Reply to "DRAMA, NEWSROOM, PUPPET Workshop Lessons and Ideas for Last Supper, Communion, Sedar, Foot Washing"

"Frozen Photos" Last Supper Drama Workshop

Summary:

Through the use of a drama technique called “Frozen Picture” and video recording individual disciples' "monologues" the students will experience and re-enact the Last Supper. Following the viewing of their recording, you may conclude by watching "Come to the Table" (Sidewalk Prophets) featuring scenes from "The Chosen" miniseries.

Lesson Objectives:

The Last Supper was a “secret meal” because the religious leaders were trying to arrest and kill Jesus.
The bread represents Jesus’ body and the wine represents Jesus’ blood.
The Last Supper was eaten in community with His disciples.
Communion is remembering Jesus.
Through the use of a drama technique called “Frozen Picture” the children will experience the last supper.
The children will have a better understanding of who the disciples were and what part and feeling they played in the Last Supper.

Materials List:

Printed Scripts (see Resources - monologues)
Costumes
Props - table set for Last Supper (Examples: bowels or baskets of bread / grapes, jugs, goblets, juice)
Cue Cards (option: see lesson #4)
Da Vinci painting or another similar picture
“Come to the Table” music video by the Sidewalk Prophets (see music video below)
Digital Camera or CellPhone to take photos and videos of the monologues, a TV or screen to view their photos and monologues (see viewing tips here)

Lesson Plan

Opening

Welcome the children and introduce yourself.

Wear name tags and make sure children have nametags. Go around and let the children introduce themselves and ask briefly, what they think the Last Supper is? Or what they know about The Last Supper.

Start lesson with prayer, Ask for a volunteer, or teacher will pray. Thank God for the sacrament of communion and for giving us special symbols to help us remember Jesus and how much God loves us. Using the term “sacrament” will help the children understand that communion is a sacrament.

Study

Scripture/Bible Story:
Have children read the scripture from their Bibles. Highlight parts of the scriptures that highlight the story.

Application:
Before we begin we will explain that we will be recreating a picture of the Last Supper. Explain that we will be making a “Frozen Picture”, and also a short film. We will read a little bit about each character/disciple in our “Frozen Picture”. Prior to beginning we will look at a picture of the Last Supper. (Da Vinci painting or another similar picture).

Ask the children who the people in the picture are. We may write them down on a chart pad or poster. (They are sitting in the following order from left to right: Bartholomew, James, son of Alphaeus, Andrew, Judas, Peter, John, Jesus, Thomas, James the Greater, Philip, Matthew, Thaddeus, Simon.)
Drama!! Decide who is going to play the 13 characters. (12 disciples and Jesus) If we have some time later we can switch the characters, letting the children play different roles. Have props ready to complete scene/picture, bread, juice, etc.
Give each character their short ‘monologue’ (see resources) so they can read through it a couple times to prepare. If we have non-readers, we can act as a narrator to create the picture, asking the character to stand during his/her part.
We will get out the costumes to begin the drama, and we will begin to place the children on the stage. The child can read from a card on the table, or we may use cue cards in the back of the room. During the rehearsal part of the activity, we work with the children on projection, diction, eye contact, character development and movement. After several rehearsals we will begin to get ready for the taping of the scene. Also, we will take a still picture of the scene and compare it with the painting.
After taping the scene, we will begin to put back the costumes and clean up.

Reflect

Watch and discuss the video "Come to the Table" featuring scenes from the life of Jesus as portrayed in "Chosen" -- the popular and quite excellent series about the story of Jesus.

Closing:

Ask each child to share some details of the video that they will remember. Remind children that God notices the many “details” of our lives just as they noticed in the picture and video. Remind the children that bread and wine in the skit are special symbols for us. That the bread and wine represent the new covenant that God made for each of us and it cannot be broken.
Say the key verse together. We will have the verse printed on poster board.
PRAY! We will ask the children for prayer requests. We will thank God for the time spent learning and being together in fellowship.

Resources:

DISCIPLE’S MONOLOGUES FOR “LAST SUPPER” FROZEN MOMENT we used are from
“The Last Supper” Lesson Set, Apostle's Playhouse Workshop, from Rotation.org Member, The Kirk of Kildaire Presbyterian Church, Cary, NC

A lesson written by member Heather Brooks with updates from the Rotation.org Content Team and photos from Luanne Payne's church.

- Photos from Luanne Payne, Hampton United Church, Hampton, ON, Canada