god created everything out of love - sophia institute for

UNIT 1, LESSON 4

Connection to the Catechism of the Catholic Church

ӹ CCC 290

ӹ CCC 293-294

ӹ CCC 296

ӹ CCC 299

ӹ CCC 301-302

ӹ CCC 319

ӹ CCC 326

Vocabulary ӹ Glory

ӹ Image and Likeness

ӹ Reason

ӹ Free will

ӹ Love

ӹ Steward

Learning Goals ӹ God is love and created everything that

exists — the heavens and the earth — out of love.

ӹ The world was made for the glory of God, to show it forth and communicate it.

ӹ God created everything out of nothing, using only His Word.

ӹ Everything that God creates is good.

ӹ Human beings are made in God’s image and likeness.

God Created Everything Out of Love

In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth—and the earth was without form or shape, with darkness over the abyss and a mighty wind sweeping over the waters — Then God said:

“Let there be light,” and there was light.

GENESIS 1 :1-3

God is love.

1 JOHN 4:8B

BIBLICAL TOUCHSTONES

51

Lesson Plan

Materials ӹ The Heavens and the Earth

ӹ Let There Be Light

ӹ God Creates the Sky

ӹ Every Kind of Plant and Tree

ӹ The Story of Creation: Days 4, 5, and 6

ӹ In the Beginning

ӹ Created in God’s Image

ӹ Creation is Complete

ӹ Markers, crayons, and/or colored pencils

DAY ONEWarm UpA. Begin by leading your students in the prayer for this lesson.

B. Conduct a brief discussion with your students using the following questions:

ӹ Who are some people or things that you love? Accept reasoned answers.

ӹ How do you show these people or things that you love them? Accept reasoned answers.

C. Write on the board 1 John 4:8b: “God is love.”

D. Tell your students that the Bible tells us that God IS love. That means that He loves everyone! In fact, God loves so much that He created everything and everyone so that He could love them. God continues to love us today and every day of our lives.

E. Explain that over the next few days your students are going to learn about the story of creation from the Bible. It’s the very first story in the Bible in the Book of Genesis. It tells us about God and His love for us, and how He made everything and everyone because He is love.

Prayer Praise be to God the Father.Praise be to God the Son.Praise be to God the Holy Spirit.Praise be to God yesterday.

Praise be to God today.Praise be to God tomorrow.Amen.

© SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS52

LESSON PLAN

ActivityA. Have your students turn to The Heavens and

the Earth (page 28). Make markers, crayons, and/or colored pencils available. Read aloud Genesis 1:1-2 (day one of the story of creation) and have them color the image as you explain:

ӹ The Bible begins by telling us that God created everything. The first words of Genesis are “In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth…” This means that God created all that exists. The heavens means all of the invisible spiritual realities, like Heaven, and the angels. The earth means all of the visible material realities, like the ground, plants, trees, the sky, even us. In other words, everything that we can and cannot see.

ӹ Notice that the first line of Genesis says that the earth was without form or shape and there was darkness over “the abyss.” If something has no form or shape, it doesn’t exist. Darkness is a form of nothing. An abyss is a giant, empty, bottomless hole. All of this is to say that before God created everything, there was nothing at all.

ӹ So, before God made everything, there was nothing. Except for one thing: God Himself. Genesis tells us that there was a “mighty wind” sweeping over the waters. This wind is the Spirit of God existing before He created everything. A dove is often used as a symbol for the the Spirit of God, or the Holy Spirit.

B. Next, have your students turn to Let There Be Light (page 29). Read aloud Genesis 1:3-5 (day one of the story of creation) and have your students color the image of the candle as you explain:

List two things that you can do when it is dark.

1. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

List two things that you like to do when it is light.

1. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

30

Let There Be Light

Directions: While your teacher reads the Bible verse out loud,

color the light. Then answer the questions.

Genesis 1:3-5 (The First Day)

Then God said: “Let there be light,” and

there was light. God saw that the light was

good. God then separated the light from the

darkness. God called the light “day,” and the

darkness he called “night.” Evening came, and

morning followed — the fi rst day.

29

The Heavens and the Earth

Directions: As your teacher reads the Bible verse out loud,

color the dove and the water.


In the beginning, when God created the

heavens and the earth — and the earth was

without form or shape, with darkness over the

abyss and a mighty wind sweeping over the

waters —

28

UNIT 1, LESSON 4 53

LESSON PLAN

ӹ God created everything out of nothing. Unlike you and me, God didn’t use anything to create. When we make things, we use other things to do so. For example, if you wanted to draw a picture, you’d use a pencil, or if you wanted to make a statue you’d use clay or stone.

ӹ To create everything out of nothing, God simply spoke. He said, “Let there be light.” And there was light. God separated the light from the darkness. He called the light day, and the darkness night. This was the first day of creation.

Formative Assessment A. Have your students answer the two questions at the end of Let There Be Light.

B. When they have answered the questions, call on students to share their answers and keep a list on the board.

C. Then, ask your students the following questions:

ӹ What did God create? Everything.

ӹ What existed before God created everything? Nothing but God Himself.

ӹ What did God use to create everything? Nothing but His voice.

ӹ What did God create on the first day? Light.

DAY TWO Warm UpA. Begin by leading your students in the prayer for this lesson.

B. Write the word glory on the board. Tell your students that the word “glory” means praise. We praise someone when they are good or do something great. We tell them “Great job!” or “Way to go!”

C. Ask your students what are some times that someone might praise them? In other words, when are times that someone might tell them, “Great job!” or “Way to go!”? Accept reasoned answers, such as when they help out around the house, say something nice about someone else, or get a good grade on a test or homework assignment.

D. Continue to explain to your students that when we give glory to God, it means that we praise Him because He is good. We give Him glory by telling Him or showing Him how great and awesome He is.

E. Ask your students how we know that God is good? In other words, how do we know that He is great and awesome and praiseworthy? Accept reasoned answers, such as because of the beautiful things He has made, because of the blessings He gives to us, and so forth.


LESSON PLAN

F. Tell your students that the world was made for the glory of God. God made everything so that His goodness could be known. Everything in this world is meant to show forth God’s glory, His goodness. That includes you! Because God made you, everything you do and say is meant to glorify God! You are meant to show God’s goodness to others by the example of your life.

Ask your student how they can show God’s glory, His goodness, to others? Accept reasoned answers, such as being kind to others, helping their parents around the house, not fighting with their siblings, and so forth.

ActivityA. Have your students turn to God Creates the

Sky (page 31). Make markers, crayons, and/or colored pencils available. Read aloud Genesis 1:6-8 (day two of the story of creation), and have them draw a picture of the sky in the space provided. Be sure to tell your students to draw only the sky and not to put anything (such as the sun, or moon) in the sky. Other things will be added later.

B. After they have completed their drawing of the sky, have your students turn to Every Kind of Plant and Tree (page 32). Read aloud Genesis 1:9-13 (day three of the story of creation) to your students. Tell your students that only God can create something out of nothing. Then, on the lines provided, help your students write a short prayer thanking God for all the trees, flowers, fruit, bushes, and grass that He has created. After they have finished writing, call on a few students to share their prayers with the class.

C. Next, have your students turn to The Story of Creation: Days 4, 5, and 6 (page 34). Read aloud Genesis 1:14-19 (day four of the story of creation) to your students. Have your students turn back to the drawing of the sky they made on God Creates the Sky and add drawings of the sun, moon, and stars to their drawing of the sky.

God Creates the Sky

Directions: While your teacher reads the Bible verses, draw a

picture of the sky in the space below.

Genesis 1:6-8 (The Second Day)

Then God said: “Let there be a dome in the

middle of the waters, to separate one body of

water from the other.” God made the dome, and

it separated the water below the dome from the

water above the dome. And so it happened.

God called the dome “sky.” Evening came, and

morning followed — the second day.

31

Every Kind of Plant and Tree

Directions: Read the Bible verse, then write a prayer thanking

God for all trees, fl owers, fruit, bushes, and grass

that He has created, keeping in mind that only God

can create something out of nothing.

Genesis 1:9-13 (The Third Day)

Then God said: “Let the water under the sky

be gathered into a single basin, so that the

dry land may appear.” And so it happened:

the water under the sky was gathered into its

basin, and the dry land appeared. God called

the dry land “earth,” and the basin of water he

called “sea.” God saw that it was good. Then

God said: “Let the earth bring forth vegetation:

every kind of plant that bears seed and every

kind of fruit tree on earth that bears fruit

with its seed in it.” And so it happened: the

earth brought forth vegetation: every kind of

32

of wild animal.” And so it happened: God made

every kind of wild animal, every kind of tame

animal, and every kind of thing that crawls on

the ground. God saw that it was good.

Pretend that God has given you the job of creating a brand new

animal for Him. Draw a picture of your animal and give it a name.

36

Genesis 1:20-25 (The Fifth and Sixth Days)

Then God said: “Let the water teem with an

abundance of living creatures, and on the

earth let birds fl y beneath the dome of the

sky.” God created the great sea monsters and

all kinds of crawling living creatures with which

the water teems, and all kinds of winged birds.

God saw that it was good, and God blessed

them, saying: “Be fertile, multiply, and fi ll the

water of the seas; and let the birds multiply

on the earth.” Evening

came, and morning

followed — the fi fth day.

Then God said: “Let the

earth bring forth every

kind of living creature:

tame animals, crawling

things, and every kind

35

The Story of Creation: Days 4, 5, and 6

Genesis 1:14-19 (The Fourth Day)

Then God said: “Let there be lights in the

dome of the sky, to separate day from night.

Let them mark the seasons, the days and

the years, and serve as lights in the dome

of the sky, to illuminate the earth.” And so it

happened: God made the two great lights, the

greater one to govern the day, and the lesser

one to govern the night, and the stars. God set

them in the dome of the sky, to illuminate the

earth, to govern the day and the night, and to

separate the light from the darkness. God saw

that it was good. Evening came, and morning

followed — the fourth day.

34

UNIT 1, LESSON 4 55

LESSON PLAN

D. After they have completed their drawing, have your students return to The Story of Creation: Days 4, 5, and 6. Read aloud Genesis 1:20-25 (days five and six of creation) to your students. Then, tell your students to pretend that God has given them the job of creating a brand new animal for him. In the space provided, have them draw a picture of their animal and give it a name. Ask them to think about where it would live and what it would eat. When they have finished, call on a few students to share their new animals with the class.

Formative Assessment Ask your students to list everything they can remember that God has created so far in the story of creation. Keep a list on the board: Light and darkness, the sky, the seas, the dry land or earth, plants, the sun, moon, and stars, time (days and nights), and all of the animals.

DAY THREE Warm Up A. Begin by leading your students in the prayer for

this lesson.

B. Have your students turn to In the Beginning (page 37) and read about the story of creation. Then, have them answer the questions. Students may say their answers aloud or write them down. Note: This activity is a review of the previous two lessons and introduces the topic for the current lesson.

C. Review and discuss the correct answers.

Activity A. Have your students turn to Created in God’s

Image (page 39). Read aloud Genesis 1:26-31 (day six of the story of creation) to your students. Then, explain to your students the following points, writing the bolded words on the board as you go:

everything He had made. He loved them and

they loved Him. God made a beautiful garden

for them to live in. God looked at the people

He had made and said they are “very good.”

1. Who made everything?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. What did God say about everything He had made?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. What did God make last?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. What did God ask the people He made to do?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

38

In the Beginning

Directions: Read about the beginning when God made

everything. Then, answer the questions.

In the beginning God made everything. He

made the heavens and He made the earth. He

said “Let there be light” and there was light.

He made the light and the dark. He made the

sky, the sea, and the earth. He made all of the

plants. And He made all of the animals in the

sky, in the water, and on the land. God said

that everything He

made was good.

God saved the best

for last. He made

people! He asked

them to take care of

37

Write your name across the top of the box. Then, write something about yourself that begins with each letter

of your name that is very good.

41

God made human beings very good.

We alone out of all of creation are

made in His image and likeness. That

means that you are very good, too!

creatures that crawl on the earth, I give all the

green plants for food.” And so it happened.

God looked at everything he had made, and

found it very good. Evening came, and morning

followed—the sixth day.

40

Created in God’s Image

Genesis 1:26-31 (The Sixth Day)

Then God said: “Let us make human beings in

our image, after our likeness. Let them have

dominion over the fi sh of the sea, the birds of

the air, the tame animals, all the wild animals,

and all the creatures that crawl on the earth.”

God created mankind in his image; in the image

of God he created them; male and female he

created them. God blessed them and God said

to them: “Be fertile and multiply; fi ll the earth

and subdue it. Have dominion over the fi sh of

the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living

things that crawl on the earth.” God also said:

“See, I give you every seed-bearing plant on all

the earth and every tree that has seed-bearing

fruit on it to be your food; and to all the wild

animals, all the birds of the air, and all the living

39


LESSON PLAN

ӹ God made human beings, people like you and me, last. We are the greatest creatures in all of creation! God made us in His own image and likeness. That means we are like God. No other animal is like God. Only human beings are made in His image. This is why God looked at the first people He made and said that they were VERY good!

ӹ To be made in God’s image means that we have the ability to reason, or understand the world around us, ourselves, and our creator. It also means that we have free will, which means we can freely choose how we act. And it also means that we have the ability to love. In fact, God made us so that we can love Him and love each other!

ӹ God also asked the first people, Adam and Eve, to take care of what He made, His creation. He made them stewards of creation. A steward is someone who takes care of something. This job still belongs to us today. We are stewards of God’s creation!

B. Ask your students what are some ways that we can take care of the world around us. Accept reasoned answers. Keep a list on the board.

C. In the space provided on Created in God’s Image, have your students write their name across the top of the space. Then, underneath each letter of their name, have them write one thing about themselves that is “very good” that begins with that letter of their name. When your students have finished, call on a few students to share what they wrote.

D. Have your students turn to Creation Is Complete (page 42). Read aloud Genesis 2:2-3 (the seventh day of the story of creation), then explain that Sunday is our day of rest. We call it the Lord’s Day, or, the Sabbath. God has told us to keep it holy and to use it to rest from our work. It is a special day for families — a day when we can spend time doing things together.

AssessmentConclude by having your students create a prayer of thanksgiving to God for all the wonderful things He has created. Encourage them to use not only words, but also pictures to make their prayer special. Make markers, crayons, and/or colored pencils available for this activity.

My Prayer of Thanksgiving

God created all things, and He gave them to us because He loves us so very much!

43

Creation Is Complete

Directions: After your teacher reads the Bible verse out loud,

compose a prayer of thanksgiving to God for all

the wonderful things He has created using words

or pictures.

Genesis 2:2-3 (The Seventh Day)

On the seventh day God completed the work

he had been doing; he rested on the seventh

day from all the work he had undertaken. God

blessed the seventh day and made it holy,

because on it he rested from all the work he

had done in creation.

42

UNIT 1, LESSON 4 57









waters —

28


Let There Be Light


color the light. Then answer the questions.


Then God said: “Let there be light,” and




darkness he called “night.” Evening came, and

morning followed — the fi rst day.

29

UNIT 1, LESSON 4 59


1. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________________________________________


1. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

30

Accept reasoned answers


God Creates the Sky




Then God said: “Let there be a dome in the





God called the dome “sky.” Evening came, and


31

UNIT 1, LESSON 4 61



God for all trees, fl owers, fruit, bushes, and grass




Then God said: “Let the water under the sky






called “sea.” God saw that it was good. Then






32


plant that bears seed and

every kind of fruit tree that

bears fruit with its seed

in it. God saw that it was

good. Evening came, and

morning followed — the

third day.

Dear Lord,

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

33

UNIT 1, LESSON 4 63



Then God said: “Let there be lights in the











that it was good. Evening came, and morning


34



Then God said: “Let the water teem with an


earth let birds fl y beneath the dome of the





them, saying: “Be fertile, multiply, and fi ll the


on the earth.” Evening

came, and morning

followed — the fi fth day.

Then God said: “Let the





35

UNIT 1, LESSON 4 65







36


In the Beginning


everything. Then, answer the questions.








that everything He

made was good.

God saved the best

for last. He made

people! He asked


37

UNIT 1, LESSON 4 67






___________________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

38

Answer KeyStudents may say their answers aloud or write them down.

1. God.

2. It was good.

3. People.

4. Take care of everything He had made.




Then God said: “Let us make human beings in


dominion over the fi sh of the sea, the birds of






to them: “Be fertile and multiply; fi ll the earth

and subdue it. Have dominion over the fi sh of



“See, I give you every seed-bearing plant on all




39

UNIT 1, LESSON 4 69



made in His image and likeness. That





found it very good. Evening came, and morning


40




41

UNIT 1, LESSON 4 71





or pictures.


On the seventh day God completed the work






42




43

UNIT 1, LESSON 4 73

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waters —

UnIt 1, Lesson 428

Let There Be Light


color the light. then answer the questions.


then God said: “Let there be light,” and




darkness he called “night.” evening came, and

morning followed — the first day.

UnIt 1, Lesson 4 29


1. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________________________________________


1. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________________________________________

UnIt 1, Lesson 430

God Creates the Sky




then God said: “Let there be a dome in the





God called the dome “sky.” evening came, and


UnIt 1, Lesson 4 31



God for all trees, flowers, fruit, bushes, and grass




then God said: “Let the water under the sky






called “sea.” God saw that it was good. then






UnIt 1, Lesson 432

plant that bears seed and

every kind of fruit tree that

bears fruit with its seed

in it. God saw that it was

good. evening came, and

morning followed — the

third day.

Dear Lord,

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

UnIt 1, Lesson 4 33



then God said: “Let there be lights in the











that it was good. evening came, and morning


UnIt 1, Lesson 434


then God said: “Let the water teem with an


earth let birds fly beneath the dome of the





them, saying: “Be fertile, multiply, and fill the


on the earth.” evening

came, and morning

followed — the fifth day.

then God said: “Let the





UnIt 1, Lesson 4 35







UnIt 1, Lesson 436

In the Beginning


everything. then, answer the questions.








that everything He

made was good.

God saved the best

for last. He made

people! He asked


UnIt 1, Lesson 4 37






___________________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

UnIt 1, Lesson 438



then God said: “Let us make human beings in


dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of






to them: “Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth

and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of



“see, I give you every seed-bearing plant on all




UnIt 1, Lesson 4 39



made in His image and likeness. that





found it very good. evening came, and morning


UnIt 1, Lesson 440



UnIt 1, Lesson 4 41





or pictures.


on the seventh day God completed the work






UnIt 1, Lesson 442



UnIt 1, Lesson 4 43

god created everything out of love - sophia institute for

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