Rotation.org Writing Team

The Story of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz

Video Workshop Lesson

Summary of Activities

Students will watch and discuss "Ruth," the free Superbook video, and learn about the role of the Guardian-Redeemer (the Gaw-al' in Hebrew). They will then watch a short clip, "Groot's Sacrifice," from the end of the Guardians of the Galaxy movie and will add the memory verse to a printable Guardian movie poster as they consider ways that they are protected and how they can be guardian-protectors to others.

Scripture:

The Book of Ruth

Memory Verse:
Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God (will be) my God. (Ruth 1:16, NIV)

Lesson Objectives

See the Bible Background at Rotation.org for insights on this story and this set's complete list of objectives.

Preparation and Materials

• Read the Bible Background and scripture.
• Ruth Video Options:
• See the A-V Equipment Options at the end of this lesson.
• "Ruth," episode 301 from Superbook Season 3, is available online for free to view on a computer or smart TV at the CBN Superbook website (free registration required). The episode can also be viewed through the Superbook Bible App (iPhone, iPad, or Android). An internet connection is required to view the video in your browser or over the app.
• "Ruth" Superbook episode 301 DVD is also available from a number of online retailers, including Amazon and Ebay.
• Alternatively, you can use Nest Entertainment's "The Story of Ruth" DVD. However, please see the follow-up post below at Rotation.org for the parts of the story Nest's Ruth video misses or mischaracterizes.
• Print the outline for the Ruth Superbook video. It includes suggested discussion questions and video pause points.
• Preview and prepare to view "Groot's Sacrifice," the special Sunday school version of a clip from the Guardians of the Galaxy. View it online at https://youtu.be/IuHmih-7QSk  or download the video file.
• Print 8.5"x11" color copies of the "I Am Gaw-al'" poster, one per student. For best results, use the church's color copier, or one at your local office supply store.
• Markers to write in the margins of the movie poster.
• Optional: Bible timeline, map of Israel.

Lesson Plan

Opening

Welcome your students and explain what they'll be doing and learning in today's lesson.

Introduce the Book of Ruth; have students locate it in their Bibles. If you have a Bible timeline, locate the story as Israel's history changes from judges to kings. If you have a map of Israel, point out the locations of Bethlehem and Moab and mention that though the Moabites were the descendants of Abraham's nephew Lot, sometimes the two nations fought each other. In the time of Ruth, there was peace between Israel and Moab.

Show them the "I Am Gaw-al'" movie poster with Groot's picture, and ask them if they know who it is. Tell them that today they are going to learn about some other "guardians" found in the Bible's Story of Ruth.

Watch the Story of Ruth Video (22 minutes)

View the story of Ruth and Boaz using the Superbook "Ruth" video. Use the printable outline (pdf) with its suggested discussion questions and pause points. The video makes a life application point. Several additional life application questions are asked during the movie poster activity.

Note to the Teacher: The Superbook video is your scripture reading for this lesson. If you have time or need, you may read through our NIV-based illustrated Ruth Storybook after viewing the video. It tells the whole story in shortened form. (The Book of Ruth is too long to read during class time.)

Video Notes for Students:

• Boaz is referred to as a "relative" in the Superbook video when the actual Hebrew word that Naomi and Ruth are using is "Gaw-al' "-- which means "Guardian-Redeemer." This title is part of the subject of the Groot clip, poster activity, and reflection.
• Obviously, the children who land in the biblical story are not part of the Bible. One of their roles is to highlight a life application that can be learned from the story.

"Groot's Sacrifice" Movie Clip and Poster Activity (15 minutes)

Say: Eight different times in the Book of Ruth, Boaz is referred to as the Gaw-al', a title that literally means "Guardian-Redeemer" but which some Bibles simply (and unfortunately) translate as "relative" or "kinsman." The Gaw-al' was a family leader who had a special responsibility for the well-being of other family members, especially those who were poor or old.

Ask: We know that Boaz was a Gaw-al' -- a Guardian, but how was Ruth ALSO a Gaw-al'?  (by promising to stay with and provide for Naomi)

Ask: What was the name of the Gaw-al', the Guardian-Redeemer, for the entire nation of Israel that God would bring forth from Ruth and Boaz' marriage? (King David, and eventually Jesus!)

Say: The Prophet Isaiah uses the title of Gaw-al' —"Guardian-Redeemer"—thirty-four times to describe God. God is our Gaw-al'. We are the children that God watches over, guards, and redeems.

Note: Life application questions are asked during the movie poster activity.

Introduce and Show the Groot Video Clip

Say: Jesus taught us to be each other's guardians.  To take care of and protect one another—especially those who are poor and in need.  We are to become guardians just like Ruth and Boaz—and Jesus—within our families and in our communities.

Ask: How many of you know who "Groot" is?

(Depending on the response, explain what they're going to see and hear. Otherwise, some of the explanation is found in the video clip. Marvel/Disney's Guardians of the Galaxy are a group of friends who pull together to save people and planets from the evil-alien Kree Empire and Ronan their leader. Groot isn't considered to be a Guardian until his superpower and heart are revealed in the final scene you are about to see.)

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/IuHmih-7QSk
Link to a downloadable version

"I Am Gaw-al'"
A Marvelous Movie Poster Activity (5 minutes)

This quick poster activity helps connect and reinforce Ruth's famous verse ("where you go...") and the concept of Gaw-al' —being a Guardian-Redeemer to our family and to those in need. It visually and memorably "hitches" these ideas to the beloved character of Groot and his dramatic guardian scene at the close of Guardians of the Galaxy.

1. Hand out copies of the "I Am Gaw-al'" Groot Guardian Poster and explain again that "Gaw-al'," Boaz' Hebrew title, means he has the responsibility to be the Guardian-Redeemer—a protector to his family and people in need.
2. Invite students to write the phrase, "I am a Guardian-Redeemer" along the bottom of the movie poster.
3. Invite students to write the four phrases from Ruth 1:16 around the left, top, and right margins of the poster.
4. As they write, ask these questions:
   
   ⇒ Who did Ruth guard and protect? (Naomi)
   ⇒ Who did Naomi guard and protect? (Ruth)
   ⇒ Who did God send to protect Israel? (David protected, Jesus redeemed)
   ⇒ How does God protect you?
   ⇒ Who do you need to protect in your family? in your school?
   
   
5. If there is time, look up the Bible verses shown on the poster.

The memory verse: "Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God (will be) my God." Ruth 1:16, NIV

Close with a Prayer of Thanksgiving for the Responsibility

Thank God for the example of Naomi, Ruth, Boaz, and Groot! Pray that each of us will realize God has given us the responsibility and the power to be guardians and protectors within our galaxy of family and friends, and among those in need. Ask God to make us "marvelous marvels of faith and commitment."

Adaptations

For Younger Students:

• Read aloud the captions seen in the Groot video clip.
• Help them relate to Groot as "the little person" in the story whose love for his family (the Guardians) is his superpower.
• Help them write part of the memory verse on the movie poster.

For Those with More Class Time and/or Older Students:

• Spend more time debriefing during the Ruth video, using the questions in the guide.
• Compare the visual scene of Groot's sacrifice to that of the scene and what we know about Christ on the cross --the sinners next to him as he stretches out his branches, the hopeful music at the end, and the resurrection of Groot from a branch (not shown). There are several interesting parallels! Consider John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends."  Who are the friends of Christ? Who are we asked to sacrifice for?

For At-Home Use:

Older children and families may enjoy watching together and discussing the entire Guardians of the Galaxy 1 movie. One of the major sub-plots in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies is "Star-Lord" Peter Quill's discovery of his identity and purpose in the universe. Each of the Guardians has a similar story of self-discovery and will become an unexpected hero, among them Groot.

Age Range Note:

• Guardians of the Galaxy is PG-13 but generally considered to be family-friendly. The movie and Groot cartoons for kids are found on Disney+. The Groot clip used in this lesson is suitable for children.

A-V Equipment Options

There are a number of ways you can show the two video clips in your classroom. Your choice will depend on your classroom's internet and equipment availability. In each case, you will need a TV, large monitor, or LCD projector.

1. If you have good internet access, you can play both videos from the internet by connecting a computer device such as a laptop, tablet, or iPhone to your large screen and accessing the videos through your device's web browser. If you have a smart TV and a good internet connection, you can simply use the TV's browser to show both videos. Advance previewing in the classroom is always a good idea.

2. If you have no or poor internet access/speed, you will need to purchase a DVD copy of the Ruth video and download the free Groot video clip (attached to this lesson). You can then play both clips using a laptop (that has a DVD player) that's connected to your large screen or LCD projector.

3. The downloadable version of the four-minute "Groot's Sacrifice" video clip is in the common MP4 video file format. It can be played back on most computer devices. It can also be copied to a USB flash drive or burned to a disc.

Written by Neil MacQueen, Luanne Payne, and the Rotation.org Writing Team
Copyright Rotation.org Inc.

The "transformative use" of the movie clip and movie poster for the purpose of teaching and commentary are protected "fair use" under U.S. Copyright Law.