Rotation.org Writing Team

Peter, do you love me?

Shadow Drama Workshop

Summary of Activities

Students perform a "shadow" drama depicting and reflecting on the story of Peter rushing ashore to meet Jesus, Jesus questioning Peter, "do you love me?" ...and our students acting out ways to "feed" Jesus' sheep.

Screenshot from one Sunday School's video using this lesson!

Scripture for the Lesson

John 21:1-17 (Peter, do you love me? Feed my sheep!)
Luke 22:54-62 (Peter's denial)

**The scripture study in this lesson is not a separate activity. It is presented by the narrators in the drama, acted out by the shadow actors, and reviewed during the playback. View the script to see the scripture.

Lesson Objectives

See the Bible Background at rotation.org for this set's complete list of objectives.

Preparation and Materials

• Read the Bible Background and scripture.
• Print the Script & Scripture for the Drama (attached at the end of this lesson).
• Sheet. You will need a white sheet and a way to hang it. If this is your first shadow drama, consider buying an inexpensive queen size sheet at the dollar store. Wash it to get the creases out. Store it by rolling it on a tube to keep it from wrinkling.
• Lights. You will need a flood light or two. Inexpensive "clamp" lights work great. Put them on a power strip that has a switch. Clamp them to a chair behind the students to backlight them.
• Props (see script for details). Cardboard swords, boat, costumes (pieces of cloth work fine), Peter's clothes, cardboard fish, cardboard campfire, large cardboard cross (read description in script).  See notes at the end of lesson for ideas to keep things simple.
• Video camera or smartphone to videotape the drama.
• A way to playback the video to the class.

Lesson Plan

Overview

Your shadow drama has three acts:

Act 1: Peter's Denial
Act 2: Peter jumps out of boat and talks with Jesus
Act 3: The Body of Christ feeds Jesus' sheep (the life application)

While the script & scripture is read, the story action is staged by actors who are backlit behind the curtain so that they appear like "shadows" on the front of the curtain. Props and costumes can thus be extremely simple. Action should be limited and somewhat stylized.

You will rehearse all three scenes, and then dramatize all three scenes. Rehearse using the backlighting, and with the rest of the lights "off," so that you know how it will look when performed.  

You will need at least two leaders for this lesson, one to work in front of the curtain, and the other to direct behind the curtain. Ideally, the leader behind the curtain "suggests" things to the students, but doesn't squash their creativity for how they might want to depict the scene. See the script for more directions.

Have someone videotape the drama so that your students can enjoy it at the end of class.

Open

Welcome your students and explain how today's lesson will unfold.  Ask them how much they may already know about today's story.

Ask:  If Jesus appeared in our class right now and said to you, "Do you love me?" What would you say to him?

Ask: What if he asked, "HOW do you love me?"  What ways would you tell him that you SHOW you love him?  (This is a priming question, don't dwell on answering it.)

Say: In today's lesson, we're going to start with the story of how Peter denied knowing Jesus early in the morning on the same day they crucified Jesus. And then how the resurrected Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved him, -and IF he loved him, what he needed to do.

Drama!

Prepare, Rehearse, and Perform (video tape performance) the Script is attached here and linked at the bottom of this lesson at rotation.org.

Review & Closing

Enjoy watching the video together and make some final comments about the meaning of the story. If you have time, do the following closing:

Form the class in a circle and ask the first student on your left, "How Do You Love Me?" and have them come up with an answer in the form of "I Love You When I ___________." (go to worship, pray, help others, am kind, comfort, etc etc).   After the student has answered, they then turn to the next student on in the circle and ask them, "How Do You Love Me?"  ...and that student responds... and so on around the circle.

For Younger Students

Rehearse and perform each act before moving on to the next one. This will keep them a bit more focused. Provide more context for the story of Peter's denial. Explain the concepts of "sheep" and "feed" a little more.  Consider whether or not you want to use the third act. Consider using puppets behind the screen, instead of live actors.

For Larger Classes

Assign the three acts to three groups. Have them prepare independently and come forward to perform.

To Save Time and Keep it Simple

Alternative Drama Methods

Body of Christ