The Last Supper

Computer Workshop

Software: Jesus in Space: The "Planet Whamo" Mission Lesson.

Lesson Objectives:

The story of the Last Supper is big in length, complexity and meaning. The fact that it is covered by all four Gospels with some differing details doesn't help. Helping students "know the story" is going to be the primary focus of this lesson --as it is in the software itself. A secondary focus of this particular lesson plan comes from the software: The connection between Seder/Passover, Last Supper, and Communion. In fact, Jesus in Space's Mission to Whamo zaps that subject really well!

Unlike Baptism, most denominations and individual churches largely agree on the meaning and practice of the Last Supper. Perhaps the only thing we might disagree on is "WHO is welcome at the Table, and When?" The software doesn't really get into that, but it's a good discussion with older children. Some churches "gatekeep", and in history most  churches had rules about who was worth of Communion. For the purposes of teaching children, however, I'd like to share this point of view, which the software does hint at: God embraced the Entire Hebrew nation at Passover. He didn't have a litmus test. The passover meal was an act of Family... children and all, Crazy Uncle Morty, sinner Jane, judgmental Grandma Jones. Indeed, the children at the Passover/Seder Feast have an important liturgical role. And then you have Jesus welcoming in the outcasts to God's Banquest. The church-y Pharisees were aghast. Don't be a Pharisee, and don't get too solemn in your discussion about this meal. Yes, the Last Supper was a sad meal. But the next time Jesus ate with his disciples, their hearts burned, ...and Peter jumped from his boat! Sounds like a Moving celebration to me.

Leader Preparation:

• Read the background materials ahead of time
• Familiarize yourself with the software

Materials List:

• Jesus in Space  software (available as a free download to Supporting Members of Rotation.org, more details and to download go here.)
• Jesus in Space Guide Print and Preview software.
• Jesus in Space Worksheet

Advanced Preparation Requirements:

• Have the software loaded and ready to go.

Presentation

Opening- Welcome and Lesson Introduction:

Greet the children and introduce yourself.

Dig- Main Content and Reflection:

Lesson Plan

The Mission in the software IS the Bible Study. They'll be popping out their Bibles to explore the story. There are numerous "points to ponder" strewn through the story, so make sure you go along WITH the kids, or at least, print the Worksheet that guides them and holds them accountable for content. It's linked here at the bottom of this page.

1) Start your Mission to Planet Whamo

Start the Jesus in Space software and watch the intro. Then select Mission 2: Planet Whamo.
Lt Stu Dent rides the "Stu Pod" down to the Robot Planet Whamo and meets Chief WackyMac and his tribe of robots who are having a hard time remember the story. (The theme is "natives from around the world" which is my personal 'Nod to World and Out-of-this-World Missions').

2) The Bible Study
We want our kids to really know this complex multi-Gospel story. So with bibles in hand, your kids try to help the robots get the story right.

One by one the forgetful robot come forward and try to remember "what comes next" in the story. A sign with book/chapter/verse briefly pops up and should be written down by your students. Stu must either agree or disagree with their answer, and the robots sometimes get it slightly wrong so your students have to listen closely. Tricky of us, huh?

If the robot is right, and Stu (your student) agrees, confetti! and a point are awarded If the robot is wrong and Stu calls him on it (which he can figure out by consulting his Bible), it's "whamo" for the robot. If Stu gets it wrong, the Stu Zapper 5000 gives him a zap. The more of the story you get right, the closer you'll get to a special hidden game about the Seder Meal after the quiz. They may have to play through the story-quiz again to get it right and get access, but your kids will gladly do it.

Below is a screenshot of the Whamo setting so you get an idea of what this looks like.

The Chief says something profound at the end of the quiz to "Squish Boy" Lt. Stu. It's stuff like that strewn throughout the game that your teachers may want to latch onto for a moment of discussion.

3) After the Whambot story is complete...
....and regardless of whether or not the kids did well enough to unlock the secret game, your kids should NOW GO to learn about the Seder/Passover Meal by playing a game that leads through the "Whamo Labs". Quiz questions guard the items on the Seder Plate that Lt. Stu is trying to collect. Stu explains what the items mean. For older children with extra time, ask them to write down the explanations. In this way we are TEACHING IDEAS while the kids think they are playing a game. Nice.

At this point in the lesson, you might want to PAUSE and bring out a SEDER PLATE with all the things on it that Lt. Stu found... the bitter herbs, salt water, etc.

4) Return to the Starship Tarsus to view Captain Paul's COMMUNION Presentation.
It describes the practice and meaning of Communion and its connection to Passover.
It ends with some questions for discussion which you may want to pause and discuss!

Closing:

Circle up and walk around with items from your Seder Plate (or simply some celery sticks in salty water, and pita bread). As you walk, hand out these items from the plate RECAPPING what they remind us of (tears and bread for the journey, God sustaining us).

Conclude by breaking the break like Jesus did and passing it around, inviting each to eat bread like the disciples. Tell them that Jesus welcomes all of us into his presence, even the unworthy and sinners like us, and when we spend time with Christ, our hearts can AND DO change!

Munch much. Amen.
P.S.

Why JESUS in "SPACE" ???
Why not!

Like Capt Paul and Lt Stu, we go wherever Great Commission Control tells us to go!

Alternative Software Suggestions:

Last Supper is covered in Life of Christ CD with a 6 minute narrated slideshow and quiz. See the Life of Christ "map" activity where kids can learn about the places Jesus went during his last 2 days in Jerusalem. I've also got a lot more "Holy Week" software lesson ideas here on this site in the different Holy Week forums.

Last Supper is also found in the Play and Learn Children's Bible CD. Now out of print, but many rotation churches own it.

Making a Quiz or a Wordsearch or a Crossword puzzle on the computer is a really good idea for this story. There are a lot of details to the story and meanings to work with. Becoming familiar with some of the vocab and concepts which the story leads to (such as, "atonement" and "lamb") are all things you can do with a good piece of quiz or puzzle software.

Disclosure:
I am the author of Jesus in Space software mentioned in this post. My work with Christian education software grew out of my Rotation work, and the Rotation Board has encouraged me to post some of my lesson plans. Glad to do it, and I welcome suggestions, alternatives, and rebuttals! <>< Neil

A lesson written by Neil MacQueen

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

The Last Supper

2 Computer Workshop Lessons (Younger & Older Children)

Summary
Lesson 1: uses Play & Learn Children's Bible CD for younger children (Ages 4-6)
Lesson 2: uses Life of Christ CD for older children (Grades 3-8)

Update:
*Play and Learn Children's Bible CD is now out of print (only works on Windows Me/XP/Vista, and Windows 7- 32 bit.)
*Discovery Interactive’s "Life of Christ" CD has gone out of print (its material has been turned into an online course). Learn more here!

Preparation:

• Read the background materials ahead of time
• Familiarize yourself with the software.
• Have the software loaded and ready to go before the children arrive.

The Last Supper
Lesson 1: Younger Children

Software: Play and Learn Children's Bible CD

Opening- Welcome and Lesson Introduction

Greet the children and introduce the lesson activities and subject for the day.

Explain the purpose of today’s scripture in one sentence: We celebrate Communion to remember what Jesus did and does for us.

Dig- Main Content and Reflection:

Scripture/Bible Story:

1. Read the Scripture. Have them open their Bibles to the scripture and follow along. You may present the lesson from one of our many Story/picture-book Bibles.
2. Talk about The Last Supper. Briefly review with the children that this occurred at the last meal Jesus and his disciples ate together before he died. You do not need to spend much time reviewing any more details of the Last Supper story since other workshops will focus on this.
3. Ask the children if these verses sound familiar to them. When have them heard them before? Many children will quickly know that they are repeated during communion. But, it is important the children understand we are following Jesus’ example from the Bible during communion. They also need to know that the words that are spoken during much of communion are these words from the Bible that Jesus spoke to his disciples.
4. Be sure also to discuss that during Communion we are eating the same foods that Jesus did with his disciples—bread and wine. The rest of this rotation will teach those elements.
5. Also mention that Jesus told us to keep celebrating this meal when he said “do this in remembrance of me”. That is why we continue to celebrate communion often.

Software:
The children will learn about The Last Supper by using the software “Play & Learn Children's Bible CD” in the computer lab.

1. Have the children click on the Play & Learn Icon) you may want to have this done before they arrive). Check the volume ahead of time also so that they are turned down to a soft volume.
2. Go to “Bible Stories” choice.
3. Go to “Jesus is Our Friend” choice.
4. Choose “The Last Supper”. It will offer to read to the children or let them choose to read it themselves.
5. The pictures can be pointed and clicked on after the verses are read; the pictures will do silly things.
6. Have the children take turns and run through the story several times. It is quick and the kids like repetition.

Option:
Depending on how much time you have, the first and second graders could go to The Life Of Christ software and see one of the lessons there on this subject. Use Lesson #31, New Meaning to the Passover Meal. The children could listen to this Bible lesson; READ the quiz questions to them afterwards

Life application around the table: (for both younger and older)

Gather the kids around the discussion table. Put out a tablecloth. Place plastic glasses and a pitcher of grape juice, along with some bread. As you have the following discussion, pass around the various elements of food and begin eating. This "snack" will give you pace and props to discuss the following ideas.

• How do people usually feel or act when they have a nice meal among friends?
• Why do you think Jesus chose a MEAL to teach us these important lessons? (We eat everyday)
• What is the "new meaning" to the passover meal that the software talked about? (Jesus pointed the elements of the meal towards himself to teach about himself.)
• Are there people you don't like to eat with? Why? Do you think Jesus was happy with his disciples that night? or disappointed?
• When we "break bread" together with our friends and family, how can WE model Jesus' welcome/inviting/forgiving attitude towards others? (There's a line in the 23rd Psalm about "you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies". Jesus' table is a welcoming table, a place of reconciliation.)
• When we celebrate Communion, how does it bring us closer to each other? to God?

Closing:
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for this time we spent together learning about how you want us to remember your son, Jesus. We ask that you help us to remember Jesus in this upcoming week with our families. Through your Son’s name we pray. And all God’s children said AMEN!

The Last Supper

Lesson 2: Older Children

Software:  Life of Christ CD (Sunday Software)

1. Insert Life of Christ CD. This always needs to be inserted to operate.
2. Click on Continue Exploration and click on your class color (example: 1st & 2nd grade = orange).
3. Opens to Professor Newhart’s Office. Click on the wooden crate (Lesson Index).
4. In the lesson index, click on #27-33 The Road to the Cross. Click on lesson #31.
5. Proceed through the lesson. When it ends, take the quiz. If a clue is given record it in the clue book. Move the cursor to the left of the screen, go to clue book, and record the clue. This happens at the end of the quiz.
6. Again, move cursor to the left of the screen and click on links.
7. Go to See & Hear and click on Time Line-Death & Resurrection. Click on the Last Supper box. Click on back. Click on back again.
8. Click on Slide Show-Jerusalem under See & Hear. When done, click on close.
9. Click on Jerusalem under Geography in the See & Hear column. When done, click on close.

Alternately or Additionally:
There is a map of Jesus' Last Two Days in Jerusalem in Life of Christ CD which traces these final events around the city. Give the students a list of the locations from the program, and ask them to write down what happened there based on their exploration of the interactive map. Sunday Software's teaching tips for this program include a printable map with 'blanks' on the locations to fill in. If you have time, ask the older children "what in our town or world would correspond to the various locations on the map..... Example: Who are the authorities who might be intimidated or offended by Jesus and his message of sharing and forgiveness and helping the poor? Where would Jesus celebrate the Last Supper in our town? Where and When do we "kill" (ignore, ridicule, give lip service to) God's Word? What foods in our town substitute for bread and wine? How would Jesus use those foods to describe himself? (this is a humorous question, with lots of teachable moments).

Reflection:
Use the activity describe above for the younger children: the tablecloth, bread and juice discussion.

Closing:

Close with a prayer.

When this lesson was originally posted, the Last Supper lesson found in the newer Jesus in Space had not yet been created. That said, the two recommended programs are still good alternatives and familiar CDs in many rotation computer labs.

Exchange Volunteer added some updates.

A lesson written by Cathy Weygandt

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