Feeding the 5000

FEEDING THE 5000

Objectives:

  1. Students should identify this as a miracle of Jesus.
  2. Students should know the little boy shared 5 loaves and 2 fishes.
  3. Students should know that Jesus fed 5000 people after blessing the food and the disciples collected 12 baskets of leftovers.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

  1. Open with prayer.

 

  1. Scripture References: Luke 9: 11-17, John 6: 2-14, Mark 6: 32-46, Matthew 14: 13-23. Have pairs of students read each reference and report on the following questions: Why were so many people there? They must have been hungry. What did the disciples want to do? What did Jesus feed them? Where did He get the food? What did Jesus do with it? How many were fed? (Note for the students that only men were counted. Why?) What was left over? Was this a miracle? Why or why not?

 

  1. As you continue discussion, serve a small snack of fish (tuna?) and bread (or crackers). Is it tasty?

 

  1. Discuss giving: Did the little boy have to share his food? Why did he share? No one forced him to share his food – he wanted to. Jesus teaches us to share food with others. Do you bring lunch or snack to school? What if someone asks for something especially delicious from you? Will you share? Are there other ways we can share besides food? Brainstorm and write them down.

 

  1. Play a learning game: Musical Questions. Place the chairs in a circle facing outward, with one too few chairs. As the teacher sings (The Beatitudes?) or plays a tape, the students march around the chairs. Stop the music. All try to sit down. The one left standing, however, is not necessarily out. If he can answer a question about today’s lesson, he remains playing. But, if he can’t answer the question, he’s out, and one more chair is removed.

 

  1. Make a Fish and Loaves Plate: Cut out 2 fish and 5 loaves for each student from the patterns. Write on each something the student has said he can share. Bend the tabs and tape to a paper plate, writing on the plate “I Can Share”.

 

  1. Close with prayer, asking Jesus to help us to be sharing people, as was the little boy. Pray specifically for the areas the children have said that they are willing to share.



 

FISHES AND LOAVES PATTERNS