Short Attention Span Sunday School: Primary 6 Lesson 10 Abraham and Lot

PRIMARY 6 LESSON 10 ABRAHAM AND LOT

CLASSROOM PREP Draw a big heart on the board, or post up a big heart!

Pass this out for them to do while you get your lesson set up:

https://www.lds.org/friend/1993/02/funstuf/heart-full-of-love?lang=eng

Another option (page 2 quiz)

http://media.ldscdn.org/pdf/magazines/friend-june-2013/2013-06-03-stop-it-eng.pdf

Another option:

List scriptures about love on the board (number them), hand out paper and pens, ask them to write down the number of one of them and write what it means or what it’s telling them to do.
Or have them draw a depiction of that scripture.

Examples:

Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself
Love one another; as I have loved you
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends
Press forward with a love of God and of all men

OPENING DISCUSSION/ACTIVITY (some from the manual)

Draw a circle on the chalkboard and write LOVE in the center.

How do you interpret this drawing? Hear their ideas

This represents a circle of people in your life that you love.

Think about who, groups or specific people, is in your circle of love.

Does anyone want to share who is in theirs?

Do you think Heavenly Father wants our circle of love to be really itty bitty? No

He wants our circle of love to be as large as possible.

In fact, we are commanded to love one another.

I want everyone to get up and help me make a circle on the floor. Use string or rope that you’ve brought.

Hand out name tags like the ones in the manual (Older Neighbor, Visitor, etc.) and use their names or make your own
Pick someone to be in the center (they don’t need a name tag)
Continue through with the activity as in the manual.
(Another option for this type of activity would be to play Pictionary on the board where they draw the different groups of people)

LESSON

Tell the story of Abraham and Lot as outline in the manual.
There are many summaries online to help supplement the manual, one example:
https://www.lds.org/liahona/1985/08/lots-escape?lang=eng

Try to make it interesting, vibrant, energetic, expressive, etc.
See if you can keep their attention and to internalize the story just through storytelling techniques.
This is a challenge I’m giving myself with last week’s lesson and this week’s lesson as a way to approach the scriptures in Sunday School and to get to know the attention span of my class a bit better.

Some of what I will teach is from here:
https://www.lds.org/manual/old-testament-seminary-teacher-manual/genesis-continued/lesson-22-genesis-13-14?lang=eng



I want you to imagine that I have a treat and two family members want it.
I divide it unequally and let them pick who gets which piece.
How could this cause conflict in a family?

We’re going to learn more about Abraham and how a conflict came up in his family.
We’re going to learn from his example in how to show love to others, especially in our families.

VIDEO: LIFT (9 MINUTES 30 SECONDS)

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2015-05-003-lift?lang=eng

This is a very moving video the Church has produced about neighbors serving a woman with a disability.

Pass out index cards or paper and a pen and ask them to write down key words and phrases that jump out at them.

Talk about it after: 

How do you feel after watching that?

What parts made you feel good inside while watching? 

Why do you look up to the men/neighbors who helped her?

How would you feel if you knew you were helping someone be so happy?

SERVICE/ACTS OF KINDNESS Put the idea of service/love into action in class.

Is someone blind in your ward?Record the kids reading a story, sharing their testimony, singing hymns, etc.

Is there an inactive kid in your class? 

Create something for them that you can mail or deliver.

Is there someone lonely or someone you feel inspired to reach out to? 

Make a card and decorate treats in class.

Or simply plan to make a stack of something (cardstock square that says "You are loved" or other such messages that the kids write) and take time to walk around the building, see who is in the foyer, who are gathered talking in a hallway, etc. and hand it to those people in a reverent non-disruptive manner. It could lift someone’s spirits immensely!

(If needed, work with leaders in the ward to brainstorm/determine a need that could be met.)

If doing the last idea, take time after to discuss how it felt to do that kind of service.

Also have a snack or treat or some sort of reward waiting in the classroom to reward them for being reverent in the hallways and for taking it seriously.

My recommendation for something like this is to do something you as the teacher are in control of. Sending them home with something to do at home/with their family may not get done.

TESTIMONY/TAKE HOME IDEA

Have prepared a small note to each kid in your class with the things you love about them.
Include something heart-shaped!