YEA Lesson Library
Empty Stomachs
About This Lesson
Using the story of God using Joseph to provide food for his family, the student learns that God will provide for his needs too.
Scriptures
Genesis 42:1-38
Psalm 37:25-26
Psalm 105:40
Psalm 136:25-26
Proverbs 25:21
Proverbs 30:8
Matthew 6:25
John 6:31
John 6:35
Words to Know
FAMINE- a lack of food
The Lesson
Have you ever been so hungry that you would eat just about anything? Probably not. When you are hungry you just go to the kitchen and find something to eat. Or, you ask your mommy and she gives you a snack. And, there is always food in the grocery store.
But when Joseph lived in Egypt, there was a famine in the land. The people couldn't grow food in their gardens. The animals couldn't find grass to eat. Before long, the animals got skinny. Some of them even died. There weren't any stores where people could buy food. And the people became very hungry.
Then someone remembered that there was plenty of food in Joseph’s barns. Everyone had brought their extra food to Joseph for a time just like this. Soon people lined up to buy food from Joseph. And everyone had something to eat again.
There was also a famine where Joseph's family lived. They didn't have anything to eat. But Joseph's father had heard that there was food in Egypt. So he sent ten of his sons to Egypt to buy food.
Joseph saw his ten brothers in line to buy food. He knew who they were. But Joseph had changed - he was all grown up. His brothers didn't know that he was their brother, Joseph. They had sold Joseph as a slave. But, now God was using Joseph to help feed his brother's “Empty Stomachs.”
Daily Devotions
Sunday: Proverbs 25:21
Monday: Psalm 37:25-26
Tuesday: Psalm 136:25-26
Wednesday: Matthew 6:25
Thursday: Proverbs 30:8
Friday: Psalm 105:40
Saturday: John 6:31
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, the children will be able to:
1. Describe a famine.
2. Tell how Joseph helped the hungry people.
3. Explain why Joseph's brothers didn't recognize him.
Topics & Themes
Egypt
Famine
God’s Plan
God’s Provision
Joseph
Joseph’s Brothers
Materials Needed
Bible, YEA students and teacher's books, attendance and memory verse chart, stickers, cassette tape or CD and music player, felt, construction paper, scissors, glue, magnet strips, bread, jam, juice, sheets or fabric for costumes, beard, dish towels, flannel board
Preparation
"Teaching preschool children is a joy because of their uninhibited, imaginative, and creative outlook on life. Their sense of mystery and fantasy is strong. Their attention span, however, is limited; thus quiet, seated activities need to be alternated with movement activities such as action songs, games, finger plays, or rhythms" (I Am Special by Joan Ensor Plum).
Talking about food may tend to make your children hungry. Serve them a light snack before you have them act out today's story. Before you come to class, prepare bread and jam sandwiches and cut them into fourths. Allow each child to have one or two of the fourths along with some juice to drink. Be aware that more people are exhibiting food allergies. Check with the parents of your students before serving them any food.
Gather sheets or lengths of fabric to wrap around the children for costumes. Belts can be made from strips of fabric and head pieces from striped and checked dish towels. Buy a fake beard from a costume store, or make one by cutting it out of black or brown felt. Attach yarn to the sides to tie it in place. Save these costumes and the felt bread pieces to be used for Lesson Seven.
Cut enough tan felt pieces into 3 inch bread shapes for each child to have one, plus six additional pieces. Number the back of six pieces from I to 6 and set aside for review. Cut 1-inch pieces of self-stick magnet strips (one for each child). Copy the "bread" memory verse onto white construction paper.
Review Questions
Place the felt "bread" on a flannel board.One at a time, have the children come and choose a piece of "bread." Ask them the question that corresponds to the number on the back. They can replace the "bread" on the board after they answer the question.
1. What do you do when you are hungry?
2. Why were the people so hungry in Egypt?
3. What happened when the animals couldn’t find food?
4. Where did the people remember that there was food?
5. Who did Joseph's father send to buy food?
6. Why didn't Joseph's brothers know it was Joseph who sold them food?
REACH Activity
Letter: F
Words: famine, food, find, family, father, feed
Sentence:
FAMILIES COULD NOT FIND FOOD BECAUSE THERE WAS A FAMINE.
Song
“He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands” is on page 43 of the Kids Classics Collection.
Closing Prayer
Lead the children in a prayer of thanksgiving. Thank God for using Joseph and for providing food for them.
Printable Pages
