Objective

By the end of this lesson, the student will understand the concept of forgiveness as taught by Jesus in the Bible. They will be able to express what forgiveness means and identify ways to practice it in their own life through art and storytelling.

Materials and Prep

• Paper
• Crayons or colored pencils
• A comfortable space for storytelling
• A soft toy or puppet to represent Jesus
• Space for a small role-play area

Before the lesson, prepare a simple story about forgiveness from the Bible, such as the story of the Prodigal Son. Familiarize yourself with the main points to share with the student.

Activities

• Story Time: Read the story of the Prodigal Son together. Discuss what happened and how the father forgave his son. Ask the student how they would feel if they were the son or the father.

• Art Activity: Have the student draw a picture of a time when they forgave someone or someone forgave them. Encourage them to use lots of colors and to talk about their drawing as they create it.

• Role-Playing: Use the soft toy or puppet to act out a scenario where someone needs to ask for forgiveness. Have the student practice saying “I forgive you” and discuss how it feels to forgive.

Talking Points

• "What does it mean to forgive someone? It means to let go of our anger and say it's okay!"
• "Jesus taught us to forgive because everyone makes mistakes. Can you think of a time when someone made a mistake?"
• "How do you feel when you forgive someone? It can make our hearts feel happy!"
• "Do you remember the story of the Prodigal Son? The father forgave his son even though he made a big mistake!"
• "We can practice forgiveness every day! Can you think of someone you can forgive today?"