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Reply to "ART and COOKING Workshop Lessons and Ideas for Jesus Stills the Storm"

Jesus Calms the Storm

Art Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activity:

After reading/hearing the story, discuss it through a "voting game" and then discuss things that are ‘storms’ (difficulties) in their lives right now. Different age groups will then create different projects that help them remember this story and how they should respond to "storms" in their lives.

  • Preschool and Kindergarten and 1st grade -- design a “flip figure” that will be themselves on one side and Jesus on the other side. (A reminder that wherever they go, Jesus is right there with them!)
  • 2nd-5th grade -- create a magnet in the shape of a cross – they’ll use paint and marbles in a pan (like a storm!) to decorate the cross.

Scripture Reference:

Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41, Luke 8:22-25.


Leader Preparation:

  • Read Bible Background and scripture.

Materials List:

For PreK, K's, & 1st  grades:

  • Bible story book: Read Aloud Bible Stories, volume one
  • Cardboard/Papier-mâché people figures (3-D ones were purchased from Oriental Trading Company)
  • Paints, or markers
  • Optional: Felt pieces; glue stick

For 2nd-5th grades:

  • Trays (or pans or shoe box lids) - one for every two students
  • Acrylic paint - at least 4 different colors
  • Small paper cups (4 for every two students)
  • Marbles (4 for every two students)
  • Paint smocks - one per student
  • White card stock cut into the shape of a cross (use a die-cut machine to make this an easy task) - one per student
  • Magnets with a sticky side (try magnetic sheets cut using an "Accucut" die cut machine) - one per student


Presentation:

Opening- Welcome and Lesson Introduction:

Introduce yourself and tell one quick fact about yourself that will make the kids say ‘Wow!” Tell them that you’ll give them 30 seconds to name (just call out) as many stories as they can from the Bible that have water in them.

Dig: Main Content and Reflection:

If this is the first or second week...

For PreK - 1st grade:

Read the story called “The Wind That Obeyed” on page 97 in Read Aloud Bible Stories. Be sure to complete the story with the questions/info on pages 125 & 126.

For grades 2 and up:

Have kids get Bibles. Help them locate Mark in the New Testament – remind them that stories about Jesus are found in the New Testament, stories before Jesus was born are in the Old Testament.

Choose a way to read the story together – ideas include silently, with one table reading odd verses and the other evens, you read odd and kids read even, volunteers to read each verse, or whatever way you choose.


If it is in the 3rd or 4th week (or later) of the Rotation...

For PreK - 1st grade:

Show them the pictures in the story book, and ask them to tell the story to you!

For grades 2 and up:

invite them to tell the story together using this format:

You begin the story by saying “One day …” and drawing some waves on the white board. Ask who wants to tell the next part of the story (a sentence or phrase) and have them add to the picture next, maybe by draw some stick figures on shore and saying “Jesus and his friends the disciples.” Then let someone else say the next part and draw something, etc.

Discussion:
After the story is completed, tell them you have a few questions to ask them but they’re not to answer yes or no, but instead pretend they’re in a boat and if their answer is yes-they should sway to the right; no-sway/rock to the left. The first few questions have yes/no – other questions have 3 options. In those instances, decide to sway to the right for option one, to the left for option two come up with a third option like swaying backwards.

[NOTE: For PreK through 1st graders, ask these questions on a younger conversation level. For example, skipping questions 6 and 7 and toning down the wording on others.]

1. True or False --the body of water where this story took place was the Sea of Capernaum (false: Galilee)

2. True or False --Jesus fell asleep because he was tired from a full day of teaching others (true according the story)

3. If I had been on that boat with the waves crashing in and with Jesus sleeping, I would probably have:

- been afraid just like the disciples were
- not been afraid at all
- been afraid just a little bit

4. When I saw Jesus sleeping on the boat, I would have:

- yelled his name and tried to wake him up
- not been afraid at all because I knew he was with me
- other (have them tell what)

5. When I'm scared or afraid of a storm:

- hide under the covers
- run to a parent
- nothing- storms don't scare me

6. What Jesus did by calming the water and the storm was:

- a trick
- a miracle and the power of God
- I have no idea

7. Of these three things, what would be the scariest to you?

- a really scary haunted house
- being lost in a strange place
- being in a lot of pain (like a broken leg or crashing on your bike)

(Ask if anyone wants to share the scariest thing they've ever experienced)

8. When I'm scared, I would be most comforted by:

- my mom or dad comforting me
- an object like a pillow, a pet, or curling up in my bed
- pretending whatever it was that was scaring me wasn't there!

9. A "storm" in my life right now is:

- someone who has been making me upset
- something happening at home that is upsetting me
- an illness or health problem I'm having or someone I love is having

One final question – no voting, use your words to answer this one: Has God ever surprised you? In what way?

Create for PreK - 1st grade:

Kids will create a "Me & Jesus" figure. Use the cardboard/papier-mâché people figures with  paints, markers and/or felt pieces to decorate one side to resemble themselves and the other side to resemble Jesus.

As they work you can ask questions, give reminders, etc. about Jesus loving them and promising to always be with them in good times and bad.

You could give suggestions of those times such as: Is Jesus with you at school? At church? At Home? When you are laughing at a silly joke? When you are sad because you fell and got hurt? And then ask them to add to the growing list of times Jesus is with us … help them to discover that the answer is --- always!

Create for grades 2 and up:

Pair off students (they’ll work with a partner.) The Shepherd can pair with a student if you have an odd-number of children.

Each pair will choose 4 colors of paint and put a small amount of each color into separate paint cups. They’ll drop one marble into each paint cup and stir/swirl it around so the marble is completely covered with paint.

Both partners will put their crosses into a pan/tray. One will place one of the paint covered marbles into the pan and begin tipping the pan back and forth and all around so that the marble rolls over the crosses creating a design. Have them note that they are not quite in control of how the marble goes! It's like a storm!

While doing this, that partner should share something that makes them feel a little out of control, scared, worried. They’ll then take that marble out, and put it back in the paint cup.

Then have the second partner choose the next color, and repeat the process, being sure to do sharing also.

When they’re ready for the 1st partner again and the 3rd marble and paint color, this time they’ll share an idea they have for remembering to go to Jesus when they’re feeling out of control, scared or worried. Then the 2nd partner will repeat with the final marble and color, and their shared idea.

When they’re done, have them place their cross on a paper plate and write their name on their plate to take home. Let them know they should wait till the next day to let the paint dry completely. Also provide them with sticky back magnets to apply to the cross when the paint is dry.

Closing:

Go around the group and ask them where they will put their project and what idea they had for how to remember to go to Jesus first and right away for help.

Close in prayer that they will follow through on their ideas for help from Jesus.


Resources:

  • Coleman, Lyman. Serendipity New Testament for Groups: New International Version. Littleton, Co.: Serendipity House, 1987. Print.
  • Lindvall, Ella K. "The Wind That Obeyed." Read Aloud Bible Stories. Vol. 1. Chicago: Moody, 1995. Print.
  • MacQueen, Neil. "Jesus Calms the Storm: Art Workshop." Rotation.org.

A lesson written by Jan Hanson from First Presbyterian Church, Napa, CA, USA

A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.
Printed from https://www.rotation.org

Last edited by Luanne Payne
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