God’s promise/gift of Jesus and the angel’s message to Mary for Primary 1

Class: Primary 1
Term: First Term
Week: 5
Age: Approximately 6 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Christian Religious Studies
Theme: God’S Gift Of His Son
Curriculum Theme: God’s Goodness
Focal competence: Forgiving their peers and those who offend or hurt them
Key competencies/values: Critical Thinking; Information Literacy
Skills:

• Retelling the events surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ

Previous Lesson: Reasons
Topic: God’S Gift Of His Son
Subject Matter: God’s promise/gift of Jesus, the angel’s message to Mary

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• State the meaning of a gift.
• Recall the Bible verse John 3:16.
• Identify Jesus as God’s special gift to the world.
• Describe the main points of the angel’s message to Mary.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate Jesus as God’s loving gift to humanity.
• Show willingness to receive Jesus as God’s Son.

Psychomotor Domain

• Retell the angel’s message to Mary about Jesus in simple terms.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 Revised 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• A suitable Christian Religious Studies textbook for Primary 1
• The Holy Bible (King James Version or New International Version)

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Holy Bible
• Relevant Bible-story pictures showing the angel Gabriel and Mary
• Memory-verse chart (John 3:16)
• Suitable songs or audio about the birth of Jesus
• Flashcards with key words like “gift,” “Jesus,” “angel,” “Mary”

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps pupils understand that Jesus is a special gift from God, demonstrating God’s great love for the world. It lays a foundational understanding of the Christmas story and encourages appreciation for God’s goodness and generosity towards humanity.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils should have basic knowledge of who God is and that He loves people. They should also understand what a gift is in a general sense.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

God’S Gift Of His Son

1. Meaning of Gift

A gift is something given freely to someone without expecting anything in return. It shows love and kindness from the giver.

2. Jesus: God’s Special Gift

Jesus is God’s most special gift to the world. God sent Jesus to save us from our sins because He loves us very much.

Bible Reading: John 3:16

1. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

3. The Angel’s Message to Mary

God sent an angel named Gabriel to a young woman called Mary. The angel told Mary that she would have a very special baby, who would be called Jesus. This baby would be the Son of God and would save His people.

Bible Reading: Luke 1:26-38

1. The angel Gabriel came to Mary.
2. He told her, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.”
3. Mary was troubled, but the angel said, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God.”
4. “You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.”
5. “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.”
6. “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.”
7. “So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.”

4. Why Christians Receive Jesus as God’s Son

Christians receive Jesus as God’s Son because He came to:

1. Show us God’s love.
2. Teach us how to live right.
3. Forgive our sins.
4. Give us eternal life.

Memory Verse

1. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Storytelling, Question and Answer, Explanation, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Singing.

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Storytelling/Questioning

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them about gifts they have received and how they felt. The teacher then tells a short story about a very special gift.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the teacher’s questions and listen to the story.

Learning Point: Understanding of gifts

Step 2: Meaning of Gift

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what a gift is using simple language and examples. The teacher also introduces the idea that God gives us gifts.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, share examples of gifts, and understand the meaning of a gift.

Learning Point: Meaning of gift

Step 3: Jesus as God’s Special Gift

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Bible Reading

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains that Jesus is God’s special gift to the world and reads John 3:16 from the Bible, explaining it in simple terms. The teacher uses a memory verse chart to show the verse.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, repeat the memory verse, and understand Jesus as God’s gift.

Learning Point: Jesus, God’s gift

Step 4: The Angel’s Message to Mary (Part 1)

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Storytelling/Visual Aids

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher tells the Bible account of the angel Gabriel’s message to Mary, using relevant Bible-story pictures to make the story vivid and engaging for the pupils.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively to the story and observe the pictures.

Learning Point: Angel’s message introduction

Step 5: The Angel’s Message to Mary (Part 2)

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Retelling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides the pupils to retell the main events of the angel’s message to Mary in sequence, prompting them with questions if needed.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils retell the story of the angel’s message to Mary in their own words.

Learning Point: Retelling the message

Step 6: Why Christians Receive Jesus

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains simply why Christians receive Jesus as God’s Son (to show God’s love, forgive sins, give eternal life). The teacher may lead a short song about Jesus.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, participate in discussion, and sing along.

Learning Point: Receiving Jesus

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

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

1. What is a gift?
2. Who is God’s special gift to us?
3. What is the Bible verse that tells us God gave His Son?
4. Who did God send to Mary?
5. What message did the angel give to Mary?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Lesson understanding

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to copy the essential Board Summary notes about God’s gift of Jesus and the angel’s message into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Note copying

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Summarisation/Encouragement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarises the lesson, reminding pupils that Jesus is God’s wonderful gift of love. The teacher encourages pupils to always remember God’s love for them.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and affirm their understanding.

Learning Point: God’s gift consolidated

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework / Practice Exercise

Instruction: Answer the following questions in your notebook:

1. Draw a picture of an angel talking to Mary.
2. Write down the name of God’s special gift to us.
3. Complete the memory verse: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only _________ Son…”
4. Why did God give us Jesus?
5. Tell your parents or guardians the story of the angel’s message to Mary.

Lesson Keywords

• Gift – Something given freely to someone.
• Jesus – God’s only Son, sent as a special gift to the world.
• Angel Gabriel – The angel God sent to Mary.
• Mary – The young woman chosen by God to be Jesus’ mother.
• Love – A strong feeling of affection, shown by God giving Jesus.

Differentiation

For weaker learners: Provide simplified pictures and help them with guided retelling of the story. Focus on identifying key characters (God, Jesus, Mary, Angel) and the main idea (Jesus is a gift). Allow them to draw instead of write for some activities.

For faster learners: Encourage them to explain in more detail why Jesus is a special gift. Ask them to identify other Bible characters involved in the birth of Jesus (e.g., Joseph). They can also try to memorise the full John 3:16 verse.

Suggested Lesson Videos

Search on YouTube for: Primary 1 Jesus birth angel Mary story

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Before the lesson, ensure you have your Bible, relevant pictures of the angel Gabriel and Mary, and the memory verse chart ready. Begin by engaging pupils with a discussion about gifts to connect the topic to their everyday experiences. When narrating the angel’s message to Mary, use expressive storytelling and the visual aids to capture their attention and help them understand the sequence of events. Encourage active participation by allowing pupils to retell parts of the story. For the memory verse, repeat it several times and use actions if possible to aid memorisation. During note-taking (Step 8), guide pupils to copy only the essential points from the board summary, ensuring they write legibly. Check for understanding throughout the lesson by asking simple questions and provide positive reinforcement. For weaker learners, simplify instructions and offer one-on-one support. For faster learners, encourage them to elaborate on their answers or ask more challenging questions related to the lesson.