Moses - Sinai Wandering
Art / Storytelling Workshop
Summary of Lesson Activities
Participants will consider the relationship between the story of Moses and the Israelites wandering in the wilderness and “wilderness times” for Christians while creating a symbolic sand bottle art project and following the journey on a map.
Scripture Reference
The bitter waters of Marah: Exodus 15:22-25b
Manna and quail: Exodus 16:1-7, 13-15, 31, 35
Water from the rock: Exodus 17:1-7
Memory Verse
”But Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today.’” Exodus 14:13a
Objectives
After completing this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Name that the story is found in the Old Testament.
- Locate the story in the Bible, in the book of Exodus.
- Define: Exodus; Manna.
- Re-tell the story in his or her own words.
- Recognize that God provided for the needs of the Israelites and that God provides for our needs as well.
- Examine what it means to trust God in all situations - ordinary and extraordinary.
- Contrast the Israelites response to difficult situations they encountered with our reactions to difficulties. Discuss “grumbling verses gratitude” in all circumstances.
Preparation and Materials
- Read the scripture ahead of time.
- Become familiar with the project.
- Prepare a sample sand bottle.
- Fill a clear medium-size plastic box or container with sand to create the desert box.
- Cut the cotton swabs in half, dip one end into red food coloring and allow to dry.
- Cover classroom tables with newspaper or plastic tablecloths.
- Set out materials. Place each sand bottle item into it's own bowl and place in center of table.
- Display the maps where all can see.
- Provide clean-up materials.
Gather the following list of materials....
- Bibles
- Maps
- shows caravan routes and limited water
- shows the landmass as desert with major events noted
- Newspaper or plastic tablecloth
- Clean-up supplies including broom, dust pan, or vacuum plus soap, water, and towels
- Box or container, medium size clear plastic, for desert box
- Sand, play-type - enough for bottles and desert container
- Bottles, 8 or 16 ounce clear plastic with caps for sand art project (Note: bottle used for demonstration purposes was a 16 oz 500ml President’s Choice Raspberry Mist Flavoured Water" from Shoppers, if you have a very large group using 8 oz bottles would save on sand.)
- Funnels, 1 for every 3 - 4 students
- Food coloring, red
- bowls, to hold each bottle item listed below
- Cotton swabs, 1 per student
- Twigs, small - 1 per student
- Feathers, small - several per student
- Paper circles, small from hole punch - several per student
- Pebbles, small - 1 per student
- Permanent marker(s) for students to write their initials on the top of the bottle lid.
- Hot glue gun for sealing lids to bottles.
Lesson
Lesson Overview for Teacher:
After your intro on the wilderness journey, students will learn the memory verse with actions (those they create or using samples given). Next you will read/tell a story script (with feeling and expression) pausing where indicated so the students can participate in the story by:
1) reciting the memory verse with actions every time the Israelites complain,
2) adding a story item to their sand bottle, and
3) checking out current location on a map and hearing about that location.
Followed by reflection questions and ending with a closing containing a fun prayer litany involving the memory verse.
Opening
The Bible contains many, many different stories. But in a very important way, the Bible is really one very BIG story about how God cares for all creation and especially for people.
Ask the students to picture what a wilderness is like. (Lead them to describe a place with no buildings and no roads.) Ask them how people can survive in a wilderness. (They need someone to lead them; they need water and food; they need protection from the weather.)
Bring out the desert container. Say: “In Bible lands the wilderness was mostly desert. In fact, so many important things happen in the desert, that we need to have a piece of it here in our classroom to help us tell this story and to remind us of the other desert Bible stories.”
Push the sand around in the desert container with your open hands, making dunes and then smoothing them out. As you move the sand, say: “The desert is a strange and dangerous place. In the daytime the sun makes the sand so hot that it can burn you. (Quickly draw back your hand as if the sand is too hot to touch.) At night the wind makes the sand so cold that you can freeze. (Shiver.) The wind blows the sand so that it is never in the same place twice. Any path you make is soon covered over and disappears. (Draw a line in the sand and then smooth it out.) It’s very easy to get lost in the desert.”
Say: “Beginning in Egypt and all through the desert God led the people. They could see a towering pillar of cloud by day and a flaming torch of fire by night.”
Say: “In this rotation, God will lead the Israelites out into the desert. God will be with them through all their fears and troubles.”
Dig
Show map(s).
Say: We don’t know exactly the path the Israelites traveled from Egypt to the Land of Promise. What we do know is that they didn’t follow the shorter, easier caravan route along the seacoast, or even the longer caravan route through the Wilderness of Shur. Instead, they wandered in the wilderness, slowly learning how to be God’s people.
Ask: Where can we find this story in the Bible? (In the Old Testament, in the book of Exodus)
Ask: What does “exodus” mean? (“going out"
)
Sand Bottle Story Activity - Through the Wilderness
Say: Our key verse today is from Exodus 14:13a, let's say it together...
”But Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today.’”
Now let's add some actions to our verse (have students come up with actions, below are some suggestions)
”But — right hand in fist pointer finger out - bring fist down from chest as if making a point
Moses said to the people, — hands together palms up - spread outwards
"Do not be afraid, — shake finger
stand firm, — stand at attention
and see the deliverance — look through binoculars made with hands
that the Lord — finger pointing heaven word
will accomplish — it's OK/Good sign (fist-thumb up)
for you— point to someone
today.’” — fists with both pointy fingers point down once
Say: Let's practice....the Israelites grumbled - say in a whining voice "Are we there yet?"......then have students respond (do it a couple of times until they've got the verse and actions down).
Note: This will keep the attention of the younger kids (and the more active ones) during the story activity, plus it will help their brains retain the memory verse.
Say: Today as I tell you the Wilderness Story I will be pausing so that you may add a small object to your bottle to create a bottle full of wilderness memories as a reminder of Moses and the Israelites wandering in the wilderness. Also, anytime you hear the Israelites grumbing, in their whiny voices, you are to repeat the memory verse along with the actions.
Hand out an empty bottle to each student and have them write their initials (or first name) on the top of the bottle lid.
Sand Bottle Story Script
When we left Moses and the Israelites, God had just freed them from slavery in Egypt. At the last moment it looked as if the Egyptians would trap them at the Red Sea; the Israelites complained
(in a whiny voice), “It would have been better for us to be slaves to the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”
Verse/Actions:
”But Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today.’”
God led them through the Red Sea on dry ground while the sea closed back over the Egyptians. God’s people rejoiced, “Free at last.”
Map: Red Sea - (For Older Students: the "crossing" likely took place at the Sea of Reeds rather than the Red Sea. "Red" and "Reeds" are the same word in Hebrew.) ”
The LORD led them by day in a towering cloud and by night in a flaming torch.
Add Item:
Cotton swab ends, one red and one white, to remind them of the pillars of cloud and fire that went with them everywhere.
But where were they? In the wilderness.
They were hot; they were tired; they were thirsty.
At Marah they complained that the water was too bitter to drink (in a whiny voice). “What shall we drink?” they moaned.
Verse/Actions:
”But Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today.’”
God showed Moses a piece of wood that made the water sweet.
Add Item:
A Twig to remind them of the wood that made the water sweet at Marah.
Map:
Show where Marah is on the Map. Marah was the first camp of the Israelites after they crossed the Red Sea. Mara means bitter. The name came from the bitterness of the brackish water. When Moses cast a tree branch into the waters the water turned sweet tasting.
They set out again.
They were hot; they were tired; they were hungry.
When they reached the wilderness of Sin, they cried out (in a whiny voice), “If only we had died in Egypt, where at least we had enough to eat.”
Verse/Actions:
”But Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today.’”
Map:
Show them the wilderness of Sin, which is the area between Elim and Sinai" (Exodus 16:1)
God told Moses, “I will send bread down from heaven like dew every morning.
In the morning, dew covered the ground. After the dew had gone, the desert was covered with thin flakes that looked like frost. It was white and delicious as wafers made with honey. The Israelites called the bread manna, which means “What is it?” in Hebrew.
Add Item:
They can add small paper circles to remind them of the manna flakes.
God said, "Each day the people shall gather only enough for that day. That’s how I will see if they obey me. But on the sixth day of the week they must gather and cook twice as much because they cannot gather any bread on the seventh day; the Sabbath is a day of rest.”
Some of them gathered more bread than they needed and kept it overnight, but the next morning it was stinking and full of worms. Ugh! Some of them went out and looked for bread on the Sabbath, but found nothing.
God not only sent bread, but also fresh fowl. Every evening quail landed throughout the camp.
Add Item:
They can add one or two feathers to remind them of the quail God provided.
Quail - A game bird of the family Coturnix, closely related to "partridges", although partridges are a little larger and of brighter color. Quail are like the gray, brown and tan of earth. Their plumage is cut and penciled by markings, and their flesh juicy and delicate food.
Did the Israelites stop complaining? Not at all. They traveled on.
They were hot; they were tired; they were thirsty – again.
At Rephidim there was no water at all to drink. So the Israelites complained (in a whiny voice), “Did you bring us out of Egypt just so we could die of thirst in the wilderness?”
Verse/Actions:
”But Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today.’”
Map:
Rephidim - point out location on map. Rephidim is also called Massah (test) and Meribah (quarrel).
God showed Moses a rock at Mt. Sinai. “Strike the rock with your walking stick and water will pour out for the people to drink.” The people had fresh water to drink.
Add Item:
They can add a pebble to remind them of the water from the rock at Massah and Meribah.
Map:
Point out Mt. Sinai. Upon this mountain peak God spoke to Moses and gave him the 10 Commandments.
The people complained and tested the LORD by asking (in a whiny voice), "Is the LORD really with us?"
Verse/Actions:
”But Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today.’”
So Moses named that place Massah, which means "testing" and Meribah, which means "complaining."
They were hot; they were tired; they asked (in a whiny voice), “Are we there yet?”
Verse/Actions:
”But Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today.’”
And still the LORD led them by day in a towering cloud and by night in a flaming torch. The Israelites ate manna for forty years -- until they came to the end of the wilderness at the edge of the Land of Promise.
Add Item:
They can now fill the bottle with sand using the funnels.
The sand is to remind them of forty years of wandering in the wilderness.
Important - leave a small amount of space at the top (1" - 2") so they can see different pieces in the sand when they shake the bottle.
Have an adult helper seal the cap on the bottle, using a glue gun, to prevent unwanted sand loss.
Encourage the students to shake and twist their bottles to allow different pieces to come to the surface as you do the following reflection.
Reflect
Ask: “What is your favorite part of this story? What part of the story troubles you the most?”
Ask: “I wonder why the Israelites kept complaining – even with God clearly on their side in the pillars of cloud and fire. I wonder why God kept helping them, even when they constantly complained.”
Say: “Wilderness plays an important role in the pictures we have of the story of our faith. We see God’s faithfulness to the Israelites in the miracles God worked in the desert. We see how afraid they were and how much they complained.
God rescued them in spite of their fears and complaints.”
[Older Students: Say: “The wilderness continues to play an important role in the New Testament. John the Baptist preached in the desert. After Jesus’ baptism, the Holy Spirit led him into the desert for his time of trial. Jesus fed the 5000 in a deserted place. Jesus often left his followers and went to a place where he could be alone to pray.” Ask: “Do you feel closer to God in a deserted place than in a busy place? What does wilderness mean for you?”]
Ask: “How did the Israelites respond to the wilderness? Why do you think God led them through the wilderness? How are we like the Israelites?”
Closing
Gather the students in a circle on chairs or on the floor. Invite them to imagine how frightened God’s people were when they had no water or food in the wilderness. Invite them to imagine how joyous and thankful God’s people felt when God rescued them. Invite the students to share and comment on their sand bottles.
Create a prayer litany that uses the key/memory verse as the refrain. Invite the students to name something that worries them, then join together saying with actions, “Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today.” Amen.
As the participants leave, and each person picks up his or her project, remind the students to share the story of Moses and the Israelites wandering through the wilderness by showing the sand bottle to family and friends.
Adaptations
Younger Children
Guide the process as the younger children fill their sand bottles and explain the importance of each item they add to their sand bottle in kid-friendly terms. This becomes a Find-It Jar (Bottle). Once complete and sealed, the teacher can go back through the story pausing at each item in the story and ask the kids to find that item by shaking their bottle until that item appears. They can then use the Find-It Bottle at home to retell the story.
Older Children
For older students, add the suggested language indicated in brackets […] about the wilderness.
Intergenerational Groups
Provide resources such as Bible Atlases and explore in greater depth the various routes between Egypt and Canaan. Discuss in greater depth Exodus 13:17 which says "After the king had finally let the people go, the LORD did not lead them through Philistine territory, [a] though that was the shortest way. God had said, "'If they are attacked, they may decide to return to Egypt.'" Footnote: (a) Philistine territory: The shortest land route from the Nile Delta to Canaan; it was the southern section of the major road that led to Megiddo and then on to Mesopotamia by way of Asia Minor.
Provide Bible Concordances, or search the Internet, and look up "desert." Find the places the desert is important in the Old Testament and the New Testament.
Share a "desert" experience you may have had.
Sources
Script: Through the Wilderness
A retelling of the Israelites’ journey written by Anne Camp, inspired by “A Long Journey” in The Lion Storyteller Bible by Bob Hartman, illustrated by Krisztina KÁllai Nagy. Oxford, England: Lion Hudson, 2008. US ISBN 978 0 8254 7877 2.
- Writing Team Exodus Through Water and Wilderness Bible Background link.
Stewart, Sonja and Jerome Berryman. Young Children in Worship. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1989. ISBN 0-664-25040, paperback. Note: I am always deeply indebted to Jerome Berryman for his development and use of the desert box. The desert is indeed such an important place in the Bible that we need a little piece of it in the classroom to share the stories.
- http://www.bible-history.com/maps/route_exodus.html
- http://www.bible-history.com/m...Israelites-Egypt.pdf
- http://www.ebibleteacher.com/s...nts%20Map%201024.JPG
- Review by member Sheila Hamilton (2015)
Her adaptation comments: We modified this workshop so the children made the sand bottles during the telling of the story, adding the appropriate items to the bottle at the proper times. We also had them say the key verse with actions each time the Israelites grumbled. This kept the attention of the younger kids (and the more active ones) better than having them sit for an extended period during the story. They really enjoyed the sand bottles and watching the items appear and disappear.
Thanks to Sheila for this great adaptation idea, this lesson was improved and updated in 2017.
A lesson written by Anne Camp (2012)
and revised in 2017 by Luanne Payne & Anne Camp to include great adaptations
posted by member Sheila Hamilton (in 2015)
of Argyle Road Baptist Church, Saskatchewan, Canada
