***Note: Please read the post called “10 Lesson Helps” found under “Primary Lesson Listings” before reviewing any of my Sunbeam lesson plan ideas.
“Let us make this clear. Even though what we teach is true, it is not of God unless it is taught by the power of the Spirit. There is no conversion, no spiritual experience, unless the Spirit of the Lord is involved” (Teaching, No Greater Call, p. 9).
Materials needed: pictures of fruits and vegetables, pictures of animals and their products (see lesson), farm food, including apples (see lesson) and a knife.
For a snack, bring in food from a farm (apple, boiled egg, cheese, being mindful of any food allergies). While you eat them, discuss where do these come from? Heavenly Father created many things for us so we can have delicious food. He made trees and plants to grow fruit and vegetables. He made animals so we can have food like bacon and ham from pigs, eggs from chickens, milk and cheese from cows and wool from sheep to made clothes.
Show and discuss the pictures of food and put them on the floor. Hold up each picture of animals and ask which thing comes from this animal. (sheep=wool clothing; pig=bacon; cow=hamburger, cheese or milk; hen=eggs). What sound does each of these animals make?
Sing “Farm Sounds” (to the tune of “Wheels on the Bus”)
The pig in the pen goes oink, oink, oink…all around the farm.
The sheep on the hill go….
The rooster on the fence goes…
The ducks on the pond goes…
The chicks in the coop go…
Put the pictures all on the floor and play “concentration” to see if you can match the food to the animal it comes from.
Heavenly Father created these animals and all the food we eat. He also gave us clothing. What are you wearing today? (Discuss their clothing).
Sing “Mary Wore Her Red Dress”
(say a child’s name) wore a (describe a clothing item) repeated 4 times
All day long.
Lily wore her black shoes, black shoes, black shoes
Lily wore her black shoes all day long.
Ashton wore his green vest, green vest, green vest
Ashton wore his green vest all day long.
We can tell our Heavenly Father we are thankful for our food and clothes when we say our prayers. Who says a prayer before they eat breakfast? Lunch? Dinner? We should always say a prayer. Let’s practice how we pray before a meal (each child takes a turn saying a prayer of thanks).
Cut open an apple and look at the seeds. All the fruits and vegetables begin as seeds. Heavenly Father created the seeds and made the sun, soil, air and water to make the seeds grow into a plant. I’m going to give you a picture of a fruit or vegetable and you hold it. Pretend to be a seed by crouching in a ball. I’m going to be the sun, air, and water and help you to grow. (Roll play). Hold up your picture when you are big and tall. Repeat as needed.
Sing: “Way Up High in the Apple Tree”
Way up high in the apple tree (point up)
Five little apples smiled down at me (extend 5 fingers)
I shook the tree as hard as I could (pretend to shake a tree)
Down came an apple, mmm, mmm it was good (rub your stomach)
Way up high in the apple tree,
Four little apples…(repeat until all the apples are gone)
End with your testimony of what things you are thankful for, including specific food and clothing. Bear witness that all good things come from God, and he takes care of our most basic needs: what to wear and what to eat. The earth is full of goodness and was created to bless us.