State Street UMC G.R.E.A.T. Adventure
Art Workshop
The Fiery Furnace: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego

Overview of workshop: Children will make melted crayon fiery furnace art.

Note: This activity is based on the melted crayon art that is found all over Pinterest. I wanted something that would look like flames, but would also reflect the heat of the furnace - melted crayons seemed perfect!  Almost all the Pinterest examples use a canvas. I didn't have a canvas when I tried this out at home and it worked GREAT on just a piece of white corrugated cardboard. The crayons melted super fast and the melted crayon spread really quickly and really looked like tongues of fire. I tried it out on a canvas board and was disappointed. First it took MUCH longer to melt the crayons (nearly twice as long - which is important when you are trying to have 12 kids do this in about 25 minutes!) and the drips were thinner and didn't spread out "flame-like" as well. I did read where if you prime or paint the canvases, the wax sticks better. It might spread out more as well? (I didn't try it though). Next I tried some mat board that I had left over from another project. It worked better than the canvas, but not as well as the corrugated cardboard. The sample art page is done on cardboard. 

Also, I took everyone's advice and used Crayola brand crayons. They worked great. Not sure how the cheaper crayons might work, but I've heard they don't melt as well.

We will have our first session with this project this Sunday and I'm excited about it. I think the kids are really going to enjoy it. 

 UPDATE!!! AND HOW DID IT GO? with some additional tips if you want to try this...
We had our first session with our older kids (grades 3-5) this past Sunday.

Extra hands:
I recruited an extra adult volunteer to help, in addition to our shepherd and the teacher (me) -- DEFINITELY ask for extra volunteers -- you will need them. We also had some visiting teenagers who did the project too, but were great helpers as well. We assigned two adults to the hot glue table, one to the blow dryer station and the teenagers helped pass out supplies. Once everyone's crayons were glued to the cardboard, all adults helped with the blow dryers. 

Prep and Set up:
There is a significant amount of prep to this lesson. Setting up everything into stations beforehand definitely helped. I set up a hot glue station (with several guns), a long table with the boxes and four blow dryers, another table with the broken crayons (separated into bowls according to color and labeled them with how many to take of each). I also decided to pre-cut the figures and the furnace strip, even for the older kids -- and it was a good thing -- we wouldn't have finished otherwise. Put these in a baggie and had each kid choose four figures and put on a small plate. I put old plastic tablecloths on the blow dryer tables and under the floor -- but really the spattering was pretty much limited to inside the boxes. BE SURE your electrical service can handle several blow dryers going at once. (Ask me how I know this...) I thought I had divided up the electrical load, but NOT. We ended up going to different rooms to complete the wax melting process. It was a bit chaotic but it all worked out!

I also decided to go with white corrugated cardboard since it was the fastest medium for melting. We had a small class, but if you have a large class, using cardboard will definitely help speed things along. I found UNWAXED cake sheets that can be cut into the correct size. If I run out of my stash of white cardboard from my garage I plan to use those.

Also, be sure to plug in your glue guns during the Bible study part of the lesson so they are hot and ready to go. Ask me how I know!

The results!
The kids LOVED this. They were all different, but all beautiful! I really think it was a memorable and unique activity. Here are some of our photos...  

Using the blow dryer to melt the crayons. It took less than 2 minutes to melt. You can see the spatter, pretty much stayed in the box.

Once cool enough to handle (just takes a few seconds) remove the crayon remnants. If you wait until they have COMPLETELY cooled it's MUCH harder to pull them off. (Ask me how I know...)

FAITH!

HOPE! 

Enough with the notes... here's the lesson....

Scripture References: Daniel 3, NIV Adventure Bible, "Courageous Friends” pages 200-203 Deep Blue Bible Storybook.

Memory Verse: "The God we serve is able to save us." Daniel 3:17b

Theme: God calls us to be faithful even when it is not easy. God is with us in difficult times. Christian friends can help us do the right thing.

Supplies - are found below under art activity ~ Fiery Furnace Melted Crayon Art.

 Objectives:

• Children will locate the story in the Bible.
• Children will retell the story in their own words.
• Children will identify Daniel as an Old Testament book of prophecy (grades 3-5).
• Children will place the story in history -- during the Exile, when Judah was taken into captivity by Babylon.
• Children will locate Babylon and Jerusalem on the map.
• Children will explore the themes of faith, loyalty, courage and doing what is right, even when it’s hard.
• Children will define integrity = having your actions match your words.
• Children will discuss ways they can depend on God for courage during hard times.
• Children will memorize Daniel 3:17b.

Welcome and Introductions

Welcome all children and introduce yourself. Make sure each child is wearing a nametag. Give the children a simple one or two sentence synopsis of what you will be doing during the workshop.

Opening Prayer

Light the Christ Candle and place in the middle of the table where all can see.

Say: We light this candle to remind us that Jesus is the Light of the world. God is with us wherever we go. God is with us here in this place today. Thank you for today and this time we share with You. Help us have open hearts and minds to learn more about you from this story. Amen.

(the candle should remain lit until the end of the session)

Introduce the Story

Say: Our story takes place in Babylon. The King of Babylon was King Nebuchadnezzar and he was very powerful leader of a very powerful empire. King Nebuchadnezzar’s army conquered Israel and took many of the Israelite people to Babylon to live. This was called the Exile. They took the young, intelligent and promising young people first. Three young boys named Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were captured and carried off to Babylon.

Now Babylon did not worship the one, true God like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. In our story we’ll see how that finds them in a big old hot mess of trouble!

There are two words I want you to keep in mind today while we read this story- faith and courage. What do they mean to you? (Write these on the board or print them out on a flip chart)

Faith - A confident belief in the truth. A belief or trust in God. A person with a strong faith in God believes that God is our creator and is always in control.

Courage - A state of mind or spirit that allows one to face danger and overcome fear.

As we read this story, think about how these boys must have felt to be taken far away from their homes and brought to a strange place with different customs and beliefs.

What must it have been like to be in a place that worshiped many different idols?

Bible Study: Grades K-2

Deep Blue Bible Storybook
Since this story took place many years before Jesus was born, where would we find it in the Bible? (Old Testament)

Have the children open their Bibles to “Courageous Friends” on page 200 of the Deep Blue Bible Storybook.

Note the title and the scripture reference (this story comes from the book of Daniel in the Old Testament). Read the story as the children follow along in their Bibles.

Bible Study: Grades 3-5

NIV Adventure Bible

The story we’ll read today took place about 600 years before Jesus was born. Where would we find the book? (Old Testament) Daniel is a book of prophecy.

Have the children open their Bibles to Daniel 3. This is an action-packed story, but long. Use the guide below to shorten the reading slightly. Ask volunteers to read as the other children follow along.

Daniel 3:1           King Nebuchadnezzar builds a statue

Daniel 3:4-6         The commandment to worship the statue

Daniel 3:8-12      Betrayal!

Daniel 3:13-18   Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego before the king

Daniel 3:19-23   Into the fiery furnace

Daniel 3:24-29   Saved!

Discussion

So… let’s talk about those two words -- courage and faith.
Who had courage in our story? (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego)
How did they show they had courage? (they stook up to the king, did what was right in God’s eyes)
On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you describe their faith? What makes you say that?
Have you ever been asked to do something that you knew was wrong or that you had been told not to do?

Sometimes it’s easier to do those things if “everyone else seems to be doing them, especially if you think the person who gave you the rule isn’t watching. Is it more tempting to do something you shouldn’t if you think you won’t be seen or “caught?”

Think how easy it would have been for the three boys to bow down since everyone else was doing it.

It’s easy to say that we believe in God and that we put God first. The real test is if our actions show it. How did Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego put their faith into action?

What are actions that show that God is first in our lives?
How do YOU show that God is first in your life?

Memory Verse

Help the children locate the memory verse in their Bibles. Review it with them at this time. 

"The God we serve is able to save us." Daniel 3:17b

How might this verse strengthen your faith and give you courage when you face something hard?

 Sign the Verse

(based on American Sign Language) ASL video dictionary link: http://www.aslpro.com/cgi-bin/aslpro/aslpro.cgi

God – Raise right had above head with palm facing toward you. Bring hand straight down hear side of face.
We – touch right hand to right side of chest, then move in a semi-circle around the left side of chest
Serve – Raise hands palms up and move forward and back twice while looking up toward heaven
Able – make fists with both hands facing down with thumbs sticking out toward center of body. Quickly raise and lower fists (about 12 inches) two times.
Save – cross arms in front of body with fists clenched. Move arms apart until arms are vertical (as if breaking chains)
Us – move right hand in a sweeping circle in front of you from left to right.

Fiery Furnace Melted Crayon Art

Adapted from an idea here: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Melted-Crayon-Art

Say: We are going to make melted crayon art that will remind us of the story. We read that the furnace was heated seven times hotter than normal. We will use heat to melt crayons to look like flames. We’ll add silhouettes of the men in the furnace and a word from the story or a memory verse label.

For 3-5 graders: Brainstorm some key words from the story and write on the white board before beginning the activity.

Supplies:

• 5 X 7 cardboard, mat board or canvases (cardboard and mat board actually work better than canvases – the crayons melt faster and spread more.)
• Black heavy weight paper (but not as heavy as card stock)
• Tape, optional glue dots
• Colored pencils
• Large cardboard box and newspaper to protect floor/table surface
• Crayola brand crayons in red, orange, yellow, light green – you’ll need about 13 pieces of crayon for each child – MUST be Crayola brand to melt well.
• Patterns for simple silhouettes of four men  (cut from cardstock)
• Glue gun and glue sticks (adult use only!)
• Memory verse labels (K-2 grade)
• Blow dryers (for large classes, have 2 or more dryers)

Preparation:

1. Break the crayons into thirds, leaving paper intact and separate according to color.
2. Cut the cardstock furnace strips (about 1.5 inches X 7 inches) and fold each short side in 1 inch so the strip covers the base of the canvas and wraps around to the back with a 1-inch flap

Directions:

1. Pass out a mat board to each child. Have children write their names on the back of the canvas.
2. Have children pick out colors for their flames – note that the lighter colors look better – too much red can make the flames too dark (ex: 2-3 red, several orange, several yellow, 1 light green).
3. Have adult helpers use a glue gun to adhere the crayons to the short side of the canvas at the top. A small dab of hot glue will suffice.
   Prepare the furnace base and figures:
4. While adults are gluing, have the children trace the base of the furnace and the four figures onto black cardstock and cut out. Set aside. (Option – cut these out ahead of time for K-2 graders).
   Make the flames:
5. Once the crayons are glued to the board, have children come to the prepared cardboard box area. Lean the board against the back inside of the box. (You can probably melt 2 boards at a time.)
6. Turn the blow dryer onto “high setting” and hold the dryer close to the top of the crayons for a few seconds. It’s best to aim the blow dryer down. As the crayons start to melt, move the blow dryer across the top continuing to aim it down so the melting crayon drips down. Move it side to side to make the “flames” spread out wider. Be careful as it spatters easily! Let children work the blow dryer to melt their flames, but be sure they have a paint smock on and stand back and away from any spatters.
7. As the crayon melts, the running wax will start to resemble flames (actually upside down flames). Continue until most of the canvas is covered (some of the white can canvas can show through). It only takes about 1-2 minutes at most to achieve a “flame-like” effect.
8. Allow a few seconds for the melted crayon to cool, then remove painted board from the box.
9. Once cool, rub the remainder of the crayon and wrapper with your fingers. The remnants should come off easily. Turn the board around so the top where the crayons were adhered is now the bottom. The melted crayons will look like flames!
   Prepare the base of the furnace and finish the canvas:
10. Tape the four men (Shadrach, Meshcach and Abednego PLUS Jesus!) to the back of the top of the black card stock furnace base strip. Be sure the figures will be centered over the canvas.
11. The black furnace base will extend about 1 inch over each side of the canvas to be folded back and adhered to the back side of the canvas. Fold the edges over so that it fits snugly to the bottom of the canvas.
12. Older children may choose a word that symbolizes the story – courage, faith, integrity, trust, Heroes, etc. Write the word with colored pencils onto the front of the furnace base.
13. Younger children may choose to put the memory verse label onto the base of the furnace.
14. Center the furnace base at the bottom of the canvas, lining up the bottom edges and the side folds. Adhere the side flaps to the back of the canvas with tape.
15. If necessary, add a glue dot to each figure to secure to the canvas.

Discussion

As children work, discuss:

• What if the story had had a different ending? What if Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had perished in the fire? (use the Background Information to discuss how trials "refine" our faith)
• Would they still have had faith?
• Sometimes God saves people, but sometimes people die. How is God with us even when things don’t go the way we hope?

Reflection and Journal Time

Journal Questions:
Grades K-2: Draw a picture of your favorite part of the story.
Grades 3-5: When has God helped you through a difficult time?

Closing Prayer

Gather the children together near the candle. Say: We’re going to close with a “faith and courage” prayer. Think about something in your life that you might need courage to face. Or maybe you need God to strengthen your faith about something.

I will go around the circle. You may pray silently or out loud. Or you may just say the word “courage” or “faith” depending on what your need is.

After our faith and courage prayer, we will close with the Lord’s Prayer. We pray this prayer every week. If you don’t know all the words, pray as much as you can. Over time you will learn it by heart.

This is important prayer time, not play time. This is when we remember that God is with us, just like God was with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. No matter what, God is always with us. You may close your eyes or you may look at the flame of the candle. Do not look anywhere else.

Begin the prayer, going around the circle, asking each child for a “faith and courage” prayer. End the circle and pray the Lord’s Prayer together.

Use the candle snuffer to “change the light.”

Say: As we go from here we remember God was with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in that fiery furnace and God is with us, too, wherever we go and whatever we do. God strengthens our faith and God gives us courage to do hard things.

Clean up

Gather all supplies and encourage each child to clean his/her own work area.

Dismiss.