The Life of Joseph: A Journey from Slavery to Leadership Christian Religious Studies JSS 1 First Term Lesson Notes Week 3

Lesson Plan

Subject: Christian Religious Studies

Class: JSS 1

Term: First Term

Week: 3

Age: 11–12 years

Topic: Joseph Responded to Call to Service (Genesis 37-50)

Sub-topic: The Story of Joseph’s Slavery in Egypt

Duration: 40 minutes

Behavioural Objectives

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

1. Narrate the story of Joseph’s slavery and how he rose to power in Egypt.
2. Identify the moral lessons from Joseph’s service in Egypt.
3. Discuss how Joseph’s faithfulness and service to God helped him in difficult times.

Keywords:

• Slavery
• Service
• Faithfulness
• Betrayal
• Forgiveness

Set Induction:

Begin the lesson by asking students to imagine a situation where they were treated unfairly by their family. Discuss how they would respond and relate this to Joseph’s experience.

Entry Behaviour:

Students are familiar with the basic story of Joseph from earlier lessons or Bible stories.

Learning Resources and Materials:

• Bible
• Storybooks about Joseph
• Picture illustrations of Joseph’s story
• Chalkboard and marker

Building Background/Connection to Prior Knowledge:

Students know about the life of Joseph as introduced in previous lessons. This lesson connects his response to betrayal and service in Egypt to the broader concept of faithfulness and forgiveness.

Embedded Core Skills:

• Critical thinking
• Reflection
• Problem-solving

Learning Materials:

• Bible passages (Genesis 37–50)
• Storybooks on Joseph
• Whiteboard and marker

Reference Books:

• Lagos State Scheme of Work for Christian Religious Studies JSS 1

Instructional Materials:

• Bible
• Storybooks
• Visual aids (pictures of Joseph’s journey from slavery to leadership)

Content

Narration of Joseph’s Slavery in Egypt (Genesis 37-50):

1. Betrayal by His Brothers: Joseph was his father Jacob’s favorite son, which made his brothers jealous. They sold him into slavery to traders heading to Egypt (Genesis 37:12–28).
2. Life as a Slave in Egypt: Joseph was sold to Potiphar, an official in Egypt. Despite being a slave, he was faithful to God and his master, earning Potiphar’s trust (Genesis 39:1–6).
3. Imprisonment: Joseph was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife and thrown into prison. Even in prison, Joseph remained faithful and was given responsibility over other prisoners (Genesis 39:7–23).
4. Joseph’s Rise to Power: Joseph interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh’s officials in prison, which led to him being called to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams. His interpretation and wisdom earned him the position of second in command in Egypt (Genesis 41:14–41).
5. Reunion with His Family: During a severe famine, Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt for food. Joseph forgave them and revealed his identity, providing for his family and bringing them to Egypt (Genesis 45:1–15).

Moral Lessons from the Story of Joseph:

1. Faithfulness in Adversity: Joseph remained faithful to God despite being betrayed by his brothers and falsely imprisoned.
2. Forgiveness: Joseph forgave his brothers for selling him into slavery, showing the power of forgiveness.
3. God’s Plan: Joseph believed that God had a plan for him, even in difficult times. He trusted God’s timing and purpose.
4. Service to Others: Joseph served faithfully in every position he found himself, from slavery to leadership, showing that service can lead to greatness.
5. Humility and Patience: Joseph displayed humility and patience throughout his trials, trusting God’s plan for his life.

Evaluation:

15 Fill-in-the-blank Questions:

1. Joseph was sold into slavery by his _______.
   a. Brothers
   b. Friends
   c. Neighbors
   d. Teachers
2. Joseph’s master in Egypt was _______.
   a. Pharaoh
   b. Potiphar
   c. Moses
   d. Aaron
3. Joseph was falsely accused by _______.
   a. Pharaoh’s servant
   b. Potiphar’s wife
   c. His brothers
   d. His father
4. In prison, Joseph interpreted the dreams of _______.
   a. Potiphar
   b. Pharaoh’s officials
   c. His brothers
   d. The Egyptian soldiers
5. Joseph rose to power in Egypt by interpreting the dreams of _______.
   a. Pharaoh
   b. Potiphar
   c. The chief baker
   d. The Israelites
6. Joseph’s brothers sold him for _______ pieces of silver.
   a. 10
   b. 20
   c. 30
   d. 40
7. The position Joseph was given in Egypt was _______.
   a. Slave
   b. Governor
   c. Priest
   d. Soldier
8. Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt during a _______.
   a. War
   b. Flood
   c. Famine
   d. Festival
9. Joseph forgave his brothers and _______ for them.
   a. Fought
   b. Provided food
   c. Worked
   d. Prayed
10. Joseph was _______ when he was sold into slavery.
    a. A child
    b. A teenager
    c. An adult
    d. An old man
11. God blessed Joseph in every situation because of his _______.
    a. Wealth
    b. Strength
    c. Faithfulness
    d. Anger
12. Joseph served as a _______ in Potiphar’s house.
    a. Leader
    b. Slave
    c. General
    d. Priest
13. Joseph’s story shows the importance of _______ even in difficult times.
    a. Faithfulness
    b. Wealth
    c. Family
    d. Fame
14. Joseph interpreted the dreams of two prisoners, the _______ and the _______.
    a. King, Soldier
    b. Baker, Cupbearer
    c. Carpenter, Farmer
    d. Fisherman, Trader
15. Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams was a gift from _______.
    a. His father
    b. God
    c. Pharaoh
    d. His brothers

Class Activity Discussion:

15 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

1. Who sold Joseph into slavery?
   Answer: His brothers.
2. What happened to Joseph in Egypt?
   Answer: He was sold to Potiphar, falsely accused, imprisoned, and later rose to power as governor.
3. Why did Joseph’s brothers sell him?
   Answer: They were jealous of him because he was their father’s favorite.
4. Who falsely accused Joseph?
   Answer: Potiphar’s wife.
5. What did Joseph do while in prison?
   Answer: He interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh’s officials.
6. How did Joseph become governor of Egypt?
   Answer: He interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams and gave wise advice on how to prepare for the famine.
7. What was Joseph’s attitude towards his brothers after they came to Egypt?
   Answer: He forgave them.
8. What lesson can we learn from Joseph’s life?
   Answer: We learn about faithfulness, forgiveness, and trusting God’s plan.
9. Why is Joseph’s story important in the Bible?
   Answer: It teaches us about God’s faithfulness and the power of forgiveness.
10. How did Joseph serve Pharaoh?
    Answer: He managed Egypt’s resources during the seven years of famine.
11. What gift did Joseph have that helped him rise to power?
    Answer: He had the ability to interpret dreams.
12. What was Joseph’s role in Potiphar’s house?
    Answer: He was a servant who managed Potiphar’s household.
13. Why did Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt?
    Answer: They came to buy food during the famine.
14. What was Joseph’s reaction when he saw his brothers in Egypt?
    Answer: He initially tested them but eventually revealed his identity and forgave them.
15. What does Joseph’s story teach us about serving others?
    Answer: It teaches that serving faithfully can lead to greatness.

Presentation:

Step 1:

The teacher revises the previous topic, which was Call to Service.

Step 2:

The teacher introduces the new topic by narrating the story of Joseph’s slavery in Egypt, emphasizing his faithfulness and rise to power.

Step 3:

The teacher allows students to discuss the lessons they learned from Joseph’s life, correcting them where necessary.

Teacher’s Activities:

• Narrate the story of Joseph’s slavery and rise to power.
• Explain the moral lessons from Joseph’s life.
• Ask students questions to gauge their understanding.

Learners’ Activities:

• Listen to the story of Joseph.
• Participate in discussions.
• Answer questions about the moral lessons from Joseph’s story.

Evaluation Questions:

1. Who sold Joseph into slavery?
2. Who bought Joseph in Egypt?
3. Why was Joseph thrown into prison?
4. How did Joseph become governor of Egypt?
5. What was Joseph’s attitude towards his brothers after they came to Egypt?
6. What is the main lesson from Joseph’s life?
7. How did Joseph serve Potiphar in Egypt?
8. What role did Joseph play during the famine in Egypt?
9. What gift did Joseph have that helped him rise to power?
10. What did Joseph do for his brothers when they came to Egypt?

Conclusion:

The teacher goes around to mark students’ answers and provides feedback on the topic.

More Useful Links

• Moses’ Call: From Burning Bush to Leadership Christian Religious Studies JSS 1 First Term Lesson Notes Week 4
• Joshua’s Call: Leading the Israelites into the Promised Land Christian Religious Studies JSS 1 First Term Lesson Notes Week 5