Beatitudes
A Computer Lab Lesson
Summary of Lesson Activities:
Uses the Galilee Flyer software program (Sunday Software). Kids fly the skie above the Sea of Galilee looking for verse halves to combine and answer questions about the Beatitudes to increase their Pilot Ranking!
Thanks to a donation from Sunday Software, Galilee Flyer is now available FOR FREE to our Supporting Members. Go to https://www.rotation.org/forum...r-children-and-youth
Also Note: The Rotation.org Writing Team has a great set of Beatitudes lessons which include a newer/improved version of the following lesson.
Leader Preparation
- Read the scripture ahead of time.
- Print the guide and student handouts that come with the software.
- Download, install, preview, and explore the software.
Supplies List
Lesson Point of View:
There are three challenges to teaching the Beatitudes to kids:
1. The depth and length of the passage (11 compact but rich verses)
2. The complexity of concepts (what does it mean to be persecuted?)
3. The new vocabulary (what does the word "meek" mean? "pure in heart"?)
I wrote Galilee Flyer's "Beatitudes" software to be a GAME that helps kids gain a greater familiarity with (memory of) the text and vocab of the Beatitudes. This is in contrast to many traditional lesson approaches which spend more time on the complex meanings of the verses without promoting FAMILIARITY (memory) of them. As you preview and play the game, you will see this emphasis on REMEMBERING the Beatitudes on display in the game.
The carrot on the stick is the flying game. They can't land and win if they don't properly match the verse halves. And even when they do correctly match the verse halves, the correct answers get reinforced as they run into those verse halves elsewhere in the game. The game isn't really easy either. We want them to have to start over and get better. Because it's a game, they will WANT to do it again and again. Pretty sneaky, huh?
Fly to the top of Mt Hippus to pop open the scripture for the game...
Important Teaching Tips:
- Galilee Flyer is a flying game. You will need a minimum of 30 minutes to play the game.
- The verses are IN the game, so you don't need to do an extended Bible study before playing the game. If you do, most kids probably won't have enough time to learn how to "beat" the game.
- If you've never used it before, be sure to preview and learn how to fly the airplane so you can keep the kids from getting stuck.
- I strongly recommend introducing the Galilee Flyer game PRIOR TO your regular class time use. Have the kids spend 5 or 10 minutes at the end of some class practicing flying, take off and landings.
- When using with younger flyers, have older kids helping.
- Print the Teacher's Guide and Extra Flying Tips that come with the software.
Lesson Plan
Opening
1. Find out how much they know about the Beatitudes. Write down keywords they remember.
2. Tell them they'll be playing Galilee Flyer about the Beatitudes and give them each a copy of "Rip McErkel's Flying Tips handout (a printable file that comes with the game). It has airplane controls and scoring info.
2. Open Bibles to Matthew 5 or hand out a printed copy of the Beatitudes as their "cheat sheet." Tell them they can study the Beatitudes for 2 minutes before they start the game, then collect the sheets. The game itself will present the verses many times, plus ideas about the meaning of the words. While they only need to match verses to win, remind them that answering the QUESTIONS correctly will win them bonus points.
Fly!
Play the Galilee Flyer game on Beatitudes.
At a pre-determined point in your available class time, if not everyone has finished, promise them they can plan again but have then STOP trying to match verse halfs and instead have all the students fly to the "Discussion Ruins" located on the ridge overlooking the Sea of Galilee in the Southeast corner. When they see the "D" floating above the ruins, fly into it to unlock pop up reflection questions. TIP: These can be done on ONE computer as a group. After flying past to activate one pop up, discuss, then fly back around to open up the second pop up, then the third.
OPTION:
Use Sunday Software's Galilee Flyer Beatitudes Student Worksheet (now included at Rotation.org where you download the software). Have students fill in the worksheet as they fly. Use the worksheet for discussion after their game time is over.
Reflection
Using a BOX you have prepared, toss the box between students having them read and complete the side of the box that their RIGHT hand touches when they grab the box. Do this many times, each time going faster and faster.
Here are the six statements to put on the six sides of the box/cube:
- Jesus promises that I will be comforted when I ______.
- Jesus promises that an attitude of ______ will eventually conquer the earth!
- Jesus wants me to hunger and thirst for _______.
- Jesus promises that when I show mercy to others, I will ______.
- If you want to see God, you need to be _____________
- When you make this: ______, you are showing that you are a child of God.
Alternatively, fly to the Discussion Area in the upper mountains around the Sea to open a discussion panel. The discussion area is a set of ruins marked with a big blue "D".
The guide to the game has a lot of great tips on making you look like a flying genius.
Be sure to download it!
