This is lesson 10 in our journey through the Gospels chronologically. This will likely take 3 years to complete, teaching weekly through the school year. The material is geared for elementary age kids. Each lesson will have a list of Scripture references, materials, introduction, object lessons, and hands on activities. Most lessons can be completed in 1- 1.5 hours. A few may need more than one class time. New lessons will be posted weekly. The posts will not have pictures because I will not be posting pictures of other people’s children. At the end of each school year, a printed version of the curriculum will be made available for purchase. This will include an appendix with printouts, game pieces, and other classroom helps.

Lesson 10: Return to Nazareth

 Scripture references:

Matthew 2:19-23

Luke 2:39-52

 Materials:

Bible

Bible questions or a trivia game

Introduction:

Not much is known about Jesus’s childhood. Throughout the lesson discuss with the kids how Jesus would have gone through a lot of the same things they do as kids just in a different time and place.

Activities

Hands on Activity 1: Walking in His Shoes

Purpose- To be immersed in the story

1.     Walk the kids through stations representing the places in the story.

2.    Explain how traveling in a group worked in that time and place and how Jesus was not disobeying his parents.

3.    Discuss how synagogue/Temple services worked in that time (reading, questions, discussion)

4.    Discuss what a Bar Mitzvah is and the significance of Jesus being 12 years old. When Jewish boys are 12-14 years old they go through a special ceremony which declares them spiritually adults and official members of the synagogue. This is the point in Bible times when they were allowed to go beyond the Court of the Women at the Temple.

Hands on Activity 2: Are you smarter than…….?

Purpose- To have a fun place to ask questions and review facts.

1.     Play a game where the kids and the adults take turns asking each other Bible questions and earn points. You can base your questions off of the previous lessons or use a Bible trivia game.