Naaman Bible Lesson for Elementary Students

This Naaman Bible lesson is designed for elementary children who read and write independently, but it can be modified easily for preschoolers. Tips for making modifications for younger students are included for the teacher's convenience. It can be presented in about 45 minutes and requires minimal supplies or pre-class preparation.

The educational objectives of this lesson are:

• Learning about obeying and following wise advice
• Discovering how to trust God (not humans) for help and healing
• Learning how to tell others about God’s power
• Giving God the glory for His miracles

You'll need these supplies to make the figures for an interactive presentation of the story of Naaman and to teach the lesson.

• Bible (the story of Naaman is in 2 Kings 5:1-14)
• Two water play tubs – one with clean water and one with water that is muddy
• Naaman figure (instructions for making these are in the next section)
• Cookie cutters in the shape of gingerbread men
• White cardstock
• Sheets of 8 ½ x 11” laminating film
• Baby powder
• Cotton balls
• One roll of paper towels

1. Place the gingerbread cookie cutter on the card stock and trace around it with a pencil or pen.
2. Depending on the size of the cookie cutter, you should be able to fit three or four on a sheet.
3. If you are working with younger children, cut out the shapes, but older students can do this part themselves.
4. Provide assorted art media and invite the students to decorate the figures.
5. If the students write independently, have them put their names on their figures. If not, help them mark their figures with their names.
6. Cover the figures with laminating film by following the package directions. Again, depending on the size of the cutouts, you should be able to fit several on a sheet.

Teacher's note: If time allows, let older students trace their own figures to encourage hand-eye development and fine motor skills.

Here's how to dramatize this Bible story for listeners of any age. Familiarize yourself with the text from the Bible, and then present the lesson in storytelling fashion. Here's some tips to get you started:

1. Start by explaining what leprosy was: A contagious skin disease common in Bible times.
2. There was no known cure, and many people died from it.
3. Naaman and his family were very afraid because he had leprosy.
4. Explain about the unnamed Israel slave girl and her role in helping Naaman find a cure. Because of her faith, her master found someone who could help him. Relate this to how we can help others learn to trust God.
5. Take one of the laminated figures and dust "pretend" leprosy spots on it using the baby powder and cotton balls.
6. Show the class the two tubs of water, and talk about how Naaman did not want to wash in the dirty Jordan River.
7. He was angry and wanted to wash in the clean waters of the rivers in his hometown.
8. Tell the class how Naaman’s servant convinced him to obey Elisha’s instructions, and dip the figure into the tub with the dirty water.
9. Encourage the children to count aloud as you dip the figure seven times and then show them the clean figure.
10. Conclude the lesson by having the students read the story aloud from the Bible. Let them take turns reading a few verses or ask for volunteers.
11. Discuss the lesson using open-ended questions to reinforce the concepts of obeying without questioning.

Teacher's note: If you are working with preschoolers, modify the lesson by using very simple terms they can understand. For instance, you could describe leprosy as a "very bad boo-boo" or "being very sick." The slave girl could be described as a "helper" or "worker."

Preschoolers can understand helpers because they are familiar with them, but the abstract concept of slaves and slavery is beyond their comprehension. In the same way, they understand an injury or sickness because they have experienced those things.

Use the piggyback song method to teach students this story-related scripture memory verse. Children of any age can memorize scripture easily using the piggyback song technique, as they already know the tune and simply learn some new words.

Sing this memory verse from 2 Kings 5:14 to the tune of “Jesus Loves Me,” following this suggested rhythm and spacing of words:

So he went down and dipped himself/in the Jordan seven times/as the man of God told him/and his flesh was restored and clean/like that of a young boy/like that of a young boy/like that of a young boy/his flesh was restored and clean.

Rehearse the verse with the class several times until they are comfortable with the words and tune.

Invite them to sing the song while taking turns dusting their Naaman figures with some baby powder and then dipping them in one of the water play tubs to reinforce the lesson.

Clean up: Be sure to have those paper towels ready to dry off those wet little hands!

Copy and paste the text below into a word processing program to create a simple Bible worksheet activity for your elementary students. To modify the lesson for preschoolers, use the statements as ways to discuss the lesson and encourage kids to think about the story.

Read each sentence below and fill in the blanks with the proper word from the word bank:

Word bank: cured, leprosy, wash, obey, seven, slave, Jordan, Elisha, heal

1. Naaman had a skin disease called __________.
2. His wife’s _________ told him about someone would could __________ him.
3. The man of God, __________told Naaman to dip in the __________ River.
4. Naaman was told to dip, or __________, __________ times in the water.
5. At first, he did not want to __________.
6. When Naaman obeyed Elisha, he was __________ by God.

Teacher answer key: leprosy, slave, heal, Elisha, Jordan, wash, seven, obey, cured

1. This Naaman Bible lesson plan is an easy but effective way to teach the story because the students are engaged in the process through their senses of sight, hearing, touch and so forth.
2. It introduces core Christian character concepts like trusting God and obeying without arguing in children.
3. Sending the laminated figures and worksheets home with the students provides a visual reminder of what they learned.

By the end of this lesson, the students know the story of Naaman the leper and learned about trusting God for healing and obeying without quarreling. They learned a scripture memory verse, completed an activity worksheet, and made a story related craft.

The author draws on her experience as a Christian educator, assistant headmistress, and lay children's minister to prepare her Sunday school lessons and related materials.