Note: This is very similar to the above lesson, however I’m posting it because we used a different set of “Reverse Jeopardy” game questions. Our game card holder uses only 5 columns and 6 rows. Our questions add more life-application to the game and also add additional discussion questions - which can be very useful for digging in deeper in later weeks of the Rotation.

Prodigal Son

Games Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activity:
Play a quiz game of “reverse” Jeopardy. (Instead of coming up with the question when given an answer, come up with the answers to questions!) A team obtaining enough correct answers gets to also play “Move Along Piggy.” (The first squeaking-pig-toy across the finish line gets extra points!)

Scripture Reference: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Key Verse:  “See what amazing love the Father has given us! Because of it, we are called children of God.” 1 John 3:1a,b (NIrV)

Workshop Objectives — After completing this Rotation, participants will be able to:

• Name that the story is found in the New Testament. Identify the book of Luke as one of the Gospels.
• For 3rd grade and up: Locate the story in the Bible.
• Retell the story of the Prodigal Son in his/her own words.
• Define and summarize the concepts of repentance, grace and forgiveness.
• Recognize that God provides us with grace and forgiveness. Explore how we can respond to God’s grace.

Leader Preparation:
Read Bible Background and scripture.

Materials List:

• Whiteboard easel; Two colors of whiteboard marker
• Masking tape (enough to make start & finish lines)
• Bibles
• A paraphrase to use to tell the story to 2nd graders (see end of lesson)
• Battery operated pigs (one for each team); extra batteries
• Pocket chart (blue with clear plastic sleeves)
• Jeopardy category and point cards (refer to page 1 of attachment at the end of this lesson)
• Jeopardy game questions (refer to attachment at the end of this lesson)
• Scratch paper
• Markers and a clipboard (or a lap desk) – one set per team

Advanced Preparation Requirements:

• Write the key Bible verse on the easel. Above it, write the word “grace.”
• Make sure that the category and point cards are loaded into the pocket chart per the diagram on page 1 of the attached game questions file.
• Create start and finish lines for the piggy race, using the masking tape applied to the carpet on opposite ends of the room.
• Test out the operation of the pigs, and then hide them so as not to distract students.
• When 3rd grade and up visits, lay out Bibles in a circle on the carpet.
• When 1st and 2nd grade visits, place the paraphrase into a Bible at Luke 15.

Presentation:

Opening - Welcome and Lesson Introduction
Greet your students warmly, welcoming them to the Games Workshop. Introduce yourself and have the Shepherds introduce themselves. Ask the Shepherd to take attendance and write name tags while you start the lesson.

Ask: What was your absolute, number-one favorite Christmas gift? (allow a few replies)
Did someone you know get something that you would have really loved to have gotten, but you didn’t receive that gift?
Did you find yourself thinking: “That is so not fair!” Have you ever had the feeling that something wasn’t fair – something other than a Christmas gift?

Do: Be prepared to perhaps share your own story to “prime the pump.”

Ask: How do your parents and teachers respond when you say: It’s not fair!
Say: Today we will be hearing a Bible story where one of the characters – a young boy – was stamping his feet, and throwing a fit about the unfairness of it all!

Ask (rhetorically – pause briefly after each of the next questions):
Hmm… I wonder if this boy in our story acts like us?
I wonder how this boy’s father will respond?
I am wondering if the way the father acts in our story will surprise you?

Say: Let’s start off by talking to God in prayer.

Ask for any prayer requests. [Language you may want to try: “What shall we pray for today?” “How would you say that in a prayer?” It is ok to write down requests.]
Say: Towards the end of the prayer, I will allow a time when you can pray silently for a need you have, and for one thing for which you are thankful to God. Then we’ll use the Lord’s Prayer as the ending to our prayer time.

A prayer suggestion: Gracious God, we are so thankful for your love. We need help Lord, for we make mistakes. Thank you for the forgiveness you so readily offer us. Then pray for requests. Lord, now you will hear each of us praying silently, sharing our needs and our thankfuls… (Don’t rush the silence!) End with the Lord’s Prayer. Amen.

Dig: Main content and Reflection
Ask:  Where in the Bible would we read about something that Jesus said? (in the New Testament)
What are the names of the first four books of the New Testament?
What do we call those first four books? (the Gospels)
Does anyone know what the word “gospel” means?

Say:  The word “gospel” means “good news.” The four gospels tell stories of Jesus teaching the good news of God’s love.  But, what is really good news about God’s love is that God loves us no matter what we do! God forgives our mistakes, no matter how bad they are! God gives us this gift we call “grace.”

Do:  Refer to the word “grace” on the easel. Using the other colored marker, circle the words “amazing love” from the key verse and draw an arrow to the word “grace.”

Say:  Grace is God’s gift of amazing love. It’s a free gift; it doesn’t cost us anything. And we get it even though we don’t deserve it! Let’s read our story. It will help us to understand about grace when we see it applied to the boy who was stomping his feet and his brother, who used his feet to leave town. They both needed grace.

For 1st and 2nd grade:
Do:  Holding the copy of the story (see attached paraphrase) in a Bible open to Luke 15, read the story. (It is suggested that you hold your papers inside a Bible so that kids understand that you are reading the Bible.)

For 3rd grade and up:
Do: Make sure everyone has access to a Bible.
Have everyone find the story in Luke 15:1. Make sure everyone remembers the quick way to find the New Testament – dividing the Bible in half gets them near Psalms. Dividing the back half in half again gets them near the New Testament.]

Ask: What heading do you read at the top of chapter 15? (the Parable of the Lost Sheep)
What is the next heading on that page? (the Parable of the Lost Coin)
When you turn to verse 11, what is the next heading? (the Parable of the Lost Son)

Say: These are three parables that Jesus taught about something or someone who was “lost.” A parable is a story that taught a hidden meaning. We are going to take turns reading our story. Here is my hint of the day: when you are reading the Bible, use your pointer finger! As the words are read, move your pointer finger across the page. That way, if you decide you need to lift up your head and ask a question, you can instantly return to the place where you left off!

Do: Randomly ask students to read Luke 15:1-3, 11-32. (See note below when it is a later week in the Rotation.)

Teacher hint: Random-ness is key! It keeps everyone on his or her toes! (A child may pass if desired.) Choose a child to read, and stop them randomly as well! That way you can limit the amount read if a child seems to be struggling and because you are being random, no one is the wiser.

For 3rd grade and up when visiting later in the Rotation:
Do:  Follow the instructions above except add this additional question and this way of "telling" the story...

Ask: What hidden meaning do we find in our parable? (allow a few replies without making any comment)
In the parable that we are studying, who was lost? (accept a few replies)
Say: I’m thinking that both sons in our parable were lost.

Ask: What can you tell me about this story?

Do: Have students tell you the story. Have them check their Bibles for accuracy.

For all students: Introduce the Game:
Say: We are going to play a game called “Reverse Jeopardy.” If you have ever watched the TV game show, Jeopardy, you’ll know that the contestants are given an answer and they come up with the question. In our game we’ll hear questions and hopefully come up with answers! As we play the game we’ll have time to talk more about the story.

Do: Ask the Shepherd to form two or three teams. For 3rd grade and up, supply each team with Bibles. Ask the Shepherd to keep score. Explain the general idea of the game.

• A team will choose a category (any category) and a point value.
• The workshop leader reads the question in the category/point value chosen. The card in that category – for those points – is then turned over in the chart, to indicate that it has been chosen and is now out of play.
• All team members confer and secretly write their answer on the scratch paper. (Third grade and up may use Bibles.)
• When the leader calls time, each team shows their answer.
• If correct, each team receives those points. For every 400 points earned, a team has a chance to make their pig race! (Introduce the piggies.) When a team’s pig crosses the finish line, it is worth an extra 500 points. [There will be no extra pig racing for the 500 points of crossing the finish line!]
• Each team will take turns among members for writing/showing the team’s answer, making the pig move, and choosing the next category/point value.

Play the Game:

• Start the game with 100 points for “On the Road Again” just to give everyone a sense of how the game works.
• On the next round give whomever’s birthday is closest to today, the chance to choose the next category (any point value). For 1st and 2nd graders, suggest selecting only category & start at the lowest available point value.) Strongly encourage these grades to go from low to high points.
• Continue play until all questions have been answered or you run out of time. (Allow 3 minutes for the closing.) The team with the most points wins. (But don’t put too much emphasis on winning.)

Important Leader Notes for Game Playing:
o  Competitive games should be played as a team so that infrequent attendees or visitors are not made to feel pressured or uncomfortable.
o  Make sure all players confer with their team before answering!
o  Take all opportunities for teaching moments! (Make use of the Bible Overview materials.)  Ask the supplemental questions to spur further discussion.

Closing
Say: The Prodigal Son is a parable told by Jesus to teach his listeners about God’s love and forgiveness. May you take this story home, and hold it in your heart and apply it’s teaching to your life, remembering that God loves you!

If you have extra time:
Ask one more tie-breaker question: Does the older brother join the party? Have each group write their own ending to the parable.

Sources
Derden, Jaymie. “The Prodigal Son: Ideas for Discussion.” State Street United Methodist Church. 2000. Print.
MacQueen, Neil. “Outline and Study Guide to Sunday Software’s Prodigal Son CD.” Sunday Software. 2002.
Payne, Luanne. “Prodigal Son: Jeopardy Style Quiz Review Game.” Rotation.org. 2013. Web.
Workman, Stephanie Arnold, et al. “The Prodigal Son Antioch Arcade Games.” Rotation.org. 2006. Web.

Other resources: Visit Carol's blog – where we encourage parents to continue the learning at home.

(Conflict of Interest Disclosure: None, Carol does not make any money from her blog. Any ads you may see are placed by Wordpress.com.)

If you use this material, even in a modified form, please include the following reference:
Hulbert, Carol  "The Prodigal Son: Games Lesson." Rotation.org. 2015. Web. Place URL where lesson found inside angle brackets<>.

A lesson written by Carol Hulbert from First United Methodist Church, Ann Arbor, MI
Printed from https://www.rotation.org