Art ideas -- large wall mural a la Da Vinci.

1) Editor's addition:
It has also been suggested that kids "paint" a placemat as a take home, and include themselves and family members at the Table in the painting. Use water color markers and laminate it. See this post for some more details.

2) Editor's addition:
Here the wall mural of the Last Supper, done by the kids at Simcoe St. United Church, Oshawa, ON, Canada copied over from the Workshop Photo's forum here.

How they did it: The kids stood in a line, in profile, in the darkened room and a light was shone on them.  Their profiles where then traced onto the wall and then they filled them in with black chalkboard paint (the kids wrote their names, see base of each character) creating a shadow painting of the Last Supper.

In the Art Workshop they created the goblets and plates which they placed on the table (or in their case the top of cupboard).

Idea: a group art project to display over Easter that does not require painting --Trace the kids profiles on a white paper roll - you've taped to the wall. Then use these as patterns for students to cut out their profile onto (22"x28") sheets of black Poster Board. Have each child write their name on their profile using a silver fine tip marker. Tape the black profiles pieces together.

If you can't hang it above a shelf, as they did, cut and glue a rectangle table top, then have them create goblets, bowls of food, loaf of bread, from paper and glue to paper tabletop. Tape on a wall for display over Easter.

3) Posted by LD McKenzie

Activity: Make your own Leonardo style mural of the Last Supper.

Click here, then scroll down for her Background Notes with links to the painting.

Materials List:

• one large sheet of mural paper for group painting.
• or roll of old fax paper cut into long strips for kids to make own smaller murals.
• paints. Acrylic probably best . Da Vinci's orig mural was done in tempera to give brighter colours.
• brushes
• newsprint or plastic tablecloth as drop cloth.
• soap and water to wash up.

Instructions:

Try to get the Time-Life art book with the section on Da Vinci's Last Supper. It has lots of great pictures (terrific for stimulating kids' imaginations! As well as great info on the medium he chose, about how the mural's position in the refectory where painted produced mirror image effect, sketches for expressions on various disciples' faces, particular attention to Leonardo's genius in how he rendered Judas. Also has samplings of other treatments of last supper.

REAL TIME WITH THE CHILDREN
Ready. Quickly review or recap the story with them before starting activity.

Set. Link or explain your activity to the current story.

Go. GET MESSY!

>Other neat ideas in this lesson set include: kitchen/make griddle scones (bread); storytelling/guest speaker. For detail click here .

[I will be updating this unit before Easter 08 with more activities to go with a communion unit, for churches that are still in the dark ages about having children take part in communion!

Hmm... Easter has come early and caught me by surprise this year, so I didn't manage to keep my promise above. However it's posted now (032208). Click here for my Communion Rotation.]

  Originally posted by member LDM

A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.

The Last Supper- Communion Chalice 

Art Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:

Create "chalices" to help children remember the new covenant, made as Jesus celebrated the Passover with his disciples.

Editor's Note:
The communion cup/chalice is known as "Elijah's Cup" or the "Cup of Blessing" in the Seder Meal.

Scripture Reference:

Luke 22:14-20

Key Bible Verse:
"This cup is God's new covenant sealed with my blood."

Leader Preparation:

• Read the scripture ahead of time
• Gather the Materials

Materials List:

• Non-breakable wine glass/chalice
• Markers
• Wire
• Ribbons
• Shells
• Stick-on jewels
• etc

Presentation

Opening- Welcome and Lesson Introduction:

Greet the children and introduce yourself. 

Open with prayer.

Dig- Main Content and Reflection:

Read the story of the Lord's Supper and some of the information/explanation of the new covenant from the attached sheets. The first week of this rotation, you must read the story. After that, you can choose to do a quick review, but you must include a reference to the key Bible verse above, since children will be making their own chalices.

Before beginning the project, you may want to spend a few minutes looking at and discussing some of the artists' representations of the Last Supper with the children. Again, direct the children's attention to the different ways that the cup is depicted.

=Discuss the tradition and use of the Cup during the Seder and Last Supper...aka, the Cup of Blessing, Elijah's Cup (sorry, no background notes came with this lesson, but the info is readily available). 

The Project:
Introduce the project by explaining that they will be making their own covenant cups that they can use at home to remind them about the story of the Last Supper. Give each child a non-breakable WINE GLASS/CHALICE (available on line through various retailers) Provide a wide variety of materials for decorating the cup (e.g., markers, wire, ribbons, shells, stick-on jewels, etc.).

While the Communion Cup may have been simple, many churches use silver cups or decorated clay cups. Bring these into the workshop at this point. Encourage the children to be as creative as possible. Do not offer any suggestions about how the chalices "should" look. Remind the children that there are no right or wrong ways to do this. It's what the cup REMINDS THEM OF, not how nice it looks. Let the children work at their own pace, but be prepared to offer assistance, especially if they are using the glue gun.

Closing:

About five minutes before the end of class, invite children to show their creations to each other and explain why they chose the decorations that they chose.

Editor's Addition for older children if you have time:

CUE UP the Video Clip of "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade"... the scene where Indy and his father must choose "the right cup" ...Jesus' cup, from among a plethora of choices. The movie suggests Jesus' cup is the most humble. Yet as I mention below, this might not have been the actual case! The video gives you an opportunity to address the idea of a "special" cup, not only as the kids have made them, but as Jesus might have used, and as is used in most churches today. The discussion challenges our preconceived notions of the Last Supper.

As far as we know, Jesus and the Disciples were probably GUESTS in the upperroom, and likely used the family's/owners' "good china" ...including Elijah's special cup, not a common one as the movie pre-supposes. Great discussion fodder and an indelible image, especially since your kids have just made a cup to take home.

 A lesson written from: Irvington Presbyterian
Irvington Indiana 

A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability. 

Note: There are several variations on the Chalice-making project here in this thread.

The Last Supper- "My Father's Workshop"

Art Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:

The children will explore the events and meaning of The Last Supper while creating "chalices" to help them remember the reason we celebrate Communion.

Lesson Objectives:

By the end of the session, the students will:

• Identify The Last Supper as a Passover meal and that the purpose of celebrating the Passover meal was to remember how God delivered the Hebrew people from slavery in Egypt.
• Identify the reason we celebrate Communion is to remember that Jesus delivered us from the slavery of sin when he died on the cross and rose on the 3rd day!

Leader Preparation:

• Read David’s theological reference sheet. 
• Learn the memory verse.
• Make a chalice of your own to bring in and show the children what they will be making.
• You will need to cut the tissue paper into small squares before the morning that you are to teach.
• Consider the age level adjustments needed each week (those included in the lesson plan and your own). .
• Check out the room before your first Sunday workshop so that you know where everything is located.
• Gather the Materials 

Materials List:

• Plastic wine glasses (one per child)
• Variety of colorful tissue paper cut in approximately ½ inch squares
• Small craft gems
• Q-tips (1-2 per child)
• Small plastic containers for glue (1 for every two children)
• Newspaper to cover tables
• Small plastic plates (1 for every 2-4 children)
• Small paint brushes
• Sharpie brand marker
• Modge Podge

Advanced Preparation Requirements:

• Set out wine glasses around the table(s). Set out small containers for glue (1 for every two children) and tissue paper squares on plastic plates and q-tips.

Presentation

Opening- Welcome and Lesson Introduction:

Greet the children and introduce yourself. Wear your name-tag. Make sure the children are wearing name-tags. If not, use a temporary badge. Remember you are interacting with a different group of students each week who may not know you.

Ask the children if they can think of any meals that they eat when they want remember something special (Thanksgiving, birthday cake, Christmas, etc.) What makes those meals special? (Eat the same thing every year, food reminds us of something like a candy cane or an Easter egg.) Having a special meal to remind us of something is a very old custom.

The Bible story today tells how Jesus had a special meal with his disciples. It was a sign for His disciples and is for us to remember Christ. This special meal occurred during Holy Week and is called The Last Supper. Explain that they will be making their own "chalices" to remind them about the story of The Last Supper. Before beginning the project, you may want to spend a few minutes looking at and discussing some artist's representations of the Last Supper with the children. Point out the different ways the cup is depicted.

Dig- Main Content and Reflection:

Direct the children to begin creating their "chalices" so that the glue will dry by the time class is over. (Before they begin, use a Sharpie marker to label each chalice with the child's name on the bottom of the cup.) Ask the children to decorate their chalices in a way that reminds them of Jesus and what he did for us by dying on the cross and rising again.

They will use the q-tip to "paint" a small area on the outside of the wine glass. Then they will place a tissue paper square on the glued area. They will continue this process of "painting" glue and covering with tissue paper until the outside area of the plastic glass is covered.

The children may also add small craft gems to their chalices after the glass has been covered with tissue squares.

When the glass is covered the entire outside should be covered with a coat of Modge Podge using a small paint brush. (If time is running short, the assistant teacher can do this.)

As the children are working ask them questions about what they are doing such as:

• Why did you choose those colors?
• How does your design remind you of Jesus?
• You may also want to ask them what they already know about The Last Supper. Who ate this meal with Jesus? What was served at this meal?
• Talk about Passover.

Scripture/Bible Story:
(Encourage the children to use their Bibles in looking up verses. )
Have the children open their Bibles to Mark 14:12-26. Point out that the story of The Last Supper is in the New Testament part of The Bible. The story can be found in Matthew, Mark, and Luke and that these books (along with the book of John) are called the Gospels because they contain the Good News of Jesus.

Read the story of The Last Supper or have one of the children read the story. Point out that The Last Supper was a Passover meal. Tell the children the story of the Passover and why Jesus and his disciples were eating this special meal. (If time permits, read Exodus 12:1-14.)

Reflect:
Pulling it all together (closing discussion):

• I wonder how Jesus felt as he ate the Passover Meal knowing it would be his last meal with the disciples?
• I wonder what the disciples were thinking when Jesus said, "This is my body..." and "This is my blood...."?
• I wonder why Jesus used these two food items, bread and wine, and not the others from the Passover meal? (roasted lamb, bitter herbs, etc.)
• Jesus told his disciples to eat the bread and drink the wine in remembrance of him. When do we do this in our church? (1st Sunday of the month & special Sundays of the church year.)
• What does Jesus want us to remember when we celebrate The Last Supper? What do we call the celebration of The Last Supper today? (Communion, Eucharist, Lord’s Table)
• I wonder what Jesus wants us to think about when we take communion?
• Where will you put your cup? What will you do/think about when you see it there?

Review the memory verse.
If time permits, ask for volunteers to say it by themselves. Let them shout it!

Closing:

Closing prayer:
Dear Jesus, we thank you for the time we’ve had together and for the many blessings you’ve given us. Help us to be your new disciples, following your word each and every day.

Tidy and Dismissal:

• Ask children to help tidy the room. Give any specific instructions for clearing the workshop room.
• Collect nametags and any offering envelopes the children may have with them.
• Give everyone the parent take-home flyer the first week of the rotation; give it only to children who were absent and have not yet received it the other weeks of the rotation.

Additional Suggestions:
Younger Children:
The assistant teacher can cover the decorated glasses with a coat of Modge Podge while the Leader begins the Bible reading and discussion.
The Modge Podge should be dry by the time the children leave, but you may want to let the parents carry the cup on a plate, just in case.

 A lesson written from: Canfield Presbyterian Church
Canfield, Ohio 

A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.

The Last Supper- “How Great Thou Art”

Art Workshop

Grades 3-6

Summary of Lesson Activities:

The children will make a bread board with a wood-burning of “Remember Me.”

Lesson Objectives: 

• The children will learn about The Last Supper’s connection with Passover
• When eating the bread and drinking the wine we remember Jesus’ body and blood given and shed for us.

Leader Preparations:

• Read the scripture passage and Bible background
• Familiarize yourself with the art project
• Be prepared to tell the story of the Passover and how it relates to The Last Supper
• Be prepared to read the names and a brief description of all the disciples
• Gather the materials

Materials List:

• Bible
• List of disciples 
• Woodburning tools
• Wood for breadboards (do we have anyone who could cut them in a nice shape?)
• Scrap wood for woodburning practice
• Drill
• Leather strips
• Sandpaper
• Rag to wipe sawdust off boards

Presentation

Opening- Welcome and Lesson Introduction:

Welcome the children and the shepherd as they arrive. SAY: We are continuing with the theme, “Come Join the Circle,” and we have many characters joining the circle with us this month. They are the twelve disciples who will share a last meal with Jesus before he dies on the cross. But before we learn their names and what we are going to make today, let’s begin with a word of prayer.
Dear God, We are glad to be in church today. Thank you for inviting us. We are grateful for all that you have given us. Help us to learn more about you and your disciples. We want to be your faithful followers, too. In Jesus’ name we pray. AMEN.

Dig- Main Content and Reflection:

Tell the Story: Passover/Last Super:
SAY:

It is a Thursday night. Jesus and his disciples had marched triumphantly into Jerusalem just the Sunday before. We call it Palm Sunday. Now tonight they are going to have supper together. They are celebrating an event that happened to their people hundreds of years before. It was called Passover. It refers to the sacrifice of a lamb in Egypt when the people of Israel were slaves. The Hebrews smeared the blood of the lamb on their doorposts as a signal to God that he should “pass over” their houses when He destroyed all the firstborn of Egypt to persuade Pharaoh to let His people go. One of the foods that is always eaten is unleavened bread. That is bread without any yeast and it is flat. You can make it really fast so that you are ready to leave in a hurry.
This Passover meal also turned out to be the last supper that Jesus would eat with his disciples. The disciples didn’t know it but Jesus was going to be killed the very next day. They ate their supper, but later Jesus took the bread and wine and told them something rather puzzling. He said that whenever they ate bread together, they should remember His body given for them. And when they drank the wine together they should remember the blood He shed for them. They didn’t understand what He meant until later, after Jesus died and rose again on Easter Sunday. Now when we eat the bread and drink the wine in church on Sunday morning, we are remembering Jesus and the sacrifice that He made for us. He died on the cross for our sins!
So now, we are going to make an art project that will help us remember what Jesus said at the last supper to his disciples. Because bread was so important at the last supper, we are going to make a breadboard. We will sand it, drill a hole in it, and burn the words, Remember Me.

Activity:
Distribute breadboards and sand paper. When finished sanding and wiping off saw dust, they may practice writing with the wood-burning tool on scrap wood. An adult can help them drill a hole in their breadboard at a convenient time. Have them tie a leather string through the hole. When they feel comfortable with the wood-burning tool they may write, Remember Me, on their bread board. It would probably be better to write it along an edge.

Journal Activity:
Jesus told us to remember Him whenever we take the Lord’s Supper. Do you think that is the only time we should remember Him? (No) When are other times we should remember Him? (accept all answers, then have them write some in their journal) We should remember Jesus ___________________. It sounds like we should remember Jesus pretty much all the time. Whenever you and your family use this breadboard at home, it can be a reminder to you to remember Jesus and the sacrifice He made for you by dying on the cross.

Closing:

Say the memory verse together:
This day shall be a day of remembrance for you, You shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord.

Dear God, help us to remember you and all the disciples who ate the Last Supper with you: Bartholomew, James, son of Alphaeus, Andrew, Judas, Peter, John, Thomas, James the Greater, Philip, Matthew, Thaddeaus, and Simon. May you burn the memory of Jesus’ death and resurrection in our hearts so that we never forget. And all God’s children say, AMEN.
If there is time you can read to them about each disciple from the attached biography sheet.

 A lesson written by Kathy from: Augustana Lutheran Church
St. James, MN 

A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.

Passover/The Last Supper

Art Workshop Lesson

Summary of Lesson Activities:

Children will create a "celebration" (Seder) plate and discuss Passover and it’s tie to our celebration of Communion.

Scripture Reference:

Luke 22:7-23

Key Bible Verse:
Luke 22:19b “Do this in memory of me” (Good News Bible).

Rotation Objectives —

children will:

• Know that Jesus celebrated a special last meal (a Passover Seder) with his disciples before his crucifixion.
• Learn that at the Last Supper, Jesus gave new meaning to the bread and wine.
• Understand that the Christian observance of Holy Communion began with this “Last Supper”. We celebrate Communion today to remember Jesus’ death and resurrection.
• Discover that Communion is a way to feel closer to God and to other people who believe in God.
• Locate the story in their Bible, identifying the four Gospels (older students); Younger students will learn that the story is in the New Testament.

Leader Preparation:

• Read the scripture for this lesson.
• Read and reflect on the overview material provided for this lesson.
• Gather the materials

Materials List:

• Bibles (for 3rd grade and up)
• Read with Me Bible (1st and 2nd grade)
• Glass plates (one per student)
• Mod Podge
• Small cups (to distribute Mod Podge)
• Small paint brushes or foam brushes
• Magazines; Colorful tissue paper; Scissors (older students)
• Take home notes (one per student, see attached)

Before Start of Class:

• For younger students, cut out pictures and words from magazines; anything that they might enjoy using to create their plate. Examples: pictures of kids, animals, families, fun times, food, etc.
• Pour Mod Podge into small cups.

Presentation

Opening- Welcome and Lesson Introduction:

Greet your students warmly, welcoming them to the Art Workshop. Introduce yourself and any other adults.

Say: Let’s begin with prayer.
Ask for any prayer requests. Ask if anyone would like to lead the group in prayer. Be prepared to say a prayer yourself, working in prayer requests. A suggestion: “Lord, we thank you for Bible stories that teach us about Jesus. From Jesus we learn about your love. Help us to remember Jesus and the gift he gave us on the cross, dying for us so that our sins could be forgiven. We celebrate your love for us. Amen”

Dig- Main Content and Reflection:

For 3rd grade and up:
Ask: Where in the Bible would we read about Jesus and his disciples?
What are the first four books of the New Testament?
What do we call those first four books? (the Gospels)
Say: The word Gospel means “good news”. Jesus teaches us the good news about salvation offered by God.
Distribute Bibles. Have everyone find Luke 22:7-23 in his or her Bible.
Remind them about the quick way to find the New Testament. [Dividing the Bible in half gets them near Psalms in the OT. Dividing the back half in half again, gets them near beginning of the NT.]
Have students take turns reading verses 7-23. (In later weeks of the Rotation ask the students to tell you the story . Fill in any missing details.)

For 1st and 2nd graders:
Ask: If we want to read something that Jesus said, where would we find it – in the Old Testament or the New Testament of the Bible?
Say: We find the story of Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples in the New Testament in the book of Luke.
Read pages 370-373 of The Read with Me Bible. Show pictures while reading. (In later weeks of the Rotation ask students to tell you the story. Fill in any missing details.)

For all students:
Ask: When Jesus shared the Last Supper with his disciples, what Jewish holiday were they celebrating? (Passover) Why do Jewish people celebrate Passover?

Say: Jesus was celebrating Passover because he was Jewish. The first night of Passover is celebrated with a very special meal called a Seder.
Ask: Do you ever celebrate special meals with your family? What do you do to make the meal special? (Guide them to talk about using special dishes – i.e. plates.)

Say: Today we are going to create a special celebration plate. You have already mentioned some special meals you share with your family and friends. Today you can make a plate that you take home and use at your next celebration dinner.

Find out whose birthday comes next. Ask what other celebrations are coming that they could use their plate? (Easter)
Ask: Why do we celebrate Easter?

Say: We don’t have to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection only on Easter. Every day can be a celebration of the wonderful gift Jesus gave us when he died on the cross. Jesus died and came alive again so that we might be a part of God’s family forever.

Guide the students in thinking about decorating their plate. What will make a plate festive, or celebratory for them? Show them what supplies are available – magazines, pre-cut pictures (if using), and tissue paper. They will put cutout pictures (or words) on the back of the plate so they may still eat off the surface of the plate. Apply by brushing a thin layer of Mod Podge to the front of a clipping and apply it to the back of the glass plate. Smooth out bubbles with fingers and thinly apply more Mod Podge over the picture. Overlap clippings until the whole plate is filled. Optional: Apply tissue paper to the back of the plate, over the clippings, to create a more finished look. Note: Be sure that pictures are not applied too close the edge of the plate.

[Important note: In the process of creating their art project students are processing the Bible story – making it theirs. Don’t tell kids how their plate should look. There is no wrong way! (I don’t even like showing samples for this reason.) Don’t do any of the work for them. (It is ok to help cut out for younger students.) DO continue discussion of the story while students work.] 

Discussion: (while the kids are working)
Say: When Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with his disciples they were celebrating a Seder. Every part of a Seder reminds Jewish people of the story of the Exodus, how God saved his people from slavery in Egypt.
Ask: Are there any special foods we eat that remind us of something in particular? (Example: Thanksgiving – foods the Pilgrims ate; Easter – eggs remind us of new life)

Say: At the Last Supper Jesus gave new meaning to the bread and the cup. He took bread and a cup and said: “Do this in memory of me” (Good News Bible).
Ask: What do you suppose Jesus meant?
Why should we remember him?
Say: The Last Supper was the very last time Jesus ate with his disciples before he died. The disciples did not understand this, but Jesus knew what would happen. He knew that he would be killed on a cross and three days later would be alive again. Jesus knew he would be going to heaven and wouldn’t be around to be with his disciples. So Jesus wanted his disciples, and us, to always remember him.

Ask: Jesus said, “do this in remembrance of me.” How do we do that today?
Do the words I just read out of the Bible sound familiar? (are used in Communion service)

Ask: What things do we have in our Communion service, that were also in the Last Supper? (bread, “wine,” cup, table)
Say: When we celebrate Communion, we are following Jesus’ example from the Last Supper in the Bible. The words spoken in church during Communion are the same ones Jesus spoke to his disciples at the Last Supper. We remember what Jesus did to free us from slavery to sin. Jesus’ body, like the bread, was broken for us when he died on the cross. The cup was a symbol of Jesus’ blood shed for us.

Ask: Have you ever heard Communion described as the “sacrament of Communion”? What do you suppose that means?
Say: The word sacrament is related to the word “sacred” which means holy or set aside for the worship of God. When we celebrate Communion, we are setting aside the bread and juice as a special way to worship God.
Ask: If Communion is sacred or holy, what attitude should we have during Communion? (respectful, quiet)

Closing:

Say: At the Last Supper Jesus gave new meaning to the bread and cup. They no longer are just reminders of what God did to save the Hebrews in Egypt, but are what God did for the entire world when Jesus died on the cross. Jesus wants us to think of him when we break the bread, and eat with one another. When we take part in Communion in church we remember how Jesus loves us.

Sources:

Source for glass plates:  You want plates that do not have ridges on the back. For older students we used 10.5 inch diameter plates (purchased at a dollar store). Libby makes a nice "flat" plate. For younger students we used 7.5 inch plastic plates (purchased through local home goods store - 99 cents each, but cheaper because of the use of a coupon!)

Take-Home Note:

Dear Families,

Today your child learned the story of Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples. Ask your child what special holiday Jesus and his disciples were celebrating. (Hint: Passover – the celebration of the Israelites freedom from slavery in Egypt, as told in the Old Testament book of Exodus.)

To remember the Last Supper each artist created a Celebration Plate. Please use this dish in your family celebrations, noting these important care instructions: DO NOT IMMERSE in water. To clean, wipe the eating surface with a soapy cloth, rinse, and dry thoroughly. The eating surface is safe for food!

To further protect your plate before it’s first use, wait 24 hours and apply a thin coat of acrylic clear seal to the back of the plate. Allow to dry thoroughly.

A lesson written by Carol Hulbert, Copyright 2005

First United Methodist Church in Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Permission to copy materials granted for non-commercial use provided credit is given and all cited references remain with this material. 
 If you use this Art Lesson, even in a modified form, please include the following reference: Hulbert, Carol. Lesson posted at rotation.org: “Passover/The Last Supper: Art Lesson.” March 2005.

A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.
Printed from Rotation.org

Lisa M.

January 11, 2014

Idea from a Writing Team discussion added here: 

Another possibility to to make a mosaic plate with each child bringing in a plate or other ceramic item that would be smashed and a piece added (with adult supervision) to a mosaic that will become a bread plate. There could be discussion of the broken pieces formed into one plate, Jesus’ broken body which is what draws us all together.

Last Supper Placemats (for younger children)

Wormy preserving a shred of a great art project idea here from a lesson set we otherwise chose to retire:

Names of the Disciples
Names of People in your Family
Cut out pictures of disciples.
Keywords Jesus said.
Symbols of bread, wine, cup, cross, washing feet!
Scripture passage: "In Remembrance of Me"
Who's welcome at YOUR family table?

Laminate with a laminating machine, or use the lamination pouches you can iron.

Run with it! ...and post your version in this thread.

The Last Supper

Art Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:

The children will explore the events and meaning of The Last Supper while creating "chalices" to help them remember the reason we celebrate Communion.

Matthew 26: 17-30, Mark 14:12-26, Luke 22:7-19

Teacher preparation:

• Read the scripture passages and lesson plan and attend the Bible Study.
• Prepare to tell the story of the Passover during the Bible story time.
• Prepare a closing prayer.
• Gather the Materials

Materials List:

• Plastic wine glasses
• Tissue paper
• Q-tips
• Glue
• Modge Podge craft glue
• Small craft gems
• Small plastic containers for glue (1 for every two children)
• Newspaper to cover tables
• Small plastic plates (1 for every 2-4 children)
• Small paint brushes
• Sharpie brand marker
• Last Supper

Advanced preparation requirements:

• You will need to cut the tissue paper into small squares before the morning that you are to teach
• Set out wine glasses around the table(s).
• Set out small containers for glue (1 for every two children) and tissue paper squares on plastic plates and q-tips.

Presentation

Opening- Welcome and Lesson Introduction:

Greet the children and introduce yourself. Wear your name-tag. Make sure the children are wearing name-tags. If not, use a temporary badge. Remember you are interacting with a different group of students each week who may not know you.

We had an opening prayer during the gathering time, but you may open with prayer if you feel led to do so.

Ask the children if they can think of any meals that they eat when they want remember something special (Thanksgiving, birthday cake, Christmas, etc.) What makes those meals special? (Eat the same thing every year, food reminds us of something like a candy cane or an Easter egg.) Having a special meal to remind us of something is a very old custom.

The Bible story today tells how Jesus had a special meal with his disciples, and used it as a sign for them (disciples) and us to remember him. This special meal occurred during Holy Week and is called The Last Supper. Explain that they will making their own "chalices" to remind them about the story of The Last Supper. Before beginning the project, you may want to spend a few minutes looking at and discussing some artist's representations of the Last Supper with the children. Point out the different ways the cup is depicted.

Dig- Main Content and Reflection:

Application:
Direct the children to begin creating their "chalices" so that the glue will dry by the time class is over. (Before they begin, use a Sharpie marker to label each chalice with the child's name on the bottom of the cup.) Ask the children to decorate their chalices in a way that reminds them of Jesus and what he did for us by dying on the cross.

They will use the q-tip to "paint" a small area on the outside of the wine glass. Then they will place a tissue paper square on the glued area. They will continue this process of "painting" glue and covering with tissue paper until the outside area of the plastic glass is covered.

The 3-5 grade children may also add small craft gems to their chalices after the glass has been covered with tissue squares.

When the glass is covered the entire outside should be covered with a coat of Modge Podge using a small paint brush. (If time is running short, the assistant teacher can do this.)

As the children are working ask them questions about what they are doing such as:

• Why did you choose those colors?
• How does your design remind you of Jesus?
• You may also want to ask them what they already know about The Last Supper. Who ate this meal with Jesus? What was served at this meal?
• Talk about Passover.

Scripture/Bible Story:
(Encourage the children to use their Bibles in looking up verses. )
Have the children open their Bibles to Mark 14:12-26. Point out that the story of The Last Supper is in the New Testament part of The Bible. The story can be found in Matthew, Mark, and Luke and that these books (along with the book of John) are called the Gospels because they contain the Good News of Jesus.

Read the story of The Last Supper or have one of the children read the story. Point out that The Last Supper was a Passover meal. Tell the children the story of the Passover and why Jesus and his disciples were eating this special meal. (If time permits, read Exodus 12:1-14.)

Closing:

Pulling it all together (closing discussion):
I wonder how Jesus felt as he ate the Passover Meal knowing it would be his last meal with the disciples?
I wonder what the disciples were thinking when Jesus said, "This is my body..." and "This is my blood...."?
I wonder why Jesus used these two food items, bread and wine, and not the others from the Passover meal? (roasted lamb, bitter herbs, etc.)
Jesus told his disciples to eat the bread and drink the wine in remembrance of him. When do we do this in our church?
What does Jesus want us to remember when we celebrate The Last Supper? What do we call the celebration of The Last Supper today?
I wonder what Jesus wants us to think about when we take communion?
Where will you put your cup? What will you do/think about when you see it there?

Review the memory verse.

If time permits:
Pick a hymn to sing before you leave (as Jesus and the Disciples did).

Closing prayer:
[Offer a prayer that asks Jesus to help us remember each time we see our chalice how and why he died for us.]

Tidy and Dismissal: Ask children to help tidy up. Give any specific instructions for clearing the workshop room.

Additional Suggestions:
Older children:
They may also add small craft gems to their chalices after the glass has been covered with tissue squares.

Younger Children:
The assistant teacher can cover the decorated glasses with a coat of Modge Podge while the Leader begins the Bible reading and discussion.
The Modge Podge should be dry by the time the children leave, but you may want to let the parents carry the cup on a plate, just in case.

Editor's Note: This is one of several versions of Chalice making projects that have been posted here in the Exchange over the years. This lesson originally referenced other posts, some of which have been retired.

A lesson written by Jamie Senyard from: River Community Church
Prairieville, Louisiana

A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.

Jesus Washes the Disciples' Feet

Art Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:

A soap making project.

Main Idea: Jesus used his final meal with his disciples as a time of instruction, and several important things he taught he did so by demonstrating. Of all the lessons taught that night, one stands out. During the meal Jesus got up from the table, removed his robe, tied a towel around his waist, and with a basin of water went around the table washing the feet of each man present. By doing so, the one they called Son of God gave them a lesson in service no one will forget.

Overview: The Last Supper was an evening of intense instruction for the disciples. The foot washing is noteworthy, however, because it was a lesson by example. Its impact was so powerful that it has reverberated through the ages. The ritual is still practiced in many churches today, usually on Maundy Thursday, during Holy Week.

Scripture Reference:

John 13:1-17

Memory Verses:
John 13:1-17 “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”
Romans 10:15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

Leader Preparation:

• Read the scripture ahead of time
• Gather the materials

Materials List:

• Glycerin soap block
• Fragrance
• Dixie cups
• Craft sticks
• Paper clips
• 9X14 cake pan
• Ice.

Presentation

Opening- Welcome and Lesson Introduction:

Greet the children and introduce yourself.

Open with a prayer.

Dig- Main Content and Reflection:

Lesson:

Our Bible story this month is from the gospel of John. Jesus washes the feet of his disciples. Can you imagine someone like Jesus washing dirty feet of twelve weary men?

Tell the story, or read the story from the Bible. Then tell the children you found ANOTHER story about someone washing dirty feet.

The Queen’s Foot Washing
It was a custom in England that on Holy Thursday, (the day before Good Friday) the queen would wash the feet of as many beggars as she was years old, giving each of them one silver coin. In this way, the queen was following Jesus’ example as recorded in the Bible.
It is said that when the first Queen Elizabeth (Elizabeth 1, not the current Queen Elizabeth 2) was 39 years old, she really didn’t want to do the foot washing. She persuaded her lady-in-waiting to dress up as the queen and perform the ceremony instead.
As the lady-in-waiting began to wash the feet of the first few beggars, the real queen hid behind a curtain to watch. A young boy named Tom Gentry was waiting to have his feet washed. He was so embarrassed that the queen would see his dirty feet that he ran behind the curtains to hide.
Whose arms did he run right into, but the queen’s!
Then the Queen apologized to all the beggars for not washing their feet, and she washed Tom’s feet herself. And she gave all the people two silver coins instead of just one.

Next:
Talk about ways your family follows Jesus’ example. When someone in your family is sick, how do you comfort and care for them?
If a family member has a bad day, how does another person cheer them up?
Think of one way to share an act of love and service with another this week and do it secretly, remember Jesus’ words and following his example.

Tell the children we are going to make “Soap on a Stick” to help us keep our “FEET” clean.

Soap on a Stick:
Recipe: Unscented, clear glycerin soap block
1/4-teaspoon fragrance oil
Optional: Food coloring
Craft sticks
Paper clips
Dixie paper cups
Baggies, or plastic wrap to carry the soap home in

You’ll also need: a 9x14 cake pan, filled with ice water, to set the Dixie cup soaps into so they will set up quickly. If the soaps harden completely within the time span of the workshop, the children can un-mold them, or simply tear off the paper.

Cut soap into small cubes, about 2 ounces each. Melt 2 ounces at a time in a small saucepan over very low heat or microwave in a glass cup.

Add fragrance oil and 2 drops food coloring. Stir gently and pour into Dixie cup. Put a stick into the cup, using the paper clip to hold the stick in the middle of the soap.

Put Dixie cups into cake pan filled with ice water. Remove from molds when soap is hardened. Store in plastic bags with a ribbon or twist tie. Mark these NOT EDIBLE.

Closing:

Have the children assist with the cleanup and close with a prayer.

Closing Prayer: Dear God, Guide of feet on paths of peace, direct our feet so we know how to live, protect our feet to keep us from stumbling. Keep our hands in yours so that we can walk in ways that are pleasing to you. Amen.

Reference:
At Jerusalem’s Gate, Poems of Easter, “The Last Lesson,” by Nikki Grimes.
Before and After Easter, Activities and Ideas—Lent to Pentecost by Debbie Trafton O’Neal, Augsburg Fortress Press, 2001.
https://www.lisamaliga.com/boo...y-bath-beauty-crafts

Alternately:
You might assemble personal hygiene products for a homeless shelter or children's home. Include items that can have a special meaning attached to them, such as, candy hearts. Include toenail clippers!

  A lesson written by Mary H. Part of a lesson set by the Western Suburbs--Chicago--Roundtable Group
Chicago, IL

A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.

A Last Supper Craft for Young Children

"Me and My Family at the Last Supper"

Pre-K through 2nd. Could be a centerpiece for a home Seder or home Holy Week reminder. Write some thoughts or Q’s on the table top. Tape message to bottom to parents suggesting its use at a meal that includes flat pita bread, grapes, and “pouring cups of blessing” (juice) for those gathered.  

(From a craft by Mary Wooten)

Here's a photo of the Communion Table Cloth art sewing project from the Immanuel Evangelical Church in Needville Texas (Ron Shifley's congregation).  They used the Writing Team's "Last Supper" Art Workshop lesson which is available here to our Supporting Members.