Rotation.org Writing Team
Judges Then, Judges Now
Bible Skills and Games Workshop
Summary of Activities
Judges Then: Students will play the verse-reducing game "How Few Can You Do?" to cleverly summarize several of the key stories in the Book of Judges (your choice).
Judges Now: Students will play a version of the popular fellowship game, "Poop Deck, Quarter Deck, Main Deck," with a "wrong directions, who to you listen to?" twist.
Scripture for the Lesson
- Othniel, Judges 3: 7-11 (CEV) Link at Biblegateway.com
- Ehud, Judges 3:12-30 (CEV) Link at Biblegateway.com
- Deborah and Barak, Judges 4:4-24 (CEV) Link at Biblegateway.com
- Gideon, Judges 6: 11-14; Judges 7: 1-8, 16-21 Link at Biblegateway.com
Lesson Objectives
See the Bible Background at rotation.org for this set's complete list of objectives.
This lesson has three particular objectives:
(1) Gain a working knowledge of several judges' stories. (Judges Then)
(2) Learn how to identify key concepts/words when they are reading or hearing scripture.
(2) Teach students to follow God's ways and not be distracted by others. (Judges Now)
Preparation and Materials
- Read the Bible Background and scripture.
- Printed copies of the Bible passages for the "How Few Can You Do?" game. See the Judges-Scripture.doc attached to this lesson plan.
- Large sheet of paper to post "...few can you do" results.
- Markers
- Vinyl tape to mark the floor for the Judges Now game.
- Nametags for the Poop Deck game.
- Review the video clip showing basic game play if you are unfamiliar the "Poop Deck" game.
Lesson Plan
Open
Welcome your students and explain that today they will be playing two games that help learn and think about stories from the Book of Judges.
"Judges Then" Game: "How Few Can You Do?"
You will play Ehud together to demonstrate how to play the game, then you will split up the class and assign individuals or small groups one of the other judges. Do as many judges as you have the time or need for. See the list of suggested scriptures below and/or print the Judges-Scripture.doc file attached to this lesson and make copies for your students.
How to Play "How Few Can You Do?"
"How Few Can You Do?" has three "rounds." You can shorten it to 2 if needed. You can also do the activity together as a class if you have a small group, or your students are early readers. Doing it in small groups facilitates debate, which is good.
To facilitate the condensing activity, you will want to copy the scripture passage from an online source to a Word doc, and print it out for your students. They will be circling the keywords with their pencil, so you don't want them doing this in their Bibles! Using an online Bible source to prepare your handout also allows you to choose your preferred translation of the scriptures. See the list of suggested scriptures below.
In the first round, students are given 5 minutes to read their passage handout, then circle 15 to 18 "keywords" (important, explanatory) that explain what they think is the essential story. When everyone is done, students read out loud their 15 to 18 keywords.
In the second round, announce that they have 3 minutes to reduce down their first round results to "as few words as you can possibly choose that still tell the most important thing about the judge's story." This is where their critical thinking and understanding will be really challenged. When they report their "few" keywords, write them on the board for reference and comment.
Round three is quick. Ask them to reduce their entire story down to the most important word.
Invite student to write their keywords on the big sheets of paper you have displayed with the Judges name on them. This will be a reminder.
Suggested Scripture Passage for Your Handouts:
- Othniel, Judges 3: 7-11 (CEV) Link at Biblegateway.com
- Ehud, Judges 3:12-30 (CEV) Link at Biblegateway.com
- Deborah and Barak, Judges 4:4-24 (CEV) Link at Biblegateway.com
- Gideon, Judges 6: 11-14; Judges 7: 1-8, 16-21 Link at Biblegateway.com
The text of the scriptures listed above have already been copied into the attached "Judges Scripture" Word doc for use in the game. We did not include Samson because his story is so long you won't have time to condense it in this lesson activity. We copied the Contemporary English Version into doc for its ease of reading. To change your desired translation, go to the Biblegateway.com website, change the translation, then drag your mouse over the passage, right click and select "copy," then paste the test into a Word document of your own making and print copies for your students.
"Judges Now" Game: Poop deck, Quarter deck, Main deck
The following activity turns a very popular game into a teaching game about the Judges and "Who Do You Follow?"
The original game goes by the name, "Poop Deck, Quarter Deck, Main Deck." It's been a fellowship staple for years and even adults love to play. Here's a link to a YouTube video of kids playing the basic game.
Game Set-up: Place two lines on the floor about 6 feet apart. This creates the 3 "decks" ..the poop deck being on your left, quarter deck in the middle, main on the right. Tip: Vinyl tape, instead of masking tape, will come up easier after the kids walk on it.
Kids start on the Quarter deck as you explain the rules and try out the game. The Game Leader stands in front of the decks pointing and calling out the deck they need to rush onto. This is a fast-paced game.
First Round Game Rules: In the initial round, the player who gets to the correct deck LAST is OUT (or you can give them a "letter" . You'll change that rule in a moment. If you call out the name of the same deck they are already standing on, any player who steps off the deck is OUT. In the first go-round, keep playing until only one player remains.
"Out" option: When a player steps on the wrong deck, or is last to get on the right deck, give them a "do over." If they get eliminated, put them on a "jail deck" where you have placed a bowl of pretzels.
Second Round Game Rules: Introduce a second game leader. Designate one as "good" and the other as "bad." Play just like the first round, telling the players to "only listen to the good leader, not the bad leader." As the Game Leader calls out different decks for the kids to rush to, the "bad" game leader does the same, trying to trick the students into listening to his directions. Any player that listens to the "bad" leader's instructions, is OUT. If several follow the bad leader's instructions, the last one to get to the right deck is OUT.
Tip: The "bad" leader can do things like POINT to the wrong deck but say the same deck name that the good leader said. It's all about trying to FOOL the players.
Pause to Say: "How is this game like the problem the Israelites had in the Book of Judges??
Point: They didn't listen to, or follow God's direction.
The Important Third Round: Add a THIRD game leader. Give the first leader a "God" nametag. Give the second leader THREE nametags: "Canaanites, Moabites, Philistines." And give the third leader the nametag of "JUDGE.
Play the Poop Deck game with these twists:
- God can only point to the deck.
- The Judge shouts out the deck God is pointing to.
- The Philistine leader can point and shout anything.
Then ask the following questions:
Ask the Judge: How easy was it to follow God?
Ask the Canaanite: Why would someone want to mislead those trying to follow God?
Ask the Players: How did you try and focus on God?
Ask: If the Israelites had kept their eye on God and followed his ways, would God have needed to send the Judges?
Do: Place a Jesus nametag next to God's nametag. Ask your students how we keep our eye on Jesus?
Play a final round with only Jesus as the Game Leader.
Whisper to Jesus that he/she should NOT try and confuse anyone, but instead, give them plenty of help about which deck he's going to call out. Whoever is last --Jesus steps in to forgive. You can even have Jesus step onto the playing field and have people follow the deck he goes to. 
Comment freely so the kids get the point: Jesus is who we need to listen to, and he will personally lead us, if we let him.
And unlike the judges of the Bible thought, we don't kill our enemies. Instead, Jesus taught us to love them, and pray for those who persecute you (stand in your way, distract, try to mislead).
Adaptations
Non-readers won't be able to play "How Few Can You Do?" by themselves. Instead, select one or two Judge stories (Deborah, Gideon, and Samson, for example), and after reading it from an illustrated Bible story book of your own choosing, ask your students to summarize the story. Once they have tried, repeat the summary to them, and ask them to summarize the story in any ONE or two words of their own choosing. Write those large on the board, as a reference, and ask students how they would "illustrate" those words for those who can't read. Invite them to come illustrate.
If short on time, skip round two of the Poop Deck game and move the "pause to say" comment to the third round. If you have time, let different kids take on the role of God, Judges, and Canaanites.
Written by the Rotation.org Writing Team
Copyright 2017, Rotation.org Inc.
