Purim | Book of Esther | Bible Curriculum Lesson Pointing to Jesus
Save time and shop with confidence! Watch the lesson preview video here.
❇️ This engaging, hands-on lesson on the Old Testament book of Esther culminates in a Purim celebration (also known as the Feast of Lots) which has your older elementary and middle school students cheering for the hero Mordecai and booing for the evil Haman.
❇️ This four to five hour curriculum unit covers the entire ten chapters of Esther and delves into both the traditional and modern celebrations of Purim complete with masks, hamantaschen and groggers! It is offered in a format that will be memorable to your students as they come to understand that ultimately Jesus is our Coming Deliverance.
✝️ Perfect for Sunday School, homeschool and Christian school classrooms as well as youth groups. Make sure to check out the rest of the feasts and festivals in this series!
✴️ LESSON PART A ~ BIBLICAL NARRATIVE:
Students are assigned one chapter from the book of Esther and are challenged to uncover the most important PERSON, OBJECT, EVENT and DECISION. Colorful posters are included with the lesson so that students can report to the class their findings. This is a quick, efficient way to get a general overview of the book before getting more in depth in later lesson sections. Possible answers for each chapter is included in the lesson plan to help you provide feedback and fill in the main points of the narrative.
✴️ LESSON PART B ~ COLOR CODING PORTIONS OF ESTHER 9
A hallmark of our Walking Alongside Jesus series is that students color code a passage in every lesson which trains them to see repeated words, phrases and important details that might be missed in a simple reading. In this lesson, your students color code the portions of Esther chapter 9 which describes when, how and why the Jewish people celebrate Purim. Using a provided worksheet, you will lead your students through underlining reversals to be remembered in green, how the holiday is to be celebrated in red, and who is to celebrate in blue.
✴️ LESSON PART C ~ MODERN CELEBRATION:
The entire book of Esther is provided in the World English Bible version which is in the public domain and free of copyright restrictions. This has allowed us to modify it solely for readability without changing the meaning. The names HAMAN (the evil antagonist) and MORDECAI (our hero) have been highlighted in the text to signal a pause in the reading so that students can BOO or CHEER as they participate in this fun Purim tradition. Students wear masks they have made (included in the lesson), learn a new word (MEGILLAH) and participate in the FOUR MITZVAHS of Purim. This is a lesson that they will not soon forget!
✴️ LESSON PART D ~ GOD’S PROVIDENCE IN THE BOOK OF ESTHER
Using colorful “Providence Pointers” included in the lesson, students learn that while God’s name is not mentioned one time in the book of Esther, God clearly orchestrated the circumstances and events for the deliverance of His people. Students are challenged to locate times when God’s hand was working “behind the scenes” in every chapter of Esther.
✴️ LESSON PART E ~ ✝️ WHAT DID I LEARN ABOUT JESUS?
After completing a colorful review fill in worksheet (a similar one is included in every lesson in our feasts and festivals series to create a booklet), students learn that the book of Esther is not about the ultimate defeat of God’s enemies because Israel continued to face numerous threats to their very existence that live on to this day. Rather, the story of Esther showcases our need for full and final deliverance from our enemies and this can be found only in one Person: Jesus Christ. A “Jesus is Our Coming Deliverance” stepping stone is included in the lesson which can be hung on a wall alongside other stepping stones from our lesson series.
⏰️Timing: This is a four-to-five-hour lesson that can be spread over several sessions, stopping and starting where you left off or stopping at the labeled sections.
✔️ Included in this 64-page lesson:
Colorful 16-page lesson plan is written with clear DO/SAY/READ wording that can be adapted to fit your voice. This includes a two-page preparation guide that includes items to gather, photocopies students will need, pre-class preparations and instructions organized by "Lesson Part A", "Lesson Part B" etc.
48 pages of worksheets, answer keys and supplemental material
Worksheets: Plot Features and Important Plot Features
Four Plot Features Color Posters
Color Coding Worksheet and Answer Key
Book of Esther Reading, 13 pages
Colorful mask options, 8 pages
The Four Mitzvahs of Purim Reference Sheet
Pre-class Preparation Guide, 6 pages
Purim Fill in Review Worksheet, Cover and Answer Key
Jesus, Our Coming Deliverance Stepping Stone
Save time and shop with confidence! Watch the lesson preview video here.
❇️ This engaging, hands-on lesson on the Old Testament book of Esther culminates in a Purim celebration (also known as the Feast of Lots) which has your older elementary and middle school students cheering for the hero Mordecai and booing for the evil Haman.
❇️ This four to five hour curriculum unit covers the entire ten chapters of Esther and delves into both the traditional and modern celebrations of Purim complete with masks, hamantaschen and groggers! It is offered in a format that will be memorable to your students as they come to understand that ultimately Jesus is our Coming Deliverance.
✝️ Perfect for Sunday School, homeschool and Christian school classrooms as well as youth groups. Make sure to check out the rest of the feasts and festivals in this series!
✴️ LESSON PART A ~ BIBLICAL NARRATIVE:
Students are assigned one chapter from the book of Esther and are challenged to uncover the most important PERSON, OBJECT, EVENT and DECISION. Colorful posters are included with the lesson so that students can report to the class their findings. This is a quick, efficient way to get a general overview of the book before getting more in depth in later lesson sections. Possible answers for each chapter is included in the lesson plan to help you provide feedback and fill in the main points of the narrative.
✴️ LESSON PART B ~ COLOR CODING PORTIONS OF ESTHER 9
A hallmark of our Walking Alongside Jesus series is that students color code a passage in every lesson which trains them to see repeated words, phrases and important details that might be missed in a simple reading. In this lesson, your students color code the portions of Esther chapter 9 which describes when, how and why the Jewish people celebrate Purim. Using a provided worksheet, you will lead your students through underlining reversals to be remembered in green, how the holiday is to be celebrated in red, and who is to celebrate in blue.
✴️ LESSON PART C ~ MODERN CELEBRATION:
The entire book of Esther is provided in the World English Bible version which is in the public domain and free of copyright restrictions. This has allowed us to modify it solely for readability without changing the meaning. The names HAMAN (the evil antagonist) and MORDECAI (our hero) have been highlighted in the text to signal a pause in the reading so that students can BOO or CHEER as they participate in this fun Purim tradition. Students wear masks they have made (included in the lesson), learn a new word (MEGILLAH) and participate in the FOUR MITZVAHS of Purim. This is a lesson that they will not soon forget!
✴️ LESSON PART D ~ GOD’S PROVIDENCE IN THE BOOK OF ESTHER
Using colorful “Providence Pointers” included in the lesson, students learn that while God’s name is not mentioned one time in the book of Esther, God clearly orchestrated the circumstances and events for the deliverance of His people. Students are challenged to locate times when God’s hand was working “behind the scenes” in every chapter of Esther.
✴️ LESSON PART E ~ ✝️ WHAT DID I LEARN ABOUT JESUS?
After completing a colorful review fill in worksheet (a similar one is included in every lesson in our feasts and festivals series to create a booklet), students learn that the book of Esther is not about the ultimate defeat of God’s enemies because Israel continued to face numerous threats to their very existence that live on to this day. Rather, the story of Esther showcases our need for full and final deliverance from our enemies and this can be found only in one Person: Jesus Christ. A “Jesus is Our Coming Deliverance” stepping stone is included in the lesson which can be hung on a wall alongside other stepping stones from our lesson series.
⏰️Timing: This is a four-to-five-hour lesson that can be spread over several sessions, stopping and starting where you left off or stopping at the labeled sections.
✔️ Included in this 64-page lesson:
Colorful 16-page lesson plan is written with clear DO/SAY/READ wording that can be adapted to fit your voice. This includes a two-page preparation guide that includes items to gather, photocopies students will need, pre-class preparations and instructions organized by "Lesson Part A", "Lesson Part B" etc.
48 pages of worksheets, answer keys and supplemental material
Worksheets: Plot Features and Important Plot Features
Four Plot Features Color Posters
Color Coding Worksheet and Answer Key
Book of Esther Reading, 13 pages
Colorful mask options, 8 pages
The Four Mitzvahs of Purim Reference Sheet
Pre-class Preparation Guide, 6 pages
Purim Fill in Review Worksheet, Cover and Answer Key
Jesus, Our Coming Deliverance Stepping Stone
Save time and shop with confidence! Watch the lesson preview video here.
❇️ This engaging, hands-on lesson on the Old Testament book of Esther culminates in a Purim celebration (also known as the Feast of Lots) which has your older elementary and middle school students cheering for the hero Mordecai and booing for the evil Haman.
❇️ This four to five hour curriculum unit covers the entire ten chapters of Esther and delves into both the traditional and modern celebrations of Purim complete with masks, hamantaschen and groggers! It is offered in a format that will be memorable to your students as they come to understand that ultimately Jesus is our Coming Deliverance.
✝️ Perfect for Sunday School, homeschool and Christian school classrooms as well as youth groups. Make sure to check out the rest of the feasts and festivals in this series!
✴️ LESSON PART A ~ BIBLICAL NARRATIVE:
Students are assigned one chapter from the book of Esther and are challenged to uncover the most important PERSON, OBJECT, EVENT and DECISION. Colorful posters are included with the lesson so that students can report to the class their findings. This is a quick, efficient way to get a general overview of the book before getting more in depth in later lesson sections. Possible answers for each chapter is included in the lesson plan to help you provide feedback and fill in the main points of the narrative.
✴️ LESSON PART B ~ COLOR CODING PORTIONS OF ESTHER 9
A hallmark of our Walking Alongside Jesus series is that students color code a passage in every lesson which trains them to see repeated words, phrases and important details that might be missed in a simple reading. In this lesson, your students color code the portions of Esther chapter 9 which describes when, how and why the Jewish people celebrate Purim. Using a provided worksheet, you will lead your students through underlining reversals to be remembered in green, how the holiday is to be celebrated in red, and who is to celebrate in blue.
✴️ LESSON PART C ~ MODERN CELEBRATION:
The entire book of Esther is provided in the World English Bible version which is in the public domain and free of copyright restrictions. This has allowed us to modify it solely for readability without changing the meaning. The names HAMAN (the evil antagonist) and MORDECAI (our hero) have been highlighted in the text to signal a pause in the reading so that students can BOO or CHEER as they participate in this fun Purim tradition. Students wear masks they have made (included in the lesson), learn a new word (MEGILLAH) and participate in the FOUR MITZVAHS of Purim. This is a lesson that they will not soon forget!
✴️ LESSON PART D ~ GOD’S PROVIDENCE IN THE BOOK OF ESTHER
Using colorful “Providence Pointers” included in the lesson, students learn that while God’s name is not mentioned one time in the book of Esther, God clearly orchestrated the circumstances and events for the deliverance of His people. Students are challenged to locate times when God’s hand was working “behind the scenes” in every chapter of Esther.
✴️ LESSON PART E ~ ✝️ WHAT DID I LEARN ABOUT JESUS?
After completing a colorful review fill in worksheet (a similar one is included in every lesson in our feasts and festivals series to create a booklet), students learn that the book of Esther is not about the ultimate defeat of God’s enemies because Israel continued to face numerous threats to their very existence that live on to this day. Rather, the story of Esther showcases our need for full and final deliverance from our enemies and this can be found only in one Person: Jesus Christ. A “Jesus is Our Coming Deliverance” stepping stone is included in the lesson which can be hung on a wall alongside other stepping stones from our lesson series.
⏰️Timing: This is a four-to-five-hour lesson that can be spread over several sessions, stopping and starting where you left off or stopping at the labeled sections.
✔️ Included in this 64-page lesson:
Colorful 16-page lesson plan is written with clear DO/SAY/READ wording that can be adapted to fit your voice. This includes a two-page preparation guide that includes items to gather, photocopies students will need, pre-class preparations and instructions organized by "Lesson Part A", "Lesson Part B" etc.
48 pages of worksheets, answer keys and supplemental material
Worksheets: Plot Features and Important Plot Features
Four Plot Features Color Posters
Color Coding Worksheet and Answer Key
Book of Esther Reading, 13 pages
Colorful mask options, 8 pages
The Four Mitzvahs of Purim Reference Sheet
Pre-class Preparation Guide, 6 pages
Purim Fill in Review Worksheet, Cover and Answer Key
Jesus, Our Coming Deliverance Stepping Stone
FAQS:
What Christian perspective is used for these Bible lessons?
I am an evangelical Christian who writes Bible curriculum for older students, and I do not take this tremendous responsibility lightly. Each lesson has a clear focus on what God says in His Word and the lessons are presented age appropriately, thoughtfully and biblically.
What translation of the Bible is used? 99% of the time I use the ESV although on rare occasion I might use another translation such as the NIV.
How can this Bible lesson be used?
Each lesson unit in our Walking Alongside Jesus series is divided into five sections, each section takes between 30 minutes to an hour. This allows homeschool and Christian school teachers to use it daily in the classroom (thereby completing an entire unit in a week) OR in a Sunday School classroom or youth group once a week (thereby completing an entire unit in a month). These lessons are flexible enough to be used in the following settings:
Children's Sunday School class
Youth Group
Private Christian school Bible class
Chapel for Christian schools
Children's Church
Homeschool Bible class
Family Bible time
