Everywhere we go, there are rules that guide us to know what our actions should or shouldn’t be, and they help us choose behavior that is acceptable and appropriate to the time and place. We start learning rules from a very young age—like when our parents tell us no when we reach for something that can hurt us when we’re babies, to when we learn how we should act when we cross a street or sit in church.
Many times, we don’t even think of the rules anymore. Once we’ve learned them, they’re just a part of our subconscious processing which guides us through our day. Let’s watch a short clip sharing some of the funniest laws still active in certain U.S. states.
Show this clip to your students [1:49; stop at 1:38]:
The Dumbest & Weirdest Laws in USA
After watching the clip, use the whiteboard (or screenshared document) and write the students’ answers in two columns, the first column listing the rules and the second column listing the possible consequences.
- Which of these entertaining U.S. laws stood out to you the most? Why? (Accept all reasonable responses.)
- What are some other rules that you are taught that don’t have to do with laws? (Possible answers might include: Don’t use drugs; eat plenty of vegetables; brush your teeth every day; pay attention in class; don’t blast music in your earbuds.)
For each of the rules we’ve listed, what could be the negative consequences when we ignore and break each rule? (Answers will vary and can include the following for the rules listed from the film clip. Accept all reasonable responses.)
Rules are in place for important reasons. When we don’t follow them, there are consequences. We can get into trouble, for one. We may hurt ourselves or others, too. Not following established rules is a form of rebellion. We are rebelling against the authorities who have put them in place for everyone’s good. The Israelites rebelled against God, and it resulted in disaster. Today we’re going to learn more about what happened when they broke God’s rules.
