Go

New

Find

Notify

Tools

Reply

Admin

New PM!

Neil MacQueen Rotation.org Mechanic 'Mythic WoRM Warrior'

Posted Elijah Rotation Neil MacQueen 2001 ==SCRIPTURE VERSES: I Kings 19:1-17 and II Kings 2:1-25. (It's not really that long once you excerpt a few verses and it's so vivid.) ==Included in this lesson set: Commentary (with questions salted throughout) Art - Lesson Plan Components and Ideas Games - relay with 5 stations Computer - digital photography & Kid Pix 3 puts the kids into the run & hide/still small voice portions of the story Drama - re-enact the story Video - Elisha from Nest Entertainment =COMMENTARY: Elijah is considered to be the GREATEST Prophet in Israel. He battles the false religion of Baal and their evil practices. King Ahab and Jezebel are against Elijah too. The story opens up with Elijah having defeated 450 Baal prophets on Mt. Carmel. But then he is chased by the King and Queen out of the country. He feels defeated, like people won't listen to him (kids can feel this way- out of power, defeated and ridiculed for who they are). He goes to a cave at Mt. Horeb (also known as Mt. Sinai) to end his life there. But God still has plans (God sees beyond our temporary defeats). God calls him out of his cave (what caves do we try to hide in?) and sends earthquake, wind and fire to get his attention (how does God get YOUR attention?) but then speaks in a still small voice (how does God speak to you? How can you listen to God when life is too busy or you're too concerned about yourself or wallowing in self-pity?) God says go find help. (We all need help.) God says go find young Elisha to support you. (Who do we turn to for help? What young person around you can be your support buddy?) Later, when Elijah's days are short, he takes Elisha out across the Jordan (his "superman cape" mantle splitting the waters --what fun imagery) and invites him to stay with him until it's time for him to go. The Chariot of Fire comes taking Elijah. But his MANTLE is left behind. Elisha now has a decision... to follow in his friend's footsteps and be faithful to God, or to play it safe and go home. (What tough decisions do you have to make every day? Whose mantle should you be carrying with you?) =WHAT'S IMPORTANT FOR young people to know: We all need help sometimes. It isn't easy being a disciple or prophet. We all need to find someone who can support us. For older kids, they need to see themselves as the new Elisha's. =LIFE APPLICATION: Identify a tough battle to do what's right and follow God. What is God saying to you about it? Identify who can help you make the right choices. See yourself as someone who can help another through tough times. Identify that person and think of specific ways you can be their Elisha. =Key Verse: II Kings 2:6 Elisha replied, "As surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you." So they went on together. ------------------------------- Art Workshop Lesson Plan Components and Ideas Open: Verbally summarize the I Kings 19 part of the text. Then have students read aloud the II Kings 2 section...the story of Elijah going up in the Chariot and Elisha picking up the Mantle. Ask: Why do you think Elisha didn't want to talk to the other people about Elijah's leaving? (How would you feel about losing a close friend and teacher?) Ask: Why did Elijah tell Elisha that "the power" to be his successor would be his if he stayed with the old man til the end? Ask: How would you rate their friendship? Ask: What symbols of power, authority and friendship do WE have in our world today? Possible Art Projects: Have kids create "Elijah's Mantle" with KEY VERSE and other important words from the story, a map of Elijah's travel, picture of cave, scenes from the story (chariot, Jordan, earthquake/fire), etc. Possible "Mantle" materials: For younger kids --fabric paints on T shirt with letter 'E' on chest just like Superman's 'S' or cape. Older kids might have choice of using colored permanent markers on a ball cap or T shirt. Or pre-tye-died bandana you can draw on. Older kids might keep or give their creation to a younger sibling and tell them they are someone that young person can count on for help. Closing: Identify in a closing prayer someone you need to support, or something you need support for. Spend more than a moment sharing ways we can help people listen for God's voice, carry on their good works, and be by their side. Additional note posted March 07, 2001 Children may not understand what a "mantle" is. Some may think it is something over the fireplace, so some explanation there might be needed. I always think of a cape or robe when I hear the word "mantle." Perhaps an art project could be doing something with a blanket. They could bring a baby blanket and decorate it in some way (paint a cross or other symbol on it) and give it to new babies in the church, or needy children. This could be a reminder that God's love wraps around us like a warm blanket. ------------------------------- Games Workshop Objective: Play a GAME that helps students SEQUENCE the Elijah-Elisha story and reflect on key ideas. Game includes answering "suggested questions". Basic lesson plan: a. Read story out loud. b. Set-up and explain game by walking through it with them. c. Play Game d. Spend time after the game reviewing the reflections they wrote on the game cards. ================= GAME SET-UP: We're going adapt a familiar Youth Ministry RELAY RACE game to the story. HERE ARE THE BASICS OF THE GAME: Kids split into two or three teams. The story is broken into five "stations" which the kids race to one at a time. At each station they must do something related to the story then move on. Their next team mate cannot go until the other teammate has completed all the stations (aka, 'the race course') and passed off Elijah's cloak to them. Each team's total race is TIMED. (ie, you'll need a timekeeper). At each station they must complete a fun activity and then look for their name on a 3x5 card. IF they find their name on the card, they must flip it over and answer the question and give it to the teacher before moving to the next station. THUS.... with five stations and five kids on a team, each station will have a name of one of the members of EACH team at it. The idea is that everybody must complete at least one reflection/question card during their turn. You can adjust these numbers according to your class size and schedule. You the teacher will have to take the suggested questions (see below) and write them on card and place them at their appropriate station. Then once your students arrive, write their names on the cards. These question cards are worth 5 to 20 seconds off the team time depending on the quality and clarity of the answer. IF you have time, you can let the teams SEE the questions ahead of time and discuss possible answers to create more discussion. The FIVE STATIONS ARE: 1. Mt Carmel Activity to accomplish: Pile a set of sticks and place stuffed animal on it and shout "O Lord light my bull on fire." Suggested Question: What does the Mt. Carmel story tell you about Elijah's character? 2. Running away Activity: Run backwards in a circle around a chair three times saying "Jezebel and Ahab are after me. O Lord I can't go on." Collapse and eat a piece of bread and drink cup of water. Suggested Question: How does God care for us even in our defeats? 3. Being called from the cave Activity: Crawl under a table that's covered with a blanket and shout "Nobody listens to me, I don't want to be a prophet anymore." Suggested Question: In what ways does God speak to people? 4. Go find Elisha Activity: Find a KEN doll in a blow-up pool filled with crumpled newspaper. Say "I anoint you Elisha to be prophet when I'm gone." Suggested Question: What is a prophet? 5. Chariots of fire Ride a tricyle or bigwheel around a chair three times shouting "I'm Elijah going up in a Chariot of Fire." :-) And then bring a blanket/cloak to the next person on your team. Suggested Question: What issues could kids your age be prophets about? What dangers will you face like Elijah did? ============ Make these activities as zany as you want. If you have extra time, play the game again, and let the teams come up with their OWN questions for each station that the other team must answer. YOU the teacher should preview these! In Closing...spend time on the the written comments going back to interesting thoughts the students wrote down. ------------------------------- Computer Workshop Summary: We'll focus in on the escaping and hiding at Horeb scene. The kids will personalize these scenes so that it's a story of THEM escaping, hiding and then being pointed by God's still small voice to find someone who can help them. They will recreate for a camera the running/hiding scene and Still Small Voice scene and then use Kid Pix 3 or Writing Blaster to "colorize" and enhance the photos (such as adding a cave). These pictures of THEM will be taken with a digital camera and imported into these creative writing/drawing programs. A "standard camera" option is provided at the end of this lesson. ------------------- Key Idea to Convey: God goes with us and helps us even when we run and hide from problems, but then God gets us to face our problems. OPENING: ((You may want to take the pictures at the beginning of the lesson so that the techie can get the pictures into the computers ahead of time while you complete the following Bible study.)) Open by reading I Kings 19:1-16 story of Elijah running for his life to Horeb. Read it dramatically. Have students list on flipchart or board "BIG problems they have faced -or know other kids their age face." Note that Elijah was a powerful prophet, but that his faith and reputation didn't mean he could avoid trouble. Ask: "How does God act when Elijah runs from his problems?" (God runs with him to minister to him). Ask: "What were Elijah's options to deal with the problem?" "Did he make the right choices?" Ask: "Does God scold Elijah?" (no, he let's him find a safe place to recuperate and then speaks in a still voice). Say: "God shakes the ground, sends wind and fire, but God was 'not in them.' Ask: "Why does the Bible make sure to say that God was not in those things?" (See my Background study notes for this Rotation set for the answer. In short -I believe the verses are trying to tell us that God prefers to speak in quiet ways, especially when we are troubled, but he sure got Elijah's attention.) ---------------- AT THE COMPUTERS.... Invite a church member who owns a digital camera to help you with these lessons (or let you borrow their camera). Using the digital camera, take two pictures of pairs of kids (or more depending on how many are working together at each computer). Take pictures of them in at least two poses: running and being talked to by God about their problems. If you have more cameras and time, you can take extra photos for extra poses. IMPORT the pictures into your creative writing and drawing program (you can also use Windows Paint if you don't have Kid Pix 3 or Writing Blaster). THEN....Have the kids add TEXT (that can read aloud) and "COLORIZE" the pictures by painting OVER them with the paint program tools. This is fun to do! Add a "cover page" explaining the project and a "summary page" explaining the meaning of the drawings/photos for the student's life. ***Try to have the students be as SPECIFIC as they dare about problems they are facing. If they don't want to name it specifically, have them create their own secret "code phrase" for the problem they are facing, so that they can have God's words in the still small voice scene address their problem specifically. For example, if a kid is faced with divorcing parents, they might call it "splits." NOTE: God told Elijah to go find another human being to help him. Encourage the kids to identify a person who can help them. CLOSING.... Print the presentations after sharing them on the computer. Take note of the various ways kids have chosen to express solutions to their problems. Lay the presentations on a stack in the middle of the group and have the group pile their hands on top of the stack and offer a prayer repeating each student's name: God of Elijah, speak to _____ and send them to someone who can help them with their problem. ------------------------- OPTIONS & OTHER COMMENTS: TECHIES: Make sure students use a "copy" of the original photo file in case they accidentally paint over something and don't hit the UNDO button soon enough. This will probably happen with younger kids. Shoot your photos on LOW resolution as these drawing programs will compress them anyway. Check to make sure your computers in the lab have USB port, otherwise you'll have to load them into the computers with a serial cable from your camera kit (which you'll need to bring). REGULAR CAMERA OPTION: If you don't have a digital camera, take the photos ONE WEEK ahead of time using a regular camera and take them to a photo/camera store for developing. Have them placed on a CD. FOR YOUNGER KIDS CLASSES: It is highly recommended that you have some Sr. Highs around to help you that understand working with photos and your drawing program. WARNING: Once you see what you can do with a digital camera in your computer lab you'll want one! ------------------------------- Drama Workshop This workshop introduces a long story through several vignettes. It has several locations, different moods, and several different characters. It is ripe for breaking into its smaller vignettes and then acting them out one after the other. Make time for students to create the scene for their vignette. Early in your workshop schedule have students re-enact the text. Only if you have plenty of workshop time, have the kids do a second version of the story by "modernizing" it. By week three or four however, "modernizing" the story is probably a good idea as the main drama --since the kids should be up on the basic Bible story by now. To create a "Productive Atmosphere" have a video camera on a tripod ready to record the action for viewing at the end of class. Scene I: Elijah on the run and at Horeb with God's earthquake, wind, fire and voice. Scene II: Elijah finds Elisha plowing the fields. Scene III: Elijah is taken up in the whirlwind and Elisha must decide to pick up the mantle. Questions for Older Kids Discussion: Scene I-- What have YOU done to get in real trouble? How did it make you feel? Have you ever run away? Why did God send earthquake, wind and fire, but the Bible say God was not in them? (Opinions differ, but many suggest that the author of the story wanted to contrast these BIG signs with how most people really believe God contacts them ...through the still small voice in their head.) How did Elijah know to follow this voice? How will you be able to tell when God is talking to you? Scene II -- What do you think Elijah was thinking when he came upon the teenage Elisha plowing the fields? What was going through Elisha's mind when this prophet approached him? How did Elisha know to follow this prophet of God? How might he have been prepared? What would his parent, your parents say? Scene III -- What's on these two people's minds as they walk with each other into the Wildnerness? What did they each need to hear and do? (Make a list). What's the significance of "crossing the River Jordan"...what did it signify? (some say it was a point of decision Elisha had to cross over.) What were Elisha's options when he saw the mantle lieing there on the ground? What was going through his mind? Was he scared? Prepared? ******************* Closing.... What decisions do YOU need to make about being a disciple of Jesus? What do you need to start doing? Stop doing? Who can help you make these decisions? And if you don't sense a decision now, how can you prepare yourself for the "day of decision" ...a "jordan river crossing" that will surely come? ((Have everyone in the workshop come stand by the River Jordan used in the drama (a piece of blue cloth will do). Write down some decisions young people face and throw them in the river that needs to be crossed through. Next, place some things, people, ideas on the one side that can help the student get to this point of decision about something in their life. Who they want to become, who they want to follow.)). ------------------------------- Video Workshop Nest Entertainment's Elisha video is good to go. It begins with the fiery chariot taking Elijah up in to the heavens and Elisha picking up his mantle. The Elijah video from Nest is mostly Mt. Carmel episode which this Rotation set we're writing here starts JUST after. Both videos come with a workbook that has supplemental activities and handout pages. OPEN the lesson by summarizing the story of Elijah and Elisha. Early in the Rotation schedule the kids will know less. Write a timeline of this Rotation sets vignettes on the board. READ and discuss the Chariot of Fire part of the story. Discussing the symbolism of the "passing of the mantle" to the young Elisha. Ask the children what things their parents or grandparents may have passed on to them. VIEW the Elisha VIDEO. Feel free to comment throughout the video, pausing if needed. CONCLUDE by asking the students to summarize what they just saw. Help students IDENTIFY who around them in their daily lives needs THEM to be their hero. Ask for suggestions on how they can show or share with younger or older people their faith. --- Exchange Volunteer modified title and combined several posts by author into one post. This message has been edited. Last edited by: CreativeCarol,

Posts: 1184 | Location: Columbus Ohio | Registered:: August 25, 2000

Previous Topic | Next Topic

powered by eve community

Reply

Copyright. The content of the Exchange may not be commercially reproduced and remains the property of the individual authors. Send all content inquiries to coordinator@rotation.org.
We could use your help maintaining and expanding this site! Learn more about us.