Summary of Lesson Activities

Students play a fun game involving "pitching and catching baby Jesus" that demonstrates key ideas about being ready for Christ.  Then, after a creative scripture reading, they compete to construct a manger that illustrates the attitude of accepting/embracing, magnifying/praising, and pondering/sharing what God has done for us and is still doing through his Advent.

Scripture

Passages: Luke 1:26-56, Gabriel, Mary, Elizabeth, and the Song of Joy.
(See attachment to this lesson for a creative version of Luke 1.)
 
Key/Memory Verse:  Luke 1:38a:  “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." (NRSV)

Learning Objectives for this Rotation and Lesson

In addition to the general objectives found in the Bible Background for this lesson set, students will...

Preparation

Materials Needed

For Game 1:

• Blindfolds, one for each team. A bandanna or strip of fabric works.
• Doll to be tossed as "Baby Jesus." No hard parts, or use a rolled towel.
• An empty gift wrapped box (approx 12"x12")
• A string of lights (the small kind, doesn't need to work)
• A toy (something which can be dropped, approximately 12 inches long)

For Game 2:

• A picture of a manger (i.e. the "blueprint/plan" the kids will try to construct)
• Markers
• Thin cardboard & packing tape (to quickly construct the manger)
• Scissors (heavy enough to cut the thin cardboard)
• 3 or 4 sheets of yellow construction paper to make the "straw"
• A square of baby blanket cloth for each team to write on (i.e. "Jesus' Blankie", approx 12" x 18")
• Copies of the hymnbook open to "Silent Night."

Game Workshop Helps from Rotation.org

How to teach with "a game that demonstrates"

The first game in this lesson, "Catch Baby Jesus," looks like a game to your students but is really a fun object lesson (aka demonstration with props) that illustrates several points. It's a powerful way to teach. Here are some notes about it.

First you will explain how to play "Catch Baby Jesus," then play it. Then as you play it, you begin to introduce the point of discussion that the game is designed to teach. For example, you will say, "The word 'catch' can also mean 'understand or appreciate,' as in, 'did you catch what he was talking about?'  What are we supposed to be 'catching' about Jesus at Christmastime? What things during Christmas blind us, distract us, keep us from focusing on Jesus?"

After playing and having that short discussion, make adjustments to how you play — and then play the game again to expand on the metaphor. In the game below, for example, you will add a bunch of "Christmas stuff" in the catcher's hands to make it hard to grasp Jesus. Then you will take off the catcher's blindfold and let them try to catch Jesus with their arms full. This will be a perfect time to ask, "How hard is it to understand or appreciate Jesus when you have your hands full with lots of distracting Christmas stuff?"  And finally, you will let the catcher DROP the "Christmas stuff" so they can concentrate on Jesus. With older children, you can ask them what the change might be illustrating. It will be pretty obvious to them!

Resist the temptation to simply play the game then make a statement about "what it meant." Also, resist the temptation to over-explain things.  In "concrete thinking" younger children will need a little more help understanding that you are "acting out an idea," and not just tossing a baby.

Gaming as a way to engage "Multiple-Intelligences" in learning

The second game in this lesson is a good example of gaming that bring hands-on visual hooks to the lesson rather than simply talking and doing a "quiz game." Adding a sense of competition creates structure, excitement, laughter, and a little bit of good stress — all of which the mind uses to focus and remember.

Game 2's "timed activities" and "awarding of points' also gives the teacher a chance to review, "score how they did," which is really a way to review and expand on content. The scriptures for the lesson are embedded within the game, rather than making them "the boring part" of the lesson.  

Tip: Counting down the clock and yelling "TIME!" will add excitement. You really don't care how good the manger looks. You can award extra points for whatever you want, such as, extra good insights. Those can be handy to keep the scores balanced and make everyone feel like they've won something.

Two Games

In between these two games is a creative Bible reading of Luke 1:26-38, Gabriel's Announcement to Mary, and a study of Luke 1: 46-55, Mary's Song of Joy. Game two will require them to go back into the scripture.

Game One:  Catching Baby Jesus

This is a demonstration that plays like a game.  Working as a team, students will toss Baby Jesus and try to "catch" him. The metaphor here is how do we see, understand, and prepare ourselves to "catch" what God is sending our way at Christmas.  Depending on your class size, you can play this as one team, or two or more.  See the "games that demonstrate" note above.

To play:  Designate one person on the team as the "catcher" and one as "the pitcher." Have them stand about 8 feet apart to start. (Adjust distance based on ability of students). Each pitcher needs a baby doll wrapped in "swaddling cloth" or a blanket. (The doll must be entirely soft, no hard parts. If you don't have such, roll a bath towel and secure with rubber bands.)  Have extra players on the team sit at the catcher's feet, and tell them that "by rule, Baby Jesus must not touch the ground." If the catcher misses, the extra players try to catch Jesus.

After playing, you will read the creative re-telling of Luke 1:26-38 attached to this lesson at rotation.org, then move into the second Bible study and game two.

Round 1:  "God Pitches & We Catch"

Have the pitcher toss Baby Jesus to the catcher for practice. Then place a blindfold on the catcher and have the pitcher toss Jesus again. Try several times.   Ask: How hard is it to catch Jesus if you can't see him?  Ask: How frustrating is it to be the pitcher and see the catcher dropping your baby?  

Let different students try pitching and catching. Continue to reinforce the metaphor of "looking for Jesus." How does listening to the pitcher's voice help the catcher prepare for the Baby Jesus?  Where do we hear the pitcher's voice in church?

Round 2: "Things in the Way"

Remove the blindfold, and fill the catcher's arms with various "Christmas things": presents, decorations, and Christmas lights. The point is you are making it hard for them to catch Baby Jesus because they are obstructed by these other things. Try catching once, then add another distraction to their hands, such as, a pillow that represents "Your brother wants to stay home and not go to Advent worship." You might even ask your seated students to become distractors.  Pitch Baby Jesus a few times to see what happens.

Point out that Mary took the time to talk about her baby with her cousin Elizabeth, and then took the time to praise God. She could have complained, "I'm too young!" or "Who am I to bear the Messiah?" — but she didn't let those things distract her from what God was doing through her.

Round 3: "How to Get Closer for the Catch"

Now pitch Baby Jesus with no distractions, stuff, or blindfolds. First have them stand really far away from each other and make the point, "when you are far away from God, when you have chosen not to be close to him, how hard is it to 'grasp' Baby Jesus? Move the pitchers and catchers closer together, each time asking them for "something that helps us move closer to God," (prayer, Bible, worship, service, taking time to reflect).  Finally, ask them "how close do you think Mary was when she received Baby Jesus into her heart?"  Really close!  

Now pause and read the attached scripture lesson "Luke 1: Pitcher-Catcher", a creative retelling of Gabriel's announcement to Mary. (Attached to this lesson at rotation.org)

Game Two: The Great Manger Game

Split into teams of 2 players or more.

Instructions to read to the students:

Manger Station 1: Accepting, Being Part of God's Plan

Say: Each team has two things to do at this station:

(1) Each team must construct a manger out of cardboard using a manger "blueprint."  (See attached image)

The team coming closest to the blueprint will receive 10 points.

Second closest to the plan = 5 pts.

(2) Each team must write directly on their manger cardboard what they believe God's "blueprint plans" are for his children, i.e. what does he want them to be like and do in the world.

The team who comes up with the best written plan is awarded 10 points.

Second best plan = 5 pts.

You now have five minutes to complete both these tasks. GO!

Manger Station 2: Magnifying God

Say: Each team must cut 20 wide strips of paper into "straw" to line their manger.

On 5 of these strips, you must magnify God, that is, say (write) something good about God in praise to him. For example, "I Praise God for being _________."  "I praise you God because you do this __________."    Please note, praising God is not the same thing as thanking God for food or pets.

Each good praise will receive 2 points, for a total of 10 possible points.

You now have four minutes to complete this task. GO!

Manger Station 3: Pondering What's Next on Jesus' Blankie

This station uses the Luke 1 46-55 scripture handout you will find attached at the end of this lesson at rotation.org. The scripture has been rephrased to have students reflecting on what they should do next, now that they know Jesus has come to be God with us.

Say: Each team must read Luke 1: 46-55 found on our special handout, and answer the three questions on that handout by writing your answers on Jesus' blankie in large letters.

Each good answer will receive 2 points.

The top two most amazing answers I find will receive an additional 5 points!

You now have five minutes to complete this task. GO!

Final Manger Station 4: Singing to God in the Manger (for fun)

Say: Each team will now go one-at-a-time to the manger to complete this final station.

You are to pretend that you are Mary, Joseph, and the animals at the manger, putting Baby Jesus to sleep and singing him the first verse of Silent Night.  The only script you have are the words to Silent Night. The rest of the scene you must make up.

Best Animals will be awarded 5 points.

Best Singers will be awarded 5 points.

Best Dramatic presentation will be awarded 5 points.

A Reflection Disguised as Scoring

While you look at each team's manger, read their straw, and go over their Luke 1 revisions, you will actually be reflecting with them using their content.

Lift up highlights from each team's work but do not linger too long.

Close by giving out the straws, both written and blank.

Tell them that like it did to Mary, you know that the birth of Jesus brings many thoughts and wonders to our minds. Those blank straw strips are there to remind them that...

–when you take the time to look at what God has "pitched" to you at Advent, you will find that there's always more to be caught and praised.

Additional Suggestions

These games work well with youth and intergenerational settings, as they can greatly expand on the "Baby Jesus Toss" metaphor.

For younger students, adjust the amount of time to complete tasks.  Help them write their comments on the straw and blankie.

Attached to this lesson at Rotation.org

The Mary Ponders Game Lesson Doc. It has the Game 1 and 2 scriptures, and the Game 2 scoresheet.

Manger-Blueprint image.  A picture of a manger to serve as your Game 2's Station 1 "Blueprint." Image courtesy of ministry-to-children.com

Written by Neil MacQueen and the Rotation.org Writing Team

Lesson copyright Rotation.org
Permission granted for non-profit teaching use.