Storytelling Lessons and Ideas for Teaching the Story of Creation in Sunday School

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Creation

Storytelling Workshop

Summary of the lesson:

In a darkened room children will lay or sit as they listen to the audio soundtrack of the Creation Story and observe pictures of creation as you shine your light on each as the story unfolds (pictures are taped around the room's upper walls.) Discussion Questions & a Flannel board activity suggestion.

Scripture Reference:

Genesis 1:1-2:3

Memory Verse:
Genesis 1:31
“And God saw everything that he had made, and
behold, it was very good.” Revised Standard

Leader Preparation:

• Read the scripture ahead of time.
• Gather the Materials.
• Create your room as dark as you can. Cover windows with black plastic or a dark sheet. Tape all the way around so no light gets in.
• Make a “tunnel” in the doorway with black plastic or comforters. (I taped black plastic to the inside of the door frame tightly – then cut a slit in the center from the bottom, to half way up – then taped at the top of the slit, a second piece of plastic – this loose piece kept the light out, but allowed you to get into the room.)
• For each day of the week, place pictures of God’s creation on the wall and ceiling with sticky tack. Be systematic about where you place them. Put all of day one on one wall, all of day two on the next wall. This will help the kids cement in their minds each day. Example: Start high in the center of the East wall (with the sky pictures), next set of pictures (land/sea/plants/trees) are high on the North wall, next set, high West wall, high South wall, then chest high left of center East wall, etc. This will help you locate them easier in the dark. (It’s ok to have more than one representation of each thing – ex. Trees, raspberries, apples, flowers, grass.)
  

Supplies List:

• pictures of creation (8 ½ x 11” size)
• black plastic
• tape
• sticky tack
• small fan (spirit of God)
• tape/CD player
• pillows
• blankets
• flashlight
• Moderator is replacing suggestion for audio - use "The Creation Story, The Bible Experience" Audio Book CD - hear it on YouTube.  It has a music and sound effects in the background - quite nice!
• flannel board
• pictures of creation (small size) on flannel --Numbers 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 on flannel
• questions for discussion

Lesson Plan

Opening:

Greet the children and introduce yourself.

• Tell the kids the room will be dark, but your flashlight will help guide them (Just like God helps guide us). Find a place to get comfortable on the floor. There are pillows inside, but they have to remain on the floor.
• Crawl through the door/tunnel to your room (you lead the kids in with the flash light) (empty except the props needed for the presentation.) Have pillows to lie on.
• You will need a flashlight to slightly illuminate the room so the kids can get comfortable. Have the kids sit down or lie on their backs facing the ceiling.
• Turn the flashlight off.

Dig:

• Tell the kids we are going to listen to a bible story. It is the very first story in the Old Testament. Lay back and imagine what it must have been like as the world was created.
• Start the tape. (Throughout the presentation keep turning the flashlight on and off for each part of the creation. This doesn’t allow their eyes to adjust too much to the darkness. If there are kids afraid of the dark, you can leave the flashlight on softly.)

Suggestions for Pictures of Creation to put on wall or use for flannelgraph
Opening - small fan (God moving over the water)
Day 1 – flashlight on (light)
          - Flashlight off (dark)
Day 2 – bank of clouds (heavens or sky)
Day 3 – land
        -Seas/oceans
        -Grass
        -Trees
        -Seeds
Day 4 – sun (greater light)
       -Moon (lesser light)
       -Stars
Day 5 – birds
       -Fish/sea creatures (whale if possible)
Day 6 – cattle
       - Creeping things (spiders/lizards)
       -Monkeys
       -Tiger
        -Man
        -Woman
Day 7 – bed/hammock/pillow (rested)

Creation discussion questions

Use the flannel board (optional) to help you tell the story through the questions. As the kids answer the questions, have them put up the “day” and what was “created” on the flannel board.

1. In the very first verse it says, “In the beginning . . . .” What did God create? (Heavens and earth - universe)
2. Give 3 descriptions of what the earth was like before God hovered over the waters. (Without form – formless - void – dark – desolate - empty)
3. Do you know what Void means? (Empty)
4. What was the first thing God created? (Light and dark – Day and night)
5. He called the light ________ (day) and the darkness he called __________(night).
6. On the second day, God made what? (The sky – the heavens - divided the waters from up above from down below)
7. Name 2 things that God created on Day 3. (Earth, seas, oceans, plants, grain, fruit, mountains, deserts, islands, grass, trees, seeds, herbs)
8. On the fourth day God created 2 lights. What were they and what were they to do? (Sun to rule the day – moon to rule the night)
9. What day were the stars made on? (4th )
10. Name 2 things that God created on the fifth day. (Birds, fish, sea creatures) (Hint – starfish has 5 points for 5 days)
11. Name 2 things that God created on the sixth day. (Animals - domestic and wild, cattle, creepy things, man, woman)
12. What was to roam on the land? (Animals)
13. What was to rule over all the things on the earth? (Man – people)
14. What did God say at the end of each day? “It was < very > good"
15. What did God create on the seventh day? (Nothing – He rested)
16. What did God do to the seventh day? (Blessed it - rested)
17. What is our memory verse? (And God saw everything that He had made, and behold it was very good.)
18. Where is this bible verse located? (Genesis 1:31a)
19. Is this in the Old or New Testament? (Old)

Discussion

1. Was creation an accident? (No - God intended to create the world. God was personally involved. God was there.)
2. How does this differ from what scientists believe – Big Bang Theory? (Scientists believe creation was all a big cosmic accident. Out of nothingness two masses collided in space and caused an explosion. From that explosion the universe came into being – stars, planets, plants, animals, everything) (How can the creation of so many wonderful things be an accident?)
3. Notice when God created each day, He did not say, “It was perfect!” rather He said, “It was very good!” What’s the difference between good and perfect? (good – still room for improvement Perfect – it can’t get any better)
4. We (humans) are made in God’s image - like God – like a mirror or reflection of God. How can we be like God? (kindness, loving, caring for others, caring for the earth. We are most like God when we nurture and bless the world and each other as God does.)
5. Name one thing you can do to show you are a reflection of God. (Go around the room for each answer –care for others – love others – take care of the creation)
6. What kind of God would create this world? (A God who is loving, kind, cares for us, provides for us, and blesses us)
   Any extra time can be spent with the flannel board – putting up the creation days in order or working on the memory verse.
7. God created everything. And it was very good! That "everything" includes you. You are very special because God made you just as you are. Tell me one thing about yourself that makes you special. (Start with yourself - then go around the room and help each child find something that is special about themselves.)

How to make a Flannel Board: (Ask an elementary teacher friend)
· Trace the pattern you want onto thick pellon interfacing (thick means you probably won’t need to glue it to felt).
· Color it with oil pastel crayons, permanent markers, or fabric crayons.
· If you need it sturdier, you may tacky glue it to felt.
· The actual board is wood or cardboard covered with felt.

Additional Ideas

Journal: Shiny foil (mirror) to glue into journal to remind that we are a reflection of God.

Song suggestions: “All Things Bright and Beautiful” (Hymnal), “What a Wonderful World” (Louis Armstrong), “Before All Time” (Gospel Light VBS 1998 – Sonlight Island).

A lesson written by Rachel Haugland from: Elim Lutheran Church
Randall, IA
Photo from Hampton United Church, Hampton, ON Canada

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