Jesus' Birth through the Eyes of Mary
Art Workshop
Summary of Lesson Activity:
Children will draw their own version of Mary, using different colors to express different emotions, and include themselves in the image.
Scripture Reference:
Luke 1:26-38
Luke 1:46-55
Lesson Objective(s):
In this workshop students will think of Mary's Joy as they study and sketch their own drawing of the Magnificat. The learner will artistically express their own feelings about the words of Mary's Magnificat/Song of Joy, and then after seeing other famous works of art, make their own artwork of Mary's Joy.
Leader Preparation:
- Print images of Mary to show your students
- Read the scripture ahead of time
- Gather the supplies
- Read over background material
- Become familiar with the questions in this lesson
Materials List:
- NRSV Bibles
- Numerous pictures, prints, and paintings of Mary and Jesus
- Crayons, (drawing pencils, pastels, are optional for older children)
- Good sketching paper
- A large supply of colored pencils.
The web is an excellent source of art images. These can be saved to computer, printed, or burned to a DVD and played back over a DVD player and TV, or using a computer, or LCD projector.
For Step 10 in this lesson plan, you will need five or six of the paintings PRINTED for viewing.
Presentation
Opening- Welcome and Lesson Introduction
Do: Explain the steps of the lesson.
Ask the children to try to imagine how Mary looked as you read her story. They may close their eyes if they like.
Read Luke 1:26-38. (Let older children help do the reading if they wish.)
Dig- Main Content and Reflection
Ask: Why do you suppose God chose Mary to be the mother of Jesus?
(Lead them to the fact that she was just an ordinary person, not one of the religious experts of the day and God saw her as a good person.)
How did Mary feel about being chosen to be Jesus’ mother? (Lead them to the fact that she accepted it and eagerly awaited Jesus’ birth.)
Do: Summarize her visit with Elizabeth told in verses 39-45. (She sang!)
Say: Let's Express Ourselves Like Mary Did.
Do: Take a sheet of paper and some pencils and demonstrate how colors and strokes on the paper can be used to express different ideas and emotions, ...without drawing people or faces. This is free form.
Ask them to give you an emotion and demonstrate how you might sketch that emotion.
Do: Read Luke 1:46-55, Mary's Song of Joy, as if they are hearing Mary's Song of Joy for the first time,
Do: Have them sketch shapes on a paper with a single colored pencil to suggest the feelings and images in this passage=poem=song.
Pause after key lines to give them a moment to add to their sketch.
You might suggest they try to sketch using their eyes closed for a certain line.
After reading the passage, give them a selection of colored pencils, and then SLOWLY READ key words and lines AGAIN from the Magnificat, pausing to have them select a color to add to their sketch. You may play Ave Maria during this second part.
Do: VIEW THE MARY ARTWORK you have brought. Ask the children the following about each picture:
What do you see in the picture? Is Mary looking up or down? Is she smiling? What color is her hair? What setting is she in? Is the baby Jesus awake or asleep?
What do you think the artist wanted us to feel or understand about this picture?
How does this picture help you understand today’s Bible story?
Have the children to pick a favorite artwork about Mary and try to copy it using colored pencils. Invite them to color THEMSELVES into the picture next to Mary in the style of the artwork they have chosen, --thinking about their expression, --as if they are Mary's friend and posing just like her.
Allow them time to do their picture. Share the results.
Play some additional "Mary" music as they work.
Closing
Conclude with "Show 'N Tell" of their artwork. Invite them to not get so caught up in the celebration of Christmas that they miss the AWE AND WONDER AND JOY of God coming into our world as the Baby Jesus.
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Older children may appreciate using watercolors after their initial sketching, as they are more sophisticated and expressive in older children's minds.
A lesson written by member Jan Marshall
Brenthaven Cumberland Pres. Brentwood, TN
Printed from Rotation.org
A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.
