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Esther 

Games Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities: 

To reinforce the story-line and characters in the story of Esther through playing a Jeopardy style game.

OK, you'll say this is not really "Jeopardy" as these are questions with multiple choice answers.  But my reasoning is, the board is set-up with headings and points like Jeopardy.  The reason for the answer choices is that all ages can now play (and the choices create teamwork - as the team choose an answer together).  The set-up is to also help include newcomers, visitors, or special needs children.

Scripture Reference

Book of Esther

Key Verse

“And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”  --Esther 4: 14b



Hangman Board
Supplies List:  

  • "Original Yellow Pocket Chart" by "Carson Delosa".
  • Something or someway to hang above chart.
  • 2 – "Melissa & Doug" Hangman Games (pictured to the right)
  • 20 Blank White Cardstock Cards (of some type, example blank recipe cards).
  • 5 Coloured Cardstock Cards.
  • Two Dice

Leader Preparation:

  • Write up or type up questions on the 20 Blank White Cardstock Cards.
  • Write or type Points on front of above question cards.
  • Write up or type the 5 categories on the coloured cardstock cards.

Prior to Class:

  • set-up chairs.
  • set-up Pocket Chart with headings across top and question cards in order of points, under headings as shown in Question Chart below.
  • Hangman Games:  have all letters and hangman pieces turned over to blank side, except A B C and D.  Lay beside Pocket Chart (Jeopardy Board) ready to hand one to each team.

    Esther Jeopardy


Presentation

Opening- Welcome and Lesson Introduction:

  1. If this is the first week of rotation suggest you read the story of Esther from a children book or storybook bible.  If it's the second .... you could just go into the game.

    Note:  Reading the story beforehand was not necessary, in our case, as I retold the story during “Children’s Time” upstairs during church with an interactive Megillah story from the book, "Esther: A to Z" by Phyllis Wezeman.

Dig-Main Content and Reflection:

Activity - Jeopardy

  1. Divide children equally – be sure to put younger and older children together, if you have a mixed age group.  Teams may give themselves a fun team name, something to do with the story of characters, example:  The Purims, The Gallows, The Esthers, etc..
  2. Give each team a dice and a scoreboard (Hangman).
    Show children – the letters (ABCD) are their answer choices, then have them flip them over so the blank side is now face up.   
  3. Have each team throw the dice, largest number gets to select the first category
    (example:  team will say "I want a BOO for 100)
    – question must be picked in order 100 through 500.
  4. Game Host (teacher) – will read the questions and four answer choices to both teams.
  5. Each team may talk among themselves, quietly (don't want other team to hear them) deciding which answer the believe is correct  – A, B, C or D. 
  6. One child on the team is assigned to register their team's answer choice: A, B, C, or D on the Hangman Board by flipping up the letter the team chooses, example answer "B", and once they're done the child with the Hangman Board raises their hand to indicate their team has an answer ready.  But, they do not let the other team see what they have chosen.
  7. Once both teams indicate they are ready with an answer - the Host will ask for their answers and the teams will show their boards at the same time.
  8. The team(s) with the correct answer get to turn over a hangman piece.
  9. Regardless who gets the question right or wrong the other team now has the choice to pick the next category and point question.  Each time move to the next child on the team so that each team member will eventually get to pick the category. 
  10. With each question the Hangman Board is passed to the next team member, on both teams, so that everyone get's a chance to be in charge of the Hangman Board.
  11. Continue until one of the teams has hung Haman, If time remains the kids can turn their hangman's tiles back down and start with a fresh hangman, but continue with the remaining questions.
    Note:  Hangman is appropriate here as part of the Esther story.  Haman wanted to hang Mordecai, but he ended up being hung on the gallows he built for Mordecai for his treachery.  Besides the Hangman board adds fun to the game and the kids will all want to participate to be able to have their turn flipping over the tiles.

An alternative to hanging Haman would be to save Mordeci. Start with all hangman pieces face-up, then tell the children, their goal is to save Mordecai, so for every answer they get right they flip back a hangman piece. First to remove Mordecai from the gallows wins.

NOTE:  Who Am I?  Questions require the team to give the name of the character being described.  Read the first clue, if neither team wants to guess what who it is, go to the next clue, and so on, until all clues are read.  The team who guesses first the correct answer wins the points awarded for that question card.

Questions:

Category Name

Question

Answer A

Answer B

Answer C

Answer D

Ahhhh 100

How many banquets did Queen Esther hold?

One

Two

Three

Four

Ahhhh 200

Who did Queen Esther invite to her banquets?

Just the king

The king and Mordecai

The king and Haman

The king and his chief princes

Ahhhh 300

How long did Esther fast for before going to see the king?

Forty days and nights

Three Days Three Nights

One day

Seven days

Ahhhh 400

Why did Esther not want to go to the king on behalf of the Jews?

She new he wouldn’t listen

She feared she would be exiled

She feared she would be killed

He might laugh at her

Ahhhh 500

What secret did Esther keep from the King?

That she was already married

That she was an orphan

That she was a jew.

That she had an uncle

Boo 100

Who disobeyed the king by not coming when he called?

The serving maid

Memucan, the prince

Vashti, the queen

Zethar, the chamberlain

Boo 200

Why did Haman want to kill the entire Jewish nation?

He wanted to stop the Jews worshipping their God

Mordecai would not bow down to him

Queen Esther would not invite him to her feast

His servants told him the Jews wanted to assassinate him

Boo 300

Haman's wife suggested he build gallows to hang Mordecai – what was her name?

Zeresh

Bigthana

Terea

Abihail

Boo 400

What did Haman do at the 2nd banquet that made the King angry?

He didn’t use his napkin

His evil  plan was revealed & Haman touched Esther

He spoke to the King without permission

He burped a lot

Boo 500

How did Haman die?

He was hanged on the gallows he prepared for Mordecai

He was killed by the king's princes by the sword

The Jews were allowed revenge by killing Haman

He was exiled to a distant land and died there

Hooray 100

What festival was instituted to celebrate the fact that the Jews were saved?

Passover

Purim

Rosh Hashanah

Yom Kippur

Hooray 200

What traditions happen at a Purim feats.

Offerings and quiet meditation

Feasts, parties, gifts of food & wearing masks

Fasting & Prayer

A big Banquet

Hooray 300

What did Mordecai do when he heard about Haman's plan to kill the Jews?

Cursed Haman in the street

Burned down Haman's house

Went to Esther for help

Went to plead with the king

Hooray 400

What did Bigthan and Teresh try to do?

Kill Mordecai

Assassinate the king

Kill Haman

Overthrow the king

Hooray 500

How did the king reward Mordecai for saving him from an assassination attempt?

He paid him 100 talents of silver

Haman led him through the streets on the king's horse

He was given the kings signet ring

He allowed him to be exempt from the Jewish extermination order

May He Live Forever 100

Who was the king of Persia in the book of Esther?

King Xerxes

King Darius

King Nebuchadnezzar

King Belshazzar

May He Live Forever 200

How did the king decide who his new wife would be?

He married the daughter of the king of Egypt

He held a beauty contest for the young girls of Persia

His chamberlain chose the most beautiful girl he could find

He married his brother's daughter

May He Live Forever 300

What did the king do when he couldn't sleep?

Had the history books read to him

Counted sheep

Asked his servant to entertain him

Called for a glass of water

May He Live Forever 400

What did the king hold out to Esther to show she could approach him?

The golden crown

His hand

His ring

The golden sceptre

May He Live Forever 500

How did the king stop the extermination of the Jews?

He reversed his previous decree

He gave the Jews the right to defend themselves

He commanded the Jews to lock themselves in their houses on the appointed day

He ordered that anyone who killed a Jew was to be thrown into a den of lions

Who Am I? 500

Answer:  Vashti

  1. Female
  2. Wore a Crown
  3. Married King Xerxes
  4. Would not attend the King’s Banquet
  5. Was exiled for not obeying the King
   

Who Am I? 400

Answer:  Haman

  1. Male
  2. Had lots of power
  3. Was arrogant and egotisitcal
  4. Hated Mordecai
  5. Villian of our story – tried to kill Jews
   

Who Am I? 300

Answer:  Mordecai

  1. Male
  2. Official at palace gate
  3. Saved the King’s Life
  4. A Jew
  5. Uncle to Esther
   

Who Am I? 200

Answer:  King Xerxes

  1. Male
  2. Didn’t know Esther was a Jew
  3. Wore Royal Robes
  4. Had a sceptor
  5. King of Persia
   

Who Am I? 100

Answer:  Esther

  1. Female
  2. Wore a Crown
  3. A Jew
  4. Mordecai’s Niece
  5. Heroine of our story
   

Closing:

End with a prayer.


Sources: 

  • Canadian Bible Society website - link dead.

This was done in 2008 and I see as I went to post this today that I had only noted a link to the Canadian Bible Society, which I find no longer works, and was not successful in finding anything on their current site.

I'm sure the questions were pulled from all over this site and the internet, if I've used your question/answer and you wish to be added to the sources please let me know and I will respectfully add you.


This lesson was written by Luanne Payne from: Hampton United Church,

Hampton, ON, Canada,

A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.
 

 

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  • Hangman Board
  • Esther Jeopardy
Last edited by Luanne Payne
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