Diligent Ants

Scripture: Proverbs 6,10-29

Learning Objectives:

  • Students will learn following the advice in Proverbs will help them make many godly choices about their behavior.
  • Students will learn following the advice about behavior in Proverbs will prevent them from experiencing the many earthly consequences that often come from not following that advice.
  • Students will learn although Solomon was given great wisdom by God, he sometimes neglected to follow his own advice. His bad choices created consequences for him during his lifetime and for Israel long after he had died.
  • Students will create an ant farm.

Guiding Question: How does advice from Proverbs help us live a godly life with godly behavior?

Materials: Large clear jar or fish bowl, dirt, decaying and fresh leaves, little bits of fruit, large spoon, honey, gloves, hose, tie string

Procedure: Review the Proverbs from the scriptures above. Highlight the advice given about our behavior and how to act in a godly way. Remind students that there are earthly consequences for out behavior and this advice should be used in order to obey God, avoid earthly consequences, and live the best life we can. Explain that even if we make a mistake, we can turn to the Proverbs to know the right way to act or handle a situation.

Introduce the activity. Review Prov. 6:6-11, 30:24-25. After reviewing, tell students they are going to make an ant farm to see why God uses ants as examples of diligence. Get a large clear jar or fish bowl, fill with dirt, place decaying and fresh leaves and little bits of fruit on top, go outside and find an ant hill. Dip a large spoon in honey, syrup or molasses and set it down next to ants. With gloved hands, carefully pick up spoon covered in ants and place in you ant farm. Cover top with hose and tie string around it (so ants can breathe but not get out.) Place ant farm in darkened closet or cover outside with paper for 2-3 days. Then remove paper and see tunnels. You can keep the ants alive by adding bits of fruit as needed for food.

Additional Questions: What type of animals show diligence in their work?

Supplemental Activity: Have students research about bees and creating a presentation about how they work diligently.

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