YEA Lesson Library

Objectives

At the end of this lesson, the children will be able to:

1. Tell why Jochebed had to hide her baby boy.

2. Describe how Miriam watched over her baby brother.

3. State that God saved Moses alive because He had plans for him.

4. Tell what plans God has for each of them.

Topics & Themes

Basket
Egypt
God’s Plan
Jochebed
Miriam
Moses
Murder
Nile
Pharaoh
Pharaoh’s Daughter

Materials Needed

Bible, YEA students' and teacher's books, attendance and memory verse chart, stars, music player and CD or tape, margarine or cottage cheese tubs, yarn, large safety pins, blue fabric or plastic, basket with a lid, baby doll

Preparation

Broken crayons, spilled glue, and twisted tape - every teacher is familiar with some of the hassles that come with handwork projects. Sure, it takes effort and patience to do these special projects, but the rewards are worth it. Have you ever observed the happy, eager faces of your students as they become totally involved in these activities? Craft projects can be more than fun. They are wonderful teaching tools that can enhance your lessons.

Begin collecting cottage cheese or margarine tubs in advance of this lesson (one for each student). Before you come to class, cut vertical strips about 3/4" wide around the tub. Be sure there are
an uneven number of strips. Tie a length of heavy, colorful yarn to a large safety pin to make a shuttle for easy weaving. Begin each "basket" by weaving the first row for the children, thereby giving them a pattern to follow.

How to Teach This Lesson

Begin this lesson by laying a strip of blue fabric or plastic on the floor to form a "river." Ask the children: What do you like to do on a hot summer day? Say: Let's all go down to the river and play in the water. Allow the children to pretend to swim in your “river" and to splash each other. Now say: Listen, what's that sound? Have an assistant teacher pretend to make a muffled crying sound. Send the assistant to find the basket which you have kept hidden somewhere in the room. Seat the children and begin the story.

New King - AfterJoseph and all of his family died, a new king began to rule in Egypt. He saw that the Hebrews were having large families. There would soon be more of them than Egyptians. He was afraid they would take over their land. He made a decree that all boy Hebrews should be killed at birth.

Baby In A Basket - Jochebed was a Hebrew woman. When she gave birth, she saw her healthy and good baby boy and fell in love. How could she allow him to be killed? Jochebed decided to hide the child. But, he grew, and so did his cries. For fear that he would be found, Jochebed came up with a plan to save his life. She wove a basket - just the right size for her baby. Then she made it waterproof by covering it with pitch. When the baby was asleep she carefully put him in his basket and carried him to the river.

Watchful Sister - As Jochebed kissed her baby boy for the last time, she placed the basket into the water. She told his sister, Miriam, to watch over the basket to see what would happen to it. Miriam obeyed her mother and hid in the tall grass so she could not be seen. Even though she was just a child, God used Miriam to watch over her baby brother.

The Rescue - As the king's daughter and her servants were cooling off in the river, they heard a sound. The princess sent her servant to find out what was making the sound. The servant came back carrying a basket like this one (hold up your basket). Ask: And when they opened the basket, what was inside? (Remove the lid revealing the doll) It was a baby! He was hungry and crying.

Miriam'sHelpful Suggestion- When Miriam saw who had found her baby brother, she was afraid that he would be killed. After al, he was a Hebrew baby boy, and the king had ordered they be killed. But, she saw that the princess was smiling at the baby, making little baby noises. So, she came out of her hiding place and asked if the princess would need someone to feed and take care of the baby.

Mother Rewarded- Miriam ran home as fast as she could. She brought her own mother to the princess. The princess sent the baby home with his very own mother for her to care for him and feed him - and she was paid to do the job! We know it is wrong to kill babies. Jochebed knew it was wrong to kill babies. And, God rewarded her for doing what was right.

The River Baby -When the baby was old enough, Jochebed took him to the princess. He became her son. He would grow up living in the palace of the king. The princess named the boy, Moses, because she had take him out of the river.

God's Plan - A lot of Hebrew baby boys were killed because the king was afraid they would take over Egypt. But, God had a special plan for Moses. Even though Moses didn't get to live with is own family, he got to live in the palace. He had everything he could ever want. God was getting Moses ready to be a great leader. God has plans for you, too. He can use you even though you are just a child, just like He did Miriam. He wants you to grow up to love and serve Him. He wants you to obey Him so you can
live with Him forever in His Kingdom.

Review Questions

1. Why did Jochebed decide to hide her baby boy?

2. What did she make to hide him in?

3. Where did Jochebed put the basket?

4. Who stood watch over the Baby In A Basket?

5. Who found the baby?

6. What was the baby named, and why?

7. How was Jochebed rewarded for doing what was right?

Teacher-Directed Activity

Give each child a margarine or cottage cheese tub which has the yarn weaving already started. Show them how to pass the safety pin in and out behind the slits. After each row, the yarn can be pushed down for a tighter weave. When they have reached the top of the tub, tie off the yarn.

REACH Activity

Materials needed: tempera paint, paint brushes, package of colorful construction paper, string, glue, tape, Kids Classics Collection songbook and/or CDs, Bible, YEA book, Bible notebook, black permanent marker, watercolor paints, 11 x 17 drawing paper, card stock, pencils, markers, colored pencils, crayons, scissors, ruler, index cards, CEM Hymnal, Bible dictionary, concordance, access to encyclopedia or the Internet, Bible encyclopedia, Bible map or Bible atlas, dictionary, small box, plaster of Paris, tiny figures (for Pharaoh’s daughter, the baby Moses, and Miriam), basketweaving book, weaving materials, heavy card stock, long grass or straw

Bible notebook: A spiral bound notebook will be used as a Bible notebook. This is a good place to write and keep all of the writing activities.

1. Make a diorama of the small basket traveling down the Nile among the tall grass. Include the princess and the baby’s sister, Miriam. Finish the diorama before the end of this YEA lesson. You will use the diorama to retell the lesson.

Note: Diorama: To construct a diorama, find a small box. Mix some plaster of Paris to form the Nile River, delta, and river bottoms. Put pieces of grass (for the tall grasses along the Nile) into the plaster while it is still wet. After the plaster dries (one to two days, depending on how much plaster you used), paint your set with tempera paint. Make a tiny basket out of paper or pieces of grass. Use tiny figures for the princess, baby Moses, and Miriam.

2. The art of basketweaving dates back to ancient times. Use Bible reference books to find out more about the type of baskets that were woven in Bible times. Share the information with Sabbath School class or family.

3. Find a basketweaving how-to book. After getting all materials together, follow the directions and weave a basket. After sharing your basket with friends and family, use the basket at home, or give as a gift.

4. Weave a heart basket. (See Pattern Page.) Write the memory verse on a piece of paper. Put it in the basket.

5. Look up Miriam, Moses, and Jochebed in a Bible dictionary. Find out what these names mean. Write them in your Bible notebook.

6. Jochebed hid her baby so that he would not be killed. How do you think she felt when she put him in the basket? Role play a conversation that she might have had with Miriam before she placed the baby in a basket in the Nile River.

7. Miriam went to get her mother after the princess discovered the baby in the basket. The princess knew someone needed to take care of the baby. Now how do you think Jochebed felt? In your Bible notebook write what she might have written in her journal that day. Share with Sabbath School class or family.

8. Think about how Miriam helped Moses. It was a very good thing she was there! What can you do to help your brother or sister?

9. Sing: “Jesus Loves The Little Children” on page 56 of Kids Classics Collection; “He Hideth My Soul” on page 128 of the CEM Hymnal; “We’ve a Story to Tell to the Nations” on page 145 in the CEM Hymnal.

10. Cut five pieces of paper (approximately 4 x 5 inches). Draw events from the YEA lesson (Exodus 2:1-10): 1) Jochebed puts Moses in a basket into the Nile, 2) Miriam stays to watch Moses, 3) Pharaoh’s daughters go to bathe in the Nile and finds Moses, 4) Miriam offers to find a Hebrew mother to take care of Moses until he’s older, 5) Pharaoh’s daughter gives Moses to his own mother to raise. Color the drawings and tape them together into a strip.

11. Look up the Nile River in an encyclopedia or on the Internet. Use 2 pieces of 11 x 17 manila or white paper. One paper will be the Nile River in Bible times. The second paper will be the Nile River today. Share information and pictures with Sabbath School class or family.

12. God protected Moses and He will protect you, too. If you have a specific prayer request, talk to God about it now.

13. Play Hide and Seek with your family. Then sit down and talk about these two ideas: 1) Where could you go to hide from God? 2) God is our hiding place.

14. Do a sword drill with the Daily Devotionals for this week. Write the one verse that is your favorite when you are finished.

Note: Sword drill: Use the Daily Devotional Scriptures to have a sword drill. Read the Scripture reference to the child. Then start the timer. When the child has found the verse, stop the timer. Read the verse and talk about how it relates to the lesson. Challenge the child to see how quickly he/ she can find each of the verses in the Bible.

15. What has been your favorite swimming experience? Where were you and who were you with? Write about this fun time in your Bible notebook.

16. Moses was a Hebrew, an Israelite, but he went to live in the palace of the Egyptian king. Draw a picture of Moses and the palace. Use Bible reference books to find out what the Egyptian palaces might have looked like.

17. Retell this YEA lesson with the diorama from REACH activity #1.

18. Use pieces of long grass or straw to make the words of the memory verse. The words can be glued to a piece of heavy card stock in the shape of a basket. Practice until memorized. 


19. Memory work activity for book: To help with the memorization of Psalm 23, give each student 13 4 x 6 cards. On one side of the card the student should write one phrase of each verse. For instance, one card will have: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. The next card would have: He makes me lie down in green pastures. The third card would be: He leads me beside still waters. Continue with each phrase of the psalm. On the other side of the card the student should draw a picture that will help them remember that phrase. Since the students will be expected to recite Psalm 23, the cards should be made after YEA Lesson 1. After each of the subsequent lessons, the student should practice the psalm until memorized. Provide a reward for their hard work!

Song

“He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands” is on page 54 of Kids Classics Collection.

Closing Prayer

Ask if one of the children would like to lead in prayer, thanking God for watching over baby Moses and for taking care of them.