Rotation.org Writing Team

Pentecost: Wind, Fire and Faith!

Puppet Workshop

Summary of Activities

Students will rehearse the story of Pentecost and perform it using puppets and a kid-friendly script. They will also answer the "bystanders" question, "What should we do?" with an exercise in how we "go and tell."

Scripture for the Lesson

Acts 2:1-47 ~ the story of Pentecost.

The Puppet script attached to this lesson at rotation.org contains an abbreviated kid-friendly version of the story and is the scripture reading for this lesson. It is in the Word Docx format so that you can download it and modify it to suit your needs.

Key/Memory Verse
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” -- Acts 1:8 (NRSV)

Lesson Objectives

See the Bible Background at rotation.org for this set's complete list of objectives, and lots of great "ways to explain this story" to your kids.

Preparation and Materials

• Read the Bible Background and scripture.
• Read and print the script for the puppet drama.
• Assemble the puppets and a staging area. Use character puppets for the main characters, and "sock puppets" for the crowd.  (Socks with googly eyes or paper eyes taped to them work fine. Use different colors and types of socks to represent the different people in the crowd.) If you are short on puppets, use dolls or any object to fill in. The crowd was made up of all different sorts!

• Chalk or markers for chalkboard, newsprint, or whiteboard.
• Pencils to mark up the script with "actions".
• Crepe paper or red and yellow ribbon to make the flames.
• Scissors.
• Sticks - pencils or 12-inch dowels for the flame puppets.
• Tape to fasten the paper or ribbon to the flame sticks.

In advance:

• Copy or print and highlight a script for each part.
• Cut red crepe paper or ribbon into lengths and attach the pieces to dowels or pencils with masking tape.
• Write the memory verse on the chalkboard, newsprint, or whiteboard so that all can see it.

A note about your puppet stage

There are two great reasons to have a good puppet stage: (1) It focuses the kids attention and gets them into their role as "performers." (2) A stage provides a degree of anonymity for the shy or "mature" student to participate and not feel self-conscious.  

Videotape the performance so they can enjoy it, and so you can ask follow-up questions.

For older children, have them practice it and then perform it for a younger class. This often focuses their attention as well.

To help with sound, place a microphone behind the stage that you have plugged into a small amplifier (like a guitar amp, if you need to borrow something).

Lesson Plan

Open

Welcome your students and tell them that they will be reenacting the Pentecost story with puppets. Suggest to your older students that one of the reasons you want to use puppets is to give them a way of performing without feeling self-conscious (and that they will be performing this for the "little kids.")

Puppet Warm-Up

Use this puppetry warm-up exercise: Tell the students that today’s script requires lots of body language and expressive listening. Give everyone a puppet and have them:

• make your puppet mouth talk
• look surprised, excited, filled with faith
• look confused
• look dis-interested, unbelieving, bored
• act like the Holy Spirit has changed you into a bold disciple

Note: Drop a few comments in this exercise about "how do WE look to others in class? in worship?"  How should Christians act?"

Prepare the Puppet Drama

If you have more than 6 students, split into two performing groups. Assign parts and have the students perform the puppet play. Depending on class size and the number of puppets, everyone can participate in the play. If needed, improvise dialog for additional disciples and the crowd of spectators’ comments and reactions.

Tip: Select a strong reader to be Peter.

Use the Printed Script which has the words in LARGE FONT. Tape it to the inside of your puppet stage for the puppeteers to see.

Option: For non-readers, record the script ahead of time or have older students sit with your puppeteers and read the script out loud and cue the younger ones to move their puppet.

Reflect

If you have brought a younger class in to view your performance, pair them up with your puppeteers. If it's only your class, pair up your students.

Ask: What is the "Good News" ...the "Gospel" ?  Write their responses on the board and fill it out.   The answer is found in Acts 2: 36-39 !

Say: A lot of times, we describe a Christian as someone who "believes" in Jesus and goes to church. But in the story of Pentecost, Peter acts out what a Christian is. A Christian is someone who believes the good news about Jesus and TELLS OTHERS about it.

If you do not know what the good news is, or don't want to share it, then you are not being the kind of disciples the Holy Spirit wants you to be.  

Ask: How can we get over our fear of sharing the Good News with others?  
What are some ways we can do it?

Now take turns having your puppet "tell" the Good News to the other person in your pair.

Listen carefully to how well your pairs do this exercise, and then after each pair has completed their "telling task," pick out a few to "tell the entire class."

Adaptations for Younger Children

Preschoolers can watch a performance of the puppet show, live or recorded, by older students or adult volunteers, or have older students sit with them and read their parts as the younger ones move their puppets.  

You can also Pre-Record the script so that the students only have to manipulate the puppets; make sure the recording has "pause time" for puppet movements and for adding some improvised crowd dialog.

Written by the Rotation.org Writing Team and Amy Crane
Copyright 2016, Rotation.org Inc