Older Primary Lesson Plan

Materials: rock, sponge, small cup of water, paper towels.
Steps:

1. Re-show the rock and sponge.
2. Re-read one key moment: Pharaoh “hardened his heart” after relief came (Exodus 8:31–32).
3. Ask: “Which one is Pharaoh acting like—rock or sponge?”
4. Invite children to name “soft-heart choices” (listen, apologize, share, pray) and “hard-heart choices” (refuse, argue, ignore, be mean).
   Connect to scripture: Pharaoh’s actions in (Exodus 8:28–32; 9:7).
   Discussion questions:

• “What makes a heart more like a sponge?”
• “When have you needed help to listen and soften your heart?”

Materials: 10 small papers or cards; pencils/crayons; tape (optional).
Prep: Write these references on separate cards (one per plague), exactly as listed in the bundle:
Exodus 7:17–18; 8:1–4; 8:16–17; 8:20–22; 9:1–6; 9:8–9; 9:22–23; 10:4–5; 10:21–22; 11:4–7.
Steps:

1. Divide class into pairs. Give each pair 2–3 reference cards.
2. Each pair quickly reads their verses (quietly) and draws a simple symbol for what happened (frogs, darkness, hail, etc.).
3. Pairs come up and place drawings in a row (1–10) as best they can. Help as needed.
4. Read Exodus 9:14 again and ask: “How do these signs show the Lord’s power?”
   Connect to scripture: These are the exact plague verses suggested in the bundle, plus (Exodus 9:14).
   Discussion questions:

• “Which plague would have helped you know the Lord is powerful?”
• “How can the Lord help you today when something feels hard?”

Materials: paper strips (like a doorframe), small paper “door,” crayons, tape/glue.
Steps:

1. Explain simply: In the Passover, the Lord gave instructions so His people would be spared (Exodus 12:1–13 is the bundle’s focus).
2. Children make a paper “door.” On the top write: “REMEMBER” (connect to the Lord’s command to remember: Exodus 12:14, 24–27).
3. On one side of the doorframe, children write or draw 2–3 ways they can remember Jesus during the sacrament (listen, think of Him, be reverent, pray).
4. If appropriate, briefly point to the bundle’s connection: “Today, we take the sacrament to remember Jesus’s sacrifice” (from the “Teaching Children” section) and we can find “remember” in the sacrament prayers (Moroni 4–5, referenced in the bundle).
   Connect to scripture: (Exodus 12:1–13; Exodus 12:14, 24–27).
   Discussion questions:

• “Why do you think the Lord wants us to remember again and again?”
• “What helps you focus when the sacrament is passed?”

Life Application Bridge (From Scripture to Their Week) Ask children to choose one real-life moment where they can practice a “soft heart” this week: when corrected at school, when asked to share, when it’s time to stop playing, or when a sibling is annoying. Invite them to connect it to remembering: “If I remember the Lord and His power to help me, I can soften my heart.”

Testimony Time (Gentle Sharing) Invite: “Hold up your sponge-hand (open hand) if you want a softer heart.” Then ask: “What is one thing you learned today about the Lord’s power, or about remembering Jesus?” Allow 2–3 children to share. Bear simple testimony that the Lord is powerful (Exodus 9:14) and that He helps us choose soft hearts, and that remembering Jesus Christ brings peace as we take the sacrament (Exodus 12:14; Moroni 4–5 referenced).

Take-Home Challenge (Specific and Connected) Give each child a small paper that says: “REMEMBER.” Challenge: “During the sacrament this week, choose one thing to do to remember Jesus (quiet hands, look at a picture of Him in your mind, listen carefully). Then at home, tell someone one way you tried to have a soft heart.”

Teacher Tips (Practical)

• If reading is hard for some children, assign them to be “picture helpers” (they draw while others read the verse cards).
• Keep transitions tight by setting a 2-minute timer for each drawing in the plague game so the lesson stays joyful and focused.