Ideas & Resources

Movie

Madame Blueberry (Veggie Tales)

A parable about a blueberry who couldn't buy enough "stuff" to satisfy her hunger.  (Ages 5-11.)

For video, we used Veggie Tales "Madame Blueberry" drawing a parallel between the girl who sang "that's why I give thanks everyday" with the widow.

Computer

2020 Update: Neil has donated several of his Sunday Software programs to be downloaded free-of-charge by our supporting members. They include Awesome Bible Stories and Cal and Marty's Scripture Memory Game, as well, Sonsoft donated Fall of Jericho, all listed below.  Learn more and get the software.

Awesome Bible Stories

For computer, we basically ditched the widow's story, used the Parable of the Talents section from Awesome Bible Stories (Sunday Software) and tied it all to the extravagant generosity theme of our concurrent stewardship campaign.

Other Software suggestions.

Preschool to 2nd Grade:

• Play and Learn Children's Bible (out of print, but left here for the many rotation churches who have it) covers "A Woman's Big Little Gift" but that program is designed for pre-schoolers so for kids much above 2nd grade it's probably not going to fly. One way around that (sometimes) is to ask them to pretend they are teachers for the little kids and give them the program as a resource. They can figure out how to use it to teach the little kids.

3rd Grade & Up

• Fall of Jericho quiz game maker....write your own questions. Q&A about what the Bible says about money in general and tie that into what the woman is doing.
• Cal & Marty's Scripture Memory Game - You could use to work on a key passage.
• Kid Pix 4 or the newer "3D" version or other illustration programs can work. If you have a digital camera, take pictures of the kids dressed up like the woman putting in her coin, then have them write what they were thinking beside their picture. (Would work better if you could take most of the pictures a week ahead).

Lesson Ideas from Lisa

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

Movie Ideas

• Storytellers Collection Vol. 3, Zondervan, 0025986705930.
  (3 In 1 Episodes/30 mins. ea./animated) – Captured; Trapped; & Roar in the Night.
  Roar in the night intertwines throughtout it's main story the 3 bible stories of the Lost Sheep, Jesus Heals the Dumb Man, & the Widow’s Mite. Apparently if you have the curriculum book for this series it covers mainly the Lost Sheep, but one of the characters in the movie tells the story of the widow's mite linking to the characters lives. In the episodes I've seen they also take you back to bible times and you see the bible story happen.
  
  
• Jesus (Gospel of Luke) starring Brain Deacon, Inspirational Films, 2001, 880499000098. Story can be found in – Chapter 22 or Event 46.
  
  
  

Website with Resource Links

• The following website has lots of links to material on the widow’s mite – storytelling under children’s sermons – movie clip ideas, etc.
  Text Week Website

Music- Song

"Happy Little Gift"

We are doing the Widow's offering this month, and I found a great song that goes with it called "Happy Little Gift", from the seeds of faith. I am looking forward to having the kids learn it!

Widow's Coin Comparison Art Projects

Ideas for hallway display for stewardship time:

Display Idea 1.   Which is the bigger gift?
Two life size cut-out figures each carrying a "clear" bag of money and EACH reaching a coin into an offering plate.  The widow's bag has no coins in it. The other's clear bag is full of coins (but she is only putting one coin in the plate). 

To make the two people: Have two kids lie down on cardboard, trace, and cut out. Then "dress" with cloth/clothing pinned to the cardboard. 

Scripture: The Mite 

Display Idea 2.  Which Giver is More Pleasing to God?
Kids cut-out and design two very large yellow "smiley faces."

One is smiling, the other is frowning.

Both have an arm extended over an offering plate and holding a $100 bill.

Scripture: cheerful giver 

Display Idea 3.  What's the Right Way to Give?
Kids cut-out two givers on cardboard and dress (see notes above)

One giver is holding up a glittering wad of cash, and cash is coming out of their pockets.

The other giver is quietly giving a bulging envelope (can't see the cash inside) to a small figure at their side, while looking the other direction (giving in quiet).

Scripture: giving in secret

In Rotation, you could assign one display to 3 different Art Workshop classes, so that at the end of the Rotation you had 3 different displays.

More Movie Ideas

• Bedbug Bible Gang Series Combo – "Forgiveness, Love and Blessings!"
  (Older animation but great for the little ones.)
  The Widow’s Mite is found in the third menu title - Bunches of Blessings!
  Then Skip Forward Button on your remote once to bypass opening song and first story to get to second story called "The Wee Widow's Mighty Mite!"  (runs from 6:21-11:04 - approx 5:19 mins).  Story followed by on-screen game what item from story doesn't match the other items.
  
  
• "To Have or To Have Not" (Paws & Tales) by Chuck Swindoll (now found on the combo DVD entitled - Vol. #7 "Serving Others" which also includes "And Then There Were None".
  Animated, both stories approx. 25 mins.
  Episode 1: To Have and Give Not
  After finding a treasure of pirate coins, Gooz has to decide the best way to handle her new-found wealth. Meanwhile, Staci and The Club are at odds on how to spend their club dues (Acts 20:35).

Cooking Idea

• Mrs. Mark's Gingersnap Cookies - The Widow's Mite.
  Includes neat story about "a beautiful lady (her client) who gave the very best she had, from her heart."  Includes recipe for the cookies.  Suggest keep them small like the width of a toonie (coin size). http://foodforahungrysoul.blog...-cookies-widows.html
  
  
  

Music Idea

• Music Video "I Can Give" by Mae Klingler of Crossroads -- Middle School Ministry on 04/15/2013 - fun upbeat song!- http://crossroadskidsclub.net/music-video-i-can-give/
  To hear it, download MP3 or Sheet Music go to this link and using your Edit - Find, type in search "I Can Give" (second one that comes up) you will see them all listed together.

For grades 5 through 12:

Use the short creative and humorous video "God's Pie", created by Worship House Media. The link is to YouTube where the video is free. You can also download the video here for $ (you don't need the extra license as long as you are using it for teaching purposes in your classroom.)

it's about "how much is left over" ...which is the opposite of the Widow's attitude!

See Neil's suggestions here in our Stewardship Forum for having them watch the video then create their own God's Pie video(s).  You could have the Widow come in and try to give the whole pie! 

Or you could have the Widow bake the pie and give it to someone in need or in sorrow.

Spiritually and morally speaking, the Widow's Mite is about her gift to God, not a coin.