We invited famous lesson writer Steven "W." Spielberg to share his lesson writing insights. The following article is part of the Rotation.org Writing Team's "training kit."
Sunday School Lesson Writing Tips from Steven "W." Spielberg
Famous Director, Teacher, and Storyteller.
1. GIVE YOUR KIDS A COOL OPENING
It doesn't have to be a big explosion or large mechanical shark, but attention-grabbing, interactive, memory forming, and anticipation-creating are good!
Remember how I did it in the opening of Indiana Jones? Remember the giant rolling ball? Yeah, you do, so do the same to your lesson opening too.
2. GO "A LITTLE SPIELBERG" ON YOUR SCRIPTURE READING
Add action, interaction, props, maybe even a few dinosaurs or flares. Do voices! Assign roles. Wear a costume. See our helpful list of creative ways to read the Bible with children.
Read it like you love it, or have a T-Rex chasing you. Just don't be a dull Pharisee about it (they always get eaten).
Making things memorable is the first art of film....er... scripture reading!
3. DON'T FORGET THE SATISFYING and MEMORABLE FINISH
Think of all the great endings to your favorite movies. Do any of them sound like "blah blah blah now let's clean up" ?? No.
Remember how you cried at the end of E.T. when he told Elliot he'd be "right here"? It was the whole point of the entire movie! ...and it was wonderfully made.
The best way to ensure you have a memorable finish is to pin a quick activity to it, ...something meaningfully fun to do that reiterates the key point. E.T. could have just left, but even with the agents and dogs about to find them, he slowed down, engaged, and made his point in dramatic fashion.
4. TIGHTEN YOUR FINAL LESSON SCRIPT, ...like "Superhero Spandex Tight."
Make sure your lesson sticks to the lesson objectives and not wandered off (like 1941 did).- Cut the blah-blah-blah.
- Reduce your word count.
- Simplify your language and vocab.
- Don't try to squeeze in more points and one last question.
- Don't be afraid to leave good stuff on the cutting room floor if it serves to create a focused, memorable, and meaningful lesson.
You're going to feel like you're wearing spandex in the class, so give your lesson a six-pack, not love-handles.
Lesson Writing Tips copyright Steven Wormy Spielberg. All rights reserved.
Any resemblance to the more famous Steven Spielberg is purely for yucks.
