Lesson Objective:
Know what Pesach is and why we celebrate it
Understand the importance of the story of Pesach and the Ten Plagues
Lesson Outcome:
By the end of the lesson, the children will have understood the meaning and importance of Pesach and the Ten Plagues
Resources:
Pesach Story
Ten Plagues
Ten Plagues Poster
The Ten Plagues Storyboard
Pesach Captions and Pictures
‘Pharaoh Pharaoh’ Song
Pesach Activities
Introduction
- Brainstorm about Pesach – Recap prior knowledge about Pesach. Encourage children to name any customs or traditions we have and do on Pesach. Prompt with questions such as: What is Pesach? What do we celebrate on Pesach? What are the main traditions on Pesach? What is the story about?
Main Teaching
- Read the story of Pesach – Read through the story of Pesach with the children, stopping and recapping important parts so that they children are familiar with it. You may wish to act out parts of the story with the children to keep it interactive.
- The Ten Plagues – See if children can remember the Ten Plagues. Use the pictures and display them around the room.
Activity
- Option 1: Drama – Children to act out the Pesach story. Children to be as creative as they wish, using costumes, scenery and writing a script. Children can take the roles of the plagues, the Egyptians, Pharaoh and Moses.
- Option 2: Ordering the Story – Give captions to groups, not in order, then without giving any further clues, children to place the pictures (as a storyboard) in order before getting the groups to add the captions to the story. Read the Pesach story based on the order they have put it in and see if they can work out if it is correct or not. Class will then be read Pesach story (see resources). Children to re-order story if necessary.
- Option 3: Hot Seating – Discuss the story and hot seat the children as Moses asking the following questions. When would they want to give up? At what point would you start to think that there is no help coming? What part of the story tells us that Moses is a true hero? Which part do you think Moses is as not as brave? Do you think that this could happen again? Do you think we deserve to be the chosen people? Encourage the children to think of some questions to ask Moses. If time, continue with the hot seating game and ask one of the children to be Pharaoh, Aaron, the children of Israel. What questions would they ask?
- Option 4: Create a Pesach Poster – Children to create a poster using pictures and words to show the story of Pesach. Ask children to choose favourite two plagues and decorate / create a plague poster with colours, tissue paper, etc (great display opportunity).
- Option 5: Retell the Pesach Story – Children to retell the Pesach story using the storyboard template. Children to draw pictures and write the story in their own words.
Plenary
- Pesach Activities – Select one or two of the Pesach activities for the children to complete in pairs or individually
- Sing Pesach Song – Teach children the “Pharaoh Pharaoh Song”. Listen on YouTube and perform a few times as a class.