Prayer, Talking to God and Reasons for Praying for Primary 1

Class: Primary 1
Term: Second Term
Week: 4
Age: 6 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Christian Religion Studies
Curriculum Theme: God Our Father
Focal competence: Talking with God in prayer always
Key competencies/values: Communication; Information Literacy; Faith
Skills:

• Praying to God in various ways

Previous Lesson: People in the Bible Who Praised God and Reasons for Praise
Topic: Things We Must Do As Children Of God: Prayer
Subject Matter: Meaning of prayer, reasons for praying

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Explain prayer at a simple level.
• State reasons for praying.
• Explain why Christians should pray to God.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the importance of talking to God.
• Develop a desire to pray regularly.

Psychomotor Domain

• Demonstrate simple prayer postures.
• Recite a short model prayer.

Social Domain

• Participate in group prayer.

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 Knowledge for Primary Schools 1
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Holy Bible
• Pictures of people praying in church
• Prayer Books
• Chart on prayer positions
• Relevant Bible-story pictures or memory-verse chart
• Suitable songs or audio where appropriate

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps pupils understand the fundamental concept of prayer as a way to communicate with God. It encourages them to develop a personal relationship with God from a young age and teaches them practical reasons for praying. This knowledge is essential for their spiritual growth and daily Christian living.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils should have a basic understanding that God is their Father and creator, and that He loves them.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Things We Must Do As Children Of God: Prayer

Meaning of Prayer

Prayer is talking to God. It is like talking to our earthly father or mother.

We can talk to God anywhere and at any time.

Bible Reading

Matthew 6:9-13 (The Lord’s Prayer)

Reasons for Praying

We pray to God for many reasons:

1. To thank Him for all He has done for us (Thanksgiving).
2. To ask Him to forgive us when we do wrong (Forgiveness).
3. To ask Him for help when we need something (Help).
4. To tell Him our worries and joys.
5. To praise Him for being a good God.

Things Pupils May Pray About

1. Thanking God for food, family, and school.
2. Asking God to help them be good children.
3. Asking God to heal them when they are sick.
4. Asking God for wisdom to understand their lessons.
5. Asking God to protect their family and friends.

Short Model Prayer

“Dear God, thank You for today. Thank You for my family and friends. Please help me to be a good child and to obey my parents and teachers. Forgive me for my mistakes. Bless my school and my country. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Personal Devotion and Quiet Time

Personal devotion and quiet time mean spending time alone with God. This is when we pray, read our Bible, and listen to God speaking to us in our hearts. It helps us grow closer to God.

Memory Verse

1 Thessalonians 5:17 – “Pray without ceasing.”

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Explanation, Question and Answer, Demonstration, Recitation, Storytelling

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engaging/Recalling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and leads them in a short song about God’s love. The teacher then asks pupils who they talk to when they are happy or sad at home.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings, sing along, and mention talking to their parents or guardians.

Learning Point: Introduction to prayer

Step 2: Meaning of Prayer

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains that just as they talk to their parents, Christians talk to God. The teacher defines prayer as “talking to God” and shows pictures of people praying in different positions (kneeling, standing, bowing).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively, observe the pictures, and repeat the definition of prayer.

Learning Point: Prayer as talking to God

Step 3: Reasons for Praying

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Questioning

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher discusses reasons Christians pray, using simple examples. “Why do you thank your parents? Why do you say sorry? Why do you ask for help?” The teacher links these to thanksgiving, forgiveness, and asking for help from God.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer questions and discuss why they thank, apologize, or ask for help from their parents, relating it to God.

Learning Point: Reasons for praying

Step 4: Things to Pray About and Model Prayer

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Recitation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks pupils to give examples of things they may pray about (e.g., for food, family, school, health). The teacher then leads pupils in reciting a short model prayer, demonstrating a simple prayer posture.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils give examples of prayer topics and participate in reciting the model prayer, imitating the teacher’s posture.

Learning Point: Practical prayer topics

Step 5: Bible Reading and Memory Verse

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reading/Recitation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher reads Matthew 6:9-13 (The Lord’s Prayer) from the Holy Bible in a simple way. The teacher then introduces the memory verse, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, and leads pupils in repeating it several times.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the Bible reading and repeat the memory verse after the teacher.

Learning Point: Bible teaching on prayer

Step 6: Personal Devotion and Quiet Time

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains personal devotion and quiet time as spending special time alone with God to pray and listen. The teacher emphasizes that this helps them know God better.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and understand the concept of quiet time with God.

Learning Point: Importance of quiet time

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 prayer?
2. Mention two reasons why we pray.
3. Why should Christians pray to God?
4. What is personal devotion or quiet time?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Understanding prayer concepts

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 the meaning of prayer and reasons for praying into their notebooks.

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

Learning Point: Recording lesson notes

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher reminds pupils that prayer is a wonderful way to talk to God, who always listens and loves them. The teacher encourages them to pray every day.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and affirm their understanding of prayer.

Learning Point: Daily prayer encouragement

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Answer the following questions in your notebook:

1. Write down one thing you will thank God for tonight.
2. Write down one thing you will ask God for help with this week.
3. Draw a picture of yourself praying.

Lesson Keywords

• Prayer – Talking to God.
• Thanksgiving – Thanking God.
• Forgiveness – Asking God to pardon our wrongs.
• Quiet Time – Special time alone with God.

Differentiation

For weaker learners, the teacher will provide simpler explanations and more repetition of the model prayer and memory verse. Faster learners can be encouraged to share more examples of what they pray about or draw more detailed pictures of prayer situations.

Suggested Lesson Videos

For further understanding, teachers can search on YouTube for: primary 1 prayer crs nigeria

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Teachers should prepare the instructional materials, especially the Bible passage and memory verse chart, before the lesson. Begin by making the concept of talking to God relatable to the pupils’ experiences of talking to their parents. Use the pictures of people praying to illustrate different ways to pray. Guide pupils through the model prayer and ensure they understand the simple reasons for prayer. Encourage active participation in giving examples. During note-taking, ensure pupils copy the main points accurately. Emphasize that prayer is a continuous conversation with a loving God. Check for understanding through the evaluation questions and provide support to those who struggle, while challenging faster learners with additional reflection.