Cooking Lessons, Ideas, Activities, and Resources for the Parable of the Sower

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Parable of the Sower

Cooking Workshop

Lesson is for all ages groups. We told the whole parable in all workshops, then focused on one type of soil in each workshop. This cooking idea will work for any "soil type".

Summary of Lesson Activities:
Making four cakes like the four types of soil.

Scripture Reference:
Luke 8:1-15

Memory Verse: ¹⁵ But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

Leader Preparation:

• Gather the materials.
• Read the scripture ahead of time.
• In advance we made the cakes. We used one cake package mix for 4 mini-cakes (loaf pan size), so 2 cake mixes and 8 mini-cakes for the lesson.

Supplies List:

• Cake Mix/Ingredients
• Colored Sprinkles
• Frosting
• Plastic Knives
• M&Ms
• Green Vine Candy

Lesson Plan

Opening - Welcome and Lesson Introduction:
Greet the children and introduce yourself.

Open with a prayer.

Dig - Main Content and Reflection:
Divide kids into 2 groups. Each group will end up with 4 cakes (4 soil types).

Read the scripture Luke 8:1-15, either from a bible or storybook. (Older children can read the text.)

Say: We’re going to decorate 4 cakes like the 4 types of soil.

Hard Soil - Place 1 cake on each table.

Ask what was the first type of soil (a path). Have them read Luke 8 verse 5 again.

Ask what they think the path would have looked like. They might say “sidewalk”, but bring them back to a dirt path that’s packed down and hard.

Ask what would happen if you put water or seeds on this kind of soil (would run off and not go into the soil).

Ask again what the verse says happened -- the seeds got trampled (as people walked on the path) and that birds ate the seeds on the path.

Show them the “seeds” – colored sprinkles.

Ask what they think will happen if they put these “seeds” (sprinkles) on this “path” (plain cake). (they’ll fall off and not stick).

Have them try it, using only a pinch each. Make sure everyone gets to participate. If they find some of the seeds on the path, tell them to eat them like the birds did!

Rocky Soil - Place anoher cake on each table.

Ask if they remember what the second type of soil was. (rocky) Have them read verse Luke 8 verse 6 again.

Ask: With rocky soil what did the verse say happened to the seeds? (it grew but withered because it couldn’t get moisture).

Give the kids the frosting containers, plastic knives, and M&M’s.

Explain that each child should work together to spread a very, very thin layer of chocolate frosting on the cake, then put one layer of M&M’s (rocks) on the frosting, touching each other.

Then when everyone in their group has done this, get the seeds (sprinkles) and put a pinch on top of the rocks.

Ask: Do the seeds go down into the soil? (no) Why? (the rocks stop them)

Thorny Soil - Place another cake on each table.

Ask if they remember what the third type of soil was. (thorns) Have them read verse Luke 8 verse 7 again.

Ask: With thorny soil what did the verse say happened to the seeds? (the thorns grew with the plant and choked it out).

Give the kids the “green vine” candy (it's sour apple green "straws" or use any type of rope licorice), which will be our thorny weeds. Tell them to put some weeds down on the cake, sprinkle a pinch of seeds on it.

Say: Thorny weeds always overtake the good plants and choke them out.

Good Soil- Place another cake on each table.

Ask if they remember what the fourth type of soil was. (good) Have them read verse Luke 8 verse 8 again.

Ask: What does the verse say happens when the seeds fall on good soil? (they grow and produce a hundredfold)

Tell them to use the chocolate frosting and spread out some good “soil” with no rocks and no thorns, covering up all the dry path. Then sprinkle seeds on it.

Ask: Do the seeds stick?

Continue a discussion of one or all of the types of soils and their meaning for us today while kids enjoy a piece of cake.

Closing:

End with a prayer.

We've done this lesson so far for our Pre/K kids (they loved it!) and our 5th/6th graders (who also loved it!).

A funny: When the 5th/6th graders were towards the end of the lesson, because we do our cooking lessons in the coffee/fellowship/ kitchen area, 2 middle school boys who think they are very "cool" walked in and said to one boy they know in 6th grade, who doesn't come very often, "Why are YOU here?" Without missing a beat, the workshop leader said to the kids, "So which type of soil do THEY represent!?!" We shared a good laugh afterwards!

This Cooking Workshop lesson was done at First Presbyterian Church, Napa, CA
as part of the Sower & the Seeds rotation, created by Jan Hanson, Children's Ministry Director.

Exchange Volunteer modified title of post for clarity.