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With five + hours of teaching time, your upper elementary and middle school students in grades 4-8 will be thoroughly engaged in this creative, hands-on lesson covering the entire book of Ruth! We have combined storytelling, reader’s theater, fun worksheet activities, and a collaborative board game project to help students understand the key themes of this book: redemption, loyalty, kindness, faithfulness, and the role of the kinsman redeemer. Students actively participate in each chapter of Ruth while building and eventually playing a four-panel review game board.
This 65-page Bible curriculum resource is divided into five-unit sections: each section takes between 45 minutes to an hour, making it perfect for multi-day teaching. Included is a 27-page detailed lesson plan and teacher script, along with 39 pages of printable worksheets (see details below).
✴️PART A: Let Me Tell You a Story (Ruth Chapter 1)
The lesson begins with a children’s-story-style retelling of Ruth chapter one as students gather around the teacher as if they were in a kindergarten story circle. Visual aids such as color pictures from the story are included in the lesson as well as 35 themed word strips that are placed on the floor. Students sort these words strips into a small suitcase to represent what Naomi and her family took with them (such as hope, new beginning) or a storage box to describe what was left behind (such as famine, God’s people, home) This same interactive activity is repeated as Naomi and Ruth leave Moab and journey back to Bethlehem.
This section also includes an (optional) Emoji Challenge. Students receive eleven emoji picture cards representing important emotions from the first chapter of Ruth. Students are challenged to retell the chapter using as many emojis as possible, strengthening comprehension, sequencing, and oral retelling skills in a fun and memorable way.
At the end of the chapter study, students review Ruth chapter 1 by placing color pictures from the story onto the first panel of a four-part game board titled “Full to Empty.”
✴️PART B: Gleaning in the Fields (Ruth Chapter 2)
In this section, students learn the vocabulary words GLEAN, REAP, and SHEAVES to better understand Ruth’s experience in the fields of Boaz. Students then participate in a hands-on gleaning simulation using popcorn to experience the difference between reaping and gleaning.
Each pair of students receives a bowl containing both popped popcorn and un-popped kernels. Students take turns as the “reaper” and the “gleaner.” The reaper uses a spoon to gather one piece of popped popcorn at a time, while the gleaner must carefully search through the bowl using popsicle sticks to pull out the kernels. This activity helps students understand the slow, difficult, and humble work involved in gleaning during Bible times.
Students then complete a worksheet activity titled “What Ruth Found.” Using five Bible verses, students answer comprehension questions by locating answers directly from the text or identifying ideas strongly implied within the verses. Several answer boxes are shaded gray, and once completed, students unscramble the gray-box letters to reveal what Ruth actually found in the fields: FAVOR.
At the end of this section, students assemble the second panel of their Ruth review board game titled “Field of Provision.”
✴️PART C: The Threshing Floor (Ruth Chapter 3)
Students are introduced to the setting of Ruth chapter 3 by learning about an Old Testament threshing floor including its shape, purpose, and construction materials. Students discover how grain was separated from chaff (in a process known as winnowing) and why threshing floors were important gathering places during harvest season.
Students then participate in a reader’s theater experience. Seven students read from a script covering the events of Ruth chapter 3, but with a creative twist: while students portraying Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz read their spoken lines, three additional students read the hidden thoughts of each character aloud. As students read, they hold visual pictures of the characters along with matching “thought bubble” illustrations that reveal emotions, fears, questions, and motivations that were never spoken out loud in the story.
Students are then introduced to the important biblical concept of the KINSMAN REDEEMER, including the responsibilities of a redeemer and the ways a redeemer could protect, provide for, and restore hope to a widow and her family.
At the end of this section, students prepare the third panel of their board game titled “Steps of Faith.”
✴️PART D: Restored and Redeemed (Ruth Chapter 4)
In this final chapter study, students color code Ruth chapter 4 while searching for repeated forms of the word “redeem.” Students also examine what the redeemer would acquire from Naomi, how redemption agreements were confirmed in Bible times, how Naomi was eventually restored, and how Ruth and Boaz became part of the lineage leading to King David. This helps students connect the events of Ruth to the larger story of Scripture and God’s redemptive plan.
Students then prepare the fourth and final game board panel titled “Restored and Redeemed.”
✴️PART E: Jesus Our Kinsman Redeemer
Students conclude the study by comparing Boaz to Jesus as our greater Kinsman Redeemer. Students learn how Boaz provided, protected, prevented, and produced something for Ruth and Naomi and then transfer that understanding to how Jesus provides us with salvation, forgiveness and eternal life, protects us by being our Good Shepherd, prevents our eternal separation from God, and produces in us a Christ-like character.
Finally, students tape together all four game board panels and play a review game. Teams of students work cooperatively to collect token cards spelling KINSMAN REDEEMER while simultaneously competing against others on their team to be the first to reach the finish line.
What’s Included (65 Total Pages)
27 Page Lesson Plan: Including photocopies to make, items to gather, pre-class preparation and clear DO/SAY/READ carefully worded teaching script (that can be adapted to fit your voice)
38 Pages of Supplemental Materials:
Lesson Part A:
· Ruth 1 Full to Empty Game Board Panel
· Ruth 1 Full to Empty Game Board Pictures
· Emoji Challenge worksheet
· Seven pages of word strips
· Five story pictures
Lesson Part B:
· What Ruth Found worksheet/answer key
· Ruth 2 Field of Provision Game Board Panel
· Ruth 2 Field of Provision Game Board Pictures
Lesson Part C:
· The Threshing Floor worksheet/answer key
· Boaz, Ruth, Naomi pictures/thought bubbles
· Ruth Chapter 3 Readers Theater Script
· Ruth 3 Steps of Faith Game Board Panel
· Ruth 3 Steps of Faith Game Board Pictures
Lesson Part D:
· Color Coding worksheet/answer key
· Ruth 4 Restored and Redeemed Board Panel
· Ruth 4 Restored and Redeemed Board Pictures
Lesson Part E:
· Stepping Stone: Kinsman Redeemer
· Game Directions
· Letter Tokens
· Game Cards (three pages)
⏰️Flexible Scheduling: This 5-hour lesson can be spread over multiple days with clearly labeled stopping points.
Each lesson unit in our Walking Alongside Jesus series is divided into five sections, each section takes between 30 minutes to an hour. This allows homeschool and Christian school teachers to use it daily in the classroom (thereby completing an entire unit in a week) OR in a Sunday School classroom or youth group once a week (thereby completing an entire unit in a month).
✝️This resource is ideal for:
• Christian schools
• Homeschool Bible curriculum
• Sunday school classes
• Midweek church programs
• Upper elementary and middle school Bible studies
• Interactive Bible learning centers
• Game-based Bible review activities
✔️Our goal with each lesson is to combine scholarly study in a fun, interactive way so that students not only experience the rich Biblical narrative but also to whet their appetite for more by learning how to study the Scriptures for themselves.
Key Topics:
• Naomi and Ruth
• Boaz and the kinsman redeemer
• Redemption in the Bible
• Gleaning and reaping
• Threshing floors and winnowing
• God’s providence
• Jesus as our Redeemer
• King David lineage
❓️FAQS❓️
What Christian perspective is used for these Bible lessons?
I am an evangelical Christian who writes Bible curriculum for older students, and I take this tremendous responsibility seriously. Each lesson has a clear focus on what God says in His Word and the lessons are presented age appropriately, thoughtfully and biblically.
What translation of the Bible is used?
99% of the time I use ESV although on rare occasion I might use another translation such as the NIV.
How can this Bible curriculum be used?
These lessons are flexible enough to be used in the following settings:
Children's Sunday School class
Youth Group
Private Christian school Bible class
Chapel for Christian schools
Children's Church
Homeschool Bible class
Family Bible time
Copyright ©️ Experience the Bible Creatively. Permission to copy for single classroom use only.
Save time and shop with confidence! Watch the lesson preview video here.
With five + hours of teaching time, your upper elementary and middle school students in grades 4-8 will be thoroughly engaged in this creative, hands-on lesson covering the entire book of Ruth! We have combined storytelling, reader’s theater, fun worksheet activities, and a collaborative board game project to help students understand the key themes of this book: redemption, loyalty, kindness, faithfulness, and the role of the kinsman redeemer. Students actively participate in each chapter of Ruth while building and eventually playing a four-panel review game board.
This 65-page Bible curriculum resource is divided into five-unit sections: each section takes between 45 minutes to an hour, making it perfect for multi-day teaching. Included is a 27-page detailed lesson plan and teacher script, along with 39 pages of printable worksheets (see details below).
✴️PART A: Let Me Tell You a Story (Ruth Chapter 1)
The lesson begins with a children’s-story-style retelling of Ruth chapter one as students gather around the teacher as if they were in a kindergarten story circle. Visual aids such as color pictures from the story are included in the lesson as well as 35 themed word strips that are placed on the floor. Students sort these words strips into a small suitcase to represent what Naomi and her family took with them (such as hope, new beginning) or a storage box to describe what was left behind (such as famine, God’s people, home) This same interactive activity is repeated as Naomi and Ruth leave Moab and journey back to Bethlehem.
This section also includes an (optional) Emoji Challenge. Students receive eleven emoji picture cards representing important emotions from the first chapter of Ruth. Students are challenged to retell the chapter using as many emojis as possible, strengthening comprehension, sequencing, and oral retelling skills in a fun and memorable way.
At the end of the chapter study, students review Ruth chapter 1 by placing color pictures from the story onto the first panel of a four-part game board titled “Full to Empty.”
✴️PART B: Gleaning in the Fields (Ruth Chapter 2)
In this section, students learn the vocabulary words GLEAN, REAP, and SHEAVES to better understand Ruth’s experience in the fields of Boaz. Students then participate in a hands-on gleaning simulation using popcorn to experience the difference between reaping and gleaning.
Each pair of students receives a bowl containing both popped popcorn and un-popped kernels. Students take turns as the “reaper” and the “gleaner.” The reaper uses a spoon to gather one piece of popped popcorn at a time, while the gleaner must carefully search through the bowl using popsicle sticks to pull out the kernels. This activity helps students understand the slow, difficult, and humble work involved in gleaning during Bible times.
Students then complete a worksheet activity titled “What Ruth Found.” Using five Bible verses, students answer comprehension questions by locating answers directly from the text or identifying ideas strongly implied within the verses. Several answer boxes are shaded gray, and once completed, students unscramble the gray-box letters to reveal what Ruth actually found in the fields: FAVOR.
At the end of this section, students assemble the second panel of their Ruth review board game titled “Field of Provision.”
✴️PART C: The Threshing Floor (Ruth Chapter 3)
Students are introduced to the setting of Ruth chapter 3 by learning about an Old Testament threshing floor including its shape, purpose, and construction materials. Students discover how grain was separated from chaff (in a process known as winnowing) and why threshing floors were important gathering places during harvest season.
Students then participate in a reader’s theater experience. Seven students read from a script covering the events of Ruth chapter 3, but with a creative twist: while students portraying Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz read their spoken lines, three additional students read the hidden thoughts of each character aloud. As students read, they hold visual pictures of the characters along with matching “thought bubble” illustrations that reveal emotions, fears, questions, and motivations that were never spoken out loud in the story.
Students are then introduced to the important biblical concept of the KINSMAN REDEEMER, including the responsibilities of a redeemer and the ways a redeemer could protect, provide for, and restore hope to a widow and her family.
At the end of this section, students prepare the third panel of their board game titled “Steps of Faith.”
✴️PART D: Restored and Redeemed (Ruth Chapter 4)
In this final chapter study, students color code Ruth chapter 4 while searching for repeated forms of the word “redeem.” Students also examine what the redeemer would acquire from Naomi, how redemption agreements were confirmed in Bible times, how Naomi was eventually restored, and how Ruth and Boaz became part of the lineage leading to King David. This helps students connect the events of Ruth to the larger story of Scripture and God’s redemptive plan.
Students then prepare the fourth and final game board panel titled “Restored and Redeemed.”
✴️PART E: Jesus Our Kinsman Redeemer
Students conclude the study by comparing Boaz to Jesus as our greater Kinsman Redeemer. Students learn how Boaz provided, protected, prevented, and produced something for Ruth and Naomi and then transfer that understanding to how Jesus provides us with salvation, forgiveness and eternal life, protects us by being our Good Shepherd, prevents our eternal separation from God, and produces in us a Christ-like character.
Finally, students tape together all four game board panels and play a review game. Teams of students work cooperatively to collect token cards spelling KINSMAN REDEEMER while simultaneously competing against others on their team to be the first to reach the finish line.
What’s Included (65 Total Pages)
27 Page Lesson Plan: Including photocopies to make, items to gather, pre-class preparation and clear DO/SAY/READ carefully worded teaching script (that can be adapted to fit your voice)
38 Pages of Supplemental Materials:
Lesson Part A:
· Ruth 1 Full to Empty Game Board Panel
· Ruth 1 Full to Empty Game Board Pictures
· Emoji Challenge worksheet
· Seven pages of word strips
· Five story pictures
Lesson Part B:
· What Ruth Found worksheet/answer key
· Ruth 2 Field of Provision Game Board Panel
· Ruth 2 Field of Provision Game Board Pictures
Lesson Part C:
· The Threshing Floor worksheet/answer key
· Boaz, Ruth, Naomi pictures/thought bubbles
· Ruth Chapter 3 Readers Theater Script
· Ruth 3 Steps of Faith Game Board Panel
· Ruth 3 Steps of Faith Game Board Pictures
Lesson Part D:
· Color Coding worksheet/answer key
· Ruth 4 Restored and Redeemed Board Panel
· Ruth 4 Restored and Redeemed Board Pictures
Lesson Part E:
· Stepping Stone: Kinsman Redeemer
· Game Directions
· Letter Tokens
· Game Cards (three pages)
⏰️Flexible Scheduling: This 5-hour lesson can be spread over multiple days with clearly labeled stopping points.
Each lesson unit in our Walking Alongside Jesus series is divided into five sections, each section takes between 30 minutes to an hour. This allows homeschool and Christian school teachers to use it daily in the classroom (thereby completing an entire unit in a week) OR in a Sunday School classroom or youth group once a week (thereby completing an entire unit in a month).
✝️This resource is ideal for:
• Christian schools
• Homeschool Bible curriculum
• Sunday school classes
• Midweek church programs
• Upper elementary and middle school Bible studies
• Interactive Bible learning centers
• Game-based Bible review activities
✔️Our goal with each lesson is to combine scholarly study in a fun, interactive way so that students not only experience the rich Biblical narrative but also to whet their appetite for more by learning how to study the Scriptures for themselves.
Key Topics:
• Naomi and Ruth
• Boaz and the kinsman redeemer
• Redemption in the Bible
• Gleaning and reaping
• Threshing floors and winnowing
• God’s providence
• Jesus as our Redeemer
• King David lineage
❓️FAQS❓️
What Christian perspective is used for these Bible lessons?
I am an evangelical Christian who writes Bible curriculum for older students, and I take this tremendous responsibility seriously. Each lesson has a clear focus on what God says in His Word and the lessons are presented age appropriately, thoughtfully and biblically.
What translation of the Bible is used?
99% of the time I use ESV although on rare occasion I might use another translation such as the NIV.
How can this Bible curriculum be used?
These lessons are flexible enough to be used in the following settings:
Children's Sunday School class
Youth Group
Private Christian school Bible class
Chapel for Christian schools
Children's Church
Homeschool Bible class
Family Bible time
Copyright ©️ Experience the Bible Creatively. Permission to copy for single classroom use only.
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