The Ten Lepers: Teacher Input

Picture of leprosy (from the leprosy mission website)

Teacher questions: What do you think these people have in common? What is leprosy?
Teacher information: leprosy is a disease where by the nerve endings are numb: you can’t feel
the ends of your fingers. There is no feeling in them, so when a person hurts themselves there
is no pain – infection creeps in. Many lepers have no fingers or feet. It is incurable.

Teacher Narrative: This is a story about 10 lepers.
I need 10 people to be lepers to help us understand the story.
Teacher Instructions: Volunteers are taken. A sticker is placed on their foreheads to show they
are lepers. They are asked to stand in one corner of the room at the front – explain that they are
just outside a village.

Teacher Narrative: You all have leprosy. No-one wants to know you because you are infectious.
You have had to leave your families in case they get the disease. You can’t see your children or wife.
No-one will let you into their house. They keep clear of you when you walk down the street.
What does that feel like? How do you feel?
Teacher Instructions: Thought bubble is held over one lepers head and then another
As the words are spoken they are written on another laminated thought bubble by CA or a child to
be used later.

Teacher Narrative: I need a volunteer to be Jesus. Stand Jesus at the front away from the lepers.
Add three disciples to be with Jesus, by his side.

Jesus was walking one day towards Jerusalem.
(Ask Jesus and his friends to walk very slowly towards the lepers)
On their way they met 10 men who all had leprosy. As Jesus drew near to the lepers they shouted out
from a distance: ‘Help us. Take pity on us.’
Teacher Instructions: Hold thought bubble over a) disciples heads b) lepers’ heads. What are you
thinking?
Words are noted down by CA or child on another laminated bubble.

Teacher Narrative: Jesus said to them: ‘Go and show yourself to the priest and let him examine you’
When a leper was cured he had to go to the priest and if he was well, the priest said he was well again
and he was allowed back with his family.
So Jesus said: ‘Go and show yourself to the priest and let him examine you’
Teacher Instructions: Hold bubble over one lepers head: What are you thinking now? What are you
feeling?
Words are recorded on the laminated bubble by CA or child.

Teacher Narrative: The lepers turned around and started walking to the priest’s house.
Teacher Instructions: Ask lepers to turn around and walk towards the priest’s house

Teacher Narrative: On the way, the lepers looked at their hands and feet and saw that all their
patches and sores had gone – they were better. The leprosy had gone.
Teacher Instructions: Use the bubble again: What are you feeling now?

Teacher Narrative: They hurried on towards the priest’s house. One stopped and turned around.
Teacher Instructions: (choose one to turn around)

Teacher Narrative: He walked back to Jesus and the disciples and said: Thank you
Teacher Instructions: The bubble is placed a) over the disciples head b) over the man’s head c) over
the head of one of the other lepers : What are you thinking?

Teacher Narrative: Jesus said: Where are the other 9? Why has only one of you come back to say
thank you to God
Teacher Instructions: Bubble placed over a) Disciples head b) over the man who said thank you.

Jane Brooke CCC