Scripture: 2 Kings 21, 2 Chronicles 33, Nahum, Amos
Learning Objectives:
- Students will learn Manasseh was so evil God gave severe earthly consequences to him and the people who followed him.
- Students will learn sin makes God very angry, but He is also quick to forgive when we repent.
- Students will learn God uses the Bible and godly people to warn us when we are involved in sin just like He sent prophets to the people and Kings of Judah.
- Students will learn how pests can destroy crops and will create pesticide free items to get rid of pets to give to those in low income areas.
Guiding Question: How do our actions correlate to our consequences – both earthly and from God? How can we prevent pests from destroying crops?
Materials: Per bee trap: 4×4 post of wood, 1 mason jar, 1 screw eye, wood screws, directions: https://www.myfrugalhome.com/how-to-build-a-carpenter-bee-trap/
Procedure: Review the stories from the scriptures above. Emphasize how our actions can have either positive or negative consequences. Remind students that consequences can affect us and also others around us depending what the consequence is. Tell students that the book of Nahum talks a lot about locusts. (Reference Nahum 3:15, 17) Explain that locusts were pests often sent by God as a punishment. Explain that these pests were a punishment because they could destroy whole fields of crops extremely quick. This had a negative consequence on many people.
Explain that pests are still a problem today especially for those who can not afford pesticides which keep bugs away from crops. Without something to protect their crops, the crops are very susceptible to bugs and the people growing the crops may not have enough to eat. Pests can also destroy homes made out of wood.
Introduce the service project. Tell the students they are going to make carpenter bee traps. These bee traps can be hung outside of wooden homes to keep pests from destroying wooden homes. Refer to the materials section above for the link to step by step directions on how to build the bee trap. When the traps are finished (it may take several classes), the traps can be brought to areas where wooden homes are common. (You may need to do some research on low income areas that could use the bee traps.)
Additional Questions: How can community gardens be kept safe from pests?
Supplemental Activity: Have the students decorate gardening pots. The students will place copper tape around the top of the pot which will deter slugs. These pots can be donated to a local community garden or area of need.