Software that has "Magi" or Wise men in it:

• Fluffy and God's Amazing Christmas Adventure
  

This program covers the entire Advent story with six different story & learning activity areas, including "Following Yonder Star." Ages 5-15. (see lesson post below)

• Life of Christ CD

Lesson #8: Visitors for the Newborn King (Matthew 2:1-12)
All about the Magi and Herod. How do you worship Jesus? What gifts can you give him? This is a brief 6 minute narrated slideshow about the Magi, concluding with a quiz. Ages 7 to 17.

The following software programs are now out of print, but kept here for those churches who have these programs:

• Play and Learn Children's Bible CD

"Wise Men Visit Jesus." A preschooler-1st grade interactive presentation. Also has a Bible Paint picture activity. Ages 3 to 6. (only works on Windows Me/XP/Vista, and Windows 7- 32 bit.)

• Charlie Church Mouse "Preschool" CD

An interactive story but no follow-up activities of a religious nature. Ages 3 to 6.

You could also use other "non-story" software to teach the story of the Magi, or about the Gift-giving/Gifts.

The Internet has numerous "about the Star" webpages, and one of the lessons here in the Exchange even features a link to presentation about the Star of Bethlehem. One lesson here talks about "constellations." I'm a space geek, but I wouldn't do those types of lessons. If you want to know why...read on:

Opinion:

Getting into the "science" of the Star of Bethlehem is interesting stuff, but it is NOT THE SAME as teaching the story of the Magi and about "the gifts" we should give Jesus.

At most, teaching about constellations and the possible scientific explanations for the star are an entertaining SIDESHOW that should not be confused with teaching the Word of God.

Eats up valuable class time too.

There may indeed be a scientific explanation for the Star of Bethlehem, but there doesn't have to be either, ...not if you believe in miracles or an all-powerful super-being who can put whatever it wants to up in the sky, or make people see things that others do not see. Herod had eyes and advisors, but he didn't seem to know about the star, so why are people all excited about trying to show it was big conjunction of planets? Beats me.

And if you think the Star was a conjunction of planets, then you must also believe that God had to WAIT to send the Messiah based on planetary cycles, which is a pretty ridiculous thought if you think about it ...so why waste valuable class time teaching that the Magi were following a conjunction of planets when it could have just as easily been a simple star that nobody else seemed to be paying attention to?

I believe that the Magi were looking for some sort of SIGN from the Omnipotent God --a God whom they didn't really know but apparently WANTED TO KNOW. Hope is an international idea.

I believe God SPOKE TO THEM through their pagan and pseudo-scientific astrological beliefs for his purposes. There are dozens of Biblical examples of God making sure his Word Gets Heard through all sorts strange events and misguided people. There was Balaam's ass, for example. And then there's us.

That is the message of the Magi... Like us, they think they can figure things out if they only look and follow in all the right ways and places. But really, it is God who finds us and brings us by all sorts of means, to the throne of his Child.

<>< Neil

Jesus' Birth through the Eyes of the Wisemen

Computer Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:

Uses "Fluffy and God's Amazing Christmas Adventure" (Sunday Software).

Note: This software is now FREE to our Supporting Members. Learn more!

Scripture Reference:

Matthew 2:1-12

Here is my lesson plan for using the MAGI section of "Fluffy and God's Amazing Christmas Adventure (Sunday Software). Fluffy is a sheep whom God leads through the entire Advent story. It's humorous...including God's country accent (why not?) and  s full of Life Application.

Attached to this post is the Magi Student Handout. It has screenshots of many of the discussion questions found in the story -- not all, but many.

The program has six different Advent stories, Magi being one of them. Ages 5-15 will enjoy the software but younger children may need help (which is easy to give because "guide by the side" is the right way to teach with software). Read some hints for teaching Bible lessons with software.

Leader Preparation:

• Read the scripture and background materials.
• Install and become familiar with the software.

LESSON PLAN

Opening- Welcome and Lesson Introduction

Welcome your students and tell them what you hope they will learn today and how they will learn it.  Ask them to help you list "as much about the story of the Wise men" that they can remember. Don't fill in the holes until after they've used the software.

Software Time

The software IS the Bible study and reflection. If you go through the Magi section in the program in the following order, you will be following an "Open Dig Reflect" lesson plan paradigm.

1) God tells the story of the Magi -- Matthew 2: 1-12

2) About Magi ...and a quiz
The Magi were a group of religious people who...
For further discussion:

• What do you -and could you do at Christmastime to let others know that you too seek Jesus the Christ?

3) About the Star
Was it a huge star? Was it a comet or a planet...
For further discussion:

• Who are some of the "stars" pointing you to Jesus?
• What are some ways God sends messages to people in the church?

4) About Herod
King Herod was a bad person...
For further discussion:

• Why do some people not want to celebrate the birth of Jesus?

5) Another Wise Person looking for the Messiah -- Simeon
Simeon was a good old man who lived in Jerusalem...

6) FLUFFIMATION …how to look for God
Fluffimations are interactive "mad-lib-like" activities where the kids complete a form and Fluffy puts their answers into a teaching response about "looking for God today." The results can be funny and poignant, and you can do it as many times as you want.

7) About the Gifts of the Magi
What are Frankincense, Gold, and Myrrh and what did they mean? Drag the description to the correct item. A question is revealed when they do so. It reads: "What three things in your world could be substitutes for Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh that might have similar meanings?"

Important Tip about the Gifts of the Magi Matching Game: Click the ANSWER and drag it to one of the three choices

8) Fluffy vs Herod game and discussion
Players bounce Fluffy to reveal real Christmas treasure. After the treasure is revealed, questions appear. "What gifts would we bring Jesus today that would have the same meaning as gold, frankincense and myrrh?" This is a really good subject to dig into with all ages.

CLOSE

Return to the students' initial "outline" of what they remembered about the story. Have them fill more of it in.

Ask them what were the important "life lessons" they just heard in the software (the software had many suggestions). Let them answer individually.

Finish with a prayer inviting students to thank God for the "life lessons" they shared.

The story of the Magi or Wisemen is one of the terrific presentations found in the SunScool Bible App for Kids.  Look in the app's story menu under "Christmas Part 3" when you select either Level 3 or 4 (in Level 4 it's titled "Prophecies Fulfilled").

The App is free, ecumenical, and can be downloaded for use on tablets, smartphones, Windows, and Mac!    Get the download link and look up the story you need in our Outline of all 170+ stories in SunScool. That page also includes app helps.