Daniel and the Lions DenVideo Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:

Younger: Where’s God When I’m Scared, from Big Idea Productions (Veggie Tales)

Older: The Animated Stories from the Bible “Daniel” by Nest Entertainment.

Memory Verse:

"Don't ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the Lord your God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

Preparation:

• Read the story from the Bible and our Bible Background
• Preview the video and make sure your equipment is prepared to run it.

Materials List

• “Where’s God When I’m Scared” (VeggieTales)
• “Daniel” (Nest)
• Popcorn
• Water, cups & straws
• Baby wipes

Lesson Plan

Opening:

Greet the children and introduce yourself. Explain what they'll be doing today and what you hope they'll learn.

Have a short prayer to ask God to be with us as we learn more about his word and how we can follow him.

Begin by asking the students to vote on the following questions:

• If sharing your faith in Jesus meant going to prison, how many of you would be scared to share your faith?
• If the President and Congress outlawed prayer, how many of you would obey that law?
• If you were 100% guaranteed that your praying would lead others to follow God, but you were persecuted for that praying…would you still pray?
• Tell the kids about Daniel's time in history: The Israelites were in captivity in Babylon and there were those who wanted them to stop worshipping their God in their strange ways.
• Pass out popcorn and water

Show the Movie!

FOR GRADES PreK-Grade 2

“Where’s God When I’m S-scared?” A Veggie Tale Movie

Show the first story in the video, Tales From the Crisper.

After the first story, ask the participants to explain the story and if they have ever been scared like Jr. Asparagus was.

Continue the video, beginning with the intermission ("The Water Buffalo Song"), the next story will focuses on Daniel and the Lions' Den. Let the video play through the recap from Bob and Larry. In the end Daniel learns that even in the lions' den, he is still in God's hands.

Discussion After the Movie:

• How easy or hard do you think it was for Daniel to stick to his beliefs?
• Why do some people want to hurt or do unjust things to other people?  Has something like that ever happened to you? How did it make you feel?
• Name some "rules" that God has about how we should live and treat each other.
• Name some ways that God is "with us" and sends us help.
  
  

FOR GRADES 3-8

The Animated Stories from the Bible “Daniel”, approximately 30 minutes

*Pause at several points to see if the kids, particularly younger one, know who's who in the video and understand the story. Ask them to summarize the story 'thus far' before finishing the tape.

Discussion After the Movie:

• Do you think it was easy for Daniel to stick to his beliefs? How easy or hard do you think it was?
• Let's see how many "rules" we can come up with that God wants us to follow. (List them on the board).
• Now let's come up with some examples of when a student is confronted with a choice to follow one of God's rules that we've listed or break it.
• How is God "with us," guiding/speaking to us?
• What "lions" are threatening you or other kids today, and what can WE do to "shut their mouths"?
• What is an "angel" and how can you be one to others who are facing persecution and danger?

Closing:

You may not have much time to do anything but summarize and pray after having watched and discussed the video. If you have a few minutes, play a quick game of "Unfreeze Tag" where a designated angel "freezes" the lions and unfreezes the "Daniels."  Only the angel can freeze a lion at any time simply by touching the lion. Only a lion can unfreeze another lion. Only an unfrozen lion can freeze a Daniel -- but only if the Daniel is moving. If the Daniel stops moving, they can't be frozen (and can run away when the lion moves away).  Adjust the number of lions and Daniels to maximize game play in your space. Give the angel a cape to identify them.  The cape can protect a Daniel from being frozen by approaching lions.

Closing Prayer:
Dear God, we are thankful that you are with us in good times and bad, and that you send us helpers to help us through tough times and decisions. Help us to remember that you will always listen when we speak and give us the strength to face our problems -- even when they sound like lions. And all God's children said…AMEN!

Based on a lesson by Liz Weingart from Canfield Presbyterian Church, Canfield, Ohio

Editor's Note:

This post is a re-posting of the link to Neil MacQueen's creative, Rotation-inspired "Camp Bible Wahoo! Summer Sunday School" curriculum.

It has two Daniel Lessons in it (computer and video), as well as 3 lessons for the Good Samaritan, and 3 for Paul's Journeys.

The workshops are all "locations at a Bible Camp".

The Daniel Lessons in Camp Bible Wahoo!:

• Daniel Computer Camp Out Lesson: Uses Adventures with Daniel (Kid's Interactive Bible Series - lesson link.
• Daniel Lakeside Theater Lesson: Uses Daniel from Nest Entertainment below.
  
• Daniel Song: "Standing In The Need of Prayer".

Lesson Outline for Lake Bible Wahoo! Theater by Neil MacQueen

Summary of Lesson Activities:

Uses the Daniel Video from Nest Entertainment.

1. Begin by asking the students to vote on the following questions:

• If sharing your faith in Jesus meant going to prison, how many of you would be scared to share your faith?
• If the President and Congress outlawed prayer, how many of you would obey that law?

Tell the kids about Daniel’s time in history: The Israelites were in captivity in Babylon and there were those who wanted them to stop worshiping their God in their strange ways.

2. Then show the video.

Pause at several points to see if the kids, particularly younger one, know who’s who in the video and understand the story. Ask them to summarize the story ‘thus far’ before finishing the tape.

Discuss the following after the videotape:

• Do you think it was easy for Daniel to stick to his beliefs?
• What would you have done? …or do if prayer to Jesus was outlawed? (is it somewhere in the world today?)
• How hard is it to be a Christian? To pray every day? To always try to do what’s right? To stand up for your beliefs when maybe it isn’t the cool or safe thing to do?
• Have each person name 1 thing which pull you away from doing what’s right, going to church, prayer, worship, helping others, being a better person.
• How could God help you to be strong in your faith like Daniel?

Conclude with a prayer for courage and finish by passing a firm "pass the courage to follow God" handgrip/handshake around the circle of students holding hands.  Do it a couple of times to reinforce your point.

Next, play the "strong prayer" game..... have one child put their hands in a prayer position (palms facing palms) and have another student grip their palms together tightly. See in another student can pull the praying palms apart by grabbing the elbow. It should be pretty hard to do!   "How do we SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN PRAYER?"

Play the "pray for each other" game. Students sit in a circle of chairs. One person folds their hands in prayer. When the person standing in the middle of the circle tries to 'tag' that person praying, the person praying immediately reaches left or right to 'tap' another person to "pray for them". That next person assumes the prayer position and also tries to avoid being tags by the standing person. The kids with praying hands can move WHO is praying pretty rapidly around the circle and change directions. (this is similar to the game "swivel hips" but without changing chairs).  Discuss the importance of praying for each other.

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

Daniel and the Lion's Den

Video Workshop Idea

Summary of Lesson Activities:

Make a Daniel Audio CD

Using a computer with a laptop with built-in microphone, your class will create an AUDIO BOOK of the Daniel story, then burn that recording onto CD for distribution home. It can be played on the car CD player !

You can assign students to provide sound effects, such as, singing President's Tune (Hail to the Chief) and Lion's growl.  Add sound effects including walking steps, and door closing to the script. Practice it a few times, then record and listen before making the final recording.

Script

[King tune]
KING DARIUS
I am King Darius. I am King over many lands. I have 120 Governors to watch over my lands and 3 Presidents to watch over the Governors. One of these Presidents is named Daniel. Daniel is my best worker, he does such a wonderful job I think I will make him in charge of my entire empire.

[President tune]

OTHER PRESIDENTS
(Together) We are the other Presidents, we can’t allow the King to give Daniel all of that power, he would be in charge of us. (Alternate) We have tried to find something wrong but he is too perfect. We must find a way to use his religion to hurt him. (Together)Let’s go to the King and have him make a law to hurt Daniel.

[King tune]
KING DARIUS
Yes, my Presidents, what can I do for you?

[President tune]
OTHER PRESIDENTS
(Together) Long live the King! (Alternate) We, the Presidents and all of the Governors agree that you should make a law and punish those who break this law. For the next 30 days, no one should pray to any other God and should only make requests of you. If they break this law they should be thrown into the Lion’s Den. [Lions growl] Make this a law of the Medes and Persians and then it cannot be changed.

[King tune]
KING DARIUS
I like the idea of everyone worshipping me, I will do it. For the next 30 days this law cannot be changed, anyone who prays to any other God will be put in the Lion’s Den. [growl]

[Daniel’s tune]
DANIEL
I am Daniel and I cannot follow that law. I love my God and I will not worship the King. I will serve him faithfully and I will do my job but I will only pray to my God. I pray to him 3 times a day in my own house.

[President tune]
OTHER PRESIDENTS
Look through the window, Daniel is praying to that God of his again. Let’s go tell the King. Finally we can get rid of Daniel and he won’t be put in charge over us.

[King tune]
KING DARIUS
Yes, my Presidents, what can I do for you?

[President tune]
OTHER PRESIDENTS
Daniel is not obeying your law. We saw him praying to his God. He does it right in front of his window in his house. The law says you must throw him to the lions. [growl]

[King tune]
KING DARIUS
Oh, not my Daniel! There must be a way to save him. I don’t want him to perish, what have I done?

[President tune]
OTHER PRESIDENTS
Don’t you remember King Darius, you made the law according to the law of the Medes and the Persians and because of this it cannot be changed, there is nothing you can do. We will go and get Daniel.

[movement music]

Daniel you are charged with breaking the King’s law and you will be thrown into the Lion’s Den [growl]

[King tune]
KING DARIUS
Daniel, pray to your God to save you, there is nothing I can do, I must seal the stone door with my sign so that it cannot be moved.

I am so worried, I cannot eat, I cannot sleep, Oh what will happened to Daniel.

[Daniel tune]
DANIEL
Dear God, I have always been faithful to you and I always will pray to only you. If this is right, please save me from the lions [growl].

[King tune]
KING DARIUS
Oh, I have not slept all night, now that it is morning , I must go and check on Daniel.

[movement music]

(Calling) Oh Daniel, are you there? Did your God save you from the lions [growl]?

(Silence for effect)

[Daniel tune]
DANIEL
Long Live the King! God sent an angel to seal the lions mouth and they did not hurt me.

[King tune]
KING DARIUS
Oh, this is wonderful news. I am so sorry Daniel. From now on you may pray to your God and only your God.

I order all of the Presidents and their families to be thrown to the lions [growl, growl, growl] for plotting against Daniel.

Make it known. From this time on, everyone in my kingdom will worship Daniel’s God because he is a great God and he saved him from the mouth of the lions. [growl]

THE END

This is based on the 6th Chapter of Daniel in the Bible.

A lesson idea by Sheila Butler.

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

DVD - "Daniel & the Lion's Den" (Beginner's Bible)

Was re-released Sept. 22, 2015 in a collection called "Beginner's Bible Vol. 4". Great for your younger children. It includes 3 of the original titles:  Joseph & His Brothers, Daniel & the Lion's Den, and The Battle of Jericho.

Update: Looks like they may be taking this out of print as Beginner's Bible are now posting full episodes on YouTube, Daniel & the Lion's Den can be found here  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqJl0dzYYuA  .

Video - "The Mane Event"

From the series  "The Roach Approach" and latter renamed "Bug Rangers".  
Century Fox Faith, 2005.

Just discovered and used a great new video called "The Roach Approach: The Mane Event" for our 2nd-5th graders.

It's a Bruce Barry video - a family of cockroaches! Somehow we got on a mailing list from 20th Century Fox that listed a variety of "family and Christian films". (Go figure!) They sent several companion discussion guides to us and I was very impressed, so ordered the video and it was really good! The video itself is only 30 minutes so it was easy to pause it and use suggestions from the discussion guide go deeper. We also put together a take-home page with additional things to think about using parts of the guide.

You can download the discussion guide http://www.christiancinema.com..._DiscussionGuide.pdf

A copy is attached below.

Saddleback Kids' Video Short:  Daniel and the Lion's Den