Genesis 25:19-34 (Birthright), 27:1-35 (Blessing), and 27:41-43 (Fleeing)
Key/Memory Verse
Genesis 28:16: Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place -- and I did not know it!” (NRSV)
PURPOSE
See Bible Background.
Objectives for Rotation
See Bible Background.
Objectives for Art Workshop
Students will work cooperatively to create mosaic stepping stones illustrating the story of Jacob and Esau. Their creations will help them focus on story characters and story sequence.
PREPARATION
Read Bible Background and all the Scripture passages: Genesis 25:19-34, 27:1-33:17.
Materials List
Book showing pictures of mosaics, preferably from ancient times Stepping stone molds: Aluminum foil straight-sided pans at least 2 inches deep (try a bakery or restaurant supply store). Purchased special stepping stone molds will be easier to use however buying several may prove too expensive. (Prices run between $12-18 each for 8 to 12” molds.) White drawing paper Contact paper Paper on a roll that can be used to cover the table surface – suggest brown craft paper or white newsprint Pencils Bibles Easel with paper and marker (or white board and appropriate marker) Storage boards – one for each stone; Sturdy, flat boards (or other material) at least as large as mold size; will be used to store the mosaics when not being worked. Masking tape Tesserae: pieces of material that will form your mosaic design. Have a variety of colors. Suggestions include stones, pebbles, marbles, tiles, shells, etc. See Sources at end of lesson. Note: since we are using an indirect (or reverse) method of mosaics the thickness of the tesserae is of no concern – i.e., materials of different thicknesses may be used together. Containers to hold sorted tesserae. Materials to make stones (needed later): Petroleum jelly Concrete mix [Available at hardware or home improvement stores. Ask your retailer about grades of concrete mix -- go for the product with fewest pebbles, such as a sand mix. An alternate product sold at craft stores called “Flashcrete Cement” may be used but it is more expensive. Advantages: fast set time, white (as opposed to concrete grey) or may be colored with special dyes.] Water Large mixing bucket Mixing device Rubber gloves Dust mask Safety glasses Scrap piece or wood as wide as mold.
Advance Preparation Requirements
Use the typical number of students you have to determine how many stepping stones you will try to make. Plan to have older students visit this workshop first to help create the designs for the stones. Later classes will continue to work on the mosaics to complete a set of stepping stones.
At this stage two or three students can work on each stone.
In conjunction with your church’s property committee, determine a future home for your stepping stones where all in the church can enjoy them.
Find someone willing to work with the cement portion of this lesson. This can happen outside of the classroom, preferably in an indoor location where the stones can “cure” undisturbed at temperatures above freezing for an extended period of time.
Visit your public library to find a book with pictures of mosaics from ancient times. One example: Piece by Piece, Mosaics of the Ancient World, by Michael Avi-Yonah. (J738.5)
Cut a template out of paper to exactly fit in the bottom of your mold. Using this template, cut drawing paper for mosaic designing (at least one per stone and a few extras). Using the same template cut pieces of contact paper, one for each stone planned. The contact paper must be smooth and free of any wrinkles. Check the fit of the contact paper in the actual mold. Trim if necessary. (There needs to be a close fit but without any “waves” in the contact paper.) Leave the paper backing on the contact paper. Set aside.
PRESENTATION
Open – Introduction
Greet your students warmly. Introduce yourself and any other adults.
Say: Today we will learn about the art form of mosaics. A mosaic is a picture created by embedding small pieces of colored material onto a surface. Mosaics have been used as an art form for centuries.
Show a few pictures of examples of mosaic art.
We will use mosaics to make a series of stepping stones. These stepping stones will be placed in the -_____. Someone walking along the path of our stepping stones will be able to see a Bible story, the beginning, the middle, and the end. Before we get started, let’s open with prayer. A suggestion: “Dear God, We are thankful to be here today. We thank you for the chance to learn more about your love – which remains constant, even when we mess up. Forgive us when we try to make our own plans and ignore yours. Lord, help us to have patience to wait for your plans and your timing. Lead us along the stepping stones of life. Amen.”
Ask: I am wondering if any of you ever ignore your parents? What about when they ask you to do something? Why do you suppose we ignore them?
Say: Sometimes if we don’t like something that we are asked to do, we might ignore the person who asked us. We are going to read a Bible story where the characters seem to be ignoring God’s plans and try to do things their own way. We will see that the characters in this story get into lots of trouble because they fail to trust God.
Distribute Bibles and markers or pencils.
Ask: This is a story that Jesus would have learned when he was young. Where in the Bible do you suppose we would find such a story, in the Old Testament or the New Testament? (Old)
Have everyone open to the first book in the Bible, Genesis, and find chapter 25, verse 19. Say: This is a story about two brothers named Esau and Jacob. It is a long story so we won’t be reading all of it. I wanted you to know where to find this story in your Bible so you can read it at home. For today I will tell this story; feel free to help me if you know the story. As the story is retold, remember that we will be creating stepping stones to illustrate this story. The table is covered with paper so that you may doodle. Make notes to yourself or pictures of people and events as you hear them, so that you will have ideas for making your mosaic pictures.
Tell them the story using the following paraphrase, pausing at appropriate points to ask questions about characters or actions and to encourage doodling. In later weeks of the Rotation, ask students to help you tell the story. Fill in the details they may miss.
Story retold from Genesis 25:19-34 and 27:1-35, and 27:41-43:
Isaac and Rebekah had twin sons named Esau and Jacob. Before the twins were born Rebekah could feel them fighting inside her. She asked God, “Why is this happening?” And the Lord said to her, “The two inside you will become the fathers of two nations. Just as they are fighting now, these two nations will be divided. One will be stronger than the other; the oldest will serve the youngest.”
Now it’s important to understand that in Bible times the oldest son was most important. But here God is telling Rebekah that the oldest would serve the youngest! That’s different! But, it sounds like God has a plan.
So the boys were born and even though they were twins, they were very different. They even looked different. The first baby boy came out red and hairy. Isaac and Rebekah named him Esau. The second baby boy came out holding onto Esau’s heel! Isaac and Rebekah named him Jacob.
As the boys grew into men they were still different. Esau was a real he-man; a skilled hunter; a man who enjoyed being out in the fields. Jacob was quiet and liked staying by the tents. Isaac loved Esau best, because he liked to eat the game Esau hunted; but Rebekah loved Jacob.
[Pause and encourage the students to sketch images of what they have heard about Isaac, Rebekah, Esau, and Jacob. Stick drawings are ok for now. Perhaps Esau is hairy and carries a bow. Jacob sits by a cooking fire next to a tent.]
Story continued:
One day Jacob was cooking a great big pot of red stew. Oh it smelled good. Esau came in from hunting and he was starving! “Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!” Esau said. Now Jacob thought to himself – I could take advantage of this situation. So Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.” A birthright was a special privilege that normally went to the oldest son – that would be Esau; he was born first. “Ahh, what’s a birthright to me,” Esau said. “You can have it.” “Promise?” said Jacob. “I promise,” Esau grumbled. So that is how Jacob tricked his brother Esau and got his birthright!
[Pause to ask more questions about the student’s doodles.]
We pick up our story some years later. Isaac is old. He is so old he no longer can see. He thinks that he will die soon so he wants to give his oldest son Esau his special blessing. A father’s blessing was considered very important in Bible times. It was felt that a blessing guaranteed success! This special blessing was usually given to the oldest son. So Isaac called for Esau. He said, “I will die soon. Go out into the fields and hunt some game. Then cook it just the way I like it and bring it to me. Then I will give you my blessing.”
Now it turns out that Rebekah had been eavesdropping! She quickly found Jacob and told him, “I’ve got a plan. We can make Isaac think that you are Esau so that he will give you the blessing!” “But,” protested Jacob, “Esau is hairy and I’m not.” “Do what I say,” Rebekah insisted.
So Rebekah took some of Esau’s clothes and gave them to Jacob to wear. She took goatskins and tied them on to Jacob’s arms and the smooth part of his neck so he would be hairy like his brother! Rebekah made a delicious meal. When everything was ready, and Esau was still out hunting, Jacob took the food to Isaac.
Now remember, Isaac cannot see, so he said, “Who’s there?”
“It is your firstborn son Esau,” lied Jacob. “I have brought the food as you asked.”
“How is it that you were so quick?” asked Isaac.
“God gave me success,” answered Jacob.
“Come closer so I can touch you my son.”
So Jacob went to Isaac his father, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob's, but the hands are the hands of Esau.”
And so Isaac ate the prepared food and then he gave the special blessing to Jacob, but he thought it was Esau.
Soon Esau came back from his hunting trip, cooked food and took it to Isaac.
“I’m here father,” Esau announced.
Who are you?” Isaac asked.
“I am your son, your first-born, Esau.”
“But who was it that just brought me food and I blessed him?” Isaac asked.
Then Esau realized he had been tricked out of his blessing and he was angry! You see once a blessing was given it could not be taken back. Esau was so mad he vowed to kill Jacob. Rebekah heard about his plan. She sent Jacob away to go stay with her brother Laban. There is more to the story, but we will save that for another time.
Dig - Main Content
What happens next in this workshop depends on what week of the Rotation it is and how much progress was made in previous weeks. In early weeks of the Rotation, design work will be the focus. In later weeks of the Rotation the students will fill in the mosaic designs with tesserae. Do continue to have the students “doodle” during storytelling each week to help them visualize the story.
Design phase
Remind the students that we are retelling this story in stepping stones. Determine the part of the story that each stone will tell. Brainstorm design ideas using the easel paper (or white board). What are ways to convey information about the characters and their actions? You may wish to have each student design a stone, or students may work in groups. Don’t feel as though on the first week you have to make final decisions about the design for every stone. Depending on the size of the class, focus on an appropriate number of stones.
Hand out the drawing paper that has been cut to size. Have students sketch out their designs. Remind them to keep the design simple at this stage. Details can be added later with the tesserae. Don’t worry about color at this point.
Fill-in phase
As designs are completed on paper, give the students a quick lesson in how to arrange tesserae over the design. This is the time to talk about color and the need for contrasting colors to create a definite line in the design. Large areas of color will look better if various shades of that color are used instead of using all one color. Create a dark line to accent, or separate design elements. When ready to start adhering tesserae to a design, tape a design to a storage board. Remove the paper-backing from the contact paper and place sticky-side up on top of the paper design. Arrange pieces about 1/8 inch apart, and in from the design edge so that all tesserae will be surrounded by cement. Press the tesserae onto the contact paper. [Note: The pieces will be put on the design up-side-down since the finished stepping stone will be the bottom of the mold.]
For students that are filling in a design that someone else created in an earlier week, remind them that they contribution is important. Color choices are being made as well as “background” design. The most effective backgrounds will not be just straight across but will give the piece movement. It is also ok to allow the background to be the cement.
Discussion while students work
Note: it is important to continue talking about the story while students work.
Ask:
Remember when God told Rebekah before the twins were born, that the youngest would serve the oldest, what do you suppose that meant? Do you suppose Rebekah told Isaac, Esau, and Jacob about what God said? If God had a plan, why does it seem that everyone was involved in trickery to make sure it happened that the younger was “first”? Do you suppose that’s an example of not trusting God? Do you suppose we sometimes don’t trust God’s plan? How do we know what God’s plan is?
Reflect - Closure
Say: When Jacob left his family and journeyed to stay with his uncle Laban, he had a lot of time to think. He knew that God didn’t like that he had tricked his father and brother. Jacob had failed to trust God’s plan for his life. While on his journey, Jacob had a dream. Maybe you have heard that story – about a stairway or ladder to heaven. Our memory verse comes from that part of the story.
Repeat the memory verse together.
Say: It’s sounds like Jacob finally figured out that he needed to trust God. God is here, now, watching over me, guiding me with a plan for my life. This week remember that God loves you. God is with you in every step of your journey.
ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS
Adaptations - Younger Children
Skip the portion of the lesson about finding the story in their Bibles.
Adaptations - Older Children
Plan to have older students visit this workshop first to create designs for the mosaics. If desired supply eye protection, gloves, and the proper cutting tools to allow students to trim tesserae to size. Allow them to break old china purchased at thrift stores.
From Monster Mosaics – http://www.monstermosaics.com/ “Nibbles and Bits” are pieces of stained glass in a variety of shapes and sizes with smooth (safe) edges. The small are 1/4 to 3/4 inches, large are 3/4 to 1 inch. “Hunks and Chunks” is another kid safe product made from glazed ceramic tiles.
Genesis 29:15-30 (Jacob marries) Genesis 31:1-3 (LORD commands Jacob to return home) Genesis 32:3-7a, 22-30 (Jacob goes to meet Esau, wrestles with God) Genesis 33:1-4 (Jacob and Esau reconciled)
Key/Memory Verse
Genesis 28:16: Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place -- and I did not know it!” (NRSV)
PURPOSE
See Bible Background.
Objectives for Rotation
See Bible Background.
Objectives for Art Workshop
Students will work cooperatively to create mosaic stepping stones illustrating the story of Jacob and Esau. Their creations will help them focus on story characters and story sequence.
PREPARATION
Read Bible Background and all the Scripture passages: Genesis 25:19-34, 27:1-33:17.
Materials List
Same as Part One.
Have available for display, the designs for stones created in Part One.
Advance Preparation Requirements
See list in Art Workshop, Part One.
PRESENTATION
Open – Introduction
Greet your students warmly. Introduce yourself and any other adults. Find out how many students were present for the last Art Workshop (Part One). If the class contains a lot of students that were not present in Part One, talk about mosaics as an ancient art form and show a few pictures of examples of mosaic art.
Say: Today we will create mosaics stepping stones. Using small pieces of colored material, we will create designs that tell a story. The last Art Workshop created designs for the first part of the story of Esau and Jacob. Now we will work on stones for the rest of the story. These stepping stones will be placed in the -_____. Someone walking along the path of our stepping stones will be able to “read” this Bible story -- the beginning, the middle and the end. Before we get started, let’s open with prayer.
A suggestion: “Dear God, We are thankful to be here today. We thank you for the chance to learn more about your love – which remains constant, even when our choices make things a mess. Help us to have faith in your plan. Thank you for forgiving us and being with us, leading us along the stepping stones of life. Amen.”
Using the designs created in Part One, have the students review the Bible story. Make sure they know the following characters: Isaac, Rebekah, Esau, and Jacob.
Say: From the very start of this story, even before Esau and Jacob were born, everyone knew that something different would happen: God had a plan for the oldest son to serve the youngest.
Ask: Why was it different that the youngest son would be “greater”? Who was youngest?
Say: Though he knew of God’s plan for his life, Jacob, the youngest son, tricked his father Isaac into giving him the blessing.
Ask: Was life great for Jacob after he got the blessing? (No, he had to leave home to escape from Esau’s anger)
Say: When everyone ignored God’s plan, they created trouble – now there is a breakup of the family and Jacob has to run away to go stay with his uncle Laban. Let’s learn what happens next in the story.
Distribute Bibles and markers or pencils.
Ask: This is a story that happened way before Jesus’ birth. Where in the Bible do you suppose we would find such a story, in the Old Testament or the New Testament? (Old)
Have everyone open to the first book in the Bible, Genesis, and find chapter 29, verse 15.
Say: This is a long story so we won’t be reading all of it. I wanted you to know where to find this story in your Bible so you can read it at home. For today I will tell this story; feel free to help me if you know the story. As the story is retold, remember that we will be creating stepping stones to illustrate this story. The table is covered with paper so that you may doodle. Make notes to yourself or pictures of people and events as you hear them, so that you will have ideas for making your mosaic pictures.
Tell them the story using the following paraphrase, pausing at appropriate points to ask questions about characters or actions and to encourage doodling. In later weeks of the Rotation, ask students to help you tell the story. Fill in the details they may miss.
Story retold from Genesis 29:15-30, and 31:1-3, and 32:3-7a, 22-30, and 33:1-4
When we last left off with the story of Jacob, he had to run away to safety. He left behind his mother Rebekah and his father Isaac and his brother Esau. Esau was the reason why Jacob had to leave. After Jacob tricked Isaac into giving him the special blessing, Esau was so mad, he was talking about killing Jacob. What a mess.
Now Jacob came to the home of his uncle Laban. Laban had two daughters – Leah and Rachel. Immediately Jacob fell in love with Rachel.
Uncle Laban put Jacob to work tending sheep. Jacob said, “I’ll work for you for seven years in order to marry your younger daughter Rachel.” “Agreed,” said Laban. So Jacob worked for seven years, but it seemed like only a few days because he loved Rachel so much.
Laban had a big party for the wedding. But little did Jacob know, Laban tricked him into marrying Leah, the older sister! You see in those days brides wore a veil over their face so Jacob didn’t realize it wasn’t Rachel. The next day, Jacob was mad. “Why did you trick me?” he demanded. “Laban shrugged, “This is not done in our country -- giving the younger daughter before the firstborn.” Jacob and Laban made another deal. Jacob got to marry Rachel too, but he had to work for Laban for seven more years. Laban sure tricked Jacob!
[Pause and encourage the students to sketch images of what they have heard. Stick drawings are ok for now. Help the students to visualize the story – Jacob with a shepherd’s crook and sheep, and hearts over his head; a wedding cake with a question mark on top – help the students to think imaginatively about how to tell the story through pictures, especially pictures that don’t involve lots of detail.]
Story continued:
During the years that Jacob worked for Laban, his family increased. In that time he had 11 sons! Jacob proved to be a wise farmer – his flocks increased and he became wealthy. One day God told Jacob to return to the land he had come from. Jacob obeyed God and packed up his family and all his animals and started the journey home. But Jacob was nervous about seeing Esau. Was Esau still mad? Jacob sent a messenger ahead to his brother Esau. The messengers were to say, “Greetings from your servant Jacob. I am on my way and hoping that you will be friendly.” The messengers returned saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you with four hundred men.” Well this made Jacob really frightened! It sounded like Esau was coming to attack!
[Pause to ask more questions about the student’s doodles.]
That night Jacob sent all of his family and all his herds of animals to the other side of the Jabbok River and Jacob stayed alone. During the night someone came and wrestled Jacob. The two kept up their wrestling match all night long! Jacob seemed to know that he was wrestling with God! He did not want to let go until he had been blessed. Sunrise was approaching. The mysterious wrestler struck Jacob on the hip and knocked it out of joint. Jacob said, “I will not let you go until you bless me.” God blessed Jacob and changed his name to Israel, which means “one who struggles with God.” From that day on, Jacob walked with a limp. It would always remind him of the night when he wrestled with God.
Jacob and Esau did finally meet. It wasn’t scary like Jacob thought it would be. God was watching over Jacob. Esau wasn’t mad anymore. When Esau saw Jacob he ran to meet him and hugged and kissed him. Finally, after all this time the two brothers could accept each other.
Dig - Main Content
What happens next in this workshop depends on what week of the Rotation it is and how much progress was made in previous weeks. In early weeks of the Rotation, design work will be the focus. In later weeks of the Rotation the students will fill in the mosaic designs with tesserae. Do continue to have the students “doodle” during storytelling each week to help them visualize the story.
Design phase
Remind the students that we are retelling this story in stepping stones. Determine the part of the story that each stone will tell. Brainstorm design ideas using the easel paper (or white board). What are ways to convey information about the characters and their actions? You may wish to have each student design a stone, or students may work in groups. (Don’t feel as though on the first week you have to make final decisions about the design for every stone.) Depending on the size of the class, focus on an appropriate number of stones.
Hand out the drawing paper that has been cut to size. Have students sketch out their designs. Remind them to keep the design simple at this stage. Details can be added later with the tesserae. Don’t worry about color at this point.
Fill-in phase
As designs are completed on paper, give the students a quick lesson in how to arrange tesserae over the design. This is the time to talk about color and the need for contrasting colors to create a definite line in the design. Large areas of color will look better if various shades of that color are used instead of using all one color. Create a dark line to accent, or separate design elements. When ready to start adhering tesserae to a design, tape a design to a storage board. Remove the paper-backing from the contact paper and place sticky-side up on top of the paper design. Arrange tesserae pieces about 1/8 inch apart, and in from the design edge so that all tesserae will be surrounded by cement. Press the tesserae onto the contact paper. Note that the pieces will be put on the design up-side-down since the finished stepping stone will be the bottom of the mold.
For students that are filling in a design that someone else created in an earlier week, remind them that their contribution is important. Color choices are being made as well as “background” design. The most effective backgrounds will not be just straight across but will give the piece movement. It is also ok to allow the background to be the cement.
Making the actual stones
Apply a thin coat of petroleum jelly to the inside of the molds.
Wear a dust mask, safety goggles, and gloves. Mix cement following the directions on the label.
Slowly pour cement into the mold, putting cement around the edges first to help hold the contact paper in place.
Gently tap the sides of the mold to release any air bubbles.
Level off the top of the mold with a piece of scrap wood. Clean any cement from the edges of the mold.
Follow directions on the bag of cement as to how long to leave the stones sitting. Do not move the molds while the cement is drying!
After required set time, invert the mold and release the stone.
Peel off the contact paper. Clean any excess cement from the tesserae with a craft knife.
Allow the stones to sit undisturbed in a protected area for several weeks to fully cure. It is best to slightly elevate the stones, for example, on dowel rods, to allow air to circulate around them during this time.
Discussion while students work
Note: it is important to continue talking about the story while students work.
Ask:
What part of the story did you like best? What part seems confusing? What part of the story felt like something that has happened to you? [Possible discussion topics – a time when tricked; afraid of someone they wronged, wrestling with something.] Which is harder, apologizing to someone or accepting someone’s apology?
Reflect – Closure
Repeat the memory verse together. “Surely the Lord is in this place -- and I did not know it!”
Say: This was something that Jacob said when he was on his way to stay with his uncle Laban. But it could also be something that Jacob said in other parts of the story we told today. When Jacob wrestled with God – the Lord was in that place. When Jacob was afraid to meet Esau – God was there too. When Esau and Jacob hugged – God was in that place. Just like Jacob, we too can remember that God is with us through every step of our journey.
ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS
Adaptation - Younger Children
Skip the portion of the lesson about finding the story in their Bibles.
Adaptation - Older Children
Plan to have older students visit this workshop first to create designs for the mosaics. If desired supply eye protection, gloves, and the proper cutting tools to allow students to trim tesserae to size. Allow them to break old china purchased at thrift stores.
The scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
CONTRIBUTOR: Carol Hulbert
Exchange Volunteer corrected one of the links and corrected the number of sons Jacob had at this point in the story.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: CreativeCarol,
For those of you who wish to do a mosaic piece but are frightened off by stepping stones see this web site with a bean mosaic idea: http://www.teachartathome.com/beanmosaic.htm
--Carol
Posts: 1491 | Location: Ann Arbor,MI | Registered:: August 07, 2001
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