(WT) Jacob & Esau ~ Bible Skills & Games

Rotation.org Writing Team

Jacob and Esau

"The Great Jake Game Station Workshop"

(revised 2015)

Summary of Lesson Activity

Teams of 2 or more students will 'rotate' to 3 different game stations where they will complete question-games about the Jacob stories. One team per station. Timekeepers at each station will supervise and keep a 'time score.' Questions and games are structured to make sure everyone has to participate, and if they don't know the answer, they can look it up. The winning team is announced when all teams have completed each station.

The station question/activities cover all the Jacob stories studied in this rotation set. Bible skills and life application are part of the games.

Unlike a conventional lesson, in this workshop, scripture will be read and discussed at the game stations.

Scripture

Please see the Bible Background for the complete list of scriptures.
Game content is being drawn from all the Jacob stories.

Students will be consulting their Bibles to answer questions if needed.

Objectives for the Rotation

See the Bible Background for this set

Objectives for this Workshop

To reinforce Jacob and Esau story details through quiz-games.
To improve various Bible skills, including: map reading, use of concordance, Bible dictionary, genealogy of patriarchs.
Know more about God's character and grace by how God acts in these stories.
Understand that God's grace/blessings to Jacob and to us are undeserved.
God keeps his Covenant promises to individuals and to the world.

Preparation

Read Bible Background, scripture and lesson plan.
Prepare each game station using the instructions.
Recruit helpers to staff each station.
Make sure each station leader has a stopwatch — smartphones have them.
Make sure you have multiple copies of this lesson plan as it tells each station leader what to say and ask.
Print the scorecard (Scorekeeper.pdf) for teams to carry to each station (attached).
Print the 'Family Tree' (Jacob-Tree-PDF.pdf) and 'Matching' (Match The Bible quote.pdf) for station 2 (attached).
Print the 'Question Cards" (Jacob Esau Question Cards.pdf) attached.

Supplies

See the instructions below for each game for supplies lists.
Purchase some cheap "medals" or "cup trophies" in bulk for the "Awards Ceremony" reflection.

Lesson Plan

A typical lesson plan has a reading of scripture followed by an activity. In this Games Station Workshop, students will both read, learn, and reflect at each station as they play the games.

Note to the Station Leader/Timekeeper

Print the scoresheet attached to this lesson at rotation.org. Use your best judgment on how to adjust the questions and amount of help you decide to give your students. Just keep it fair and do not let one student dominate the group. Keep track of time per each station's instructions and remember to write it on your Team's scorecard before they leave your table. Do not let them see their score as that will encourage them to compare how well each team is doing. Pay special attention to the instructions which keep one person from dominating the play and answers.

Open

Welcome students and introduce today's lesson plan by saying:

Today, we are going to play several games to help us remember key details about the stories of Jacob and Esau. In a moment, we'll split into teams, and then teams will rotate to different game stations to complete four tasks there. You will be TIMED at each station, so work as quickly as possible. You will need to know the right answer or look it up in order to keep moving. The team that has the best time after completing all three stations will win. You will not know your score or any other team's score until the very end, so don't freak out if it takes extra time for some questions or players.

Split into teams.

Begin the Game Stations!

Station 1: The Bible Skills Relay

Supplies Needed:

♦ Map of Israel showing Jerusalem and Bethel
♦ Bible Dictionary or Concordance
♦ 1 Bible for each student
♦ Timer that shows seconds (such as a cellphone timer)

Note to timekeeper: Depending on # of students, you may assign two players per card. Do not let one person dominate all the answers.

Lay the study books and numbered question cards face-down on the table, and say: When I say "go," the first person on your team will flip over the first question card and start looking for the answer. When you find them in these resources, quickly tell me so that the next player can start looking for the answer to the second card's question. I will write down your total time it took you to answer all these cards. Are you ready?

Write the numbers on one side of the cards, and the questions on the other. Lay them question-side down in front of the students.

Card 1: According to Genesis 28, what happened to Jacob near the town of Beth-el? You can only answer this once, so do not guess. If you get it wrong, you will have 45 seconds added to your time score.

Card 2: Find the town of Bethel on a map of Israel and show it to the scorekeeper.

Card 3 : Using one of your Bible resources, show the scorekeeper what the word "Beth-el" means in Hebrew.

Card 4: Find two other Bible stories that happened many years after Jacob's story that mention the city of Bethel. Show them to the scorekeeper. (Use the concordance or Bible dictionary.)

Answers:

Card 1: At Bethel Jacob dreams of a stairway to heaven with angels coming up and down and God standing at the top. God blesses Jacob.

Card 2: Bethel is found (10 miles) north of Jerusalem.

Card 3: "Beth-el" means "house of God" in Hebrew.

Card 4: Some of many possibilities: Joshua conquered Bethel after Jericho (Joshua 8:1-17; 12:7-9,16). One of the first places the Ark of the Covenant was set up (Judges 20:18, 26-28; 21:2). Jereboam set-up golden calves in Bethel for his people to worship.

Station 2: The Family Tree Station

Supplies Needed:

♦ Print the Jacob's Family Tree attached at end of this lesson on rotation.org. It has a blank tree, a solution tree, and just the names. Cut the names into squares. (Tip: Don't cut the names the same size as the box they fit in.)
Despending on how well you think your students will do, you may decide to pre-place some of the name clues on the tree to help them get started. Just remember to do this for each team! You may also choose to give them one "hint." See game instructions below.

♦ Print and share copies of the "Who Said It" document (Match the Bible quote.pdf) attached to the end of this lesson at rotation.org.

1. Assemble the Family Tree Game:

Jacob-Tree-Key Lay out the name squares in random order and say: When I say "go," put the names on the tree in the correct order. When you think you have them correct, raise your hand and I will PAUSE the clock to tell you how many are correct. You will only get one pause.

If any are incorrect, I will tell you which ones are wrong, but I will not tell you where they go. I will then un-pause the clock and you can take more time to get them in the right order. You will only get a total of 5 minutes but should work fast to reduce your time.

When you think you have them in the right order, yell STOP! I will then stop timing you and record your time. I will then tell you how many you got right and wrong. For each one that is still in the wrong place at the end I will add 25 seconds to your total time score.

2. Family "Who Said It?" Matching Game:

Say: Working together, match the "quote" from scripture with the person who said it. For each correctly matched quote, you will get 10 seconds deducted from your total time score from the previous family tree game. You may use your Bibles to look them up, but no reference is provided.

I will give you a maximum of 5 minutes then score your paper. Ready?

See attachment for the matching quiz and answer key.

Station 3: Story Quiz Station!

Supplies Needed: The six questions cards, two bonus questions, and two cards labeled "Ask a Friend" - found in file attached to this lesson (print & cut.) A dice to roll. Bibles for each player. Pencil and paper for each team. For non-readers, make the questions True/False.

Say: I will be asking you six quiz questions about the story of Jacob and Esau.

You will each be answering a question on your own. When I start the time, the first person rolls the dice to see which question they must answer. You can then turn over that question card and tell me the correct answer. If you need a hint, the questions contain the Chapter Number in Genesis, but not the verse. You must correctly answer the question before the next team member gets to roll the dice and pick a question.

State your answer and I will tell you if it is right or wrong. If you get it wrong twice, you must look up the hint.

If the number you roll is for a question someone else has already answered, keep rolling — until your roll matches a question that has not yet been answered. Team Members cannot help each other, so I would suggest each of you have your Bibles open to Genesis, should you need to use a hint.

I am also giving your team two "ASK A FRIEND" cards.
You can use them to invite one teammate to help you answer your question. If you don't need to use them, I will give you a bonus time deduction of 20 seconds for each unused Friend card from your total time.

When you are done rolling and answering, I will stop the clock and record your time. I will then ask your team two final Bonus questions about the meaning of these stories.

Are you ready? Start the clock and start rolling...

Question 1: What did Isaac say Jacob smelled like when Jacob put on his brother Esau's clothes and tricked his father Isaac into giving him the blessing due Esau? Hint: Genesis 27 (he smelled like the fields)

Question 2: What did Esau trade away to his brother for a pot of stew? Hint: Genesis 25 (his birthright)

Question 3: When Esau realized he had been tricked out of his birthright and became angry, what was the name of the Uncle who's house Jacob escaped to? Hint: Genesis 27. (His Uncle Laban's)

Question 4: On his way to hide out at Uncle Laban's, Jacob fell asleep and dreamed of what? Hint: Genesis 28 (A stairway to heaven)

Question 5: What was the trick that his Uncle Laban played on Jacob? Hint: Genesis 29 (Laban slipped Leah the older sister into Jacob's wedding tent instead of Rachel)

Question 6: The night before Jacob returned to make peace with his brother Esau, this amazing event happened. Hint: Genesis 32 (Jacob wrestled with God)

Stop the clock after they answer the last question correctly.

Timekeeper: Add their elapsed time to your scorecard.

Say: I have stopped the clock and I have two final Bonus questions for your team. Half of your team will be asked Bonus 1, and the other half Bonus 2. (This keeps kids from dominating the answer). I will give you two minutes to write down your answer.

* I will deduct: 5 seconds for a fair answer, 20 seconds for a good answer, and 40 seconds from your score for a great answer! However, I will add 15 seconds for a poor, and 25 seconds for an incorrect answer. Which of you will answer Bonus Question 1?

BONUS "MEANING" QUESTIONS:

Bonus 1: God twice blessed Jacob the Cheater, once in the dream of the staircase/ladder, and then when they wrestled until dawn. What do these two episodes tell you about God's character, about what God is like? Write down your answer using 2 or 3 sentences.

Bonus 2: If you had to explain to a young child what the stories of Jacob teach us, what would you tell them? Write down your answer using 2 or 3 sentences.

Timekeeper: Deduct time* from their scorecard.

Reflect - Awards Ceremony!

People these days make a fuss over giving kids "participation awards" ...but in today's lesson, that is exactly the point: God's award/blessing to Jacob and to us is undeserved. God keeps his Covenant promise to his difficult, cheating, but much beloved children. To reinforce this point, and take the focus off of "who won" you will lead this short but fun awards ceremony.

Collect some cheapie bulk award cups or medals. Feel free to label them with a sticker detailing the award. Play some "awards" music in the background, or have your helper sing the Olympic music during the awards presentation. Invite students to clap wildly for each other!

Some suggested goofy awards:

- Best Answerer Award

- Quickest Bible Page Turner

- Slow But Usually Right Award

- Nicest hair while answering award
- Person most likely to cheat like Jacob award

After handing out the 'special' awards, announce the team scores. As the winning team comes forward, give them their medals, and then, ask them if they learned today that only the "best" gets blessed. (they should say no). Show them that you have more medals (blessings) and ask them if everyone else deserves blessings too. (They should say 'yes'.) Invite the winning team to pass out your extra blessed-medals to everyone.

Finally....
Have each team read their written answers to the two "Bonus" answers from Station 3 — about God's character, and about "how to explain this story to a preschooler." Close with prayer that each of us who has been blessed, would become a blessing to others. Amen!

Additional Suggestions

Station Adaptations for Younger Students:

Station 1: Spell the word "Bethel" and let them match it by the shape of the letters, if not by reading it. Turn the "meaning of Beth-el" question into a multiple choice question.

Station 2: They should be able to arrange the names after you pronounce them. If they get them wrong, that's okay, mark the correct ones and then let them keep playing until they get it right. Pre-place some of the more difficult ones. Give hints. Add symbols or simple drawings to the names.

Station 3: Turn the questions into multiple choice or True or False questions. Have a helper work with the students to think through the questions (without telling them the answers).

Attachments:

Attached to the end of this lesson here at rotation.org are the following PDFs

Scorekeeper Timesheet.pdf (1 page)

Matching the Quote Game pdf (2 pages for Game Station 2)

Jacob-Tree.pdf (3 pages for Game Station 2)

Jacob Esau Question Cards.pdf (2 pages for Games Station 3)

Also attached are the 3 original graphic files for Station 2's Jacob-Tree activity — for those who want the graphics so they can enlarge them on a copier.

Written by Group Effort! Neil MacQueen, with help from Jaymie Derden and Luanne Payne, and suggestions from Amy Crane and Wendy Sempf.

Printed from https://www.rotation.org