"Cellphone Selfie Stories"
Kids love taking pictures of themselves on the cellphone (or tablet). So here's a fun way to tell a Bible story using your cellphone camera's "selfie" setting. It's very similar to "posing" or creating a Bible story "tableaux" --but it does it using the popular "selfie" mode on your camera and in doing so, emphasizes only the FACES and facial expressions of the students.
- First, you copy the scripture to a handout and make copies for the class. (Look up your scripture at biblegateway.com and use your mouse to copy the text to a doc for printing.)
- After the kids read it and discuss it with you, form them into groups so that each group has a cellphone that can take selfies. Assign a volunteer helper who has a cellphone. This is a great opportunity to involve teenagers to help you.
- Each group marks up the scripture handout --dividing the verses into "selfies they need to take to retell the story."
- Now here's the educational thing, they have to decide what facial expressions in their selfie will help tell the story at each point in the scripture.
- Finally... plug your cellphone (or 'cast') it into your TV so everyone can see the selfies. Have the group leader advance through the selfies as the rest of the group reads the passage aloud.
This technique is particularly suited for stories where there are several characters, or scenes, and things happening, such as miracles, or arguments. Pharisees, disciples, etc. Each line of dialog in a story is a potential photograph of the student portraying that person. Then you can photograph the reaction of the crowd or person being talked to.
Jonah's reaction to being in the whale...
The Pharisee's reaction to Jesus healing the paralytic let down through the roof...
etc.
Selfie "sticks" are also a helpful and fun tool (and very inexpensive).
Tip: Make up your own "selfie story" ahead of time using fun selfies taken by the PASTOR to go with the story, or in lieu of their sense of humor, yourself.
Younger Child Adaptation: Have them hold the camera while you press the selfie button on the camera.
How do you get cellphone or tablet photos to show up on a TV screen?
It's easy if you have a modern cellphone, cellphone cable, and modern TV which has an input for media. Learn how here. It's even easier if you have a tech-saavy teen helping you
Tip: Be sure your phones have full-charges!
