Before you read with
children…………..
Read the text from a bible that is a Revised Standard Version Edition (not only a children’s
translation).
Do this individually or in a group , with an adult learner’s hat.
Investigate the text. Read biblical reflections on the text such as the one by Barbara Stead.
(next slide)
What does it mean for us today?
What questions do you have about the text?
If you have questions about definitions of words look up the meaning on
thebibledoctor.com
Teachingscripture.com
Both of these sites are credible and suitable. They have been created with input from
Marg Carswell.
Be careful when sourcing biblical information digitally, much is available on the internet.
However the interpretation given is, at times, of a fundamentalist nature.
Stead B, (1994) A Time of Jubilee:
Using Luke’s Gospel with Children Desbooks Thornbury
The Lost Sheep
based on Luke 15:3-7
Jesus told this story. This story is a parable. It comes from the
bible. The bible is a group of sacred stories. This story is a
Gospel story. This story comes from the the Gospel of Luke.
There was once a shepherd who had one hundred
sheep. What a lot of sheep! Every day he counted the
sheep.
Everyday, he counted them again and again and sure
enough, there were one hundred.
One day, he counted them: “One, two,
three…….ninety seven, ninety eight, ninety nine?” He
counted them again to make sure! Oh no, there was
one missing!
Oh dear! One of his sheep was definitely missing! The
shepherd left the ninety nine sheep and he searched
and searched for the lost sheep.
He looked in the valleys and he looked on the
mountains. He looked everywhere. He looked behind
bushes, he looked behind rocks. He couldn’t find it!
He didn’t stop looking until at last he found the lost
sheep. “There you are!” he said when he found it,
“What are you doing here all alone?”
The shepherd was very pleased that he had found his
lost sheep so he took the sheep and carried it on his
shoulders. He was so pleased that he told all his
friends and neighbours.
Questions before reading:
Look at the front cover.
I wonder what this story is about?
I wonder do you know anything about sheep?
I wonder do you have anything that is precious?
I wonder does someone in your family have something
precious?
Have you ever lost something?
In this story someone loses something let’s read it
together.
During the story………..
Slide 4
Do you have any special stories you
have each night?
Do you prefer stories that are told or
read? Why?
Slide 5
Do you have a favourite toy or
something you use each day?
Why is it special?
Do you have a lot of something,
like pencils or lego?
Do you have something that you
keep counting over and over
again?
Slide 6
I wonder if all the sheep feel the same?
I wonder does the shepherd treat all
the sheep the same?
Slide 7
Have you ever lost something?
How does this make you feel?
What advice would you give this
shepherd?
During the story………..
Slide 8
I wonder why he left all of those
sheep to find one lost one?
Slide 9
Have you been to any places like
these ?
I wonder what could happen to the
rest of the sheep when he goes to all
these places looking for the lost
sheep?
Slide 10
Was it important for the shepherd to
find the lost sheep?
What would you have done if you
were the shepherd? Why?
Slide 11
When have you been pleased when
you have found something that has
been lost?
I wonder does the shepherd remind
you of anyone in your life? How?
After the story………
Why do you think a story like this would have been written?
I wonder how the shepherds’ feelings changed during the story?
Why do you think their feelings changed?
I wonder how the sheep that went missing was feeling?
Or the sheep that were left behind?
Do you have a favourite part of this story? Why?
Story Grammar Plan
Name _____________________________
Text_____________________________________________________________________
Setting
Information about

characters

time

location
Initiating event
Initiating response
The characters’ thoughts and
feelings.
Internal plan
What are they thinking of doing?
Attempt
Actual action taken.
Direct consequence
What happened because of what
the characters did?
Ending
Bibliography
• Awakenings Core Document
(2005) Catholic Diocese of
Ballarat
• Catholic Youth Bible (2000) Saint
Mary’s Press Washington D.C.
• Davison L..G. (2013) An
introduction to the Catholic
School Identity Research Project
(ECSIP) and some implications for
the teaching of Religious
Education Paper presented to the
8th National Symposium on
Religious Education and Ministry
ACU Canberra , April 2013
• Carswell, M (2011)
teachingscripture.com and
thebibledoctor.com found at
http://www.teachscripture.com
http://thebibledoctor.com
• Hall G. (2007) Let’s Play .Puppets
Tell Parables Redemptorist
Publications Hampshire
• Photos
http://www.bing.com/?FORM=HDR
HME&pq=photo of sheep
• Oral Language Supporting Early
Literacy 2013 found at
http://www.olsel.catholic.edu.au
• Ryan, M (2001) Teaching the
bible Social Science Press
Katoomba
• Stead, B (1994) A Time of Jubilee
Using Luke’s Gospel With
Children . Desbooks Thornbury