Drama, Puppet and Storytelling Lessons, Ideas, Activities, and Resources for the Good Samaritan
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Luke 10:25-37, Good Samaritan, Road to Jericho, Go and do likewise, etc.
Bible lessons and ideas about the Good Samaritan -with Drama, puppets, scripts, skits, acting, newsroom, etc
Who Is My Neighbor? (Good Samaritan)
The "Good Spatula" Puppet Workshop
Summary of Lesson Activities:
Students perform the "The Good Spatula" puppet skit using kitchen utensils.
Scripture Reference:
Luke 10:25-37
Supplies needed:
- flip chart
- markers
- stuffed animal
- copies of The Good Spatula skit
- objects for puppet show (egg beaters, hammers, grill spatula, salt and pepper shakers, ladle, serving spoon, candlestick, band-aid box, cheese grater, measuring cups, ...)
Before the students arrive:
- Place the stuffed animal in the doorway of the room. Place it where the children will have to step over it. OR have one of the children lay down and see who steps over and who stops to find out if the person is hurt. Discuss how the children reacted to the puppet/child in the doorway. Tell them they are going to learn how Jesus would like us to respond to this scene. (adapted from lesson on Rotation.org/PCBarrington)
- Gather the materials.
- Read the story.
Lesson Plan
Opening - Welcome and Lesson Introduction:
Greet the children and introduce yourself.
Open with prayer.
Dig - Main Content and Reflection:
Read Luke 10:25-37
Discuss:
Characters: man on road, priest, Levite, Samaritan, innkeeper; Jesus, listeners, lawyer
What is a Samaritan?
Learn memory verse: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself." Luke 10:27 (learn with hand movements: cross hands over heart for love, point up, point to heart, praying hands, make muscles, point to head, point to others)
Recall a time when you needed help (separated from parents at mall, lost lunch money, missed school bus, forgot a pencil, fall off bike). Who helped you? List problems and helpers on newsprint.
Warm-up activity: With a partner, be the Samaritan and tell your wife/husband about your day. Use your imagination, as there are no right or wrong answers. The spouse should ask questions to help the Samaritan think ("Why are you late for dinner?", "Your clothes are all bloody and muddy -- what happened?", "But you know we have no extra money!", "Wasn't there anyone else who could help?", etc.).
Puppet Show: The Good Spatula: http://www.huntermarionettes.com/rotation-spatula/
Discuss technique to be used for performance: Object theater (see Kurt Hunter's book)
Cast the objects to be used in the performance -- gather around a table with your objects and discuss each character and the characteristics that the object would show. For example, eggbeaters, whisks, hammers, or rocks could be the robbers. If time is limited, use the objects suggested in the script.
Run through the script (the teacher or an older student can read it while the students move the objects as appropriate).
Reassign parts if necessary so everyone has a chance to "act out" the story. The audience can boo and hiss and cheer as appropriate.
Reflection:
- I wonder what sort of person the teacher of the Law was? (Verse 25: he "tried to trap Jesus." Verse 29: he "wanted to justify himself.") What do you think he did after Jesus told him to "go, then, and do the same"?
- Are the 10 Commandments still in effect today? What are the most important commandments?
- I wonder, how can the church be a good neighbor?How can you be a good neighbor?
- Who are some helpful neighbors we encounter along the road or in our lives?
- Have you ever needed help and been passed by or ignored? How did it feel?
- Can anyone share a time when you helped a friend or neighbor in need? What did you do? [It will be helpful if the teacher can provide an example from her/his own experience to get the discussion started.]
- I wonder, do we have a neighbor who needs our help? What can we do?
Closing:
Dear God, Help us to recognize our neighbors and to reach out to them in love and compassion when they need help. Help us to be sensitive to the needs of others and grant us wisdom we need to know how to help our brothers and sisters in need. Amen.
A lesson was written by Amy Crane for Camp Feliciana, Presbytery of South Louisiana.
For additional information on using puppets and drama to bring Bible stories to life, see Amy Crane's Puppet and Drama Workshop Instructions in the "Rotation Documents: Workshop Manuals" section of the IDEA AND LESSON EXCHANGE.
