This is a "catch-all" for posting misc ideas and resources for teaching the stories of Holy Week.
If you have a lesson or idea that fits a specific workshop or specific story that already exists here in the "Palm Sunday to Resurrection" forum, PLEASE MAKE YOUR POST in the correct thread.
Do not post questions here. Instead, post questions and ask for lesson help in the Teachers Lounge.
Pictured: Annie Vallotton's Gospel Illustration. Come see the collection here at Rotation.org!
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Originally posted by member Neil MacQueen
While not specifically a 'Rotation' lesson, if you include Jr or Sr. Highs in rotation, you could use one or more of the following videos. Please note: Of the five videos, I would only show Jesus Christ Superstar to children. The others are more mature.
One year our teen class took over our Video Workshop five weeks in a row to view the following five videos and discuss them.
Each week they see a different movie's idea of the Gethsamane episode and crucifixion.
Week 1: Jesus Christ Superstar ---"I want to know my God" scene/song.
Really powerful. Raises all sorts of questions about how MUCH choice Jesus had in the matter "...what will be my reward, ...see how I die." Awesome.
Week 2: Last Temptation of Christ ---another awesome follow up on the idea of "what choices did Jesus have?" In this shocking version, Jesus is shown what his life COULD have been like if he would just use his power to change the course of events. We'll start with the Gethsemane section and then skip over the trial right to the crucifixion.
Week 3: Matthew from Visual Bible Series ...the "straight" telling of Gethsamane. Shows the compassion of Jesus and we'll react to his comments about his understanding that these events "fulfill the prophets" by reading Isaiah 53 --suffering Servant.
Week 4: The Bridge --a hard to watch video about a man who must choose between saving strangers on on oncoming train, or his son who has wondered on the tracks. This is NOT a one-to-one correspondence to the actual theology of crucifixion/atonement. But it does create strong reaction and discussion, in addition to surfacing "bad theology" of what the cross is all about.
Week 5: The Pump ---the second video on the Bridge Video. The man finds a well in a ghost town that says the pump must be primed with water in the bottle. The man must choose between believing the note and getting lots of water out of the pump, not not belieing the message and only getting the little amount of drinking the water in the bottle. Believing in the cross, and knowing the story are two different things.
Mark 11: 15 - 19
Jesus wanted the temple to be a house of prayer. Focus on the wholesome side of life by making this stovetop granola.
Kids can measure and mix ingredients, adult should fry in fry pan. For small classes, could be made individual batches.
Ingredients:
3 cups oatmeal (rolled oats), not quick or instant
1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup dried, shredded coconut, preferably unsweetened
1/2 tsp. cinnamon or coriander
1/4 cup light oil (sunflower, etc.)
1/3 cup maple syrup (or your favorite sweetener)
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup dried fruit of your choice (ie raisins, currants, cranberries)
Use a large, heavy skillet, at least 10 inches round with high sides or a wok..
Into the cold skillet place the oatmeal, nuts, sesame seeds, coconut, and cinnamon. Mix well.
Blend the oil, syrup, and vanilla together in a cup. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients in the skillet, stirring well to blend.
Turn the heat under the skillet to medium-high. Toast the mixture, stirring frequently, until the oats and nuts are crispy and browned. The sesame seeds will start to "pop" and the maple syrup will smell like burnt sugar --- be careful not to let the mixture burn.
Toasting will take no more than five to seven minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the dried fruits. Let the granola rest in the skillet to cool.
Other workshops in this rotation include: arts/ house of prayer sculptures; drama; script writing; music; songwriting; computer/Jesus in Space. It also includes a Bible Background with discussion questions that you can use with this idea. For more details see http://ldmckenzie.tripod.com/l.../money_changers.html
Rotation.org Moderator moved this material from the Help forum, to save this idea.
Member Debbie Fisher posted on February 12, 2014
Hello All -- We will be studying Mark 11:12-17, Jesus Cleansing The Temple, in an upcoming rotation. I'm looking for ideas for an art project. Am considering making a temple out of sugar cubes, but am looking for a craft that will tie into the story a bit more. Suggestions? Thank you! Debbie in Cape Elizabeth, Maine
Member CathyWalz replied on February 12, 2014
The true meaning of the temple (a place to worship God) was hidden and obscured by the activities of the moneychangers and sellers of sacrificial animals. I was thinking of something along the lines of those "hidden picture" games in Highlights magazine. Give the kids a list of symbols (cross, Bible, dove, shell, candle, water drop, Christian fish symbol, etc). They need to create a picture with these symbols hidden in them. Perhaps you could even make copies of them and have the kids try to find them in someone else's drawing.
This terrific song, O Glorious Day by Casting Crowns, has been set to scenes from Son of God movie (2014) by a fan and posted to YouTube (seen below). It is a powerful summation of Jesus' life, death and resurrection. The verses are almost like an Apostle's Creed, or a musical version of The Good News.
I could see using this in Holy Week Sunday School when we tend to have a lot of visitors and "irregular attendees" showing up in our classes with very little idea of what the Good News is all about. After viewing, break down the scenes and verses using your pause button.
Lyric Excerpt:
One day they led Him up Calvary's mountain
One day they nailed Him to die on a tree
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He
Hands that healed nations, stretched out on a tree
And took the nails for me
Living, He loved me
Dying, He saved me
Buried, He carried my sins far away
Rising, He justified freely forever
One day He's coming
Oh glorious day, oh glorious day
One day the grave could conceal Him no longer
One day the stone rolled away from the door
Then He arose, over death He had conquered
Now is ascended, my Lord evermore
Death could not hold Him, the grave could not keep Him
From rising again
Living, He loved me
Dying, He saved me
Buried, He carried my sins far away
Rising, He justified freely forever
One day He's coming
Oh glorious day, oh glorious day
One day the trumpet will sound for His coming
One day the skies with His glories will shine
Wonderful day, my Beloved One bringing
My Savior Jesus is mine
Stations of the Cross, accompanied by meaningful activities and reflection experiences, is a good way to teach the narrative of Holy Week. See a variety of suggestions here.
The Jesus is arrested illustration above is from Rotation.org's Annie Vallotton Bible Illustrations Collection.
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