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

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.
  
  

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:

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.