Visit of the shepherds/wise men and the importance of Jesus’ birth for Primary 1

Class: Primary One
Term: First Term
Week: 7
Age: 6 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Christian Religious Studies
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: The angel’s message to Joseph and the birth of Jesus
Topic: God’S Gift Of His Son: Shepherds And Wise Men
Subject Matter: Visit of the shepherds/wise men, the importance of Jesus’ birth

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Retell the story of the shepherds’ visit to baby Jesus.
• Identify the wise men as visitors to Jesus.
• State the gifts brought by the wise men.
• Explain in simple terms why the birth of Jesus is important to Christians.
• Explain why Christians celebrate Christmas.

Affective Domain

• Express joy and appreciation for God’s gift of Jesus.
• Show reverence for the birth of Jesus Christ.

Psychomotor Domain

• Act out parts of the story of the shepherds’ visit.

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 HeadTeacher Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Holy Bible (Luke 2:8-20 and Matthew 2:1-12)
• Pictures showing the birth of Jesus, shepherds, angels, wise men, and their gifts
• Memory verse chart
• Audio recording of a suitable Christmas song (optional)

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps pupils understand the significant events surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ, particularly the visits of the shepherds and wise men. It lays a foundational understanding of why Jesus’ birth is celebrated and its importance as God’s gift to humanity, fostering a sense of joy and appreciation for Christian faith.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils should have basic knowledge of God as their Creator and simple Bible stories, and understand that God loves them.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

God’S Gift Of His Son: Shepherds And Wise Men

Bible Reading

1. Luke 2:8-20 (The Shepherds’ Visit)
2. Matthew 2:1-12 (The Wise Men’s Visit)

The Visit of the Shepherds

Shepherds were watching their sheep in the fields near Bethlehem when an angel of the Lord appeared to them. The angel announced the good news that a Saviour, Christ the Lord, had been born in Bethlehem. A multitude of angels then appeared, praising God.

The shepherds hurried to Bethlehem and found Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus lying in a manger, just as the angel had told them. They were filled with joy and worshipped Jesus.

The Visit of the Wise Men

Wise men from the East saw a special star that told them a new king of the Jews had been born. They followed the star to Jerusalem and then to Bethlehem, where the star stopped over the house where Jesus was.

They entered the house and found the young child Jesus with His mother Mary. They bowed down and worshipped Him.

Gifts Brought to Jesus by the Wise Men

The wise men opened their treasures and offered special gifts to Jesus:

1. Gold: A valuable metal, fit for a king.
2. Frankincense: A sweet-smelling incense, used in worship, showing Jesus is divine.
3. Myrrh: A fragrant spice used for embalming, hinting at Jesus’ future suffering and death.

Importance of Jesus’ Birth

The birth of Jesus is very important to Christians because:

1. Jesus is God’s special gift to the world.
2. He came to save people from their sins.
3. His birth shows God’s great love for us.
4. He is our Saviour and Lord.

Why Christians Celebrate Christmas

Christians celebrate Christmas every year on December 25th to remember and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. It is a time of joy, worship, and sharing love because God gave us His Son.

Memory Verse

Luke 2:11: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Storytelling, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Question and Answer, Explanation, Picture Viewing, Role-play.

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Storytelling/Recalling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them what they remember about the birth of Jesus Christ from previous lessons or stories. The teacher then introduces the topic by telling them that today they will learn about the special visitors who came to see baby Jesus.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings and share what they know about Jesus’ birth. They listen attentively to the introduction.

Learning Point: Prior knowledge activation

Step 2: The Shepherds’ Visit

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Storytelling/Visualisation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher tells the story of the shepherds’ visit to baby Jesus, using the Holy Bible (Luke 2:8-20) and showing relevant pictures of shepherds, angels, and the manger scene. The teacher explains the message of the angels.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the story, observe the pictures, and ask simple questions.

Learning Point: Shepherds’ visit details

Step 3: Pupils Retell Shepherds’ Visit

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Retelling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher encourages pupils to retell the story of the shepherds’ visit in their own simple words, prompting them with questions like “Who appeared to the shepherds?” and “Where did they find Jesus?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils take turns retelling parts of the story and answering questions.

Learning Point: Shepherds’ story recall

Step 4: The Wise Men’s Visit and Gifts

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Storytelling/Explanation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher tells the story of the wise men’s visit, explaining how they followed the star and what gifts they brought (Matthew 2:1-12). The teacher shows pictures of the wise men and their gifts (gold, frankincense, myrrh) and explains their significance simply.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the story, look at the pictures, and learn about the gifts.

Learning Point: Wise men’s visit and gifts

Step 5: Importance of Jesus’ Birth

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains in simple terms why the birth of Jesus is important to Christians, highlighting that He is God’s gift, our Saviour, and shows God’s love. The teacher also explains why Christians celebrate Christmas.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and participate in a brief discussion about the importance of Jesus’ birth.

Learning Point: Jesus’ birth importance

Step 6: Memory Verse and Worship

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Recitation/Worship

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the memory verse (Luke 2:11) from the chart and leads the pupils in repeating it several times. The teacher may also lead a short, joyful song about Jesus’ birth.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils repeat the memory verse and sing along with 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 were the first visitors to baby Jesus in the manger?
2. What message did the angels give to the shepherds?
3. Name one gift the wise men brought to Jesus.
4. Why do Christians celebrate Christmas?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Understanding key events

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 the visits of the shepherds and wise men, and the importance of Jesus’ birth, into their notebooks.

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

Learning Point: Key lesson points recorded

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Summarising

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarises the lesson by reminding pupils that Jesus’ birth is a wonderful gift from God, bringing joy and salvation to the world. The teacher encourages them to always remember this special gift.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and affirm their understanding of the lesson.

Learning Point: Lesson summary and reinforcement

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework / Practice Exercise

Instruction: Answer the following questions in your notebook:

1. Draw a picture of the shepherds visiting baby Jesus.
2. Draw a picture of the wise men bringing gifts to Jesus.
3. Write down the three gifts the wise men brought.
4. What is the memory verse we learned today?
5. Tell your parents why Jesus’ birth is important.

Lesson Keywords

• Shepherds – People who look after sheep.
• Angels – God’s messengers.
• Wise Men – Special visitors from the East who followed a star.
• Bethlehem – The town where Jesus was born.
• Manger – A feeding trough for animals, where baby Jesus was laid.
• Gold – A precious yellow metal, a gift for a king.
• Frankincense – A sweet-smelling perfume, a gift for God.
• Myrrh – A special spice, a gift that showed Jesus would die for us.
• Saviour – Someone who saves people.
• Christmas – The day we celebrate Jesus’ birth.

Differentiation

For weaker learners: Provide simplified picture cards to help them sequence the story of the shepherds and wise men. Focus on identifying key characters and one main gift. Allow them to simply point to answers during evaluation.

For faster learners: Encourage them to describe the feelings of the shepherds and wise men. Ask them to think about why each gift was special. They can also try to recite the memory verse individually.

Suggested Lesson Videos

For visual aids and further engagement, search YouTube for “Primary 1 Jesus birth shepherds wise men story” or “Christmas story for kids”.

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Before the lesson, ensure you have your Holy Bible open to Luke 2:8-20 and Matthew 2:1-12. Gather clear, colourful pictures depicting the key events: angels appearing to shepherds, shepherds at the manger, the star, wise men travelling, and wise men presenting gifts. A memory verse chart will be very helpful for repetition. Begin by engaging pupils with what they already know about Jesus’ birth to activate prior knowledge.

Tell the stories of the shepherds and wise men clearly and expressively, using the pictures to illustrate each part. Encourage pupils to retell parts of the story to check their comprehension. When discussing the gifts, explain their meaning simply for Primary 1. Emphasise the joy and significance of Jesus’ birth as God’s love for humanity. Guide pupils in learning the memory verse through repetition.

During note-taking (Step 8), supervise pupils to ensure they copy the Board Summary accurately. For evaluation, use the questions provided to assess their understanding of the key events and the importance of Jesus’ birth. Provide positive reinforcement and correct misconceptions gently. Encourage all pupils to participate in discussions and activities, providing extra support for those who struggle and challenging faster learners with deeper questions.