Some of the following ideas were originally posted in the "Creative Ways to Read and Discuss the Bible" forum.
If you're a supporting member, you can see the following video techniques described in lesson plans:
- See a version of this "selfie" technique in two unique ways in the Writing Team's "MAGI" lesson set Drama Workshop.
- See the "singing in the shower" (or carpool karaoke) technique in the Writing Team's Jesus Feeds the 5000 Music-Drama Workshop.
- See the "Live TV" concept in the Writing Team's Shepherds and Angels "Bethlehem Live" TV Show-Music Workshop.
Not a supporting member? Join today!
In this following post:
- "Cellphone Selfie Stories"
- "Bible Selfie Stories"
- "Live TV" Broadcast (Drama, Newscast, Singing)
"Cellphone Selfie Stories"
"Bible Selfie Stories"
Kids love taking pictures of themselves on the cellphone (or tablet). So here's a fun way to tell a Bible story using your cellphone camera's "selfie" setting. It's very similar to "posing" or creating a Bible story "tableaux" --but it does it using the popular "selfie" mode on your camera and in doing so, emphasizes only the FACES and facial expressions of the students.
- First, you copy the scripture to a handout and make copies for the class. (Look up your scripture at biblegateway.com and use your mouse to copy the text to a doc for printing.)
- After the kids read it and discuss it with you, form them into groups so that each group has a cellphone that can take selfies. Assign a volunteer helper who has a cellphone. This is a great opportunity to involve teenagers to help you.
- Each group marks up the scripture handout --dividing the verses into "selfies they need to take to retell the story."
- Now here's the educational thing, they have to decide what facial expressions in their selfie will help tell the story at each point in the scripture.
- Finally... plug your cellphone into your TV using an hdmi adapter so everyone can see the selfies. Have the group leader advance through the selfies as the rest of the group reads the passage aloud.
- The Writing Team's "MAGI" Drama & Photography Workshop lesson plan uses "Selfies" in two really neat ways:
Students create and display selfie photos as they read the Bible story
Students create a "selfie photo booth" to reflect on the meaning of the lesson.
Supporting Members can view the lesson plan here.
This technique is particularly suited for stories where there are several characters, or scenes, and things happening, such as miracles, or arguments. Pharisees, disciples, etc. Each line of dialog in a story is a potential photograph of the student portraying that person. Then you can photograph the reaction of the crowd or person being talked to.
Jonah's reaction to being in the whale...
The Pharisee's reaction to Jesus healing the paralytic let down through the roof...
Selfie "sticks" are also a helpful and fun tool (and very inexpensive).
Tip: Make up your own "selfie story" ahead of time using fun selfies taken by the PASTOR to go with the story, or in lieu of their sense of humor, yourself.
Younger Child Tip: Have them hold the camera while you press the selfie button on the camera.
"LIVE TV" BROADCAST
When you connect your cellphone to your TV monitor, you will see a "LIVE" picture of whatever your camera is pointing at. The first time I saw this, and saw how kids reacted in front of the "live" camera (fun), I realized we had a tiger by the tail.
In this Writing Team lesson about "Jesus Feeds the 5000," we adapted this "live TV" technique to help kids feel less self-conscious about SINGING in front of their classmates. How? Because we put a DIVIDER between the "audience" (their classmates) and the kids standing in front of the camera and singing. If you're a supporting member, you can see all the details in the WT's 5000 music workshop where we created a "singing in the shower" activity in which the kids sang their own story-related lyrics to familiar tunes (which they worked on ahead of time).
Here's the setup as it was used at one church:
This concept plays off of the idea of karaoke and "singing in the shower." It's so much fun that the kids FORGET that they are being watched by the "audience" around the corner.
We later adapted this same set up for the Shepherds and Angels Music Workshop -- where we created a "TV Show" using this "live" technique. The Angels sang and then were interviewed --again "around the corner" so they didn't have others staring at them as they spoke. Clever and it works wonders!
How do you get cellphone or tablet photos to show up on a TV screen?
It's easy if you have a modern cellphone, cellphone cable, and modern TV which has an input for media. Learn how here. It's even easier if you have a tech-saavy teen helping you
Tip: Be sure your phones have full-charges!
