This topic is a set of Rotation Model-style lessons we wrote combining all the stories in both Matthew and Luke. The kids "rotate" to a different workshop each week for several weeks in a row. You'll notice some updates as we taught this rotation twice over a six year period.

The Story of Jesus' Birth

According to Matthew 1:18-23, Luke 1:26-38 and 2:1-20, Matthew 2:1-15

a Lesson Set

Summary of all workshops in this Rotation:

• Art: Create stained glass votive holders using colors to represent the characters in the story of Jesus’ birth. (Uses glass paint)
• Cooking: Make a nativity snack bag to help them learn the story.
• Games: Using the game wheel & a quiz game focus on the Bible story of Jesus’ birth & the difference between what it says & what people think it says.
• Photography: Create tableaux (still pictures) of each portion of the story.
• Video: Hear the birth narrative from the perspective of the Peanuts characters in the video, A Charlie Brown Christmas.
  
  Note: These workshops were written for 1st through 6th graders though not all grades visit all workshops.
  
  

Scripture References:

Matthew 1:18-23, Luke 1:26-38 and 2:1-20, Matthew 2:1-15

Key Verse:

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11 (King James Version)

"She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” Matthew 1:23b (NLT)

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

• Name that the story is found in the New Testament.
• For 3^rd grade and up: Locate the story in Luke.
• Restate the sequence & timing of story events of Jesus’ birth, in his/her own words.
• Define Immanuel, a name for Jesus, as “God is with us.”  Explore ways that God makes his presence known to us.
• Discover that God sent us his son Jesus because God loves us.

A lesson set written by folks from: First United Methodist Church in Ann Arbor, MI
Copyright First United Methodist Church, Ann Arbor, MI. Permission to copy materials granted for non-commercial use provided credit is given and all cited references remain with this material. You are welcome to modify what you need from these lessons.