Skip to main content

This forum is part of Rotation.org's Palm Sunday to Easter Morning forum of resources. In addition to the public lessons and ideas posted below, be sure to see our Writing Team's extra special lessons: Last Supper ~ Lord's Supper Lesson Set.

The image pictured right is from Rotation.org's Annie Vallotton Bible Illustrations Collection.

Drama, Newsroom, and Puppet Lessons, Ideas, Activities, and Resources for Teaching the Last Supper, Communion, and Seder.

Post your Sunday School drama, newsroom, and puppet lessons, ideas, activities, and resources for the Last Supper, Communion, and Seder here.

  • Please include a scripture reference, supply lists, sources, suggested age range. age modification, etc. 
  • Photos are much appreciated!  Click "attachments" and upload to your post.
  • Please be careful not to post copyrighted materials. Excerpting and paraphrasing is okay. Include attribution.

     

Included: Last Supper, Upper room, Judas, Bowl, Feet, This is my body, broken, cup, Do this in remembrance of me, Lord's Supper, Passover, Seder, Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-26; Luke 22:7-23; John 13:1-17, 21-30; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32; Exodus 11:4-8, 12:3-13, 37-39, etc.

Bible lessons for the Last Supper, Communion, and Seder -with Drama, puppets, scripts, skits, acting, newsroom, etc.

Last edited by Rotation.org Lesson Forma-teer
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Last Supper Drama for Sunday School

"Frozen Photos" Last Supper Drama Workshop

Summary:

Through the use of a drama technique called “Frozen Picture” and video recording individual disciples' "monologues" the students will experience and re-enact the Last Supper.  Following the viewing of their recording, you may conclude by watching "Come to the Table" (Sidewalk Prophets) featuring scenes from "The Chosen" miniseries.

Lesson Objectives:

  • The Last Supper was a “secret meal” because the religious leaders were trying to arrest and kill Jesus.
  • The bread represents Jesus’ body and the wine represents Jesus’ blood.
  • The Last Supper was eaten in community with His disciples.
  • Communion is remembering Jesus.
  • Through the use of a drama technique called “Frozen Picture” the children will experience the last supper.
  • The children will have a better understanding of who the disciples were and what part and feeling they played in the Last Supper.

Materials List:

  • Printed Scripts (see Resources  - monologues)
  • Costumes
  • Props - table set for Last Supper (Examples: bowels or baskets of bread / grapes, jugs, goblets, juice)
  • Cue Cards (option: see lesson #4)
  • Da Vinci painting or another similar picture
  • “Come to the Table” music video by the Sidewalk Prophets (see music video below)
  • Digital Camera or CellPhone to take photos and videos of the monologues, a TV or screen to view their photos and monologues (see viewing tips here)


Lesson Plan

Opening

Welcome the children and introduce yourself.

Wear name tags and make sure children have nametags. Go around and let the children introduce themselves and ask briefly, what they think the Last Supper is? Or what they know about The Last Supper.

Start lesson with prayer, Ask for a volunteer, or teacher will pray. Thank God for the sacrament of communion and for giving us special symbols to help us remember Jesus and how much God loves us. Using the term “sacrament” will help the children understand that communion is a sacrament.

Study

Scripture/Bible Story:
Have children read the scripture from their Bibles. Highlight parts of the scriptures that highlight the story.

Application:
Before we begin we will explain that we will be recreating a picture of the Last Supper. Explain that we will be making a “Frozen Picture”, and also a short film. We will read a little bit about each character/disciple in our “Frozen Picture”. Prior to beginning we will look at a picture of the Last Supper. (Da Vinci painting or another similar picture).

  1. Ask the children who the people in the picture are. We may write them down on a chart pad or poster. (They are sitting in the following order from left to right: Bartholomew, James, son of Alphaeus, Andrew, Judas, Peter, John, Jesus, Thomas, James the Greater, Philip, Matthew, Thaddeus, Simon.)
  2. Drama!! Decide who is going to play the 13 characters. (12 disciples and Jesus) If we have some time later we can switch the characters, letting the children play different roles. Have props ready to complete scene/picture, bread, juice, etc.
  3. Give each character their short ‘monologue’ (see resources) so they can read through it a couple times to prepare. If we have non-readers, we can act as a narrator to create the picture, asking the character to stand during his/her part.
  4. We will get out the costumes to begin the drama, and we will begin to place the children on the stage. The child can read from a card on the table, or we may use cue cards in the back of the room. During the rehearsal part of the activity, we work with the children on projection, diction, eye contact, character development and movement. After several rehearsals we will begin to get ready for the taping of the scene. Also, we will take a still picture of the scene and compare it with the painting.
  5. After taping the scene, we will begin to put back the costumes and clean up.

Reflect

Watch and discuss the video "Come to the Table" featuring scenes from the life of Jesus as portrayed in "Chosen" -- the popular and quite excellent series about the story of Jesus.

Closing:

  1. Ask each child to share some details of the video that they will remember. Remind children that God notices the many “details” of our lives just as they noticed in the picture and video. Remind the children that bread and wine in the skit are special symbols for us. That the bread and wine represent the new covenant that God made for each of us and it cannot be broken.
  2. Say the key verse together. We will have the verse printed on poster board.
  3. PRAY! We will ask the children for prayer requests. We will thank God for the time spent learning and being together in fellowship.


Resources:

  • DISCIPLE’S MONOLOGUES FOR “LAST SUPPER” FROZEN MOMENT we used are from
    “The Last Supper” Lesson Set, Apostle's Playhouse Workshop, from Rotation.org Member, The Kirk of Kildaire Presbyterian Church, Cary, NC

A lesson written by member Heather Brooks with updates from the Rotation.org Content Team and photos from Luanne Payne's church.

- Photos from Luanne Payne, Hampton United Church, Hampton, ON, Canada

Stage 2006 4 Easter Last Supper

Stage 2006 5 Easter Last SupperStage 2006 6 Easter Last Supper

- Photos from Cathy Weygandt, Trinity Lutheran Church, Findlay, Oh

4 TLC Last Supper5 TLC Last Supper

Attachments

Images (5)
  • Stage 2006 4 Easter Last Supper
  • Stage 2006 5 Easter Last Supper
  • Stage 2006 6 Easter Last Supper
  • 4 TLC Last Supper
  • 5 TLC Last Supper
Last edited by Luanne Payne

The following is a variation on the "frozen photo tableau" lesson described above and in other lessons here in the Exchange. It's an idea that many have modified and expanded upon.

The "Last Supper in Photos" Drama Workshop


Summary of Lesson Activities:

Children will "pose" the scene at the Last Supper as they read through the scripture and have their photos taken. As a closing, they'll take photos of what they might want to pray for and say to Jesus, by way of thanks.

Option for older students and those with more time:
Pose a version DaVinci's Last Supper featuring people from various walks of life posing different attitudes and reactions to Jesus at his table. "The tough," The too busy, The doubter, The distracted, The powerful, The ignorant, The hurt, The in pain, The poor, etc. etc.

Materials List:

  • Bibles & Take Home Sheets
  • Banquet Table(s) and chairs
  • Costume and props for the Last Supper
  • Copy of DaVinci’s Last Supper painting (optional)
  • Cellphone or digital camer plus a way to show the finished photos on a large screen


Lesson Plan


Opening

Greet the children and introduce yourself and explain that today, through the use of a drama technique called “Frozen Moment,” the children will experience the Last Supper what it must have been like to be there.

Study and Photograph the Last Supper

  1. As you read the story, ask your students to sit at the Table and pose the scenes as they unfold -- taking their photos as they do.

    Think about the disciples' reactions to what they are hearing and seeing. Bewilderment, astonishment, intense concentration, disbelief, what else?

    Offer suggestions and let them suggest changes.

    Suggest facial expressions they may want to recreate as the disciples hear what Jesus is saying.

  2. You can designate one person to be Jesus, or let kids take turns by wearing a special or white robe.

  3. You can take "close ups" of certain students who happen to be posing in a particular interesting way. (Taking close-ups as you go will help encourage other student to get in the mood.)
  4. Offer insights as you go. You may also add questions, such as, "what do you think Jesus is thinking right now?" and "what do you think Judas is thinking?" etc.  Some of your observations can be reserved for when you share the photos after they are taken.

Show the Photos!

Go through the photos you have taken with your class -- asking students to "call out what's happening" in each photos. As you view each photo, ask students "what were you thinking? trying to portray? feeling in that photo."

This is a good time to add additional insights about the fact that Jesus' disciples weren't perfect, they were forgiven. Jesus trained them and led them, but still had to forgive them. This is part of the message he wanted us to "remember" at the Last Supper -- that God is for us, not against us.

Closing Photos:

Close by creating one last photo of each student praying to Jesus. Have student tell you what they are thinking (praying) about when you take their photo. Post these later in the classroom or email them to their parents.

A lesson written by Canfield Presbyterian Church
Canfield, OH and modified by members of the Rotation.org Content Team

Last edited by Neil MacQueen

The Disciples at the Last Supper

Drama Workshop - Monologues for Each of the Disciples

The disciples are listed in order as they appear in DaVinci's famous painting of the Last Supper, left to right, as you look at the painting.  You don't have to use the "monologues" with the painting but let your imagination run wild. Images of the painting will be something your students see again and again throughout their lives.

last-supper-DaVinci

Bartholomew:
My name is Bartholomew. I am the son of Tolmai and one of Jesus’ not so well known disciples. I am often listed after Philip in the gospels. Some people say I am also the disciple called Nathaniel. I once asked Philip, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” I now know that Jesus is something good that came out of Nazareth!

James the younger, of the lesser:
My name is James – James the younger! I am called “the younger” so that you won’t confuse me with the other James. He is a fisherman – I am not. I am sometimes called Jesus’ brother. I stay in the background and keep pretty quiet. Jesus is the important one, the Son of God, that people come to hear. I am happy to just watch, listen and learn.

Andrew:
My name is Andrew. I like to tell people that I was Jesus’ first disciple. I am a fisherman, like my brother Simon Peter. We make our living fishing the Sea of Galilee. When I realized who Jesus was, I immediately went to my brother Simon and said, “We have found the Messiah!”.

Judas:
My name is Judas. I am close to Jesus – very close. I am important to all the disciples too because I am the treasurer of the group. I have great hopes for Jesus. He is going to be a great leader and get rid of the Romans! Of course, he may need my help………

Peter:
My name is Peter – that is what Jesus called me. Before I met Jesus I was called Simon. The first time I met Jesus he said that I should be called Peter, which means rock. I know that Jesus is the Messiah, but I sometimes forget and doubt him. I really wanted to be able to walk on the water like Jesus did that time in the boat, but just as I nearly reached Jesus, I was afraid and I began to sink into the water! I wish I could be strong and not feel unsure.

John:
My name is John. I am the brother of James and the son of Zebedee. I am one of Jesus’ first disciples. Like my brother James, I am a fisherman. I have seen many wonderful things that Jesus has done. I even saw him bring Jairus’ daughter back to life! Just this morning Jesus asked Peter and me to go and prepare the Passover meal we are now sharing. We found everything just as Jesus said we would! Jesus is very special – I wonder what will happen next.

Jesus:
I am Jesus of Nazareth. I have gathered my friends in this place tonight to share this last meal with me. They do not know all that is to happen in the next few days, but I do. Tonight I will share with them the simple food of bread and wine. I will use those simple foods as symbols to help remind my friends of me when I am taken from them. I want to remind all who love me that even simple things like bread and drink can help them remember and have faith.

Thomas (with finger raised):
I am Thomas. I am not one of the more well-known disciples, but I have spoken out one or two times. For instance, just in the past few days, Jesus decided we had to return to Jerusalem. Many of the disciples think Jesus is crazy for wanting to go to Jerusalem – there are people here who want to arrest and execute him! Well, when I realized just how serious Jesus was about coming here, I told the others, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” I love Jesus and will stand by him.

James:
My name is James – yes, another James! I am the brother of John - you have already met him. I am, or was, a fisherman. I fished with John, Peter and Andrew. I am older than John – guess that is why the other disciple names James is called the younger! Like John, I am very close to Jesus. I have seen many of the miracles that Jesus has done – not all of the disciples can say that. Once Jesus called John and me the “sons of thunder.” I guess that means Jesus knows we can get a little worked up about things! I am embarrassed to tell you this, but once John and I even went so far as to ask Jesus if we could sit at his right and left, places of great honor when Jesus got his kingdom!

Phillip:
I am Phillip. I live in the same fishing village, Bethsaida, like Andrew, Simon, James, and John. I know a lot about the scriptures and I knew that Jesus was the one the prophets foretold. However, I don’t always seem to understand what Jesus is trying to tell us. When Jesus fed the 5,000, I was worried about how much we could buy with the little money we had. I couldn’t even imagine that Jesus’ miracle was to feed to them all! I wonder what will happen at this meal…

Matthew:
I am Matthew. I was a tax collector. People do not like tax collectors. I was not a good person before Jesus called me. I collected more than I needed to and I lived a good life! I was astounded when Jesus ate at my house that time. What a wonderful thing that was. Jesus told me to follow him, and I did!

Thaddeus:
I am Thaddeus. I am not one of the disciples that most people know. My name is hardly mentioned in any of the stories that are told about Jesus. Some people call me by the name Jude, the son of James. However, there are already two James who are disciples, so that makes things sort of confusing! I am one of those disciples who followed Jesus but didn’t take a leadership role. Like James the Younger, I watched, listened, and learned. Those are important things too, sometimes even more important than doing!

Simon:
My name is Simon. I am known among us disciples as the ‘eager one.’ At one point in my life, I was sure that Jesus was the leader we were looking for to help us force the Romans out of our land. However, now I am not so sure that Jesus is that kind of leader. My eagerness has changed. I am even able to call Matthew, the changed tax collector, friend. I would have never been part of a group with him before I met and followed Jesus. I sometimes wonder where my new ‘eagerness’ will take me.

Based on Disciple Monologues by Toni Dattilo,
Who’s Who in the Bible, Reader’s Digest, 1994

Originally posted by member Kathy from Augustana Lutheran Church, St. James, MN

Attachments

Images (1)
  • last-supper-DaVinci
Last edited by Neil MacQueen

Living Last Supper

This Easter will be our 10th year of having what we call the "Living Last Supper" where all the kids take a part in the Easter Story. It's an amazing Sunday morning and many of the parents stay and watch. There are several scenes set up, the kids come and get into costume, each gets a name tag and takes a seat at a table. The 5th graders generally get the "part" of Jesus. We start with the Last Supper while 13 of them are at each table...we have communion bread and "wine" (white grape juice) and I take the church bulletin so that they can see the connection of celebrating the Last Supper every Sunday.  Then do the garden scene, Pilot, cross, tomb, etc.

Last edited by Rotation.org Lesson Forma-teer

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.
×
×