Teach Them Jesus with Building Bricks
Joseph Stores the Grain
Genesis 41:1-57; Genesis 50:20; Acts 7:9-10; James 1:5 Old Testament PrincipleWisdom
Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, had two strange dreams – seven fat cows eaten by seven skinny cows, and seven full heads of grain swallowed by seven thin ones. No one could explain them. Joseph was brought out of prison, and he said, "I cannot do it, but God will give Pharaoh an answer." God showed that seven years of plenty would come, then seven years of famine. Joseph wisely planned to store a fifth of the grain in the good years. Pharaoh put him in charge, and when the famine came, people from all over the earth came to Joseph for food. True wisdom comes from God, and He gives it to all who ask.
Wisdom is seeing life God's way and acting on it. Real wisdom comes from God, who gives generously to everyone who asks Him.
- CreationGod made it
- FallWe broke it
- RedemptionJesus fixes it (this lesson)
- RestorationJesus makes it new
Memory verse
“Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”
James 1:5 BSB
Christ Connection · Better than
Joseph was raised from prison to the king's right hand, and everyone who was hungry was told, "Go to Joseph." The whole earth came to him for bread. Jesus was raised from death to the right hand of God, and He says, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger" (John 6:35).
Acts 7:9-10; John 6:35; Acts 2:33; Colossians 2:3
The Big Story · Redemption
In a broken world full of famine and hunger, God was keeping His promise to Abraham's family. He used Joseph to save many lives, a picture of the Savior who would come to give life to the whole world.
Teacher Guide
This version includes:
- Background and context for the passage
- Hidden in Plain Sight: the detail most people miss
- The Christ Connection: how this story points to Jesus
- A 45-minute class plan and prep checklist
- Object lesson: Seven and seven
- Dasch’s Dig Site (bible-times history): A fifth for later
- A skit to act out the story
- Review game: Fill the granary
- Pronunciation help, tips for every age, song ideas and a note for parents
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Preschool (ages 3–5)
God gives me wisdom.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 4-minute Bible story written for this age
- 3 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Fat cows, skinny cows, Color the cows
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at home, with friends
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
Free preview · Kindergarten – 2nd grade
Pharaoh had two dreams that no one could explain. Joseph said, "I can't do it, but God will!" God showed that seven years with lots of food would come, then seven years with almost no food. Joseph wisely saved grain in the good years, and when the hard years came, he had food for everyone. God gives wisdom to all who ask Him.
Memory verse
“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all.”
Adapted from James 1:5
Start here
Do "Seven and seven" with the brick build. Ask, "What would you do in the good years?" Say, "Today God gives a king two strange dreams, and Joseph knows what to do!"
Bible story 6 min
Joseph was in jail in Egypt. He had been there a long time. But God was with him.
One night, the king of Egypt had a dream. His name was Pharaoh. In the dream, seven fat cows came up out of the river. Then seven skinny cows came up and ate the fat cows! Then the king had a second dream. Seven full heads of grain got eaten by seven thin ones.
The king called all his wise men. But no one knew what the dreams meant.
The rest of the story, discussion questions, songs, Live It and prayer are for members.
Try an activity
Build a granary 10 min
You’ll need: A tub of building bricks, Baseplates
- Pairs build a granary from the build guide (or their own design) with a hollow middle.
- Fill it with yellow "grain" pieces – one piece for each good year, counting to seven.
- Then take one out for each hard year, counting to seven. Is there enough?
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
3rd – 4th grade
When Pharaoh dreamed of fat cows swallowed by thin cows and full grain swallowed by thin grain, none of Egypt's wise men could explain it. Joseph, brought out of prison, said, "I myself cannot do it, but God will give Pharaoh a sound answer." God was showing seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. Joseph wisely counseled saving a fifth of each harvest, and Pharaoh put him in charge. When the famine came, all the world came to Joseph for grain. Wisdom comes from God, who gives it generously to anyone who asks.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 8-minute Bible story written for this age, with a Hidden in Plain Sight moment
- 5 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Who gets the credit?, Fill the granary
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at school, with friends, at home
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
5th – 6th grade
God sent Pharaoh two dreams that Egypt's wisest men couldn't interpret. Joseph, summoned from prison after two forgotten years, began, "I myself cannot do it, but God will give Pharaoh a sound answer." God was revealing seven years of abundance and seven of severe famine, and Joseph counseled storing a fifth of each harvest. Pharaoh recognized "the Spirit of God" in him and set him over Egypt, and the whole earth came to Joseph for bread. Wisdom begins with dependence on God, who gives it generously, and Joseph's story points to Jesus, the Bread of Life.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 10-minute Bible story written for this age, with a Hidden in Plain Sight moment
- 6 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Wisdom from God, Asking for wisdom
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at school, with friends, online and on screens
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
More lessons from this story
Same Bible story, a different principle.
More lessons on Wisdom
The same principle in other Bible stories.
Jesus the KingBoy Jesus at the TempleLuke 2:41-52When Jesus was twelve, He stayed at the temple in Jerusalem listening and asking questions about God's Word, and He kept growing in wisdom.New TestamentWisdom
Kings and ProphetsSolomon Asks for Wisdom1 Kings 3:1-28When God told young King Solomon to ask for anything, Solomon asked for wisdom to lead God's people, and God gave him wisdom and much more.Old TestamentWisdom
Seeing God's WorldTest EverythingActs 17:10-12; Genesis 2:16-17; Genesis 3:1-6; 1 Thessalonians 5:21When Paul taught in Berea, the people listened eagerly, then checked everything he said against the Scriptures every day. In the garden, Eve didn't know God's word well and listened to the serpent instead. God gives wisdom to test everything we hear by His Word.New TestamentWisdom
Seeing God's WorldWhat Is a Worldview?Daniel 1:1-21; Romans 12:2When Daniel and his friends were taken to Babylon, they were taught a whole new way of seeing the world. But they kept seeing everything God's way, and God made them wise. A worldview is the way you see everything, and God wants us to see His world through His eyes.Old TestamentWisdom