16. Desert - Manna, Quail & Water from Heaven
Exodus 15:22-17:7Background Scripture (read 2-3 times during the week)
Story Summary
After leaving Egypt, God led the Israelites safely across the Red Sea. For the next three months, the Israelites traveled through the desert toward the land the Lord had promised. During this time, they encountered hostile groups of people who wanted to defend themselves against those who would intrude into their territory. The Israelites became unhappy about the lack of food. So God miraculously sent bread and quail from heaven for them to eat. Shortly after God sent manna and quail to eat, they began grumbling about the lack of water.
Manna means "What is it?" Manna was white in color and the size of coriander seed.
It was collected each morning as the dew evaporated, six days a week. On the sixth day, they would collect two days worth to have a portion for the seventh day, the Sabbath. Only the portion saved for the seventh day would last overnight; otherwise it would rot. Otherwise, it would rot if it was kept for the following day. It had to be collected fresh each day. If the Israelites went out to collect manna on the Sabbath morning, they found none. God was serious about them following his instructions.
The Israelites ground the manna and pounded it into cakes, which were then baked.
My Notes
What You Will Need
Supplies
- tent to teach in
Snack
Make tents out of graham crackers and frosting, or thin wafer crackers with honey, water to drink
Video Options
From Crossroads Kids Club
From Saddleback Kids Hey-O Series
From LifeKids
Resource Sheet
This coloring sheet depicts the Israelites gathering manna and quail in the desert.
1 Warm Up get your kids talking and engaged
If using Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs activity, do that now.
What would you like to have fall from the sky? Today, we are going to learn about a time in the Bible when something very unusual fell from the sky and covered the ground.
2 Teach the Story teach a holistic story
Teach in a tent, if possible.
Read story from a Children's storybook Bible for younger children.
For older children, read story from an age-appropriate Children's storybook Bible or tell the story yourself.
3 Bible Mastery give them basic Bible skills
Scripture for Kids to Read Aloud Exodus 16:2-8, 16:31-32
4 Comprehension Questions make sure they understand the story
First, ask the children if they have any questions about the story. What to do if you don't know the answer?
- What were the Israelites upset about?
- They were hungry
- Where did they wish they could be?
- Back in Egypt as slaves
- What was on the ground in the morning?
- Bread from heaven
- What did the Israelites call the bread?
- Manna, which means "what is it?"
- How much manna were the Israelites supposed to gather in the morning?
- Only enough for one day, except for the 6th day, when they would gather enough for the Sabbath as well
- What happened to manna that they tried to keep overnight?
- It was rotten in the morning
- What happened when they went out to gather manna on the Sabbath?
- There was none on the ground
- What covered the ground in the evening?
- Quail
5 Faith Questions open up a conversation about faith and the gospel; close with prayer
- God gave the Israelites just enough manna and quail for one day. The Israelites had to learn to have faith that God would provide what they needed each day.
- Do you ask God daily to provide what you need each day?
6 Memory Verse hide God's Word in their heart
Tent Making
- Use blankets, tables and chairs to make tents (ala making "forts" when you were a kid)
Trying new foods
- Provide some food samples that may be new to your children.
- Allow them to try the samples.
- The Israelites were given manna to eat. They had never had manna before.
- For older classes, you can do this "Fear Factor" style and get food that might be disgusting (baby food, strange combinations like skittles in gravy, etc)
Look at Coriander Seed
- Coriander Seed is the dry fruit of cilantro (also known as coriander leaves or Chinese parsley).
- Allow students to observe the color of the coriander seed.
Colored Sand
- Make pictures with colored sand and glue. Colored sand can be made by mixing sand and food coloring.
- Let dry before using.
Sand Play
- Have a sand table or rubbermaid container with sand and small items that might be found in the desert (lizards, snakes, camels).
- A tarp or large sheet underneath will help keep the mess contained.
- The Israelites were led by the desert road to prevent war with the Philistines.
Cotton Ball Shower
- Have cotton balls hidden behind you as you are teaching the lesson.
- When you get to the part of the story where manna falls from heaven, throw cotton balls up in the air to fall on the students.
- Have a cotton ball fight.
- Imagine with the students how they felt to find the ground covered with their food.
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
- Read Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.
- Talk about what happened when it rained meatballs.
- What would you most like to fall from the sky?
Permanent sand castles
- Mix the ingredients together in the pot.
- Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens.
- Remove from stove and allow to cool.
- Scoop out onto work surface (plastic tablecloth works well, if inside)
- Sculpt your castle.
- Allow to dry
Pass the Sand Game
- Divide the class into two teams
- Have the first person in each line grab a handful of sand from a container.
- They must pass the sand to the next player, who passes it to the next, and so on down the line.
- When the sand reaches the last player, he/she pours what is left of it into a different container. The team with the most sand wins the game.
Telling the Story
- To tell the story, use a tub of sand for the desert and wooden figures for Moses and the people.
- Use popcorn as the manna to sprinkle over the desert floor.
- Also give the kids some to munch on during the story.
Bread Basket
- print templates
- have kids color the basket templates (optional-weave construction paper into the lines)write on the basket "Jesus is the bread of life"
- cut out and glue together
- pass out crackers, bread, or manna for snack in the baskets
'God's Provision' chain
- Pass out strips of paper
- have kids write one thing that God has provided for them on each strip
- glue strips together into a chain and hang in the room
Manna from heaven game
- Start with teams
- Throw the cotton balls/pom poms (manna) up in the air, then have kids collect the manna with spoons or chopsticks (NO HANDS!), and fill their baskets, first to fill their basket wins