7 BAGS OF PROPS ~ 1 FOR EACH DAY
This idea wasadapted from the book, Creative Clothesline Characters - 40 Ways to Tell a Bible Story (a book by Group now out of print but occasionally found online).
In this Storytelling Game, after introducing the Bible story of Creation, students are randomly assigned 7 bags of props/costume. Each bag represents one of the days of Creation.
Assembling the Bags
- Assemble 7 paper grocery sacks or shopping bags.
- Collect 2 or 3 props for each bag that represent a day in the Creation story (see suggestions below)
- Add a costume or piece of fabric that creatively represents that day.
- Write a reflection question on a slip of paper and put it in the bag, one for each day. This will be asked and answered after the kids tell "their day" to the rest of the class using the props in their bag.
Assign the Bags
- Make a game out of the bag assignment by racing to grab a bag or rolling a dice, or arranging from oldest to youngest student, or asking trivia questions about the scripture reading and assigning bags to those who correctly answer. This is purely a fun gimmick, the lesson is really "in the bag!"
Storytelling with the Bags
- Let a confident student go first -- opening their bag, laying out their props/putting on their "costume," and having everyone guess "which day is in that bag."
- Then have the student tell the story of that day using the props. Give them prompts if needed.
- Have the student read their reflection question to the class and invite the student and others to answer.
- End each day's story with the student or teacher saying "And God saw what he had made and said," with the students responding, "That's Good!"
- Then place the bag with its props on a table -- where eventually all the bags will be placed (after their story is told) and then ARRANGED IN THE CORRECT CREATION ORDER by the class.
If you have fewer than 7 students, have the teacher also take a bag or use the bags not taken in a second round of storytelling-game-bag assigning. If you have more than 7 students, double up on some of the bags.
Prop Suggestions
Genesis 1:1-5, Day 1: God hovered over the water, created light and separated it from darkness.
A bag of water and a bowl, a flashlight. Sunglasses.
Genesis 1:6-8, Day 2: God created the sky and separated it from the waters below.
A blue hand towel in a bag of water, a bowl. (kids squeeze the water out of the towel). Rain boots.
Genesis 1:9-13, Day 3: God created the dry land, seas, plants and trees.
Dirt, a garden trowel, a plant that needs planted in the dirt. Gardening gloves.
Genesis 1:14-18, Day 4: God created the sun, moon and stars to mark the seasons, days and years.
A sheet of black paper, white paint and paintbrush, glue and silver glitter. Artist's beret or Smock.
Genesis 1:20-23, Day 5: God created the creatures that live in the sea and the creatures that fly.
Ocean creature and bird toys, stuffed sea creatures/birds. Scuba mask and/or swim fins.
Genesis 1:24-31, Day 6: God created the land animals and humans in his image.
A stuffed land animal and modeling clay to make animals and humans.
Genesis 2:1-2, Day 7: God rested and blessed the seventh day as holy.
A blanket and pillow and party cup. A pair of binoculars to look over all Creation.
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