Notes of Lessons: Old Testament, Class I

[We have thought that it might be of use to our readers (in their own families) to publish from month to month during the current year, Notes of Lessons prepared by students of the House of Education for the pupils of the Practising School. We should like to say, however, that such a Lesson is never given as a tour de force, but is always an illustration or an expansion of some part of the children’s regular studies (in the Parents’ Review School), some passage in one or other of their school books.—Ed.]

Group: History • Class I • Time: 15 minutes

By Adele Gytha Roffe
The Parents’ Review, 1903, pp. 690-691

Objects

I. To increase the children’s knowledge of the Flood and the building of the Ark.

II. To increase their power of narration.

III. To give a spiritual idea.

Lesson

Step I.—Read aloud, slowly and distinctly, Genesis chapter vi., verse 13 to end, and chapter vii., omitting verses 2-10. God’s instructions to Noah about the building of the Ark, the animals to be preserved, and the account of the Deluge.

Step II.—Describe the scenes, trying to make the children imagine them clearly.

First. Noah and his friends cutting down trees and preparing for the great shipbuilding in a field—a curious place, as there is no water near. Imagine the people coming and laughing at Noah—“this foolish man who has been bothering us with his preachings all these years.”

Second. Now the time has come; 120 years have passed. The ark is finished, and all the beasts and birds in pairs are being gathered in, and Noah and his family are busy from morning till night, storing provisions. You can fancy the people laughing louder than ever, to hide feelings of uneasiness beginning to rise. Five days pass thus, then six days; still clear blue sky and still the people mocked him. But at midnight the storm begins, the houses rock in the storm, the sky is dark and the wind howls, and torrents of rain pour down, great sheets of water, “the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.” In the morning the water had risen up to their feet, the next day it is worse, and so it continues.

Step III.—Make the children repeat as much as possible in the words of the Bible.