Complex Patterns

Scripture: Exodus 3-4:17

Learning Objectives: 

  • Students will learn that even when people sin, God can still use them later to do His will.
  • Students will learn sometimes God makes people take a long time to prepare for something He wants them to do.
  • Students will learn when God wants them to do something, He will provide what they need to accomplish His will.
  • Students will learn how to work with complex patterns.

Guiding Question: How can students learn to make complex patterns? 

Materials: Cutouts of different types of sheep (enough for all students)

Procedure: Review the story of Moses in exile from the scripture above. Emphasize that God wants us to be a part of serving His Kingdom and be willing to help others who are in need. Explain that it is easy for us to want to give excuses for why we cannot or do not want to do something. This can be our way of trying to get out of doing something or helping someone. Explain that when God wants us to do something for Him, He will give us all we need for it and we just need to place our trust in Him. Tell students that God can use us for good no matter what our past is and can use our past mistakes to help others learn from them. We need to be open to what God has prepared for us and be patient for Him to prepare us for what He has called us to.

Introduce the activity. Teach the students how to figure out what comes next in a complex pattern, using cut outs of different types of sheep like the ones Moses cared for while in exile. Have the students pair up, create and solve complex patterns.

Examples of patterns: AAB, ABA, ABCABC, ABA BCB

Additional Questions: How can students practice identifying patterns?

Supplemental Activity: Have students draw or use words to create a complex pattern. Have the students switch their pattern with a partner. The partner will need to solve what the pattern is.

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