Bible Point God wants us to be content with what we...

65Hands-On Bible Curriculum—Grades 1 & 2

Praise Jesus!

Bible Point

Bible Verse“I have learned how to be content with whatever I have” (Philippians 4:11).

Growing Closer to JesusChildren will n experience being hindered by possessions, n compare keeping things for themselves with sharing, n find out what it means to be content, and n recognize the gifts God gives every day.

Teacher EnrichmentBible Basisn God sends manna and quail.

Approximately 30 days had passed since the Hebrew people left Egypt. Apparently they had run out of food, and they began complaining. Yet here was another opportunity for the Israelites to learn to trust God.

When the manna appeared the first morning, the Hebrews’ question, “What is it?” apparently caught on as its name, because manna means “What is it?” Though some have suggested various possibilities for what manna was, the best description is given in Exodus 16:31: “It was white like coriander seed, and it tasted like honey wafers.”

The miraculous nature of manna is further exhibited in what happened to it over the course of a Sabbath as opposed to a weekday. The Israelites were not to work on the Sabbath, but to keep it as a day for worship. Gathering manna on the Sabbath would have been work, so God simply didn’t make it appear. If anyone tried to keep manna from one weekday to the next, it would spoil. However, if anyone kept it from the morning before the Sabbath, it would stay through the Sabbath. God provided just what his people needed, just when they needed it!

Prayer• Read Philippians 4:19.• Is there an area in your life for which you have voiced discontent to God? Consider how you could be content with

what you do have.• Pray: God, help me teach my students (and help me learn, too!) to be thankful for your many blessings and to be

content with what we have by…

God wants us to be content with what we have.

Exodus 16:1-35

God Sends Manna and Quail • Lesson 6

Hands-On Bible Curriculum—Grades 1 & 2

Lesson 6

66

What Children Will Do Classroom Supplies Learning Lab Supplies

Welcome Welcome!—Receive a warm welcome from the teacher, and make name tags.

“Israelites Name Tags” (p. 74), scissors, markers or crayons, tape or safety pins

Attention Grabber

Grab Tag—Earn prizes each time they grab a shiny ribbon, and struggle to keep from dropping the prizes as they learn about the love of money from Ecclesiastes 5:10-11.

Bible

Bible Exploration &

Application

Pretty Birds—Decorate birds, find out what happens when they compare what they have to what others have, and then listen to Exodus 20:17.

Bible, “Quail” handouts (p. 75), markers, crayons, scissors, glue

Sharing and Caring—Play a balloon game in which some people don’t have to share, and then listen to a song based on Philippians 4:11.

Bible, CD player

Grumble, Grumble—Act out the story from Exodus 16:1-35 of God giving quail and manna to the Israelites.

Bible, quail from the “Pretty Birds” activity

Balancing Act—Balance Learning Lab items on their foreheads, listen to Romans 12:6, and learn to be content with their performance.

Bible

Closing Blessing Showers—Talk about the everyday blessings God gives them, and listen to 1 Timothy 6:17.

Bible

Before the Lessonn Collect items for the activities you plan to use, referring to the Classroom Supplies and Learning Lab Supplies listed in

the chart.n Make photocopies of the “Growing Together” handout (at the end of this lesson) to send home with your children.n Pray for your students and for God’s direction in teaching the lesson.

This Lesson at a Glance


God Sends Manna and Quail

WelcomeSUPPLIES: “Israelites Name Tags” (p. 74), scissors, markers or crayons, tape or safety pins• Greet each child individually with an enthusiastic smile.• Thank each child for coming to class today.• As children arrive, ask them about last week’s “Growing Together” discussion. Use

questions such as “How did God protect you and your family last week?” and “What kinds of things did your family think of that God can do that humans can’t?”

• Say: Today we’re going to learn that God wants us to be content with what we have.

• Photocopy the “Israelites Name Tags,” and hand them out to the children. Help the children write their names on the line. Let them decorate the name tags with markers. Then help the children attach the name tags to their clothing.

• Tell the children that you’ll raise your hand to get their attention. They should respond by raising their hands and focusing their attention on you. Rehearse this signal, and encourage the children to respond quickly so they’ll have time for all the fun activities in this lesson.

Attention Grabbern Grab TagSUPPLIES: Bible

Choose one child to be “Waver.” Give Waver a long strand of shiny ribbon. Say: In this game, everyone will try to grab the shiny ribbon as Waver waves it around on the floor. Every time you grab the ribbon, come to me, and I’ll give you a prize from the Learning Lab. You’ll have to carry your prize in your hand during the rest of the game. Try to win as many

prizes as you can. If you drop one of your prizes, you’re out of the game and you have to return all your prizes to the Learning Lab and sit on the floor by me. Ready? Here we go.

Set out various Learning Lab items to be used as prizes for the children. Play until everyone is out of the game. Set the shiny ribbons aside for the next activity. Return the rest of the items to the Learning Lab.

Ask: • How did you feel when you saw other people getting more gizmos than you? (I felt mad; I didn’t care; I wished I had more, too.)

• How did you feel when you kept getting more and more gizmos to carry? (I was glad that I was winning more prizes; I was worried because I knew I’d drop one.)

Say: Today we’re going to talk about our possessions and money. Listen to what the Bible says about wealth. Read Ecclesiastes 5:10-11 aloud. Sometimes possessions are like the gizmos—they look fun and exciting, and we want more. In our game, as soon as you dropped a gizmo, you had to give all of

It’s important to say the Bible Point just as it’s written in each activity. Repeating the Bible Point over and over will help children remember it and apply it to their lives.


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them back. It’s not quite the same in real life. But when we collect more and more stuff, it’s hard to juggle it all and be happy. We’re too busy worrying about all the things we want to get. God wants us to be content with what we have. That means we can be happy whether we have lots of things or just a few things. Let’s find out more.

Bible Exploration & Applicationn Pretty BirdsSUPPLIES: Bible, “Quail” handouts (p. 75), markers, crayons, scissors, glue

Photocopy the “Quail” handout, and give one handout to each child. Have children sit at two tables if possible. Give the children at one table markers, crayons, and scissors. Give the children at the other table a handful of shiny ribbons, wiggle eyes, markers, scissors, and glue. Have the children cut out the birds and decorate them with the supplies they’ve been given. Make sure children write their names on their birds.

If the children complain that the activity isn’t fair, just say: In just a little while, you’ll understand why your birds are being decorated this way.

Give the children a few minutes to complete their birds. Then ask:• How did you feel when some of you had fancy decorations and some of

you didn’t? (I was mad because I wanted the wiggle eyes; I felt bad because I had more decorations than some of my friends.)

• How do you feel when you see the fancy toys that other kids have? (I wish I had those toys; I feel jealous; I get mad at them.)

Say: It’s easy to compare what we have to what other people have. Our stuff doesn’t always look as good as other people’s stuff. Show children Exodus 20:17 in the Bible. This verse talks about wanting things we don’t have. Listen. Read this paraphrase of Exodus 20:17: “Don’t look at what your neighbor has and wish that it were your own.” God wants us to be content with what we have, even if it’s not as new or fancy as what someone else has. God wants us to remember that everything we have comes from him. God promises to give us what we need, so we don’t have to wish for more. Let’s play a game now and see how well we do at sharing our things with others.

Set aside the quail to use later in the lesson. Be sure to reserve some of the wiggle eyes for use in subsequent lessons.

n Sharing and CaringSUPPLIES: Bible, CD player

Before class, blow up three clear balloons. Set them aside until this activity.

Choose a way to divide the class almost equally—for example, by children wearing glasses, children wearing tennis shoes, or children wearing T-shirts.

First- and second-graders express feelings with physical action. They crave individual attention and affirmation. They are self-centered; each child wants to be first. They need to feel capable; this is directly related to their self-esteem. They want everything to be fair, and they have a clear-cut sense of justice.

track 10



Hold up the balloons, and say: Everyone, please stand in the middle of the room. Those of you wearing blue, you will try to keep these balloons to yourself and not let anyone else touch them. Everybody else, you must try to keep the balloons in the air.

Toss all the balloons gently up in the air, and allow several minutes for the children to bump the balloons around.

Then say: Good job! Now we’re going to play again. This time everyone, no matter what color you are wearing, should try to keep the balloons up in the air.

Play for a few more minutes. Then gather the balloons and place them out of sight to avoid distraction.

Ask: • To the students wearing blue, how did it feel to keep the balloons to yourself? (It was hard to grab them; I didn’t like keeping them to myself when I knew everyone wanted to use them; I liked having a balloon all to myself.)

• To the others, how did it feel to have some people hogging the balloons? (I didn’t like it; they were being greedy; I wanted to play with them, too.)

• Which way was more fun to play? (When everyone got to play; when I tried to keep the balloons to myself.)

Say: God wants us to be content with what we have. When some of you were trying to keep the balloons to yourselves, there weren’t enough balloons for everybody, so some of you couldn’t play. When we were all playing together, everyone could be content with what they had. Let’s read our Bible verse for today. It comes from Philippians 4:11. Open your Bible to the verse. This is the Apostle Paul speaking, and this is what Paul said: “I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.” Content is another word for happy.

Ask: • What lesson did Paul learn? (To be content; to be happy with what he had instead of wanting more.)

• How can you be content in your life? (By not asking for extra things; by giving away stuff; by being happy with what I have.)

Say: We are going to listen to a song about being content. The words come from our Bible verse for today. Try to sing along with me.

Lead children in the song “Be Content” (Philippians 4:11b) on track 10 of the CD. You can find the lyrics in the Song Lyrics section at the end of this teacher guide.

Say: Now we’re going to learn about a time the Israelites wished they had more.

n Grumble, GrumbleSUPPLIES: Bible, quail from the “Pretty Birds” activity

Choose two volunteers who will spread out the quail and “manna” (represented by shiny ribbons). Everyone else will be an Israelite.

Say: When I say, “All the Israelites said…” all the “Israelites” should say, “Grumble, grumble, grumble.” OK?

Let’s try that together. All the Israelites said…(“Grumble, grumble, grumble.”)Show the children the story in Exodus 16:1-35. Say: Be ready to help act out


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the story. God had helped his people many times. They were slaves in Egypt, but God helped them escape. They were even trapped between an angry army and the Red Sea, and God moved the water out of their way. And then God guided them through the desert with pillars of cloud and fire.

Ask: • So why, after all God’s help, do you think all the Israelites said…(“Grumble, grumble, grumble”)? (I don’t know; maybe they forgot about God; maybe they were tired.)

Say: The Israelites complained that they didn’t have enough to eat. “It would’ve been better if we had stayed in Egypt. At least we had enough to eat there,” they said. “But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.”

God heard that all the Israelites said…(“Grumble, grumble, grumble”). So God said, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day you can go out and pick up as much food as you need for that day. On the sixth day, collect twice as much as you need so you won’t have to work on the Sabbath.”

Moses and Aaron told the people what God had said. They said, “Tomorrow you will see God’s glory. He knows that all the Israelites said…(“Grumble, grumble, grumble”). So every night God will give you meat to eat, and every morning God will give you all the bread you want.”

That evening the quail came, and the Israelites gathered them to eat. Have the two volunteers spread the quail around the room, and then have the Israelites gather them. And every morning the ground was covered with manna, and the Israelites gathered it to eat. Have the two volunteers cover the floor with the shiny ribbons, and then have the Israelites gather them.

Moses told the people to gather only what they needed and not to try to keep the manna until the next day. But the people didn’t listen. They gathered so much manna that they couldn’t eat it all in one day, so they tried to save it. But the manna spoiled—it started to smell bad, and there were worms in it. Have the Israelites hold their noses and say, “Eww, ick.” God did this so the people would learn that he would provide food for them every day. God wanted his people to depend on him and to be content with what he gave them.

Then the people started to obey. Each day, they took enough manna and quail for that day. On the sixth day of every week, they took enough for two days because God wanted them to rest on the Sabbath. For 40 years God’s people ate manna in the wilderness. They learned to trust that God would provide for them. God wanted them to be content with what they had, and

God wants us to be content with what we have, too.Applaud your class of actors and actresses. The shiny ribbons will be used in the

closing activity. Put the quail pictures aside so the children can take them home. Have the children sit on the floor, and ask:

• How did God provide for the Israelites in the wilderness? (He gave them manna and birds to eat; he made sure they had enough food.)

• How does God provide for you? (He gave me parents who love me; he gives me good food and good friends; he gives me a warm house.)

• God has helped all of us, but sometimes we still complain. What do kids your age tend to complain about? (Not getting their way; having to do homework and chores; having broccoli for dinner.)

Bible InsightIn Exodus 16 when God provides food for the Israelites in the form of manna and quail, God first mentions the Sabbath as a holy day of the Lord and a day of rest. While the principle of the Sabbath is related in Genesis 2:2-3, God never required its observance by his people until he provided the manna and urged them to gather twice as much on the sixth day so the seventh could be a day of rest.

Just as the Israelites grumbled and complained as they wandered in the wilderness, your first- and second-graders may think that God isn’t there when they need him or isn’t listening to their prayers. Teach your children that God never promised to give them everything they dream of, but if they put their trust in him, they will learn to be content with whatever they have.



Say: All of us complain sometimes, but God wants us to be content with what we have—with what he’s given us. In the Bible story, the Israelites complained even though God had rescued them from being slaves, saved them from an enemy, and led them in the wilderness. Then, when God promised to give them food, they didn’t follow his instructions. When they kept extra manna, it spoiled. God wants us to trust that he’ll give us everything we need. Let’s find out about something else we can be content about.

HANDS-ON BIBLEHave students form pairs, pairing readers with nonreaders, if

possible. Make sure each person has clean hands. Give each child a handful of small marshmallows and a plastic spoon.

Say: God has a history of making sure his people are cared for. He has always given people food. One of the most famous stories is the one we just acted out, from Exodus 16 of your Hands-On Bible. Go ahead and find Exodus 16 with your partner.

Help students find the passage. When everyone has found the place, explain the instructions for the “I’m Starving” activity.

Say: Many of the ways God provided for his people were quite interesting, including the way he provided for the Israelites in the wilderness. They weren’t always content about it, but God never let them down.

Have students perform the activity. After they have exhausted their supply of marshmallows, gather children and ask:

• What are some ways God has provided for you? (He helped me meet my best friend when I was lonely; when my mom died, people helped us with chores at home and brought us food.)

• What’s one thing you wish you could still have? (A baby sister; a new bike; a dog.)

Say: God provides for us in many ways, and God wants us to be content with what we have. Find your partner again, and take turns thanking God for one thing he has given you. The person in your pair with the most hair can start the prayer.

Have students help pick up the marshmallows that didn’t quite hit their targets and throw them away.

n Balancing ActSUPPLIES: Bible

Gather children in a large, open space. Give each child a floating animal or flying disc. If you have more than 10 students, form pairs and have partners take turns.

Say: Tip your head back so you’re looking at the ceiling. Then balance your animal or disc on your head where your forehead meets your nose.

When everyone has tried it, say: Now walk around while you balance the

The children may challenge you to try. Accept the challenge, but let the children try first.


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animal or disc on your forehead. Give children a minute to walk around, making sure no one bumps into anyone else.

Now balance the animal or disc while you lower yourself to the floor and lie on your back. Then stand up again. Give children a minute to try.

Raise your hand to get children’s attention, and wait for children to respond. Put away the flying discs and floating animals. Gather the children again, and ask:

• How did you like this activity? (It was fun; I liked it at first, but then it was too hard; I didn’t like it.)

• How did you feel when the gizmo fell? (Disappointed, I wanted to do the trick; OK, because I knew I would drop it.)

• Do you ever feel like that in real life? Tell me about that. (Yes, I get disappointed when I miss words on spelling tests; yes, I get upset when I drop the ball in softball games.)

Say: Sometimes we think we should do things perfectly. We even compare ourselves with other people. If we do that, sooner or later we’ll be unhappy because we can’t do everything perfectly. But God has given each of us special gifts and talents. Listen to Romans 12:6. Read the verse aloud. God wants us to be content with what we have, and that includes our

talents and abilities. To God, each of us is special—God made us to do special things.

And God sent his Son, Jesus, to die for the sins of all of us, not just some of us. If we are sorry for our sins—the wrong things we do—and we put our trust in Jesus Christ, we all can be forever friends with Jesus and live in heaven one day. That’s a free gift for each and every one of us!

Closingn Blessing ShowersSUPPLIES: Bible

Ask: • What did you learn today? (I learned that God gave food to the Israelites; I learned that God wants me to be happy with what I have.)

Say: God gives us good gifts, and he wants us to be content with what we have. Read 1 Timothy 6:17. We call the

gifts that come from God “blessings.” Sometimes blessings are like gentle showers. They can be so light and gentle that we hardly notice them. God gives us gentle blessings every day. Let’s see if we can think of any gentle blessings.

Discuss gentle blessings such as warm weather, a good night’s sleep, a fun recess, and a good lunch. Then say: Each of you is a blessing to me. I’m so glad that I know you.



Growing closer to Jesus extends beyond the classroom.Photocopy the “Growing Together” handout (at the end of this lesson) for this week, and send it home with your children. Encourage children and parents to use the handout to plan meaningful activities on this week’s topic. Follow up the “Growing Together” activities next week by asking children what their families did together.

Form pairs. Give each child a shiny ribbon. Have children drop their ribbons on their partners’ heads and say, “A blessing is falling on your head.” Have the children with the ribbons on their heads tell their partners about one blessing that God has given them. Then have the partners switch roles.

Close with prayer, thanking God for big blessings and little blessings.Return the shiny ribbons to the Learning Lab. Collect name tags for next week’s use.

74Permission to photocopy this page from Group’s Hands-On Bible Curriculum® Grades 1 & 2 granted for local church use.

Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Ave., Loveland, CO 80538. group.com

Israelites Name TagsPhotocopy the name tags, and cut them apart. Have children decorate them and write their names on

the lines. Help children attach the name tags to their clothing.

75Permission to photocopy this page from Group’s Hands-On Bible Curriculum® Grades 1 & 2 granted for local church use.

Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Ave., Loveland, CO 80538. group.com

QuailPhotocopy this handout for each child. Have children cut out the birds.

Then have children decorate the birds as directed.

76

God’s People in the Wilderness 6:God wants us to be content with what we have.

Bible Verse“I have learned to be content with

whatever I have” (Philippians 4:11).

Food for AllBorrow a menu from your child’s favorite restaurant. Have family members each choose something from the menu they’d like to eat. Add up what you would’ve spent on the meal. Together with your child, count out that much money and plan to donate it to your church’s fund for needy people or to a local shelter. Together, prepare a simple meal of tuna sandwiches, applesauce, vegetable slices, and milk. Before you eat, thank God for taking care of you and pray for the people who will receive the money you’ll donate. While you’re eating, talk about the blessings God has given you. You might want to give up a restaurant meal once a month and give the money to needy people.

Manna FeastAccording to Exodus 16:31, manna was like small coriander seeds that tasted like wafers made with honey. Using puffed-rice or puffed-wheat cereal, follow a Rice Krispies Treats recipe. Pull apart the treats in small clumps and scatter them on clean kitchen countertops and on your kitchen table. Have your child gather the “manna.”As you enjoy the treat, talk about the food that God provides for your family.

Family FunHave your child create a game using six aluminum cans and a tennis ball. Play the game together, and then discuss these questions: Is this game more fun or less fun than expensive toys? What would it be like if your family couldn’t afford

to buy toys? What other things can your family do together to have fun without spending any money? Thank God for the gifts you have, and pray for those who have less than you have.

Summer FunTeach your child to have fun without spending money. Create a list of low-cost and no-cost ideas for summer fun, such as hiking through nearby parks, playing in the sprinkler, jumping rope, and flying homemade kites. Inventory the toys your child already owns, and find an area in your basement, garage, or child’s room to display bats, balls, and other toys where your child will see them. Encourage your child to choose a different toy to play with each day until all the toys have been played with.

Today your child learned that God wants us to be content with what we have. As God provided for the Israelites as they wandered through the wilderness toward the Promised Land, God will also provide for us. Use these activities to help your child recognize God’s care and to appreciate what he or she has.

Bible StoryGod sends manna and quail

(Exodus 16:1-35).

Permission to photocopy this page from Group’s Hands-On Bible Curriculum® Grades 1 & 2 granted for local church use. Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Ave., Loveland, CO 80538. group.com

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