Lesson #12: The Atonement of Jesus Christ
(I think there is some overlap with Lesson #3 on this topic.)
Other ideas:
–Make wordstrips using the questions in the lesson. Fold them, put them in a jar, pass around, and take turns answering.
–Easter message from Elder Holland.
–Use the scripture references at the end of the lesson to make a scripture chain. (Which means: in the end papers of your scriptures, write: “The atonement: see Matthew 16:21.” In the margin of Mt 16:21, write “see Alma 34:9-16” and so on, until you write in the margin of the final reference “see Matthew 16:21.”) Be sure to discuss as you go through the chain.
–If you have older kids, do a close reading of Alma 34:8-16. I created a document here that you can print out for this activity. (All it is is the text with a huge margin on the right and big spaces between the lines of text.) Begin by putting parentheses around difficult words and phrases and writing simpler synonyms above them. Then there are all sorts of ways you can do a close reading; here is what I would do with a target audience aged 8:
–Get out the colored pencils and rulers (for easy underlining).
–Read it out loud and invite the kids to underline statements of testimony in one color.
–Then underline in another color statements that describe what would happen without an atonement.
–Underline in another color statements that describe what happens with an atonement.
–Underline in another color statements that describe the type of atonement that is needed.
–Underline in another color statements that describe what we need to do for the atonement to be effective in our lives.
–You can now use the column on the right to write in thoughts and ideas.