The Story of Jacob

Hi Godly Play Teachers,
Welcome to our lesson for August 25, The Story of Jacob, found in Genesis 25-33,35. (The script is found in the pink Enrichment Presentations for Fall book, p.44-50.)

 

What a perfect time to present this story. When we finished last week's story, The Great Family, Isaac and Rebekah were married, Abraham died, and we shared that Isaac and Rebekah had children-who had children, who had children, etc. So who were their children? We can pick up right here with the Story of Jacob, ending with the formation of the 12 tribes of the Great Family, Israel.

Jacob's story is so rich with topics that children will want to explore, like sibling relationships, fairness and trickery, making choices, what is a blessing, the idea of wrestling with God. Hopefully there will be plenty of time in your wondering time to hear their thoughts on these and to help them explore their own ideas.

Ideas for their Give a Gift to God Time

1. Since today is Promotion Sunday, you may want to use the art response time to do an activity that gives the children a way to introduce themselves to you. You could invite each child to decorate a piece of paper with her/his name (we have plenty of letter stickers in the resource room if you'd like to use them) and drawings of what she/he like to do, their family with pets, her/his favorite foods, etc. 

For other ideas focusing on the story...

2. Recreate some of the story materials so that the children can tell the story themselves at home.

A bowl can easily be made out of quick dry clay, a ladder could be made from popsickle sticks, veils from netting. Children can come up with their own ideas of how to make the objects if they have access to materials.

3. Act out the story!

Our children LOVE doing this. Why not break the story into scenes and let the children act them out? Simple props could be a bowl, the animal skin from the story basket, and netting for a veil (I'll have some in the resource room.) I'll have my camera ready to borrow to video if you like.

4. Make a Jacob's ladder snack out of marshmallows, pretzels and marshmallow cream, as described here Yum!

5. Teach the children how do to Jacob's ladder with a piece of string, as shown in this video. 

While you're practicing, talk about what the dream meant.

Thank you for all you do!
Love, Becky