Older Primary Lesson Plan: Exodus 7–13

Week 15 (April 6–12) Primary Lesson Plan (Ages 8–10): Exodus 7–13 — “Remember This Day, in Which Ye Came Out from Egypt”

Opening Connection (Attention-Grabber + Simple Object Lesson) Bring two items: a small rock and a sponge, plus a cup of water. Ask: “When someone asks you to do something right, is it ever hard to listen?” Let children briefly share (school, siblings, chores).

Hold up the rock: “This is like a hard heart.” Hold up the sponge: “This is like a soft heart.” Pour a little water on each. Let them observe how the sponge soaks it in while the rock does not. Explain that this week we’ll learn about Pharaoh, whose heart became hard, and about how the Lord can help us have soft hearts and remember Jesus Christ.

Scripture Discovery (Guided, Interactive)

1. Pharaoh’s choices (soft vs. hard heart)

• Invite two children to read (or you read and they follow along) Exodus 8:28–32 and Exodus 9:7.
• Ask them to listen for what Pharaoh said and what he did.
  Discussion questions:
• “What did Pharaoh promise? What happened after?” (Exodus 8:28–32)
• “What did Pharaoh do when he saw the plague was gone?” (Exodus 8:31–32)
• “What does Exodus 9:7 show about Pharaoh’s heart?”

2. The Lord’s power and purpose Read together Exodus 9:14 and find the phrase that teaches why the Lord sent the plagues. Quote it fully:
   “I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth” (Exodus 9:14).
   Ask: “What does that teach us about the Lord?”

Core Gospel Principles (Build step-by-step)

1. The Lord has power over all things.
   The plagues showed “that there is none like [Him] in all the earth” (Exodus 9:14).

2. I can choose to soften my heart.
   Pharaoh repeatedly hardened his heart (Exodus 8:28–32; 9:7). The Lord can help us choose differently.

3. The sacrament helps me remember Jesus Christ and His deliverance.
   The Lord commanded His people to remember their deliverance “throughout your generations” (Exodus 12:14, 24–27; 13:1–16). Today we remember the Savior in the sacrament (Moroni 4–5, referenced in the bundle).

Interactive Learning Activities (3 distinct categories, connected and sequential)

Activity 1: “Soft or Hard?” Water Test (Object Lesson) 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?”

Activity 2: “Plagues Power Match” (Game) 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?”

Activity 3: “Remember” Doorpost Craft (Hands-On Craft) 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.