Exploring the value of sharing through the story of The Feeding of the 5,000 - one of the miracles performed by Jesus.
The video
OMAR: Hello, I'm Omar and this is the fabulous story of The Feeding of the 5,000.
A long time ago, a special man called Jesus was walking with his close friends. They were followed by large crowds as people loved to hear the stories that Jesus would tell. But, it was getting late in the day and everyone was getting a little bit hungry.
So, Jesus' friends suggested that he sent everyone home to have their dinners. But then, Jesus did something very surprising. He told his friends, "Don't send them away, we can feed them all." His friends were confused.
But Jesus had a special plan.
He told his friends to get ready to feed everybody, but he didn't have any food and didn't have enough money to buy any food. How were they going to do it? Hmm…
But then, one of the Jesus' friends Andrew had an idea.
ANDREW (OMAR): This might be a silly suggestion, but there's a boy here who's got some food. Maybe we could share that.
OMAR: Five tiny loaves and two small fish. Hmm… Jesus told his friends to tell everyone to be patient.
KIDS: We're hungry!
OMAR: Jesus thanked God for the food and started breaking it up into small pieces for people to share. Then, he told his friends to start giving pieces to the people.
So, they started passing them out… and they kept passing them out… and they kept passing them out…
And before they knew it, everyone had been fed.
Then Jesus asked his friends to gather up all the extra food. We don't want to waste it!
And then they noticed something amazing. Even though there'd only been a small packed lunch to begin with, once they'd finished clearing up, there were 12 baskets of leftovers! How did that happen?
Everyone was amazed! Thank you for helping me tell today's treasure story. It's written in the Bible. See you soon!
KIDS: Bye-bye!
This story can be found in the Bible and is the only miracle to be referenced in all four gospels.
Jesus was walking with his friends followed by crowds who wanted to hear his message. As the day went on, people felt hungry. Jesus told his disciples that they could feed everyone. Andrew brought a boy to Jesus who had five loaves and two fish. Jesus blessed this food and told the disciples to share it among all the people. Amazingly everyone was fed and there were twelve baskets of food left over. This can help us to reflect on the value of sharing.
Duration: 3' 19"
Final words: 'See you soon! Bye!'
Video questions
Why was Jesus followed? (Because people liked to listen to his stories)
What did his friends suggest? (That he send the people home so they could get their dinner)
What did Jesus's friend Andrew suggest? (That they share the food that the boy had)
What food did the boy have? (Five loaves and two fish)
How many baskets of leftovers were there? (12 baskets)
Teacher Notes
Explore the concept of a miracle and what it means. Look at some art showing other miracles and ask the children to discuss in small groups what they think is happening in each picture. If they could jump into that picture, how would they feel? Why are these stories important to Christians?
Re-enact the story outdoors in the school grounds or other outdoor space. Have a basket of loaves and fishes with you, or these could be hidden for children to find. Focus on the amazement of the disciples when they had plenty of food to share.
Why did people want to follow Jesus? Why do people follow Jesus today? Why is this story included in all four gospels?
Find out about the work of a local food bank and perhaps arrange a school collection to demonstrate the value of sharing.
Curriculum Notes
This short film will be relevant for teaching KS1 Religious Studies in England and Northern Ireland, the Curriculum for Wales (particularly RVE as part of Humanities), and Early and 1st Level Religious and Moral Education in Scotland.
Further resources
Related BBC Teach content
The Kitchen Miracle-Maker - An assembly using a version of The Feeding the 5,000 story, with a twist.
Loaves and fishes - An audio version of the story, with the action witnessed from the point of view of a young girl.
