This topic is for posting Computer Workshop lessons, ideas and resources for teaching the story of Esther.
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Esther
Computer Workshop
Summary of Lesson Activities:
Uses the Awesome Bible Stories (by Sunday Software).
Awesome Bible Stories software program is now available FREE OF CHARGE to download here at Rotation.org to the supporting members of Rotation.org.
Learn more!
Scripture Reference:
The book of Esther.
Leader Preparation:
- Gather the materials.
- Read the scripture ahead of time.
- Preview the Software
Supplies List:
- Awesome Bible Stories (by Sunday Software).
Advance Preparation Requirements:
- Have the software loaded and ready to go when the kids arrive.
Presentation
Opening-Welcome and Lesson Introduction:
Greet the children and introduce yourself.
Open with a prayer.
Dig-Main Content and Reflection:
Awesome Bible Stories has the Esther story in it, along with an Esther Quiz, a Purim Video, and a Haman vs Mordecai Game. Suitable for ages 5-14.
Here's my walk through of the program. There's lots to talk about as you go through it, so go through it WITH the kids. Or, you can print this section below and shape it into a WORKSHEET of questions for each section to guide your students. You will also want to see Sunday Software's free Esther student worksheet available with free download (see above).
BEGIN by finding Esther's Story on the Main Menu and let the kids know what parts you'll be doing (all of them!)
Click the "Boo Haman" button on the menu to teach the kids why you're going to Boo him.
On the Esther Menu, click on "Play Story" and work your way through the story.
Take turns clicking the "Boo Haman" throughout the story.
Listen to the first part of the story and answer:
- What are 2 names for the queen?
- What does Hadassah mean?
- What does Esther mean?
Click Continue to proceed into the next section of the story.
Then ask these questions:
- Why didn’t Mordecai bow to Haman?
- What might Mordecia lose if he did not bow down to Haman & obey the King?
Click Continue to the next section of the story.
Then ask these questions:
- What did Mordecai remind Esther, she may have been made queen to do?
Click continue for the next section of the story.
Then ask...
- What is meant to be used for good not evil?
Click continue for the next section and ask:
- What kind of power & influence do you have? (Who looks up to you? or Who would you like to have look up to you?)
Click Continue for the next section, then ask:
- Who would listen to you and follow you in doing good?
Click Continue...
- Why did King Xerxes make Mordecai 2nd in command?
- Who was 2nd in command before Mordecai?
Click Continue, listen and then ask
- Why do you think this story is so important that Jews celebrate it every year?
- What stories do we as Christians celebrate each year?
- Should we celebrate Purim as well? Why? (No right or wrong answer here)
GO BACK TO THE MAIN ESTHER MENU
Click on Feast of Purim
Listen and watch how some Jews celebrate Purim today
CLICK ON THE ESTHER QUIZ
Record your score! ___________________.
Note: You might set a MINIMUM score for students to report to you before they receive permission to go on to the final game....
CLICK on Mordecai & Haman "Connect Four" Game
Closing:
End with a prayer.
A lesson posted by member Wendy in Rochester.
A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.
Esther
Computer Workshop
Summary of Lesson Activities:
The students will test their knowledge of the story as they play a game using “The Fall of Jericho” software.
Learn more!
Scripture Reference:
Book of Esther
Key Verse:
“And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” --Esther 4: 14b
Leader Preparation
- Review Bible Background notes.
- Pray for the children and for your teaching of the lesson.
Materials List:
- Bibles
- Pencils, crayons, markers, paper, scissors
- Computers
- “Fall of Jericho” software
Bible Storybook Ideas:
You may read the story from the Bible or a Bible storybook (make sure that the children know this is a true Bible story and not a storybook). Or you may use:
- Through the Bible in Felt—Felt Board and Figures
- See Bible Background for list of storybook ideas
Editor's note: These Bible Background materials were not posted with this lesson.A shameless plug for becoming a Supporting Member of Rotation.org: You can receive a list of storybook ideas in the Writing Team's Esther lesson set. This alone could be worth the low cost of purchasing an annual Supporting Membership!
Advance Preparation Requirements:
- Familiarize yourself with the software BEFORE class. Decide how you will make adjustments for the different ages.
- The question set (see end of lesson) will need to be installed into the Fall of Jericho program on each computer that you are using before the day of class.
- Print off teaching tips for Fall of Jericho that comes with free download of program.
- Start and set up the computers as described in the teaching tips before class starts.
Important Note for Computer Station Teachers:
Computers are a way of life to this generation of students. They command the kids’ attention and present important content in a memorable way. Your software is a component in a lesson plan, not a replacement for one. You’ll still be welcoming your students, engaging in face-to-face Bible study and discussion, and reflecting and praying with them.
Familiarize yourself with the software before the day of the class. Before class starts, load the software and get it to the opening page. Adjust volumes downward and pull the speakers close to the edge of the table in front of students. Keep the entire lab moving through software by announcing stopping and starting points in the software. Give students "two minute warnings" to get to a certain place in the program.
This workshop can always use extra hands, especially for the younger children. Ask the guides to sit with the children at a computer station and help with navigation, reading text and discussion. You might also want to pair older students with younger ones.
As much as possible, try to sit with your students as you go through the software together. The lesson is not what’s on the computer. It’s what you and the students do with what’s on the computer. We often use a worksheet for each child that tells them exactly what to click onto to get to the lesson, things to look for, questions to answer (fill in the blank, matching, short answer). Guide your students through the content, share yourself and facilitate their sharing with each other. Please make sure that children take turns at the mouse and keyboard.
Presentation
Opening-Welcome and Lesson Introduction:
Introduce yourself to the students. Introduce the day’s story/station and the main learning purpose: This Rotation is about a queen named Esther. God had a plan for her life—he used her to save the Jews from destruction. God had a plan for Esther’s life—and he has a plan for each and every one of us as well. It may or may not be as dramatic as His plan for Esther, but He has a plan for us. After hearing the story, we will check how much we know about the story using a game on the computer.
Open with a prayer.
Dig-Main Content and Reflection:
Please make sure that the students hear and “get” the Bible story as well as the application of that story to their lives. The Bible story is the MOST important part of the lesson—it is much more important than the activity associated with this station!
Choose one of the Bible storybooks to read to the students. Look at the list of questions covered in the game. Make sure that your telling of the story includes all of these facts—you may need to bring them up on your own if what they need to know is not mentioned in the storybook.
Questions:
Ask a few questions about the Bible story.
- Factual questions (Who, What, When, Where, etc)
- Why questions (Why did they do this, why did this happen, etc)
- What do you think or feel about what happened?
- Application questions—some examples (How were their lives different because….. and how would your life be different; Was……..different or harder in Bible times than it would be now; what would this look like today; how could you……….)
Activities:
Divide the children into small groups and assign them to various computers. Mix up younger and older students so that there is a strong reader in each group. For the younger students, you may need to have a teacher or guide at each computer to read the questions. Tell the students that they will be working together as a team at the computer—not competing against each other.
Explain briefly how the computer program works—see the teaching tips at the end of the lesson. Have each group start their game on the computer. If it looks like the groups are going slow, then you can speed up the program by removing the animation (see teaching tips for ideas on this as well as ideas in interacting with the students). If you think that time is going to be short, you could remove the animation right away. While the class is going on, the teacher and guide should be visiting each group at their computer, sitting alongside for a while, helping them work through questions if needed, asking them some follow-up questions, etc.
Closing:
Close in prayer.
Age Adaptations
- Older students: See teaching tips at end for how to set computers for older students.
- Younger students: You may need to station an adult at each group, so that they can read the questions to the students. Remove the option for the medium and hard questions when you are setting up the computers (see teaching tips).
- PreK-Kindergarten Adaptations: Since these students have the need for simpler activities—and have shorter attention spans—we offer these more detailed adaptations. In most cases, the main part of the lesson will be shorter. The extra time at the end could be filled with various activity stations, such as play dough, puzzles, coloring, rice/grain table, etc).
1. Additional Materials List
Plastic pencil box filled with song cards
2. Changes to Activities
You will definitely need one adult per computer to read the questions. You may need to help them guide the mouse, but let them be a part of it. Have the children take turns being in charge of the mouse.
3. Activity Station Ideas (if time permits)
You can start the computer program again and go through the questions. Repetition is not bad. You will probably not get through the entire lesson.
4. Changes to Closing
Pick out 1 or 2 songs from the classroom song box to sing with the class.
Questions That Will be on the Computer
I’ve listed the questions with the possible answers (correct one underlined)
- Which book of the Bible records this story? 1 Kings; 2 Kings; Esther; Acts
- Is this book in the Old Testament or the New Testament? Old Testament; New Testament
- Where does this story take place? Palace in Persia; Village of Bethlehem; Temple in Jerusalem; Chicago
- Who was Mordecai? Esther’s uncle; King of Persia; High Priest; King of England
- What secret did Esther keep from King Xerxes? That she was already married; That she was a Jew; That she was going to have a baby; That she was really from outer space
- Who plotted to kill all of the Jews in the kingdom? Mordecai; Esther; Haman; Queen Vashti
- Which Jews would be killed? Just Mordecai; Only the Jews living in the palace; Only the Jews living in the city; All of the Jews throughout Xerxes large kingdom
- The king went along with Haman’s plan. How did Mordecai react when he heard that all of the Jews (including himself) would be killed? He snuck out of town; He went directly to the king for help; He put together an army to defend the Jews; He tore his clothes, put on sackcloth & ashes, and wept
- What happened to someone if they came to see the king WITHOUT an invitation? If the king pointed his scepter at them, then they lived; If he opted NOT to point his scepter, then they were killed; If he didn’t notice & didn’t point his scepter, then death; All of the above
- Mordecai sent a message to Esther explaining that all of the Jews would soon be killed. What was her first reaction when Mordecai asked her to go and talk to the king? She said “Yes, of course”; She was afraid. She might die if he didn’t raise his scepter; She made immediate plans to kill Haman; All of the above
- Who said this—and who did they say it to: "Don't imagine that you are safer than any other Jew just because you are in the royal palace ... who knows ... maybe it was for a time like this that you were made queen!"? Mordecai said this to Esther; Esther said this to Mordecai; King Xerxes said this to Esther; Queen Vashti said this to Esther
- What did Esther do to prepare for her meeting with the king? She fasted and prayed and asked that all of the Jews do the same; She dressed up in her finest royal robes; All of the above; None of the above
- What was the king’s reaction when Esther entered without an invitation? He ordered that she be killed; He didn’t want her to die so he had her thrown into prison; He raised his scepter and asked her what she wanted; He invited her to a banquet
- The king asked Esther what she wanted. What was her reply? She asked him to spare her people the Jews; She asked for half his kingdom; She invited him and Haman to a banquet; She asked that Haman be killed
- The king and Haman were at the banquet that Esther prepared. What did she ask King Xerxes at this first banquet? She asked him to spare her people the Jews; She asked for half his kingdom; She asked the king to talk to Mordecai; She invited him and Haman to attend another banquet
- What did Esther ask the king at the second banquet? She invited him to a third banquet; She asked for half his kingdom; she asked him to spare her people the Jews; she asked him if she could travel to Jerusalem
- Esther told the king that is was Haman who had come up with the plan to kill all of the Jews. What ended up happening to Haman? He became the new king; He was thrown in the lion’s den; He was sent to a land far,far away; He was hanged and killed
- What holiday do the Jewish people celebrate to remember this part of their history? Hanukah; Purim; Pentecost; Halloween
- God had a plan for Esther. Does God have a plan for me? No, because I am not important enough; No, because I don’t live in Bible times; No, because I am not old enough; Yes He does!
- Who helps us in the tasks and jobs that God is calling us to do? I have to do it myself; God helps me; I don’t need help because God doesn’t have anything for me to do; All of the above
A lesson written by Cathy Walz from St. John Lutheran Church, Forest Park, IL. 2014.
