David Anointed King

Movie Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:

The children will watch a portion of David (TNT Bible Collection) and then will consider what it means to have a “heart for God” as they create their own movie scenes. They will have an opportunity to give their hearts to Jesus.

Scripture Reference:

1 Samuel 16: 1-13

Memory Verse:

1 Samuel 16:7b (NIV)

Objectives for the rotation
(see listing above)

Teacher preparation in advance:

• Read the scripture passages and lesson plan and attend the Bible Study, ...
• Preview the video. Be familiar with the places where the video should be stopped for discussion. From Neil MacQueen’s “Two Most Important SHOWING TIPS: 1.) Use the PAUSE button. It’s your most powerful ‘video’ teaching tool. 2.) Don’t be afraid to view an important scene a second time. Kids (and adults) watch movies over and over all the time.”
• Have the video cued to the proper starting place.
• Prepare a closing prayer.
• Learn the memory verse and sign language to go with it (attached).
• Confer with the Shepherd on age level adjustments needed each week (those included in the lesson plan and your own). Consider the “Stretchers” you can use, especially with the youngest children.
• Before class prepare 2 bags or boxes: Fill a pretty gift bag or box with a few small rocks or pebbles and some scraps of newspaper. Close it at the top so the children can’t see what’s inside. Put the snack item for the day into a plain, wrinkled paper lunch bag and staple it shut or put it into an ugly unwrapped box.

Room set-up:

• Students will sit in seats or on the floor facing the television/projection screen.
• They will need tables to do the filmstrip project, or have pieces of stiff cardboard they can use as lap “desks.”

Supply List

• Video: David. (TNT Bible Collection), Vision Videos.
  NOTE from the Writing Team Lesson Plan: “This movie comes from the TNT Bible Collection. David is an adult feature-length film that contains graphic violent scenes (which are not gratuitous, but true to the Bible). However, the short clip that pertains to David’s anointing is appropriate for children.
• Newsprint or poster board and appropriate markers
• For snack: popcorn in baggies in an unattractive box or bag (see Advance Preparation) plus some rocks in an attractive bag or box.
• wet wipes, cups, water
• papers with “filmstrip boxes” printed on them (attached)
• markers and pens
• posterboard with memory verse
• Memento: heart stickers
• Shepherd Time: no special supplies

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.

Explain the purpose of this workshop: After we read our scripture, we are going to see the story come to life in a video. Then you will have an opportunity to make your own “mini-movie” that demonstrates how God looks at our hearts, not our outsides.

But first, we need to choose a snack for today. Which bag/box would you like to get your snack from? [After they pick, show them what’s inside each bag and tell them that just like in today’s story, we can’t tell by looking at the outside what’s really inside. Tell them we will have the snack after we read from the Bibles so we don’t get them sticky/salty.]

Dig-Main Content and Reflection:

Scripture/Bible Story:
Ask the kids who David was and what he did. See how much they know. Write some of these things on a large piece of paper.

Introduce the movie to them and set up the scene. You might also write on the large piece of paper a TIMELINE of where the anointing of David takes place in Biblical history (after Adam and Eve, Joseph, Exodus, Joshua, Ruth and before the prophets and Jesus; about 1000 BC).

Write on the big sheet the Bible passage citation for the story: 1 Samuel 16: 1-13.

Distribute Bibles and ask the students to find the passage in the book of 1 Samuel. Read it with them. [Encourage the children to use their Bibles in looking up verses. “The stories about David are in the books of Samuel (there are two). Samuel was the prophet who anointed David. 1 and 2 Samuel come after Ruth; her story was during the time of the Judges and so the book of Ruth follows the book of Judges, which follows Joshua, who followed Moses. And you remember the first five books of the Bible are the books of (written by) Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. – or you can use the table of contents!” We restate information about Bible organization in each workshop to be sensitive to visitors and new children in the class who may not have any knowledge of the Bible. We never want a child to feel like they do not belong because they do not know this information before they come to class.]

Younger children: 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.

Application:
Tell about some of the characters in the video:

• Samuel, a prophet, is the old man who was sent by God to go to see Jesse. He anoints David.
• King Saul is the first King of the Israelites. God is not pleased with Saul. God wants David to unite the scattered tribes of Israel into one united nation.
• Jesse (David’s father) is the son of Obed and the grandson of Boaz and Ruth. Rahab is his great-grandmother.

Note for teacher (excerpt taken from the Writing Team Lesson Plan):

The clip should begin about twenty-five minutes into the film, after Samuel expresses the Lord’s disappointment to Saul. Start when the Lord’s voice says (against the backdrop of a cloud-studded sky), “Samuel, fill your horn with oil and set out for Bethlehem. There you will find a man named Jesse. Among his sons, there is a king.” The clip is short -- approximately nine minutes. Samuel does indeed travel to Bethlehem, where he meets Jesse and his sons. He finds David in the field, and realizes that he is God’s chosen one. Samuel then anoints David and the clip should end there. This brief segment is appropriate for all age groups, though the children may snicker at the very end because Samuel kisses David three times -- once on each cheek and briefly on the lips as they embrace.”

While you’re watching the video, think about:
[write the following sentences on a large piece of paper posted in the room. After viewing the clip, pass out markers and have the kids post their answers to the questions.]
Question #1 - Why did God choose David to be King?
Question #2 - How did some of the people react to David being chosen?

Pass out wipes, popcorn and drinks. Start the video about twenty-five minutes into the film, after Samuel expresses the Lord’s disappointment to Saul. Start when the Lord’s voice says (against the backdrop of a cloud-studded sky), “Samuel, fill your horn with oil and set out for Bethlehem. There you will find a man named Jesse. Among his sons, there is a king.” (You might want to identify characters as they appear.)

Stop the video after David is anointed.
Any questions or comments about the video?

Allow some time for the children to answer the 2 questions on the flipchart. (Have them answer based on what they think and know, not just on the movie clip. The older children may write their own answers; younger children may dictate their answers, or just discuss them without writing them.)

Additional discussion questions:

• God did not choose the older brothers. What did Samuel think when he first saw the young David? Do you think he was too young? What do you think David’s brothers thought about God’s choice? [he’s too young, why did God choose him?]
• Read the memory verse. Did you hear it in the movie? I wonder what God saw in David’s heart that others couldn’t see by looking at him? [accept all answers; suggestions: David’s love for God, the Holy Spirit in him]
• What does God see in your heart? What does God know about you that others do not?

Please note that even though David was chosen by God and anointed, he did not become king until many years later.

Reflect:
Pulling it all together (closing discussion):

Older Children:
[adapted from Writing Team lesson plan by Neil MacQueen]
Talk about what it means to have a “heart for God.” Circle the particularly good or relevant ideas on the big sheet of paper (post-movie discussion) and add your own suggestions.

Invite the students to create a “film” about God choosing them because they have “hearts for God.”

Distribute film strip pages and markers and pens and pencils. Guide the group as they create their “movies.” The movies can be several panels long. They can include a title for their movie, opening scenes of God saying, “I choose you _____ because you’re __________.” Help them define in their movie what a “heart for God is all about.” They should include words, phrases, symbols and so forth. (Those can be written on the white space around the edge of the film boxes.) Stick figure artwork is fine!

Share the films with each other.

Younger Children:
Talk about what it means to have a “heart for God.” Circle the particularly good or relevant ideas on the big sheet of paper (post-movie discussion) and add your own suggestions.

Invite the students to create a “film” about God choosing David because he had a “heart for God.” Encourage them to recap the Bible story. Help them write key dialog around the edges of the film boxes. Have them copy the memory verse onto their pages. (Have a poster with the memory verse posted.)

Share the films with each other.

Review the memory verse.
Teach the children the memory verse using American Sign language (see attached instructions).

At 11:45 a.m. turn the class over to the Shepherd. Suggestion: You may wish to give the children a heart sticker to wear home as a reminder of the story.

Shepherd Time:
It is good to have a Heart for God.
It is good to have Jesus in your heart. You can choose to invite Jesus into your hearts.

God loves us so very much that He gave us His only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for us. Jesus died and rose again so we could be forgiven for all the wrong things we do. If we ask him, Jesus will come into our lives. He will always be with us and help us to make the right choices. If we believe in Jesus, that he is God’s son and that he died for us, then someday we will live forever with him in Heaven.

I invite you to pray and tell Jesus that you are sorry for the wrong things you have done. Tell him you are sorry. Tell him that you are putting your trust in him alone and that you want to follow him. If you want to pray this, I will be happy to pray with you. If you pray this, let me or your parents or Mr. Garnett know. It is an exciting thing to ask Jesus into your heart!

This is meant to be a time of reflection and introspection. Talking and thinking about faith helps clarify lessons. Answer any questions the children may have, and let them know that you are available after class also. Be sure to share news of the children’s spiritual development with their parents.

You may want to provide an extra activity or worksheet for children, such as coloring sheets, crossword puzzles, word searches, games. See the Teachers’ Background Notes and rotation.org for ideas.

Before noon, ask the students to sit quietly for prayer so they can leave when their parents arrive.

Closing: 
Thank God for seeing inside each of our hearts. Pray that the children will find hearts for God which they can invite Jesus into.

Tidy and Dismissal:

• Ask children to help tidy the room. Give any specific instructions for clearing the workshop room.
• Make sure they take their “movies” home with them.
• Give everyone the parent take-home flyer the first week of the rotation; give it only to children who were absent and have not yet received it the other weeks of the rotation.

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. Some ideas are included in the lesson plan.

Resources:

• American Sign Language Browser: http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm
• Catherine. FAITH QUEST. “David: God’s Chosen King.” Holywood Lesson plan.
• Lawler, Linda. Educational patterns for Children’s Ministry Lesson 18: David the shepherd boy is chosen to be king. (Source for opening wrapped gift activity.)
• MacQueen, Neil. "A Manual for the Video - A/V Workshop. https://www.rotation.org/topic...-video--a-v-workshop
• MacQueen, Neil and Debbie Fisher. Posting at rotation.org’s Lessons and Ideas Exchange: Rotation.org's Writing Team Lesson Set on Samuel, Saul, Anointing of David: Cinema/Video Workshop. https://www.rotation.org/topic...chosen-king---cinema
• Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society. 

David is Anointed

Memory Verse Sign Language

The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7b

LORD The sign KING is made with a L handshape. (Move your hand from the chest to the waist while crossing the body. The movement indicates the location of the royal sash worn by kings.)

(NOT) LOOK AT The sign V handshape represents the eyes and it is moved forward to indicate that the eyes are looking at something. (Shake head as you do the sign to indicate “not.

THINGS The palm is facing upward and the hand bounces to the side to indicate different items (things).

MAN (PEOPLE) The P handshapes move in alternating circles. The circular movement can be forward or backward

LOOKS AT The sign V handshape represents the eyes and it is moved forward to indicate that the eyes are looking at something.

MAN (PEOPLE) The P handshapes move in alternating circles. The circular movement can be forward or backward

LOOKS AT The sign V handshape represents the eyes and it is moved forward to indicate that the eyes are looking at something.

OUTWARD (OUTSIDE) The sign OUT is repeated. (OUT: One hand comes out from a hole made by the other hand.)

APPEARANCE The same as the sign for face. (FACE: The forefinger circles the face.)

LORD The sign KING is made with a L handshape. (Move your hand from the chest to the waist while crossing the body. The movement indicates the location of the royal sash worn by kings.)

LOOKS AT The sign V handshape represents the eyes and it is moved forward to indicate that the eyes are looking at something.

HEART The middle finger taps the chest over the area of the heart.

These signs are from the American Sign Language Browser: http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm. You can see the signs demonstrated there.

This lesson was written by Amy Crane for River Community Church
Prairieville, Louisiana. 

 Copyright 2004 Amy Crane. Permission granted to freely distribute and use, provided the copyright message is included.

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