Rotation.org Writing Team

Fruit of the Spirit Jam!

Cooking Workshop Lesson

Summary of Activities

Students will create Fruit of the Spirit "Refrigerator Fruit Jam” to remember the Holy Spirit's gifts and think about how more of God's good fruit can grow in their lives, and how they "spread" it to others by sharing their jam. In addition, students will spread and enjoy the fruit jam on various foods during reflection time. This lesson also includes a special discussion packet of photos about each fruit.

Scripture for the Lesson

Galatians 5:22-23a

"...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity,* faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." (NRSV)

* "generosity" or "goodness"  See the Bible Background for an explanation and to learn more about Paul's word choice here.

Lesson Objectives

See the Bible Background at Rotation.org for insights and this set's complete list of objectives.

About Making the Jam

We've searched for a simple, quick refrigerator jam recipe that uses lemon juice instead of pectin to help the jam set up and stay fresh and colorful. See what we've come up with in the kitchen-tested recipe at the end of this lesson plan.

General Supply List

• Strawberry Refrigerator Jam-making and serving supplies: See list and recipe at end of this lesson. (Most kids will like strawberries, though you may choose other fruits or add other fruits to the strawberries, such as raspberries or cherries.)
• Handwashing supplies
• One ripe fruit and one rotten fruit (You can use any rotten fruit you may have, such as a banana.)
• Easel or whiteboard
• Mini take-home containers to safely send jam home to share. Suggestion: disposable coffee cups with lids from your church pantry (or donated from a local restaurant).
• Optional: Supplies to decorate the take-home containers—such as to list the nine fruit from the Bible.

Preparation

• Read the Bible Background and scripture.
• Print one color copy of the attached Fruit of the Spirit picture cards.
• Recruit an adult helper to cook and quick-cool the jam.
• Thaw out the fruit the day before class. (We are recommending frozen fruit because it is softer than fresh fruit and will cook faster.) Drain to remove excess liquid.
• Right before class, prepare the ice bath (a large bowl or cooler filled with ice and a little bit of water. Refer to the cooking supply list at the end of the lesson.)

Lesson Plan

Lesson Overview:

After an opening demonstration, students will help cut, measure, and mash the thawed fruit. They will add the other necessary ingredients and an adult helper will cook the fruit per the recipe. While the jam is being cooked and cooled, the scripture will be read and the teacher will lead a discussion using "Fruit of the Spirit Picture Cards." After that, students will spread and mix the cooked, cooled jam in a final reflection activity, and prep leftover jam to go home for further "spreading" of the good fruit.

Opening

Welcome students and briefly explain what they will be doing and learning today.

Ask:  Have you ever been confused about what to do or how to act in church or at school?

Say:  In the days after Jesus' death and resurrection there were new Christians in Galatia who had the same problem! They were confused about whether they should follow the old religious laws and traditions of the Jews. Should they not eat certain types of food? Should they worry about who to hang out with? And what Holy Days should they celebrate? So, Paul wrote a letter to these Galatians. Part of that letter—the part we are learning about today—was to help the Galatians better understand how God wanted them (and us) to live—guided by God's Holy Spirit. Paul called this way of living your life "The Fruit of the Spirit"—things like being loving, patient, kind, and faithful. Paul listed nine fruit of the Spirit.

The Ripe/Rotten Demonstration

(Have handy your ripe and your rotten fruit for this demonstration.)

Say:  When the Holy Spirit grows these fruits inside us, the Spirit turns our lives and our attitudes into something wonderful and tasty like this lovely-looking, ripe fruit.

Do: Show the ripe fruit.
Cut it into pieces and share it with your students. (Be sure to retain one ripe piece of fruit for your demonstration.)

Say:  But when we SIN—if we don't have the Holy Spirit working in us to make us more loving, joyful, kind, and generous—our sins can turn us into something like this ROTTEN fruit.
Do: Show the rotten fruit.
Ask: Who wants some?
Say:  Yeah, nobody wants to be, or to share rotten fruit! No one wants to be full of sins like hate, conflict, greed, impatience, and unfaithfulness in your life.

Ask: Which kind of fruit do you want growing inside of you, and to share with others? This one or this one?
Do: Offer the juicy and rotten fruits.

Announce: Today, we're going to make "Fruit of the Spirit Jam" to remember the nine, good fruit of the Spirit that God wants growing inside of us. And because jam is spreadable, we'll see how we can share this Fruit of the Spirit with others.

Preparing the Fruit of the Spirit Jam

1. Have each student sanitize their hands.
2. Give each student a table knife and a small plate with some of the thawed fruit on it. Have them cut up their fruit into smaller pieces. (Do not spend a lot of time on this—a minute or two is fine).
3. Have students drop chopped fruit into one of the mixing bowls you have on the table.
4. Using a slotted spoon (trying to cut down on excess liquid), have the students help you measure out 2 cups of chopped fruit into a saucepan. (You may have some fruit leftover; set this extra fruit aside).
5. Have students take turns using the potato masher to mash up the fruit in the saucepan.
6. Have the students help add 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to the mixture in the saucepan.
7. Now turn the saucepan over to the adult helper who will cook it for them. See the Instructions for the Adult Cook at the end of this lesson.

Learning While the Jam is Cooking

Say: While our jam is cooking and cooling, let's take a closer look at each of the nine fruit of the Spirit that Paul taught the Christians in Galatia.

Ask:  Do any of you know any of the fruit of the Spirit? Say any that you know out loud one at a time, and I'll write them down.

Do:   Write on the board whatever is offered, including any that sound like good rules but aren't exactly in Galatians 5.
Then read the scripture together.

Following the reading, have students mark the page with their thumb and close the Bible. Ask students to say out loud those fruits from the scripture that aren't on the list and note any that are listed, that aren't in scripture.
Add any missing fruit to the list in random order. Have them peek in the Bible if need be. Then ask them to help you put the list of fruit in the right order!

Ask:  When you think of these nine fruit of the Spirit, WHO do they remind you of?

Say:  Yes, they remind us of Jesus!  Paul and the Holy Spirit want us to live our lives just like Jesus did. (Write the words "Be Like Jesus" above your list.)

Ask:  How hard do you think it is to "be" these nine things?

Say:  Being loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, generous, faithful, gentle, and under control can be hard. Nobody is perfect, but fortunately, we have the Holy Spirit to help us. Jesus promised that God would send a "helper"—the Holy Spirit—to help his disciples spread the good news of God's love to the ends of the earth. (John 16:7 and Acts 1:8) The Holy Spirit helps us believe in Jesus and do the "fruity" things Jesus did—like being more loving, kind, patient, generous, and peaceful. Let's explore how we can become more like Jesus.

Show and Discuss the Fruit of the Spirit Picture Cards

We've included lesson instructions on the first page of the Fruit Picture Cards PDF, as well as some important explanations and questions you can share about each fruit.

If time permits, you can quickly play one of the following games after the discussion:

a. Scramble the picture cards and see how fast the group(s) can put them in scripture order.

b. Fold over the top of each picture card to hide the label, then show the photo and ask them to identify the fruit.

Spreading the Fruit of the Spirit Jam! ~ a Tasty Reflection

Have students sanitize their hands.

Make sure that each student has a plate with a portion of fresh jam along with a dollop of yogurt, one graham cracker, and a spoon. Everyone also needs an additional spoon and a take-home cup. Then, walk them through this tasty jam reflection.

Say and Do:  Using your spoon, spread a small amount of Fruit Jam on top of your yogurt and on top of your graham cracker, then place your spoon on your plate.

1. We begin our Fruit Jam of the Spirit Reflection by first serving each other—because the Holy Spirit's gifts are meant to be shared. Give your jam-topped graham cracker to the person on your right and enjoy eating the one shared with you.
Sharing food was one of the first practices of the early churches, they were called "Agape" meals. Sharing is what followers of Jesus do.

A COVID-times alternative to food sharing:
Provide each student with 2 graham crackers. Have students spread jam onto one graham cracker with a spoon.

Say:  This first cracker is like the Holy Spirit sharing these good fruits with you. Consider this other graham cracker as someone else—it might by a family member or a friend or even a stranger that needs some help. Use the first cracker that is you to spread some jam onto the second cracker.
Do:  Demonstrate using the "jammy" graham cracker to spread (share) the jam on to the second cracker.
Ask: As you eat these jam-covered crackers, I wonder what are some ways that you can share these good fruits of the Spirit with other people in your life?

2. Next, the yogurt represents you, and because God wants to fill you with ALL NINE of the Fruit of the Spirit, let's stir our jam into our yogurt using our spoons—saying one of the nine fruits of the Spirit with each stir, then enjoy the taste of your fruit-filled yogurt.

3. And finally, to help us remember that God wants us to TEACH the fruit of the Spirit to others, we will be sharing our jam with your family. Use your second, clean spoon to reach into our remaining jam and spoon out some to put in your take-home cup so you can share the fruit jam you made and tell your family about the fruit of the Spirit!

Close with prayer and clean up.

Adaptations

For Younger Students:   

Eliminate writing of any known fruit on the board. Accept all mentions of possible "fruit."

When reading Galatians 5:22-23a with non-readers and early readers, use the "repeat after me" technique and have them repeat each fruit as you read it.

When using the Fruit of the Spirit Picture Cards, help them understand some of the "story" going on in each photo that may not be apparent to them, such as on the "Patience" card, the older child patiently helping the younger one who is probably just learning to read.

For those with more class time or older students:

See the picture game suggestions found in the Fruit of the Spirit Picture Cards.

Have the helper make a second batch of Fruit Jam and bring it at the end of the lesson for packing so that students have more to take home.

Have students label the take-home containers with the fruit list, and/or create and attach an "explanation of the jam" to attach to the containers.

For those who need a shorter/simpler lesson plan:

Eliminate cutting up and sharing the ripe fruit in the Ripe/Rotten Demonstration. Or eliminate the entire demonstration.

Cut up the fruit for the jam ahead of time and let the students mash it. Have the sugar and lemon juice pre-measured, ready for students to add to the saucepan.

Eliminate the "thumb in the Bible" section and putting the fruit of the Spirit in scripture order.

Eliminate the "spreading" reflection and just focus on packaging/labeling the take-home container. Or do the reflection but have the adult helper distribute the extra jam in the take-home containers.

Refrigerator Jam Ingredients, Recipe, and Supply List

The following ingredients and cooking instructions make approximately 1 and 1/4 cups of finished jam. Each student needs about 1/8 cup of jam (2 T.) for the reflection activity. Adjust your ingredients upwards according to class size and depending on how much you want each student to take home. (There are microwave versions of this recipe online. It is strongly recommended that you test your recipe ahead of time.)

Ingredients to make 1 and 1/4 cups of finished jam:

• About 4 cups of frozen strawberries, thawed and drained ahead of time. We are recommending frozen fruit because it is softer than fresh fruit and will cook faster. Students will end up measuring 2 cups of chopped fruit for the Jam recipe, which they will then mash.
  (We are starting off with 4 cups frozen because frozen fruit "shrinks" quite a bit as it thaws.)
• 1/4 cup of white sugar. (Many recipes call for more sugar, but in our test we were able to cut back to 1/4 cup. This may be because we made sure to remove excess water from our thawed fruit.)
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. The lemon juice helps preserve the jam and to retain its color.
  
  

Other Cooking and Preparation Supplies:

• 1 small plate per student, with some thawed fruit on it
• 1 table knife per student
• Bowl(s) to collect the fruit cut-up by students
• Slotted spoon
• Measuring cups (1 cup, 1/4 cup)
• Measuring spoon (1 teaspoon)
• Potato masher
• A heavy bottom saucepan
• Stove
• Large wooden spoon
• Mixing bowl for cooked jam
• Larger bowl (or cooler) filled with ice and a little bit of water—large enough to hold the bowl of hot cooked jam. (You will need to quickly cool the jam so the kids can taste and use it in the lesson.)

Instructions for the Adult Cook:

(Who will receive a saucepan with mashed, measured strawberries, with sugar and lemon juice added.)

1. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil.
   Then reduce the heat to medium so that the jam is simmering. Stir frequently with a wooden spoon so that it doesn’t burn. It should take about 10 minutes for the jam to cook down and thicken up. (It will still appear pretty “watery” since it hasn’t cooled yet).
2. CAREFULLY pour the hot jam into a mixing bowl and immediately place the bowl in the ice water bath. (You need to cool and thicken the jam quickly.) Stir the jam mixture until it cools down—about 3 minutes..
3. Once the jam has cooled prepare for the next lesson activity, by placing about 2 Tablespoons of finished jam on each student's plate. Deliver the plates to the students as well as the extra cooled jam.

Tasting/Reflection Supplies:

• 1 small plate per student (to put the food on)
• 2 spoons per student
• 1 take-home container per student
• "Tasty Reflection" supplies— place these items on the plate ahead of time)
  
  • About 1 ounce of vanilla yogurt per student
  • 1 graham cracker square per student
  • Leave room for about 2 T. of finished jam

Sources

Jam photo from Jamie Sanders.
Picture Cards: Lighthouse photo and Jesus healing: in the public domain. Many of the photos are from Unsplash.com.

Written by Cathy Walz and the Rotation.org Writing Team
Copyright Rotation.org Inc.