Be sure to add your Sunday School lessons, ideas, and activities for drama, puppets, scripts, skits, acting, newsroom, etc.
Note: "Newsroom" is a drama technique that kids love; it uses a "news broadcast" as its organizing theme. Learn more about "Newsroom" and other drama techniques for the Sunday School.
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Abraham and Sarah, from Kurt Hunter Marionettes, is a script for "Handle Bag" Rod Puppets. This is a very short retelling of the Call in kid-friendly language. (It can be used with any sort of puppets.)
About Handle bag puppets (from Kurt Hunter Marionettes' website):
The rod puppets that we use are based on legendary puppeteer George Latshaw’s “handle bag puppets.” George developed this style of puppetry specifically for work with children. The puppets are simply a head on a handle (in our case, a wooden dowel) inserted into a hole in the middle of an envelope of fabric. The child’s hand inserted into the corner of the fabric envelope becomes the puppet's hand.
The handle bag puppets are ideal for “acting out” the stories. They can handle props and express emotions very well. The stories are told with a narration, but no dialogue, so the children operating the puppets only have to concentrate on what the puppet will do, not what it will say. For this reason, “moving mouth” puppets are not well suited to the way we use puppets in Sunday School.
Learn more in Kurt Hunter's book: Puppets, Kids, and Christian Education : How to Use Puppets in Your Christian Education Program,
(See a note about the puppets and construction here. Photos above are from First UMC, Ann Arbor, Michigan.)
Looking for a lesson plan that uses this script? Here is one from Creative Carol in her lesson set! 
Summary of Lesson Activities:
Uses a newsroom drama script about God's promises (including Jesus) for the children to immerse themselves in the story.
Scripture Reference:
Genesis 17 and also Acts 1 (Great Commission/Ascension)
Leader Preparation:
Supplies List:
LESSON
Welcome and Lesson Introduction:
Greet the children and introduce yourself.
Open with a prayer.
Jesus, help us to be like Abraham and believe in the promises that you make to us. Thank you for being with us always!!!! Amen.
Main Content and Reflection:
Read or review the Bible story: if there is not time to read the entire scripture passage, read Genesis 17:1-8 and summarize the rest. (It will be reviewed in the script.)
Discussion before you start the drama:
What are some promises that your Mom and Dad or friends have made to you? Did they keep them all?
We just read about God's promise to Abraham. Has God made any promises to you?
Activity:
Say: To help understand the meaning in this story, we will be creating a newscast that you will videotape and we will burn copies for a DVD for each of you to keep. The play is broken down into five short scenes.
Assign parts and explain the script. (If time permits, you can run through the drama once as a rehearsal - but record it, too -- sometimes the "bloopers" version makes a fun way to review and reflect on the story.)
Closing and reflection:
Watch the video.
Ask:
End with a prayer.
Overview of the drama:
Scene one – At the news desk
Scene two – At Abraham’s house
Scene three – At the news desk
Scene four – With Peter just after Jesus’ accession.
Scene five – At the news desk
Cast (7 parts):
Note: If you’re short kids – Snoop A. Round and Just D. Facts could be the same person. Also the same person could do Abraham and Peter.
SCENE I - AT THE NEWS DESK
[Camera is recording the news desk and Chris and Pat’s conversation.]
Chris: Welcome to Bible News – Channel 7.
Pat: With yesterdays news – and today’s stories!!!
Chris: Today we are going to talk about promises.
Pat: These promises are not your Mom and Dad’s Promises – but God's!!!
Chris: Wow!!! I sure wish God would make a promise to me.
Pat: Me too. I want to know more.
Chris: Let’s find out!!! We sent our reporter Snoop A. Round to talk to Abraham.
SCENE II – AT ABRAHAM’S HOUSE
[Camera shifts to the news reporter hanging out with Abraham.]
Snoop A. Round: Snoop here!!! I have Abraham with me. Tell me what happened.
Abraham: I was minding my own business when the Lord appeared to me.
Snoop A. Round: What did he say?
Abraham: He said – Get this – if you follow me. I will greatly increase your numbers.
Snoop A. Round: So what did you say?
Abraham: Say??? I was too afraid. I fell down on my face. Have you ever seen God?
Snoop A. Round: No. That would be freaky!!
Abraham: It was - but God told me his promise was between him and me.
Snoop A. Round: What was God’s promise to you?
Abraham: He said that I shall be the Father of many Nations.
Snoop A. Round: That’s a GREAT Deal. But you’re almost 100 years old!!!
Abraham: God said that this promises was for me and my children’s children.
Snoop A. Round: But… your wife Sarai is – Ahem – Old.
Abraham: Please. God changed her name to Sarah, which means princess.
Snoop A. Round: My bad – I did not know about the name change.
Abraham: No problem. God changed my name also. I was Abram now I’m Abraham.
Snoop A. Round: This means “Father of many!!!” Do you have any last words?
Abraham: I believe in God. His promises are true – even if I’m an old guy.
Snoop A. Round: That’s a wrap – now back to the Chris and Pat at the News Desk.
SCENE III – AT THE NEWS DESK
[Camera is recording the news desk and Chris and Pat’s conversation.]
Pat: Great Story!!! Do you know how it ended?
Chris: God kept his promise and Abraham had a boy named Isaac a year later.
Pat: And Isaac had a boy named Jacob – who has a bunch of sons, including a son named Joseph.
Chris: Is that the kid with the coat of many colors?
Pat: Yes that’s the one – but that’s another story.
Chris: Did you realize that Abraham is the Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great Grandfather of King David?
Pat: Wow – and he’s also the Great, Great a whole bunch of times more Grandfather of Jesus.
Chris: That’s cool how God keeps his promises.
Pat: Say…. Didn’t you say that you wished God made a promise to you?
Chris: I sure did. Don’t we all?
Pat: Well – I have some good news for you. We sent, Just D. Facts to talk to Peter about the late breaking news.
Chris: Just D. Facts – Where are you?
SCENE IV: WITH PETER JUST AFTER JESUS’S ASSENCION TO HEAVEN
[Camera shifts to the news reporter hanging out with Peter.]
Just D. Facts: I’m here with Peter – one of Jesus’ disciples.
Peter: Wow!!! That was amazing!!! It was totally freaky!!!
Just D. Facts: What was?? Tell me. What did you see?
Peter: We were chilling with Jesus. Actually, the other disciples and I were still freaked out by how he came back to life.
Just D. Facts: I know!! It’s amazing. I’m so glad Jesus died on the cross for our sins.
Peter: Me too!!! Anyways – he was telling us that we will need to make disciples of all nations.
Just D. Facts: That’s cool.
Peter: And to Baptize everybody in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Just D. Facts: That’s awesome. But why are you freaked out?
Peter: Well - After he talked to us we went to this mountain and then he started to float up into Heaven.
Just D. Facts: Whoa!!! He just disappeared? He’s gone??? He went bye bye???
Peter: Kind of….
Just D. Facts: Kind of??? What do you mean?
Peter: He said, just before he went to heaven, “Lo I am with you ALWAYS!!!”
Just D. Facts: So… he’s with us even when he’s not?
Peter: That’s right!!! He is with us always!!! That is his promise to us.
Just D. Facts: So even though we can’t see him – he is with us?
Peter: Yep!!! Just like that promise to Abraham – God keeps his promises – so...he will always be with us .
Just D. Facts: This is some great news!!! Back to the news desk.
SCENE V – AT THE NEWS DESK
[Camera is recording the news desk and Chris and Pat’s conversation.]
Chris: Hurray!!! Now that’s some Good News!!!
Pat: Yep!!! When God makes promises – He keeps them!!!
Chris: Thanks for watching Bible News - Channel 7.
Pat: With yesterday's news – and today’s stories!!! Good night everybody!!!
A lesson written by rotation member "sunshinesally" from: Alive in Christ Lutheran Church, Columbia, MO
A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.
The Call of Abram Interactive Drama Workshop
Summary of Lesson Activities:
Students will use an Interactive Script to dig into the story of God calling Abram and of God's promises to Abram.
This is an example of how a rather sedate script I found here on this board was turned into a more interactive and dramatic script, and one that doesn't require reading ability. I call this an "interactive drama." The narrator cues the main characters with what to do and say. The kids act out the narration and provide the sound effects. Throughout this script God and the narrator pause to allow the kids to act things out, and prod them to do so. (The original script simply had the kids reciting lines.)
Scripture Reference:
Genesis 12:1 - 21:7
Leader Preparation:
Supplies List:
LESSON
Welcome and Lesson Introduction:
Greet the children and introduce yourself. Open with a prayer.
Bible story and drama:
Ask: what do you know about God's call to Abram? (Outline what they remember on the board, and tell them they will be acting out the story as they hear you read it as narrator, so you will not be reading it in its entirety from the Bible.)
Do show the students where the story can be found in the Book of Genesis. Read Genesis 12:1-3.
Ask: I wonder what it was like when God spoke to Abram? Was it scary? I wonder how Abram reacted?
Say: Let's explore what it might have been like. You are now going to act out the story of Abram while I read the script. You are all Abram today -- each one of you at the same time. Be sure to listen carefully to what I say so that you know what to do and say - you might have to repeat what I say a few times.
Oh! And listen to God, too. You will have to repeat what God says and do what God commands!
INTERACTIVE DRAMA TIPS:
Reflection and Closing:
Did we miss anything when we outlined Abram's story on the board?
I wonder why Abram was willing to pack up everything and follow God?
What does God call us to today? What might you have to leave behind or go to?
End with a prayer.
During your introduction, explain to the kids that everyone is Abram and they must do whatever the narrator and God say Abram is doing.
God gets to use a microphone, and God always speaks in echoes.
Narrator: This is the story of God’s Promise to Abram. A long time ago, a man named Abram lived in the land of Haran. He might have been herding goats.
He may have had to milk the goats.
But he also stood around sometimes looking pretty cool... because he had a relationship with God.
One day God spoke to Abram. Abram immediately dropped to his knees when God spoke. Then he laid flat on the floor because God was so awesome and Abram was so humble. But then Abram decided it was too dusty so he got back on his knees. And looked to the sky to listen carefully to what God had to say.
God: Abram, Abram, Abram.....Leave, leave, leave your country, country, country... and and and your relatives, and your father’s house, and go to a land that I will show you, you you you you. I will make you a great nation, nation, nation!
Narrator: God told Abram that he would make him a great nation, and bless him and make his name great. And Abram, being a guy who looked really smart, and cool, repeated back to God exactly what God had just said about leaving.
(Abram has to try to repeat it back)
God: Let's try again. I said -- repeat after me --
You must leave your country
the Land of Ur
and the city of Haran
number 12 Discipleship Street
the nice yellow house
and follow me to a new land that I am giving you.
Narrator: Then God told Abram to get up off his knees, throw his hands up in the air, and jump for joy, because through him all the families of the earth would be blessed.
(Abram has to do what narrator just said)
Narrator: When Abram told his wife Sarai, he ducked down... Because he thought she would take a swing at him for having lost his mind. "We have a nice home. We live in a great town with many things to do and with many friends. And where did you say we are going? For what?"
Abram repeated again what God said.
God: But of course, I put it in Sarai's heart to listen to Abram. To know that I the Lord of Hosts had great plans for them. And it would be ok.
Narrator: So Abram did what the Lord told him to do. He packed up all the suitcases. Loaded them on his cart. Rubbed his sore muscles. He was 75 years old after all. Then he picked up Sarai and loaded her into the cart too. He groaned because she heavy. Really heavy. Super heavy! And after that, he chased a few cows who didn't want to go. And grabbed his nephew Lot and threw him onto the cart, too.
Abram started walking, leading all his people and all his stuff. He might have had to chase after a few goats that went the wrong way.
Abram came to a fork in the road. He looked at his map and tried to figure out which way to go next.
God: This land I will give to your people, people, people....
Narrator: And when Abram came to the land that God had promised him, he ran about gathering rocks to build an altar. Rocks here. Rocks over there. A really HUGE rock from back there. Then he lit the altar on fire. Which made a big woooshing sound. And made him jump back because it was hot. And then he threw himself on the ground saying "thank you God!"
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
God: You're welcome.
Narrator: Then Abram gathered up Sarai and Lot and all his cows and goats and they traveled to another place and built a new altar. Picking up rocks, throwing himself on the ground. Saying thank you.
God: You're welcome again.
Narrator: Until finally the entire family decided that the place where they were living was too crowded.
So Abram and Lot decided to split up the family and go live in different places. Some of them when that way, and some of them when this way. A few thought about going this way, but changed their minds and went that way, until Abram said to Lot, "You choose which land you would like and I will take the other. If you go left, then I will go right."
God: I gave Abram and Sarai and their family the lands, lands lands of Canaan. A land flowing with milk, milk, and honey, honey honey.
Narrator: Lot went and lived in the cities near Sodom. Abram waved goodbye. He was sad to see Lot go, even though Lot was living just down the road.
And then he remembered he would have more space for his goats now that Lot is gone. Abram did a happy dance.
And then God spoke to Abram a great promise.
God: Lift up your eyes now, and look northward, southward, eastward, and westward. For all the land which you see I will give to you and to your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth, so that if anybody could count the dust of the earth, he would also be able to count your descendants. Arise, walk through the land.
Narrator: Abram tried to count the dust. But it was too much to count!
And Abram was very pleased. He smiled. He jumped about joyfully. He high fived his family. He kissed his family. I said, he KISSED his family. Ok, he high fived them again, because they had just won the JACKPOT. God had promised to make them a great nation.
Narrator: Then God blessed Abram one more time. He told him to get down on the ground. To bury his face in his hands, and to listen very carefully.
God: My covenant I shall keep with you. No longer will you be called Abram. I shall call you Abraham, just like the President of the United States.
Narrator: Wait a second, God didn't say that.
God: Oh, right.
From now on your name shall be Abraham which means I have made you a father of many nations. I will keep my covenant with you and my covenant shall be everlasting with you and your descendants through all generations. Your descendants will do well and they will lead nations and become kings. To you and to them I will give this land, and I will be their God.
As for Sarai, your wife, you shall call her Sarah. I will bless her, and from her you shall have a son. She shall be a mother of nations and of kings.
Narrator: Abram thought that was great. Except he said to God, "there's only one problem."
(Kids say that.)
God: What? What's the problem?
Narrator: Abraham got up on one knee and said "I'm a hundred years old, how can I have children? And look at my wife. She's really old, too! How can she have children?"
(Have students repeat that.)
God: No problem, problem problem. Sarah, your wife, shall bear a son, and you will call him Isaac. With God nothing is impossible.
With Isaac and with his children after him, I will make my everlasting covenant.
Narrator: The Lord did as he had promised, and Sarah bore a son, and the son was called Isaac, a name, which means ‘He will laugh.’ Abraham and Sarah were very grateful to God. They laughed! They laughed really loudly! Abraham might have fallen down, he was laughing so hard.
And then Abraham got up off the ground and REALLY started high fiving everybody around him.
Because everybody knew, that when God makes a promise, you can count on it to come true!
God: Yes, you can always count on me!
Narrator: And all the Abrahams said, "That's cool!"
A lesson written by Neil MacQueen (from: Sunday Software), Venice, FL
A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.
Abraham: Laughter and Promises Creative Dramatics Workshop
Children will learn the story of Abraham's faith in God's promises through a creative drama participation activity after they hear the story.
Scripture References:
Genesis 12:1-9; 15:1-7; 17:1-8, 15-22; 18:1-15; 21:1-
Lesson Objectives:
At the end of the session, the students will be able to:
Background comments on the story:
Leader Preparation:
Supplies List:
LESSON
Welcome and Lesson Introduction:
Greet the children and introduce yourself.
Open with a prayer.
Early arrival activities:
This story is too long to read in its entirety, so tell the story as the Israelites would have done long ago (see story summary/adaptation for telling below).
Show the students how to find Genesis, and read a few selections of the scripture from the Bible, if time permits: Genesis 12: 1-9, 15: 5-6
Discuss before acting out the story:
Warm-up exercises to "stretch our drama muscles":
Assign parts and act out story using the narrator's script that follows to coach the action.
Pulling it all together (closing discussion):
Closing:
End with a prayer. Dear Lord, thank you for your leadership in our lives. Help us to listen for your call, remember your promises, and follow you in trust and obedience. Amen.
Abraham Laughter and Promises - script for retelling this long story
Adapted by Amy Crane for telling the story with Abraham: Laughter and Promises Drama Lesson based upon Genesis 12: 1–9; 15: 1–7; 17: 1–22; 18: 1–15; 21: 1–7 (Adapted from Today's English Version)
In a place known as Haran, there lived a man named Abram. Abram was descended from Noah. Like Noah, he believed in one great God, Creator of all things. Abram was surrounded by people who did not believe in one God. Some worshiped many gods. Some worshiped none at all.
God saw that Abram loved him above all others. He spoke to Abram: "Leave your country, your relatives, and your father's home, and go to a land that I am going to show you. Follow me, and I will bless you and make you the father of a great nation."
So when Abram was 75 years old, he and his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot gathered their servants and cattle and sheep and tents and set out on a great journey. God led them to a new place, the land of Canaan. When they arrived, Abram built an altar to the Lord and worshiped Him.
Years passed, and Abram grew rich and powerful. He had many sheep and cattle and much gold and silver. His wisdom increased. Everyone looked up to him. He and Sarai had everything they could have wished for. Except one thing. Does anyone know what?
That's right. They did not have children.
One day, Abram had a vision. The Lord said to him, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I will shield you from danger and give you a great reward."
Abram replied, "Lord, what good will your reward do me? I have no children. My slave Eliezer will inherit my property."
The Lord replied, "Your slave Eliezer will not inherit your property. Come outside. Look at the sky. Try to count the stars. You will have as many descendants as that."
Abram put his trust in the Lord. Because of this, the Lord was pleased with him and accepted him.
When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him again. "I am the Almighty God. Obey me and always do what is right. I will make my covenant with you and give you many descendants." Abram bowed with his face touching the ground. "Your name will no longer be Abram, but Abraham, because I am making you the ancestor of many nations. I will give you many descendants, and some of them will be kings. You will have so many descendants that they will become nations. I will keep my promise to you and your descendants as an everlasting covenant. I will be your God and the God of your descendants. I will give to you and your descendants this land in which you are now a foreigner. The whole land of Canaan will belong to your descendants forever. You also must agree to keep the covenant with me, both you and your descendants.
"You must no longer call your wife Sarai. From now on her name is Sarah, ‘princess.' I will bless her and I will give you a son by her. I will bless her and she will be the mother of nations, and there will be kings among her descendants."
Abram bowed down with his face touching the ground. But he began to laugh when he thought, "Can a man have a child when he is 100 years old? Can Sarah have a child at 90?"
God said again, "Your wife Sarah will bear you a son and you will name him Isaac, which means ‘he laughs.' I will keep my covenant with him and with his descendants forever."
One day, when Abraham was an old man, he was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing there. As soon as he saw them he ran out to meet them. "Sirs, please do not pass my home without stopping. I am here to serve you. Let me bring some water to wash your feet. Rest here beneath this tree. I will also bring a bit of food. It will give you strength to continue your journey. You have honored me by coming to my home. Let me serve you."
"Thank you, we accept."
Abraham hurried into the tent. "Sarah, take a sack of your best flour and bake some bread." He ran out to his herd and picked out a tender and fat calf and took it to a servant to get it ready. He then took the bread and meat and some milk and cheese, and served it to the men.
As they ate, one asked, "Where is Sarah, your wife?"
"She is in the tent."
One replied, "This time next year I will come back, and your wife Sarah will have a son."
Sarah happened to be listening from inside the tent. She laughed to herself. "Me, a mother! Now that I am so old and worn out! And my husband, too!"
Then the Lord asked Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Can I really have a child when I'm so old?' Is anything too hard for the Lord? As I said, I will return a year from now, and Sarah will have a son."
Well, Sarah was afraid. "I didn't laugh."
"Yes, you did. You laughed."
The Lord did bless Sarah, as he had promised. A year later, she gave birth to a boy. Abraham named him Isaac.
Sarah said, "God has brought me joy and laughter. Everyone who hears about it will laugh with me. Who would have thought that Abraham and I would have children when we are so old! With God, nothing is impossible!"
Tips For Telling:
With God, all things are possible: A creative dramatics exploration of Abraham's trust and faith in God.
Narrator's Script for use with Abraham: Laughter and Promises Drama Lesson
adapted by Amy Crane from Genesis 12-21, Today's English Version
Narrator: Abram and his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot lived in Haran. One day the Lord spoke to Abram.
God: Leave your country, your relatives, and your father's home. Go to a land I will show you. I will give you many descendants, and they will become a great nation. I will bless you.
Narrator: What do you think Abram said to God? Act it out.
Narrator: What do you think Abram said to Sarai and Lot? What might they have said to him? Act it out.
Narrator: So when Abram was 75 years old, he set out for Canaan (what we now call Israel). He took Sarai and his nephew Lot and all their wealth and slaves and animals and belongings. They traveled until they reached the holy place at Shechem. Act out the packing and the traveling.
Narrator: The Lord again appeared to Abram.
God: This is the country I am going to give to your descendants.
Narrator: Abram built an altar there to the Lord, and worshiped him. What might their worship look and sound like? Act it out.
Narrator: Then they moved on from place to place, going toward the southern part of Canaan. What do you think Sarai and Lot said to Abram as they wandered around this land that belonged to other people? What might Abram say to them? Act it out.
Narrator: Time passed. After some time in Egypt to avoid a famine, Abram and his family and servants and animals returned to Canaan. He and Lot went different ways so that their animals would be able to find plenty of pasture land. Act out dividing stuff and saying goodbye.
Narrator: The Lord said to Abram:
God: From where you are, look in all directions. I am going to give you and your descendants all the land that you see. It will be yours forever. I am going to give you so many descendants, no one will be able to count them all. It would be easier to count the specks of dust on earth!
Narrator: Abram built an altar there and worshiped the Lord. What do you think Abram said in his prayer? Act it out.
Narrator: When Abram was ninety-nine years old , the Lord appeared to him and said:
God: I am the Almighty God. Obey me and always do what is right. I will make my covenant with you and give you many descendants. Your name will no longer be Abram, but Abraham, because I am making you the ancestor of many nations. I will give you many descendants, and some will be kings. I will keep my promise to you and your descendants as an everlasting covenant. I will be your God and the God of your descendants. I will give to you and your descendants this land in which you are now a foreigner.
You must no longer call your wife Sarai. From now on her name is Sarah, ‘princess.' I will bless her and I will give you a son by her. I will bless her and she will be the mother of nations, and there will be kings among her descendants.
Narrator: Abraham bowed low, but he could not help laughing. He told God why he laughed, and God once again assured him that he and Sarah would have a son in their old age and that he would be named Isaac. Act it out.
Narrator: One hot day, three strangers appeared by Abraham's tent. Always courteous and generous, Abraham invited them to stay for lunch and told Sarah to prepare a feast. Then conversation was very normal to begin with, but then, the strangers started talking about Sarah and Abraham's future. Act it out. Make sure one of the visitors remembers to ask, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?"
Narrator: As the strangers had predicted, the Lord blessed Sarah as He had promised and she became pregnant and had a baby boy. The joy in the tent of Abraham and Sarah cannot be described. Act it out.
Narrator: Truly, with God, nothing is impossible.
Scripture taken from the Good News Bible in Today's English Version - Second Edition, Copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
A lesson written by Amy Crane from: Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church, Tampa, FL
A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.
Here's our kid's shadow puppet presentation of the story of Sarah's Strange Visitors.
As you can tell by the actors and children's laughter, we had a great and memorable time putting this together.
Learn more about the "Shadow Puppet Technique" at https://www.rotation.org/topic...how-to-and-resources
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