Joseph & the Coat of Many Colors Lesson Set
Summary of Workshops in this lesson set:
- Art: create a windsock of many colors. (We call this workshop our "Creation Station.")
- Cooking - Younger kids: A jealousy object lesson: some kids get better snacks than others.
- Video
- Younger kids: Uses the video The Beginner’s Bible, The Story of Joseph and His Brothers.
- Older kids: Uses the video Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat from Universal Studios.
- Drama - have been moved to Drama Topic
- Younger kids: Yeah/Boo melodrama.
- Older kids: Bible times news report.
- Computer
- Younger kids: Play & Learn Children’s Bible CD.
- Older kids: Joseph' Story.
- Younger kids: Play & Learn Children’s Bible CD.
Scripture References:
Genesis 37:2-11, 16-36; 45:14-15
Memory Verse: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NIV)
Concepts/Objectives:
- Locate Genesis and identify it as the first book of the Bible.
- To learn these key words: jealousy, envy, relationship, and favoritism (for younger students: “playing favorites”).
- Discover that showing favoritism can cause hurt relationships. Jacob’s favoritism of his son Joseph made Joseph’s brothers hate him. When we are jealous, we can hurt people’s feelings.
- Recognize that God loves everyone and is with us no matter what we do. God’s helped Joseph and his brothers to be family again later.
Joseph & the Coat of Many Colors
Art Workshop - for older children
Summary of Lesson Activities:
In this workshop, we will focus on Joseph’s coat of many colors and have the children create a windsock of many colors. They will also learn that colors can evoke certain feelings when you see them, and that colors also become symbols used in the church seasons calendar.
Preparation and Supplies:
- Read the selected scripture and prepare to paraphrase parts that are not read aloud.
- If using paper tubes to make a windsock, paint them white.
- Review the Color wheel and the Church Season Colors.
- Toilet tissue tubes and white acrylic paint.
- Hole punchers
- Paint smocks
- Paint/brushes
- Markers
- Stickers
- Many ribbons; cut to length would be helpful
- yarn
- The Church Season Poster/materials
Lesson Plan
Opening
Greet the children and introduce yourself. Have the kids introduce themselves to each other, ask them all to say what school they go to.
Explain the purpose of today’s scripture in one sentence: God’s grace and His plans for us can help us to forgive and love one another even when we have bad feelings for someone.
Scripture Reading:
Read the lessons from the age appropriate Bibles brought in by the kids. Have the older children take turns reading the verses.
Application through Art:
Say “ Colors can become symbols or make you feel certain feelings when you see them. Has anyone heard “Green with envy?”” Do people really turn green? Discuss how colors can make you feel different ways:
Red=angry
Black=sad
Blue=calm, soothing, nice
Yellow=happy
Refer to the Color chart provided on different emotions.
Ask the kids for their ideas of colors and what feelings that they make.
Ask them about their bedroom colors, how does it make them feel?
Briefly discuss how colors are used for symbols also. In the Church we use colors during the Church Seasons. Refer to the poster and briefly introduce the concepts. What season color are we in now? (Green- the season of Pentecost, until we enter into the season of Advent, the season color of Blue).
Point out the color wheel on the wall. Show the primary colors (Red, Blue and yellow). Ask the children if they know how to make the secondary colors. (Mixing the primary colors: yellow + red = orange...).
Windsocks
The children will make colorful windsocks to give to someone they love. Pass out the plain toilet tissue tubes (pre-painted white will save drying time). Have a pre-made windsock hanging for an example.
- The kids will punch out 3 holes at the top of the tube. Be careful to leave some space from the edge. This is where they will place the yarn to hang the windsock. Have them tie the yarn on, gathering it at the top to form one piece. A “hoop” would be nice on top.
- The kids will then punch out holes equally around the bottom of the paper tube. This is where the many colors of ribbon will be tied.
- Have the children choose from the many colors of ribbon while you discuss Joseph’s beautiful coat of many colors that made his brothers jealous. Have the kids tie the ribbons onto the tube. Patience, assistance & encouragement are great!
- Carefully have the children decorate the tubes now. Paint will look the best. Markers may be used. A picture from the lesson would be nice. The children may use stickers to decorate if they would like to.
Closing Prayer:
Close with a prayer of your own, or use the following: Dear Father God, Thank you for all of the colors in our world. We recognize that colors may make us feel a certain way and sometimes those feelings can result in hurtful actions. Help me to know how to control my feelings so that my actions won’t hurt anyone. Help me do what you would want me to do. Amen.
A lesson written by Cathy Weygandt
for "The Disciple Builders" of Trinity Lutheran Church, Findlay, OH; July 2003
Joseph and the Coat of Many Colors
Cooking Workshop - for Younger Kids
Summary of Lesson Activities:
The children will learn to be happy with the things they have, not envious of other people's things by learning about jealousy using an unfair distribution of snack - either a brownie or a cracker.
Teacher Preparation:
- Read the selected scripture and prepare to paraphrase the story parts that are not read aloud.
- Read over background material on Joseph.
- Gather the following materials.
Supply List
- Brownies
- small crackers
- paper
- markers
- crayons
- napkins
Lesson Plan: Opening
Greet the children and introduce yourself. Have the children introduce themselves and say something interesting about themselves.
Explain the purpose of today’s scripture in one sentence: Families should love one another and forgive one another.
Open with a prayer.
Dig:
Joseph Story in a nutshell:
Genesis 37 begins Joseph’s story and ends in chapter 50.
He was Jacob’s (Israel’s) favorite son from a family of 12 sons and 1 daughter. Jacob gave Joseph a special robe as a sign of favoritism. Joseph’s brothers were envious of him and plotted a story to tell Jacob that Joseph had died. They returned the coat, bloodied to ‘prove it’. His brothers sold Joseph meanwhile, into slavery to Potiphar.
Despite all of these tragic events, God blessed Joseph. Joseph eventually found favor by Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh made Joseph a ruler.
After a terrible famine in Egypt, Joseph brothers came to Joseph for help. He forgave them and through God’s plan, Joseph’s family reconciled.
Scripture/Bible Story:
Read the lessons from the Bible. Have the 1st & 2nd graders take turns reading if they are able.
- Youngest kids use The Beginner's Bible pp73-77; please paraphrase that later Joseph became a powerful leader of Egypt and he forgave his brothers (pg. 90). He brought his family together again by God’s love.
- 1st & 2nd grade use The Read With Me Bible, pp74-86; Joseph’s Beautiful Coat- Joseph’s Dream. Please paraphrase that later Joseph became a powerful leader of Egypt and he forgave his brothers (pg. 92). He brought his family together again by God’s love.
- Say “Those brothers felt a lot of envy because Joseph's dad liked him best. Joseph got a bright-colored coat and his brothers didn't. Sometimes we feel envy just like Joseph's brothers when we don't get what we want.
- Give the children a chance to say things that make them envious. For example, when a friend gets a new toy and they don't. Then tell them they're going to change envy into a good feeling. Tell kids you'll stand up and say some sort of good news, then sit down.
- After each bit of good news, kids are to stand up and say, "I'm glad for you!" then sit back down. Examples:
- Look! My dad just gave me a brand-new skateboard. "I'm glad for you!"
- My grandma is coming to take me to the zoo! "I'm glad for you!"
- My mom lets me stay up late on Friday nights. "I'm glad for you!"
- Add some of the situations the children may have previously said that made them envious. After each item they say, encourage the children to say, "I'm glad for you!"
Say “Sometimes it isn't easy to be glad for others when they get something we'd like, but that's what God wants us to do”.
Food Application:
1. Look at My Snack:
- Gather the children in a circle and pass out snacks. Half of the class receives a brownie; the other half receives a cracker. Say: A brownie for you, a cracker for you as you pass them out.
- You'll likely hear protests from the cracker receivers, but just bear with them.
2. See How I Feel:
- You'll need brownies and small crackers. Have the smiley face & the sad face with a huge frown cutout ready.
- Hold up the smiley face and ask “How many of you felt like this when I gave you a snack?” “ Why?” Let kids respond with "I love brownies." Or, "They taste great."
- Hold up the frown cutout and ask “How many of you felt like this?” “Why?” Let them respond with "I like brownies better than crackers." Or, "The brownie was bigger. I was hungry."
- Give crackers to the children who already received brownies and brownies to the children who already received crackers. Say “Remember, all good things come from God”.
- Tell children that there's a word to describe our feelings when we want something someone else has. Its called envy. We feel envy when we want others' things instead of thinking of our own blessings.
3. Envious Faces:
- Let everyone practice smiling and frowning. Then say, “I'm going to read some situations. If one makes you happy, show me a big smile. If one makes you feel sad, angry or full of envy, show me a big frown”. Pass the cutout faces around to the Children allowing then to take turns with answering.
- Read these situations:
- Your sister just got a brand-new bicycle, and you didn't get anything.
- A friend is eating a juicy red apple; he gives you one too.
- *Your baby brother is surrounded by aunts and uncles who are oohing and aahing. Nobody notices you.
- A next-door neighbor is playing with a brand-new red truck in his brand-new sandbox. He doesn't ask you to play.
- You're holding your favorite book. You offer to show it to your friend.
- Your teacher tells you you're going to hear a good Bible story.
4. Joseph Rap: Use for the youngest group of children
Give the children a stretcher break with the following rap. Have the children kids follow you in doing the actions.
Smile, (Stand and smile.)
Frown; (Bend your knees and frown.)
Smile, (Stand and smile.)
Frown; (Bend your knees and frown.)
Now it's time to sit back down.
My Blessings:
- For each child, you'll need a piece of paper, markers or crayons.
Pass out paper to the children. Tell them each to draw a picture of a blessing-a favorite toy, pet, or somewhere nice they've been on vacation. When they finish, let them share their pictures with the others.
- After each child shares, have everyone else stand up and say "I'm glad for you!" Emphasize that God blesses all of us with gifts. None of us should envy others.
Love Is Not Envious:
- Have kids learn this memory verse 1 Corinthians 13:4: " Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
- Have kids repeat the verse with you using the motions. Work with them until they can say it by themselves with you just leading the motions.
Love (Hug yourself.)
Is kind (Draw a smile on your face with both pointer fingers.)
And is not (Shake your head "no.")
Envious (Make a frown on your face.)
Reflection:
End with a prayer: Thank you, God, for all our blessings. Take envy away and make us happy for others. Amen.
References:
- Ray and Cindy Peppers, Permission to reprint this lesson granted for local church use. Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 481, Loveland, CO 80539
A lesson written by Cathy Weygandt
for "The Disciple Builders" of Trinity Lutheran Church, Findlay, OH; July 2003
