People Bear God's Image - Teacher (Standard) (print)

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Objective: Children say that every person has God-given dignity because people bear God's image.

Read: Genesis 1:26-31

Opening: Show two very different everyday objects and ask whether being different makes one worthless.

Say:

God made people in His image.
The passage names male and female as part of humanity.
Our value does not depend on being the fastest, smartest, strongest, or most popular.
Because people have God-given dignity, we use respectful words and include others.

Ask:

Do: Read two Dignity Scenario Cards and choose a respectful response.

Close: Pray: God, thank You for making people in Your image. Help us speak and act with respect.

Materials: Bible; Dignity Scenario Cards

4 minConnect. Use the opening prompt and invite two or three brief responses.
4 minContext. Introduce the passage setting, speaker, audience, and genre in age-appropriate language.
8 minRead and observe. Read Genesis 1:26-31 and underline or repeat the phrases about image, male and female, blessing, and responsibility. Ask: What does Genesis 1:26-27 say is distinctive about people? What responsibility follows in verse 28?
7 minDiscuss. Explain that dignity is given by God and is not a competition based on ability or popularity. Ask: What things do people sometimes wrongly use to decide who matters? How should God-given dignity change one action this week?
8 minActivity. Complete two Dignity Scenario Cards. Activity: Dignity Scenarios. Printable: K1-L02-P01-dignity-scenario-cards.
4 minRespond. Review the objective, repeat the take-home line, and pray.

Materials: Dignity Scenario Cards

Low-resource option: Teacher reads scenarios orally and students respond with thumbs up/down before discussing.

Memory verse: Genesis 1:27

Prayer: Thank God for people and ask for respectful words and actions.

Take-home line: Every person has God-given dignity.