ROTATION.ORG WRITING TEAM

PSALM 8
COMPUTER WORKSHOP

PASSAGE

Story: Psalm 8
Key/Memory Verse: Psalm 8

You can memorize as much or all of the Psalm as you can. Depending on the number of computers, age of students, software you choose, and time you have, you could assign different parts of the Psalm to different stations. Each station works on a part, then all students rotate to each station to learn from the presentation/verse scramble there.

PURPOSE

See Bible Background.

Objectives for Rotation

Find Psalm 8 in the Old Testament of the Bible.

Learn some attributes of Psalms: David is credited with writing many; Psalms were/are songs and prayers used to worship God.

Memorize all or a portion of Psalm 8.

Contemplate God’s amazing creation to discover a feeling of wonder. Discuss ways to pay attention to God’s world so as to nurture this sense of awe.

Explore our relationship to God: compared to God’s vast creation we seem small, but yet we are important and valuable to God! Recognize that this is both humbling and uplifting.

Objectives for Computer Workshop

The computer lab will be focusing on memorizing the verse. While it would be nice if a long term memory was created, the goal of the lab is to create enough of a working memory so that the student can ponder the Psalm further, and use these memories to go deeper in the other workshops. It is therefore recommended that the older students go in the computer workshop FIRST so that the memorization can become a foundation which later workshops can build on.


PREPARATION

Materials List

Bibles
Binoculars
Chalk or markers
Chalkboard, dry erase board, or newsprint pad
Computers/Monitors
Construction paper, red
Paper
Pencils
Pictures of images in Psalm 8
Scissors
Software: Cal & Marty's Scripture Memory Game and/or Kid Pix 3; Awesome Bible Stories [Optional]
Tape

Advance Preparation

Read the Bible Background.

Cut a large heart from red construction paper and attach it to the top of a pair of binoculars

Make sure the software is installed and preview it.

PRESENTATION

Open - Introduction

Open the lesson by writing an outline of "today's lesson" on the board.

Include which programs you will use and when. Add "what you hope they will learn today."

Begin the lesson by opening Bibles to Psalm 8 and reading the Psalm.

For younger children, bring several pictures that are descriptive of the Psalm's images.

For older children, have someone write a list of the images, things in the Psalm as they are read such as infants, moon, stars, sheep, oxen, fish.

Ask:

What BIG story in the beginning of the Bible does Psalm 8 remind you of?

What is the question in this Psalm? Can you find it?

How do you think the psalmist is feeling as he wrote these words? What is their emotion?

Have you ever had a similar emotion or feeling? Where? When?

What do you think the psalmist is trying to say about human beings? About God?

Option: For both older and younger classes, as you read the verses of the Psalm, distribute paper and pencils and have each student quickly draw an image of what the verse is describing. Give them no more than thirty seconds to draw their pictures. It will be fun to see if their pictures are recognizable. And you are beginning the memorization process - unbeknownst to them. What does "wonder" look like? The results should be interesting to see. Intersperse the above five questions in your discussion.

Dig into the Psalm at the Computers - Main Content

In Cal & Marty's Scripture Memory Game, students will be editing-in verses from Psalm 8, then working on unscrambling them. They can also create a quiz for each verse for other students to take. To begin, open the program, select "create a new verse" and use the verse editor to begin typing either the entire Psalm, or assigned verses. If you have more than two computers and not a lot of time, split up the verses between the computers. When they are done editing in the verse, they can also add their own "comment" about the verse, and three quiz questions about their verse. Have one student do the typing, and another do the reading/proofreading.

Once all the verses have been edited, let them play their own verse, then have students switch computers with each other and go see what the other computers have created.

Note about the Verse Editor: Get familiar with the verse editor BEFORE the lesson. You'll be creating several new verses. Don't put too many verses together or the editor won't have enough space. The teacher COULD edit-in the Psalm 8 verses ahead of time, but the students will really like to do it, and it is part of their memorization process.

**You might want to SKIP editing in verse 7, and perhaps verse 2 if you choose.

If you are using Kid Pix 3, you may want to NOT do the drawing game during the opening Bible study. Instead, after the study move into Kid Pix 3 to illustrate select verses in the Psalm. Create a two page slideshow in Kid Pix. Page 1 for the Psalm illlustration and the verse itself; Page 2 to feature text (which Kid Pix 3 will speak aloud) that is a reflection on that verse. The reflection could be based on a simple question: "Re-write the Psalm in your own words and ideas." For example, have students substitute in the thing that THEY look at which makes them wonder about God - seashores, waves, babies and so forth. Encourage the students to draw a background for their texts that reflects perhaps where the Psalmist was when he wrote the Psalm such as nighttime, star-gazing.

Be at the computers during this time of drawing to encourage the students to think through their Psalm text. These presentations can also be printed out and made into a wall display.

Reflect - Closure

You will be doing reflection as you work with students at the computers to create and view presentations. Finish your class by bringing out a pair of binoculars. On top of the binoculars you've taped a large heart with the phrase "God's Heart" written on it. Send a few students down the end of a hallway and say something like this: "From a distance, compared to planets and solar systems, we feel like tiny specks in the universe. But because God loves us, God's love makes us big and important in his eyes. In fact Jesus said, God knows us so well, that he even has the hairs on our head counted!" Share the binoculars around.

If you have time, create a list of "places I can feel close to God" and post it on your classroom door. Print out the psalm on a postcard, and have each student put their home address on it, then mail it to them later in the week with a personal note.

Another Software Alternative:

If you have Awesome Bible Stories CD you can use either the Creation Story in Awesome Bible Stories and/or the Creation Power Poem activity to create instead a "Psalm 8 Power Poem." The Creation Power Poem activity is a collection of words from Genesis 1 which students can form in any combination to and have "Gabby" the onscreen character speak aloud.

ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS

Adaptations - Younger Children

Non-readers CAN use Cal & Marty, and will enjoy unscrambling the verses and taking the quizzes - if you are there to help them. For non-readers, the teacher should create the verses ahead of time. Select phrases rather than full sentences. Then when they join you at the computer, let them take turns at the mouse moving the correct words into the correct slots. You'll have to verbally guide them by asking about words and pointing to the correct words on the screen. They'll enjoy seeing the phrase come together and hearing Cal or Marty's words of encouragement.

Younger children can easily draw with Kid Pix, but they will need help typing.
Instead of full sentences, have them type words (they like looking for letters).

SOURCES

Kid Pix 3 CD from Broderbund, http://www.kidpix.com or http://www.sundaysoftware.com, or local software retailers. Cal & Marty's Scripture Memory Game CD and Awesome Bible Stories CD both from Sunday Software Inc. Available at http://www.cokesbury.com or http://www.sundaysoftware.com.

CONTRIBUTOR: Neil MacQueen

Update from Neil

After I wrote this original lesson and it was posted, Sunday Software Inc. (my company) developed a program called "Let's Talk". One of the example lesson presentations in the Let's Talk CD is a kids version of Psalm 8.

You can edit that example lesson presentation and show it. Or better yet, have the students make their own "talking" presentation about Psalm 8. The Lesson Builder in the Let's Talk CD also allows you or the kids to add a quiz and discussion questions -so that students can share their presentations with EACH OTHER, -in effect, sharing their thoughts and presenting a quiz to each other.

<>< Neil