The Ark and the Tent

Hi Godly Play Teachers!
Welcome to the Ark and the Tent, the Godly Play story scheduled for this Sunday, Sept. 23, based on Exodus 25-31, 35-40.


Children always get so excited about this story. They love the little pieces belonging to the tent, I think partly because each piece comes with a tradition. We all know how kids LOVE traditions--knowing the proper way to do things and the reasons behind why we do them. Bringing a sacrifice for the altar, washing at the laver before entering the tent, burning incense, placing 12 pieces of bread on the table, lighting the menorah...it all has meaning, centered upon being ready to meet God.

There are different approaches to this lesson that teachers can take. Of course we can all go through a study of each of the steps of getting ready and the tools mentioned above to help them get ready.  Many churches still use several of these today. Are there any that we use? Are there new ones not included with the tent?

We can also think about how we get ready to do different things in our lives--to go places that are important to us, for example.  How do we get ready to hear our Godly Play stories? Why is that important? How do we get ready to be with God? What do we do? How exactly do the routines we do help us get ready? Can we practice getting ready to be with God when we're at home too? How would we do that?

One thing that the Godly Play script doesn't highlight which you may want to include is the idea that all the people of God were invited to give something of their own to creating the tent of meeting--not just jewelry or fabric or wood, but their own craftsmanship. It was created by the people of God, for God.

Ideas for Activity Time
This story is practically BURSTING with ideas for little hands--and big ones too!

I can easily see the activity time for this story beginning this Sunday, but continuing at least one other Sunday. Soon we'll do the Ark and the Temple, so the work could easily continue with that story too.

Here are some that I came up with to add to your own. (And please, do feel free to write a comment to share your own ideas!)

Children might like to make their own collection of getting ready pieces like a menorah, an incense holder, a laver, an ark. They could make tiny pieces with clay or boxes or pieces of wood or whatever materials we have.
Or they could spend more time on making individual pieces. Here are some websites with great ideas and directions:
How to make a potato menorah:
www.jewishappleseed.org/apple/potatomenorah.htm
How to make a menorah from clay: 
www.familyfun.go.com/crafts/clay-menorah-666608/

Of course our children will come up with more creative ideas than we can!

Some things to ask them:
How could we make a laver?

What do we have in our classroom which might make a good altar?
A table for the 12 slices of bread?
An ark of the covenant? How about decorating a box with gold wrapping paper for the ark?

What about the poles that carry it?
 (Wouldn't it be fun to light some incense and see what it smells like?)

 If we're going to make all those pieces, why not make a tent of meeting in which to put them?
A table turned on its side could give us the framework.

There are a few tablecloths folded up in the art supply room to serve as the tent fabric.

What if we brought blankets from home? We could even have a four layer tent, much like the tent is described in the Bible.
Once the tent is made, we could put all the pieces we created inside it. How would we separate the Holy of Holies?

Or we could make a small tabernacle out of cardboard and fabric.

There's so much to think about. I can't wait to see what your classes create! If you take photos, please share them with me. I'd love to add them to the parent newsletter!

Have fun, y'all!

The Ten Best Ways

Hi Godly Play Teachers!
Welcome to The Ten Best Ways, the Godly Play story scheduled at our church for this coming Sunday, Sept. 16.

I love that Godly Play refers to the Ten Commandments as The Ten Best Ways and places them in a heart shaped box. This helps us remember that our God is not a supreme dictator who exists just for the chance to squash us when we don't adhere to his rules, but is instead a God who loves us enough to want to give us boundaries, so that we can fully enjoy the life God meant for us.

In preparation for teaching the lesson, it's good to look back at the session that precedes it: the Exodus. God has led his people out of slavery, away from the Pharaoh and the soldiers chasing after them, through the sea, into freedom. Now they can live where they want, do what they want, be who they want. As the story script says, "Now that the people are free...where will they go now? What is the best way?"

Thank goodness (and thank God!) that God provided divine guidance, motivated completely by love.

Some general ideas about what your class could explore in the Expression time:

1. The younger classes (first grade and younger) might choose to keep things simple by focusing on the first heart in the box: Love God, Love People, God Loves You. Or, depending on the children, you could go deeper and study all the commandments. You probably have an idea of what the children can handle best.

2. Study each of the commandments by reproducing them in some way.

3. Explore the idea of Moses being the only one with the courage to climb up into the fire and smoke to meet God. Children will find it interesting that God wanted to protect Moses from his powerful presence, so God put him in a crevice in the rock and put his hand over him until he had passed by, allowing Moses to see his back. I love the line, "When we see God's back, we can follow God all of our days."

4. The older children may benefit by exploring the conflict that comes when we find ourselves stuck between two commandments, like when Grandma gives you a present that you don't like and asks you what you think of it. How do we love others and still stay true to the truth?

We should also address more close to the heart conflicts, like divorce. Many of our children are experiencing divorce and will be listening especially to the Best Way of honoring marriage. We need to be sure to include in our session a focus on grace and forgiveness. Sometimes people try their very best to honor the Ten Best ways, and it just doesn't work out. God always offers love and forgiveness to all. His love never stops, no matter what.

Ideas for Expression Time:

* Give the children big construction paper hearts divided into the sections Love God, Love People, and God Loves You. "I wonder how you could illustrate each section?"  Children could choose whether to draw or cut pictures from a magazine or paint with watercolors. Or children could work together on one huge heart of butcher paper, contributing illustrations for each section. (This idea is especially for the younger children.)

* I wonder if we could make a Mount Sinai? (With a cleft for Moses to hide in!) Could we make Moses out of a clothespin? How would we make the Ten Best Ways?" The youngest children might need ideas from which to choose.

*Could we make a huge set of Ten Best Ways together for our classroom? As tall as a child?  Could we illustrate each commandment? Which one would you like to work on?

*I wonder what materials we might use to make individual sets of Best Way hearts, so that you can take it home with you. (You might want to see what kind of interesting materials you can find at a craft store. Save your receipts and I'll reimburse you.)

*I wonder if you can make up hand motions to illustrate each individual Best Way? Could you split them up among children and videotape each one, making a video the whole class can enjoy? (If somebody does this I'd love to share it with parents!)

*I wonder which is your favorite commandment? Would you like to concentrate just on that one, making a 2 dimensional or 3 dimensional representation of it? (a drawing or collage or making a scene out of play clay, etc?)

Obviously, we wouldn't want to present ALL of these options to the class, as that might be too overwhelming. But it's a list I hope will help you...and get you started thinking of your own ideas.

Speaking of other ideas, I'd LOVE to hear yours in the comments section if you want to share!
Love, Becky

The Exodus

Hi Godly Play Teachers,
Welcome to our lesson for Sept 9, The Exodus, found in Exodus 11:1-15:21. The Godly Play script is in the yellow (Fall) book, p. 65-72.

When we left Moses last week, he was getting ready to go with Aaron to speak to the Pharaoh and to do what God told him to do: set the people free. Would he have the courage? Would God help him? How would it all play out? This week we get to celebrate the answers to these questions.

I would suggest telling the story as the script describes, and then, when Moses enters the scene, recap last week's story before moving on, so that children can connect the two stories.

I'd also suggest that it would really be fun and meaningful for the children to celebrate the story with an exploration of the seder meal, if you like, as described below. If you're not up for that, I'll at least have matzo for each classroom for the children to try.

I've changed the wondering questions a little bit:
1. I wonder what part of the story you like the best.
2. I wonder what part is the most important.
3. I wonder if you were one of God's people, how you might have felt when the Pharaoh set you free to follow Moses.
4. I wonder what you might have felt as you saw the sea part and a path emerge.
5. I wonder what part of this part of this story is about you, or what God is teaching you about Himself in this story.

Create a Gift for God Time
1. Children could recreate the story scene of the crossing of the Red Sea. Let children decide how they want to recreate this. They could make the pieces of the story- like the chain, the felt water that can be parted, the people, etc.
There's an amazing example here. Take a look!
Here's another example.

2. Children could work together to create a long chain, symbolizing the slavery the people of God had to be freed from. Here's a pic of last years chain from 2nd grade.

3.This would be a perfect time for the children to learn about Passover and the celebration of the seder meal. Why not celebrate with a seder meal in your classroom? Just bring me a clean receipt and I'll be glad to reimburse you. The meal is so full of meaning, all centered around this story. I bet the kids would never forget it!
Here's a guide with a simple explanation. As they enjoy the meal, the kids could draw on a paper plate all the elements of the meal and make a note as to what they mean.

This allows our children to experience the Passover in a small way.


 Flickr photo above courtesy of Imaginary Girl, through creative commons

4. Children could make an instrument like Miriam might have used to celebrate the exodus. Look here for an example of a paper plate shaker. Let the children decorate it as they wish.

Thanks y'all, for helping our children not only hear the story of the Exodus, but participate in it as well!
Love, Becky

The Story of Moses: The Beginning

Hi Godly Play Teachers,
Welcome to our lesson for Sept 2, The Story of Moses, found in Exodus 1:8-17:7, 19:1- 40:38. The script is adapted from the story found in the pink Enrichment Presentations for Fall book, p.58-65.  Sunday school teachers, I've emailed you a copy of the adapted script. If you'd like a copy, feel free to email me and I'll try to send it out to you.

What an exciting story- and one children always love. Perhaps as we think about Moses' humble beginning, our children will reflect on their own beginnings and know that they can be used by God to do great things for God's kingdom as well. Most all of us can identify with not feeling up to the task or equipped to serve God. Moses' story shows that willingness is all that it takes, that God will take care of the rest.

The timing of this story works well too with our story schedule, since we just shared the lesson of Joseph and will cover the Exodus story next. This adapted script ends right before Moses goes to talk with the Pharaoh, so the Exodus story can be shared as written in its Godly Play script. Be sure to end this story helping the children enjoy the suspense for next week's lesson. It would be wonderful for them to go home asking what happens next, and reflecting on the story of the day.

Here are the wondering questions:

1.       I wonder what was your favorite part of today’s story?

2.       I wonder what was the most important part?

3.       I wonder if Moses ever made bad choices.  I wonder if God can use people who sometimes make mistakes.

4.       I wonder how Moses felt when God told him that God wanted Moses to set the people free from slavery.

5.       I wonder what Moses did to get ready to speak to the Pharaoh about setting the people free.

What fun the children will have in our Make A Gift for God Time!

Here are some ideas to get the children started in planning their work:

1. Children can recreate the Moses in the Reeds scene, as shown here. (Scroll down to the part showing Moses in an Egg Carton Cup) Children can make their own basket and baby Moses using an a cup cut from an egg carton- and whatever they like to make Moses (paper or a cotton ball for a head, felt for a blanket, etc). Blue construction paper could be the river and green for the reeds. They could even make the rest of the materials in the Godly Play story basket: a paper chain, a shepherd's crook, the burning bush.
So that they get more invested in their work, allow them to make as many choices as to how they create the scene as possible.
Be sure to take photos of their work! :)

 2. What would the burning bush look like? Children can use their imaginations to recreate it with tissue paper or other materials. Look here for another way to represent it.

3. Younger kids (2nd grade?) would LOVE using a water table and setting up the scene with baby baskets and reeds as shown on this precious blog, here. Really! Check it out! You'll want to join in the fun if you take a look! I'LL HAVE A WATER TABLE ON HAND. Let me know if you want to use it.


4. Older children might enjoy videoing a news reporter, interviewing bystanders who've observed different parts of Moses' life first hand. Children could even set it in modern times, if they wanted to. (How would it be different if it happened today?) My camera will be in the drawer. Be sure to video!

Thanks, y'all!
Love, Becky

The Story of Joseph

Hi Godly Play Teachers, Welcome to our lesson for August 26, The Story of Joseph, found in Genesis 37:1-31 and 49:1-6. (The script is found in the pink Enrichment Presentations for Fall book, p.51-57.)

Since we just presented the Story of Jacob last week, this is the perfect time to talk about Jacob's son Joseph.  This story will help the children answer the question of how the people of God moved to Egypt and became slaves--which will help the Moses story and the Exodus story make more sense.

I'm sure that the children will find many parts of the story interesting- like the idea of Joseph being the favorite son, the sibling rivalry between the brothers, the enslavement and imprisonment of Joseph, the idea that dreams mean something, and the repairing of the relationship between Joseph and his brothers.

Ideas for our Make A Gift for God Time:

Remember that the activity will mean more to the children the more choices they have in how they decide what "work" to do and how they will accomplish it.
Children could recreate the story in some way.
1. Children could make a coat of many colors.
          There are lots of ways they could do this. Several are described here.
2. You could let the children pick scenes from Joseph's life to draw out and put them together to   make a mural of the different scenes. You could include in these the dreams he interpreted.
 3. Kids could make Egyptian costume pieces and act out parts of the story. Costume pieces are shown here.
4. You could also help the children explore what God is teaching us through Joseph's story--how he mends his relationship with his brothers, despite everything, how he remains faithful to God in the middle of his troubles, and how God uses Joseph throughout his life. Could the children sketch and then paint with water colors ( or use marker or crayon) the scene of Joseph reuniting with his brothers? Maybe this could be a class project.
5. Don't forget that one choice for a child's work can always be to retell the story (using the materials that the teacher used) to another child. They love to handle the materials themselves and can use the laminated card to check themselves, to make sure they include all the parts of the story.

Hope these ideas help!
Love, Becky

The Story of Jacob

Hi Godly Play Teachers,
Welcome to our lesson for August 19, 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.

As you know, we have two purchased sets of this story. I've made up three more sets, so each class will have a set of their own to use on Sunday. It will be in your room.

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. 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.

2. 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.

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

4. 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

The Great Family

Hi Godly Play Teachers,
Welcome to our lesson for August 12, The Great Family, found in Genesis 12-15, 24. (Script is found in the yellow Fall book, p.57-64.)

What a wonderful lesson, to learn that we are all descendants of God's great family, and that God is with us no matter where we go. The wondering questions are at the end of the script. I'll be especially curious to hear how the children respond to the wondering question, "I wonder where you are in the story or what part of the story is about you?"

Idea Starters for the Give a Gift to God Time:
1. Stars! Check out these GORGEOUS stars shown here, which would be easy for all ages to make. Children could write on the other side a Bible verse from this story, perhaps Genesis 15:5 " See the many stars. There are so many you cannot count them. Your family will be like that.”

2. The beginnings of the great family: make Sarah and Abraham and Isaac out of play clay or clothespins. Or make finger puppets of the family.

3. Each child individually- or all children together- could make a drawing of their part of the great family-- their birth family and church family, all on one piece of butcher paper.

4.Sand drawings or sand art - to remember the desert in the story. Make a simple drawing- or the child's name written in cursive- and cover the lines with glue, (I have new glue bottles in my office)  then sift colored sand over the glue. The glue will stick to the sand. Children could also include names of others in their family.

5. Act out the story: Abram and Sarai walking toward Haran, sleeping in their tent, walking along the Euphrates, Abram being with God and knowing God wanted them to move on, Abram building an altar in Shechem and then in Bethel and Hebron, God's promise to Abram, Sarah hearing she would have a son and laughing, Isaac and Rebekah.

6. Make a door hanger to commemorate Abram and Sarai's willingness to go where God led them. You could use 1 John 5:3: This Is Love for God:to Obey His Commands.

7. Let children who wish to make a map of the area of the story.

Enjoy!
Love, Becky