David and Goliath

Drama Workshop #2  (Note: Two Drama workshops are provided.)

Summary of Lesson Activity:

Read through the script and perform the skit  “The Day the Bully Went Down” from the book 30 New Testament Quick Skits for Kids. (Note: written for 2nd-5th grades. A copy of this script is not included for copyright reasons.)

Scripture Reference & Key Bible Verse & Objectives: 

Refer to first post in this lesson set.

Leader Preparation:

• Read Bible Background and scripture. 

Materials List:

• Easel; appropriate marker and easel eraser
• Piece of easel paper with a dark Sharpie marker
• Sticky Tack (to hang paper on the wall)
• Overhead projector; Extension cord
• The script on transparencies
• Bibles
• Costumes for Philistines, Israelites, David, Goliath, Jesse
• 10 copies of the script, “The Day the Bully Went Down” from 30 Old Testament Quick Skits for Kids
• Flip video camera, tripod, and cables to connect to TV
• Scene clapper
• Props:
• • For Goliath – sturdy chair or step ladder to stand on, spear, armor (helmet, shield), maybe a “wild hair” wig and/or a beard
  • For David – a slingshot, something to represent a rock (like a tightly balled up sock or a beanbag, or balled up silver or brown duct tape), and a stick
  • For Jesse – pretend food such as bread or grapes (something easy to identify as food)

Advanced Preparation Requirements:

• Create the overhead transparencies of the script. Use a large sized font! [Note: We modified the script to remove the part about David cutting off Goliath's head. A reminder: The script is not included due to it being copyright material.]
• Familiarize yourself with how to operate the video camera -- how to record, play back and hook it to the TV so it can be used to show the recorded video footage. Set up the camera on the tripod.

• Write the key Bible verse on the easel paper and hang it on the wall. (Leave the wall opposite the stage clear to show the script with the overhead projector.)

• Lay out the costumes on the stage so they can be located easily when the parts have been assigned.

• Write the words “Trust in God” on the easel. Draw a shield shape around the words. Also write the names of the various cast members (not the quantity of speaking roles -- that is there for your info) in a vertical column:

Bigger sized speaking parts

Narrator (could be split into 2 parts)

Goliath

David

Medium sized speaking parts

Israelites (need 2 or more kids)

Philistines (need 2 or more kids)

Small speaking part

Jesse (could be the shepherd if not enough kids)

Non-speaking roles

Videographer  

Presentation

Opening- Welcome and Lesson Introduction

Do: Greet your students warmly, welcoming them to the Drama Workshop.

Say: Today we have a Bible story to perform on stage. We will rehearse it, we will record it, and if we have time, we will get to watch it! Our story is a familiar one – the story of David and Goliath. We are going to use a script that mixes in a lot of humor with the true story! First let’s start with a time of prayer.

Ask: “What are some things that are on your mind that you would like to pray for today? Some things that you are thankful for or some things that you would like God to help you with?” (allow some time for the kids to bring their thoughts to the group)

Say: “Dear God, please hear the prayers that the kids in this class have brought before you today. We are grateful to be here together. We love to be able to learn about Bible heroes and their faith in you. Help us to be strong in our faith – trusting that you love us and that you are always with us to provide the strength we need when we face difficult and sometimes scary situations in life.” End with the Lord’s Prayer. Amen.”

Dig: Main Content and Reflection

Do: Distribute Bibles and copies of the scripts. If the class is larger than 10 kids, have the kids share scripts.

Ask: Where in the Bible do we find the story of David and Goliath?

Say: That’s right. Our story is found in the Old Testament, in the book called “First Samuel.” Our key Bible verse for this Rotation comes from a different book in the Old Testament; we find our key verse in Joshua, chapter one, verse 9.

Say: Please find Joshua 1:9 while I continue talking to you. Joshua is the sixth book of the Bible, so that means it’s sort of near the front of the Bible. The first five books of the Old Testament are called the “Pentateuch” (Pronounced: PEN-tuh-took). This collection are books of “Instruction.”

Ask: And Joshua, the sixth book, is a book in the collection called ____ ?

Say: Joshua is the first book in the collection called “History.” These books of the Bible tell us the history of God’s people who were known in those days as the Israelites.

Say: So you might ask - why is our key Bible verse from a different book than our Bible story? It’s to let us know that while we read our story in the book of 1st Samuel, clear over in the book of Joshua we are also getting the same message! Once you have found Joshua 1:9, read it silently to yourself.

Do: Have students turn to Joshua 1:9 and read it silently.

Ask: How does this verse relate to the story of David and Goliath?

Say: That’s right! God is telling us to not be afraid! It is repeated all over the Bible! God will be with you no matter what! That is a powerful message to remember!

Do: Have everyone close the Bibles and place them on the table.

Say: We are going to use our skit as a way to tell our Bible story. First, we will do a read-through. We will take turns, moving around the circle and reading through the script as a class. Each new line should be read by the next student. You will get a lot of opportunities to test out what different cast members sound like. After the class reads the script all the way through, I will ask everyone who they would like to be in our play. If you would rather not read, you have the option of saying, “pass” when it is your turn.

Do: Begin the script reading yourself and indicate the direction around the circle that you would like the readers to read.

When done with the read-through of the script...

Ask: Who would like to be David? Who would like to be Goliath? Etc.

Do: As the parts are being determined, fill in the names of the students next to the parts listed on the easel. If there is more than one student who wants to play a particular role, have them play “rock, paper, scissors” to determine who gets the role.

Do: Have the Shepherd help you get the

kids into their costumes and show the videographer how to record with the Flip video camera. Turn on the overhead projector and show the students how they will need to watch for their turn to speak.

Do: Run through the play. Have the videographer record it (it should run about 4 minutes long).

Discussion:

Say: Let’s talk a minute about giants. Goliath was very tall - so we say he was a giant. But the word giant can describe anything that is big – like a giant problem.

Ask: I am wondering what giant problems you might sometimes face?

Do: Erase the cast list and write their offered ideas on the easel – bullies, tests in school, family problems, problems with friends… Share a giant problem that you personally have faced in your life.

Say: It’s pretty amazing that Goliath was killed using just one stone.

Ask: Even though it wasn’t part of our drama today, do you remember what King Saul offered to David so he could protect himself. If you do, raise your hand and I will call on someone to answer. (King Saul offered his armor)

Ask: Did David choose to wear the armor? (no, he said he wasn’t used to them)

David must have had a secret weapon, what do you suppose it was?

Do: Point to the shield that you drew on the easel.

Say: David didn’t have a shield like King Saul, but he had a special kind of armor – David trusted God to protect him.

Do: Refer to the key verse.

Say: David remembered that God would always be with him. David told Goliath that it was not his skill, but God’s power and might that would settle the battle. That is called having trust in God!

Ask: What about for us; what can our armor, our shield be against our giant problems [refer to the list that was made previously]? (allow all answers)

Say: Our armor is to trust that God will help us. We call that, having faith. The giant problems may still seem scary, but our faith in God helps us face them.

Do: Show the video to the class.

If time allows:

 

Do: Discuss ways for the cast members to improve their performance - actions to add, speaking volume that needs to be louder, facial expressions, voice inflections, where they are looking, where they are moving…

 

Do: Re-do the performance! Have the videographer record it.

Closing:

Say:  David had a special kind of armor – David trusted God to protect him.  He had learned to trust God as a shepherd.  David told Goliath that it was not his skill, but God’s power and might that would settle the battle. David had giant faith in God! This week, may your faith in God, help you to face all of your giants! 

Resources for Drama #2 Lesson:

• James, Steven. “The Day the Bully Went Down.” 30 Old Testament Quickskits for Kids. Cincinnati, OH: Standard Pub., 2004. Print. (p. 58-59.)
• MacQueen, Neil. “Critique of David & Goliath Lessons.” Rotation.org. 2004. Web.

Images in this post copyright Carol Hulbert.

If you use this material, even in a modified form, please include the following reference:

Pascoe, Beth and Carol Hulbert. "David and Goliath: Drama Lesson - 2015.” Rotation.org. 2008, 2015. Web.

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A lesson written by Carol Hulbert in 2008, updated by Beth Pascoe for 2015.

from First United Methodist Church, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.

Printed from https://www.rotation.org