Creating a Garden of Eden Experience for Your Classroom

Apr 16

Are you diving into the story of the Garden of Eden and the infamous Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil? Why not bring a little piece of that garden right into your classroom? Imagine placing a tree like this one right in the center of your learning space! Artificial tree in classroom setup

This isn’t just any tree; it’s an artificial one with a basket base. You might already have something similar, but if not, you can easily borrow one. The best part? You won’t be making any permanent changes to this prop.

Add a variety of fruits—real ones if you can, but faux fruits work just as well. After all, the Bible doesn’t specify what type of fruit hung from that tree, so why not tuck in apples, oranges, grapes, pears, and bananas among the leaves?

Use green floral wire to attach them securely. And for an extra touch of authenticity, add a stuffed or realistic-looking snake on the branches. Your prop is now ready to spark conversations about temptation!

In our personal areas of temptation, it’s crucial to remember what God actually says. This is something Eve forgot, and it’s a valuable lesson for all of us. Gather your students around the tree and read God’s command from Genesis 2:16-17:

“The LORD commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.’”

Next, read the story of Eve’s temptation from Genesis 3:1-6. There’s so much to discuss from this passage, especially regarding how children can handle temptation in their own lives. For instance, what was Eve even doing near the tree? Was she gazing at it, sniffing the fruit, or was she lured there by the serpent? Eve near the Tree

Why do we often crave the one thing we can’t have instead of enjoying the abundance around us? God’s command was clear: don’t eat the fruit. Yet, Eve added her own twist, thinking she couldn’t even touch it. Perhaps after touching the fruit and nothing happening, she began to wonder if the serpent was right and that God was hiding something from her.

It’s a classic case of questioning God’s goodness. Eve believed the serpent’s suggestion that God was withholding something beneficial from her. The truth? God was protecting her. Discussion on temptation

This is Becky from Experience the Bible Creatively, reminding you that props are always better than paper! Let’s make learning interactive and memorable.