Bread From Heaven

Scripture: Exodus 16

Learning Objectives:

  • Students will learn that God will provide what we need.
  • Students will learn that “asking” God for what we desire shows trust in His care and respect for His power, while complaining because we do not have what we want treats God as if He is our servant.
  • Students will learn that food can be protein, fat and/or starch.
  • Students will learn to test for presence of starch in foods.

Guiding Question: How can we tell if there is starch in a food?

Materials: iodine (available at a pharmacy), brown paper bags, eyedroppers (straws or spoons), a variety of foods to test (bread, cereal, potatoes, rice, hardboiled eggs, beans, apples, bananas, nuts, eggs, butter, oil

Procedure: Review Bible story. Discuss God’s provision of manna. Call attention to the attitude that the Israelites showed toward God. Was it wrong to be hungry? Was it wrong to want a variety in their diet? What did the Israelites do that was wrong? (complain) What should they have done? (ask) What should we do when we need something? (ask God)

To illustrate the idea: if we want something from our parents/caregivers, which is more likely to get food results? A) May I please have ___? B) You never give anything! I might as well be a stray dog! Why do you think so?

Explain that we normally need a variety of foods to keep us healthy because our bodies need many different nutrients that are not all found in the same foods, so our bodies are designed to crave this variety. We crave sweet things because fruit is sweet and has many nutrients We crave salty things because salt is something our body needs. We get thirsty because our body needs water to survive. Sometimes we get mixed up and crave sweet candy when our bodies really need fruit, or soda when we really need water.

The Israelites craved meat because our bodies resist eating the same food all of the time. God designed our bodies so he knew this. He wasn’t’ upset with them for wanting meat—what was he upset with them for? (complaining) How should they have approached God? (possible responses: ask nicely; being thankful for what He had done in the past; trusting Him to provide for their needs.)

Explain to students that food can be categorized as carbohydrate, lipid and protein. Starch is a kind of carbohydrate that is found in bread, grain, fruits and some vegetables; it is used for energy. Lipids include fat, oil, and wax; some lipids are important for the brain and nerves to work. Proteins are found in meat. They build the muscles and other body parts.

Have the students test an assortment of small food samples for the presence of lipids and starch:

  • Give each student (or team) a small plate with samples of food
  • Have the students list the food
  • Tear pieces of the paper bag so that there is a separate piece for each food being tested
  • Have the students rub a sample of the food against the paper. If it leaves a grease spot, there is lipid in the food
  • Use an eyedropper, straw or spoon to place small drops of iodine on each sample. If the yellow/brown liquid turns blue/black, there is starch in the food.
  • Have students write test results beside each food on their list.

Additional Questions:

  • What other nutrients/substances do our bodies need?

Supplemental Activity: Have the students research other nutrients our bodies need to be healthy.

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