Rotation.org Writing Team
Exodus: Through Water and Wilderness
A Special Puppet Workshop
Summary of Activities
Students will create "responses" to a list of complaints about following/worshiping God and going to church, then perform the complaints & responses using a collection of puppets/props (recommended). The puppet presentation uses an unique "SQUARE STAGE" concept that allows puppeteers to see each other as they perform, and be part of the audience (see description below).
Scripture for the Lesson
- Red Sea: Exodus 14:5-8, 13-18, 21-31.
- Marah Well: Exodus 15:22-26
- Manna: Exodus 16:11-18, 31-33
- Water from Rock: Exodus 17:1-7
See the condensed retelling attached here.
Lesson Objectives
See the Bible Background at rotation.org for this set's complete list of objectives.
Key/Memory Verse: Exodus 17:7
He called the place Massah (test) and Meribah (quarrel) because the Israelites quarreled and tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
Preparation and Materials
- Read the Bible Background and scripture.
Print the condensed version of the story for this lesson attached to this lesson. - Print the Complaints/Response worksheet found attached to this lesson plan at rotation.org
- Pencils
- A collection of puppets and/or objects that can be used as puppets.
- A "Square stage" set-up. See description at the end of this lesson plan.
Lesson Plan
Open
Welcome your students and explain what they'll be doing today.
Read the supplied condensed version of the four "Exodus Water and Wilderness" stories, dramatically emphasizing the complaints. Expand or further condense as needed and adjust your vocabulary for the age of your students. Afterwards, note to your students that each time the people complained, God responded, and yet they kept complaining. The next activity will give you and your students the opportunity to address this flaw in humanity!
Script Preparation Time
1. Have your students pair-up and give them copies of the Complaints script (attached to this lesson at rotation.org).
2. Read through all or most of the complaints with all the pairs present, then let the pairs help you select which "complaints" they'd like to offer/answer in the drama. (You may designate a few of the complaints as "must answer.")
3. Give each pair a few minutes to come up with answers to each of their assigned complaints. Circulate among the pairs to help them complete the task. If you have helpers, this is all the better! Encourage your pairs to modify the complaint or come up with their own. Coming up with the "answer" is an important opportunity in your teaching. Help them think through how to wordsmith and say it in a way that is faithful.
Tips:
Be a standard-setter. Take a few of the complaints and come up with your own answer and perform them during practice time. You might even add a "teacher's complaint" 
How many complaints you assign to the pairs will depend on the age of your students, how many students you have, and how much time you can allot to this important script preparation time. If you have plenty of time, you can start off with two complaints for each pair, and then assign two more after the first round of puppet presentation time.
Puppet "Square" Time!
1. Have the pairs choose their puppets and either sit or stand around your "Square" stage so that they are facing each other (and learning from each other) during practice time.
2. Practice "stage entrances and exits" with your puppets. Discuss and practice how the Complainer and Responder might sound and act for each complaint/response. For example, your puppet who wants to stay home might sound sleepy and fall asleep, only to be woken by the answer. A puppet might appear to be "too cool," or "embarrassed," or "shocked" by an answer. Have them think about the "posture" and "tone of voice" the puppet or actor should take to match their particular complaint or answer they are going to read. And remember: answers should not be full of attitude. They should be sincere and poignant.
3. Begin the puppet drama. Point to a pair to present one of their assigned "complaint and answer." When they've performed it, move on to the next pair seated around the square and have them perform. Keep going around until each pair has performed the two or three different "complaints and answers" they worked on.
*The main reason each pair performs only ONE of their "complaints and answers" at a time is so that they can improve their performance on their next "turn" based on how they've seen the other performers do.
Three Great Reasons to Use the "Square" Stage Set-up
(1) Setting up a "square" stage allows each pair to see the other pairs without having to waste class time moving performers in and out from behind a single traditional stage.
(2) The square puppet stage makes all the other puppeteers part of the audience when it isn't their turn because they can see each other.
(3) Kids will often use facial expressions as they move the puppet, and those will add to the presentation. With the circular stage, everyone will see this and you can make eye contact with the performers (which is hard to do in a traditional stage set-up).
Setting up the "Square" Stage
By "Square" we mean, "students face and can see each other."
Option 1: Standing Square
Create a triangle or square "curtain" in your room by tying a rope between three or four points in the room and draping cloth over the rope to form a "stage" curtain. Put the rope at chest height so that the students' faces can be seen while they present with the puppets.Students stand around the OUTSIDE of the triangle or square "curtain" -facing inward, so that they can see each other.
(A few things you can tie your curtain rope to in a classroom: ladders, microphone stands, music stands, a hook on a bookshelf.)
Option 2: Seated Square around a table(s)
Tape a low cardboard wall around the edges of the table(s) to make a low "stage curtain" wall around the table –above which students can see each other and perform behind.
Or, tip the tables on their sides with their tops facing inward to make a triangle or square. Puppeteers can sit in chairs behind the overturned tables looking inward to each other. Drape the tables with some colorful cloth to dress them up. The less your "Square Stage" looks like a pile of overturned tables, the more playful and drama-producing it will be.
Reflect
Take note of the Bible verses found in the Complaints script. They contain a number of pieces of good advice from the Lord and Moses. Close with a prayer that each of us would be open to experience God's presence, and that each of us would be a faith role model to others.
Adaptations
For Younger Students:
Simplify the complaints by sharing them verbally. Work on responses together, then let the young one take their turn as the complainer and responder. Have them "repeat after" you, or have a "reader" whisper their lines to them.
Resources
Oriental Trading Company (online) has a nice and inexpensive collection of "people" and "Bible character" puppets. Their "people" puppets are pictured with this lesson.
Written by the Rotation.org Writing Team
Copyright 2016, Rotation.org Inc.
Puppet image: OTC Inc.
