Class: Primary 6
Term: Second Term
Week: 5
Age: 11 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Christian Religion Studies
Curriculum Theme: Christian Religion Studies
Previous Lesson: Decision Making, Options and Ranking Choices.
Topic: DECISION MAKING
Subject Matter: Meaning of decision making, examples of decision making, lessons from 1 Kings 12:1–16, examples of how Jesus made decisions on earth

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain:

Define decision making.
State examples of decisions people make daily.
Recall the story of Rehoboam from 1 Kings 12:1–16.
Identify examples of how Jesus made decisions on earth.

Affective Domain:

Appreciate the importance of making wise decisions.
Desire to seek God’s guidance when making choices.
Show willingness to learn from biblical examples of decision making.

Psychomotor Domain:

Narrate briefly the story of Rehoboam’s decision.
List some daily decisions they make.

Discuss with peers the outcomes of good and bad decisions.
Share personal experiences related to decision making.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

9 Years Basic Education Curriculum (Christian Religious Studies)
State Unified Scheme of Work for Primary 6 CRS
Christian Religious Studies for Primary Schools, Book 6
The Holy Bible (King James Version/New International Version)
Links for Reference materials: None provided.

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

The Holy Bible
A chart illustrating different choices and their outcomes

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps pupils understand what decision making means and why it is important to make good choices. It enables them to learn from biblical examples, such as Rehoboam’s poor decision and Jesus’ wise choices, which can guide them in their daily lives.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils are familiar with basic Bible stories and understand that people make choices every day.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

DECISION MAKING

Meaning of Decision Making

Decision making is the process of choosing between two or more possible options or courses of action. It involves thinking about different possibilities and selecting the one considered best.

Examples of Daily Decisions

The following are common decisions people make every day:

What to wear to school.
What to eat for breakfast or lunch.
Which friends to play with.
Whether to do homework before playing.
How to spend pocket money.

Lessons from 1 Kings 12:1–16 (Rehoboam’s Decision)

After King Solomon died, his son Rehoboam became king. The people asked Rehoboam to lighten the heavy burdens that his father Solomon had placed on them. Rehoboam consulted with two groups:

Old men: They advised him to speak kindly to the people and serve them, which would make them loyal to him forever.
Young men: They advised him to tell the people that he would make their burdens even heavier than his father did.

Rehoboam rejected the advice of the old men and followed the harsh advice of the young men. As a result, ten tribes of Israel rebelled and chose Jeroboam as their king, leaving Rehoboam with only the tribe of Judah.

The following are lessons from Rehoboam’s story:

It is important to listen to wise and experienced counsel.
Pride and harshness can lead to negative consequences.
Bad decisions can cause division and loss.
Good leaders listen to the people and show compassion.

Examples of How Jesus Made Decisions on Earth

Jesus always made decisions that pleased God and benefited humanity. Some examples include:

Choosing His disciples: Jesus spent a whole night in prayer before choosing His twelve disciples (Luke 6:12-16).
Healing on the Sabbath: Jesus often chose to heal people on the Sabbath, even when it angered religious leaders, showing compassion was more important than strict rules (Mark 3:1-6).
Submitting to God’s will: In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus chose to obey God’s will for Him to suffer and die, even though it was difficult (Luke 22:39-46).
Fasting and resisting temptation: Jesus chose to fast for forty days and nights, relying on God’s word to resist the devil’s temptations (Matthew 4:1-11).

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Lecture, Demonstration, Question and Answer, Visual Aids

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Set Induction
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them to mention some simple choices they made before coming to school today (e.g., what to wear, what to eat). The teacher explains that these are called decisions.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the teacher’s questions and share their daily choices.
Learning Point: Pupils understand that making choices is part of daily life.

Step 2: Explanation of Decision Making

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Definition
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the meaning of decision making clearly, defining it as choosing between different options. The teacher writes the definition on the board.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively and copy the definition into their notebooks.
Learning Point: Pupils understand the meaning of decision making.

Step 3: Examples of Daily Decisions

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Illustration/Brainstorming
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks pupils to give more examples of decisions they make daily, guiding them to think about school, home, and play. The teacher lists these examples on the board.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils contribute examples of daily decisions.
Learning Point: Pupils identify various practical examples of decision making.

Step 4: Bible Reading and Story of Rehoboam

Time: 10 minutes
Teaching Skill: Reading/Narration
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to open their Bibles to 1 Kings 12:1–16. The teacher or selected pupils read the passage aloud. Afterwards, the teacher briefly narrates the story of Rehoboam’s decision, highlighting the advice he received and the choice he made.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils read the Bible passage and listen to the story of Rehoboam.
Learning Point: Pupils become familiar with the biblical account of Rehoboam’s decision.

Step 5: Lessons from Rehoboam’s Decision

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Discussion/Analysis
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads a discussion on the consequences of Rehoboam’s decision, asking pupils what lessons can be learned from his actions. The teacher lists the key lessons on the board.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils participate in the discussion, stating lessons learned from the story.
Learning Point: Pupils understand the importance of wise counsel and the negative impact of poor decisions.

Step 6: Examples of Jesus’ Decisions

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Exposition/Examples
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher provides examples of how Jesus made decisions during His time on earth, emphasizing that Jesus always sought God’s will and acted with wisdom and compassion.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and note the examples of Jesus’ decision-making.
Learning Point: Pupils learn from Jesus’ perfect example of decision making.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

What is decision making?
Give two examples of decisions you make daily.
Who was Rehoboam, and what was the outcome of his major decision?
State two lessons we can learn from Rehoboam’s story.
Mention two examples of how Jesus made decisions while on earth.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Summarization/Application
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarizes the main points of the lesson, reiterating the importance of thinking carefully before making decisions and seeking God’s guidance. The teacher assigns homework: Ask your parents or guardians about a difficult decision they once made and what they learned from it.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the summary, ask any final questions, and copy the homework.
Learning Point: Pupils consolidate their learning and are encouraged to apply it in their lives.

Home Task: Write three lessons learned about DECISION MAKING and one suitable way to apply the teaching responsibly.

Lesson Keywords

Decision Making – The process of choosing between different options or courses of action.
Choice – An act of selecting or making a decision when faced with two or more possibilities.
Wisdom – The quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise.

Differentiation

For pupils who grasp concepts quickly, the teacher can encourage them to find other biblical examples of good or bad decisions. For pupils who need more support, the teacher can provide simpler examples of daily decisions and guide them through the story of Rehoboam with more direct questions.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Encourage pupils to share their own experiences with decision making in a respectful classroom environment. Emphasize that even small decisions can have consequences and that seeking advice from trusted adults and God’s word is always beneficial. Ensure the Bible passage is read clearly and understood by all pupils.