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(WT) The Beatitudes ~ Art Workshop

Rotation.org Writing Team

The Beatitudes

Art Workshop

Summary of Activities

Beatitudes Art project - a key lanyardStudents will customize a "key" lanyard with keywords from the Beatitudes, then add a "Jesus the Key of Keys" key to their lanyard, for a take-home reminder of the Beatitudes.

Scripture for the Lesson

Matthew 5:1-12

Lesson Objectives

See the Bible Background at Rotation.org for this set's complete list of objectives. 

This lesson's main objective is to create a Beatitudes key lanyard that will go home, get used, and keep reminding others of the Beatitudes.

Preparation and Materials

 See suggestions and sources for lanyard, nail polish and keys at the end of this lesson.  

  • Read the Bible Background and scripture.
  • Purchase the key lanyards
  • Purchase blank or craft keys, or keys marked "Jesus"
  • Prepare a Scripture handout - a large-print, lots of white-space version of the Beatitudes in whatever version of the Bible you are using. (The list in NRSV is available in the Bible Background.)
  • Various colors of nail polish to write the keywords with in vibrant colors
  • Nail polish remover
  • Packing tape
  • Paper plates
  • Plastic table cloth
  • Markers (one per student)
  • A real key ring with at least 5 different keys on it
  • A lockbox labeled "Real Happiness" (and the lockbox key you have labeled "Jesus.")
  • Some candies to place in the lockbox along with the Jesus keys you will give each student for their lanyard at the end of the lesson.

Lesson Plan

Open

Welcome students and show them your key ring from home. Ask them to guess what the keys open.

Now show them the lockbox you have brought and labeled "Real Happiness."  Ask them "what kind of key" would open this kind of treasure?" ("What would you need to have in order to be happy?)  After a few suggestions, explain that today's lesson is going to give them the keys to opening the treasure of Real Happiness. (You will open the treasure at the end of the lesson.)

Read Matthew 5:1-12, Jesus' Keys to Real Happiness.  

Dig

After reading the scriptures together, give each student a large print copy of the Beatitudes (i.e., a "Scripture handout")  and a marker.

Spend a few minutes walking through the eight Beatitudes, remarking on their meaning, and having students highlight key words in each Beatitude. (This is an important step as it will identify the keywords which student will put on their lanyards.)  Use the Bible Background for details about each Beatitude you may want to share. 

As you and your students circle keywords, invite them to write synonyms for the keywords when appropriate. For example, when you tell them "meek" means "humble," have them write it on their scripture handout. They can then choose "meek" or "humble" to write on their lanyard during the lanyard "design" activity.

Design the Beatitude Lanyard

Give each student a lanyard and have them tape it flat on the table so that it doesn't move when writing on it with the nail polish.

Demonstrate how to write a Beatitude keyword using nail polish (how to hold the applicator brush, how much polish, how not to drip, how big to make the letters. Show them how to divide their lanyard into eight sections so that they leave plenty of space to write on. Alternately, if you have extra time, you can turn the lanyards over after about 5 minutes of drying time and add more words or designs to the other side.  "If possible, leave room to write "Matt 5" on the lanyard.)

Instruct them to write their eight keywords on their lanyard. Tell them that they may add extra design if time remains.

Reflect

Following the designing and completion of the Beatitude lanyards....

Return to the lockbox and ask each student to write down a Beatitude (as best as they can remember) on a slip of paper and put it in the lockbox. 

Now close and lock the box.

Ask: "How can we GET these keys for our own lives?' (how do we become poor in spirit, meek, merciful, etc etc.)  

Answer: WE NEED JESUS' help to unlock the box. He is our "KEY OF KEYS."

Distribute the blank keys, and invite students to use the nail polish (or a permanent marker) to write a "J" or "Jesus" on the key. (They can also add a few strokes of nail polish color to decorate the key if they like. After it dries, help them put the Jesus key on the lanyard.

Close with prayer asking for Jesus help to be poor in spirit, merciful, peacemaking, etc.

[Side Note: In Matthew 19, when Peter declares his faith in Jesus as Messiah, Jesus tells him that belief is the key to the Kingdom of Heaven.]


Adaptations

For younger students...  You probably don't want young children using nail polish or to give them a real key (which they may improperly use at home). An alternative is to have them make their own color coded keyword key ring —making the the keys out of foam stock, writing a single word on each key (which they can memorize by sight and color if not by reading it), and attaching to it a "Jesus fish" key ring similar to the one pictured in the graphic above. Pre-cut the keys out of the foam stock, help them write the word and let them decorate it. For additional activity, give them a "Happiness/Beatitudes" treasure box to decorate. Write on it so that parents have enough information to know what to ask about and reinforce.

Tips for Nail Polish and Lanyards

Why nail polish?  ...because it comes in vibrant colors, dries fast, and is durable. It also comes with its own applicator. (Alternately, you could use fabric paint, but it will take much longer to dry.) Be sure to pick colors that will contrast with whatever color of lanyards you get. Those with a pearl tint or glitter will show up better.

  • To avoid spilling while sharing, tape each nail polish bottle to it's own paper plate using packing tape. 

  • Protect your table with a disposable plastic tablecloth and  tape it to the table so that it doesn't move. 

  • Tape the lanyards to the tablecloth using your packing tape so that they don't move when writing the keywords with the nail polish. 

  • Have students first practice on a piece of paper or on the plastic table cloth.

  • Be sure to do this in a well-ventilated space. Use a fan if needed.

  • Have a bottle of nail polish remover handy for clean-up.

  • There are a number of "eco & kid-friendly" nail polishes on the market, if you want to go that direction. The following article lists several.


Key and Lanyard Types and Sources

Oriental Trading Company sells both lanyards and keys in bulk quite inexpensively, ...as do other sites. Craft sites sell craft-quality keys (sometimes called "skeleton keys".) In the Reflection, you can make a blank key into a "Jesus" key using nail polish. You may choose to purchase 'real' keys, and attach a Jesus "keychain" to the key and lanyard (again, Oriental Trading has several options to consider.)  Encourage kids to use their lanyard for a home key, and if they don't have a home key, they might share their lanyard with a parent.

About the Eight Beatitude Keywords/Keyphrases

Check out the Bible Background for an explanation of Beatitudes vocabulary, and a short kid-friendly version of the Beatitudes that features keywords/phrases to be memorized.


Written by the Rotation.org Writing Team using the key idea from Carol Hulbert's Art Lesson.
Copyright 2016, Rotation.org Inc.

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  • WT - Beatitudes Art project a key lanyard
Last edited by Luanne Payne
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