Rotation.org Writing Team

JESUS IN THE TEMPLE

COMPUTER LAB

PASSAGE

Luke 2:41-52
Key Verse: Luke 2:52

PURPOSE

Goals and Objectives

After completing this Rotation, participants will be able to:

• Locate the story in the Bible; and in the timeline of Jesus' life;
  
• Tell the story of Jesus in the Temple as a young boy;
  
• Understand that the story illustrates a young person's personal responsibility for learning the ways of God, apart from their parent's urging.
  

PREPARATION

Read Bible Background.

Materials List

• Bibles
  
• Chalk
  
• Chalkboard, newsprint, or whiteboard
  
• Computers
  
• Glue or paste
  
• Markers
  
• Paper
  
• Printer
  
• Software: Play and Learn Children’s Bible (Kindergarten and 1st grade); Let’s Talk and Life of Christ CD (2nd grade and up)
  

Advance Preparation Requirements

Preview the software.

For younger children, prepare the coloring activity

For younger children, also prepare slips of paper to paste on their page that read: "Jesus talked about God with his teachers, and so do I. {include the memory verse here] -Luke 2:52"

Print the following questions on a chalkboard, newsprint, or whiteboard and display it in an area of the room away from the computers.

1. Who's idea was it to get up and go to church this morning: Yours--Someone else

2. On most Sunday mornings, I enjoy getting up to go to church: True – False

3. If my parents didn't bring me, I probably wouldn't come to church: True – False

4. Even though sometimes I don't feel like it, after arriving at church I generally feel OK, Good, Great about coming.

5. After coming to Sunday School, I usually feel: worse, better, great

6. I feel like Sunday School/learning about Jesus improves my life: True – False

7. I feel like Sunday School/learning about Jesus improves my faith: True – False

8. Discuss several things that could help you WANT to attend more often.

9. There are times when I would like to stay longer and ask my teachers more questions, even if my parents were in a hurry to go. True --- False

10. If my parents wanted to spend less time at church, I would actively figure out a way to be here anyway. True -- False (how?)

PRESENTATION

Open - Introduction

Begin by outlining today's lesson on a chalkboard, whiteboard, or flipchart. This will help your students and assistant teachers. Write down the Bible verse and a key question.

Introduce the Voting Questions activity. Provide markers and invite the students to move to that spot in the room to cast their votes.

Dig - Main Content

Read the Story in the Bible.

Take turns. (Use an illustrated Bible for younger children).

Point Out: It was the custom in Jesus' time to take sons to the Temple. In the courts outside the Temple, teachers would gather to discuss and debate scripture.

Point Out: Jesus' family was probably part of a larger group that had traveled to Jerusalem, perhaps including extended family and friends from Nazareth. It took many days to make the journey.

Ask: "What do you think Jesus' parents were saying and muttering when they saw that Jesus wasn't with them?"

Ask: "What do you think Mary and Joseph REALLY said to Jesus when they discovered he had stayed back at the Temple to learn more?" What would YOUR parents have said? (!)

INTO THE SOFTWARE ...

OPTION 1 for 2nd Grade and Up:

Open up Lesson #9 in Life of Christ CD (Discovery Interactive). After viewing the story, answer the narrator's question then complete the quiz.

Next, reflect using Let's Talk CD (Sunday Software). Have students turn on the "Talk Now" module in Let's Talk. They will use it to respond to a series of questions you will pose to them. (Questions posted at the end of this lesson plan.) This lesson is based on an idea originally posted at http://www.sundaysoftware.com/lessons/boyhood.htm, and it may be updated there.

OPTION 2 for Preschool through 1st Grade:

Open up Play and Learn Children's Bible CD (Sunday Software) and view the lesson "Jesus Teaches some Teachers." It is short, and they'll probably want to see it twice and click on all the clicky-dos.

Next, tell them they can choose either the Paint program or Puzzle activity on the CD related to this story. The paint activity has a picture of young Jesus standing with two teachers. For the puzzle activity, have them choose the picture of Jesus teaching the children. Following this software use, have the children draw a picture of themselves going to learn with the teachers "just like Jesus." Use good old-fashioned markers and paper to do this and send it home with them. Have them paste a slip of paper you have prepared in advance that says, "Jesus talked about God with his teachers, and so do I. {include the memory verse here] -Luke 2:52"

Reflect -- Closure

If using Let's Talk CD, have students compose a short prayer asking God to give them the strength and the desire to be an obedient and happy learner. Close by having each workstation/computer playback their prayer in the Talk Now module.

If you have time, even the preschool - first grader group will enjoy hearing the Talk Now module in Let's Talk CD speak back their prayer request. Type in the students' prayers for them.

SUGGESTED QUESTIONS to Pose to Students:
(For use in the Let's Talk "Talk Now" activity, Option 1, above)

Depending on how many workgroups/computers you have, you could have all the groups/computers respond to your questions at the same time, one question at a time, -or- you could assign questions to different groups/computers. The Talk Now module will speak aloud whatever they type. The point is that the software gets them responding to you. Ask a question, then quickly circulate to help them think about a good response. Give students a bit of a "countdown" to finish their short response, then have them playback their response in turn. Feel free to make comments.

1. What would you say to your parents if they announced they wanted to sleep in every Sunday and start skipping Sunday School? (then ask, WWJD)

2. What would you do or say if your parents decided to stop going to church entirely? (then ask, WWJD)

3. What would you say to an older/younger brother or sister who didn't want to come with you to church?

4. Pretend you are Jesus, what would Jesus tell you on Sunday morning to get you motivated to get here and be an obedient learner like him?

5. Name three things that would help you become a more obedient learner like Jesus.

CONTRIBUTOR: Neil MacQueen