Rotation.org Writing Team
Advent: Isaiah Foretold, Jesus Fulfilled
Video / Audio Visual Workshop
Summary of Lesson Activity
Students will watch a terrific 8 minute film from the Jesus Project which explains God's Plan for the World and the purpose and prophecies concerning the coming of the Messiah. This brief film includes Isaiah, whom your students will next read from using hand motions.
All this is in preparation for creating their own "movie trailer" announcing the coming of "The Amazing Messiah" using a fun script (provided below).
Scripture
Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 9:6-7a (See scriptures with hand motions attached to this lesson.)
Memory Verse: Isaiah 9:6b
Objectives for the Rotation
Objectives for this Workshop
- This workshop will emphasize the qualities (traits, expectations) of the Messiah found in Isaiah and which Jesus will embody when he is born.
- It will also help students understand how Jesus' coming was promised by the Old Testament and fulfills the Old Testament's hope --from the beginning.
"The Beginning" (2010) is a terrific short film produced by the same folks who created the Jesus Film. It starts with a high-quality Creation Story then moves into the story of Abraham's near-sacrifice of Isaac as a way of laying the groundwork for the coming sacrifice of the promised Messiah. Prophets, promises, including those from Isaiah, are featured. The language is kid-friendly. It's free and can either be viewed online in HD, or downloaded as an MP4 video and played on any DVD player or computer.
Here is the YouTube version of "The Beginning." Be sure to view or download the high-def version from the Jesus Film website.
After viewing the film and studying Isaiah's scripture, students will make a "movie trailer" of their own alerting people to the Coming of the Messiah, what he will be like and do.
Preparation
- Read Bible Background, scripture and lesson.
- Download to file or prepare to show from online the online version of "The Beginning"
- Set up a video camera on a tripod (or smartphone that has a video camera).
- Make sure you have a way to connect your video camera or smartphone to a TV or LCD projector for viewing. See tips here.
- Print the 3 documents attached to this lesson at rotation.org:
(1) Isaiah Scripture Motions
(2) Messiah Movie Trailer Script
(3) Movie Review Questions
Materials List
- Bibles
- Video camera connected to a monitor
- Download or prepare to show "THE BEGINNING" -a free 8 minute film from TheJesusFilm.org ~ https://www.jesusfilm.org/watc...ginning/english.html
- Character supplies. See costume suggestions at the end of the Script.
- Preview and prepare several movie trailers for playback during the opening. You can find children's movie trailers on YouTube, or look on your DVDs for trailers to refresh student's memories of what a "trailer" is.
Lesson Plan
Open
Welcome your students and share today's lesson activities. Tell them that they will be studying and making a "movie trailer" about the Prophet Isaiah's message that the Messiah was coming, a promise that would be fulfilled in the birth of Jesus.
Show "The Beginning" -the 8 minute film that sets the stage for this lesson, and explains how the coming of the Messiah fits into God's Story for humanity.
Introducing the Scripture:
Use the attached scripture hand motions to read the Isaiah scriptures for this lesson. Do this several times, the first time having them repeat after you. The second time go around in a circle, assigning individual lines and motions to each student so they only have to remember one, then going around the circle two or three times until everyone gets their part right (while everyone else remembers and moves along with them). Then have the entire group recite the words and motions.
Some Notes for your commentary:
♦ Isaiah wrote about the promised Messiah 700 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. God's plan doesn't always happen fast, and we don't see every part of that plan, but trust God.
♦ Isaiah describes the Messiah as a counselor and peacemaker, "God with us," not a warrior or king like some expected. This is one of the reasons people rejected Jesus, because he didn't fit their expectations of what the Messiah would be like.
♦ Do the hand motion again for "God with us." It moves up, then down, then left and right. What shape is that? (a cross).
Now you may want to show your students a fun movie trailer script to get them in the mood.
Lights, Camera, Action!
"In a world where...." 
View the attached "movie trailer script" for The Amazing Messiah ...coming to a Bethlehem theater near you this Christmas
1) Assign roles.
2) Set-up the scene "stations".
3) Have characters fill in the blanks in their script.
4) Do a practice run for each character.
5) Then perform while videotaping.
There are about 10 roles, but one person can play multiple roles if needed. Narrator, King, The Flash, Superman, Hulk, Scientists, and various people.
Additional suggestions for creating the trailer can be found at end of script.
Excerpt from the Script:
Scene 4: The Hulk
Hulk: Arrrrggggg. I will save people. (jumping in front of camera and flexing)
Narr: God’s Messiah will be more powerful than even you, The Incredible Hulk.
Hulk: But Hulk awesome when angry. Smash bad guys. Can Messiah do that?
Narr: In a world full of __________, the Amazing Messiah will save people from
__________.
Hulk: Now you make Hulk…
Narr: Mad?
Hulk: No, actually Hulk kind of happy. Hulk need God too because sometimesHulk not so incredible.
Video Tip: Pause the camera in-between scenes (do not press 'stop'). If the scene doesn't go well the first time, pause the camera, reset the actors, and start again. It's okay if the flubs show up in the movie trailer. See more video tips in the attached script and updated video tips here.
Reflect ~ Movie Review
Gather students to watch the video, then do this "movie review" exercise.
Use the review questions attached to this lesson at rotation.org.
1. Set up a "Review Chair"
Place your camera in front of an empty "review chair" and turn on the camera so that you have a live feed of the chair to the TV or projector. To make this a little more fun, place a divider between the review chair and the rest of the students, so that they can only see the person being reviewed on the monitor. You can even call this "the studio."
2. Pass out questions slips to each student (found in the pdf attached to this lesson at rotation.org). Give them two minutes to write down their answer, telling them that they will be presenting their review "on camera." They may have questions, so circulate and help them.
3. One by one, invite students to come into the studio to give their review. You may choose to record the interviews if you like, but the rest of the class will be seeing them on the monitor in real time.
What they don't know is that you the teacher will be asking them a follow-up question. The follow-up question is listed on the Review Questions handout attached to the end of this lesson.
Close
After everyone has done their review, gather together and close with a prayer that reminds them that Jesus is already here, and has already done what God has promised. Our job as believers is to spread the Good News that our hero has already come and saved us.
Additional Suggestions
For Non-Readers Students:
Lead them through the scripture reading teaching them the hand motions and words.
Turn the trailer script into an "interview" with the superhero led by the narrator. So instead of Superman saying, "but can the Messiah break chains," the narrator asks, "So I hear you can break chains? Do you think the Messiah will need to be able to do that?" And to Hulk you can ask, "Do you think the Messiah will be angry and smash things?" (No) "Okay, then what will he be like?"
If short on time, use The Beginning video another time.
Written by: Neil MacQueen with editing help from Luanne Payne and Carol Hulbert, with scripture motions by Amy Crane.
Copyright © Rotation.org
Printed from https://www.rotation.org
See attached Movie Trailer Script and Movie Review Questions
