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(WT) The Great Commission and Ascension of Jesus ~ Computer -or- Bible Memory Workshop

Rotation.org Writing Team

The Great Commission and Ascension of Jesus

Computer Workshop or Bible Memory Workshop


Summary of Activities

Students will play two memory games to learn the Great Commission in Matthew 28.

  1. They will create a verse scramble-unscramble game to test each other's recall using Cal and Marty's Scripture Memory Game software (or using cards).
  2. They will play "How Few Can You Do?" using Let's Talk software (or on paper).

    Life application is found in both the opening and closing activities.

cal-marty-animated

The software features a verse editor which the kids can use to input the memory verses, then play an unscramble game with them. Each verse can also have a quiz created by the kids about the meaning of the verse. For fun it is "hosted" by the two famous animated Reformers.

For those without computers: Both of these games can be played using one borrowed computer connected to a large screen or adapted as a non-computer paper game. See adaptation notes at the end of this lesson.

Scripture for the Lesson

Matthew 28:16-20

Key/Memory Verse:  18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Lesson Objectives

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

Preparation and Materials

  • Read the Bible Background and scripture.
  • Cal and Marty's Scripture Memory Game software (Sunday Software)
  • Let's Talk software (Sunday Software)

    2020 Update: Neil has donated several of his Sunday Software programs to be downloaded free-of-charge by our supporting members. They include both of the above titles.  Learn more and get the software.

  • Flipchart or writing board.
  • Alternate supplies if not using software:  Twenty 3x5 index cards for each student.
  • Markers.
  • Table or platform children can stand on.
  • Spotlight (optional).
  • Spend time practicing with the Cal & Marty Verse Editor so that you can confidently show students how to use it.

Lesson Plan

Opening

Welcome your students and explain how today's lesson is going to unfold.

"Delivering Your Final Instructions on the Mount of Olives"

Create a Great Commission ~ Mount of Olives "stage" in your classroom (such as a table that kids can safely stand on). You will use it for the following two opening activities. You might even turn off all the lights for each person's speech except for a clamp spotlight aimed at the speaker.

Stage Activity 1:  One at a time you'll invite students to deliver their "final instructions" to their fellow students. Have them imagine if they had to deliver an important "final" message to today's class before leaving earth or going away. What final instructions would they impart about following God, living a good life, doing what's right, what to avoid, going to church, sharing the Good News by their actions and words, etc.  (List a few of these 'starter' ideas on the board.) Have everyone write down a couple of sentences, then have each "ascend" onto the "Mount of Olives Stage" to deliver his speech. (Have a "spotter" help them get up and down.) Clap after each one.

Stage Activity 2: Organize the class to read Jesus' final speech according to Matthew 28:16-20.  Assign verses, then invite each 'Jesus' to line up and prepare to step up to deliver his or her verse on the Mt of Olives. (Have a "spotter" help them get up and down.)
Prior to doing this, remind your students where in the Jesus story timeline this passage occurs. He is resurrected, but his time on earth in bodily form has come to an end.

Memory Game 1

(See the non-software adaptations below.)

Go to the computers and the Cal and Marty Scripture Memory Game software.

We're focusing on verses 18, 19, and 20 as our three memory verses.

Let the students enter the passage using the game's verse editor. At the end of entering the verse, make sure they proofread it (this will also aid memory). Once saved, Cal & Marty will prompt them to enter a three-question quiz about the saved verse. Quiz Questions can include, "what does the word "baptize" mean?  What is the "Good News"?  What Gospel and chapter does the Great Commission appear in?

If you're short on time or working with poor typists, have Matthew 28:18-20 (the key verses/memory passage) already entered into the program, or if you have three computers, assign one verse to each computer to enter into their copy of Cal & Marty.

Once everyone has entered and saved the three verses, have them switch computers (or stay where they are) and starting with verse 18 select Scramble Verse.

Tips on entering the passage into the Cal & Marty Game:

In the Verse Editor first type and save name of the Verse Set, such as "Great Commission", then Add New verse and Save (do for each of the three verses).  To save time, the teacher can enter one or more of the entries in advance.  Here are the three verses:

Verse 18: And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Verse 19: Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Verse 20: teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

After each verse is entered, students can add a "comment" about the verse (which can be anything) plus a three question quiz.  Teacher: Remember to spend time practicing with the editor. It's easy to use, but you'll want to know exactly how to help your students use it.

Game play - Cal and Marty's Clock counts "up" so that they can take as long as they need to get the verse correctly unscrambled. After they have done it once, have them do it again to "beat their clock score."


Memory Game 2:  "How Few Can You Do?"

In this fun memory game, students are prompted to remove "less essential" words from the passage in an effort to condense the passage down to its most important and memorable concepts. The process of condensing is game-like. Working in teams, in Round 1 they can only keep 15 words or key phrases from the passage.  In Round 2 they must cross out 5 of the 15 words or key phrases --leaving them with no more than 10 total words. In Round 3 they must reduce their 10 words by half  to arrive at what they think are the "final, most important" words or phrases. Condensing requires they understand the meaning of the passage and its words, so it's a great way to generate discussion. The teaching opportunities come with debating which words to keep and toss.

A student or team may choose to keep a single word, or decide that a single phrase counts as one word, For example, "I will be with you always" can be condensed to "with always" and counted as '1' of your 5 final "words." Don't be a stickler about "only X number of words," but rather help them do as few as they can do while still getting the meaning.

lets-talk-talknowThe "Let's Talk" software provides a fun interface called "TALK NOW" in which the kids first design an onscreen character who will speak their words, then they type their words from the Great Commission into the TALK NOW screen for playback over the computer speakers when prompted by the teacher.

Tips: After they've removed words have them type a PERIOD after each word or phrase to get the Let's Talk software to pause after each during playback. Don't worry about grammar. Take notes on the different final word choices the students make so that you can point out the different choices and ask them why they made a different choice from another group. (A little friendly debate is your great teaching opportunity.)

Reflect

Using your notes of what 3 or 4 words/phrases each group/student came up with in Round 3, write all their "final" words on the board in a column titled "Final Instructions" for all to see, then draw a second column titled "DO." Prompt them to come up with "things they can do" to fulfill the final "most important" instructions they came up with.  If you have time, have them type their "do" sentences into the TALK NOW module and play it for the rest of class.

For example, if they saved "baptize" as one of their final words, ask them "how can we baptize others -i.e. forgive and make them feel part of God's family."

For example, if they saved "teach," ask them "teach what?"

A Closing "Do" Prayer:

Gather around one computer and the Let's Talk "TALK NOW" interface. Have the teacher begin typing a prayer for Jesus' help to "do" some of the things the students reflected on. Play it back as your closing prayer. Optionally, if you have time, have students create their own "DO PRAYER" on their computer to play back to the class. Give them examples of how they might pray for Jesus' help to "do" what he instructed and what they decided were his most important words.



Adaptations

For Younger Students:   

They may not be able to type, but they can hear!  So have a "buddy" help them do the typing. Say the keywords or phrases to them from the scripture, and ask them if they want to "keep or cut" that word. They will enjoy hearing their words played back by the computer.

For Those Without Computers:

Game 1: You can mimic Cal and Marty's Scripture Memory Game software by doing the following. Have each student create a stack of "flash cards" for the Great Commission. These can then be scrambled and reassembled and taken home. You can have more than one word per card (recommended). Keep key phrases together. On the reverse side of the card, you can have them write insights/notes about each word or phrase, such as, "Baptize = Welcome, treat like family."

Game 2: How Few Can You Do? Keep the same "three round" game structure, but instead of using a computer, have students CROSS OUT "less essential" words on the scripture printout in each round. Tip: Write the verse on the board and use colored markers to cross out the words that each student/group has decided to cross out. This way you can keep track of the different choices and ask students why they chose to cross out a word that another student/group didn't, etc.
Tip: How Few Can You Do is a great memory and discussion game for just about any passage.

Closing "Do Prayer:" Go around the circle with each student offering their "do" prayer in the form of "Jesus, help us to...."

About the Software

Cal & Marty is the only scripture memory software with a verse editor so that you or your kids can enter your preferred translation of the passage. Its "gimmick" is that it is hosted by Marty Luther and John Calvin, who encourage the students. Let's Talk uses Windows' ability to speak text out loud. Kid Pix 4 (or 3D) software is an alternate choice that uses this same capability.  Windows XP, 7, 8 and 10.



Written by the Rotation.org Writing Team
Copyright 2018, Rotation.org Inc.

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Last edited by Luanne Payne
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