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Leader Guide

Game and Song

Grades 1–3 activity:

Grades 4–6 game:
  • Bible Passage Page or Bibles for children to look up Numbers 10:13–28
  • Tribe Card Pages (2)
  • Scissors
  • Envelopes or bags—one for each set of cards

There are two activities to learn the twelve tribes of Israel. One is a song for Grades 1–3, and a card game for Grades 4–6.  


Grades 1–3 activity:

Make one copy of the “Sons of Jacob” song.

Practice singing the song a few times so you are familiar with how it flows.

Write the names of Jacob’s twelve sons on the board: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.


Grade 4–6 activity: 

Make a copy of the Bible Passage Page, one per team of 2–3 children plus extras. For older children, you may just wish to have them look up Numbers 10:13–28 in their Bibles, rather than giving them the excerpts on the Bible Passage Page.

Make one copy each of the two Tribe Card Pages for each team of 2–3 children plus extras. 

Cut out the 12 tribe cards on both pages, shuffle, and place in a bag or envelope.  

Repeat for each set of 12 cards.  

Twelve or a Dozen: Children learn the tribe names of Israel.

Grades 1–3 Activity

The Jewish people are descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Abraham was the father of Isaac, who was the father of Jacob, who had twelve sons! Jacob was given a new name by God: Israel. This is why Jacob’s descendants are called the children of Israel. His twelve sons became the twelve tribes of Israel. Some tribes had very well-known descendants! King Saul came from the tribe of Benjamin. Other kings came from the tribe of Judah: King David, King Solomon, and the King of kings—Jesus! All of the priests of Israel came from the tribe of Levi. Moses and Aaron were both descendants of Levi. 

Point to each name on the board; have children say the names aloud with you to help with the pronunciation before they learn the song, “The Sons of Jacob.” Then teach the children to sing it to the tune of “Ten Little Indians.” Music is under the Get Ready tab of this activity.

 

Grade 4–6 Activity 

Divide children into teams of 2–3 depending on the size of the class. Give each team a Bible Passage Page and the envelope or bag with the twelve Tribe Cards.   

God had a specific order in which the twelve tribes of Israel marched to move their camp or to go into battle. In this activity, you will work in teams to put the tribe cards in the correct order according to Numbers 10:13–28 on the Bible Passage Page. 

To play the game, teams will dump their cards on the floor or table, read Numbers 10:13–28 in their Bibles or the Bible Passage Page, and assemble the cards in the correct order. The first team that does this wins. Allow each team to complete the task and then check the order according to the Bible Passage Page.   

Optional: place all the cards in one pile in the center of the room. Teams must send a player to pick one card at a time and bring it back to the group to assemble in order.