Dr. Pat's Orthodox Super Sunday School Curriculum

Jacob

Objectives:

  1. Children should be able to identify and name “Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob”.
  2. Children should be able to tell the stories of Jacob and Esau, Jacob’s ladder, and Jacob and Rachel.
  3. Children should recognize “Israel” as the name God gave to Jacob, later to be the name of God’s chosen people.

Possible Lesson Plan:

  1. Open with prayer.
  2. Tell the story of Jacob either from the Beginner’s Bible, pages 58-70, the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 37-49, or Read with Me Bible 56-73, or with  flannelboard pictures. Add Jacob to your timeline.

  1. Feed the Elephant True/False questions:

                                     True                                                        False

                  Jacob and Esau were twins.                      Jacob and Esau looked alike.

                  Isaac was the father of Jacob.                   Rachel was the mother of Jacob.

                  Jacob saw angels on a ladder.                   Jacob saw elephants on a ladder.

                  God gave Jacob the name Israel.              God gave Jacob the name Superman.

 

  1. Add Jacob and Esau to your family tree. Then add Leah and Rachel to Jacob.

 

  1. Discuss blindness: Jacob was able to cheat Esau because Isaac was blind. Would it be hard to identify things without seeing? Put 5-10 small objects in a pillowcase (paperclip, pencil, etc.) Can the children identify them by feel?

 

  1. Discuss lying and cheating: Did Jacob lie to Isaac to cheat Esau from his inheritance? Was this right? Was Esau happy with Jacob or angry? Have we ever lied? Has anyone ever lied to us or about us? How do we feel? What happened when Jacob returned to the land of Esau? Retell the story of the Prodigal Son: How is this like the return of Jacob to his homeland?

 

  1. Talk about angels: What are they? Where else do we see them in the Bible?

Who is Gabriel? Explain that angels are messengers from God. Show the icon of the Annunciation. Talk about guardian angels. How do they help us?

 

  1. Make a paper angel:

Make a paper cone for the body.

Decorate a Styrofoam ball for the head.

Insert a pipe cleaner for the halo.

Glue on paper wings or wings made from

      a doily or paper fan wings.

  1. Alternate idea: Cut out a construction

paper ladder for each child. Glue angel

pictures from wrapping paper or cards

or angel stickers up and down the ladder.

            10. Close with prayer.

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