2009 Peace in a Community

Lesson 25: BUILD PEACEFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE EARTH

Topic: Build Peaceful Relationship with

the Earth

Subtopic: Caring for the Earth

Class: Class II (2nd

Grade)

Objectives: By the end of the lesson the

learner should be able to:

Knowledge: State why building a

relationship with the earth builds peace

Attitude: Identify at least two things

he/she can be doing now to care for the

earth

TEACHER ACTIVITIES

Introduction:

1. What have you been given that you

were told you had to take care of?

2. What responsibilities did you

discover were included in taking care

of it?

Bible Story: 3. God very graciously created the

earth and everything in it for us.

How did God plan for His creation to

be cared for? Genesis 1:28-31

Suggested Discussion Questions 4. What are ways that we take care of

the earth?

5. Water is required for life to exist.

How can we protect water so that

there is enough for everyone?

6. What happens when we cut down

trees?

7. How can we prevent the drought

from happening because we cut

down the trees?

8. What all do we need to think about

when we try to take care of the land?

Application:

9. Why does God’s vision for peace

include a relationship with the earth?

Evaluation: 10. What will you start doing today to

build a peaceful relationship with the

earth?

Materials Needed:

Memory Verse Exercise Book

Exercise Book

Scripture:

References: Genesis 1:28-31

Teacher’s Notes

Memory Verse:

Psalm 24:1

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

Introduction: 1. Let learners respond—a puppy, a

tree to plant, a chicken, cow

2. Let learners respond—feeding,

watering, milking, collecting eggs

Bible Story:

3. God planned that human beings will

take care of it.

Possible Answers to Questions: 4. Let learners discuss—rotate crops,

replace trees as they are cut, purify

water, don’t waste things, don’t litter

5. Allow enough trees to attract water,

be careful in building dams so that

some people are not cut off from

water, make sure it is safe to drink

6. In time there is less rain, land

becomes barren, cattle die

7. Always replant trees that are used for

firewood or other things.

8. We share the earth with other people,

animals, fish and birds. What we do

can affect all of them.

Application: 9. Everyone depends on the earth for

basic needs; when we make

decisions about the earth, we have to

consider how it affects others.

Evaluation:

10. Learners will plan one thing they can

do now to build peace with earth

2009 Peace in a Community

Extra Activities

1. Have learners write their new memory verse in their Memory Verse Exercise book:

“The world and all that is in it belong to the Lord; the earth and all who live on it are

his.” Psalm 24:1

2. In their other exercise book, have them write at the top: God Trusts Us to Care for

the Earth. Underneath, have them write or draw some ways we care for the earth.

3. Go on a nature walk around your school grounds. Suggest children watch for things

that won’t be biodegradable, meaning that they will never feed the soil e.g. glass,

plastic etc. These things will not benefit the soil. Talk about the importance of

keeping the earth looking clean. Talk about litter. Where does it come from? Ask

the children what they can do to keep the grounds clean. Go prepared to pick up litter

as you walk around together and discuss what you should do with the litter once it is

picked up. Some things can be burned [if you are in an area where burning is

allowed]. Find out if there are places where things like cans and glass can be

recycled and arrange to take those things there. Recycling is another way of caring

for the earth. It means that things can be used again after going through a process.

Encourage the children to be conscious of litter and to pick it up as they walk about.

They would be helping to care for the earth and therefore, making a peaceful

relationship with the earth.

4. Involve pupils with activities i.e. cleaning the compound, weeding flowers, planting

trees, pick rubbish.

5. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Make a chart listing items you could reduce using, reuse,

and recycle. Plan how you will go about doing this. For example,

Reduce How Reuse How Recycle How

Paper Use both Tin can Wash and keep Debe (5 gal Use for

Sides silverware in it container) building

6. Bring back items found on the nature walk to make into an art sculpture or invent a

way to reuse the items.

7. Sing “Miti Yayu ba Yumba” (Words found in Notes for Teachers)

NOTES FOR TEACHERS

Highlights from the Bible Reading

This lesson is an introductory lesson to help learners understand that having a peaceful

relationship with the earth is a part of peace making. This is a very big topic and can

cover many things. You may want to choose one very specific part instead of bringing in

the variety of things that are mentioned. You may want to dwell only on the importance

of picking up litter and taking care of it. You may only want to talk about the importance

of replacing trees when one is cut down or talk about creating safe water. Discuss the

things the learners will relate to most to get them thinking about their being caretakers of

God’s creation. Point out that when essential things like water are not properly shared,

people become angry with one another and there is no peace.

2009 Peace in a Community

1. When God created the world, He made the seas, land, day and night, animals, fish,

birds, and human beings. He intended that the things all of us would need would be

supplied through the earth He created. He chose to give this wonderful world to

human beings to take care of. See Genesis 1:28-31 God trusted us to take care of the

world.

2. Have you ever been given something special to take care of—a puppy, kitten, cow, a

tree? What all did you have to learn about in order to make sure they were properly

cared for? [Let learners respond.]

3. When you think about all the animals and birds and insects and people that live on the

earth, it means that we have to become caretakers and think about the needs of all of

these different living things that require water, food, air etc.

4. Some of you have gone through times when there wasn’t enough rain to grow crops.

Have you ever wondered what might have caused that? There can be a number of

reasons but quite often it happens because trees are cut down for firewood. Trees are

important to attract rain so when many trees get cut down, there aren’t enough to

attract enough rain.

5. How do we solve that problem? One way is to always plant trees to replace those that

are cut down.

6. Another problem may be that we wear out the soil so it isn’t able to produce enough

food. If we plant the same thing in the same field year after year after year, it may

deplete certain nutrients that the soil needs to provide good foods.

7. How can we solve that problem? There are several ways we can help that. We can

rotate crops. For example, maize or corn can deplete the soil of certain nutrients but

plants like beans can replace those nutrients so if we rotate the crops, we are being a

better caretaker of God’s earth.

8. Or we can add manure to the soil.

9. God wants us to keep the earth clean and orderly. Have you ever seen plastic bottles

or cans or glass containers tossed out on the earth? These things will never be useful

to the soil and need to be picked up and cared for properly. We call these things that

are tossed out on the earth litter. You may want to discuss this further by using

Exercise # 4 in the Extended Activities.

10. God trusts us to take care of His creation. Do you think we are doing a very good

job? What are some things even now you can be doing to take care of the earth?

Let the learners name some things—pick up litter, talk with parents about rotating

crops, get people to plant more trees, care about the animals, birds, fish etc. that we

share the earth with and make sure they get what they need as well.

Sing together “Miti Yayumba Yumba”

Miti yayumba yumba yumba x 2 Mungu ni upendo

Ndege wanika ruka ruka x 2 Mungu ni upendo

Maua yainama inama inama x 2 Mungu ni upendo.

Key Points

God entrusts us with His creation to care for the earth and all the things within it. It is

important that we consider the needs of all of these things as we use the resources God

2009 Peace in a Community

has given us. When we care about all of the earth, we will choose to live in harmony

with the world, thus preventing conflict.

Teacher Evaluation

Am I a good caretaker of God’s earth? What am I doing to assure that the earth will

continue to provide the necessary resources for many generations to come? Am I making

others aware of our need to take care of our environment? How could I be more

intentional about the care of the earth?