Jesus’ Birth through the Eyes of Isaiah

Drama- Newsroom Workshop 

Summary of Lesson Activity:
Create a news broadcast with time-traveling reporters interviewing Isaiah and other Biblical characters to learn about prophets, and the coming Messiah. [4th – 6th graders visited this workshop.] 

Scripture Reference:

Isaiah

Leader Preparation:

• Read the scripture for this lesson.
• Read and reflect on the overview material provided for this lesson.
• Gather the materials

Materials List:

• Easel; appropriate marker
• Bibles
• A copy of The Children’s Illustrated Bible
• Copies of attached interview sheets
• Pencils or pens
• Videotaping equipment: movie camera, tripod, extension cord, TV with camera hook up cords
• Props: Microphone, Scene clapper, a sign: “WFUMC”
• Optional: Costumes

Advances Preparation Requirements:

• Make sure you understand the flow of the newscast – read director’s notes at end of this lesson. You may wish to sketch out the plan on the easel.
• Set up videotaping equipment. Make sure that you know how to work the camera.

Presentation

Opening- Welcome and Lesson Introduction
Greet your students warmly, welcoming them to the WFUMC Newsroom. Introduce yourself and any other adults.

[Note: The Shepherd will quietly take attendance, etc. while you are starting your lesson.]

Ask: Are you excited about Christmas coming?
Are you ready for Christmas – do you have decorations up?

Say: Christmas is something we plan for way in advance isn’t it? Today we’re going to talk about how Jesus’ birth was something God planned for, for a very long time. God told the world about the coming birth of Jesus – way before it happened! In fact, about 700 years before it happened a prophet named Isaiah told about the coming birth of Christ. Since today we are set up here as the newsroom of WFUMC, we will be time-travelers to report this news from the Bible. Before we get started, let’s begin with prayer. (Normally we ask for prayer requests. Because this is a full workshop we’ll forgo gathering requests and doing the Lord’s Prayer.)

Say: “Dear God, Thank you for your special message given long ago to the prophets – telling them about Jesus’ coming birth. Your message was a promise of hope. Today as we prepare to celebrate Jesus’ birth, we too are filled with hope because we are reminded of your love for us. Amen.”

Dig- Main Content and Reflection
Ask: Have you all seen news reporters on TV interviewing people?
Say: Today we’ll be time-travelers back about 2,700 some years – to report the news around the time of the prophet Isaiah.

Ask: What do you know about Isaiah? (prophet in Old Testament times)
What is a prophet?
Say: A prophet is God's special messenger. A prophet tells God's messages.

Ask: How is a prophet different from someone like a fortune-teller?
Say: A prophet doesn't look into a crystal ball and guess what will happen; a prophet knows what will happen because a prophet brings a message from God.

Ask: What kinds of messages do you suppose God gave prophets?
Say: Sometimes the messages were “shape up” – in other words, a warning. Sometimes the messages were brought to people who were feeling down and discouraged – messages of hope. We are going to be exploring some of Isaiah’s messages of hope – messages about the coming of Jesus.

Say: At this time we are going to be breaking into groups. Each group will prepare a different part of our news show. Your group needs to follow the instructions on their handout. You have about 7 minutes to prepare your scene; then we’ll videotape it.

Separate into groups – Prepare the News:
Ask the Shepherd to help you break students into groups – see director’s notes as to number and size of each group.

[Note: This workshop has been written for 8 (or more) participants. If you have less than 8, eliminate scene four. Discuss the worksheet for scene 4 as a group, after the first three scenes have been filmed; then film scene four. There is plenty of room for more than 8 students. Refer to director’s notes.]

Once the kids are in groups, give each group a different “Interview Sheet.” Pass out pencils or pens. Also give:
Scene 1: The Children’s Illustrated Bible
Scene 2, 3 and 4: Bibles

You may need to help the students as they do their research and develop their interviews. Encourage them to look at the referenced Bibles verses to develop their interview. As you help the students develop their interviews, enhance their learning by telling them what you learned from the overview material.

Watch the clock; give a five-minute and a two-minute warning. [Start taping by 10:12]

Video the News/View the News:
When the time is up, gather everyone together for a quick pre-production meeting.
If desired (and if enough time) allow a quick search for an appropriate costume.
Explain how each group will be signaled when a scene is being started or stopped.
Explain how you’ll tape each of the scenes, stopping in between to get into position. (Feel free, between scenes to ask any thought- provoking questions.)

Videotaping the news

Each scene needs to move quickly.
If there is time, you may wish to film the participants spinning backwards to represent that passing of time while someone stands still and moves the clock forward in time.

When done, hook the camera to the TV, rewind and enjoy!

Closing:
Say: God told the prophets about Jesus’ birth way before it happened. The people at that time were in need of a message of hope. God's love was so great that God planned to send a Savior, the anointed one, the Messiah, to cancel out our sin and to establish God's kingdom of peace, justice and righteousness on earth. As we prepare for Christmas, remember to think of Christmas as celebrating God’s gift of love to us.

If you have extra time:
Add a late breaking interview to the news story. Interview a Shepherd, present on the hillside when the angels brought news of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem.

How did you learn what Isaiah said would happen? (hint: it was in Hebrew scripture)
When did you think God would do these things? (hint: they’d been waiting a long time)
Isaiah had said that the people would see a great light.
You saw some of God's other messengers, the angels. Did you connect them with Isaiah's prophecy?

Resources:

• Camp, Anne. “Rotation.org Writing Team Lessons On The Birth Of Jesus Through The Eyes Of Isaiah: Video Workshop.” 2002. http://rotation.infopop.cc/6/u...6059161&m=3736020261
• McIntyre, Judy. “River Community Church…Advent/Christmas through the eyes of Isaiah: Drama/Video Workshop.” 2003. http://rotation.infopop.cc/6/u...66081431&m=928607994

A lesson written by Carol Hulbert from: First UMC

Ann Arbor, MI
Copyright 2009 First United Methodist Church, Ann Arbor, MI.
Permission to copy materials granted for non-commercial use provided credit is given and all cited references remain with this material.

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

------------
If you use this material, even in a modified form, please include the following reference:
Hulbert, Carol. Jesus’ Birth through the Eyes of Isaiah: Newsroom Workshop." Dec. 2009. Place URL where lesson found inside angle brackets<>.

Jesus’ Birth through the Eyes of Isaiah: Newsroom Interview worksheets
Written by Carol Hulbert for First United Methodist Church
120 S. State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104

Copyright 2009 First United Methodist Church, Ann Arbor, MI.
Permission to copy materials granted for non-commercial use provided credit is given and all cited references remain with this material

SCENE 1 – PREP WORK

Characters:  News Anchors # 1 and Isaiah

Optional: News Anchor # 2

Step 1:

Research – Everyone read page 154 in the Children’s Illustrated Bible, paying attention to Isaiah’s vision (from Isaiah chapter 6).

Note: Seraphs are six-winged angels.

What did Isaiah see in the Temple?

_____________________________________________________________________________

What did Isaiah say, when he realized God was there?

_____________________________________________________________________________

How was Isaiah’s sin cleansed? 

_____________________________________________________________________________

What did God ask and what was Isaiah’s answer?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Step 2:

Use your answers from above to create a script for your newscast. In scene 1, the News Anchor(s) will open the news show, and do a live interview of Isaiah. (You may ask Isaiah other questions if you think it will help everyone learn about him.)

Note: In the final scene of the news show, the News Anchors will sign off for the news program.

SCENE 1 - SCRIPT

News Anchor 1: Good morning from Jerusalem. I am __________________ reporting from WFUMC.

News Anchor 2: And I’m __________________, here with today’s news.

News Anchor 1:  The top story today deals with the gold articles from the Palace and the Temple. King Ahaz has collected these treasures to send to Assyria.  Some people are grumbling about sending so much money to an empire, which threatens to invade the city, but others, think more should be sent.  The people are afraid of an invasion.

News Anchor 2: In other news, a local prophet was making a disturbance of his own today. He was challenging King Ahaz to trust God.

Jerusalem has always had its share of noisy prophets. The local population is tired of hearing these people bringing messages from God.

Leave us alone they say! Today we have in our studio, this prophet, Isaiah. Let’s hear what Isaiah has to say.

News Anchor 1: Isaiah, I understand that you had an unusual experience in the Temple?

Isaiah will say: 

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

News Anchor 2:  A prophet’s job is to bring messages to the people.  How do you know what messages to say to people?

Isaiah answers: 

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

News Anchor 1:  How does it feel when people sometimes don’t want to hear what you have to say?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

News Anchor 2:  Why do you keep on trying to give people God’s message?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

News Anchor 1:  Thank you Isaiah for being with us.

Isaiah:  My pleasure. May the Lord be with you.

News Anchor 2: An interesting thought – God will come among us as a baby?

News Anchor 1: A bit hard to imagine isn’t it. Anyone to save us from these times. (sigh) Now we go to this report in the field.

<cut>

SCENE 2 – PREP WORK

Characters:  Field Reporter(s) and Worshiper(s).

Step 1:

Research – Everyone read Isaiah 7:14

What sign will the Lord give?_________________________________________________

What does Immanuel mean? __________________________________________________

Research – Everyone read Isaiah 9:2 and 9:6

Do you think that people at this time in history were feeling pretty good, or gloomy and worried?

_____________________________________________________________________________

What do you think Isaiah’s prophecy in 9:6 means? _____________________________________________________________________________

Step 2:

Use your answers from above to write a script for the newscast. In scene 2, the Field Reporter(s) will interview Worshiper(s)outside the Temple. These worshipers have heard Isaiah give his prophecy. (If you have more than one reporter, share the questions.

If you have more than one Worshiper share the responses.) (You may ask more questions if you’d like!)

SCENE 2 - SCRIPT

Field Reporter: This is _______________________  reporting from outside the Temple in Jerusalem.  I have with me today, a worshiper from the Temple. What is your name?

Worshiper:  My name is _____________________________________________________

Field Reporter:  I understand you heard Isaiah, when he was doing what prophets do, giving us a message from God – prophesising they call it.  What did Isaiah say?

Worshiper:   Isaiah said _____________________________________________________________________________

Field Reporter:  What do you think his words mean?

Worshiper:   _____________________________________________________________________________

Field Reporter:  What do you think it will be like to have a “Mighty God”?

Worshiper:   _____________________________________________________________________________

Field Reporter:  Well there you have it – live from WFUMC. Now to our next report.

<cut>

SCENE 3 – PREP WORK

Characters:  Field Reporter(s) and disciple(s) of Jesus.

Step 1:

Research – Everyone read 9:2 and 9:6-7

Who is the child spoken about in verse 6?  _______________________________________

Who is the “us” mentioned in verse 6?  __________________________________________

What do you think “Wonderful Counselor” means?  ___________________________________________________________________________________

What do these verses tell you about this coming child?  ___________________________________________________________________________

Step 2:

Use your answers from above to create a script for the newscast. Scenes 1 and 2 take place back around 700 BCE.

In scene 3, we jump ahead in time. (Is your head spinning?) We are now in the times of the early church, around CE 50.

The Field Reporter(s) interviews disciple(s) of Jesus asking about Isaiah’s ancient words.

(If you have more than one reporter, share the questions. If you have more than one disciple share the responses.)

SCENE 3 - SCRIPT

Field Reporter: This is _______________________  reporting from Jerusalem, in the year 50 CE.  I have here, a disciple of Jesus.

Tell us your name and why you are a disciple of Jesus.

Disciple:  _________________________________________________________________

Field Reporter:  You have been with Jesus through his entire ministry. How did you know that Jesus was the Messiah promised by

the prophets?

Disciple:  _________________________________________________________________

Field Reporter:  Long ago the prophet Isaiah gave people an idea of what this Messiah would be like. Isaiah said he would be a Wonderful

Counselor. Did Jesus live up to that prophecy of Isaiah?

Disciple:  Yes, well you know a counselor is someone who listens carefully and gives good advise.

Why I remember Jesus saying __________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Field Reporter: Well there you have it – a disciple’s view.  Now to our next report.

<cut>

SCENE 4 – PREP WORK

Characters: Field Reporter(s) and Modern-day Sunday’s Cool student(s).

Step 1:

Characters: Field Reporter(s) and Modern-day Sunday’s Cool student(s).

Research – Everyone read Isaiah 7:14 and 9:6

Who are these verses speaking about – who is coming?  ____________________________

What does Immanuel mean? __________________________________________________

How does it change the way you live, to know that it was predicted that a son would be born and it actually happened? __________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Isaiah described this coming Savior with many words including “Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace”. How do these words help you to understand what Jesus is like?  _________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Step 2:

Use your answers from above to create a script for the newscast. The news show will jump ahead to 2009! The Field Reporter(s) interview students about Isaiah’s ancient words. (If you have more than one reporter, share the questions. If you have more than one student share the responses.)

SCENE 4 - SCRIPT

Field Reporter: This is _______________________  reporting from Ann Arbor in 2009.  I am in a Sunday’s Cool class at FUMC.  Tell us your name and why you are here.

Student:  ___________________________________________________________________________

Field Reporter:  Were you aware of God's promise, recorded in the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, to send a child, God's own son,

to the people? 

Student:  ____________________________________________________________________________

Field Reporter:  What have you recently learned about Isaiah?

Student:  ____________________________________________________________________________

Field Reporter: How does your view of Christmas change, now that you know Jesus’ birth was planned by God way in advance?

Student: __________________________________________________________________________

Field Reporter: How does the name “Prince of Peace” help you understand God's promises? 

Student:  ____________________________________________________________________________

Field Reporter: That’s all from the field.  Now back to the studio.

<cut>

Jesus' Birth Through the Eyes of Isaiah 

Storytelling Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activity: 

Hear from a camel puppet and Isaiah’s story via a “visitor” from Bible times. [1st – 3rd graders visited this workshop.]

NOTE: This workshop requires two adults – one to be the “storyteller” (dressed as Isaiah) and one to handle other duties (the “workshop leader.)  The storyteller should… prepare to tell the story. Refer to the script at the Rotation.org Writing Team Storytelling workshop on Jesus' Birth Through the Eyes of Isaiah.  

Scripture Reference:

Isaiah 6:1-8, Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:21-23, Isaiah 9:6

Key Verse:  “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given… And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”  Isaiah 9:6 (NIV)

 
Workshop Objectives:

• Name that the story is found in the Old Testament.
• For 3rd grade and up: Locate the story in the Bible. Identify Isaiah as a book of Prophecy.
• Define prophet: “God’s messenger.” Define Messiah: “Anointed one; Christ.”
• Retell the story of the prophet Isaiah’s commissioning experience in the temple.
• Recognize that Isaiah foretold the coming of the Messiah years before the birth of Jesus. (Jesus’ birth was planned by God way in advance!)
• Identify some of the names to which Isaiah referred to this coming Messiah, and explore these names as attributes of Jesus’ character – Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Leader Preparation: 

• Read the scripture for this lesson.
• Read and reflect on the overview material provided for this lesson.
• Gather the materials

Materials List:

 Advanced Preparation Requirements:

• Write the key Bible verse on the easel using the abbreviated version - “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given… And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Draw any pictures you can think of to help the non-readers. For example: a baby, etc.
• Bookmark the Adventure Bible to Isaiah 9:6
• Have the camel puppet hidden in a bag or a container. Place this inside the tent.
• The workshop leader should prepare to meet the students outside of the tent. The storyteller should wait in the hall (out of sight).

 Presentation

Opening – Welcome & Lesson Introduction: 

Gather the children outside of the tent. Greet your students warmly, introducing yourself and any other adults. Ask everyone to sit in a circle.

[Note: Ask the Shepherd to take care of attendance/nametags while you start the lesson.]

Say: Welcome to storytelling! Today we’ll be hearing from a visitor from Bible times. Our visitor is Isaiah. Once we go in to the tent we’ll want to sit quietly and listen so I thought first we’d spent a couple of minutes sort of getting our sillies out and stretching a bit.

Ask: Are you excited about Christmas?
Who can tell me what season of the year it is? (answer looking for: advent)
What is Advent?
Say: Advent is a time of waiting. It’s a time of preparing for the celebration of Jesus’ birth.
Ask: What preparations have you been making during Advent, to get ready for Christmas? (allow several answers)

Say: Christmas is something we plan for way in advance isn’t it? We get our decorations up and we light Advent candles for four Sundays before Christmas. Today we will learn how Jesus’ birth was actually something God planned for a very long time. God told the world about the coming birth – way before it happened! We will hear about that from Isaiah, our visitor from Bible times.

[Lead the kids in some other creative stretching and movement.]

Say: Isaiah lived a long time ago in an area of the world where they gathered for warmth around a campfire. Let’s pretend and enjoy our nice warm fire. [Make like are enjoying a fire] But then the fire goes out and it gets cold. [Shiver and get up and stamp your feet] Let’s see…they rode camels back in that part of the world. Isaiah would have had to travel around a lot.
Ask: How might a camel move? [Move about like a camel]
How might you get on a camel?
How might you walk after you’d ridden for a while on a camel?
[End with a quiet “movement” to get everyone “calm.”]
If you were Isaiah, you’d have had to talk to the people as well as to the king. How might that have looked to talk to the king? [Prostrate yourself on the floor]

Say: Let’s move into the story tent.

Dig - Main Content & Reflection:

Ask: Was it hard to wait to be able to come into the tent?
Say: We can say that waiting is what the people in Isaiah’s time were doing. They were waiting for something.
Ask: I wonder what the people were waiting for? (allow a few replies)

Say: We have a special visitor today – visiting us from Bible times. Actually we have two visitors. Isaiah will be coming in a few minutes but first I would like you to meet Micah.

Slip your hand into the puppet (while it’s still in the bag) and bring out the camel.

Say: Micah, I would like you to meet our class today.

Micah (the puppet): Hello everyone.
Say: Micah, I understand that you are Isaiah’s camel?
Micah: Yes, I am Isaiah’s favorite camel.
Say: That’s good because I need your help. You see Isaiah is going to be coming in a minute and I’m a little nervous because Isaiah is from Old Testament Bible times and ah, I don’t know much about Isaiah.

Micah: Isaiah is coming!? Oh goody – I’m Isaiah’s favorite camel you know.
Say: Great. Ah, but I need to know – Isaiah is a prophet but I’m not sure I know what a prophet is.
Micah: Maybe some of the children know what a prophet is – do you know? (allow any answers) A prophet is God's special messenger. A prophet brings God's message to the people. The message that a prophet brings is called a prophecy.

Say: A message; so that would be like “don’t forget to wear your coat?”
Micah: No. No. No. More like – change your ways people; shape up or else!

Say: That message sounds scary.
Micah: Well it could be, but what Isaiah heard from God, he had to pass along to the people. But, prophets also brought messages of hope.

Say: Hope! Oh really, what sort of hope?
Micah: Well, the people were feeling down and discouraged. Other prophets had said that a new king would come. The people were really waiting for their new king. Isaiah said that a child would be born – a Savior – and we would call him Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace!

Say: Oh right! I’ve read those words in the Bible in the book that Isaiah wrote. Ok, so in Old Testament times, a prophet told the people a message from God, and sometime it was about something that was going to happen in the future.
Micah: Yes. Ah, I need to go now. I’m hungry and I smell something good to eat.
Say: OK. Thank you Micah. I’m glad to know what a prophet is, because I’m sure Isaiah himself is going to ask us if we know. Bye Micah. [Put Micah away] Isaiah will be here in just a little while. But first, I have a question for you [direct to the students]…

Ask: If we were going to read in the Bible about an event that happened way before the time of Jesus – would we find our story in the Old Testament or the New Testament? (old)
Say: That’s right, we would find a story written by a prophet in the Old Testament.

For 3rd graders:

 

Say: Because Isaiah was a prophet, we find the book of Isaiah in the collection known as “Prophecy.” If you have your own Bible today, be sure you receive the tab for the Prophecy section of your Bible.

[At some point – probably later in the lesson - have the Shepherd do a “Prophecy” tab for students who bring their Bibles. Use the classroom Bible with tabs as an example.]

For all students:

Say: Before Isaiah comes, let me read some of Isaiah’s words in the Old Testament, in the book of Isaiah.

Hold the purple Adventure Bible. Read Isaiah 9:6.
Say: Let’s welcome Isaiah.

The Storyteller takes over:

Tell your story.
When you are finished, turn the class back over to the workshop leader.

Discussion:

Say: Thank you very much Isaiah, for visiting with us today. [Isaiah may leave.]

Ask: What did God ask Isaiah to do? (to give messages to the people)
From Isaiah’s description of seeing God, what can we learn about God?
[Refer to the easel] From these words that Isaiah spoke about a coming baby: “For to us a child is born…” who is the child referred to in the verse? (Jesus)
What do Isaiah’s words tell us about Jesus? (wonderful counselor)
What is a counselor? (someone who listens to you and helps you)
What other words do you know of that describe Jesus?

Say: God told the prophets about Jesus’ birth way before it happened. The people at that time were in need of a message of hope that they could look forward to: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given… And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” That verse is so beautiful – it’s full of hope and it came true! Jesus was born as a small baby! Jesus is a wonderful counselor, Let’s work on learning that verse.

Learn the Key Bible verse:

Have everyone stand. [Perhaps you want to go outside of the tent.] The students will learn the verse with movements so that their bodies will help their minds remember the words; accompanying movements are in italics.

Say: Isaiah 9:6 (hold up 9 fingers, then 6) This Bible verse is in the 9th chapter of Isaiah, in the 6th verse. So, Isaiah 9:6 (hold up 9 fingers, then 6).

For to us a child is born, (rock a baby)

To us a son is given, (hold out both hands palms up as if giving something)

And he will be called (sign your 'John Hancock' on your hands)

Wonderful Counselor, (put both hands at your ears, as if to hear better)

Mighty God, (hold both arms up to show muscles)

Everlasting Father, (both hands start at heart, reach and point out to sides showing eternity)

Prince of Peace. (hold two fingers up in a peace sign).

Closing:

Ask for any prayer requests. Ask if anyone would like to lead the group in prayer. Use the Lord’s Prayer as the ending. [You may ask one or two students to lead the Lord’s Prayer.] A suggestion: Dear God, Thank you for this exciting season of hope. We wait with excitement to celebrate the birth of your son Jesus. Thank you for bringing everyone here today to learn about how your plan for the birth of Jesus was first told about so long ago. Thank you for the gift of Jesus and thank you for the prayer he taught us…(End with the Lord’s Prayer) Amen.

If you have extra time:
Play a game of “Twenty Questions.” Ask a student to come up with a person, place or thing from the Bible story. Other students can ask Yes/No questions to try to figure out what the thing is. The one who guesses first gets to think of the next item.

Resources:

• “Birth Narrative: Good News.” Faith Quest Lesson Sets (at Kirk of Kildaire Presbyterian Church). 2002.
  http://www.kirkofkildaire.org/...ns/BirthGoodNews.htm
• Crane, Amy. “Rotation.org Writing Team Lessons On The Birth Of Jesus Through The Eyes Of Isaiah: Storytelling Lesson.” 2002. http://rotation.infopop.cc/6/u...6059161&m=2396069161

A lesson written by Carol Hulbert from: First UMC

Ann Arbor, MI

Copyright 2009 First United Methodist Church, Ann Arbor, MI. Permission to copy materials granted for non-commercial use provided credit is given and all cited references remain with this material.

A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability
------------
If you use this material, even in a modified form, please include the following reference:
Hulbert, Carol. Jesus’ Birth through the Eyes of Isaiah: Storytelling Workshop." Dec. 2009. Place URL where lesson found inside angle brackets<>.


If you have found these workshops useful it would make my day if you let me know about it (and/or please make a contribution to rotation.org - see here for details. Thanks!

Jesus' Birth Through the Eyes of Isaiah
Drama/Video Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activity:

The children will meet Isaiah, the prophet, and understand that he brought God’s words to the people. His prophecies did not immediately come true, but they were fulfilled hundreds of years later when Jesus was born.

Scripture Reference:

Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 9:6-7a

Memory Verse: Isaiah 9:6 (NLT)

Objectives for the rotation
(listed in Teachers' Background above)

Additional objectives for the drama/video workshop
At the end of the session, the students will

• Know that Isaiah, a prophet whose name means “God has saved,” speaks for God and gives the people hope.
• Know we can share this hope by telling the world of God’s promise fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Leader Preparation:

• Read the scripture passages and lesson plan and attend the Bible Study....
• Prepare a closing prayer.
• Learn the memory verse.
• Consider the age level adjustments needed each week (those included in the lesson plan and your own). Confer with the Shepherd on “Stretchers” to use, especially with the youngest children.
• To our teachers at RCC: The design of this workshop is very intentional. The activities and discussion questions for this workshop were designed to meet the goals of the entire rotation and the educational objectives of the Rotation Model (tm) at River Community Church. While we feel it is important to follow the serendipitous leading of the Holy Spirit, please do not change the lesson plan without consulting a Curriculum Planning and Writing Team member.
• Check out the room before your first Sunday workshop so that you know where everything is located.
• The bin with supplies is located in the Sunday School room. Purchase or request additional supplies ....
• Learn how to operate the church's video camera.
  
  
• SCHEDULING NOTE: the oldest class should be in this workshop at the beginning of the rotation so they can tape the newscast for the others to watch.

Room set-up:
Put a table and two chairs set up as a news desk. You can put a large map of the Holy Land on the wall along with a banner with the call letters WRCC. 

Materials List:

• Bible Times Costumes (bathrobes and head scarves are fine)
• A “microphone” for the interviewer. (A handheld microphone is also a necessity or a mike can be made with a toilet paper tube and a nerf ball!)
• Station call letters on poster board, masking tape
• Map for the “weather”
• Props for commercials: Clay jar or pot, picture of a camel or a toy camel, a pair of sandals, grapes, jewelry, tambourine, perfume bottle, bottled water, etc.
• Flip chart or whiteboard and appropriate markers
• Video camera loaded with film and tripod
• TV and cables to connect camera to tv
• Popcorn for viewing time (optional)
• Script on transparencies, overhead (FIELD TEST NOTE: this did not work for us in our setup -- the print was too small -- make sure it is legible)
• Memento: Pencil stickers (So the children can understand Corrie ten Boom's quote “I want to be a pencil in the hand of God."). Prophets were pencils in God's hands!
• Shepherd Time: pencils (to give to the children), precut rebus pieces, glue sticks

Presentation

Opening- Welcome and Lesson Introduction
Greet the children and introduce yourself. Wear your name-tag. (Remember, you are interacting with a different group of students each week who may not know you.) Make sure the children are wearing name-tags.

We had an opening prayer during the gathering time, but you may open with prayer if you feel led to do so.

Explain the purpose of this workshop: This workshop is designed to take you back in time, to help you get to know Isaiah, and to understand his role as a prophet.

Scripture:
Read the scripture (Isaiah 7:10-14, 9:6-7a) from your open Bible.
Encourage the children to use their Bibles in looking up verses and read along.

Give the children some background information on Isaiah and his times. (See the Teachers’ Background Notes.)


Dig- Content and Reflection
Application: Grades 4 and 5 will do the news cast.
Gather the children around the news desk and ask them if they ever watch a news program. Tell them that today we are going to pretend that we are traveling back in time, all the way back to the time of Isaiah (approximately 2,500 years ago), and we are going to recreate a news broadcast. Explain that the call letters after the W stand for River Community Church. The focus of the broadcast will be community news. We will need a weather person, a sports person, and at least 2 news anchor people. We will also have a live interview with a local prophet, Isaiah!

Ask for volunteers to read the news and volunteers to place the correct transparencies on the overhead. (The script is attached to this lesson plan.) You will also need a camera operator. You need a director, too. LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION

Rehearse and then film. (If it is moving quickly, you may want to have the older children do commercials also.)

When you finish the filming, the students will want to see their production, so be prepared to hook the camera to a tv and watch. Serve popcorn if you desire!


Dig: for K/1 and 2/3
Show the newscast the older children taped to the younger classes.

Tell them that they are going to create a variety of commercials to be played during the newscast. Show them the items on the table (grapes, jars, camels, etc.). Have them vote on the first item they want to create a commercial for.

Ask them to think of commercials they like to watch. Ask them how they would sell the item they chose. The teacher should be the scribe and should write the script or key words with a marker on a flip chart to be used as cue cards. The students can go to the costume box and dress up, gather their props, rehearse their lines, and then LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION. The Shepherd should then film while the Workshop Leader holds up the cue cards. These commercials can be taped at the end of the older children’s newscast.

If possible, view each commercial before going on to write another commercial for the next item. The commercials can be FUNNY.

Reflect:
Pulling it all together (closing discussion):
Did you have fun making this news broadcast? Can you learn something and have fun at the same time? I hope you learned some things about Isaiah. Let's see how much you remember.

• What did his name mean? [May the LORD save.]
• When did he live?[before Jesus; when Ahaz was king in Jerusalem; around 740-680 B.C.]
• Name one of the King’s he brought messages to. [Ahaz, Ussiah, Jotham, Hezekiah]
• What did Isaiah tell everyone that the LORD promised? [Isaiah 7:14] Who is that child? [Jesus]
• What did he say Jesus would be called? [Immanuel]
• Do people always listen to and do what prophets tell them to do?

Review the memory verse.
(the students will learn the verse with movements so that their bodies will help their minds remember the words; accompanying movements are in italics; note that these movements are NOT ASL.)
Isaiah 9:6 [hold up 9 fingers, then 6]
For a child is born to us, [rock a baby]
a son is given to us. [hold out both hands palms up as if giving something]
And the government [hands on hips, stand tall and authoritatively]
will rest on his shoulders. [pat both of your shoulders]
These will be his royal titles: [hands circle head like a crown]
Wonderful Counselor, [start with both hands at mouth, reach them out with palms up as if giving something]
Mighty God, [hold both arms up to show muscles]
Everlasting Father, [both hands start at heart, reach and point out to sides showing eternity]
Prince of Peace. [hold two fingers up in a peace sign]

Talk about what the names mean and then repeat several times until all are comfortable with it.


By 11:45 a.m. ask the Shepherd to pass out the journal pages and pencils/markers. Suggestion: You may wish to give the children a sticker of a pencil to paste in their journal as a reminder that prophets were and are "pencils in the hand of God."

Shepherd Time:
for Grades 2,3,4,5:
A woman named Corrie ten Boom said, “Prophets are pencils in the hand of God.” I wonder what she meant?

• Does the pencil write the message or is it the hand that writes the message?
• The pencil is only a tool, isn't it?
• Each child can then write in their journal how God might use them to be a pencil in His hand. What message does God want them to bring to the world? (You may have to ask them questions that make them think about how God might want them to be a message to others.)
  Give each child a pencil to take home today!

Shepherd Time for Grades K,1:
A rebus story is a story where the naming words (later on in school you will learn that these words are called nouns) in the story are replaced by a picture. For your journal page today, you have a story with some words left out. There are some pictures on the table. You can choose pictures to glue into your story to replace some of the words. Your teacher will help you read the words that are printed on the page. (You will need to create a rebus worksheet using clip art.)

This is meant to be a time of reflection and introspection. Writing about faith helps clarify lessons. In addition to the suggested activity, children may draw pictures relating to today’s scripture or memory verse, list highlights of the day’s activities, or rephrase the memory verse. The journal pages will be saved and given to the children at the end of the school year.
You may want to provide an extra activity or worksheet for children who finish their journals quickly, such as coloring sheets, crossword puzzles, word searches, games. See the Workshop Leader’s Background Notes and rotation.org for ideas.

Before noon, ask the students to stop journaling for a moment and sit quietly for prayer so they can leave when their parents arrive. Allow them to finish journaling afterwards.

Closing prayer:
Think about what God gave us at Christmas,
God gave us His Son, just like Isaiah said He would.
I pray that we will also think of what we can give Him.

What shall I give Him,
As small as I am?
If I were a shepherd,
I'd give Him a lamb.
If I were a wise man,
I'd do my part.
I know what I'll give Him,
I'll give Him my heart.
by Christina Rosetti


Tidy and Dismissal:

• Ask children to help tidy the room. Give any specific instructions for clearing the workshop room.
• Collect the journal pages before they leave. Make sure their names and the date are on them.
• Give everyone the parent take-home flyer the first week of the rotation; give it only to children who were absent and have not yet received it the other weeks of the rotation.

Additional Suggestions:
You will need to decide how best to adjust the lesson for older and younger students. Keep the children active and involved in activity. Do what works for you and the children. Some ideas:

Older children: Older children will need practice reading the script before filming, but they should enjoy playing all of the parts.

Younger Children: Younger children may need to have adults play the parts of the newscasters. They can hold cue cards and run the camera and write and act in the commercials.

For classes composed primarily of pre-readers, show the children how to find the passage in the Bible (for example, “To find the Gospels, open the Bible in the middle and then open the second half in the middle - you should end up in Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. Our passage is in Mark." and then have them do it. After everyone has found the passage, have them close their Bibles and listen while you read.

Resources

Great People of the Bible and How They Lived Reader's Digest Publishing Co.

Camp, Anne. rotation.org lesson plan: Rotation.Org Writing Team Jesus' Birth Through The Eyes Of Isaiah Video Workshop. http://rotation.infopop.cc/eve...6059161&m=3736020261

Christina Rosetti's poem "What Can I Give Him?"

Clipart: Gospel Light’s The Complete Bible Story Clip Art CD-ROM and Corel WordPerfect.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

A lesson written by Judy McIntyre from: River Community Church

Prairieville, LA

Copyright 2003 Judy McIntyre. Permission granted to freely distribute and use, provided the copyright message is included.

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

****
Drama/Video Workshop
Newscast script


News Anchor 1: GOOD EVENING FROM JERUSALEM ON THIS OCTOBER DAY IN 435 B.C. I am _______.

News Anchor 2: And I’m _______ here with today’s news.

News Anchor 1: The top story of this evening’s news deals with the gold and silver utensils from the palace and the Temple. King Ahaz has collected these treasures to send to Assyria. Some people are grumbling about sending so much money to an empire which threatens to invade the city, but others think more should be sent. The people are afraid of an invasion.

News anchor 2: The local water supply has become polluted and the water is unfit to drink. Residents of Jerusalem are urged to travel to the Gihon Spring in order to draw water for cooking and drinking. And now for a word from our sponsor…


COMMERCIAL #1


News anchor 1: A leper was arrested for entering the city gates today without announcing “Unclean!” He was banished from the city and should not present a health hazard to the people anymore.

News Anchor 2: There was a disturbance in the marketplace today. Young thieves stole food and knocked over booths before the police arrested them. They were hauled off to the local jail.
Stay tuned for more local news…


COMMERCIAL #2


News Anchor 1: A local prophet was making a disturbance of his own today. He was challenging King Ahaz to trust God and not to form an alliance with our enemies, the Assyrians. Jerusalem has always had its share of noisy prophets. The local population is tired of hearing these people bringing messages from God. When asked his name, this prophet answered “Isaiah” which means “may the Lord save.” Many local people are hoping the LORD will save them from the Assyrian army, but the Jews have a history of not trusting God like they should. We now have a report from our STREET BEAT REPORTER, ________.

Street beat Reporter: Tonight people are grumbling because Isaiah has challenged the King. He went so far as to advise the King to ask for a sign. Isaiah said the LORD’s exact words were: "Ask me for a sign, Ahaz, to prove that I will crush your enemies as I have promised. Ask for anything you like, and make it as difficult as you want.” But the King refused, saying “I wouldn’t test the LORD like that.” I want you to hear from Isaiah himself what he dared to say to the King.

Isaiah: I told the King, “Listen well, you royal family of David! You aren’t satisfied to exhaust my patience. You exhaust the patience of God as well!” What I meant by that was that God is getting tired of King Ahaz being so stubborn! I went on to tell him, “All right then, the LORD himself will choose the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel — ‘God is with us.” Now I ask you, _____, how is that for a sign!!?

Streetbeat Reporter: Isaiah, you really caused quite a stir. The King was very upset. Did he listen to you?.

Isaiah: No, so I have a message for the people of Israel from the LORD.
“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Streetbeat Reporter: These prophets predict some wild things. God giving us a baby to solve our problems!!! You hear everything out here! Back to you, ______.

News Anchor #1: Thank you, ____ for that thought-provoking visit with a prophet. A child will be given to us. Hmmm. What do you make of it, _____?

News Anchor #2: I don’t know, ______. Of course, they always say, “With God, nothing is impossible.”
Sports news after this commercial break.


COMMERCIAL #3


News Anchor #1: AND NOW ____ WITH OUR LOCAL SPORTS REPORT:

SPORTSCASTER: Argos the Terrible retained his wrestling championship by defeating Michael the Mean last night in one hour and fifteen minutes. The crowds roared as the two struggled to pin each other in the dust.

The donkey races were held outside the city wall, and some of the contestants never made it to the finish line. Phineus was injured when his donkey stopped, but he didn't!

The local runners from Jerusalem have challenged the runners from Bethlehem to a marathon race across the desert. Each runner will need to carry a skin filled with water in order to make it to the finish line. The winner will be announced next week during Sports Showcase.


COMMERCIAL #4

Newsanchor #2: AND NOW ____ WITH THE AREA WEATHER:

Meteorologist: The temperature in Jerusalem today was a chilly 52 degrees. North of the city in Damascus, it was 46 degrees. Area residents should prepare for a warming trend. Sand storms are raging in the desert north of the city and residents are urged to stay tuned for severe sand storm reports throughout the evening.

The five day forecast is for the temperature to remain in the high fifties during the day and drop into the forties at night. No rain is expected.

News Anchor #1: This is _______

News Anchor #2: and this is _______.

BOTH: Shalom from Jerusalem!

(Sign off)

Jesus' Birth Through the Eyes of Isaiah

Video- Newsroom Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activity:

Children will be conducting and taping interviews with biblical characters about Isaiah's prophecy. See list below.

Scripture Reference:

Isaiah

Workshop Objective(s):

• The learners will explore the role of the prophet, how people responded to a prophet, and what they expected from a prophet.
• They will also relate the promised Messiah to the person of Jesus of Nazareth.

Leader Preparation:

• Read the Bible passages.
• Read over the background material included in your teacher packet.
• See that popcorn is made to be distributed during watching of videos.

Materials List:

•  Video of an interview with Isaiah (prerecorded--it should already be placed on the television for you)
• Something to represent a microphon
• The letters WBCPC cut out to tape on the wall
• Tape
• Video camera
• Bibles
• Cclothes or props for costumes: examples: a staff or stick, a beard, a towel, (this could be used to cover both the shepherd's head and Mary's head depending upon which characters are chosen).

Presentation

Opening- Welcome and Lesson Introduction:
Greet the children and introduce yourself. Remember that you are interacting with a different group of students each week—some may not know you. Wear your nametag and make sure that the children are wearing theirs if there are visitors.

Your introductory conversation might touch on your students' nicknames and what they tell about that person. You might also talk about how many different "titles" they have: sister, brother, third grader, American citizen, member of _____Church. Which "title" tells something different about him or her to someone they meet for the first time?

Dig- Content and Reflection

Lesson Plan:
1. Open with the Bible verses. Hand a Bible to each person or make one available to share.

Younger class: Point out the passage in the Old Testament, the book of Isaiah, and read the verses to them. The passage is short enough to have them echo the phrases after you.

Older classes: Find the passages in the Bible and read them together. With older students share some information about Isaiah. Isaiah probably came from a wealthy family in Jerusalem, in the Southern kingdom of Judah. His name means "Yahweh (God) is salvation." He served King Uzziah. Because of the poetic nature of his writing, we assume that he was well educated. In chapter 6 Isaiah tells us of his dramatic call to be a prophet.

2. With the class work out a definition of what a prophet is. Some suggestions: A prophet speaks for God. A prophet understands God's will so clearly that God uses the prophet to bring a message to God's people.

3. Show the video of the prophet Isaiah you have previously recorded.

4. Now the children will be conducting and taping interviews with different people about Isaiah's prophecy. Review some possible "time-traveling guests" and some questions you might ask them. Try to have your students create their own questions for the interview. Depending upon the size of your class, you may use the same interviewer or have a new interviewer for each guest. Some possible jobs for children who don't enjoy the spotlight might include: a videographer, a cue card holder, and a director. (I would suggest the teacher be the director, but you never know what talents your class may have.)
Here are some suggestions of people to interview and questions to ask them. Your time and the interest level of the students will determine how many to do. Be sure to save enough time to view your interviews.

Prophet Isaiah

•  Who are you?
•  What do you do?
•  How did you become a prophet?
•  How do you know what to say?
•  How do the people respond to you when you tell them what the Lord will do?
•  What sign will the Lord give to us?
•  What does the name "Immanuel" mean for us?

A worshiper in the Temple who heard Isaiah prophesy

•  How did you feel when you heard Isaiah?
•  Isaiah's name means "Yahweh is salvation." What does that tell you about Isaiah?
•  What is "salvation" anyway?
•  What did you think about the idea of God sending a child for the people?

A scribe copying Isaiah's words

•  How do you feel when you copy Isaiah's words for future generations to read?
•  Why should God's son have all "authority"? What would that mean?
•  How does the name "Wonderful Counselor" help you understand God's promises?
•  What do you imagine will happen when these words are fulfilled?

Shepherd in Bethlehem

•  How did you learn what Isaiah said would happen?
•  When did you think God would do these things?
•  How does the name "Mighty God" help you understand God's promises?
•  You saw some of God's other messengers, the angels. Did you connect them with Isaiah's prophecy?

Joseph of Nazareth

•  Were you aware of God's promise, recorded in the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, to send a child, God's own son, to the people?
•  When the angel told you about Mary's child Jesus, did you remember Isaiah's prophecy?
•  How does the name "Everlasting Father" help you understand God's promises?

Mary, Mother of Jesus

•  When you learned that you would have God's own Son, did you remember the prophecy?
•  How did you feel to know that the prophecy would come true in your own family?
•  How does the name "Prince of Peace" help you understand God's promises?

Disciple

•  You have been with Jesus through his entire ministry. How did you know that Jesus was the Messiah promised by the prophets?
•  When you read in Isaiah that there will be "endless peace" in the kingdom of David and you see all the trouble in Israel, how do you feel about the prophesy?

First Century Christian

•  You have joined this persecuted group of followers of Jesus. Why is it important to you that Jewish prophets foretold his coming?
•  When you hear in the prophesy that Jesus' kingdom will be of justice and righteousness, how do you feel about the injustice and unrighteousness that you see around you?

Closing:
 Watch the videos you made. Let the children comment on them and discuss them. Ask your students how seeing Jesus' birth through Isaiah's eyes helps them understand who Jesus is.
Journal Time:
Help the shepherd pass out the journals. Ask them to do write about the following:
Tell about a time in your life when a promise was kept.

Ask each student to name one thing that they are thankful for this week and close with being thankful for God's prophets, both ancient and modern, or use the following:
Faithful God, we thank you for all the things we have just named that are important to us. We also thank you for your prophets of long ago and of today who remind us who you are and who we are to be as your covenant people. Amen.

Dismissal:
Have the children help you tidy up the workshop space, helping you put up the equipment used for videotaping and cleaning up the popcorn mess. Dismiss them with instructions about where they are to go.

Adjustments for younger children:
Younger class: If the interviewing seems a little advanced, then tape individual students explaining who Jesus is using one of the names from Isaiah, and how that name helps us know Jesus.

A lesson written by member JanMarshall.

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

Verse Depictions

Flash mob brainstorming (I guess we add our kernels of ideas to the appropriate workshop areas?)

Reading Isaiah 9:6, my immediate thought was "this verse could be chopped into fragments for a charades game!"

But it occurred to me that anyone who had been there the week before and heard the memory verse (or saw it on a poster on the wall) wouldn't have to guess very hard.

But maybe the students could individually or in groups of 2-3 be assigned a verse part:

For unto us a Child is born/
Unto us a Son is given/
And the government will be upon His shoulder/
And His name will be called/
Wonderful Counselor/

Mighty God/
Everlasting Father/

Prince of Peace

Groups could be challenged to find a way to demonstrate their fragment/idea with

• a skit
• or movement with no words
• or however they want.

The acting would be after a discussion of what the verse means.

[by the way, I was looking for correct punctuation to split this verse, an it looks like it is New King James translation -- if that makes a difference to anyone.....)

------

okay, so I just wandered over to the writing team's set on this scripture, and guess what?

I already sort of wrote this idea into a plan....

https://www.rotation.org/topic/...aiahchristmas--drama

I guess that means I'm consistent.

Or forgetful.

Or something.

Isaiah 7:14 Skit

For a skit, I kept thinking of the "Coffee with Jesus" strips. (See Radio Free Babylon Facebook page).  What does it mean - "God with us"?  Or, a skit could be done from the song "What if God was One of Us" (some modification of the lyrics might be needed).

Or -

do a skit of new parents looking at a baby name book.  They consider several, considering the merits of each name.  Then they come to "Immanuel", and thoughtfully ponder the meaning.

Isaiah 9:2

The New Interpreter's Bible commentary says that the "darkness" could be a link to the end of chapter 8, which is about God's silence with Israel.  The NIV uses "walking" as present tense, where the NRSV has "walked" - apast event. To me, it could be a lack of understanding of the prophecies; the light is their understanding. Or, God is in contact with them again.

Darkness is a metaphor for depression and death. 

Light is wellness.

Darkness is silence from God.

Light is finding God's favor.

That said - there is a commercial for Netflix for something that shows groups of people speaking gibberish.  The punch line is "when you aren't watching what others are, you don't know what's going on."

For a skit, perhaps a version of this commercial could work.  In a darkened room, someone starts reading the passage, but the others look confused.  As the reading continues, clear words begin to emerge, and the lights in the room get brighter as people begin to understand the reading.  (It's a stretch, but might work!)

Blacklight Skits .... Hands and Feet of "God with us"

These ideas were originally posted in our Lesson Flash Mob Project. Extra ideas were added to Sherry's original idea and consolidated here...

I'm thinking about how God is with us, not only in his presence, but when we become the hands and feet of God in a situation.  In these blacklight skituations, different groups will illustrate (pantomime) the situation. A student may narrate the pantomime/situation as it unfolds.   

Have kids perform various skit situations wearing white gloves and white socks with a blacklight shining on them. Have actors wear a black sack you've made out of cloth.   Split into two or three groups of actors. While one group is acting, the other(s) watch.

(Blacklight adds a fun cool factor, focuses on the action/gestures, and helps some kids feel less self-conscious when acting. Practicing is important.)

"God with Us" Skit Ideas:

Hands of God comfort...

Feet of God come to help...

When they feel discouraged and alone and God has shown them He is present by sending  just the right person  to fill the void, the need at that very moment. It might be food, money, a baby sitter, a ride, someone to talk with, someone to help them understand a math problem, an extra set of hands, whatever.  I can't tell you how many times God has indeed done this in my own life.  Give the person in need a white hat to help distinguish them in the blacklight.

God helps us walk through the darkness, provides us with the light...

When I think of walking in darkness and seeing a great light I think of a group or individual stumbling through a cave "of troubles" then seeing a light at the end of the tunnel that guides us.- or searching for someone in the dark and there is the flare that shows you the way.  The God character can come searching, can lay out white Bibles that glow, can bring Jesus into the darkness and shine a big light on him.

Here are "motions" to add to your reading of Isaiah 7:14 and 9:6

The students will learn the verses with movements so that their bodies will help their minds remember the words.

Isaiah 7:14  (move your hand to your mouth like you are shouting like a prophet, then hold up seven fingers, now flash seven fingers twice to equal fourteen)

The Lord himself will give you a sign.  (Point to the sky, then draw a sign on the ground)

Look, the young woman is with child  (run hand through long hair, and over belly)

and shall bear a son, (rock a baby)

and shall name him Immanuel  (put hand on baby's head to bless it)

...which means: God with us  (point to sky, then pull hand down and circle pointing to everyone)

Isaiah 9:6 (hold your hand to your mouth, hold up 9 fingers, then 6)

For a child has been born for us, (rock a baby)

a son given to us; (hold out both hands palms up as if giving something)

authority rests upon his shoulders; (pat both of your shoulders)

and he is named (sign your 'John Hancock' on your hands)

Wonderful Counselor, (start with both hands at mouth, reach them out with palms up as if giving something)

Mighty God, (hold both arms up to show muscles)

Everlasting Father, (both hands start at heart, reach and point out to sides showing eternity)

Prince of Peace. (hold two fingers up in a peace sign).