Jesus’ command to love one another for Primary 1

Class: Primary 1
Term: Third Term
Week: 6
Age: 6 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Christian Religion Studies
Curriculum Theme: Jesus Our Saviour, Brother and Friend
Focal competence: Interacting empathetically and compassionately with peers
Key competencies/values: Collaboration; Responsibility
Skills:

• Demonstrating love for God and one another

Previous Lesson: Love, Its Importance and Ways of Loving God
Topic: Jesus Commands Us To Love: Love One Another
Subject Matter: Jesus’ command to love one another

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Discuss Jesus’ command to love one another.
• Identify practical ways to show love.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the importance of loving one another.
• Show willingness to practice love at home and school.

Psychomotor Domain

• Role-play simple scenarios demonstrating love.

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 1 by A.O. Adewale
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Holy Bible
• Relevant Bible-story pictures or memory-verse chart
• Suitable songs or audio where appropriate
• Pictures showing children helping each other

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important because it introduces young pupils to a core teaching of Jesus Christ, which is to love one another. Understanding and practicing this command helps pupils develop empathy, build positive relationships, and contribute to a peaceful environment at home, school, and in their community. It lays a foundation for moral and spiritual growth.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have learned about Jesus as their Saviour and friend, and they know about simple acts of kindness.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Jesus Commands Us To Love: Love One Another

Bible Reading

John 13:34-35 (KJV)

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

Jesus’ Command to Love One Another

Jesus Christ commanded His followers to love one another. This means we should treat others with kindness, care, and respect, just as Jesus loved us. When we love one another, people will know that we are followers of Jesus.

Practical Ways of Showing Love

We can show love in many ways:

1. Sharing our toys and snacks with others.
2. Helping our friends and family.
3. Being kind and speaking gently.
4. Forgiving others when they make mistakes.
5. Praying for our family, friends, and neighbours.
6. Listening when others are talking.
7. Comforting someone who is sad.

People We Should Show Love To

We should show love to everyone around us, including:

1. Our parents and family members.
2. Our teachers and classmates.
3. Our neighbours and friends.
4. People in our church and community.
5. Even people who are different from us.

Memory Verse

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another.” – John 13:34a

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Explanation, Question and Answer, Role-play, Storytelling, Singing

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engaging/Motivation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and leads them in singing a simple song about love (e.g., “Jesus Loves the Little Children”). The teacher then asks pupils what it means to love someone.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings, sing along, and share their ideas about love.

Learning Point: Importance of love

Step 2: Bible Reading

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Scripture Narration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the Bible passage, John 13:34-35, and reads it clearly to the pupils. The teacher explains that these are Jesus’ own words.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively to the Bible reading and the teacher’s explanation.

Learning Point: Jesus’ new command

Step 3: Discussing the Command

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher discusses Jesus’ command to love one another, explaining that “as I have loved you” means we should love others just like Jesus loved us, by being kind and helpful. The teacher asks pupils if they understand what it means.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, ask questions, and contribute to the discussion about Jesus’ command.

Learning Point: Meaning of love command

Step 4: Ways to Show Love

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Brainstorming/Examples

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks pupils for ways they can show love at home, school, church, and in their community. The teacher provides examples like sharing, helping, forgiving, and being kind.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils give examples of how they show love in different places.

Learning Point: Demonstrating love practically

Step 5: People to Love

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Categorisation/Identification

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to identify different people they should show love to, such as family, friends, teachers, and neighbours. The teacher uses pictures to illustrate.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify people they should show love to.

Learning Point: Recipients of love

Step 6: Role-play

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Role-playing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher presents simple peer scenarios (e.g., a friend falls, someone needs help with a book) and asks pupils to role-play a loving response. The teacher guides them through the actions.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils volunteer to role-play loving responses to the scenarios.

Learning Point: Practising loving actions

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 commanded us to love one another?
2. Mention one way you can show love at home.
3. Mention one way you can show love at school.
4. What is our memory verse for today?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Understanding Jesus’ command

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 Jesus’ command to love, practical ways, and the memory verse into their notebooks.

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

Learning Point: Recording lesson points

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher reminds pupils that loving one another makes God happy and makes the world a better place. The teacher encourages them to always show love.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and affirm their commitment to show love.

Learning Point: Reinforcing love’s importance

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Answer the following questions in your notebook:

1. Draw a picture of yourself showing love to someone (e.g., sharing, helping).
2. Tell your parents or guardian two ways Jesus wants us to show love.

Lesson Keywords

• Command – an order or instruction from someone in authority.
• Love – to care deeply for someone or something.
• One another – each other.
• Kindness – being friendly, generous, and considerate.
• Share – to give a portion of something to others.

Differentiation

For pupils who struggle, the teacher will provide more one-on-one guidance during role-play and simplify explanations. For faster learners, the teacher can ask them to give more examples of loving actions or explain why loving one another is important.

Suggested Lesson Videos

Search YouTube for: “Jesus loves us Primary 1 CRS lesson”

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Before the lesson, ensure you have your Bible, any relevant pictures, and the memory verse chart ready. Begin by engaging the pupils with a familiar song about love to set a positive tone. Read the Bible passage clearly and explain Jesus’ command in simple terms, using examples relevant to the pupils’ daily lives. Encourage active participation during discussions and the role-play activity to make the concept concrete. Guide pupils through the note-taking process, emphasizing neatness. Throughout the lesson, observe pupils’ understanding and provide support to those who need it, ensuring that all pupils grasp the central message of loving one another as Jesus commanded.