ROTATION.ORG WRITING TEAM

JESUS' BIRTH THROUGH THE EYES OF ISAIAH

COMPUTER WORKSHOP

PASSAGE

Story: Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 9:6-7a
Key/Memory Verse: Isaiah 9:6b

PURPOSE

See Bible Background for this Rotation

Workshop Objectives

• To learn more about the life and calling of Isaiah.
  
• To relate the prophecies of Isaiah with the birth of Jesus
  
• To explore the names of Jesus.
  

PREPARATION

Review Bible Background for this Rotation.

Materials List

• Bible(s)
  
• Computers
  
• Paper
  
• Printer
  
• Software
  

Advance Preparation Requirements

The teacher should become familiar with the software to be used, and make sure it is installed on each computer.

PRESENTATION

Open - Introduction

The length and detail of the introduction will vary according to the age group and the number of weeks they have studied Isaiah before this. If it is the first week of the rotation, explain the meaning of "prophet," then read and discuss the key verses. If it is later in the rotation,
ask the students to explain the role of a prophet, as well as to share Isaiah's words.

Dig - Main Content

Choose from the computer activities below, depending on software availability.

A. Bibleland.com

Directions

Ask the students to find Isaiah's web page, and answer the questions on the worksheet below. This is a relatively short activity, which allows time for one of the other activities to be done as well.

Isaiah Worksheet for use with Bibleland.com

1. What was Isaiah's job, before he became a prophet?

2. What vision did Isaiah see when he was a young man?

3. How did the angel clean Isaiah's lips, and take away his sin?

4. What did the Lord say to Isaiah, as soon as his lips were cleansed?

5. What was Isaiah's answer to the Lord?

6. How many kings did Judah have during Isaiah's time as a prophet?

7. Where is Judah?

8. What sins were the people of Judah committing during Isaiah's lifetime?

9. Did God promise that the people of Judah would pay attention to Isaiah's prophecies?

B. Birth Announcements, using Creative writing/illustrating software such as KidPix 3 and so forth

The inspiration for this project came from an idea found at sundaysoftware.com/advent.htm.

Directions

Divide the students into groups of 2 or 3 per computer, and ask each group to create 2 birth announcements for Jesus.

Write the first announcement from Isaiah's viewpoint, including an appropriate background and graphics, save, and print it. Then just change the name, parents, and other information to create an announcement from Mary and Joseph, save it under a different filename, and print.

Now each group has a pair of 2 announcements that look the same, except for the details. This emphasizes that the birth of Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah. See Matthew 1:22-23. Near the end of the class time, ask each group to show their announcements to the rest of the class, and then display each pair of announcements on a bulletin board or another appropriate place.

Birth Announcement Samples

It Will Be A Boy!

Name: Immanuel
Meaning: God with us
Date of Birth: Future
Place of Birth: Not sure
Parents: A virgin and a man from the house of David

It's a Boy!

Name: Jesus
Meaning: He will save his people from their sins.
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth: Bethlehem
Parents: Mary and Joseph

C. Collage of the Names of Jesus, using creative writing/illustrating software or Word -WordArt

Directions

Make a collage of the names of Jesus (see list below) by typing each one in a different font, size, and color. If your software allows, also position them on the screen at various angles. Save and print your collage.

If your software does not allow much flexibility, or you do not have a color printer, then type each name in a font that has some open areas in the letters, print the names, cut them out, color the open areas with markers, and glue into a collage on a separate sheet of paper.

D. Acrostic Poem of the Names of Jesus, using creative writing/illustrating software or word processing software

Directions

Divide the students into groups of 2-3, and ask each group to choose one of the names
of Jesus (see list below). Then write and type acrostic* poems about Jesus using these names as the starting points. Use color and graphics as the software allows. Save, print, and share the poems with the class.

*To create an acrostic poem, write a word vertically along the left edge of the paper, and then write a poem in which each line begins with the letter at the left end of its line on the paper.
Sample Acrostic Poems can be found by searching the Internet for "acrostic." Try http://home.earthlink.net/~jesmith/Acrostic1.html for several examples.

Names of Jesus (for Collage or Acrostic Poem described above)

Immanuel
Wonderful Counselor
Mighty God
Everlasting Father
Prince of Peace
Messiah

Reflect - Closure

Share and discuss the poems, collages, or birth announcements made by each group.

ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS

Adaptations - Younger Children

All of these activities require the students to be able to read, write, and use the software fairly well. Younger children will need alternate activities, such as going through the Advent sections in the Children's Activity Bible program or Play and Learn Children's Bible program, or following the story in the Star Chasers program.

CONTRIBUTOR: Linda Tresner

[This message was edited by Writing Team on November 15, 2002 at 11:34 AM.]