Lesson Plans: Loving Your Neighbor as Yourself (Pt. 2)

This is the second session of a two part teaching plan to help a multi-age group of children consider Jesus’ commandment to love one another.  This session plan uses The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss as a starting point.

Loving Your Neighbor as Yourself Session 2

This is the conclusion of this series by Kelly Hames, MACE, Entering Cohort Fall 2008.

Lesson Plans: Loving Your Neighbor as Yourself

The older I get, the more convinced I am that much of my personality (shyness, introversion, lack of confidence) took roots in my earliest years and were formed largely by the treatment I received from my peers and my reactions to them.  I think that’s why I’m so intent upon trying to help children understand how important they are – valued and loved as a child of God.  I think it’s important for them to see how they help shape the world and the lives around them; that they are called by God and equipped with gifts to make a contribution in the world right now.

We hear the old mantra “kids can be so cruel” all the time as if it excuses them and us.  I don’t think they intend to be cruel.  I believe they’re trying to be liked by mimicking what they see in others (Erickson might say they are comparing themselves to their peers). In order to help children begin to grasp the concept of empathy, I’ve used the picture books God’s Dream and The Sneetches.

With God’s Dream, by asking the children to look at the story represented in the pictures and the expressions and body posture of the children, I’m trying to use Piaget’s stage for concrete operations. Specifically I’m attempting to guide them towards concepts inrelation to their own concrete experiences as depicted in the book’s illustrations.  Thisshould help them to understand that other people have the same feelings of  “industry or inferiority” (to use Erickson’ s poles) as they do.  The purpose of my story is to show them Jesus’ example as the ultimate role model for loving neighbor as self.

 

Click below to open a pdf file of the first session of this two-session lesson plan for a broadly graded (preschool – grade 5) group of children.  These two sessions were prepared by Kelly Hames, MACE, Entering Cohort Fall 2008.

Loving your Neighbor as Yourself Session 1

Storytelling Sheet Session 1

Dr. Seuss Goes to Church: Daisy-Head Mayzie

The last is a series of four lesson plans using books by Dr. Seuss, this lesson reminds us that God loves each of God’s children with a love that is deeper, wider, and higher than any human love we can ever imagine.

The last page of this lesson lists ten more books by Dr. Seuss that can be developed into lessons that help children reflect on Biblical themes.

Daisy Head Mayzie

Lesson prepared by Marcia Rauch, MACE, Entering Cohort Fall 2006

Dr. Seuss Goes to Church: Horton Hears a Who

The third in a series of sessions for children based on Dr. Seuss books,  Horton Hears a Who helps children explore concepts of listening to and caring for all God’s people, no matter how small or insignificant they may seem.

Horton Hears a Who

Dr. Seuss Goes to Church – Part 2

This is the second in a series of four lesson plans for children built around the books of Dr. Seuss.   The original post with the first lesson can be found here.

Dr. Seuss Goes to Church: Bartholomew and the Oobleck Bartholomew can help us learn about asking for and receiving forgiveness.

Dr. Seuss Goes to Church

Dr.Seuss’ many stories with their rhyming words and funny pictures can be used for much more than simply teaching children how to read.  Many of his works are based on themes which explain in a simple way the things that are truly important in life.  His words give us pause to think about ourselves in different ways and are a wonderful way to illustrate biblical principals.

How do I see Dr. Seuss being used in the church?  This unit could be the curriculum for a summer Sunday school class for a multi-age group of children.  In many cases, churches do not follow the same curriculum used throughout the year in the summer and children’s classes are combined.  With some additions of more detailed art activities, music, recreation, and snacks, the unit could be an alternative to the many annual curriculums sold each year for summer Vacation Bible School Programs.  If used in this manner, activities for youth and adults could also be developed for each lesson so that all age groups could learn from Dr. Seuss.

This unit is a “work in progress” nd there are four lesson plans associated with this unit based on the following books:  Yertle the Turtle, Bartholomew and the Oobleck, Horton Hears a Who and Daisy Head Mayzie.  Each lesson will be posted separately so come back later to look at the others.

Dr. Seuss Goes to Church: Yertle The Turtle.  On what foundation do we build our lives?  Yertle can help us think about that.

Prepared by Marcia A. Rauch, MA in Christian Education (MACE), Entering cohort:  2006