The following activity creates a new parable using parts of the seed and yeast parables, and results in a "dough-bird-seed" feeder that the kids can make and take home. In addition to revealing insights about the Kingdom of God, it is designed to help students understand how parables work and can be understood.

Notes to the Teacher:

The first two Kingdom parables about seed and yeast are similar in that they both "grow" something. The seed becomes a tree where birds can make their nests. The yeast grows the bread, making it larger, and tastier. Both parables have someone performing an action: sowing, kneading.

By creating a new parable, and discussing it's potential meanings, I am demonstrating to my kids how to explore what a parable is, and can be understood in different ways --depending on the way we look at them.  This is why Jesus taught in parable, to give us a visual image that continues to reveal new insights "to those with ears."

Lesson Steps

1. Begin mixing the dough

2. Set the dough aside to rise in a warm place for about 10 minutes.

3. Read and discuss the scriptures aloud.

4. Debrief what they just heard. See how much they can remember (and reinforce their memory) by asking them to remember as much as they can about the four parables. Write their answers on the board in four areas, one for each parable.

Say: Today, we're going to combine the first two parables about seed, birds, and yeast --and make our own new Kingdom Parable.

Our Parable: "the Kingdom of God is like someone who makes a bird seed feeder to feed birds."

When we say that, what are we saying the Kingdom of God is like?   Some possible meanings: The Kingdom is a place where birds are fed. The Kingdom happens when you work at feeding others.  The Kingdom is wherever God's food is offered to others.

5. Roll the dough in the birdseed.

Things to consider:  What shape could we make our feeder in? A cross? A fish?   Instead of rolling in the seed, what symbols or words could we press into the dough ball using seed that would say something about the Kingdom of God?

Keep your bread ball no thicker than an inch. Do not make the bread shape too thin or it will break. The thicker the piece, the longer it will take to dry. 

Punch a small hole in it where you will later attach a piece of yarn to hang the feeder.

6. Put the dough-seed in the oven for about 7 minutes at low temp (200 degrees) to hasten drying. You do not want to cook the seed. The feeder may need to finish drying outside of the oven (i.e. go stale). 

7. While the dough-feeder is in the oven, work with your students to answer the following questions about the new parable: "The Kingdom of God is like a person who makes a bird seed feeder to feed birds."  

• Who is the person in our parable?  Is it us? Or is it God?  (it could be both)
• Who are the birds that need fed in our world?  
• What is the seed-food that people need the most in their lives?   (peace, faith, forgiveness, love, comfort)
• Birdseed feeders are meant to be hung where birds are hungry. Where are the places in our lives, and in our world where people are hungry for.... (peace, faith, forgiveness...etc)

8. Remove the Bread-Birdseed feeders from the oven and let them cool for 2 to 3 minutes, then attach yarn for hanging.   During the cool-down, read the parables again and talk about the similarities between the parables of mustard seed and yeast.  Both are small, but grow and do wonderful things. Both are sown or worked-in by someone. Both provide something we need to live (shelter/protection/bread). You can also have them create a 'tag' to attach to their yarn with the new parable wording on it. 

Bread-Birdseed-Feeder Ingredients

Getting the ingredients perfect is not necessary. We also don't care if the dough rises much, if at all. The bread and yeast are merely references to the parable. Yes, there are a hundred other ways to make a bird feeder, but this one brings in the bread-yeast connection to help our students remember the parable. 

Birdseed Dough Ingredients:  (enough to make 7-9 bird feeders)

1/4 cup milk
5 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoons salt
5 teaspoons butter
1 package active dry yeast (plus however much warm water the yeast package calls for)
2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups wheat flour 
Nonstick cooking spray (o prevent the bread from sticking to the bowl or pan)
Bag of bird seed

Other:
A tray for the seed
A tray for the oven
Mixing bowl and utensils
Yarn and scissors
A small stick or straw to punch holes in the dough for the yarn
Plastic bags to carry the bird feeders home.