The Presents We Should Prepare for Baby Jesus

Grade/English Level
Middle school, Novice High

Content Objectives

Language Objectives

Time Frame
45 minutes
SWBAT identify extended meanings of the Wise Men.
SWBAT explain the meaning of each present the Wise Men gave to Baby
Jesus
SWBAT relate the the birth of Jesus in the past with their lives in the
present.
names of presents used in New Testament times (incense, myrrh)
modal verbs (might, would)

Classroom Preparation
Desks are organized in groups of four so that Ss can work in pairs but also in small groups.
The teacher has put the picture on the board projector.
Time
5

Sequencing of Activities
Introduction
T asks students : What do you come to mind when
you hear the word, Christmas? Do you have any
special presents you received on Christmas?
2. T introduces the topic of The Presents We
Should Prepare for Baby Jesus.
Activities
3. T shows a picture to Ss and asks them : What
can you see? Who are they? What are they doing?

Interaction

Focus

class

class

class

4. SS describe the picture with group members

based on the questions.

pairs

5. T asks Ss : Three Wise Men are in the picture.

They are a black man, a white man, and a yellow
man. What does this fact stand for?

class

10

6. Ss discuss it with group members.

jigsaw

7. T asks SS : In the picture, the three Wise Men

are giving presents to baby Jesus. What are they?
What does each present mean?
8. T distributes worksheet 1.
Ss fill in the blanks.
Closure
9. T asks Ss : What are our attitudes to prepare
for upcoming Christmas this year?

class

individual

class

Materials

Picture 1

Worksheet 1

Homework
Ss write the answers on the worksheet. The questions are the ones students were asked during the lesson.

Rationale
First, to attract students interest, teacher asks questions based on top-down processes.
The introduction to the lesson helps students narrow related contents about Christmas.
Step 3 uses a picture that has information about the topic. Activities related vocabs are usually done in
introduction step or step 2. But, overlooking the whole drawing is preferentially needed in this lesson.
Teacher writes questions related to the picture on the board. These questions are the ones students pay
attention to.
Step 4 is designed to provide students with an opportunity to develop oral communication skills.
Step 5 leads students to create new knowledge with analysis and evaluation. Students are required to
higher-order thinking skills.
Step 6 helps students interact one another. With student-controlled open activity, students use the full
range of their linguistic knowledge to express their thoughts, feelings, and opinions.
The questions in step 7 stimulate to seek information on their own.
Step 8 is designed to lower students affective filter. The way of finding out presents meaning is not
easy. So the activity in this step is easier than the other steps.
In the closure of the lesson, by asking that question, teacher expects students to relate the birth of
Jesus in the past with their lives in the present.

Materials
One pictures and two worksheets are used in this lesson. The picture, Adoration of the Magi, was
painted by Peter Paul Rubens in 1618. Teacher downloads the picture on the web. The first worksheet
is about presents the baby Jesus received from the Wise Men. The biblical meaning of each item is
provided. The second worksheet is homework. It has the contents students learned in this lesson.

< Picture 1 >

What does each present mean?

gold

incense

myrrh

purity death royal perfect life

high priest king of kings
division of love
good deed power

< Worksheet 1 >

Write down your own answers

1. What do you come to mind when you hear the word, Christmas?
2. Do you have any special presents you received on Christmas?
3. Do you remember the picture we saw during the lesson?
4. What could you see?
5. Who were they they?
6. What were they doing?
7. Three Wise men were in the picture. They were a black man, a white man,
and a yellow man. What does this fact mean?
8. In the picture, the three Wise Men were giving presents to Baby Jesus.
What were they? What did each present mean?
9. What are our presents to celebrate for upcoming Christmas this year?

< Homework >