Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego
Art Workshop
Summary of Lesson Activities:
Project: Shrinky Dinks - (Daniel 3)
Shrinky dinks are a drawing kit you put in the oven and they 'shrink" but their image is preserved as a nice art object which can be hung in sunlight. Did Shadrah, Meshach and Abednego "melt" for lack of faith? No!
Leader Preparation:
- Gather the materials.
- Read the scripture ahead of time.
- Either purchase "shrinky dinks" kit materials from a craft source (e.g., Michaels, Dick Blick, Amazon) OR find "do-it-yourself" instructions online. ("Homemade" shrinky dinks can be made using flat pieces of polystyrene cut from salad bar containers--#6 plastic.)
Supplies List:
- Small chains (or ribbon)
- Permanent markers
- Paper punch
- Old brown baking sheet
- spatula
- Hot pads
- Oven
- Coloring Picture of “Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, angel, flames/fire” copied onto white paper.
- Polystyrene plastic (1/4 of a sheet per child)
- Maze or word search
Presentation
Opening-Welcome and Lesson Introduction:
Greet the children and introduce yourself.
Open with a prayer.
Dig-Main Content and Reflection:
Read: The Bible story
Practice: The memory verse
Directions:
- Place the ¼ sheet of plastic over the picture of “Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, angel, flames/fire”.
- Trace/color the picture with permanent markers.
- Punch holes in the top of the Shrinky dink paper – the holes will shrink, so it has to be bigger than “one punch”.
- (For smaller kids – 1&2 Grades – you might want the picture traced ahead of time, and all they have to concentrate on is coloring the picture.)
- Bake: according to directions. We used a 400-degree oven for 1-2 min. (Be sure to have “order” around the hot stove when you “sneak a peak” while they are baking – careful of the hot oven.)
- After they have cooled (they have to cool on the pan for a while), place a small chain through the hole (or string a piece of ribbon and attach a lanyard hook.)
- They may attach this to a book bag, Bible zipper pull, belt loop, or hang by their bed.
Discussion: (To be used while they are coloring)
- How hot was the furnace? (Very hot – 7 times hotter than normal)
- Why did the King turn up the heat? (He was mad.)
- Is it ok for us to get mad? (It’s ok to be mad, but not ok to hit when you are mad, or be out of control.)
- Look and see the "Shrinky Dinks." They’re smaller, but unhurt. Why weren't Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego hurt in the fire? (God/God's angel kept them safe – they believed in God – their faith was strong)
- Should we jump in the fire and see if God will keep us safe? (No, The Bible says we are not to test God.)
- How much does God love you? (More than you can ever know!)
Have the kids work on a Maze or Word Search while waiting their turn in the kitchen.
Closing:
End with a prayer.
Resources:
- Lisa (“LLL") from rotation.org on art idea about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego - included link to Shrinky Dink Website for purchasing Shrinky Dink Plastic. This site was being updated when this post was revised.
- Idea revised by Rachel Haugland to include "do it yourself" option.
- Coloring Picture of “Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, angel, flames/fire” - do an internet search using the words - Fiery Furnance to find an appropriate picture to download.
- Maze or word search- do an internet search using the words - Fiery Furnace to find an appropriate picture to download.
A lesson posted by Rachel Haugland from: Elim Lutheran Church
Randall, IA
A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.