Art Lesson Plan - Gideon's Ram's Horn

Written by Rev. Ron Shifley from
Scotland United Church of Christ
Scotland, SD, USA

Memory Verse: “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

Supplies:

 Real shofar to look at and try

 Gideon Bible Storybook: "Gideon and the Time of the Judges" by Scandinavia Publishing

 Party Horns (6 for a dollar and Dollar Tree)

 Tissue paper (browns)

 White glue (diluted) or liquid starch

 Paintbrush for glue

 Masking Tape to hold middle fold before wrapping

Source: “Dollar Store Shofar Craft” from BibleBeltBalabusta.com, Sept. 13, 2014; “The Sounds of the Shofar” from joyfuljewish.wordpress.com, Sept. 16, 2012.

Instructions on how to make the ram's horn (shofar) are available at http://biblebeltbalabusta.com/...-store-shofar-craft/

Lesson Plan:

Introduce the project by showing kids an authentic shofar (ram’s horn trumpet), and telling them that we will be making our own ram’s horns in Creation Station to help experience this month’s Bible story about Gideon.

Ask: In what ways the kids think ram’s horns were used in Bible times? Ask: How trumpets are used today? Tell the kids that ram’s horns were important in Bible times, to sound an alert or warning, to announce the arrival of a king, to surprise an enemy, as an instrument of worship, to call people to attention, etc.

Say:  there is even a biblical holiday held in the fall called “Feast of Trumpets.” [Leviticus 23:23-25]

Begin art project with students.

1. Kids tear strips of tissue paper: 10 to 15 strips. Neatness does not count. 2. Kids paint horn with diluted glue, then wrap and smoosh layers of paper onto the glue. Repeat until original color of horn is obscured. Wrinkles are good: they make the horn look more real. Make sure the horn still has the two creases. Let dry. This part will take forever, so begin Dig into the Word as students work.

DIG INTO THE WORD

Read the story of Gideon from the Gideon Bible Storybook.

Ask: “Why do you think the Lord had Gideon’s army blow the trumpets as they surrounded the Midianite army in the middle of the night. [To startle them away, make them panic, make them think Gideon’s army was all over them.]

Ask: What would you have thought if you were a member of Gideon’s army and you were told that the battle plan was just to blow rams horns, wave torches in the air and shout “For the Lord and for Gideon”? [Let kids respond with various answers, share one of your own saying that it made no sense. Etc.]

How did this method of battle show Gideon and his army that God was the one who was in charge of the battle? [God caused the enemy to panic. Gideon’s army didn’t have to attack, the Midianites attacked each other.]

Say: Gideon had to learn to listen to God and to obey His instructions in order to win the battle.  What are some ways that we can listen for God's voice (prayer, reading the Bible, etc.)

What other Bible stories does a ram’s horn/trumpet play an important role?

•  Joshua and the battle of Jericho [Joshua 6:15-20]
•  Nehemiah rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem [Nehemiah 4:16-21]
• The Second Coming of Christ [Matthew 24:30-31; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17]

How is the trumpet used in each Bible story? Why do you think the ram’s Horn is used to show God’s power?

Say:  Now that our rams horns are about dry, let's practice sounding the shofar.

[Use this link to teach the different sounds of the shofar via the link below.  Give time to let students blow the real shofar and to make sounds with the rams horns that they have created.

 https://joyfuljewish.wordpress...sound-of-the-shofar/

After students have had time blowing their rams horns, gather them together to recite this month's Bible memory verse.

Close with prayer thanking God for heros like Gideon who listened to God's instructions, and asking for open hearts and open minds to hear God speak his Word into our lives today.