Malachi: Lesson 160

Assess Your Learning 10

Amos–Malachi

Reflecting on and assessing our spiritual learning can help us draw closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. This lesson can help students reflect on the goals they have set and the growth they have experienced during their recent study of the Old Testament.

Student preparation: Invite students to come to class prepared to share a picture that represents talents or skills they have developed, ways they have grown, or experiences they have had over the last year or so. If they cannot find a picture, they can simply come with an example to share.

Possible Learning Activities

Your class might have focused on different outcomes in Amos through Malachi from the outcomes assessed in this lesson. If so, adapt the activities to assess the growth students have experienced from the outcomes you chose. Also, you are not expected to do all the activities. You might pick the activities you feel would be especially relevant or useful for your students.

In this lesson, students will have the opportunity to assess their progress in the following areas:

1. Explain the role of prophets. (Note: This activity is based on teachings from Lesson 138: Ezekiel 3 and Lesson 149: “Amos 3; 7.”)

2. Explain the titles, roles, attributes, and symbols of Jesus Christ. (Note: This activity draws from students’ overall study of the Old Testament.)

3. Keep the commandment to obey the Word of Wisdom. (Note: This activity is based on teachings from Lesson 142: “Daniel 1.”)

You could replace any of these activities with an assessment activity for Life Preparation lessons. Assessments for Life Preparation lessons are located in the appendix.

How you have grown

To begin the lesson, invite students to show pictures that represent talents or skills they have developed, ways they have grown, or experiences they have had over the last year or so. If students do not have a picture, they can simply share an example. Consider showing a picture illustrating how you have grown in your life.

• Why is it good to occasionally pause and recognize what we have learned or how we have grown?

Invite students to ponder ways they have grown spiritually and come closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ throughout the last year. Invite students to draw two boxes like the following in their study journals:

Inside each box, draw or write one way you feel you have grown or come closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ throughout this year. This could be like a “picture” of your experiences. It could include:

• Ways you are trying to become more like Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. This could include goals and plans you have made throughout the year. If you made a plan as you studied the scriptures, consider including those scriptures.

• Scriptures or teachings that have helped or strengthened you. You might want to include verses or chapters to share with others.

• Growing experiences you have had, like receiving answers to prayers, serving others, feeling the Lord’s help in a trial, or being inspired by an example from the scriptures or a classmate.

Invite several students to share what they drew or wrote. Because this is the end of this course of study, it can help to have multiple students share.

As students share, look for ways to help them know you value their responses. Before students share, you can say things such as “We love hearing from Olivia” or “I really like Joseph’s thoughts and experiences.” It is helpful to face students and make eye contact with them as they share. After they share, a sincere “thank you” or “I love to hear your thoughts” can also be useful. For additional training on this, see “Create an environment where all are respected and know their contributions are valued” in Teacher Development Skills.

If you feel this activity would be a good use of time for the majority of the lesson, you could give every student an opportunity to share one thing they drew or wrote. For example, you could arrange the desks in a circle and ask for a volunteer to go first. Then go around the circle inviting other students to share. Allow students to pass if they do not want to share. As they share, look for ways to acknowledge student effort, testify of the Savior, and emphasize the power of scripture.

Explain the role of the Lord’s prophets

Students might have learned about the role of the Lord’s prophets in Lesson 138: “Ezekiel 1–3; 33” and Lesson 149: “Amos 3; 7.” Consider giving students a few minutes to review what they learned in these lessons. They could do this by reviewing Ezekiel 3:10–11, 16–17; Amos 3:7, along with any notes they made in their scriptures or journals about the role of prophets.

To introduce the following activity, you could explain that the Church puts resources online for people who want to learn about certain topics. One resource is Topics and Questions in Gospel Library.

Use the following instructions to write a three-sentence entry about prophets that could be used in Gospel Library:

1. Write your first sentence using what you learn about the role of prophets from Ezekiel 3:10–11, 16–17.

2. Write a second sentence based on what you learn about the role of prophets from Amos 3:7.

3. Write a third sentence based on something else you have learned in your study of the Old Testament about the role of prophets.

After students have written their entry, you could display the following portion of the entry about prophets from Topics and Questions. Invite students to read it and see if there is anything they would like to add to their entry.

Like the prophets of old, prophets today testify of Jesus Christ and teach His gospel. They make known God’s will and true character. They speak boldly and clearly, denouncing sin and warning of its consequences. At times, they may be inspired to prophesy of future events for our benefit. (Topics and Questions, “Prophets,” Gospel Library)

Consider placing students in small groups to share what they wrote. You might invite a few willing students to share one or more of their sentences with the class.

Titles, roles, and symbols of Jesus Christ

Show several pictures of scripture events in the Old Testament that illustrate the Savior or His power. The following pictures are some examples:

• What do each of these pictures teach us about Jesus Christ?

These pictures illustrate how the Savior created the world; healed the people who looked at the serpent on the staff; supported Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in the fiery furnace; and closed the lions’ mouths. If useful, remind students that the serpent on the staff was a symbol of the Savior on the cross (see John 3:14).

In your study journal, write one or two things you have learned about the Savior this year that have been significant to you. These things could be from an Old Testament story, or they could be one of the Savior’s titles, a symbol of Him, or one of His roles. If possible, include a scripture reference with your insight. Explain why this insight is meaningful to you.

Invite several students to share. Look for ways to help students testify of the Savior and the many roles He fulfills in our lives.

Obeying the Lord’s Word of Wisdom

Consider displaying the following picture and asking students what they remember from the account found in Daniel 1. Or you might invite students to review the posters about the Word of Wisdom that they created in Lesson 142: “Daniel 1” or to try to remember what they included on them.

• What do you remember about this story?

In Lesson 142: “Daniel 1,” students learned that obedience to the Lord’s Word of Wisdom brings physical and spiritual blessings. As part of that lesson, you might have invited students to complete the following sentence in their study journals: “One thing I can do that will help me obey the Word of Wisdom is …”

To help students evaluate their efforts, you could invite them to review how they completed that statement. Then display one or more of the following questions.

Answer one or more of the following questions in your study journal:

• What efforts have you made to obey the Word of Wisdom?

• What experiences have you had while trying to obey the Word of Wisdom?

• Have you seen God bless you or others physically or spiritually through obeying the Word of Wisdom?

Consider inviting volunteers to share their thoughts. You might also encourage students to adjust their efforts or recommit to obey the Word of Wisdom as needed.