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Pentecost: Spirit, Wind and Flame

Drama Workshop


Summary of Lesson Activities:

Children will reenact six different scenes from the story.

Scripture References:

NIV Adventure Bible – John 14:15-21, Acts 1:1-11, Acts 2:1-47

  • The Picture Bible – page 673-675, 677 to top of page 681

Memory Verse:
Acts 2:4

Theme:
Jesus’ promise to his disciples of a helper, the Holy Spirit, comes on the day of Pentecost and fills the disciples with courage and power. The Holy Spirit gives strength and courage to all believers today as well!

See Background Information link to first post.

Lesson Objectives:

  • Children will locate the story in the Bible.
  • Children will retell the story in their own words.
  • Children will understand the meaning of the word Pentecost.
  • Children will understand that Pentecost is celebrated as the birthday of the Church.
  • Children will recognize some of the symbols of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit.
  • Children will recognize that the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity.
  • Children will understand that the Holy Spirit gives strength and power to believers.
  • Children will discuss situations where the Holy Spirit can help them.
  • Children will memorize Acts 2:4

Advanced Preparations/Room Set Up:  

  • Read the background information and lesson materials.
  • Gather necessary props: fans for wind, red and orange crepe paper (or tissue paper) for flames, Bible costumes.
  • Cut apart the streamers into 18 inch lengths.
  • Twist 3-4 streamers together at one end and wrap with masking tape or staple. OR cut red/orange/yelow tisse paper into flame shapes. Twist the bottom together to make flames and secure with a small strip of masking tape or staple together.
  • Make “Scene Title Cards” for each of the scenes.
  • Set out costumes before children arrive to speed up costuming!

Supplies:

  • Orange and red crepe paper streamers or tissue paper cut into flame shapes
  • Masking tape or stapler
  • Fan
  • Biblical costumes/head drapes

Important Note for Drama Workshop Leaders:

  • You may wish to organize costumes or puppets ahead of time to cut down on a flurry of activity and possible hurt feelings. Have props ready ahead of time. This is especially important for the younger children. The older children often are very creative with props and costumes.
  • You will want to limit the amount of time the children are allowed to dress-up.  (They can easily spend the entire class time selecting costumes!) We have found that often simple head drapes are sufficient for most dramas and take much less dressing time!
  • Be sure that all children are involved in some way. Some children are intimidated by the prospect of being on a stage.  Offer them alternative roles as well as the children who do not have main parts.  They can always be “sound effects” or “crowds” or stagehands to help change scenery, or video camera operators (for the older children). Remember as well that children can draw the backdrop for the drama on the blackboard or videotape the plays (older children).
  • To eliminate competition, you may wish to place the names of characters in a hat and have children choose their parts.
  • Be sure to explain the activity to the children and ask for questions.
  • Even though videotaping the activities may seem unnecessary, videotaping seems to encourage better behavior from the children.
  • Have fun and make this fun for the children!
  • The purpose of the drama workshop is not to create a polished performance.  Through the activity, children will explore the story in depth.  Feel free to pause and discuss details as they arise, add more information (using the Background information and resources) and answer questions along the way.

Please start on time!

Time Guidelines:

Welcome and Introductions      5 minutes
Bible Study                           15 minutes
Drama                                   25 minutes
Reflection/Closing                   5 minutes



Lesson Plan

Early Arrival Activity
Have children draw a crowd of people with surprised looks on their faces on the blackboard. Review the memory verse with the children. Children can also make the tissue paper flames for the drama. (see instructions below)

Opening:

Welcome the children as they arrive. Please wear a nametag and help the shepherds distribute nametags to the children. Begin each class with introductions. Tell the children that today they will be learning about the special day called Pentecost, when God sent the Holy Spirit to the disciples.

Opening Prayer
Please begin each session with prayer.  “Loving and Powerful God, Thank you for this day and for the amazing stories in the Bible that teach us about you. AMEN.”

Important Teacher Notes:

Each workshop includes the Bible story. One of our primary goals is to improve the children’s Bible literacy!If children did not bring their Bibles from home, use the classroom Bibles. Shepherds should help the children locate the stories. Use the Background Information to help you introduce the story.

Remember that as the rotation progresses; the children will become more familiar with the story.  When this happens, allow the children to tell you what they know. The children should still locate the story in their Bibles every week. Use the Week 2, 3, 4 directions for Bible Study after the first week of the rotation.

You may want to review some of the Bible notes as well. Be sure to fill in any missing information and add additional details using the Background Information to help you. One of the greatest advantages of this model is that children who come regularly learn the story in great depth.

Dig:

Introduce the Story

After Jesus rose from the dead, he appeared to his disciples for an additional forty days. Before he ascended into heaven, he told them to go everywhere and tell people about the gospel – the good news! But first Jesus also told his disciples to stay in Jerusalem and to wait for the gift or helper the Father would send. Jesus knew the disciples would need help to spread the gospel. They needed the power of God living in them to give them strength to share Jesus’ message with the world.They needed the Holy Spirit!

Jewish people celebrate several feasts or special holidays throughout the year. Passover is their most important feast and celebration where they remember God’s miraculous deliverance of them from slavery in Egypt. This is what the disciples and Jesus were celebrating at the Last Supper (we just studied this last month). Another feast is called First Fruits. During this feast the people celebrate the very first of the harvest, offering thanks to God. Jesus rose from the dead on this feast day!  (what we call Easter). Fifty days after First Fruits is a celebration called Pentecost (which means 50 days) or Feast of Harvest. This is a celebration of the second harvest when more crops are available. Pentecost is a BIG celebration for the church today because God used this special day to bring about a BIG harvest – but not of crops, of new believers!

Let’s see what happened!

Bible Study: Grades K-2 (Week #1 only)

The Picture Bible

Where would we find a story that talks about Jesus’ followers in the Bible?  (New Testament)

Help the children locate the story on page 673. BRIEFLY review/paraphrase the story on the following pages – 674 to top of page 675, then 677 to top of page 681. Please be brief – the story will be reviewed through the drama activity.

Bible Study:  Grades 3-5 (Week #1 only)

NIV Adventure Bible

Scripture:  John 14:15-21, Acts 1:1-11, Acts 2:1-47

Where would we find a story about Jesus’ followers in the Bible? (New Testament)

This month’s story is found in the book of Acts in the New Testament. Acts is a book of history, telling all about the actions (ACTS) of the disciples and the growth of the early Christian church.

Help the children locate John 14:15-17. Read as they follow along.

Next read Acts 1:1-11 and Acts 2:1-13.

Paraphrase Peter’s great sermon to the crowd and end with Acts 2:40-41.

Bible Study: Weeks 2, 3, 4

Use this activity when children are familiar with the story or after the first week of the rotation.

Directions:

  1. Have children locate the story in their Bibles and keep their Bibles open to find answers if they can’t remember.
  2. Use the “Title Scene Cards” and their Bibles to have them sequence the story.
  3. Have them fill in additional details from each scene.

Discussion

  • What instructions did Jesus give the disciples before he ascended into heaven? (go tell the good news to the whole world, wait in Jerusalem until the “helper” comes)
  • What is the name of the feast the Jewish people celebrate 50 days after First Fruits (Easter)?  (Pentecost)
  • Describe what happened on the morning of Pentecost?  (the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, flames of fire above their heads, rushing wind sound)
  • How did the Holy Spirit affect the disciples? (they could speak in different languages, they felt powerful and courageous, they shared the good news with crowds of people)
  • How did those around them on that Pentecost morning react?  What would you do if suddenly people at your school acted like that?  What would you think?

Questions for later sessions in the rotation (deeper reflection):

  • What evidence did the disciples show that Jesus Christ is real? That the Holy Spirit is real? (Compare the disciples’ behavior and actions (especially Peter) before Pentecost and after.)
  • The Bible teaches us not to “judge” others. But the Bible also teaches that if someone is a Christian it ought to show in his/her life. What evidence was present in the disciples’ lives to show others they were believers?
  • What evidence is in YOUR life to show others you are a believer?
  • Jesus called the Holy Spirit by several names: (Comforter, Spirit of Truth, helper) How did the Holy Spirit help the disciples?
  • How can the Holy Spirit help you?
  • Where in our story did we see the power of the Holy Spirit? (Peter’s preaching, the number of people who believed)
  • When is a time that you have felt the Holy Spirit’s power?
  • Jesus knew that on our own, we can’t truly follow God’s ways. The Holy Spirit helps us know what God wants and gives us the strength and the courage to do it. The Holy Spirit helps us grow more and more like Jesus. This is the GOAL OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE – to become like Jesus!
  • Pentecost is often called the “birthday of the Church.” Why is that a good name for Pentecost?    

Memory Verse

Each rotation we encourage the children to memorize the Rotation Memory Verse. Review it with the children at this time.

“All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit.”  Acts 2:4

When we believe that Jesus Christ is our Savior, and ask for forgiveness for our sins, we become a Christian ('saved').  We are made right with God and become God’s friend forever. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside us – and is with us forever too. The Holy Spirit is our helper and gives us power and strength to live like Jesus! We can’t do this on our own; we need the Holy Spirit’s help!

Teacher Note:  It is especially appropriate here to share moments when you have elt the presence of the Holy Spirit in your own lives. These personal testimonies can be very powerful and help the children as they learn to be more sensitive to the Spirit’s work in their own lives.

Important Note for 3-5 graders (later weeks in the rotation):

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity – the three-in-one God we worship. The Holy Spirit is active in our lives even before we are Christians; this is called prevenient grace. The Holy Spirit woos us, nudges us, and draws us closer and closer to Christ. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, and become a Christian (what some people call 'saved'), we are made right with God. That is justifying grace. The Holy Spirit now dwells within us! Now the Holy Spirit has an even closer relationship with us and continues to communicate with us, giving us God’s power and helping us grow ever closer to God and more and more like Christ (the goal of the Christian life is to become like Christ!). The action of the Holy Spirit after we become Christians is a lifelong process of growing more like Jesus and is called sanctifying grace. John Wesley called this “going on to perfection.”

Drama - The Holy Spirit Comes:

Directions:

  1. Review the different characters needed for the play (disciples – especially Peter, Jesus, crowd)
  2. Assign parts and include one or two children to create the wind (using fans).
  3. Help children dress in simple Bible costumes. You may wish to just use head-drapes to simplify!
  4. Walk the children through the basic story as outlined below. Discuss what is happening and what the disciples and others present might have been feeling/seeing/hearing. Then encourage them to act out the scenes. As each scene is acted out, tape the correct “Scene Title Card”  to the blackboard – this will help identify the scenes in photographs.
    1. “Wait in Jerusalem.”
    2. Pentecost morning – wind and flames and different languages.
    3. Crowds are amazed!
    4. You are all drunk!
    5. Peter preaches!
    6. 3000 people become believers!
    7. Take pictures of the various scenes.
    8. Consider videotaping the different scenes.  

Follow-up Discussion:

  • What do you think it must have been like to be present on the day of Pentecost?
  • What would have been the most surprising part to you?
  • How do you think you would have reacted?
  • What do you think about the change in the disciples after Pentecost?
  • How has the Holy Spirit acted in your life?   

Reflection:

The last ten minutes should be reserved for journal time. This is an opportunity for processing and reflection about what the children have learned.

Journal Questions:

Grades K-2: Draw a picture showing the disciples when the Holy Spirit came.

Grades 3-5:  What does this story teach you about God?

Closing Prayer
Encourage the children to come back next week for another workshop, and to invite their friends.  Remind the children of one word or concept from today’s session. Holy Spirit, Christian, power, courage are some possibilities. Ask for prayer requests and pray together, ending with the Lord’s Prayer.

Clean-up
Help Shepherd collect Journals and nametags and put away. Gather all the props and costumes and put them away in the prop and costume closet.




A lesson from State Street UMC, Bristol, VA

A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.

Last edited by Luanne Payne
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