Lesson 8- Joshua & Jericho

Lesson Aims

• -To help the children understand the story of Joshua and the defeat of Jericho.
• -To demonstrate the power of having faith in God..

Game 1: Build Jericho Race

Set-Up

• Collect eggs cartons and cardboard boxes (approximately 20) and place them in a pile at one end of the room.

Rules

1. Separate the children into 2 teams on the other side of the room.
2. Tell the children that the are to build the highest Jericho city that they can as quickly as they can. They must take turns running to the pile and collecting 1 egg carton at a time and pile it on top of their city tower.
3. Line the teams up and give each team 1 egg carton to mark the place their city will be built.
4. When they are ready tell them to start. Ensure that no 2 team members are running at the same time. If the tower falls over team members may help to put it back up again.
5. When the pile is almost empty give a countdown to finish.

Game 2: Musical Newspaper

Set-Up

• Collect pieces of newspaper (enough for 1 for each child)

Rules

1 Give each child a piece of newspaper and ask them to find their own space.

2 Tell the children that when the music plays they must dance around holding their piece of paper. However, when the music stops they must stop and fold their piece of paper , put down their paper and stand on it.

3 Demonstrate this once to the children. The next time around ask the children to fold their piece of paper in half before you start the music again.

4 Repeat this until the children find it hard to balance on their piece of paper. Continue playing until one of the children can’t balance any longer.

 

Story

Option 1: Walls Come Down

Ask the children if they have heard of the city of Jericho. Explain that it was a city full of people that did not love God.. Explain that Joshua didn’t have super powers he just followed what God told him to do. Explain that there are many things God asks us to do that we don’t understand but if we follow amazing things can happen.

 

Story Re-enactment

1. Ask the children to help build a city of Jericho using the egg cartons.
2. Give each child a musical instrument and ask them to stand in a circle around the city.
3. March around the city 6 times quietly.
4. March around 1 final time playing the instruments loudly (if possible) and let the egg cartons fall over.

 

Option 2: Video- The Walls of Jericho (Joshua 5)

Click here to watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAkwWE2UGLo

Prayer Time

Ask the children if they have difficulty following God in the following areas and pray about that issues that are discussed.

• Praying (It may be embarrassing in front of others)
• Playing Gentle Games (Friends might want to play fighting or magic games)
• Not Getting Angry (Anger is hard to control)

Pray that each child will be brave like Joshua and always do what God asks them to do.

 

Song: Joshua at the Battle of Jericho  

Give children instruments to play again and encourage them to play as you sing.

Click here to watch  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ch5piAJ1nf0

Lyrics

Joshua fought the battle of Jericho,

Jericho, Jericho

Joshua fought the battle of Jericho

And the walls came tumbling down.

 

Right up to the walls of Jericho

They marched with nothing in hand

“Go blow those ram horns”, Joshua cried

“Cause the battle is in our hands”

 

Joshua fought the battle of Jericho,

Jericho, Jericho

Joshua fought the battle of Jericho

And the walls came tumbling down.

 

And the walls came tumbling down

 

Craft: Straw Wind Pipes

1. Give each child 4 straws and show them the sample wind pipe already made.
2. Ask them to measure and cut the straws a few centimetres shorter than the previous one.
3. Encourage the children to help each other sticky tape the straws together to make their wind pipes.
4. Help children blow the correct way to make a whistling noise.

 

Freeplay

Let the children build their own constructions with the egg cartons.