To increase each child’s appreciation for the earth that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ created for us.

1. Prayerfully study:

   • Genesis 1 or Moses 2—Jesus Christ created the earth, heaven, and all forms of life under the direction of Heavenly Father.

   • Genesis 2:1–3 or Moses 3:1–3—The Lord rested on the seventh day.

2. Additional reading:

   • Abraham 4:1–31—The Gods planned the creation of the earth.

   • Abraham 5:1–21—The Gods followed their plan of creation.

   • Moses 1:31–39—Moses learned that Jesus Christ created worlds without number.

3. Study the lesson and decide how you want to teach the children the scripture account (see “Preparing Your Lessons,” p. vi, and “Teaching from the Scriptures,” p. vii). Select the discussion questions and enrichment activities that will best help the children achieve the purpose of the lesson.

4. Materials needed:

   1. A Bible or a triple combination for each child.

   2. A container of puzzle pieces (if you do not have a puzzle, cut a picture from a magazine into several pieces).

   3. Picture 6-1, Creation—Living Creatures (Gospel Art Picture Kit 100; 62483).

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

You may use one or more of the following activities at any time during the lesson or as a review, summary, or challenge.

THE ABOVE ACTIVITY ILLUSTRATES (see right)

1. Prepare a slip of paper using either the Genesis or Moses account for each day of the Creation:

   • First day: Genesis 1:3–5 or Moses 2:3–5

   • Second day: Genesis 1:6–8 or Moses 2:6–8

   • Third day: Genesis 1:9–13 or Moses 2:9–13

   • Fourth day: Genesis 1:14–19 or Moses 2:14–19

   • Fifth day: Genesis 1:20–23 or Moses 2:20–23

   • Sixth day: Genesis 1:24–27 or Moses 2:24–27

   • Seventh day: Genesis 2:1–3 or Moses 3:1–3

   Divide the chalkboard or a large piece of paper into seven sections and number them one through seven. Give one of the scriptures to each child. If you have more than seven children, have the children work together and decide what they could draw to illustrate the day of Creation they read about. Help them look up their scripture references (if they need help), and give them time to read them silently.

   Have each child (or a representative from each group of children) draw, in the appropriate space, what was created on that day without telling the other children what they are drawing. After the other class members guess what is being drawn, have the child read aloud the pertinent part of the scripture reference to show if they guessed correctly. Ask the other children to follow along in their scriptures. After the seven pictures have been drawn, you could quickly review what occurred during each of the seven days of Creation.

   After the children have reviewed the seven days of Creation, give them each a piece of paper and pencil or marking pen and have them draw another picture of one of the days of the Creation that they can take home and share with their families.

2. Tell the children you are thinking of something you saw on the way to church that reminded you of how much Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love us. (This could be a bird, tree, clouds, and so on.) Ask them to guess what it was as you give them clues. Let the children take turns giving clues of something they saw that reminds them of the love Heavenly Father and Jesus have for them. Discuss the first article of faith and how the evidence we see in nature can strengthen our testimonies of Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. Have the children repeat the first article of faith.

3. Prepare a large circle of paper that represents the earth and give the children colored paper, pencils, and scissors to “create” one of their favorite things found on the earth. Give them several minutes to make their “creations” and then place them all on the paper earth. Explain that the word create means to organize, not to make something from nothing. Discuss this statement from Joseph Smith when he was speaking of the creation of the earth: “Now, the word create came from the word baurau, which does not mean to create out of nothing; it means to organize; the same as a man would organize materials and build a ship” (History of the Church, 6:308).

4. Show the children a container of salt or sand and ask how many particles of salt or sand they think there are in the container. You may want to take a pinch of salt or sand out of the container and have someone try to count the particles. Explain that God has created many more worlds than there are particles of salt or sand in the container or even on the whole earth. Many of these worlds have been inhabited or will be inhabited by people who have been created in the image of God, just as we have, yet Heavenly Father knows and loves us all. Read and discuss Moses 7:29–30.

5. Discuss ways the children can take care of the creations we have been given, such as being kind to animals, taking care of a garden, keeping parks and buildings free from litter, and so on. Ask each child to tell one way that he or she will take care of the wonderful things Heavenly Father has given us.

6. Bring to class a variety of fruits and vegetables that have been cut open to expose the seeds. Discuss the importance of seeds and how God planned from the beginning for the plants to produce more of their own kind. If fruits and vegetables are not available, show pictures of or draw pictures of fruits and vegetables and seeds on the chalkboard.

7. Sing or read the words to “I Feel My Savior’s Love” (Children’s Songbook, p. 74) or “My Heavenly Father Loves Me” (Children’s Songbook, p. 228).