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Older Primary Lesson Plan

Week 19 · May 4–10 · Numbers 11–14; 20–24; 27

Week 19
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Before You Teach

Teacher Quick Brief

A prep snapshot before the full lesson flow.

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Teacher Quick Brief

What This Week Is About

Israel is learning to become God’s covenant people, but they struggle with complaining, fear, and trusting the Lord’s leaders. In Numbers, the Lord teaches them how revelation works, how to choose faith instead of fear, and how to be healed by looking to what He provides.

Main Points To Teach

  • The Lord can give revelation to His people, and He guides His Church through His prophet (Numbers 11:29; Numbers 12:6–8).
  • With faith in the Lord, we don’t have to be ruled by fear about the future (Numbers 13:30; Numbers 14:8–9, 24).
  • When we “look” to what God provides, pointing us to Jesus Christ, He can heal us spiritually (Numbers 21:8–9; Helaman 8:15).

What Is Happening In The Scripture Story

The Israelites complain, and Moses feels overwhelmed; the Lord shares His Spirit with seventy elders, and Moses says he wishes everyone could receive God’s Spirit (Numbers 11). Miriam and Aaron criticize Moses, and the Lord teaches that Moses has a special calling to lead (Numbers 12). Then spies search the promised land; ten spread fear, but Caleb and Joshua show faith (Numbers 13–14). Later, poisonous snakes bite the people, and the Lord provides a brass serpent to look at and live (Numbers 21).

Why It Matters For Older Primary

Ages 8–10 often feel “peer pressure” at school and worry about hard things ahead; this lesson helps them practice listening to the prophet, choosing courage with the Lord’s help, and “looking to Jesus” through simple daily faith choices.

Full Lesson Flow

Teaching Outline

Use the sections below as a menu. Swap cards and activities to keep the class interactive.

Opening Connection

Bring a small flashlight (or phone light). Turn it on, then point it at the floor. Ask: “If the light is on, but I’m not looking where it shines, does it help me?” Let them answer.

Explain: This week, Israel had times when the Lord was helping them, but they complained, got scared, or wouldn’t look where God told them to look. Today we’ll practice three skills: follow the Lord’s prophet, choose faith over fear, and look to Jesus Christ.

Scripture Discovery

Scripture Treasure Hunt (partner reading): Give pairs three slips of paper with these references and one question each. Have them read and underline a key phrase, then report back.

  1. Numbers 12:6–8, “How does the Lord say He speaks to Moses?”

“If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.” (Numbers 12:6) “My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.” (Numbers 12:7) “With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” (Numbers 12:8)

  1. Numbers 13:30, “What does Caleb say instead of fear?”

“And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.” (Numbers 13:30)

  1. Numbers 21:8–9, “What did the Lord say to do to be healed?”

“And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.” (Numbers 21:8) “And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.” (Numbers 21:9)

Teacher connects the three: “The Lord guides His people through His prophet. The Lord helps us replace fear with faith. And the Lord provides a way to be healed when we turn to Him.”

Core Gospel Principles

  1. God guides His people through His prophet (and we can still receive personal revelation). Moses loved when others received the Spirit, but the Lord also taught that Moses had a special stewardship to lead (Numbers 11:29; Numbers 12:6–8).

  2. Faith means trusting the Lord more than our fears. Caleb saw the same land as the fearful spies, but he chose courage (Numbers 13:30). Joshua and Caleb later taught, “Rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear” (Numbers 14:9).

  3. Jesus Christ heals as we “look” to Him in faith. The Lord’s remedy was simple: look and live (Numbers 21:8–9). Helaman teaches us to “look upon the Son of God with faith” (Helaman 8:15).

Interactive Learning Activities

Activity options

1) “Meek Moses, Guided People” (Object Lesson)

Materials: A backpack (or heavy bag), 3–5 books, a small paper label that says “Prophet.”

Steps:

  1. Put books in the backpack and let one child try holding it with one arm. Ask: “Does this feel heavy?”
  2. Explain that leading Israel was heavy for Moses. The Lord helped by calling others to assist (connect to Numbers 11 in the overview).
  3. Place the “Prophet” label on the backpack and say: “The Lord still guides His people through a prophet, someone with the responsibility to lead the whole Church.”

Connect to scripture: Read one line aloud:

“With him will I speak mouth to mouth…” (Numbers 12:8)

Discussion questions:

  • “Why do you think the Lord defended Moses’ calling?” (Numbers 12:8)
  • “What are ways we can show respect when the prophet teaches?”

1) “Meek Moses, Guided People” (Object Lesson)

Materials: A backpack (or heavy bag), 3–5 books, a small paper label that says “Prophet.”

Steps:

  1. Put books in the backpack and let one child try holding it with one arm. Ask: “Does this feel heavy?”
  2. Explain that leading Israel was heavy for Moses. The Lord helped by calling others to assist (connect to Numbers 11 in the overview).
  3. Place the “Prophet” label on the backpack and say: “The Lord still guides His people through a prophet, someone with the responsibility to lead the whole Church.”

Connect to scripture: Read one line aloud:

“With him will I speak mouth to mouth…” (Numbers 12:8)

Discussion questions:

  • “Why do you think the Lord defended Moses’ calling?” (Numbers 12:8)
  • “What are ways we can show respect when the prophet teaches?”

2) “Caleb’s Courage Corners” (Physical Activities)

Materials: Four paper signs for room corners: FEAR, FAITH, COMPLAIN, TRUST.

Steps:

  1. Read Caleb’s words dramatically:

“Let us go up at once… for we are well able…” (Numbers 13:30)

  1. Call out short situations; children walk to the corner that matches the best choice.
  • “A friend says, ‘Don’t be kind to that kid; it’s not cool.’”
  • “You’re worried about a test.”
  • “You didn’t get invited to something.”
  1. After each, ask one child: “What would Caleb do? What would Joshua do?”

Connect to scripture: Also read:

“Rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear…” (Numbers 14:9)

Discussion questions:

  • “How can faith change what we do when we feel afraid?”
  • “What does it look like to ‘trust’ instead of ‘complain’?”

3) “Look and Live” Serpent Reminder (Hands-On Crafts)

Materials: Paper strips, pencils/crayons, tape; optional: a simple stick/pencil to tape the paper “serpent” to.

Steps:

  1. Have children curl a paper strip into a spiral “serpent” (or draw a snake).
  2. On the serpent, each child writes one simple way to ‘look to Jesus’ this week, such as: pray, read a verse, choose kindness, repent quickly, listen at church.
  3. Teacher reads:

“...every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.” (Numbers 21:8)

  1. Add Helaman’s phrase on the back (teacher writes it for them if needed):

“look upon the Son of God with faith” (Helaman 8:15)

Connect to scripture: Emphasize: the Lord’s way was simple, but it required trust.

Discussion questions:

  • “Why might someone refuse to look, even when it would help?” (Numbers 21:8–9)
  • “What helps you remember to look to Jesus when you’re upset or tempted?”

Life Application Bridge

Invite children to name one “fear moment” they might have this week (school, friends, family changes). Then ask them to choose one of these three helps:

  • Follow the prophet: “I will listen carefully at church and try to do one thing.”
  • Choose faith: “I will say Caleb’s words when I feel scared” (Numbers 13:30).
  • Look to Jesus: “I will do the one thing I wrote on my serpent.”

If anything turns to sacred or personal repentance topics, gently say: “This is sacred and personal, please speak with your bishop or refer to the temple recommend questions.”

Testimony Time

Ask: “Which scripture helped you most today, following the prophet (Numbers 12), choosing faith (Numbers 13–14), or looking to Jesus (Numbers 21)?” Invite 2–3 children to share a sentence.

Bear simple testimony from the scriptures: the Lord truly guides His people, and as we choose faith and look to Him, He blesses and heals in His way (Numbers 12:8; Numbers 13:30; Numbers 21:8–9; Helaman 8:15).

Take-Home Challenge

Give them this weekly challenge: Each day, do the one ‘look to Jesus’ action you wrote on your paper serpent, and once this week read Numbers 13:30 with your family. Encourage them to put the craft where they’ll see it (scripture area or fridge).

Teacher Tips

  • Keep transitions fast: After each activity, point to the flashlight again and say, “Where are we looking now, prophet, faith, or Jesus?” It keeps the lesson unified.
  • Support quieter kids: Let them answer by pointing to a corner sign or showing their craft, not only speaking out loud.

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