MIRACLES OF JESUS

Creation Station #2

This lesson plan is copyrighted and belongs to the Kirk of Kildaire Presbyterian,

Cary North Carolina. It may be used for non-profit uses only.

CREATION STATION This workshop will take 45 minutes.

SCRIPTURE: Jesus Stills a Storm (Mark 4:35-41) Memory Verse - “He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?’” (Mark 4:40) (see also Matt. 8:23-27 and Luke 8:22-25)

OBJECTIVES: The children will find comfort in knowing Jesus can help them not be afraid. The children will experience awe, as did the disciples, at Jesus’ care and concern for them and his ability to make the wind and sea obey him.

CONCEPT: Define “miracle” for children (miracle - a wonderful event which shows us the power of God, or an especially vivid moment when as a result of an unexpected and surprising event, one becomes aware of the presence and power or God at work).

This workshop will allow many types of learning to take place. Creating a work of art allows the visual learner to reach out and make the story real, it allows the kinesthetic learner to experience the story and the logical/mathematical learner will create, if given the chance, something that reinforces the story for her. This story is one that most of the children can relate too (fear of storms and bad weather) and their creative process can help them remember this wonderful miracle story and remember that Jesus can help calm their fears, just as he helped the disciples.

PROCEDURE:

1. Welcome the kids. Open the time with prayer. In your prayer, thank God for each person gathered there and ask God to open your ears and eyes that you might all see/hear/experience God’s awesome power. If you are not comfortable using your own prayer, find one in a resource book in library, ask someone to write one for you to use.

2. Make sure you know each child’s name and use their names when speaking with them. You may want to have each child introduce themselves in a game appropriate for CREATION STATION.

For example: Hi, my name is ______________and I like to ___________. (favorite form of art- paint, draw, color, work with clay, make crafts, sew, etc.)

3. Introduce the bible lesson. Because this is CREATION STATION, it is highly recommended and very appropriate to have some way of telling the story that incorporates art or an art form. For example, do a ‘chalk talk’ as you tell the story. Create cartoons on an overhead as you tell or read the story. You may want to project colors on the wall that evoke the different moods of the story - yellow for calm at the beginning of the story, dark blue as storm gathers, red for fear, white for Jesus, back to yellow as storm is calmed. You may want to have kids draw or ‘doodle’ with markers as you tell/read the story. These are just suggestions to get the creative juices flowing, feel free to get the story to them however you feel most comfortable and a way that you feel suits the story.

Whatever method of introducing the bible lesson you choose, it is recommended that you use either the New Revised Standard Version or Contemporary English Version if you are reading it directly from scripture. Many children’s bible story book have this story.

4. Activity: Create something! Some possible suggestions would be a storm sand created with sand art and 3D effects (shells, boat, sails, etc.). Another possible suggestions would be to create a storm scene using colored macaroni (see Guildcraft catalogue 800-345-5563 - lots of cool pre- colored macaroni and rice shapes. The storm scene should NOT be drawn by an adult, kids should use black marker and design their own on poster board.

a. Do not show a finished product. If you want to have samples, provide a wide variety to let the kids know there is no “right” way to create.

b. The process of creating is more important than the finished product. This means that working with materials, experimenting and letting the kids create something that will

help them remember the story is the focus of this activity.

c. Help kids relate what they are doing to the story. Does the project remind them of

a certain part of the story. Does the project relate to how we can apply the story

today - help kids remember how Jesus helped the disciples when they were afraid,

remind the kids of this miracle that showed the greatness of God through Jesus.

5. Discussion: At this particular workshop, the discussion can be incorporated into informal sharing during the “creating” time. Some things to consider sharing with the children include:

Talk about how individual children might have responded if they had been in the boat with Jesus. Ask them what makes them afraid. Does sharing their fears with God in prayer help them not be so afraid? The disciples were amazed that Jesus calmed the sea and wind - what else about Jesus do we find amazing? Does this story remind us about how much Jesus truly loves us?

6. Review the key verse. Have kids repeat the key verse and perhaps have the older kids share a fear they will ask God to help them with. Don’t push this - just those willing to share.

7. Clean up. Involve the children as much as is possible in this part of the experience.

8. Have kids put either a stamp from your workshop, a sticker or a small item (a small amount of sand or colored macaroni?) in their journal to help them remember where they went and what the workshop was about. This is to help them when they do their journal writing at the end of the day.

CLOSING:

Close with a prayer. For example: Dear God, Thank you for all the wonderful things that Jesus did in your name. Help us to remember that it is okay to be afraid and that we can ask you to help us when we are afraid. Thank you for loving us so much that you sent Jesus to be with us and help us everyday.

TEACHER PREP IN ADVANCE:

1. Get all the materials you are going to need. Plan how kids are going to mark their art work and whether they will take it with at the end of the workshop, at the end of the day or at the end of the week.

3. Write opening prayer or “get” one you like.

4. Decide how you want to present the bible lesson and practice whatever method you choose. Practice telling the story and get any props you might wish to use (nothing to elaborate for props!)

5. Plan for discussion. Try to incorporate the thoughts above in the Discussion section into the creative part of the workshop. Depending on how long the ‘creating’ takes, you will probably find you have more time for this with the older classes than the younger classes.

6. Decide what you want to use to ‘mark’ kids’ journals. This sticker/stamp/item is to help them remember what they saw, did, learned in your workshop to help them at journal writing at the end of the day. It is NOT to be a craft they do, just a small item you have for them to place in their Daily Journal to encourage them to respond to what they have experienced.

7. Decide how you want to close. Have prayer written - are you going to read it, have kids read it together, one kid read, etc. What if you have extra time? Are there other activities you could do? Have something else “up your sleeve” just in case you have a few extra minutes. For example, have kids help prep materials for next group, another craft, clean or free ‘draw’ to a CD of contemporary Christian music. Just suggestions!

MATERIALS:

*All items needed for creativity activity

Bible or Bible story book

items for clean up - place to wash hands, broom, etc.

REFERENCES:

“Jesus’ Miracles”, J. Nowak, Memorial Presbyterian Church, Xenia, OH