Parable of the Sower

Computer Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:

In this computer workshop, students will illustrate a special version of the Parable of the Sower based on the teacher's prompts using the drawing program Kid Pix 4 or the newer "3D" version. They will quickly create 4 pictures and play them back in the Kid Pix 4 "slideshow" feature, then print them out.

Supplies:

• NRSV Bible
• Kid Pix 4 or the newer "3D" version, loaded on each computer
• paper loaded in each printer
• chart paper and marker
• pencils

Teacher preparation:

• Read the Bible passage. Read over the background material included in your teacher packet as you review the lesson plan. Be sure you are familiar with the program Kid Pix 4 so you can assist the children in their slide show drawings. Make and save several drawings, then open up the Kid Pix 4 slideshow module and pull those drawing files into the Slideshow.
• Remember to SAVE each drawing before making another, and SAVE your Slideshow.

Presentation

Opening - Welcome and Lesson Introduction:

Greet the children and introduce yourself.

Open with a prayer.

Dig - Main Content and Reflection:

Lesson Plan:

1. Have the students assemble at the computer workstations. Let them know they will be sharing the work, and you will be prompting them when to take turns.
2. Remind the children what a parable is (a story with a slightly secret or surprise meaning.)
3. Ask them if they already know the parable of the sower. If necessary, remind them what a sower is.
4. Read the parable from Luke 8:4-8. story through once.
5. Tell them that you are going to read the story again slowly. They need to listen carefully to the story because they will have to illustrate various ideas the story on their computer as you read it. Tell them that they need to illustrate quickly so that they can finish.
6. Now follow the illustration walk-through.

The Illustration Walk-Through

Read the parable out loud again, in sections, taking long pauses in between sections as they draw and type the story. (See the “Adjustments” section at the end of this lesson for some aids in teaching.)

Use the following suggestions/questions as you move through the story.  Make your language and prompts simpler for younger children:

Read verses 4-5 and say "Draw the hard path, the sower, and the birds."

Say:  Use the typing tool, label the hard path with a complaint people make about coming to church.   Use the typing tool to label one of your birds with the biggest distraction or competition you have in your life that keeps you from coming to church.

Have them SAVE their drawing, giving it a file name like "1Bob".  Return to the Kid Pix 4 drawing screen and prepare to draw another scene.

Read verse 6 and say "Draw rocky ground and withering plants."

Say:  Use the typing tool to label the withering plants with the reason why most people disobey God.

Now use the typing tool to label the rock with the hardest thing about being a Christian.

Have them SAVE their drawing, giving it a file name like "2Bob".  Return to the Kid Pix 4 drawing screen and prepare to draw another scene.

Read verse 7. Draw plants with thorns choking them.

Say: Use the typing tool to label the thorns with evil things that happen in a person's life that might make them question the existence of God.

Have them SAVE their drawing, giving it a file name like "3Bob".  Return to the Kid Pix 4 drawing screen and prepare to draw another scene.

Read verse 8. Draw beautiful, healthy plants.

Say:  Use the typing tool to label the healthy plants with three things that strengthen a person's faith in God.

Have them SAVE their drawing, giving it a file name like "4Bob".  

Create Slideshow

Return to the Kid Pix 4 drawing screen and go into the SLIDESHOW MODULE. You may need to walk your students through this, or they may be very familiar with it already.

Tell them to bring all four pictures into the Slideshow to make a presentation. Have them adjust the transition options so that the slides advance only when a button is pressed.

Remember to SAVE your Slideshow!

Once they have prepared their slideshows, move into the final Reflection step of the lesson.

[Kid Pix 4 is a popular program. It is familiar to most children and many computer lab teachers because it is frequently used. If you're unfamiliar with the slideshow module, experiment.]

Reflection:
As a class, go to each computer and play back the slide shows. Offer comments and observations about the LABELS they have applied to their drawings. That's where the reflection is.  Afterwards, let the children print out their presentations to take home.

Closing:
Gracious God, thank you for sending your message of grace, love, and forgiveness taught by Jesus. Help us to be good soil ready to welcome your word into our lives. Amen.

Shown below:  the Slideshow Panel options in Kid Pix 4 .....

Originally posted by JanMarshall, Brenthaven Church

Kid Pix 4 Screen Shot used for educational purposes. Screen shot  has additional
help notes added courtesy of Sunday Software.

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

Parable of the Sower Radio Show

Lesson Outline

(Thanks to another Rotation member for reminding me of this great teaching technique.)

I've been wanting to do the Parable of the Sower as a "radio broadcast" for several reasons:

1. It has many parts, each of which can have "sound effects."

2. It's a big story which needs broken into small pieces.

3. You can easily create a "straight" version, and a "retold" version (life application version).

The Lesson Outline:

1. After introducing and reading through the story, show the students that you have typed the story onto the screen of one of your computers as a ""tele-prompter"script ...with parts. 

2. Divide up the parts then read through the "tele-prompter" script challenging each part to come up with a unique voice or sound. 

You can call your show the "Jesus Farm Report." 

Pause as they read and make suggestions, -especially about the sound effects:

What do plants sound like when they are growing? When they are choking? What do weeds sound like? Birds, etc.

3. Now position a second computer that has a microphone next to the first one you're using as the teleprompter. (Laptops have built-in mikes.)

Record the reading of the tele-prompter script as your "radio broadcast." Then sit back and listen.

4. Finally, discuss and make CHANGES to the tele-prompter script substituting everyday situations and problems for paths/weeds/thorns. 

For example, where the original script said, "and some of the seed fell upon the hard path,"  substitute the phrase, "and God's Word fell on some hardened hearts." In other words, have your students de-parable-ize the parable to make its meaning plain. 

This is still a radio show, and they will still need to do sound effects. What does Word falling on a hardened heart sound like?

What they will need MOST is for you or your scribe to TYPE INTO THE TELE-PROMPTER SCRIPT the SFX they need to speak!  ...don't count on them remember.

5.  Whisper Prayer Recording

When you're done recording and discussing the outcome, discuss and then invite students to step up to the microphone one-by-one to record their whispered prayer for being more open/good soil/receptive to God's Word.  Play it back with the volume turned WAY UP. 

Let me put in a plug for downloading a FREE audio recording program called AUDACITY. Audacity allows your students to quickly EDIT out (or edit in) additional content. If an actor messes up, you don't have to start over.

The Parable of the Sower found in Matthew 13:1–23, Mark 4:1–20, and Luke 8:4–15 is one of the terrific presentations found in the SunScool Bible App for Kids. The app uses Mark 4:1-20.

In the app, it is found in two slightly different versions: (1) Under the Parables menu when you select Levels 1, 2, or 3. It is not found in Level 4 (older kids), and (2) in the Who is Jesus menu for all ages.

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.