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(WT) Adam & Eve ~ Photography

Rotation.org Writing Team

 

Adam & Eve

 

Photography Workshop

 

 

Summary of Lesson Activity

 
Children create a painting of light using a special photographic, light-sensitive paper, to illustrate what it means to say that, like Adam and Eve, we are created in "God's image," and that light is intended to shine within and through us.

 

This Photography Workshop lesson's direction is a bit different from others in the set in that it focuses on the idea of Adam and Eve were "made" in God's image... and how temptation and sin blocks that image from guiding us and shining through us (and God's light) to others.

 

 

sunlightpaintingHow the photo paper project works:

 

Using "Nature Print" photosensitive paper, students will first design an illustration on paper, then re-sketch their drawing onto a clear "overhead transparency" sheet using black permanent marker.  They will then tape the clear transparent sheet to a sheet of photo-sensitive "nature paper" and expose to sunlight for about 2 minutes. They will then rinse it in a pan of water and dry it. The Nature Print paper will turn blue wherever the sunlight hits it, and remain white wherever the sun could not get through the black permanent marker, in effect, painting with light.

 

 

Scripture

 

Passage: Genesis 2:4-3:24

 

Key/Memory Verse: "So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them...."Genesis 1:27 (NRSV)   (See other suggested verses at the end of the lesson.)

 

Sin dims, God's light makes right.

 

 

Objectives for the Rotation

 

See Bible Background.

 

 

Objectives for this Workshop


Children will understand:
  • They are created like Adam and Eve in the image of God.
  • That this "image" of himself that God has given to each of us, is our ability to be creative, to love and forgive others, and to be good stewards.
  • That as Christians we are to follow God's light and reflect it to others, not letting sin cover it up.

 


 

Preparation

  • Read Bible Background, scripture and lesson.
  • The teacher should make their own "light" drawing to have something to show students, and test out how the paper works. 
  • Fill the pan with about two inches of water. Depending on the size of the class, you may need to dump and refill to get all of the prints rinsed.
  • Purchase "Nature Print" photosensitive paper from a craft of hobby shop or from a company like Oriental Trading Company or Dick Blick Art Supply.  
  • Tape the word "God" to the wall somewhere in your room.

 

 

Materials List

  • Pan of water at least 3" deep and 10 x 12 for 'fixing' the image in water
  • Towel for drying off prints
  • "Overhead transparency" clear plastic sheets (heavy) - one per student
  • Permanent markers (black/opaque) - one per student
  • "Nature print" brand photo-sensitive paper (available through online retailers) - one sheet per student
  • Sheets of 8.5x11 paper for first sketching the drawing - one per student
  • incandescent flood lamp (optional)
  • Tape
  • A strong flashlight
  • A roll of tin foil
  • A cloth (could use a washcloth - needs a tight weave so light does not go through it)
  • The word "God" written on a piece of paper
  • Bibles

 



 

Lesson Plan

 

Open

 

Welcome your students and then introduce today's story by doing the following . . .


Explain that the word "photo-graphy" means “drawing with light.” Ask the students if they can remember the very first thing God brought into existence (light). Ask them what the last thing God created was (human beings).

 

Tell them that today we will be using the first and last things in Creation to make a photograph about the important connection between God, light, and each of us.

 

 

A Demonstration about light using a flashlight, tin foil, and a "sin-cloth."

 

Do:  Turn off the lights (or in a semi-dark room, tell the students to pretend its dark).

Ask the students what light does for us? (it helps us see) 

Do:  Shine your flashlight around the room at things, asking the students what the light helps them see.  

 

Say: When the Bible talks about each of us being "created in the image of God, one way to understand what that means is to think of God's image as being God's Light! We have God's light around us, and in us. "Light" is also a way our faith describes God's power and presence.

 

Do: Trace a path around the room with the flashlight.

 

Say: God is like light in our darkness, a lamp showing us the way to go. The light of Christ is another use of light in the Bible. Christ's light helps us to find God.

 

Do:  Shine your flashlight around the room until you find the word "God" you've taped to the wall.

Say:  Without Jesus' help, it is very difficult to believe God is with us. And because we are created in God's Image, it means we too are suppose to show people the right way to live, to show others the way to God.

 

Say: Turn off the light, and you run into things! That's the problem Adam and Eve had in the garden. They didn't think they needed God to tell them right from wrong.

Ask:  They wanted to be their own light, and what happened to them? (they sinned...they ate from the wrong tree)  

Ask:  And what did they do when God came looking for them?  

Say: They hid (in the darkness) behind the bushes. Sin and separation from God is often described as "darkness" in the Bible. Sin tries to dim the image of God within us.

 

Say: Now I want to show you something else that's important about God's light. We can share God's light with others.

 

Do:  Quickly wrap a student in tin foil and send them across the dark room, then shine your flashlight beam on them. They'll light up....bouncing light to others.)  

Say: When we prepare ourselves with faith, we can shine God's glory to others, and they can see the presence of God in us.

 

Say: But here's the problem,  SIN BLOCKS GOD'S LIGHT. Sin makes us think we don't need God's light. And sin keeps God's light in us from being as powerful as it can be.

 

(Demonstrate these three things using your flashlight, the person in foil, and a piece of cloth blocking the light, covering the person's eyes, or laying across their foil.)

 

"Sin dims." "Light makes right."

 

 

A Bible study under the light

 

Do:  Keep the lights off and gather everyone around close to you while one person holds the flashlight above so that everyone can see their Bibles. (God's light helps us see/understand God's Word!)

 

Do:  Read together Genesis 2:4-3:24, or use a storybook version of it with younger kids.

 

Do:  As you read through the various sections of the story, interject questions, such as:

 

Does the Snake represent light or darkness?

Adam and Eve choose to eat the forbidden fruit. Is that a God's light or Sin's darkness moment?

God comes looking for them; a God's light moment or sin darkness moment?
Adam and Eve hide in the bushes then blame each other; light or darkness?

God makes clothes to cover their shame; light or dark?
God goes with them into creation; light or dark?

 

The Reflection Activity:  Painting with God's light

 

Describe the "Nature Print" painting with light activity they will now do. Show them your example and walk them through the steps they will need to create their drawing:

 

  1. On practice paper, sketch out a scene from the Creation Story that shows lots of creative God light falling down across creation, and beaming on Adam and Eve.  Students may be literal or artistic in their illustration. Add words and ideas. See more suggestions below.

    Have them include a drawing of themselves in the illustration. Remind them to keep in mind that wherever they draw with black marker, it will appear white on the final photo. And wherever they leave their drawing blank, it will appear blue.

    ♦ Consult with each of them about their sketch before giving them a transparency.
  2. On a sheet of transparency, students re-create their illustration using black permanent marker. Note for older students, by varying how dense they make their black drawing, some light will be able to shine through the plastic and onto the photo paper.
  3. Tape the clear sheet to the top of a sheet of Nature Print photographic paper. then COVER the project with an opaque sheet (such as construction paper) to keep light from leaking onto the photo paper until it is time to expose it to the sun.
  4. Expose the photo paper (with the transparency taped to the top) to sunlight per the paper's instructions (about 2 minutes). If you do not have strong sun, have a back-up incandescent flood lamp.  Immediately after exposure, remove the transparency and rinse the photo paper in the water bath. Towel dry but do not rub it.

 


Suggestions for including in the 'Light Painting' about 'Light'

 

God's Light, Sun, The Tree of Life, Good fruit, cross, hearts, light that bounces from God to me to you. Tree of Light? God's light shining on our path. A shriveled snake in the sun.  You covered in foil!  A flashlight, a Bible beaming light. Adam and Eve.

 

Write scripture on the transparency, such as:

 

"And God Said, Let There Be Light!"

 

"...in him was life, and the life was the light of all people."

 

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it." (John 1)

 

Or write: Sin dims. Light makes right!

 

 

Notes on Technique:

  • Make sure the black lines are colored in densely so that no light will get to the paper beneath.  
  • Use lighter colors so that 'some' light gets through to the paper, creating a more artistic effect.
  • Add real objects on top of the transparency ("Creation stuff" like shells, leaves, branches, grass).  
  • Provide "people" and "tree" cut outs made from black paper for a quick add to the drawing.  Pre-made shapes will be especially helpful for younger students.
  • Alternately, strips of black paper can be pasted to the transparency.

 


 

Written by: Neil MacQueen for the Writing Team based on a great idea from WT writer Grace Buchanan.

  

 

Copyright © 2015 by Rotation.org
Printed from https://www.rotation.org

 

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