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Budgeting for the Workshop Rotation Model

Transforming traditional space into workshops is its own budget, and depends on the size and condition of your space, how many workshops you want to create, what resources you already have on hand, and what you want them to look like.

Suffice to say $1000 would be a good start at transforming boring and old into something new and exciting.  Painting a single room can cost $75 in paint and supplies.  Add another $1000 if you need to buy an LCD projector for your Video Workshop, and some art stools, tables, or comfy chairs for your video or art workshop. See the article about "What's in Your Supply Closet" for the kinds of things Rotation educator like to have "on hand."

This other $1000 can include purchasing a "Basic Kit" for each workshop and amount to one-time purchases. 

Basic Video Kit: You'll want a big screen TV ($400) or LCD projector ($400). You'll also need an internet connection to stream/download/view Christian videos -- which is how most Christian videos are delivered here in 2020.  You'll also want to have a tripod to hold video cameras/cellphones, and some extra power and connecting cables ($50)

Basic Art Kit: $200. Look at the materials needed for your first 5 Art Workshops. Other than markers, pencils, tape, paper, glue, and posterboard, you want to stock for specific lessons.

Basic Drama Kit:  $200. Some "stage" lights, costumes/fabrics/baskets. a microphone plugged into a donated guitar amp is handy, Canvases for backdrops. Cardboard for scenery and props.

Annual Budget Per Workshop

This too depends on the size of your church, number of kids, and number of workshops, etc. It also heavily depends on the lessons you choose to teach and which workshops you want to teach with. 

If you're using Rotation.org's public forums and Writing Team Lesson Sets, then you're spending a FRACTION of what you've spent before on curriculum. Those savings should go directly into making each workshop and workshop lesson a special one.

Here are some provisional numbers for each workshop to factor into your budget.

  • The following numbers are based on 10 story rotations a year and do not include summer.
  • They are for a medium-sized Sunday School (20 to 40 kids).
  • The items mentioned are suggested. Always purchase what you need based on the lessons you plan to teach!
  • They assume that your church ALREADY HAS a good stock of supplies for Sunday School  -- paper, fabrics, markers, canvas, rope, etc etc.  See the article about "What's in Your Supply Closet" to see some of the things Rotation educators wish for!


Video Workshop: $100 per year.
Most videos are now online, either to stream, download, or view on YouTube. Most prices are under $15 a video.

Art Workshop: $200-$400 per year.
We do a lot of creative and real art projects in the Art Workshop, not cheesy crafts. Some lessons use supplies you already have on hand, and others require you to do some purchasing. In general, budget $3 per student per Art Workshop lesson for about half of your Art story rotations.

Drama Workshop: $100 per year
After you have purchased a basic set of costumes and fabrics, the Drama Workshop's cost comes down to misc materials for props and skits.  Much of this should already be on hand.

Bible Games Workshop: $200 per year.
Game boards, pieces, doodads, prizes, props, buzzers, etc.

Cooking Workshop: $250 per year
Food costs only. Equipment and serving supplies assumed to come from your church kitchen.

Music and Movement: $50 per year
Your basic kit of rhythm and musical instruments not included.

Computer & Tech:  $150 per year
This is the cost of the software for 2 to 3 computers. Computers to be donated.



SIGNAGE and GENERAL DECORATIONS:  $100 per year
Your workshop spaces and teaching area will continue to evolve and improve its look.

Costs are based on year 2020 purchasing.

Last edited by CathyWalz
Original Post

Updated 2021


How Rotation.org Saves Churches Hundreds of Dollars a Year in Curriculum Purchasing

Rotation.org is not only the official home of the Workshop Rotation Model, we are also home to a radical new way of creating and sharing great curriculum at a fraction of the traditional cost.

In addition to our free public lesson forums, we sponsor a Writing Team that produces the very best Rotation Model curriculum in existence. See the Writing Team's Lesson Sets!

Our existence and the adoption of the Rotation Model across the continent has spurred numerous denominational and independent publishers to write their own "Rotation style" curriculum. Some is better than others. Some isn't very good at all. Much of it has gone out of print as publishers tend to have short attention spans and are always looking for the "next thing" to sell to churches.

As of 2020, here are the major publishers still making Rotation curriculum. There are a couple of smaller Rotation publishers who are no longer writing or improving their materials but whose materials can still occasionally be found somewhere online or used in a church somewhere. They include "Cornerstones," Potters Workshop, and "Mustard Seeds."


Are you WAY overpaying for Rotation Sunday School curriculum?

A look at what some of the publishers are charging.
A "set" is a collection of lessons, usually 6 to 8 of them all on one story.

  • UMPH/Cokesbury's PowerXpress Rotation-style curriculum is $15 per workshop lesson (so one month with 4 different workshops would be $60).
  • Deep Blue's "Rotation Stations" curriculum is $44.99 per one lesson set.
  • The ELCA's Sparkhouse's Rotation curriculum is $44.99 per lesson set.
  • PCUSA's "We Believe" Rotation curriculum is $14.95 per individual workshop lesson.
  • Potter's Rotation curriculum is $65 per lesson set. (out of print in 2020)
  • Cornerstones Rotation curriculum (out of print)
  • Group's Faithweaver "Friends” Rotation Curriculum is $105 per quarter (out of print in spring 2021).
  • Rotation.org Writing Team Lesson Sets -- $45 for as many as you want to download!


Yep... Rotation.org only costs $45 for an annual membership, during which time you could download as many years worth of the Writing Team's lesson sets as your heart desires.

Become a supporting member of Rotation.org and download as many of the Writing Team's lessons as you want, as well as access our THOUSANDS of free lesson and teaching resources.

How is this possible? Because we are supported by our members -- not sales. We are led by volunteers and don't employ an office or marketing staff.

A few more things that make Rotation.org different than these traditional publishers...

  • Rotation.org is the official home of the Workshop Rotation Model.
  • We were founded by the creators of the Rotation Model.
  • The 38 extra special Rotation-style lesson sets (and counting) from our 'New' Writing Team were written by experienced Rotation Modelers -- each of whom has decades of teaching experience. Their 38+ sets are in addition to our thousands of free lessons and ideas in our public forums.
  • All our lessons can EASILY be used by TRADITIONAL Sunday Schools.
  • The New Writing Team's work is overseen by a group of six Christian educators from four major denominations and a Presbyterian minister. Together, our leaders and editorial team have over 150 years of creative teaching experience.
  • You can download and edit every single one of the Writing Team's lesson plans and all the rest of our site's content.
  • Rotation.org is the ONLY online curriculum resource that also offers personal expert support to teachers by teachers via our Teachers’ Lounge.
  • We continue to post free teacher training and continuing education articles.
  • Rotation.org's website is not a "storefront." It is an interactive community that invites your instant feedback and lesson ideas, and allows us to continue to update and improve resources.
  • We DO NOT accept advertising and are NOT managed by a marketing department.


Learn more about Rotation.org, its mission, and its attitude.



Become a Supporting Member of our revolutionary community

Last edited by CathyWalz

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