Video Ideas:

God's Trombones by Billy Budd Films, Inc., 1994, Vision Video, 1996,

(Moderator adds on 9/17/21- see this link for details on where to find this.).

Summary: Discover why the human voice is the grandest musical instrument of all in this moving presentation of three African-American poems. Captivating watercolor-like animation accompanies James Earl Jones' recital of "The Creation" and Dorian Harewood's narration of "Go Down Death." Harewood lends his voice again to "The Prodigal Son," which comes to life through amazing claymation. For teens to adults. Approximately 17 minutes, from Vision Video.

Review: A video done in claymation called "Creation" does a fantastic job of illustrating a poem by James Weldon Johnson. Is execllent - Young children through adults love this video!

Member WendyB

God's Trombones for 2nd - 6th. First graders probably would have been okay with the God's Trombones creation story, too.

Note: 3 stories - Creation runs 1:04 - 8:55 (total 7:51 mins)

See a lesson using this video by Jan Marshall from Brookhaven Church.

See another lesson using this video by Jamie Senyard from River Community Church.

The Creation: Greatest Adventure Video Series, Emi Cmg Distribution, 1995,

NOTE: OUT OF PRINT.  Can watch it on YouTube

Summary: While poking around the sites of ancient ruins, three young visitors from the 20th century are transported back in time---to biblical times! Animated. 30 Minutes. Covers Creation & Adam/Eve.

Review: [By Member Laura C]  The group I used it for ranged in age from 4years old through 4th grade. The kids really liked it, it was very memorable!

The Story of Creation DVD  (Beginners Bible Series), Warner/elektra/atlantic Corp, 1995.

Update 2015:  DVD was re-released - in a collection called "Beginner's Bible Vol. 2.  It includes 3 of the original videos:  Creation, Noah's Ark, and David & Goliath, 610583501797. 

Also, in 2015, Beginner's Bible have posted full episodes on YouTube, The Story of Creation can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9oh4YO8N7M .

Summary: In this animated video, journey back to the beginning of the world as God brings forth the Earth, fills its waters and lands with plants and animals and, finally, crown His creation with the first man and woman. Then join Adam and Eve as they explore the Earth paradise and discover what happens when they accept a serpent's offer of forbidden fruit. Color 30 minutes

Review - we used the Beginner's Bible video for preschool thru 1st Grade. We stopped after the naming of the animals (approx 10 mins.), because after that it is about Adam and Eve, the apple, etc., and we wanted to only focus on the creation part of the story.

Moderator adds:
Creation    (0:00 – 10:14 – approx 10 minutes)
Garden of Eden  (10:14 – 25:40 approx. 15:36 minutes)

Note: it says that on the sixth day God created Adam, but Genesis 1:27 actual says, God created them "male and female."

Below are questions which help indicate what is covered on this video.

Creation

1. What did God create on Day 1? Darkness & Light
2. What did God create on Day 2? Sky & Clouds
3. What did God create first on day 3? Separated Water from dry land – rocks, mountains, valleys, deserts, beaches
4. What did God create next on day 3? Plants, Trees, bushes, Ferns, Leaves, Flowers
5. What did God create on day 4? Sun,Moon, Stars
6. What did God create on day 5? Creatures, birds filled the sky, fish filled the sea
7. What did God create on day 6? Animals – Zebras, Elephant, Rabbit, Giraffs, Elk, Lion, Bee
8. Who did God breath life into on the 6^th day? Adam
   Note: it says that on the sixth day God created Adam, but Genesis 1:27 actual says, God created them "male and female."
9. What does God give Adam to use & protect? The land and all it’s creatures
10. What did God do on Day 7? He rested

Garden of Eden

11. What did God create next? The Garden
12. What was Adam’s first job? to name all the animals
13. Who id God make for company for Adam? EVE
14. Were Adam & Eve happy in the Garden? Yes
15. God asked Adam and Eve to do just ONE thing for Him – what was it?
    (not eat from the one tree – the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good & evil)
16. Why do you think God gave them a choice to obey or disobey?
17. Who did Eve meet in the Garden? A Serpent
18. Discuss who the serpent represents.
19. What did the serpent want Eve to eat? Fruit from the tree of Knowledge
20. What did the serpent tell Eve would happen to her if she ate from the tree of knowledge? She’d be as smart as God
21. Does Eve eat it? Yes
22. Does Adam eat it? Yes
23. What happens to Adam & Eve when they eat the fruit? They realize they’re naked
24. Discuss sin here and how Adam & Eve have lost their innocents
25. When god comes to the garden what do Adam & Eve do? They hide from God
26. Did they tell God what happened? Yes
27. What happens to the serpent? God turns him into a snake
28. What happens to Adam & Eve? They must leave the Garden
29. What protects the gates to the garden? An angel with a flaming sword
30. Why did god make Adam & Eve leave the garden? Because they disobeyed him
31. How do we get back into the garden? Accepting Jesus as our Saviour and asking with truth and remorse for forgiveness each time we sin and someday we will join Jesus in heaven upon our death.

Read about the Workshop Rotation Model for Sunday School!

Creation Story Video Workshop

Summary:

Watch the video God's Trombones then come up with BODY MOVEMENTS (or your own claymation art) to retell the creation story.

Note: The original God’s Trombones video contains 3 different stories. The "Creation" section runs 1:04 - 8:55 (total 7:51 mins). The voiceover is done by James Earl Jones who your students may recognize at the voice of Mufasa from the original Lion King movie.

See this post for details on the style of the poem and claymation.

Scripture Reference:

Genesis 1:1-2:3

Supplies List:

• God's Trombones video by Billy Budd Films, Inc. Will Vinton Studios  https://youtu.be/jcHxNZIvfh4?si=A2XPo0QtJv5aNszN
  
• Computing Device connected to a large screen and the internet (YouTube)
  or a Video player if you own/can find the original tape/DVD (it was quite popular back in the day)
• Popcorn machine and supplies
• Water and Cups
• Bibles

Lesson Outline

Opening

Greet the children and introduce yourself. Let them know what they'll be doing today and what you hope they will learn.

Study

1. Have the students turn to Genesis and read the story with you. Use the Bible that is in the classroom. There should be a Children’s Bible for younger children. If this is not their first rotation you may want to retell the story. Older children can take turns reading the verses aloud.
2. Pass out popcorn and talk about how they should behave while eating it--sit, don’t throw, etc. Be sure to give out the water after the lights are back on.
3. Explain the children they are going to watch a video that was created to illustrate a poem that a man named James Weldon Johnson wrote. The poem is Johnson’s retelling of the creation story that you just read. (You might want to mention that a very famous actor, James Earl Jones, narrates the video.)
4. Suggest they watch the movement of the pictures and think how they could use body movement to illustrate the verses.
5. Watch the video.
6. Ask for their initial impressions. 
   • For example: How did this video make them feel?
   • What did they like about it? What did they dislike?
   • Was there anything in it that they thought was strange? any unfamiliar words? (If so discuss these. “Mammy” might be unfamiliar to some)
   • What did they think of the artwork--the colors, the movement, the images?
   • If there are areas that need to be viewed again you can stop the tape and discuss as you watch it the second time or can go back to it at any time.
   • For older children you may want to mention the many images of God to stimulate discussion.
7. Have the students come up with movement to illustrate the verses. If there are enough students you can divide them up and assign two or three to think of movements for certain verses. Then share these with the group.  You may want to write something to help remember what movement went with what verse. The children will probably remember.
8. Either read or ask the shepherd to read the narrative and practice the movements with everyone doing them. May need to practice the first two then repeat and add 3rd etc.

Closing:
Have the students perform the movements with the reading as though they were
performing it for their parents to see. Hopefully, we will have someone videotape this. If there is time they can watch their performance.

A lesson written by Jan Marshall from: Brenthaven Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Bentwood, TN, USA

Creation Story

Video Workshop: "PRAY-PER-VIEW"

Summary of Lesson Activities:

Scripture Reference:

Objectives for the workshop:

• know the order in which things were created and on which day they were created.
• learn that we are responsible for the care and management of creation.
• know that the earth is well made & good, that we are unique & that He sustains all life.

Teacher preparation:

• Read the scripture passages and lesson plan and attend the Bible Study, ....
• Prepare an opening & closing prayer.
• Learn the memory verse.
• Watch the movie so that you know when to pause/are familiar with the content.
  
  

Materials List:

Lesson Plan

Opening:

Open with prayer and introduce today’s lesson. Tell the children that they will be watching a movie which beautifully illustrates the story of creation in picture, Word and music. They are to pay close attention to the movie as you will be pausing and asking them to reflect on what they see. Then they will make “Creation Mix” as a way of remembering and retelling the story in Genesis 1.

Dig:

Read the story in Genesis. If this is the first week, dig deep and make sure they understand or ask any questions. You may have some who ask about evolution. We will deal with this in our Bible Study/planning.

The children will need their journals or paper for watching the movie – they may have to write or draw!

Start the movie. It lasts approx. 30 minutes. Take care to pause as directed in the lesson and ask the questions.

1. Pause when you see how God is represented – do they notice it? Why do they think the artist chose this (eye) and not a human face/body?
2. Question: What is God “before”? (everything!) Give egs.
3. What musical sounds do you hear during the creation of the sun/moon/planets? (percussion).
4. Draw (in your journals) what the spirit of God looks like.
5. What do you notice about how the eye (God) is creating (they should see the hand of God in the images). What does this hand tell us about God? (He is in control. He makes it all. He is over and in everything)
6. Point out how the idea that “God is over and in all” is suggested by the eyes on his fingers, the animals and man too.
7. What was Adam made from? (clay of the earth & the spirit of God)
8. Draw the two trees – tree of life, tree of knowledge of good & evil.
9. What happens when the narrator says “on the day you eat it you will die”? (fruit turns into a skull).
10. Why does Adam need Eve? (We are told that although the animals reflect God’s glory in their own way, none of them were like Adam and that he longed for someone with whom to share the pleasures of the garden.) What does Genesis say?
11. Describe the image of the “making of Eve”. (The pink rib ‘flows” out through God’s hand into womanly form.)
12. Freeze the frame of Adam & Eve together, their four legs are the fingers of God’s hand, their faces “entwined” under the eye. Have the children draw this picture in their journals. What do they think the illustrator is trying to “say”? (God and his creation are in harmony. We are under God’s protection.
13. The picture of harmony extends out to enclose the whole earth – draw this picture too as it pans out to the seventh day when God rested. What music do they hear? (Holy, Holy, Holy) When have they heard/sung this before? (In church. Especially on Trinity Sunday!)
14. What do they notice about the serpent? (At this point he has wings! He can get around quickly – and speak directly in A & E’s ears!) How do we see the serpent invading Eve’s thoughts? Is that an effective picture? What does it tell us about the devil?
15. What do the two sets of eyes suggest? (Now they see and are separated from God.)
16. Now that they fear God what do they do? (they sin, blaming each other and God.)
17. What has happened to the serpent? (No longer winged. Loss of power?) What happens to the earth? (Not in perfect harmony/relationship with God – shown by barren landscape.)
18. What is the narrator saying now? (Quoting Psalm 51) Do you know what that is from?
    
    “Cast me not away from thy presence…Restore to me the joy of thy salvation…Renew a right spirit within me.”
    
    Point out that God cast out Adam & Eve but longs to restore us, to bring us back – that’s why he sent Jesus.
19. What do they make of the last image on the screen? Is this the Body of Christ, the Church, restored again? What hope does that give us?
20. Closing question: Did God create the world because he was lonely? No! The Trinity was always there! Holy, Holy, Holy….

Other posts previously posted using the above movie by Rabbit Ears.

There is a wonderful video called The Creation, by Rabbit Ears videos, narrated by Amy Grant. 30 minutes.
It's hard to find and out of print, but I found a company that will watch for used or new copies for you: Great Tapes for Kids. Their website is: Great Tapes for Kids

I have recently learned that many videos from Rabbit Ears Radio are available to borrow from many public libraries through OverDrive Media. This one on The Creation is particularly good and there's a lesson plan for using it posted by Hilary here.

My local library allows me to download these videos for a week at a time. The copyright notice specifically states “public performance permitted” so I feel comfortable showing them in church. (You would not be able to charge for a performance, but that’s not what we do anyway.) I can download them to my computer and screen them with a video projector.

I love these videos because:
The illustrations are thoughtful and not really animated,rather the camera pans over these remarkable drawings, creating a sensation of motion.
The narrators are very talented artists with wonderful voices that they use exquisitely.
The musicial settings greatly enhance the story.
They are between 20 and 25 minutes long – allowing lots of time for questions and additional activities.

The Northern California Ecumenical Media Resource Center at 408-378-2532 or emrcvideos @aol.com has the Rabbit Ears Creation Story by Amy Grant. They are more than willing to UPS this video to you for a small fee. The catalogue number is: VCO-307.1
Donna Lindsay

Hilary S. - Posted July 02, 2005 08:00 PM (prior to her above lesson)
It's a good idea to see if your public library has these videos before you purchase. I was pleasantly surprised to find two of the movies we were looking at for Creation this fall. The library is also interested in ordering another title for its shelves! Then, of course, you are putting God's Story in the public eye!
Hilary

Editor's Note:
THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITY COULD BE SPLIT INTO A COOKING WORKSHOP

Now move to the tables in the Bistro and make: Creation Mix

Supplies:

• Whopper bars,
• Oreo cookies,
• Frosted Mini-wheats
• Sunflower seeds
• Fruit roll-ups,
• Yellow & Orange M&M’s
• Starburst candies
• goldfish
• animal crackers
• gingerbread people
• marshmallows,
• Fruit Breezers

Directions:

Form a big circle with each child having a plastic baggie/brown paper sack
• Pass around the “treats” as the story part is read (have everyone reach into the center of the circle to get the treat – or have the shepherd pass them out—each child should take enough of each item in order to share later.)
• After each “treat” is passed out - except the first one - the kids say in unison, “and God saw that it was good” (with maybe an extra emphasis on “good”.)

**Note: they will take their Creation Mix to share with someone after church and tell the story of creation as they share**

SAY THE FOLLOWING:

The Bible holds a “Whopper” of a tale (one whopper).

Day 1 - In the beginning God made the heavens and the earth. He created the light and called it ‘Day’ and the dark He called ‘Night’. (Oreo cookie).
The kids say, “and God saw that it was good"

Day 2 – God separated the waters from the waters. And the firmament He called Heaven. (Frosted Mini-Wheat’s cereal – for the clouds and the ground)
The kids say, “and God saw that it was good"

Day 3 – God gathered the waters together to form the seas and the earth. And God let the earth bring forth seeds (sunflower seed)and fruit (‘fruit’ rollups)
The kids say, “and God saw that it was good"

Day 4 – God created the sun (yellow M&M’s) and the moon (orange M&M’s). You can see the many stars He created in the Milky Way (Starburst candy)
The kids say, “and God saw that it was good"

Day 5 - God made the birds and the fish. (Goldfish)
The kids say, “and God saw that it was good"

Day 6 - God made man and woman and all the animals that creep on the earth. (Animal crackers and small gingerbread man cookie)
The kids say, “and God saw that it was good"

Day 7 – On the seventh day God ended His work and He rested (marshmallow ‘pillows' ).  God blessed the seventh day and made it holy. (Kids say, “and God saw that it was good")

Man and woman were created in the image of God. Life was a “breeze” (Fruit Breezers) in the Garden of Eden. We know that our God is an awesome God. There are “100-Grand” ways to show Him our thanks for the beautiful creation He made. (100 Grand candy bar)

(Inspired by Children's Ministry Magazine - July/Aug 2001)

Closing:
In their journals (providing time allows) have each child write an acrostic about creation using each letter of C-R-E-A-T-I-O-N as the first word of each line.

Pray, thanking God for the wonder of all that he has made and for the gift of music, word and picture, through which WE create things of beauty.

A lesson written by Hilary S. from: St. Mary's Anglican Church

Creation (Genesis 1)

Video Workshop (We call it “Mountaintop Movies")

Summary of Lesson Activity:

Children will watch The Lorax - (the original 1972 - 30 minute televised) - a Dr. Seuss, animated, video about a people whose poor stewardship of the earth results in the near extinction of a species, and a young boy who has the responsibility to save it.

Scripture Reference:

Genesis 1:26-31

Workshop Objectives

• Children will be able to define stewardship, particularly as it applies to the stewardship of the earth given us by God in Genesis 1.
• Children will watch and reflect on the movie “The Lorax” and the environmental issues it raises.
• Children will determine a project that they can do as a group, which will have a positive impact on the environment.

Materials List:

• Bibles
• Popcorn & supplies
• “The Lorax” DVD (or stream it from YouTube), 30 minutes (1972 animated TV Special)
  
• “50 Simple Things Kids Can Do to Save the Earth” by Earthworks Group (Author), Michele Montez (Illustrator) book, 1990, 160 pp.
  Moderator adds: 50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth: All New! Updated for the 21st Century Paperback – April 1, 2008, by John Javna (Author), Sophie Javna (Author), Jesse Javna (Author).

Download this lesson as a PDF document.

Moderator adds: link to downloadable lesson is no longer active, you may want to check out this lesson that uses this same DVD in our Stewardship Forum here.

This material is copyright 2013, by Rev. Lisa K. Martin and Trinity Reformed UCC, Pottstown, PA. USA

Permission is granted for use within your local church setting. Further distribution is prohibited.

DVD - “In The Beginning: The Story of Creation” (New Superbook Series)

Note: We're mentioning this video because its widely available and purports to teach the story of "Creation," however, it's mostly about "the Fall" and you may want to check it's theological point of view before showing it in your church.

Like seeing resources like this one?

We are non-profit, volunteer-led, and entirely supported by donations.

Short Video Clip of Creation & Fall

There's a dramatic and well-done 4  minute presentation of Genesis 1, the Seven Days of Creation, buried in the movie "Noah" (2014, Paramount). It's narrated by Noah (Russell Crowe). The scene begins with Noah telling the story while gathered around a campfire aboard the Ark.

Here a preview version of it on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFCXHr8aKDk  

Notes:  
One of the neat things about this Creation video clip is that they present the birth of the cosmos and imply evolution through clever morphing animation. At the end of it is another quick dramatic sequence of silhouetted soldiers from different historical periods in attack poses (mirror Cain and Abel shown earlier in the movie) ---with Noah adding his commentary about the "Fall" of Creation. With older kids and youth, it's definitely worth playing again to discuss and emphasize the theological point.

I don't recommend the rest of the movie for Sunday School. Personally, I liked it, but it is definitely a re-imagined version 'based' on the Biblical story.  Aside: If you were shocked by the "rock giants" in the movie, then you have probably never read the Book of Enoch's flood story in the Apocrypha. Here's an article in Biblical Archaeology mag about them.

The 7 Days of Creation, a video short from Saddleback Kids.

3:48 minutes. Suitable for young children/preschoolers. This is a cute animated retelling of the scripture. Nice animation, no "creation-ism," and doesn't go into the story of Adam and Eve, though they are both featured along with lots of cute animals. Suitable for use as a Bible study starter, or for children's worship. 

Psalm 8 "The Creation Psalm" contemplates the heavens and the glory that God has surrounded us with, and it wonders "who are we that God cares for us?"

Here's a reflection video on that "glory" set to the popular Train song, "When I look to the sky." It was created for a Psalm 8 lesson here at rotation.org

See our Psalm 8 forum resources for more "contemplating Creation" activities and lessons.

Writing Team Lesson Set: Psalm 8 ~ "When I look at your heavens"
and Psalm 8 - When I consider the work of your fingers

One of my favorite videos on Creation is "Making Friends - God Made Me Perfectly!" from the Toby Series by Bugbox Animation, South Africa, 2004 (approx. 18 mins).

I see their website called Toby Adventures is no longer up, and looking back through their facebook page I see they've given away all stock they had remaining awhile ago.

But I found they posted it, for free, on YouTube n 2020 during Covid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dyhue8OwoU4

I've selected to start the video during the 2nd half where Jesus takes Toby on a tour of Creation.

Ages 6 to 10.

The video begins with Toby --a young boy with a rather mean older teenage sister, and a mom who is too busy (no dad is mentioned).  When Toby gets feeling sad/lonely/cornered he meets Jesus (in his heart/spirit/submarine) and they go off on an adventure. In this case they go back to the beginning of time, and that's when the video really starts to get INTERESTING!

The second half of the video has JESUS taking Toby on a tour of Creation and talking about how HE created the world (which jibes with John 1), and what fun he had doing it, especially making all the animals, with joy, creativity, and great enthusiasm, and laughter, people are different nationalities, sizes, shapes, and he shows Toby that he is perfectly made, even down to his cowlick. What I especially liked was that Toby took that all back with him and looked at everything differently, even his sister (who he now sees is also made in God's image.)  

The only negative reviews I remember having seen over the years was the meanest of the sister and that's not how Christian children should act, which made me chuckle, I've never met a kid that was well behaved all the time.

Third Day's version of the "God of Wonders" song is a beautiful classic, and the images that this YouTuber has put to the song are inspirational.  A Genesis art lesson here at Rotation.org uses it as an opening discussion starter.

Clicking the following image opens the video in YouTube. The person who posted it on YT didn't allow 'embeds' in other sites, but you are welcome to view and use it on YouTube.

Direct link: https://youtu.be/pJy2Pk5ewSI?si=2xKwoovZxOQkakrJ

There are other music videoson YouTube that use this song and it has been recorded by many Christian artists. For example, here's one by Chris Tomlin with inspirational images added by a fan.

What images or illustrations would your students put to the song?

Here at Rotation.org, we don't just post "any" video, especially about Genesis 1. We view them and make sure they have integrity.  Here are another three good options for various grades and uses to introduce your kids to the Story of Creation.

For Younger Children and Preschool:
When God Made The World -- a video read-aloud of the popular children's book, When God Created the World set to illustrations from the book. A great reflection piece and intro to the God's Creation story.

Saddleback Kids' Creation Story video
Video and illustrations narrated with scripture

God's Story: Creation from Crossroads Kids
Quickly tells the story with life meaning.

For older children and pre-teens:
Here's an excellent explanation of the themes, meaning, and importance of Genesis 1's story of Creation, our place and "rule" or role in Creation, and "The Image of God."  Use it for an alternative discussion with older kids.