The learner will:

• manipulate creation cutouts to show that G-d created the world step-by-step.
• state that G-d placed people in charge of caring for nature.
• give examples of ways people can take care of the environment.
• grow plants and take care of them.

Anticipatory Set:
Show the students the “creation cutouts” of sky, land, ocean, trees, animals, and people.  Ask students to recall the story from the Bible when G-d creates these parts of the world as they put the cutouts on the board in the order of the story.  After several children have had an opportunity to tell the story with the cutouts, summarize that all of these objects have been given to us to enrich our environment and it is our responsibility to care for them.

 

• Tell the students that G-d carefully created the world and also created the Garden of Eden.  Describe the Garden of Eden: It had pretty trees with tasty fruit, and a river.  When G-d created people, He placed them in the Garden of Eden, and put them in charge of the land, to take care of it.
  
  
• Read the verse: And God took man, and put him in the Garden of Eden, to work it and to watch over it.” Genesis 2:15.  Write the verse on the board.
  
  
• Ask students to hypothesize about what Adam might have done to take care of the land.
  
  
• Tell the students that, like Adam, we also have the responsibility to take care of the land we live on.  Ask them to brainstorm ways to care for the environment.  Write their answers on the board (don’t pollute the air, don’t litter, don’t harm animal habitats, cut the grass, limit your use of paper goods, recycle, etc.).
  
  
• Lead a discussion about what happens if we don’t take care of the world.
  
  
• Tell the class they will be growing their own plants, which they will take care of themselves.
  
  
• Hand out to each student the lima beans, a wet paper towel, and a re-sealable plastic bag.  The students write their names on the bags with permanent markers.  They put their beans inside the wet paper towel and put the paper towel in the plastic bag.  Explain that the beans will get soft and then sprout.  When they sprout, the students will plant them in soil.
  
  
• Read aloud The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle.  Discuss the “miracle” that seeds survive the harsh conditions of the world to grow into plants.
  
  
• Follow -up Activity: Have the students write or dictate a sentence about why it is important to grow and care for plants.  Provide final draft paper with lines and room for an illustration.  Students should read their sentence to the class.  (As an alternative, they may plan and act out a skit about the importance of caring for plants.)
  

Each student should look at home for a plastic container that is considered trash (such as a yogurt container) and bring it to school for planting the bean seed.

• Bible: Genesis 1, and Genesis 2:1-15.
• Navigating The Bible II Web Site:
  http://bible.ort.org/books/pentd2.asp?ACTION=displaypage&BOOK=1&CHAPTER=2
• Carle, Eric.  The Tiny Seed.  Aladdin, 2001.  ISBN: 0689842449