Lesson Objectives:
Discuss the names and attributes of God
List own attributes and characteristics
Lesson Outcome:
By the end of the lesson, the children will have learnt a number of different names for God and thought about their different attributes and characteristics
Resources:
Names of God
Name Doodles
All About Me Poster
Introduction
- Brainstorm about God – Give children a piece of paper with God written in the middle. Children to write and/or draw what God means to them, who God is and what God does (have these written on the board as prompts). Children should do this independently.
- Share opinions about God – take it in turns to read/show what children think about God. Children to understand that there are many different opinions and beliefs about God, how God exists and what God does.
Main Teaching
- Look at list of names of God – read in Hebrew and English and discuss why they are important. Can children think of any other English names in the same style that they would like to give to God (e.g. Forgiving God, Smiling God etc…)
- Discuss our own names, roles and aspects – If God has many different characteristics and sides, and we were made in God’s image, then surely we too have many different characteristics and sides. Teacher to use themselves as an example, by listing all the different sides to them (e.g. Teacher, school pupil, friend, son/daughter, brother/sister, football supporter, guitar player etc…)
- Different names for God – Ask children if they can think of different names given to God (e.g. Adonai, Eternal, Lord, Shaddai etc…) Why does God have these different names? Brainstorm ideas as to why God would have many different roles and aspects.
Activity
- Option 1: Name doodle activity – children to write their name in big bubble writing and fill around their name with lots of little drawings of things that are important to them, describe them as people and represent them. Children to take their time on this activity and make sure that the paper is filled with their attributes. See example doodles here
- Option 2: All About Me Poster – Children to fill in the poster about themselves, thinking about all their different attributes.
- Option 3: Ki Anu Amekha- Our relationship to God (p. 263 in Machzor Ruach Chadasha) – show them this poem/prayer from the High Holiday liturgy and ask them to make up their own descriptions of the relationship. First introduce the traditional view of the relationship e.g. you are our shepherd and we are your flock, you are our parent and we are your children and then begin by asking them ‘we are your computer and you are our?… Examples of answers are modem, internet, keyboard. In groups of two make up several examples and then come together as a group and discuss them.
Plenary
- Feedback on drawings and characteristics – children to give feedback and suggest other drawings that they could add to their name or think about their different characteristics and those they are proud of.
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