Jacob’s encounter with God and the right attitude when God speaks for Primary 4

Class: Primary 4
Term: First Term
Week: 2
Age: 9 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Christian Religious Studies
Curriculum Theme: God’s plan for us
Focal competence: Recognising ways God speaks to people
Key competencies/values: Communication; Information Literacy
Skills:

• narrate God’s message to Jacob
• explain the attitude to demonstrate when God is speaking to us

Previous Lesson: Ways God speaks to people and the purpose of God speaking to us
Topic: God Speaks To Us: Jacob And Our Response
Subject Matter: Jacob’s encounter with God and the right attitude when God speaks

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• narrate God’s message to Jacob;

Affective Domain

• explain the attitude to demonstrate when God is speaking to us.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 Revised 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• Christian Religious Studies for Primary 4
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Holy Bible
• Drama script depicting Jacob’s encounter
• Costumes for role-play
• Pictures illustrating Jacob’s encounter

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important as it helps pupils understand that God communicates with people and how they should respond. Learning about Jacob’s experience teaches valuable lessons about perseverance, faith, and the blessings that come from seeking God. It encourages pupils to develop a listening ear and an obedient heart towards God’s word.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils should have basic knowledge of Bible stories and understand that God is a loving Father who communicates with His children.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

God Speaks To Us: Jacob And Our Response

Bible Reading

Genesis 32:22-32

1 Kings 19:11-13

Jacob’s Encounter with God

Jacob was on his way back home after many years, and he was afraid of meeting his brother Esau. One night, while he was alone, a man wrestled with him until daybreak. Jacob refused to let go until the man blessed him. The man asked for Jacob’s name and then changed it to Israel, meaning “he struggles with God.” Jacob realized he had wrestled with God Himself and named the place Peniel, saying, “I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been spared.” During this encounter, Jacob’s hip was dislocated, and he walked with a limp.

God’s Message to Jacob

During the encounter, God blessed Jacob and changed his name to Israel. This new name signified a new identity and a new destiny. God’s message was one of blessing, transformation, and a promise of a new beginning for Jacob, despite his struggles and fears.

Right Attitude When God Speaks

When God speaks to us, we should have a reverent and obedient attitude. This includes:

1. Attentiveness: We must listen carefully with our hearts and minds, just as Elijah listened for the “still small voice” after the wind, earthquake, and fire (1 Kings 19:11-13).
2. Reverence: We should show respect and awe, knowing that it is God speaking.
3. Obedience: We must be ready to do what God tells us, even if it is difficult.
4. Faith: We should believe that God’s word is true and will come to pass.
5. Patience: Sometimes God speaks in ways that require us to wait and reflect.
6. Humility: We should acknowledge God’s authority and wisdom.

Memory Verse

“Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:9b)

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Narration, Question and Answer, Role-play, Explanation, Guided Practice

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Storytelling/Questioning

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them if they believe God speaks to people. The teacher then briefly introduces the topic by asking if anyone knows a Bible story where God spoke to someone.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the greeting and share their thoughts or known Bible stories.

Learning Point: God’s communication with people

Step 2: Narrating Jacob’s Encounter

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Narration/Explanation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher narrates the story of Jacob’s encounter with God from Genesis 32:22-32, using simple language and expressive tones. The teacher can use pictures or a simple drama script to make the story vivid.

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

Learning Point: Jacob’s wrestling with God

Step 3: Discussing God’s Message to Jacob

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Discussion/Questioning

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks pupils what they understood about God’s message to Jacob during the encounter (blessing, name change to Israel). The teacher explains the significance of the name change.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer questions and discuss the meaning of God’s message to Jacob.

Learning Point: God’s blessing and new name

Step 4: Explaining the Right Attitude

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Illustration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the right attitudes to demonstrate when God speaks, referencing 1 Kings 19:11-13 (Elijah hearing God in a still small voice) to emphasize attentiveness. The teacher lists and explains attitudes like attentiveness, reverence, obedience, faith, patience, and humility.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and contribute examples of how they can show these attitudes.

Learning Point: Attitudes when God speaks

Step 5: Role-play/Retelling

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Role-play

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher divides pupils into small groups and asks them to retell Jacob’s encounter in their own words or act out parts of the story, focusing on Jacob’s response to God.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils retell the story and demonstrate appropriate attitudes through role-play.

Learning Point: Retelling Jacob’s story

Step 6: Memory Verse Recitation

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Recitation/Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces and leads the pupils in reciting the memory verse: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:9b).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils repeat the memory verse after the teacher.

Learning Point: Memory verse recitation

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. Who did Jacob wrestle with?
2. What new name did God give Jacob?
3. Mention two attitudes we should have when God speaks to us.
4. What is our memory verse for today?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Understanding Jacob’s encounter

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 on Jacob’s encounter and the right attitudes into their notebooks.

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

Learning Point: Recording lesson notes

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 1 minute

Teaching Skill: Summarizing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher concludes the lesson by reminding pupils that God still speaks to us today through His word, our conscience, and other people, and we must always be ready to listen and obey.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and reflect on the lesson.

Learning Point: Readiness to hear God

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Answer the following questions in your notebook:

1. In your own words, briefly describe Jacob’s encounter with God.
2. List three ways you can show a good attitude when God speaks to you.
3. Write out the memory verse for this lesson.

Lesson Keywords

• Jacob – A patriarch in the Bible who wrestled with God.
• Encounter – A meeting, especially an unexpected or challenging one.
• Peniel – The place where Jacob wrestled with God, meaning “face of God.”
• Israel – The new name given to Jacob by God, meaning “he struggles with God.”
• Attitude – A way of thinking or feeling about something, reflected in behaviour.

Differentiation

For struggling learners: Provide simplified versions of the story and focus on identifying key characters and one or two main attitudes. Use more visual aids and allow them to draw scenes from the story. Pair them with faster learners for retelling activities.

For advanced learners: Encourage them to research other Bible characters God spoke to and how they responded. Ask them to write a short paragraph explaining why it is important to listen to God. Challenge them to explain the deeper meaning of Jacob’s name change.

Suggested Lesson Videos

Search on YouTube for: “Jacob wrestles with God for kids” or “God speaks to Jacob story Primary 4 CRS”

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Before the lesson, ensure you have a Bible, any chosen pictures or drama script, and costumes ready. Begin by engaging pupils with a question about God speaking to people to activate prior knowledge. Narrate Jacob’s story clearly, emphasizing the key events and God’s message. When discussing the right attitudes, use practical examples relevant to the pupils’ lives. Encourage active participation in retelling the story or role-play. Guide pupils to copy the Board Summary notes during Step 8, ensuring they understand what they are writing. Conclude by reinforcing the importance of listening and obeying God in their daily lives. Pay attention to individual learning needs, providing extra support for those who struggle and challenging faster learners with deeper questions or tasks.