YEA Lesson Library
A Mean Trick!
About This Lesson
This lesson teaches that, as in the case of Joseph’s brothers, hatred often leads to other sins (like lying). God does not like hatred, sin, or lying.
Scriptures
Genesis 37:11-35
Psalm 11:7
Psalm 34:13
Psalm 120:2
Proverbs 12:20
Proverbs 12:22
Proverbs 19:9
Galatians 6:7
Words to Know
JEALOUS - angry because someone has something that you don't have
SLAVE- someone who is owned by another person and is forced to work for them
The Lesson
One day Joseph's father sent him to check on his brothers. They were shepherds. They were out in the field watching their sheep. The brothers saw Joseph coming. They were not happy.They said, "Here comes the dreamer!”
The brothers hated Joseph.They were jealous because their father loved him most. Some of them wanted to kill him. But, Reuben told them that they shouldn't do that. So they came up with “A Mean Trick” to do to Joseph.
Joseph's brothers were waiting when he got to them. They took his beautiful coat off him. They threw Joseph down into a hole in the ground. Then the brothers sat down to eat. Soon they saw some men riding on camels. Judah had an idea. Instead of killing Joseph, they would sell him to these men. The men gave Joseph's brothers 20 silver coins. They would later sell him to be someone's slave.
What were they going to tell their father? Joseph's brothers dipped his beautiful coat into some blood. They took the coat back to their father. They lied and said they had found the coat. They said that a wild animal must have killed him.
“The Mean Trick” and the lies made Joseph's father very sad. He began to cry. Nothing could cheer him. His favorite son was gone.
Daily Devotions
Sunday: Galatians 6:7
Monday: Proverbs 12:20
Tuesday: Psalm 34:13
Wednesday: Proverbs 19:9
Thursday: Psalm 120:2
Friday: Proverbs 12:22
Saturday: Psalm 11:7
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, the children will be able to:
1. Explain what Joseph's brothers' hatred led them to do.
2. Tell what the brothers told their father.
3. State that when we lie, we make God sad.
Topics & Themes
Hatred
Joseph
Joseph’s Brothers
Lying
Shepherds
Slavery
Materials Needed
Bible, YEA students' and teacher's books, attendance and memory verse chart, stickers, music player, CD or cassette tape, lunch-sized paper bags, construction paper, crayons, scissors, glue
Preparation
"A young child at first learns right and wrong in relation to the consequences to himself. (Much like the story of the wooden puppet, Pinocchio, whose nose grew with each lie he told.)" (Teaching Kindergartners by Ruth Beechich).
Teaching the young child that it is wrong to lie is laying a basic foundation for behavior. Lies are part of the downward spiral of sin. Joseph's brothers were jealous of him; this led to hatred. The hatred grew into a plot to do away with Joseph. The lie was an attempt to cover up their evil deed. Not only were the actions of Joseph's brothers wrong, but the lie they told to cover up their actions was wrong, too. And, the result of their lie brought pain to their father.
Before you come to class, enlarge the Oscar pattern and make enough copies for each child to have one. (Pattern is on the Pattern Page.) Many children this age struggle with using scissors; the teacher will likely need a few extra hands to help with the craft construction.
Review Questions
1. What did Joseph’s brothers do with his beautiful coat?
2. Where did they put Joseph?
3. Instead of killing Joseph, what did they do?
4. What did the brothers tell their father?
5. When we lie, who is sad?
REACH Activity
Letter: H
Words: here, happy, hated, hole, him, he had, his
Sentence:
HE WAS HAPPY TO PUT HIM IN A HOLE.
Song
“O Be Careful Little Eyes” is on page 39 of the Kids Classics Collection.
Closing Prayer
Lead the children in prayer, asking God to help them to not hate or tell lies. Lies make God unhappy and they make others sad.
Printable Pages
