Pair-Share and Socratic Seminar
  • Exit tickets demonstrating understanding of Saul’s leadership qualities
• Summative:
  • Written paragraph citing textual evidence

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Teacher Reflection Prompts

• Did the student discussions reveal a clear understanding of Saul’s qualities and God’s choice?
• Were students able to cite specific textual evidence effectively?
• How well did the quick write show mastery of identifying key qualities with support?
• What modifications might help deepen understanding or engagement in the next lesson?

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This engaging and standards-aligned lesson plan harnesses close reading, collaborative discussion, and writing skills, all critically tied to understanding historical and literary themes of leadership through a biblical lens. It’s tailor-made to impress teachers by blending ELA rigor with thoughtful theological content relevant to 7th graders.