Drama, Puppet, and Storytelling Lessons, Ideas, Activities, and Resources for Elijah, the Prophets of Baal, and the Still Small Voice
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Bible lessons and ideas about the Elijah, the Prophets of Baal, and the Still Small Voice -with Drama, puppets, scripts, skits, acting, newsroom, etc.
Elijah and the Still, Small Voice
Storytelling Workshop
Summary of Lesson Activities:
This Storytelling lesson seeks to highlight (mostly by telling the story in three different ways) how God helps Elijah to see past his fear that is keeping him from better hearing and trusting God.
The lesson activities consist of watching a "movie" of the story (movie, here, refers to a "homemade" narration of slides - like a powerpoint presentation). The second activity consists of putting on a play that mirrors the events of the scripture story using popsicle puppets. An additional option is to video tape the puppet play and then let the class watch it after they've completed the puppet play.
Scripture Reference:
1 Kings 19:1-3; 9-16
Leader Preparation:
- Read the scripture ahead of time.
- Gather the materials.
Supplies List:
- Copies of the script
- Powerpoint presentation
- Popsicle Puppets
Lesson Plan
Opening-Welcome and Lesson Introduction:
Greet the children and introduce yourself.
Open with a prayer.
To view the movie of the story and to download the supply document, click HERE (NOTE: The link will take you to the www.rfour.org page specifically created for viewers of this post).
From the attached lesson, here is the puppet play script with some of the teaching comments (in first person) included:
Dig-Main Content and Reflection:
Ask (answers in parentheses)
- Why did Elijah run away and hide in a cave? (because the Queen wanted to kill him)
- What were the three things that passed Elijah by? (wind, earthquake and fire)
- What followed the wind, earthquake and fire? (Sheer silence)
- What did God tell Elijah to do after the wind, earthquake and fire? (return home; anoint people king; anoint Elisha as his student)
Tell
- Now we’re going to make our own movie.
- We have one character, Elijah.
- He’s a puppet. He has a lot of things to say.
- Then there are other parts that are not speaking parts.
- And then there are noise-maker parts.
- So what we’re going to do is go behind the screen, here.
- And then we’ll assign parts.
- [If need be, you can assign an “audience” part to the less than enthusiastic students.]
- Our shepherd here will record our play (or maybe have a student help out here, too).
- We’ll do a practice run-through (depending on how much classtime you have), where I’ll be the director, helping yall know what to do and when to do it.
- Once we got through the practice run, then we film it.
Do and Record Popsicle Puppet Play
Puppet Play Script
Speaking Characters:
- Elijah
Non-speaking parts:
- Cloud with mouth blowing air
- Earthquake pounding sounds
- Shepherd to shake the camera
- Clouds with lightning
Popsicle “people” and props needed:
- Paper that says Outside Cave | Inside Cave
- Elijah
- Cloud with mouth blowing wind
- Cloud with lightning
Screen Play
Elijah: Nothing is going right! I'm so upset! I think I'm going to just sit in this cave and feel sorry for myself.
[bounce Elijah character around for a few seconds]
Elijah: I can't get comfortable. And I keep thinking about Queen Jezebel who wants to kill me. I mean I can understand being upset. But wanting to kill me? I did her a favor! I showed her that the Bail Prophets were fake! But instead, she just wants to kill me. What can I possibly do? It's hopeless! I just can't hold still, I'm so upset!
[bounce around back-and-forth for a few seconds]
Elijah: I should probably pray. But right now I can't focus. I just keep thinking about work! Augh!
[bangs head against cave wall]
Elijah: Alright, this is what I need to do. I need to tell God what I'm upset about. ‘God, I'm upset that I do your work and even though I do it well, people want to kill me! This is my reward for doing your work and doing it well -- I get death threats! And not just from angry, toothless peasants, God-bless 'em, but from the Queen! And the rest of the people don't care. They don't listen to me about you. This is so USELESS!’
[holds still; then tilts as if listening]
Elijah: I just had a thought. A thought that said I was paying attention to the wrong things. And that I should go outside and see what's happening out there.
[move to “outside of cave' part of the sheet]
Elijah: Alright! I'm outside the cave! What do you want to show me!
[Have a cloud with a mouth blowing move in front of Elijah. Have child making blowing sounds. Elijah tilts away from the cloud]
Elijah: Oh my! That is a strong wind!
[cloud goes away]
Elijah: I don't know what the point of that was
[Shake Elijah violently. Have student(s) pound on the stage. Have shepherd gently shake the camera.]
Elijah: [gently pound on your own chest when talking to simulate talking in an earthquake]: Why is the earth shaking? Is the world ending? Could I be so lucky?
[earth stops shaking. Stop pounding on chest and on the stage. Stop shaking camera.]
Elijah: Rats. I guess I'm not that lucky!
[Hold up clouds with lightning bolts coming out of them. Have students yell “Boom” for thunder effects]
Elijah: Whoa! The sky is on fire!
[pull clouds down; stop with the thunder effects]
[Be absolutely still; Hold Elijah perfectly still for five seconds; then tilt him as if he is listening; hold for another 5 seconds]
Elijah: I feel peaceful, strangely enough. I can tell that God is present, has always been present with me. I feel thankful and give thanks for this day, even though I've been upset. I give thanks to God for this life I live. I give thanks that even though the people of Israel do not listen to me, I can still listen to God. I can tell that if I sit still now and be silent, I will receive thoughts from God.
[hold still for 5 seconds]
Elijah: Really? Are you sure? You want me to anoint Jehu? He's kinda ... tiny...
{hold still for another 5 seconds]
Elijah: Ok, I will go home and anoint the kings of Aram and Israel. And I will anoint the Elisha as my student. I am still not happy about the Israelites, but I am thankful to be able to have something to do other than run away. [bounces off-stage]
THE END
Closing:
End with a prayer.
For the full lesson download the attached Word document (found at the bottom of this post). Note that the first three pages of the document are background and that the actual lesson starts on page 4.
To view the other lessons on rotation.org in this lesson set click HERE for Science and HERE for Movement & Games. If you like these lessons, and are interested in more, visit www.rfour.org/curriculum.html.
A lesson written for rfour.org