Jonah

JONAH

Objectives:

Students should be able to tell the story of Jonah.
Students should identify another reason for disobedience – dislike of the command.

Possible Lesson Plan:

Open with prayer.
Scripture Reference: Jonah 1-3. Remember that Ninevah was the capital of the Assyrians, who were poised to conquer the entire land of Israel.

Learning Game: Where in the world is Jonah now? Divide the class into 3 groups. Have each group pretend they are doing the evening news for one of the three cities: Joppa, Tarshish, Nineveh. How would the story of Jonah play in each? Where are these cities?

Discuss disobedience again: Why did Jonah disobey God? Did he think the command was silly? Did he have trouble hearing God? Or did he dislike the command? Why? Remember that Nineveh was the capital of the Hebrews worst enemy. Did Jonah expect a warm welcome there? Did he have good cause to hate the Assyrians? Are you ever asked to do something you dislike? What? What were the consequences to Jonah for disobedience? What happens to you? What happened after Jonah went to Ninevah? Did God behave “fairly”? Why does God often choose to show mercy when we deserve judgment? Do you usually show mercy to others, or do you like to see people “get what they deserve”? How can we begin to show mercy?

Make a “Jonah Fish”: This is a bit complicated but really neat! First take a single tan or pink pipe cleaner and shape a tiny Jonah. Work your Jonah through the neck of a balloon. Then blow up the balloon part-way to be about 4 or 5 inches diameter and knot. Mix glue and water about 50/50 and soak lengths of gray yarn in the mixture (Messy!). Wrap the yarn every which way around your balloon, but not so tightly that you can’t see Jonah. Let dry overnight hanging by a piece of yarn tied to the balloon knot. Then pop the balloon and carefully extract it from the “fish”, leaving Jonah inside. Glue on a gray felt tail, fins if desired, and wiggle eyes.

Alternate (and less messy) craft: Take a clear, fillable, plastic, round ball ornament. Suspend by a string a tiny figure of Jonah made with pipe cleaners. Close the ball. Cut from blue or gray foam an oval, with a circle cut from the middle to fit the ornament ball. Fit around the ornament containing Jonah and glue in place. Cut tail, two side fins, and top fin from same foam. Cut a slit for the tail and glue in place. Glue side fins and top fin in place. Add wiggle eyes and draw mouth with marker.

Close with prayer. Pray for the ability to show mercy and especially for any situations the students have mentioned in class.