Rotation.org Writing Team

JESUS’ ASCENSION
GAMES WORKSHOP

PASSAGE

Story: Acts 1:2-11

Key/Memory Verse: Acts 1:9b “As they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.” NRSV

PURPOSE

Objectives for Rotation

Students will be able to:

• locate the story of Jesus' Ascension in the New Testament books of Luke and Acts;
  (Older students will learn that Luke and Acts were written by the same author.)
  
  
• realize that Jesus' Ascension into heaven took place after forty days of appearances by the risen Christ to his disciples and followers;
  
  
• learn that Jesus gave a promise to His followers that the Holy Spirit would come to empower them;
  
  
• understand that Jesus' Ascension is a departure of the physically resurrected Jesus, but it prepares us for Christ's presence in a new way, in and through us;
  
  
• know that God's mission to tell everyone about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection was entrusted to Christ's followers -- the disciples then and to us now;
  
  
• realize that we are still waiting for Jesus' return, known as the Second Coming.
  

Objective for Games Workshop

Students will study the story of Jesus’ Ascension using a Nintendo DS to help them understand the time that passed between the events of the Ascension. The children will practice the story and different forms of witnessing with the DS lite pictochat feature.

Students:

• will better understand the time line of the story;
  
  
• will be able to retell the story of Ascension;
  
  
• will better understand what the story means for us today;
  
  
• will be encouraged to act as witnesses and tell the story with technology (games) not normally associated with church.
  

PREPARATION

Read the Bible Background.

Read the Bible story in all 3 passages (Mark, Luke, and Acts).

Materials List

• Bibles
  
• Calendar
  
• Instruction book for Nintendo DS
  
• Nintendo DS (at least one; if more, make certain they are communicating with each other)
  
• Notecards
  
• Pen
  

Advance Preparation Requirements

Become familiar with the game system's pictochat feature.

Make certain battery is charged.

Prepare separate notecards with dates for the following events:

• Good Friday
  
• Easter
  
• Ascension
  
• Pentecost
  

Prepare separate notecards with the following words:

• Resurrection
  
• Emmaus
  
• First appearance to disciples.
  

PRESENTATION

Open – Introduction

Welcome the children.

Open with prayer.

"Explain that today’s lesson will be an opportunity to learn about how Jesus left his followers (including us) after making a promise of a helper to come. Tell the children that they will be exploring the happenings before and after that event, and then will have an opportunity to explore the implications for their lives today.

Before reading the Scripture, give some background information, including that Acts is a continuation of Luke’s recounting Jesus’ life and that the events we are studying now take place after Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Distribute Bibles and read the Scripture: Acts 1:1-11.

Review the details to make sure the children understood the story:

Where did Jesus go?

What did he tell his followers before he left? What did he promise?

How did his followers respond to his departure?

Look at how the story continues by reading Acts 2:1-4."

Dig - Main Content

Have a child draw a card. After reading it, the child is to illustrate the card using the pictochat feature of the DS (reference Nintendo DS instruction book, page 5-10). Proceed through each child and allow him or her to illustrate or text the part of the story from the selected card.

There are a few different options available.

Finish the picture (2+ systems)

Copy 'n' morph (2+ systems)

Flip books (single system)

Allow the children freedom to express their understanding of the story in as many ways and as often as possible with the game system in the time allotted.

Practice the memory verse with the keyboard. Child one enters first word; child two enters first two words, child three enters first three words, and so forth.

Reflect – Closure

Discuss again what it means to be a witness. Read Acts 1:8.

Ask:

Were the disciples to be witnesses without any help?

What is the power that Jesus promised?

How does the Holy Spirit help us?

What are some “new” ways you can share Jesus with others?

Close with prayer.

ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS

If a Nintendo DS is not available, use the notecards to play charades.

CONTRIBUTOR: Cissy Green