Below are several Palm Sunday "Diorama Drama" Workshop lessons we wrote for several age groups in our Sunday School. We call the classroom/workshop where we do this kind of learning our “Soul Station.” It is a classroom setting and lesson plan in which students travel back in time with their imagination as they create interactive dioramas to tell Bible stories. In the Rotation Model, a different group 'rotates' into our Soul Station each week, but the teacher stays in the same workshop each week. In that way, the teacher really gets to know their lesson and how best to present it.

A diorama is a three-dimensional miniature scene in which figures, toys, backdrops, or other objects are arranged to recreate a Bible story scene.  Objects/characters can be moved as well as the story unfolds. Photos or video recordings can also be made.  Because we regularly teach with this method, we amassed quite a collection of figures and miniatures and misc props. We also make props and figures as needed.  Sometimes you might have a Star Wars figurine and Captain America in the same Bible scene with a Playmobile figure or LEGO person. Who plays what is a great discussion starter!

Learn more about Storytelling Tables and teaching with Dioramas here at Rotation.org

Palm Sunday

Diorama Workshop

Summary:

Students will build a diorama to help them imagine the actual events of Palm Sunday. Children will walk away with a deeper understanding of the story. Middle/Upper Elementary students will also learn the slight variations between each gospel’s telling of the story.

Editor's Note: In the attached PDF (see end of lesson) are adaptations for this lesson for various ages, from preschool to middle/upper elementary.

Scripture Reference:

Luke 19:28-44
Matthew 21:1-11
Mark 11:1-11

Leader Preparation:

• Read the scripture and background materials ahead of time.
• Gather the Materials

Materials List:

• Pen & Paper
• Brown Paper Bags (used for preschool group)
• Diorama supplies:
  • Ground Cover (possible cobblestone)
  • Jesus
  • At least 2 of the disciples
  • City gates
  • A large crowd of people
  • A donkey
  • Palm trees
  • Palm branches
  • City buildings
  • Stones
  • Religious leaders

Advanced Preparation Requirements:

See the attached PDF for variations in set up for different age groups.

For each age group, prepare the resources to tell the story. For Preschool & Early Elementary refer to instructions below. For older students, collect info about the four gospels, who wrote them, who the intended audience was for each author, and what makes them unique. (Ask your clergy for help).

Lesson For Preschool & Early Elementary

Opening:

Welcome kids to Soul Station as they arrive. Hand out name tags and create name tags for any new students. Introduce yourself. Explain what they'll be doing and what you hope they will learn.

Open with a prayer.

Activity:

Diorama Activity (30 Minutes)

Refer to the attached PDF for basic directions for this activity for this age group.

Tell the story using this (link removed no longer active).

Editor notes: Due to the story they used is no longer available, read from the scriptures or find a good children's version of the story that incorporates all three gospels.

Note: the following adaptions were made...

Preschool discussion:

• Have any of you ever seen pictures or a cartoon about a king or a queen? Can you tell me what kind of things a king or a queen have? Crown, fancy clothes, castle, etc
• The story we learned today teaches us that Jesus is a King. What kind of things make Jesus the very best King? He loves everyone, He heals the sick, He is God’s son, He is God, etc.
• Did you know that Jesus is still our King? Let’s all stand up and wave our hands in the air pretending that we are waving palm branches for Jesus!
• What kind of special things could you do this week to thank Jesus for being your King?

Extra time:

• Preschool aged children may have a limited attention span. Our focus at this age is to introduce a story and begin to teach them simple truths about God. Allow children to have free play time with the figurines and action figures.

Early Elementary Discussion:

• In fairy tales, what kind of things make a person a king or a queen? A castle, servants, fancy clothes, crown, throne, etc.
• The story we learned today teaches us that Jesus is a King. We didn’t see any castles and Jesus wasn’t wearing a crown but the Bible tells us that Jesus is the King of all Kings. What kind of things make Jesus the very best King? He loves everyone, He heals the sick, He is God’s son, He is God, He was sent by God, He rules over all of the earth, etc
• The Bible tells us that Jesus will reign as King forever. Right now Jesus is seated in His throne in Heaven but one day Jesus will be coming back to earth. At that time he will make the earth perfect and anyone who believes in Jesus and follows Him will get to be with Him forever!
• In the story, the crowds in Jerusalem waved palm branches and shouted Hosanna to praise Jesus for being their King. What kind of special things could you do this week to thank Jesus for being your King?

Prayer (2 Minutes):

Take a moment to thank Jesus for being our King. Have the class end the prayer by saying HOSANNA together!

Closing:

Encourage parents to work on the memory verse with their kids during the week.

For Middle & Upper Elementary

Opening:

Welcome kids to Soul Station as they arrive. Explain what they'll be doing and what you hope they will learn.

Prayer (2 Minutes):
Take a moment to pray for your morning together. Ask God to help us imagine what it would have actually been like to be on the scene of the Bible Story. Ask God to teach us through His word.

Study:

Team Story Reading (8 Minutes)

Students will be learning about the different details shown in each of the gospel versions of the Palm Sunday Story.

Assign app. 4 students to each gospel passage. As a team, have them read the story, paying close attention to detail and then recreate their scene through diorama.

Create!

Diorama Activity (30 Minutes)

Refer to the attached PDF for basic directions for this activity for this age group.

Give a 10 minute warning to wrap up the Diorama creations.

After teams are completed allow students to wander around the dioramas to point out what differences they see.

Say: We made Diorama’s about the Palm Sunday story found in different books of the Bible. Each of our stories came from a set of 4 books in the Bible called the Gospels. Each of the Gospels tell stories about Jesus’ life here on earth.

Ask: Can anyone name all four Gospels?

Say: Each of the gospels was written by a different author.

Have 4 different readers read the material previously collected about gospel differences.

Closing:

Encourage parents to work on the memory verse with their kids during the week.

Click on the "linked' (underlined) words below: "Soul Station Age Group Variations..." to download a file that includes directions for various age adaptations.

A lesson written by member ZBCC from Zion Baptist Community Church
Edmonton, Alberta and updated by a member of the Rotation.org Content Team