What Jesus does as a friend for Primary 1

Class: Primary One
Term: Third Term
Week: 3
Age: 6 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Christian Religion Studies
Curriculum Theme: Jesus Our Saviour, Brother and Friend
Focal competence: Willingly serving and supporting their peers and others
Key competencies/values: Collaboration; Information Literacy; Respect; Tolerance
Skills:

• Explaining how to become Jesus’ friend

Previous Lesson: Jesus calls believers brothers and sisters
Topic: Jesus Calls Us Brothers, Sisters And Friends: Jesus Our Friend
Subject Matter: What Jesus does as a friend

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• state ways Jesus is a friend to believers;
• explain what Jesus does for His friends.

Affective Domain

• appreciate Jesus’ friendship towards them;
• desire to show friendship to others like Jesus.

Social Domain

• identify ways to imitate Jesus’ friendship in their daily lives.

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, Pupil’s Book
• 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

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps young pupils understand the concept of friendship through the example of Jesus. It encourages them to appreciate Jesus’ love and care, while also learning practical ways to be good friends to others. Understanding these principles fosters positive social interactions and spiritual growth from an early age.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils know who Jesus Christ is and have a basic understanding of what a friend is.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Jesus Our Friend

Qualities of Jesus as a Good Friend

Jesus shows us what a good friend is like. Some of His qualities as a friend include:

1. He is loving and kind to everyone.
2. He helps us when we are in need.
3. He forgives us when we do wrong.
4. He teaches us good things.
5. He is always with us, even when we cannot see Him.

Ways Jesus Showed Friendship to People

Jesus showed His friendship in many ways when He was on earth and even now:

1. He healed the sick and made them well.
2. He fed the hungry with food.
3. He taught people about God’s love and how to live right.
4. He died on the cross to save us from our sins, showing the greatest love.
5. He spent time with His disciples and taught them many things.
6. He listens to us when we pray.

How Christians Can Imitate Jesus in Friendship

We can be good friends like Jesus by:

1. Being kind and loving to our friends.
2. Helping our friends when they need us.
3. Forgiving our friends when they make mistakes.
4. Sharing our things with our friends.
5. Praying for our friends.
6. Telling our friends about Jesus.

Bible Reading

John 15:13 (NIV)

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Memory Verse

John 15:13 – “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

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

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Activating prior knowledge

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them to name some of their friends. The teacher then asks what good friends do for each other.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond by naming their friends and sharing what friends do.

Learning Point: Understanding friendship basics

Step 2: Qualities of Jesus as a Friend

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains that Jesus is our best friend and discusses His qualities as a good friend, using simple examples. The teacher asks pupils to identify actions of a good friend.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and identify actions of a good friend.

Learning Point: Jesus’ friendship qualities

Step 3: Ways Jesus Showed Friendship

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Storytelling/Illustration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shares simple Bible stories or uses pictures to illustrate ways Jesus showed friendship to people (e.g., healing, feeding, teaching, dying for us). The teacher asks pupils to state some of these ways.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the stories, observe pictures, and state ways Jesus showed friendship.

Learning Point: Jesus’ acts of friendship

Step 4: Bible Reading and Memory Verse

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reading/Recitation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to read John 15:13 from the Bible or a chart. The teacher then introduces the memory verse and leads pupils in repeating it several times.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils read the Bible passage and repeat the memory verse after the teacher.

Learning Point: Bible passage and memory

Step 5: Imitating Jesus in Friendship

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Application/Guidance

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher discusses how pupils can imitate Jesus by being good friends to others. The teacher asks pupils to suggest ways they can show friendship at school and at home.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils suggest ways to be good friends, like sharing and helping.

Learning Point: Showing friendship like Jesus

Step 6: Reinforcement through Song

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads the pupils in singing a suitable song about Jesus as a friend or about being a good friend.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils participate in singing the song.

Learning Point: Friendship concepts reinforced

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. Mention two ways Jesus is a friend to believers.
2. What does Jesus do for His friends?
3. How can you be a good friend like Jesus?
4. Recite our memory verse.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Understanding Jesus’ friendship

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’ qualities and ways He showed friendship into their notebooks.

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

Learning Point: Recording lesson points

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 1 minute

Teaching Skill: Summarisation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher reminds pupils that Jesus is their best friend and encourages them to always show love and kindness to their friends, just like Jesus.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and affirm their understanding.

Learning Point: Friendship application

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Answer the questions in your notebook.

1. Draw a picture of you and your friend helping each other.
2. Write down one way you can be a good friend to someone this week.
3. Write out the memory verse: John 15:13.

Lesson Keywords

• Jesus – God’s Son, our Saviour.
• Friend – Someone you love, trust, and who helps you.
• Love – A strong feeling of care and affection.
• Kindness – Being friendly, generous, and considerate.
• Forgive – To stop being angry with someone for a mistake.

Differentiation

For weaker learners, the teacher will simplify explanations and provide more visual aids, such as large print memory verse charts and pictures. They will be encouraged to answer questions orally and in simple sentences. Faster learners will be challenged to think of more ways Jesus showed friendship and to explain how they can apply these lessons in different situations, perhaps by role-playing a scenario.

Suggested Lesson Videos

For videos on “Jesus as a friend for kids”, search on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Jesus+our+friend+for+kids+primary+1

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Before the lesson, ensure you have your Holy Bible, relevant Bible story pictures depicting Jesus interacting with people (e.g., healing, feeding, teaching), and a chart for the memory verse (John 15:13). Begin by engaging pupils in a discussion about their own friendships to connect with their experiences. Clearly explain Jesus’ qualities as a friend and provide simple, relatable examples of how He showed friendship. Encourage pupils to actively participate in identifying these actions. Guide them through the Bible reading and help them memorize the verse through repetition and song. For the note-taking stage, ensure pupils copy the Board Summary accurately. During evaluation, check their understanding of Jesus’ friendship and how they can apply it. Support weaker learners with simpler tasks and provide extension activities for faster learners, such as drawing or role-playing. Always maintain a positive and encouraging classroom environment.