The Baptism of Jesus

Art Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:
The children will learn that when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit came from heaven like a dove. They will make origami doves to decorate meal trays at a homeless shelter, Meals on Wheels, or nursing home.

Scripture References:
Matthew 3:1-17; Mark 1:1-11; Luke 3:1-22

Memory Verse:
Matthew 3:17 (NLT)

Teacher preparation in advance: 

• Read the scripture passages and lesson plan and attend the Bible Study
• Prepare a closing prayer.
• Learn the memory verse.
• Consider the age level adjustments needed each week (those included in the lesson plan and your own). Confer with the Shepherd on “Stretchers” to use, especially with the youngest children.
• To our teachers at RCC: The design of this workshop is very intentional. The activities and discussion questions for this workshop were designed to meet the goals of the entire rotation and the educational objectives of the Rotation Model™ at River Community Church. While we feel it is important to follow the serendipitous leading of the Holy Spirit, please do not change the lesson plan without consulting a Curriculum Planning and Writing Team member.
• Check out the room before your first Sunday workshop so that you know where everything is located.
• Practice the origami folds for the project several times so you are confident about how to execute the project. You may even want to show the Shepherds how to execute the project at the Bible study on November 22 so they will be able to assist the children as well.

Supply List

Presentation

Opening-Welcome and Introductions:
Greet the children and introduce yourself. Wear your name-tag. (Remember, you are interacting with a different group of students each week who may not know you.) Make sure the children are wearing name-tags.

We had an opening prayer during the gathering time, but you may open with prayer if you feel led to do so.

Tell the children that today they will learn that when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit came from heaven like a dove. They will make origami doves to remind them of Jesus’ baptism and to share with other people.

Scripture/Bible Story:
Have the children locate Mark 1:1-11 in their Bibles. Review the organization of the Bible as they locate the passage:

For older children: Instead of reading the passage ask them to find the following verses (write the questions on index cards and hand them out to the children after they have found the passage. If there are more children than questions, pair the children off and give each pair a question). After they have found their verse have them read the question out loud and then read the verse with the answer.

For classes composed primarily of pre-readers, show the children how to find the passage in the Bible and then have them do it. After everyone has found the passage, have them close their Bibles and listen while you read. Before reading the passage give them a fact about the story to listen for. As you get to a verse with one of the answers emphasize the part of the verse with the answer. When you are finished reading ask the children for the facts they were supposed to be listening for:

Dig- Main Content and Reflection:

Define the word symbol. A symbol is a sign or an object representing something else.

Show the children pictures of symbols from their everyday lives: men’s and women’s restroom signs, stop sign, school crossing symbols, interstate symbols for restaurants and gas stations, etc. As you show them the pictures ask them what each symbol represents.

Show the children a picture of a cross and the Christian fish symbol. As you show them the pictures ask them what the symbol represents. The cross can be a symbol for Jesus and for a Christian.

Look at the Presbyterian Church (USA) symbol. What do you see in it? What does it tell us about our church? [cross, open Bible, flames of the Holy Spirit, cup, 3 lines representing the Trinity, etc.]

During our Pentecost rotation in May, 2003, the children learned that a flame is also a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Remind the children about the story of Pentecost and ask if any of them remember what the Holy Spirit looked like when it came to the believers.

Say: In our Bible story this morning a different symbol is used for the Holy Spirit, instead of a flame. Who can tell me what it is?
If they do not remember, read Mark 1:10 to them.

Tell them that they are going to be making paper doves today. They will make one to take home and several more that we will take to either a Meals on Wheels type program, nursing home, etc. to decorate the trays.

Demonstrate how to make a dove before you give the children any paper. Instruct them to watch you as you describe the steps. Tell them that after they watch you make one, they will be given a sheet of paper and you will go through the steps again slowly so they can make one step by step. Remind the children to crease the paper folds well for a good-looking dove.

After you demonstrate how to make the dove, give each child a piece of paper. Go through the steps for making the dove, one at a time. After each step STOP and make sure everyone successfully completed the step. Ask the children to stay with you and not guess what the next step is going to be.
When the children have completed their first dove all together, give each child the instruction sheet and another piece of origami paper. If they think they understand, they can fold another one on their own following the instruction sheet. For the children who need more help, go through the process step by step again, as you fold a third dove while they fold their second dove.

Remind the children to write their names on the doves they are taking home. They may also put their first names on the doves they are making to give away.

Reflect:
Pulling it all together (closing discussion):

Review the memory verse
While seated in a circle, give each child a word to the memory verse, in turn, around the circle. You may have to go around the circle twice, giving some children two words to remember. After each child has been given a word or words, the person with the first word says their word. Each person in the circle repeats their word in order around the circle. Go around the circle several times, reciting the words faster and faster.

By 11:45 a.m. ask the Shepherd to pass out the journal pages and pencils/markers. Suggestion: You may wish to give the children a dove or bird sticker to paste in their journals as a reminder of the story.

Shepherd Time:
Have the children design their own symbol for God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit. Before asking them to do that the shepherd should ask the children to name some of the characteristics of these three persons of God. Younger children may need more concrete suggestions; suggest they draw and decorate a fish for Jesus or a dove or flames for the Holy Spirit.

This is meant to be a time of reflection and introspection. Writing about faith helps clarify lessons. In addition to the suggested activity, children may draw pictures relating to today’s scripture or memory verse, list highlights of the day’s activities, or rephrase the memory verse. The journal pages will be saved and given to the children at the end of the school year.

You may want to provide an extra activity or worksheet for children who finish their journals quickly, such as coloring sheets, crossword puzzles, word searches, games. See the Workshop Leader’s Background Notes and rotation.org for ideas.


Before noon, ask the students to stop journaling for a moment and sit quietly for prayer so they can leave when their parents arrive. Allow them to finish journaling afterwards.

Closing:  
Thank God for sending Holy Spirit to show us that Jesus was his son and for giving us symbols to help understand the Holy Spirit.

Tidy and Dismissal:

Additional Suggestions:
You will need to decide how best to adjust the lesson for older and younger students. Keep the children active and involved in activity. Do what works for you and the children. In addition to the suggestions in the lesson plans, some ideas:
Older children: Use the instructions for the more complicated origami dove.
Younger Children:

Resources:

This lesson was written by Jamie Senyard for River Community Church, Prairieville, Louisiana. 

Copyright 2003 Jamie Senyard. Permission granted to freely distribute and use, provided the copyright message is included.