Skip to main content

Riverkidz Workshops Summaries:

  • Movie Workshop: the children will see Veggie Tale’s Dave and the Giant Pickle and explore the idea that when they trust God they can be certain that his purpose for their lives will be fulfilled and will be good.
  • Drama Workshop:  uses Readers’ theater is used to dramatize David’s battle with Goliath. Many of the Psalms attributed to David are featured in the script. Younger students will use a tape recording of the older students’ reading as the soundtrack for a puppet show.
  • Games Workshop: the children will review the story of David and Goliath by playing a game that involves throwing a sock sling at a cardboard Goliath and answering questions about the Bible story.
  • Art Workshop: the children will consider the presence of the Holy Spirit as their helper as they work with wire to create sculptures of David and Goliath or of themselves facing a “giant” in their lives.
  • Song: "There's a Giant a Comin' O David O David" to the tune of an old mountain answering song---"There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza."

River Community Church
RiverKidz Take-home Flyer

David and Goliath


Scripture Reference:

1 Samuel 17

David was a shepherd, soldier, song writer, musician, and king, as well as a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). He was a man of many faults as well as of great faith. The many stories about his life can be found in 1 and 2 Samuel and many are retold in 1 Chronicles.

The story of David and Goliath is a story from his childhood. While David’s situation is not one most kids can connect to directly (how often do they find themselves in a literal battlefield?), it is one that can be a reminder that even when things look hopeless, children are not powerless when they have the power and Spirit of God in their lives.

Our memory verse for this Rotation is in David’s own words: “The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the strength of my salvation, and my stronghold, my high tower, my savior, the one who saves me from violence.” 2 Samuel 22:2b-3 (NLT)

What we will learn:
At the end of the rotation, the students will

  • know that the story of David and Goliath (and other stories about King David) is in 1 Samuel and will be able to find it in the Old Testament.
  • understand that even a child can do God’s work.
  • rely on God because God is more powerful than any challenges we will face in this world.
  • know that God works in ways that we do not expect.
  • be able to repeat the memory verse.


Family Time with God:
This article first appeared in January/February 2002 issue of Christian Parenting Today (Volume 14, Number 3, Page 20). Used by permission of Christianity Today International, Carol Stream, IL 60188.

Family devotions don’t have to be formal sit-down events. Use these quick ideas (and others which can be found at www.heritagebuilders.com ) to connect with your kids during meals, in the car, or at bedtime. Whether you use one of these ideas each week or only manage to squeeze in a couple during the next two months, you’ll be teaching your children that any time is a great time to learn about God.

Trust Test
Read the story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17.
David was able to defeat Goliath because he trusted God to be with him and to help him. God is also with us, all the time. All we have to do is trust him. What things can you trust God with in your life?

Dear God, Thank you that you are with me and also with (child’s name). Please help us to trust you in all we do. Amen.

A Puzzlement
Find a puzzle that’s easy. Put the puzzle together with your child. Then, share that sometimes things in life seem to be falling to pieces, like this puzzle before we made it. But with God’s help, those pieces can be put back together. What pieces of your life can God help you with right now?

Dear God, Thank you that you are there for us when we need you. Please help (child’s name) with (list the things they said and any others you can think of). Amen.

Heritage Builders, a ministry of Focus on the Family, is dedicated to training and equipping parents to pass on a spiritual heritage to their children. For more information or to request resources visit: www.heritagebuilders.com.

Thank you to our David and Goliath Rotation Team:
Curriculum Writers: Cathy Greenwood, Jamie Senyard, Amy Crane

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 8 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.



River Community Church

Riverkidz Worm

David and Goliath

Scripture Reference:

1 Samuel 17: 1-58

Teacher Background Notes:

David was a shepherd, soldier, song writer, musician, and king, as well as a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). He was a man of many faults as well as of great faith. The many stories about his life can be found in 1 and 2 Samuel and many are retold in 1 Chronicles. The story of David and Goliath is a story from his childhood. While David’s situation is not one most kids can connect to directly (how often do they find themselves in a literal battlefield?), it is one that can be a reminder that even when things look hopeless, children are not powerless when they have the power and Spirit of God in their lives.

This rotation’s story of the victory of an underdog is a familiar one in our culture, even to those not familiar with other Bible stories. Some scholars feel that this larger-than-life hero story may be a legend about David, especially since in 2 Samuel 21:19, Elhanan is credited with killing Goliath of Gath. More giants from Gath were also killed in 1 Chronicles 20: 4-8. The chronology in 1 Samuel indicates that the story may have been inserted at a later time (in chapter 16 David serves King Saul as a harpist, but Saul does not recognize him in chapter 17), or perhaps it shows Saul’s confused state of mind after the Lord rejected him (see 1 Samuel 15:23 and 16:14). Nonetheless, this story of a boy who does what trained soldiers did not dare do wonderfully exemplifies David’s trust in the Lord and the Lord’s faithfulness to his servants. It emphasizes the Old Testament theme that Yahweh is with the small nation of Israel and gives them victory over powerful enemies.

The situation the armies find themselves in was not all that unusual in that day. It was not uncommon for an army to avoid the high cost of battle by pitting its champion against the champion of their enemy.

The memory verse is particularly appropriate, as it is part of David’s song of praise after the Lord had rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul. In this song, David gives credit where credit is due. He recounts God’s faithful love in detail. Note that this song at 2 Samuel 22 is almost identical to the song of praise in Psalm 18, also written by David.

Read through some of the Psalms attributed to David. He was a great musician and song writer. The many moods of the Psalms reflect the ups and downs of David’s life as well as his prayers and petitions to God.

Q: How can I nurture children's self worth?
A: Invite questions.

(Adapted from an article on Nurturing a Child. Copyright © 2003 by Christianity Today International/Christian Bible Studies. Used by permission of Christianity Today International, Carol Stream, IL 60188.)

Have you ever been in a heated discussion when a quiet child who has gone unnoticed pipes up and asks, “But what about …?” or, “Why can't we just …?” This child, uncluttered with all the nuances that overwhelm adults, has seen the big picture and has the courage to speak up.

Children can simplify things by asking cut-to-the-chase questions. Sometimes it’s even good to approach a child and ask, “What do you think about …?” Whether or not they say something profound, you’re letting them know you value their opinions, that you believe they have something to contribute to the discussion.

You know you’ve forgotten these truths when a child asks, as David did, “What have I done now? I was only asking a question.” (1 Samuel 17:29). As teachers and parents we need to do our best to encourage questioning and the expression of ideas, then honor them with attention and thoughtfulness—even when there’s a Goliath or two of a problem waiting to be solved.

Good Words To Remember: David said to Goliath, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD Almighty … It is His battle, not ours. The LORD will give you to us.” 1 Samuel 17:45,47

Today’s Challenge: In what ways do you invite questions from children?


Resources:

  • Cohen, Barbara. David: A Biography. New York: Clarion Books, 1995. (Adds details to story using midrash, archaeology, history, psychology, Bible study, etc.)
  • Mark, Jan. God’s Story: How God Made Mankind. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Candlewick, 1998.
  • McCarter, P. Kyle. The Anchor Bible: I Samuel: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1980.
  • Spangler, Ann and Robert Wolgemuth. Men of the Bible: A One-Year Devotional Study of Men in Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2002.
  • Life Application Study Bible notes. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1986.


Books for sharing during Shepherd Time:
There are many picture book versions of David and Goliath available in the public library. There are also a number of books about the Twenty-third Psalm, the Good Shepherd, and Psalms. Ask your librarian for help, or look for

  • Auld, Mary. David and Goliath. New York: Franklin Watts, 1999.
  • de Regniers, Beatrice Schenk. David and Goliath. New York: Orchard Books, 1965, 1996.
  • Eisler, Colin. David’s Songs: His Psalms and Their Story. New York: Dial, 1992.
  • Fisher, Leonard Everett. David and Goliath. New York: Holiday House, 1993.
  • Miner, Julia (illustrator). The Shepherd’s Song: The Twenty-third Psalm. New York: Dial, 1993.
  • Walker, Paul Robert. Giants!: Stories from Around the World. New York: Harcourt Brace and Company, 1995.

Other Resources for Shepherds (just in case you have some extra time to fill):

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.


A lesson set from River Community Church

Last edited by Luanne Payne
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

David and Goliath

Movie Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:Dave-and-the-giant-pickle-dvd

Uses the video Dave and the Giant Pickle. Big Idea’s Veggie Tales.

Scripture Reference:

1 Samuel 17: 1-58

Memory Verse:

2 Samuel 22:2b-3 (NLT)

Purpose:

The purpose of this workshop is to increase the children’s awareness that when they trust God they can be certain that his purpose for their lives will be fulfilled and will be good.

Objectives for rotation:
(listed above)

Additional objectives for the Movie Workshop:
At the end of the session, the students will be able to

  • name and describe the characters in the story.
  • state the problem and solution.
  • name difficult challenges and recognize that only God can help us.

Teacher preparation in advance:

  • Read the scripture passages and lesson plan and attend the Bible Study, ....
  • Prepare a closing prayer.
  • Learn the memory verse.
  • Learn the American Sign Language for the memory verse.
  • Preview the video. Be familiar with the places where the video should be stopped for discussion. (Neil MacQueen’s “Two Most Important SHOWING TIPS: 1.) Use the PAUSE button. It’s your most powerful ‘video’ teaching tool. 2.) Don’t be afraid to view an important scene a second time. Kids (and adults) watch movies over and over all the time.
  • Cue video to starting place (after all the previews).
  • To our teachers at RCC: The design of this workshop is very intentional. The activities and discussion questions for this workshop were designed to meet the goals of the entire rotation and the educational objectives of the Rotation Model (tm) at River Community Church. While we feel it is important to follow the serendipitous leading of the Holy Spirit, please do not change the lesson plan without consulting a Curriculum Planning and Writing Team member.

Room set-up:

  • Students will sit in seats or on the floor facing the video/projection screen.

Supply List:

  • Video: Dave and the Giant Pickle. Big Idea’s Veggie Tales, 1993, ISBN #1571322701. (Available through discount retailers, amazon.com,...) About 30 minutes long.
  • Popcorn, lemonade or water and cups, hand wipes.
  • Flip chart or whiteboard (One side labeled “Challenges;” the other “How God Helped with a Solution
  • Appropriate markers.


Presentation

Opening-Welcome and Introductions:
Greet the children and introduce yourself. Wear your name-tag. (Remember that you are interacting with a different group of students each week who may not know you.) Make sure the children are wearing name-tags. If not, ask the Shepherd to supply a temporary badge.

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

Explain the purpose of this workshop. Say: “Today we will watch Dave and the Giant Pickle. This video shows how a little shepherd boy named Dave feels when his big brothers head off to defend their country, leaving Dave behind with the sheep. ‘Big people do big things and little people do little things,’ they told him. Well, they are in for the surprise of their lives and so are you.”

Scripture/Bible Story:
Read the scripture: 1 Samuel 17: 12-18. (Encourage the children to use their Bibles in looking up verses. Remind them that 1 and 2 Samuel are Old Testament history books. The OT is stories of what happened before Jesus was born. First are the five books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) and then Joshua and Judges and Ruth, then 1 & 2 Samuel.)

Application:
Before beginning the video, talk about the differences between the Veggie Tale version and the Bible.

Tell the children: While you’re watching the video,

  • notice what the king was like.
  • notice how the characters treat each other. Would you want to be friends with any of them?

Pass out wipes, popcorn and drinks. Start the video.

Stop the video at the introduction to musical selection (“Silly Songs with Larry and discuss the movie thus far. [Ask the Shepherd to fast forward past the musical selection to where the story begins again. However, if time permits, you can show the Silly Song.]

Talking Points:

  • Who was Dave? What qualities/characteristics has he displayed so far? How would you describe him?
  • Name some other characters in the story. What qualities/characteristics are they displaying so far? How would you describe them?
  • Name some ways people get us to do things we do not want to do.
  • Answer this question only if you have not seen this video before, please: What do you think will happen next?

Say: “Now we will watch the rest of the video. Look for the challenge that is faced by Dave. Think of times when you faced a challenge and how God helped you face it.”

Begin second half of video. Upon completion of the video, use the following talking points to lead the children in a meaningful discussion:

  • What was Dave’s problem?
  • How did Dave find a solution?
  • Did Dave solve his problem on his own? If not, how was Dave able to face such a giant foe?
  • Was Dave expecting to be the one who would face the giant?

Any additional questions or comments about the video?

Reflect:
Pulling it all together (closing discussion):

“We can see how God can help us in many different challenging situations, even when we are not expecting it. Think about some challenges, some ‘giants,’ which you have defeated with God’s help.”

If time permits, complete the chart placed on the wall or stand. For younger children you will need to do the writing. For older children, they can take turns filling in the spaces.

You may want to give an example of a problem from your own life that seemed too big until God intervened. Example: the healing of a very sick child.

How has this video and lesson changed the way you might face your next big challenge even though you seem too young or little?
How can you get help when there are difficult challenges you are facing in your home, school, community?
Be ready to name challenge or challenges you are facing right now that we could pray about during our closing prayer.

Review the memory verse: Teach the children the first half of the memory verse using American Sign language (see attached instructions).

At 11:50 a.m. ask the Shepherd to pass out the journal pages and pencils/markers. Suggestion: You may wish to give the children a sticker or some memento to paste in their journal as a reminder of the story or activity.

Shepherd Time:
Prompts for journal writing: Write down 2 or 3 challenges that you are currently facing so that we can pray about them during our closing prayer. (If you can only think of one that is okay.)

This is meant to be a time of reflection and introspection. Writing about faith helps clarify lessons. Children may draw pictures, list highlights of the day’s activities, rephrase the memory verse, or respond to the question. The journal pages will be saved and given to the children at the end of the school year.

You may want to provide an extra activity or worksheet for children who finish their journals quickly, such as coloring sheets, crossword puzzles, word searches, games. See the Workshop Leader’s Background Notes and rotation.org for ideas.

At noon, ask the students to turn in their journal pages and sit quietly for prayer.

Closing:

“We will now close by praying about the challenges we wrote in our journal. Let’s sit in a circle and hold hands. I’ll go first, when I’m done praying, I will squeeze ___’s hand (child to your right or left). If you want to pray out loud please do so. Or you may pray silently. When you are done praying, pass the squeeze on to the person on your right/left. The prayer will go around the circle and end back with me. Okay?”

You should begin by praying for one of your own challenges. Remember to tell children that God hears all our prayers, even the ones we leave unspoken out loud, so they should pray silently if they are not comfortable saying their prayer out loud.

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

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:
You will need to decide how best to adjust the lesson for older and younger students. Keep the children active and involved in activity. Do what works for you and the children. Some ideas:

Older children:

  • Some should be ready to pray out loud. Try to arrange the circle so one of those “leaders” goes after you to set an example for the class. You may want to mention this prayer time to your “leader” before class.

Younger Children:

  • For classes composed primarily of pre-readers, show the children how to find the passage in the Bible. After everyone has found the passage, have them close their Bibles and listen while you read.
  • Focus only on the first half of the memory verse.

Resources:


David and Goliath

Memory Verse Sign Language


“The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.”
2 Samuel 22:2b (NLT)

LORD The sign KING is made with a L handshape. (Move your hand from the chest to the waist while crossing the body. The movement indicates the location of the royal sash worn by kings.)

ROCK The sign STONE is made with an R handshape. (The right hand taps the back of the other hand which is open. This movement is showing that something is hard.)

FORTRESS The horizontal left arm represents a wall around a fort and the V handshape (two fingers in V) moving from elbow to wrist represents eyes watching over the wall.

SAVIOR Sign “save” and add the “person” ending. Save: Cross the wrists as if the fists were bound and then pull them apart (palm forward, still fists) to show that a person has broken free from being tied up. Person ending: both open hands facing each other are brought down the sides of the body.

GOD The open right hand is raised to the heavens and then downward in a sign of respect.

ROCK The sign STONE is made with an R handshape -- crossed fingers. (The right hand taps the back of the other hand which is open. This movement is showing that something is hard.)

PROTECTION (Protect) The hands lock in a defensive position. The hands are blocking against an attacker. (Make fists and cross arms at the wrist.)


You can see the signs at the American Sign Language Browser: http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm




A lesson written by Cathy Greenwood for River Community Church
Prairieville, Louisiana.

Copyright 2003 Cathy Greenwood. Permission granted to freely distribute and use, provided the copyright message is included.

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

Attachments

Images (1)
  • Dave-and-the-giant-pickle-dvd
Last edited by Luanne Payne

David and Goliath

Drama Workshop

 

Summary of Lesson Activities:

Readers’ theater is used to dramatize David’s battle with Goliath. Many of the Psalms attributed to David are featured in the script. Younger students will use a tape recording of the older students’ reading as the soundtrack for a puppet show.

Scripture Reference:

1 Samuel 17: 1-58

Memory Verse:

2 Samuel 22:2b-3 (NLT)

Objectives for rotation
(see listing above)

Additional objectives for the Drama Workshop
At the end of the session, the students will be able to

  • relate the story of David the shepherd and Goliath the giant.
  • know that David is said to have written many of the Psalms.

 

Teacher preparation in advance:

  • Read the scripture passages and lesson plan and attend the Bible Study, ...
  • Prepare a closing prayer.
  • Learn the memory verse.
  • Learn the story well enough so that you can retell it with minimal use of notes and maximum eye contact.
  • To our teachers at RCC: The design of this workshop is very intentional. The activities and discussion questions for this workshop were designed to meet the goals of the entire rotation and the educational objectives of the Rotation Model (tm) at River Community Church. While we feel it is important to follow the serendipitous leading of the Holy Spirit, please do not change the lesson plan without consulting a Curriculum Planning and Writing Team member.
  • Check out the room before your first Sunday workshop so that you know where everything is located.
  • Write the memory verse on a piece of posterboard in two colors as indicated in the memory verse activity on page - of this lesson plan.
  • SCHEDULING NOTE: one of the older classes should be in this rotation first so they can record the script for the younger classes to use for a puppet show.

Room set-up:
If possible, have a chair for each of the 13 parts in the Readers’ Theater Script.
Optional: Puppet stage (or table covered with table cloth or turned on its side)

Supply List:

  • smooth stones (from a garden supply store or the floral department of a discount store)
  • flip chart or whiteboard and markers
  • tape measurer
  • memory verse poster

    For Readers’ Theater:
  • scripts (13 copies for readers; prepare them for easy use by highlighting one reader’s lines on each one)
  • simple hats or headpieces to help identify characters (or construction paper and patterns for making them from Paper Hat -- see notes following lesson)
  • tape recorder and blank tape

    For younger student puppet option:
  • tape-recording of the script and tape player
  • Bible-time puppets
  • sheep puppets (can be posterboard sheep covered with cotton balls attached to a paint stick)
  • lion puppet (or lion action can take place “off stage")
  • For Goliath, pretend a regular puppet is big, use a bigger puppet, have Goliath be “off stage,” or have a student dressed up in Bible-time clothes pretend to be Goliath.


 

Presentation

 

Opening-Welcome and Introductions:
Greet the children and introduce yourself. Wear your name-tag. (Remember you are interacting with a different group of students each week who may not know you.) Make sure the children are wearing name-tags. If not, ask the Shepherd to supply a temporary badge.

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

Explain the purpose of this workshop: Today we will retell the story of David and Goliath using Readers’ Theater/puppets.

Give each child a smooth stone to look at and feel. Have them tell you words to describe their stones; write them down on the flip chart or whiteboard headed with the statement “words that describe this stone.”


Scripture/Bible Story:
Tell the story (see The Lion Storyteller Bible for an excellent condensation of the story for reading or retelling). If you use notes, hold them in your Bible so that it is clear the story came from the Bible.

In addition to being a shepherd, David later became king. He also wrote songs, called Psalms, some of which we will hear today. Let’s read one of the songs written by David. As we read, think about what this Psalm shows about David and how he felt about God.
Read the scripture: Psalm 139: 17-24.
(Encourage the children to use their Bibles in looking up verses. Show them how they can open their Bibles to the middle and find Psalms.)

Discuss before acting out the story:

 

Characters: David, Jesse (father), King Saul, Eliab (oldest brother), Abinadab and Shammah (second and third oldest brothers), Goliath of Gath, Israelite army, Philistine army

  • Where did the story take place? Jesse’s home and sheep fields, Israelite army’s camp, battlefield

Use the tape measurer to show how tall Goliath was. Most Bibles say he was 6 cubits and 6 span (9 feet, 9 inches tall); the Dead Sea Scrolls (an older manuscript) indicate he was 4 cubits and 1 span, which is 6 feet, 9 inches -- still quite tall! (Walker, Giants!)

Look at the smooth stone word list: did anyone put down a word having to do with weaponry or implying power?

Dig-Main Content and Reflection:

Drama warm-up:
Mime (act without words):

  • David facing lions and bears
  • Jesse when David wanted to join brothers
  • Israelites when Goliath yelled at them
  • King Saul when David volunteered to fight Goliath
  • Goliath when he saw David
  • Philistine army when Goliath fell, Israelite army when Goliath fell

(These are meant to be brief warmups. Point out a child or two that does an emotion/reaction especially well and then move on to the next item on the list.)

Practice saying Eliab, Abinadab, and Shammah.

Assign parts and read the story using the Readers’ Theater script. (David has the biggest part, so it should go to a good reader. The narrators should be confident readers, also. Note that this is one of those stories with no female roles. Girls can portray any of the men or boys in the story. If necessary, one person can read several smaller rolls.)
Explain that in some churches, Psalms are chanted by a cantor. Demonstrate, and suggest that David consider chanting the songs in the script.

 

Consider tape-recording the performance to play it back for the group, or to play it for another class or program. If another class will be using the recording for a puppet show, be sure to leave pauses for the puppet action.
Listen to the tape, discuss other things that can be added to the performance, and if time permits, do it again.

Variation: Puppet show. Have a class of older students record their Readers’ Theater reading with pauses for puppet action and movement. Play the tape once so the puppeteers are familiar with the plot and dialog. Play the tape again, with the puppets miming action and moving their mouths (if they are moving mouth puppets) in sync with the tape. You will want to do this several times so that everyone can learn their cues. It may be necessary for some of the action to take place “off stage” (such as the battle with the lion and Goliath being killed and beheaded).

 

Pulling it all together (closing discussion):
∙ Was David braver than all the soldiers? Why?

  • I wonder how David knew God was with him?
  • I wonder why Saul trusted the boy David with all of their lives? (Remember Goliath’s challenge, that if he won, the Israelites would become slaves.)
  • I wonder how the story would have changed if David had worn Saul’s armor?
  • What sorts of ‘giants’ do we have to face in our lives? Is God with us? How do we know?
  • Have you ever had to depend on God with a faith that looked foolish to the world?


Review the memory verse.
CHORAL READING:
Write the memory verse on a piece of posterboard in two colors as indicated below.
Divide the class into two groups and call one group the “red” group and one group the “blue” group. Have them read the appropriate color line on the memory verse poster; purple lines are to be read in unison (both groups together). After a few times have the groups switch and read the other color. Then read it one time in unison. (If time permits in later weeks of the rotation, ask for a volunteer to say the verse by himself/herself.)

The LORD is my rock, [purple]
my fortress, and my savior; [red]
my God is my rock, [purple]
in whom I find protection. [blue]
He is my shield, [red]
the strength of my salvation, [blue]
and my stronghold, [red]
my high tower, [blue]
my savior, [red]
the one who saves me from violence. [blue]
2 Samuel 22:2b-3 [purple]


Turn the class over to the Shepherd.

Shepherd Time:
This is meant to be a time of reflection and introspection. Say, “We will spend some time in quiet reflection and meditation rather than journaling today.”

Have everyone pick up a smooth stone. Dim the lights, if possible. Say slowly and quietly: “Everyone, feel your stone. Rub it with your hands. Feel its weight. Feel its coolness. Close your eyes and think about where it may have come from. Think about how it was formed. Think about David, searching for just the right stones. Try to imagine what was going through David’s mind as he prepared to fight a 9 foot tall giant armed only with 5 stones like the one you are holding. [pause]

“Or did David have nothing but those five stones?
No, he had God with him.

“Think about a difficult time you faced alone. Or were you alone?

“Take a few moments for silent prayer.
“And all God’s children say --- Amen.”
(Allow the children to take their smooth stones home as a memento.)

If time permits, children may also do a journal page. They may draw pictures, list highlights of the day’s activities, or rephrase the memory verse. The journal pages will be saved and given to the children at the end of the school year.

You may want to provide an extra activity or worksheet for children who finish their journals quickly, such as coloring sheets, crossword puzzles, word searches, games. See the Workshop Leader’s Background Notes and rotation.org for ideas.

At noon, ask the students to turn in their journal pages and sit quietly for prayer.

Closing:
Close with one of David’s Psalms (Psalm 23 would be appropriate), or sing one of the many hymns based on Psalms (such as “All People That on Earth Do Dwell. Many hymnals have a section of hymns based on Psalms.

Tidy and Dismissal: Ask children to help tidy the room. Give any specific instructions for clearing the workshop room.
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:
You will need to decide how best to adjust the lesson for older and younger students. Keep the children active and involved in activity. Do what works for you and the children. Some ideas:

Older children:

  • older students (third grade and up) can read this lesson as Readers’ Theater. For younger students, have the older students tape record the reading (with pauses to allow time for movement and action) to be used as a sound track for a puppet show.
  • If time permits, the older children may enjoy using their tape to do a puppet show. Or they may want to switch parts and record the script again.

Younger Children:

  • For classes composed primarily of pre-readers, show the children how to find the passage in the Bible and then have them do it. After everyone has found the passage, have them close their Bibles and listen while you read.
  • Have the children do a puppet show using the Readers’ Theater taping from a previous week as their soundtrack.
  • Focus on the first part of the memory verse.

 

Resources:

  • Anne Diebel and Patt Newbold, "Hat Patterns to Help Teach Bible Stories", 9781564229946 (24 easy to make hat patterns such as : Angel, King David, Sheep, and Whale.)
  • Cohen, Barbara. David: A Biography. New York: Clarion Books, 1995.
  • Eisler, Colin. David’s Songs: His Psalms and Their Story. New York: Dial, 1992.
  • Hartman, Bob. The Lion Storyteller Bible. Colorado Springs, Colorado: Lion Publishing, 1985.
  • Walker, Paul Robert. Giants!: Stories from Around the World. New York: Harcourt Brace and Company, 1995.
  • Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

 


David: Shepherd, Psalmist, and Soldier
Readers’ Theater Script


Based upon I Samuel 17 (adapted from Today’s English Version)
Copyright 2003 Amy Crane. Permission granted to freely distribute and use, provided the copyright message is included.

 

Readers:
Narrator 1
Narrator 2
David
Sheep
Jesse (David’s father)
Philistine soldier 1
Philistine soldier 2
Eliab (David’s oldest brother)
Abinadab (David’s second brother)
Shammah (David’s third brother)
Israelite Soldier
Goliath
King Saul


Each person introduces himself:
I am ________. I am reading the part of __________.


Narrator 1: Once there was a shepherd:

David: It’s so peaceful and quiet out here in the fields, watching over my father’s sheep today. Sometimes, it is noisy and stormy. Sometimes, I hear lions roar and I hear bears growl -- it’s frightening then. But I always remember that the Lord my God is with me protecting me, and then I am not lonely or afraid.

Narrator 2: This shepherd’s name was David.

Narrator 1: David watched over the sheep carefully. He counted them frequently. He named all of the sheep.

Narrator 2: But he was not just a shepherd, he was also a musician. He loved to play his harp. The hills around Bethlehem were a beautiful place. David delighted in creating songs praising God for the glory of His creation.

David: Sometimes when I play the harp, it seems almost as if the sheep were dancing.
(Following in singing or singsong voice)
O God, it is right for us to praise you in Zion and keep our promises to you,
because you answer prayers.
You show your care for the land by sending rain;
you make it rich and fertile.
You fill the streams with water;
you provide the earth with crops.
What a rich harvest your goodness provides!
Wherever you go there is plenty.
The pastures are filled with flocks;
the hillsides are full of joy.
The fields are covered with sheep;
the valleys are full of wheat.
Everything shouts and sings for joy.
(Psalm 65: 1-2a, 9, 11-13)

Sheep: Baaa, baaa, aaaamen!

Narrator 1: But the hills around Bethlehem were also a dangerous place. Especially if you were a sheep. There were rocky valleys and thorny bushes where a sheep could be lost.

Narrator 2: And there were lions and bears. David never hesitated to put his own life at risk to save a lamb from a lion or bear.

Narrator 1: One quiet evening, David heard a sound that made his blood run cold -- a low growl from the bushes at the lower end of the pasture.

David: (whisper) It sounds like a lion!

Sheep: (panicked) Baaaaa!

Narrator 2: David was a brave young man. He had faced lions and bears before. But he also knew enough to be cautious and afraid.

Narrator 1: David prayed.

David: Protect me, O God; I trust in you for safety.
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
all the good things I have come from you.”
You, Lord, are all I have, and you give me all I need;
my future is in your hands.
I am always aware of the Lord’s presence;
He is near, and nothing can shake me.
And so I am thankful and glad,
and I feel completely secure, because you protect me from the power of death.
I have served you faithfully,
and you will not abandon me to the world of the dead.
You will show me the path that leads to life;
your presence fills me with joy and brings me pleasure forever.
Amen.
(Psalm 16: 1-2, 5, 8-11)

Sheep: Baaa, baaa, aaaaamen!

Narrator 1: And David put down his harp and picked up his shepherd’s staff and ran down the hill, shouting at the lion, which now had a lamb in its jaws.

David: Go! Leave it alone! Drop Abigail now!

Narrator 2: David went after that lion. He attacked it and rescued the lamb. The lamb ran off to find her mother.

Narrator 1: The lion turned on David. David grabbed the lion by the throat and beat it to death. He took the lion skin home to his father that night.

Narrator 2: David lived with his father Jesse.

David: Father, I have killed a lion.

Jesse: Good job son.

David: God was with me.

Narrator 1: David was the youngest of eight sons. His three oldest brothers, Eliab, Abinadab, and Shammah, had gone off to join King Saul in the battle against the Philistines.

Narrator 2: As much as David loved his time in the fields watching over the sheep and singing songs praising God, he wanted to be in the Elah Valley with Saul and the Israelite army.

David: Father, let me join my brothers Eliab, Abinadab, and Shammah in service to King Saul.

Jesse: David, you know we have discussed this before, and my answer has not changed. No. You are too young. I don’t want to hear any more about it.

David: But Dad! All the other kids get to go to war!

Jesse: Now, David....

David: Yes, Father.

Narrator 1: David was an obedient son. He did not bring up the subject again. But that does not mean he stopped thinking about going to battle for his God and his King.

Narrator 2: Then, one day, the unexpected happened.

Jesse: Son, it has been a while since we have had news of your brothers and King Saul’s army. Take this grain and bread to your brothers in the camp. Take these cheeses to the commanding officer. Find out how your brothers are doing and if they are well. And then come home with the news.

David: Yes, sir! Thank you!

Narrator 1: So David set off with joy in his heart and a song on his lips.

David: (in singing or singsong voice)
O Lord, our Lord, your greatness is seen in all the world!
Your praise reaches up to the heavens;
it is sung by children and babies.
You are safe and secure from all your enemies;
you stop anyone who opposes you.
When I look at the sky, which you have made,
at the moon and the stars, which you set in their places --
what is man, that you think of him;
mere man, that you care for him?
(Psalm 8: 1-4)

Narrator 2: Meanwhile, in the Philistine army camp, overlooking the battlefield:

Philistine soldier 1: Can you believe we have been here forty days, and nothing has happened?

Philistine soldier 2: If only all wars were this safe and easy.

Philistine soldier 1: Yeah. Where did they find that big guy, anyway?

Philistine soldier 2: You mean Goliath? He’s from Gath. I have never seen anyone that tall before. Do you know that he’s over nine feet tall?!

Philistine soldier 1: Where in the world did he get his armor? It has to weigh more than I do. Plus he has that helmet and a javelin and a spear. He’s not only big, but he’s strong! I’m glad I’m not an Israelite.

Philistine soldier 2: The Israelite soldiers sure don’t seem to be worth much. None of them has stepped forward to fight Goliath yet. It’s been forty days! Their king, what’s his name, Saul?

Philistine soldier 1: Yeah, King Saul, that’s it. He’s the first king they ever had.

Philistine soldier 2: Well that explains a lot. I don’t know why he doesn’t just order someone to fight Goliath and get it over with. Otherwise, we might be here forever!

Philistine soldier 1: Maybe he’s hoping that if he waits long enough, we’ll forget about it and go home.

Philistine soldier 2: Or die of old age.

Philistine soldier 1: Yeah, maybe.

Narrator 1: And all is not quiet and restful in the Israelite’s army camp, either. Let’s listen in on some of David’s brothers and their comrades at arms.

Eliab: Twice a day for forty days now.

Abinadab: It’s been awful, hasn’t it? I’m not sure I can bear to hear that monster shout at us again.

Shammah: It’s almost enough to make me wish I were at home with David, watching the sheep.

Eliab: Shammah! How can you say such a thing! You know it is our duty, and a great honor, to serve in King Saul’s army.

Abinadab: I’m not sure that I feel like I am serving any wonderful cause.

Eliab: Abinadab! Watch your tongue. You know we are here to ...

David: Eliab, Abinadab, Shammah! Hi! I brought some food from Dad. How are you doing?

Shammah: What did you bring? Pizza? Chocolate chip cookies?

Abinadab: Shhhhh! Quiet! Here comes Goliath!

Goliath: I am Goliath, a Philistine. Choose one of your men to fight me. If he kills me and wins, all the Philistines will be your slaves. But if I kill your man and win, you Israelites will be our slaves. I challenge the Israelite army! I dare you to pick someone to fight me!

David: What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and frees Israel from this disgrace? Who is this man that he defies the army of the living God?

Israelite Soldier: King Saul has promised to give a big reward to the man who kills Goliath! The king will give his daughter in marriage. And the man’s family will not have to pay taxes.

Eliab: David, what are you doing here? Who is taking care of those sheep of yours? You spoiled brat! You just came here to watch the fighting!

David: What have I done? Can’t I just ask a question?

Narrator 2: Some of the soldiers heard what David was asking, and ran to tell King Saul.

Israelite soldier: King Saul! There is a young man here who sounds like he is willing to fight the giant!

King Saul: What are you waiting for? Bring him to me at once!

Narrator 1: David was led into the tent of King Saul. He bowed and spoke quickly.

David: Your Majesty, no one should be afraid of this Philistine monster! I will go and fight him.

King Saul: No. How could you fight him? You are just an untrained boy. He has been a soldier all of his life.

David: Your Majesty, I take care of my father’s sheep. Any time a lion or bear carries off a lamb, I go after it, attack it, and rescue the lamb. I have killed bears. Just this week I killed a lion. I will do the same thing to this Philistine, who has insulted the army of the living God. The Lord has saved me from lions and bears; He will save me from this Philistine.

King Saul: All right. Go, and the Lord be with you. Take my armor, too.

Narrator 2: David was dressed in King Saul’s armor and helmet and was given his sword. He could barely stand up.

David: OOOFF! Ouch! I can’t walk. I can barely stand up! I can’t fight with this. I’m not used to it.

Narrator 1: So he took off the armor. And he picked up his shepherd’s staff. As he headed toward the battlefield, he stopped by a stream. The Israelites watched as he paused, looked heavenward, and then bent and picked up something and put it in his bag. It looked like a stone. With his slingshot ready at his side, he went out to meet Goliath.

David: O Lord, my defender, I call to you.
Listen to my cry!
If you do not answer me,
I will be among those who go down to the world of the dead.
Hear me when I cry to you for help,
when I lift my hands toward your holy Temple.
Give praise to the Lord, he has heard my cry for help.
The Lord protects and defends me;
I trust in him.
He gives me help and makes me glad;
I praise him with joyful songs.
(Psalm 28: 1-2, 6-7)

Goliath: Hey, look! They’re finally sending someone out to fight me!

Narrator 2: Goliath started walking toward the center of the battlefield.

Goliath: It’s a boy! They are sending a boy to fight ME! What’s that stick for, little boy? Do you think I am a dog? Come on and fight me, child. I will feed your body to the birds.

David: It is true that you come against me with mighty weapons. But I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the Israelite army, whom you have insulted. This very day the Lord will put you in my power and I will cut off your head. Then the whole world will know that Israel has a God. And everyone here will see that the Lord does not need swords or spears to save his people. He is victorious in battle. He will put all of you in our power.

Eliab: That’s not our baby brother David out there, is it? What in the world is he doing?

Shammah: I can’t bear to watch! You tell me!

Abinadab: He’s running toward Goliath. Goliath is just standing there. Now David is reaching into his bag. He took something out.

Eliab: It’s a stone. Can you believe it? Our brother the shepherd thinks Goliath is a bear he can scare off with a little stone.

Shammah: Oh, I can’t watch. What’s happening now. Is he dead yet? Father will be so unhappy with us.

Abinadab: Look! Look! He put the stone in his slingshot, and can you believe it? It hit Goliath -- smack -- right in the middle of his forehead.

Shammah: What was that crash? Is the world coming to an end? Oh, I can’t stand it.

Eliab: Who does he think he is anyway? Look at the little showoff now, picking up Goliath’s sword.

Abinadab: Look, look, he’s cut off Goliath’s head with Goliath’s own sword. Our baby brother! Won’t father be so proud! And look, all the Philistines are running away. Let’s go after them!

David: The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the strength of my salvation, and my stronghold,
my high tower, my savior, the one who saves me from violence.”
(2 Samuel 22:2b-3)

Narrator 1: And so, David faced Goliath and defeated him with God’s help.

Narrator 2: David continued to serve King Saul, and eventually became King himself. But, that is another story.

Sheep: Hey, wait, what about me? Don’t I get to be famous, too? Without the sheep, David would never have practiced with his slingshot! Baaaa.... Oh, Mr. Narrator, what about me.

Narrators 1 and 2: Quiet! The end!

Scripture taken from the Good News Bible in Today's English Version - Second Edition, Copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.



"Costuming" notes for Readers' Theater


Paper Hat see info. above under Resources for book ordering info.

  • you don’t need to follow the colors the book recommends
  • use posterboard for the headband and the main part of the hat and then construction paper or scraps of posterboard for the “decorating”
  • leave the headbands flat — we will tape and retape with masking tape as needed (they need to be big enough to go around Nathaniel’s head, or maybe even an adult head)
  • the Readers’ Theater script is at the website in the Drama lesson plan for David and Goliath if you want to see where/how these are used

Character hat needed

Narrator 1 none *
Narrator 2 none *
David page 6 “David’s Hat”
Sheep
Jesse (David’s father) page 19 “shepherd headdress”
Philistine soldier 1 **
Philistine soldier 2 **
Eliab (David’s oldest brother) ***
Abinadab (David’s second brother) ***
Shammah (David’s third brother) ***
Israelite Soldier ***
Goliath page 9 “Goliath hat”
King Saul page 4 “crown”


  • if you have extra time, you can choose and make hats for the Narrators.


You can choose the soldiers’ helmets from page 20, 21, 22:

  • make 2 soldier’s helmets that match
  • make 4 soldier’s helmets that match (different from the Philistines’ helmets)

 

A lesson written by Amy Crane and Emily Nichols for River Community Church

Prairieville, Louisiana.

 

Copyright 2003 Amy Crane. Permission granted to freely distribute and use, provided the copyright message is included.

 

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

 

Last edited by Luanne Payne

David and Goliath

Games Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:

The children will review the story of David and Goliath by playing a game that involves throwing a sock sling at a cardboard Goliath and answering questions about the Bible story.

Scripture Reference:    1 Samuel 17: 1-58

Memory Verse:   2 Samuel 11:2b-3 (NLT)

Objectives for rotation   (see listing above)

Additional objectives for Games workshop
At the end of the session, the students will

  • understand they should seek success in ways that serve God.

Teacher preparation in advance:

  • Read the scripture passages and lesson plan and attend the Bible Study, ....
  • Prepare a closing prayer.
  • Learn the memory verse.
  • Prepare the story summary so you can tell it with a minimal amount of reading.
  • Gather any props you plan to use for the story summary.
  • Photocopy the scripture passage page attached to this lesson and cut it apart for Bible Time with the older children.
  • Prepare stones for memory verse activity (use a Sharpie marker to write on them).

Room set-up:
Set up the cardboard Goliath at one end of the room or outside if the weather is suitable.

Supply List:

  • Bibles
  • Pencils/Markers
  • Photocopy of scripture passage without verse numbers
  • Sock slings (see attached instructions) or bean bags
  • Cardboard box “Goliath”
  • Smooth river stones for memory verse activity
  • Journal sheets with “What is something….” printed on it
  • Stickers/Pebbles (Optional)
  • Extra activity sheets for Shepherd Time


Presentation

Opening-Welcome and Introductions:
Greet the children and introduce yourself. Wear your name-tag. (Remember, you are interacting with a different group of students each week who may not know you.) Make sure the children are wearing name-tags. If not, ask the Shepherd to supply a temporary badge.

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

Explain the purpose of this workshop. Use kid friendly words to give a brief overview of what the children are going to learn and do.

Scripture/Bible Story:
Have the children locate the story passage in their Bibles. Review the organization of the Bible: The Bible is divided into two big parts, the Old and New Testaments. Each part is a collection of books. Each book is divided into chapters and verses. Have them figure out whether I Samuel is in the Old or New Testament. (Happened before Jesus so it’s in Old Testament.)

Show them that if they open their Bible in the middle, they will usually land in the book of Psalms in the OT. Point out that the book name is at the top of each page. Tell them that I Samuel comes before Psalms, then let them flip through the first half of the Bible for it. After they’ve found I Samuel, help them find chapter 17 and tell them this is where the story of David and Goliath is told in the Bible. Some of the children may confuse chapters and verses. Show them that chapter numbers are the big ones, and also are at the top of every page (in most editions).

For K-1st grade class and possibly 2nd-3rd grade class:
Review the story, using the summary attached as a guide. When summarizing a story, it is important that you have your Bible in front of you to reinforce the fact that you are telling a story from the Bible. If you need notes or prompts for reviewing the story, put note cards in your Bible. Using simple props is a great way to enhance the telling of the story. Remind children to pay close attention to the details because they will need to remember them for the game. Unless this is the first Sunday of the rotation, let the children help you tell the story. This will give you an idea of how much they already know. To review the story in later weeks, begin the story and let volunteers add one line to the story until it is complete. Help them tell the COMPLETE story.

For 4th – 5th grade class and possibly 2nd – 3rd grade class:
Review the story following the suggestions for the younger children. To review the story in later weeks, photocopy the passage (remove verse numbers), cut it up and pass out sections. See if they can put it back together correctly.

Dig- Main Content and Reflection:

Application:
Divide the class into two teams. Place the cardboard box “Goliath” at one end of the room (if it is a nice day outside you may want to do this activity outside.). Let the children take turns being “David” and throwing sock slings at Goliath’s head. If “David” hits Goliath, his team gets to answer a question. Allow them to use their Bibles to look for the answers. If “David” misses Goliath, the other team gets to answer. Use the questions at the end of the lesson plan, and feel free to add some of your own.

IMG_0738IMG_0745IMG_0749IMG_0750

If the class is small, you can give each child five tries (since David had five stones). If it’s a big group, limit each turn to two or three tries. Don’t bother to keep score, just keep the game moving. Let the team answer as a group. If they miss a question, let the other team try to answer. Make sure everybody gets a turn.

Grades K-2: Position Goliath where he is fairly easy for the children to hit. When you ask a question, offer a choice of answers.

Grades 3-5: Position Goliath where he is a little bit challenging to hit. If it still seems too easy, you might have the kids try swinging the sling around their head (more or less David-like) before releasing. When you ask a question, don’t offer the multiple choices unless the team needs them.

Pulling it all together (closing discussion):

Discuss: When David heard Goliath’s challenge, do you remember what he said? He asked the soldiers, “What will a man get for killing this Philistine and stopping him from insulting our people? Who does he think he is? He is making fun of the army of the living God.”

I wonder why he asked what the reward would be for killing Goliath?

I wonder if he wanted to know what was in it for him?

Give the children a chance to tell any thoughts they might have on that question, then tell them:
We don’t really know everything that was going on in David’s mind, but we do know that when the story ends, there is no mention of David collecting the reward.

So let’s think of other reasons David had for fighting Goliath. Remember when he asked the soldiers about the reward, he also said, “Who does he think he is? He is making fun of the army of the living God.” And then when he was talking to Saul, he said Goliath should not have made fun of the army of the living God. Then when he went out to meet Goliath, he said, “You have insulted the God of Israel. The Lord will help me beat you, and the whole world will know that Israel’s God is real.”
So I wonder why David thought it was important for somebody to fight Goliath? [Because when Goliath insulted God’ people, he was insulting God. David wasn’t just trying to win a reward for himself, he was trying to serve God]

If we want to be like David, we should not seek success for ourselves, we should seek success in ways that serve God. I wonder how we can do that?

Review the memory verse.
Write the words of the verse on smooth stones. Make several of sets of stones. Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4 and give each group a set of stones and challenge them to put the stones into the correct order.

At 11:50 a.m. ask the Shepherd to pass out the journal pages and pencils/markers.

Shepherd Time:
Pass out the journal pages (attached to this lesson) and pencils/markers. Optional: Give the children a sticker or some memento (maybe a pebble) to paste in their journal as a reminder of the workshop.

Read the questions on the journal page to the children: “What is something you are good at? How can you use your skill to serve God?” If necessary, help them think of an answer: If they are good at sports, they can serve God by playing fair, encouraging and helping other kids, being a good sport instead of just trying to win. If they are good at reading, they can read to younger kids, help friends who struggle with reading, read their Bibles to learn more about God.

This is meant to be a time of reflection and introspection. Writing about faith helps clarify lessons. Children may draw pictures, list highlights of the day’s activities, rephrase the memory verse, or respond to the question. The journal pages will be saved and given to the children at the end of the school year.

You may want to provide an extra activity or worksheet for children who finish their journals quickly, such as coloring sheets, crossword puzzles, word searches, games. See the Workshop Leader’s Background Notes and rotation.org for ideas.

At noon, ask the students to turn in their journal pages and sit quietly for prayer.

Closing:

 Ask God to help the children to use their skills to serve God and to rely on God when they are facing challenges.

Tidy and Dismissal: Ask children to help tidy the room. Give any specific instructions for clearing the workshop room.
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:
You will need to decide how best to adjust the lesson for older and younger students. Keep the children active and involved in activity. Do what works for you and the children. In addition to the suggestions in the lesson plan,

  • For classes composed primarily of pre-readers, show the children how to find the passage in the Bible and then have them do it. After everyone has found the passage, have them close their Bibles and listen while you read.
  • Focus only on the first half of the memory verse.

Resources:.

  • David and Goliath lesson set. Kirk of Kildaire Church. http://www.kirkofkildaire.org/...;GAntiochArcade.html
  • Heyward, Will. “David and Goliath.” Smyrna Presbyterian Church. Waynesboro, VA. 2002.
  • Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

To Make a sock sling with old panty hose

(from Heyward, Will. “David and Goliath.” Smyrna Presbyterian Church. Waynesboro, VA. 2002.):

  1. Take one hose and tie a knot on the toe end.
  2. Take a handfull of other hose and stuff them in the open end (the thigh end) down to the toe.
  3. Push the hose in tight and form a ball at the toe end.
  4. Tie a knot in the hose just on the other side of the hose that has been pushed down into the toe
  5. Now comes the fun part. Stick your hand down the thigh end of the hose all the way down to the hose knotted at the toe end.
  6. Grab hold of the ball of hose at the toe end with this same hand.
  7. With your free hand, pull the thigh end of the hose off your arm and over the hose tied in a ball at the toe end.
  8. Knot the hose (again) close to the toe end. You have just added another layer or “skin” to the ball of the sock rocket.
  9. Repeat #5 – 8 as many as five to ten times. Remember to tie a tight knot in the hose as close to the balled up hose as you can.
  10. This sock sling can be used by swinging the thigh end of the hose and aiming it at “Goliath”.


Waste hose are available from Sara Lee Hosiery. They will ship you a box of white waste hose (The toes are not sown in them). There are about 240 hose in a box. They charge ten dollars to cover shipping and handling. Make your check payable to Sara Lee Hosiery and mail it to:

Sara Lee Hosiery
Waste Work Program
P.O. Box 719, Highway 576
Marian, S.C. 29571


David and Goliath

Story Summary

Some people called Philistines were enemies of the Israelites. The Philistines got ready for war and set up camp on a hill near a town that they planned to attack. King Saul and the Israelite army set up camp on another hill. There was a valley between the hills where the armies were camped.

The Philistines had a soldier named Goliath who was over 9 feet tall. [Show the kids how tall nine feet is but don’t make a big deal of it. You might mention that some manuscripts say he was only 7 feet tall – still quite large for his day.] He wore a bronze helmet and had bronze armor covering his chest and legs. He had a bronze sword strapped to his back, and carried a spear. He was so strong, the armor on his chest weighed 125 pounds, and his spearhead weighed more than 15 pounds. A soldier always walked in front of Goliath to carry his shield. (How would you like to be that guy?)

Goliath stood and shouted across the valley to the Israelites, “Why are you lining up for battle? I’m the best soldier in our army. Choose your best soldier to come out and fight me! If he can kill me, our people will be your slaves. But if I kill him, your people will be our slaves.”

For forty days, Goliath came out every morning and gave this challenge. Saul and his soldiers were so scared of him that they didn’t do anything.

Now there was an old man named Jesse who lived in the town of Bethlehem. He had eight sons, and the three oldest were in Saul’s army. The youngest son was David, and he tended his father’s sheep. One day Jesse gave David some food and told him to take it to his brothers and find out how they were doing.

Early the next morning, David set out for the camp. He got there just as the Philistine and Israelite armies were gathering to face each other. David ran up to the battle line to see his brothers. As he was talking with them, Goliath came out and shouted his challenge. When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran from him.

David heard Goliath and he asked some of the soldiers, “What will a man get for killing this Philistine and stopping him from insulting our people? Who does he think he is? He is making fun of the army of the living God.”

The soldiers told David that the king was offering a big reward to the man who kills Goliath. That man would get to marry the king’s daughter and his family would never have to pay taxes again.

Some soldiers told Saul about David, and Saul sent for him. When David came to Saul, he said, “This Philistine shouldn’t turn us into cowards. I’ll go out and fight him myself!”

Saul replied, “You wouldn’t have a chance; you are only a boy, and he has been a soldier all his life.”

But David said to Saul, “I take care of my father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear gets one of them, I go after it and beat it until it lets the sheep go. It if attacks me, I grab it and kill it. I can kill this Philistine the same way. He should not have made fun of the army of the living God. The Lord has rescued me from lions and bears, and the Lord will keep me safe from this Philistine.”

“All right,” Saul said. “Go ahead. I hope the Lord will help you.”

Then Saul dressed David in his own armor and helmet. David tried walking around, but then he said, “I can’t wear this. I can’t move with all this stuff on.” So he took off the armor and picked up his shepherd’s staff. He went out to a stream and picked five smooth stones, put them in his leather bag and, with his sling in his hand, went out to meet Goliath.

Goliath came toward David, walking behind his shield bearer. When he saw that David was just a boy, he said, “Do you think I’m a dog, is that why you’re coming at me with a stick?” He cursed David by the name of the Philistine gods and said, “Come here, I'll feed you to the birds and wild animals.”

David answered Goliath, “You come out to fight me with a sword and spear and dagger. But I’ve come to fight you in the name of the Lord. You have insulted the God of Israel. The Lord will help me beat you, and the whole world will know that Israel’s God is real.”

When Goliath started forward, David ran toward him. He put a rock in his sling and swung the sling around by its straps. When he let go of one strap, the rock flew out and hit Goliath on the forehead. It cracked his skull, and he fell facedown on the ground. David killed Goliath with a stone and a sling. He didn’t even use a sword.


David and Goliath

Game Questions

Who was the King of Israel when David visited his brothers?
Saul
Solomon
Herod

What was the name of Goliath’s people?
Samaritans
Philistines
Jews

What was Goliath’s armor made of?
Gold
Silver
Bronze

What was Goliath’s challenge?
Send your king out to fight me. If he kills me, my people will be your slaves.
Send your 10 best soldiers out to fight me. If they kill me, my people will be your slaves
Send your best soldier out to fight me. If he kills me, my people will be your slaves

How did Saul and his army react to the challenge?
They were too scared to do anything.
Every day for 40 days, they sent a soldier out, and Goliath killed him.
Every day for 40 days, they shouted insults back at Goliath.

Who was David’s father?
Jesse
Jacob
Saul

What town did David come from?
Jerusalem
Bethlehem
Nazareth

How many sons did Jesse have?
Eight
Thirteen
Three

Who was Jesse’s youngest son?
Saul
David
Jacob

How many of David’s brothers were in the army?
Three
Eight
Thirteen

What did David do while his brothers were away at war?
Helped on his father’s farmTended his father’s sheep
Went to school

Why did Jesse send David to the battle line?
To fight Goliath.
To talk to King Saul.
To take his brothers some food and make sure they were OK.

What did David think about Goliath’s challenge?
It was insulting to God.
It was scary.
It was none of his business.

What did the King offer to do for the man who fought & killed Goliath?
Give him 125 pounds of gold.
Let him marry the king’s daughter and pay no taxes.
Give him 125 acres of land.

When David said he would fight Goliath, what was Saul’s first answer?
Go ahead, what do I care if you die?
At last, somebody is brave enough to fight that Philistine!
You can’t do it, you’re just a boy.

What experience did David have that had taught him how to fight?
He had killed lions and bears that attacked his sheep.
He had been in the army for a while.
He and his brothers had a lot of fistfights.

What did David think of Saul’s armor?
It made him feel much safer.
It was too heavy for him to wear.
It was too light to protect him.

What did David carry with him to the battle?
Saul’s sword and shield
An AK47, a canteen, and five bullets
His shepherd’s staff, a sling and five stones

How did Goliath react when he saw David coming to fight him?
He said, “Uh oh, I didn’t think anybody would call my bluff.”
He said, “Do you think I’m a dog?”
He said, “Do you think I’m a lion or a bear?”

What did David use to kill Goliath?
A spear
A stone and a sling
A sword.


Shepherd Time Question

Putting on blank paper in an interesting font

What is something you are good at?
How can you use your skill to serve God?


 

A lesson written by Jamie Senyard for River Community Church
Prairieville, Louisiana. 

Copyright 2003 Jamie Senyard. Permission granted to freely distribute and use, provided the copyright message is included.

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

Attachments

Images (4)
  • IMG_0738
  • IMG_0745
  • IMG_0749
  • IMG_0750
Last edited by Luanne Payne

David and Goliath

Art Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:

The children will consider the presence of the Holy Spirit as their helper as they work with wire to create sculptures of David and Goliath or of themselves facing a “giant” in their lives.

Scripture Reference:  1 Samuel 17: 1-58

Memory Verse:  2 Samuel 22:2b-3 (NLT)

Objectives for rotation
(see list above)

Additional objectives for the Art Workshop
At the end of the session, the students will

  • know that the Spirit of God was on David (1 Samuel 16:13).

Teacher preparation in advance:

  • Read the scripture passages and lesson plan and attend the Bible Study, ...
  • Learn the story so you can retell it with minimal use of your notes.
  • Learn the memory verse.
  • To our teachers at RCC: The design of this workshop is very intentional. The activities and discussion questions for this workshop were designed to meet the goals of the entire rotation and the educational objectives of the Rotation Model (tm) at River Community Church. While we feel it is important to follow the serendipitous leading of the Holy Spirit, please do not change the lesson plan without consulting a Curriculum Planning and Writing Team member.
  • Check out the room before your first Sunday workshop so that you know where everything is located.
  • The bin with supplies is located in Children’s Ministries Office. Purchase or request additional supplies --- by August 31.
  • Experiment with the wire to make sculptures so you are familiar with what the materials can and cannot do. See the illustrations and ideas at the Twisteez web site: https://www.twisteez.com.html check out lessons.

Room set-up:
There should be adequate tables for all the children to work and to allow their two sculptures to “interact.”

Supply List

  • 2 Twisteez® Sculpture Wire per child: Pliable plastic-coated copper wire for sculpture and crafts. A rainbow of bright colors. Easy to cut with scissors or nail clippers. (Or some other brand of wire.) (Bulk pack available for $21.99 from Dick Blick: http://www.dickblick.com/zz334...p?param=0&ig_id=2029 )
  • 4 small squares of corrugated cardboard per child. (experiment with sizes, but some 1x1, 1x2,2x2 and 2x3)
  • scissors
  • markers
  • Optional memento: motivation stickers (the ones teachers use to encourage students — “good job!”, “way to go!”, etc.)
  • Shepherd time: journal page with the memory verse written on it.


Presentation

Opening-Welcome and Introductions:
Greet the children and introduce yourself. Wear your name-tag. (Remember you are interacting with a different group of students each week who may not know you.) Make sure the children are wearing name-tags. If not, ask the Shepherd to supply a temporary badge.

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

Explain the purpose of this workshop: “Today as we consider David and Goliath, we will work with wire to create sculptures of David and Goliath, or of you facing a ‘giant’ in your life.”

Scripture/Bible Story:

Say, “First, we are going to read one of the stories in the Bible from right before the story of David and Goliath. Samuel was a prophet, someone who listened to God and told people what God said. God told him to go to Bethlehem to anoint the next king of Israel, one of the sons of Jesse. Let’s see what sort of man God told Samuel to choose to be king.”

Read the scripture: 1 Samuel 16: 6-13. (Encourage the children to use their Bibles in looking up verses. Show them how to use the table of contents to find 1 Samuel.)

Ask: do you have brothers or sisters (or cousins)? Are they older or younger? How does the oldest treat the youngest? If you were playing a game and needed a team captain or leader, would you pick this youngest brother/sister/cousin? How would you react if someone else selected him/her?
How do you feel about the story we just read where through Samuel God selected the youngest son, a shepherd boy, to be the next king?

Why do you think God had Samuel select David?

David was not big and strong. But there was something special about him.

“Think about the story of David being selected as we hear/review the story we are focusing on this rotation.” Tell the story of David and Goliath. For a good retelling, see Talkable Bible Stories. Consider combining “David’s Youth” (a story about David protecting the sheep from wild animals) with “David and Goliath.” Bridge the two stories together by saying, “Time passed. David grew from young shepherd boy to young man. Meanwhile, in another part of Judah, King Saul....” (If you need notes, hold them in your Bible to reinforce that the story is from the Bible. Otherwise, hold your closed Bible in your hands.)

I wonder how David was able to defeat Goliath with just rock in a sling?! David wasn’t very big. He didn’t have armor or powerful weapons.

Remember when we talked about the gift of the Holy Spirit that came to believers at Pentecost? And remember the Fruit of the Spirit is a mark of those who have been blessed by God with His Spirit? How can you tell the Spirit of God was on David?

Dig- Main Content and Reflection:

Application:

Before we begin our sculptures of David and Goliath, let’s take a moment to think about what posture and body language tell us. Our sculptures do not talk with voices, so they need to show us what they are feeling and thinking.

Ask for two volunteers to be living sculptures. Ask one to stand straight and tall and the other to relax (or even slouch). “Look at each person and consider (based only on his/her posture): who looks more competent? Who looks more comfortable? Who looks trustworthy? Why?”

Ask a volunteer to stand looking up defiantly and one to cower as if afraid. “Do you think the person standing tall could be afraid, too? How could he/she change his stance to look afraid without cowering?”

Ask a volunteer to stand still and show anger. Ask a volunteer to stand still and show joy.

As you work with the wire, try to think about the action in the story in a three dimensional way. Feel free to ask a friend or the Shepherd or me to pose as models for your sculpture so you can think about the way a human would stand. Experiment with the wire. It bends easily and bends back again. See how different shapes change the mood of your artwork.

Make the sculptures (instructions from the Twisteez web site — see https://www.twisteezwire.com/t...gure-with-cardboard/ for photos illustrating the steps):

  • Place the head on first: Insert the two ends of the Twisteez wire into an open edge of a square of corrugated cardboard. Push the ends of the wire thru the cardboard so they come out the opposite edge. This forms a large loop at one end. Then push the cardboard to the end of the loop so both ends of the Twisteez are equal in length.
  • Arms and Hands: (1) Bend both ends of the wire into equal length loops to form the two arms. Leave plenty of extra wire to form the body and legs. (2) Twist one loop to create an arm and a hand. (3) Twist the other loop to create a second arm and hand.
  • The Torso: Slide the second piece of cardboard up through the wire to form the torso of the figure.
  • Legs and Feet: Repeat the same process as forming the arms and hands. Form two loops with the ends of the Twisteez wire. Then twist the loops to form both legs and feet.
  • Have fun posing the wire figure! Use markers to add a face to the cardboard, if desired.


Pose your sculptures to represent David and Goliath’s attitudes in the story toward each other. Share your poses and the attitudes they represent. Pose the two figures to represent you and someone in your life you aren’t getting along with (or a Giant problem). Talk about how God can help you just like he helped David.

While the children are working, talk about

  • things they are afraid of (monsters, ghosts, dogs, bullies). Do not put down those fears, but encourage them to think about how they can find confidence in God as David did.
  • challenges they face in life.
  • what kind of weapons do we have in our everyday battles?
  • their sculptures and the poses and what they represent.


The sculptures may not stand on their own in the poses the children want. If they cannot balance the sculptures, that is okay. Have them hold the sculptures up as they discuss the poses and encourage them to lean them against a lamp on their desk or something else at home.

Pulling it all together (closing discussion):

  • I wonder what God could see special about a little boy like David?
  • I wonder what the soldiers and Saul thought when they saw Goliath the first time?
  • I wonder what David thought? Do you think he saw an impossibly strong giant adversary? Or did he see someone defying God?
  •  Whose point of view was closer to God’s?
  • I Samuel 16:13b: “...and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day on.”
  • Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, 4:13: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (NRSV)
  • Reflect on these two verses. What do they have in common? Do you honestly feel like you can do all things with God’s help? What can we do/where can we turn when we feel helpless?
  • Remember Esther? There was a giant problem and she spent three days fasting and praying before she faced the king. Did David spend time fasting and praying? David acted right away, but I wonder if he was praying as he acted?

Review the memory verse.
Have the children echo the verse as you say it section by section.
“The LORD is my rock,
my fortress,
and my savior;
my God is my rock,
in whom I find protection.
He is my shield,
the strength of my salvation,
and my stronghold,
my high tower,
my savior,
the one who saves me from violence.”
2 Samuel 22:2b-3
As they get familiar with the words, give them longer phrases to echo. When they seem comfortable with the verse, ask for volunteers to say it alone. Congratulate all on a job well done.

At 11:50 a.m. ask the Shepherd to pass out the journal pages and pencils/markers. Suggestion: You may wish to give the children a motivation sticker to paste in their journal as a reminder of the story and activity.

Shepherd Time:
Give each child a journal page with the memory verse printed on it. Have them reflect on something they can do with God’s help and write about it or draw a picture of themselves doing it.

This is meant to be a time of reflection and introspection. Writing about faith helps clarify lessons. Children may draw pictures, list highlights of the day’s activities, rephrase the memory verse, or respond to the question. The journal pages will be saved and given to the children at the end of the school year.

You may want to provide an extra activity or worksheet for children who finish their journals quickly, such as coloring sheets, crossword puzzles, word searches, games. See the Workshop Leader’s Background Notes and rotation.org for ideas.

At noon, ask the students to turn in their journal pages and sit quietly for prayer.

Closing:

 “Take your sculptures home with you. Use them to tell someone else our story. And whenever you look at them, remember that God is with you as He was with David when David fought the giant Goliath.”

Dear God, thank you for sending your Spirit to be with each one of us always. Help us to feel your Spirit, to hear your Spirit, and to follow your Spirit as we are led to live lives that show the world that we are yours. Help us to always remember that we should not be afraid or discouraged because your Spirit is with us wherever we go. Amen.

Tidy and Dismissal: Ask children to help tidy the room. Give any specific instructions for clearing the workshop room.
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:
You will need to decide how best to adjust the lesson for older and younger students. Keep the children active and involved in activity. Do what works for you and the children. Some ideas:

Younger Children:

  • For classes composed primarily of pre-readers, show the children how to find the passage in the Bible and then have them do it. After everyone has found the passage, have them close their Bibles and listen while you read.
  • Be aware that some children will need help threading the wire through the cardboard as their fine motor skills are less developed.
  • Focus on the first part of the memory verse only.

Resources

  • Richards. Larry. Talkable Bible Stories. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Fleming H. Revell, 1991.
  • Twisteez® Sculpture Wire: Instructions and pictures for using wire to make sculptures of people: https://www.twisteez.com.html check out lessons.
  • Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

 

This lesson was written by Amy Crane for River Community Church in Prairieville, Louisiana. 

Copyright 2003 Amy Crane. Permission granted to freely distribute and use, provided the copyright message is included.

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

Last edited by Luanne Payne

Music Idea

[I know we need to spice up the music part and it is hard to find appropriate songs. I woke up at 5:30 this morning with this in my head and I scrambled for a pen and paper! Hope you like it. It teaches and it is fun to do. -- Judy]

The tune is an old mountain answering song---"There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza."

There's a giant a comin'
O David O David
There's a giant a comin'
O David A GIANT!

Well, fight him, you soldiers!
You soldiers You soldiers
Well, fight him, you soldiers!
You soldiers FIGHT HIM!

Don't wanna, dear David,
Dear David Dear David
Don't wanna, dear David,
Dear David WE'RE SCARED!

Then I'll do it, said David
Said David Said David
Then I'll do it, said David
Said David I'LL FIGHT!

You're too little, said the soldiers
the soldiers the soldiers
You're too little! Said the soldiers
WAY TOO LITTLE!

God will help me, shouted David
Shouted David Shouted David
God will help me, shouted David
HE WILL HELP!

Oh dear, said the soldiers
Said the soldiers Said the soldiers
Oh dear, said the soldiers
Said the soldiers HE WILL LOSE!

Come fight me, yelled Goliath
Yelled Goliath Yelled Goliath
Come fight me, yelled Goliath
FIGHT ME!

Load my slingshot, murmured David
Murmured David Murmured David
Load my slingshot Murmured David
Load my slingshot RIGHT NOW!

You're just a baby, shouted Goliath
Shouted Goliath Shouted Goliath
Just a baby Shouted Goliath
A LITTLE BOY! (NO WHISKERS---NOT EVEN ONE!)

The Lord'll help me, answered David
Answered David Answered David
The Lord'll help me, Answered David
HE WILL! (YOU'LL SEE----JUST WATCH!)

So David shot him with a small stone
With a small stone With a small stone
So David shot him with a small stone
With a small stone Right here!

And Goliath fell over with a big thump
With a big thump With a big thump
And Goliath fell over With a big thump
CLOSE YOUR EARS!

God helped David win the battle
Win the battle Win the battle
God helped David Win the battle
AND HE'LL HELP US TOO! HOORAY,,,,,HOORAY,,,,HOORAY!


 

This song was written by Judy McIntyre for River Community Church in Prairieville, Louisiana.
Copyright 2003 Judy McIntyre.

Permission granted to freely distribute and use, provided the copyright message is included.

Last edited by Luanne Payne

Add Reply

Post a New Topic
Lesson or Resource
Rotation.org Inc. is a volunteer-run, 100% member supported, 501(c)3 non-profit Sunday School lesson ministry. You are welcome to borrow and adapt content for non-commercial teaching purposes --as long as both the site and author are referenced. Rotation.org Inc reserves the right to manage, move, condense, delete, and otherwise improve all content posted to the site. Read our Terms of Service. Get a free Registered Membership or become a Supporting Member for full access to all site resources.
Rotation.org is rated 5 stars on Google based on 51 reviews. Serving a global community including the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, S. Africa, and more!
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×