Adam & Eve
Puppet Workshop
Summary of Lesson Activity
Students will watch a puppet show presented by two adults (or youth) which tells the story. Then they will reflect on modern-day temptations & choices, and develop & perform puppet skits to illustrate these situations.
Scripture Reference:
Genesis 2:4 through Genesis 3:24
Key/Memory Verse:
“Since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Romans 3:23-24 (NRSV)
Lesson Objectives
At the end of the Rotation, kids should be able to:
- Locate the story in their Bible, identifying Genesis as the first book in the Old Testament.
- Retell the story in his/her own words. (Build on their understanding of the story.)
- Recognize that is a story about God and about each of us, and choices we make.
- Identify temptations & wrong choices in their own lives, and ways to be obedient to God.
- Discover that God forgives even when we do wrong; God is our guide to doing right.
Leader Preparation
- Read the scripture for this lesson.
- Read and reflect on the overview material provided for this lesson.
- Gather the following materials.
- Background scenery for puppet stage - a garden of trees [Optional]
- Bible(s)
- Child size binoculars (or create from toilet paper tubes)
- Clothespins or masking tape
- Construction paper, red
- Marker
- Paint stick
- Pencils
- Poster board
- Puppet skit, 2 copies [See next post]
- Puppet stage
- Puppets for students to use in their skits
- Puppets to represent: Adam, Eve, and a snake
- Scissors
- Student guide sheets (see file attachment)
- Tape
- Tree (use a real tree branch or an artificial tree)
Advance Preparation Requirements
- Create simple puppets if you don't already own any. (See resources for ideas on creating puppets. A sock puppet is recommended for the snake.)
- Give the Shepherd advance notice that they will be helping put on a short puppet skit. If needed, ask another adult to help with the skit.
- Print & cut copies of the Student Guide.pdf (3 guides/pdf)- you'll need one guide for every 3-4 students. (Not required but helps keep the kids focused on the lesson.)
- Set the tree up at center stage.
- Cut apples from red construction paper. Use clothespins or loops of tape to clip the construction paper apples to the tree.
- Draw a picture of an illuminated light bulb on the piece of poster board. Attach to a paint stick.
Lesson Plan
Opening:
Greet your students warmly. Introduce yourself and any other adults. Open with prayer.
A suggestion: "Dear God, We are thankful to be here today. Help us to learn about your love - how your love surrounds us, and guides us in all we do. Amen".
Ask: Have you had to make many choices so far today? Maybe you had a choice of what to have for breakfast? How about choosing what to wear? (Allow a few comments about choices that they've made today.)
Say: Every day we all make lots of choices. Sometimes a choice is easy to make and sometimes it's hard.
Ask: What happens when you are faced with a situation where you know that one choice is wrong? Is it hard to choose in that case?
What can happen when you make a wrong choice? (allow a few answers)
Say: The wrong choice often results in punishment. Sometimes we learn our lesson ... but ... it's really hard to make the right choices all the time, isn't it?
Say: There's a story in the Bible that's been told for thousands of years. Our ancestors would have told this story around campfires. It's a story that Jesus would have learned when he was your age. It's a story that has meaning for us today because it tells us something about being human - humans make mistakes. It's also a story about how God feels about our mistakes.
Ask: Where in the Bible do you suppose we would find such a story, in the Old Testament or the New Testament? (in the Old Testament)
Do: Distribute Bibles. Have everyone find Genesis 2:4. Have them notice that this is where the story starts. Then have them find Genesis 3:24. Point out that this is where our story ends.
Say: This is a long story so we won't be reading it today. I wanted you to know where to find it in your Bible so you can read it at home. Today you have a special treat because you are going to hear this story by some adults using puppets.
Do: Two adults enact the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden using the attached puppet skit (see end of lesson).
Dig (Initial Reflection)
Ask: Adam and Eve made a bad choice. What did they do that made God angry? (disobeyed God) How do you suppose it happened - what caused them to make this wrong choice? (mention temptation)
Do: Show the illuminated light bulb prop.
Ask: What happened to Adam and Eve's thinking skills? (allow all answers)
Does that ever happen to you?
Say: Now let's think about what tempts us today. In your group, talk about situations where you know one choice is wrong - but it's very tempting! Choose one situation and come up with a short puppet skit to illustrate a modern Adam and Eve giving in to temptation.
Dig (Application)
Do: Break into groups of 3 to 4 students. Pass out one Student Guide Sheet per group. You and the Shepherd should go around and facilitate as needed. You may wish to show students what puppets are available to be used. Encourage them to use the snake puppet if they want to, or the apples on the tree.
Student Guide Sheet: A modern-day Adam and Eve in the Garden
1. Talk about what tempts you.
2. Choose one tempting situation and think about turning it into a puppet skit.
3. Who are the characters?
4. What choices are involved?
5. What consequences?
6. When the characters are tempted and make a bad choice - how do they feel?
7. What happens - do the characters hide?
8. Are they punished?
9. Are they forgiven?
Do: Allow students 5-10 minutes to develop their skits. Give a two-minute warning.
Have each group present their skit. After each skit, discuss issues that arise. Include discussion of what can be done to avoid a particular temptation in their lives. How can we help each other resist temptation?
Closing Reflection
Say: Sometimes we make wrong choices. We think we can do just fine without God but we mess up. We sin.
Ask: What did Adam and Eve do when they messed up? (were afraid, hid)
What did God do? (looked for them)
What does God do when we mess up?
Do: Refer to the key verse.
Say: There will be consequences for our actions. The good news is that even when we make mistakes, God still lovingly seeks us. God offers us another chance. God sent his son Jesus to die for us so our sins could be forgiven. When we honestly admit our sin saying, "God, I sinned. I messed up and I'm sorry. Please forgive me." When we say that and mean it - God forgives us. God may throw us out of the Garden of Eden, but God loves us and goes with us.
Additional Suggestions
Younger Students: Form slightly larger groups (4-5 students). Have an adult helper with each group. The adult guides their discussion, dictates their skit, and then narrates the script while the children act it out.
Older Students:
Include in the lesson the chance for the students to make simple puppets that they use in their skits. Younger students could also use these puppets when they visit the workshop.
Resources:
Ideas to make simple puppets from readily available materials
A variety of simple puppets: http://www.auntannie.com/puppets/index.html#bag
Paper bag puppets:
http://www.jimwestpuppets.com/...pets/bagpuppets.html
Sock puppets: http://www.legendsandlore.com/sockpuppets.html
Soda cup puppets: do a google search.
Books with puppet ideas:
Irving, Lynn. Pocketful of Puppets: Poems for Church School. Austin, TX: Nancy Renfro Studios, 1982. ISBN 0-931044-05-7
Rump, Nan. Puppets and Masks: Stagecraft and Storytelling. Worcester, MA: Davis Publications, Inc., 1996. ISBN 0-87192-298-3
Wezeman, Phyllis Vos. 100 Creative Teaching Techniques for Religion Teachers. Mystic, CT: Twenty-Third Publications, 2001. ISBN 1-58595-141-2
Wezeman, Phyllis Vos. Puppet Projects for Scripture Stories. Prescott, AZ: Educational Ministries, Inc., 1995.
A lesson written by Carol Hulbert
Copyright 2009 First United Methodist Church, Ann Arbor, MI.
Permission to copy materials granted for non-commercial use provided credit is given and all cited references remain with this material
