Class: Primary 6
Term: 1st Term
Week: 1
Age: 12 years
Duration: 40 minutes
Subject: Christian Religion Studies
Curriculum Theme:
Previous Lesson:
Topic: Paul’s Early Life: Name, Nationality And Region
Content/Learning Area: Paul’s name, nationality and religion: i.e. Saul
Paul was a Hebrew, a Roman and a Greek. He was originally a Judaist and later a Christian.

Performance Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain:
Identify Apostle Paul’s names and state his nationality and religion.

Affective Domain:
Show appreciation for the transformation in Paul’s life.

Psychomotor Domain:
Mention Paul’s name, nationality and religion orally and in written form.

Social Domain:
Demonstrate interest in the positive lessons from Paul’s early life.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
Abuja Educational Resource Centre Scheme of Work
NAPPS National Unified Scheme of Work
Online information from: britannica – Saint Paul the Apostle | Biography & Facts
Relevant Textbooks

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

Bible
Chart showing map of Paul’s region
Picture of Apostle Paul
Flashcards with key words (Hebrew, Roman, Saul, Christian)
Audio recording of memory verse

Rationale for the Lesson

To help pupils understand Paul’s origin and how his background influenced his work for God.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have previously learned about some key Bible characters and their roles in Christianity.

Lesson Content

Paul’s Early Life: Name, Nationality And Region

Paul, also called Saul, had a special background. He was born in Tarsus and had three identities: a Hebrew, a Roman, and a Greek. He started as a Judaist and later became a Christian after meeting Jesus.

Memory Verse: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. – Romans 1:16

Bible Readings

Acts 22:1–5
Acts 9:1–19
Philippians 3:5

Paul’s Names

Paul was born with the name Saul. Saul was his Hebrew name. When he became a Christian and started preaching to Gentiles, he began using the name Paul. Paul was his Roman name.

Paul’s Nationality and Region

Paul was born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, which is now in modern-day Turkey. Because he was born in a Roman city, Paul had Roman citizenship. His parents were Jews, so he was also a Hebrew. He spoke Greek too, the common language of that time.

This made Paul a man of three worlds:

A Hebrew by birth
A Roman by citizenship
A Greek by culture and language

Paul’s Religion Before Conversion

Paul was a Judaist. He followed the Jewish law strictly and was taught by a famous teacher named Gamaliel. He even punished Christians at first because he thought they were wrong.

Paul’s Conversion and New Religion

Paul changed after he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. He became a Christian and began to preach the gospel to many people. He worked hard to spread the message of Jesus.

Lessons from Paul’s Early Life

These include:

We can change for good no matter our past
God can use anyone for His work
Learning different cultures can help us reach more people
We should never look down on others

Teaching Methods

Discussion, Lecture, Storytelling, Explanation, Visual Aids, Question and Answer, Group Work

Instructional Procedures

To deliver this lesson, the teacher will adopt the following steps:

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 min
Teaching Skill: Set Induction
Teacher’s Activity: Tells a story of a boy who changed from bad to good and asks pupils if people can truly change.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and answer questions.
Learning Point: Stimulates interest and connects to the topic.

Step 2: Paul's Names

Time: 7 min
Teaching Skill: Explanation
Teacher’s Activity: Explains how Paul was first called Saul and later Paul, reading Acts 13:9.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils repeat the names and note the Bible verse.
Learning Point: Understands Paul's names and their meaning.

Step 3: Nationality and Region

Time: 7 min
Teaching Skill: Discussion
Teacher’s Activity: Uses a map to show Paul's birthplace, explains Roman, Hebrew, Greek identities.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the map, discuss and ask questions.
Learning Point: Learns Paul’s background and location.

Step 4: Religion Before & After

Time: 8 min
Teaching Skill: Storytelling
Teacher’s Activity: Narrates how Paul changed from Judaism to Christianity after meeting Jesus.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, respond, and share what they learnt.
Learning Point: Understands Paul’s transformation.

Step 5: Lessons from His Life

Time: 5 min
Teaching Skill: Explanation
Teacher’s Activity: Lists moral lessons from Paul’s life and explains their meaning.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils copy and explain each lesson.
Learning Point: Learns important values from Paul’s life.

Step 6: Note Taking

Time: 2 min
Teaching Skill: Writing
Teacher’s Activity: Guides pupils to write the lesson content in their notebooks.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils write notes.
Learning Point: Pupils record the key content of the lesson.

Step 7: Evaluation

Time: 4 min
Teaching Skill: Questioning
Teacher’s Activity: Asks review questions on Paul's names, nationality, and religion.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer questions and demonstrate understanding.
Learning Point: Reinforces learning and assesses comprehension.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 2 min
Teaching Skill: Cognitive Closure
Teacher’s Activity: Reviews the topic, gives a summary, and encourages pupils to learn from Paul’s example.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils reflect and respond.
Learning Point: Concludes the lesson and encourages moral growth.

Home Task: Write three lessons learned about Paul’s Early Life: Name, Nationality And Region and one suitable way to apply the teaching responsibly.

Lesson Keywords

Saul – Hebrew name of Paul
Paul – Roman name used after conversion
Tarsus – City where Paul was born
Judaist – A person who follows the Jewish religion
Conversion – A change in belief or faith

Lesson Evaluation

To evaluate the learning, the teacher asks pupils to:

What was Paul’s Hebrew name?
What is the name of the city where Paul was born?
Mention three national identities of Paul.
What religion did Paul practice before becoming a Christian?
List two lessons we can learn from Paul’s early life.

Differentiation

Teacher will pair stronger pupils with weaker ones for group discussion and ensure visual aids are used to support learners with low retention.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Encourage pupils to ask questions, ensure all Bible references are read aloud, and engage pupils through visual aids to sustain attention.