ART LEADER GUIDE Four Friends (Luke 5:17-26) Age-Level Overview Age-Level Overview Open the Bible Activate Faith Lower Elementary WORKSHOP FOCUS: Jesus finds creative ways to help. PAINTING OUTSIDE THE BRUSH: Kids think creatively as they fingerpaint. : Spark Story Bibles : Hoops or carpet squares : None : Fingerpainting paper, finger paints, bowls, paint shirts, disposable plastic tablecloths Upper Elementary WORKSHOP FOCUS: Jesus works in extraordinary ways. PAINTING OUTSIDE THE EASEL: Kids explore their creativity as they create a Jackson Pollock style drip painting. : Spark Bibles, Spark Bible Stickers : Carpet squares : None : Mural paper, liquid paint, bowls, paintbrushes, turkey baster, tennis balls, golf balls, sponges, tarp, paint shirts, Jackson Pollock artwork image from Internet search (optional) All Kids WORKSHOP FOCUS: Jesus works outside the box. PAINTING OUTSIDE THE PAINT: Kids use their imagination as they use unusual painting objects to create a work of art. : Spark Story Bibles, Spark Bibles, Spark Bible Stickers : String, blue masking (painting) tape, numbered targets : None : Mural paper, tempera paints, bowls, paintbrushes, sand, mud, grass, pebbles, tarp, paint shirts Visit www.sparksundayschool.org for more Spark content. Watch a short Lesson Prep Video that will prepare you and give you confidence to explore this Bible story with the kids you are leading. You will also find a downloadable Family Page for this rotation s story filled with ideas for families to use to explore this story and live out their faith at home. Art Workshop, Four Friends Rotation Leader Guide. Spark Sunday School 2009 Four Friends 15
ART LEADER GUIDE Four Friends (Luke 5:17-26) Lower Elementary Workshop Focus: Jesus finds creative ways to help. Keep these tips in mind as you welcome kids to the workshop and explore the story together. ART Each week, remember to welcome kids to the rotation. Keep in mind that for some kids, it may be the first time they are visiting your workshop! If kids have heard the story several times during previous weeks, read it again! Kids learn through repetition, and every workshop will explore the Bible story in a slightly different way. Remember that the Shepherds are there to support you as they accompany kids each week. Be sure to visit www.sparksundayschool.org to download the Family Page for this story. Make copies of it and ask Shepherds to distribute it during the Wrap Up. Open the Bible (10 minutes) Four Friends Storytelling Activity Instructions Today, we re going to tackle a challenge! We all have to get to the other side of the room using the hoops (or carpet squares). We can stand inside the hoops (or on the carpet squares), but not on the ground/floor outside the hoops (or squares). How are we going to do it? Give kids time to work out a solution that will help them finish the task. Guide them as necessary, but let them take the lead. Spark Story Bibles Hoops or carpet squares, 3 You did it! Ask the following questions, giving the kids time to share. Did you think you could do it when you started? How did you get across the room? How did you decide what to do? In our story today, we ll read about four friends who wanted to bring their friend to Jesus for healing. When they couldn t get into the room where Jesus was, they had to work together and be creative to find a way. Let s open our Spark Story Bibles to Four Friends on page 348. Read the story aloud. Why couldn t the friends get in to see Jesus? (The room was crowded.) What did they decide to do? (They lowered the man through the roof.) What did Jesus do first? (Jesus forgave the Art Workshop, Four Friends Rotation Leader Guide. Spark Sunday School 2009 Four Friends 17
man s sins.) Why did Jesus forgive the man s sins? (Sin hurts more than sickness does.) The four friends found a creative way to help their friend, and Jesus found a creative way to heal him. Activate Faith (25 minutes) Painting Outside the Brush Set Up: Put the paints into bowls for ease of use. Cover the tables with disposable plastic tablecloths. Cover the floor below each table with another tablecloth. Activity Instructions Ask kids if they have painted with paintbrushes. Tell them they will paint in a different way today. The four friends had to find a creative way of helping their friend. When they couldn t get him in by the front door, they lowered him in through the roof. We don t have paintbrushes, so we re going to find a different way to create our paintings. We re going to use our hands and fingers! Put a paint shirt on each child. Roll up the kids clothing sleeves so that they are covered by the paint shirt sleeves. Today, you will create two masterpieces. When you create the second one, you won t have to plan it out you ll just paint whatever comes to your mind! For this first masterpiece, let s spend a few moments thinking about what you will paint. Ask the following questions, giving kids time to think. Will you create a painting of something you know, or will it be a fun, crazy mixture of colors? What colors will you use? Will you use more of one color than another? Will you paint all the way to the edges, or will you leave some white space? Imagine how your painting will look when you re done. None Fingerpainting paper, 2 sheets per kid Finger paints, variety of colors Bowls, 1 per color for every 3-4 kids Paint shirts Disposable plastic tablecloths, 2 per table Give each kid a piece of fingerpainting paper. Put the bowls of paint on the tables. Invite kids to begin their paintings. When they are finished, give them a second piece of fingerpainting paper. Invite them to create whatever comes to their minds. Be sure to leave time for cleaning up. 18 Workshop Leader Guides Art Workshop, Four Friends Rotation Leader Guide. Spark Sunday School 2009
Send (5 minutes) Wrap Up Remind the Shepherds to distribute the Family Page for this story if the kids haven t already received it, and come together for Wrap Up. Family Pages Allow time for kids to respond to each question. How are your two paintings similar? How are they different? Which one do you feel the best about? Why? You are all very creative in your paintings! How can you be creative in solving problems at home or school this week? Let s thank God for giving us imagination and creativity. Finger paintings made in Activate Faith ART Prayer Time Invite kids to listen as you pray. God, You were very creative when you made the giraffe with its long neck, broccoli that looks like a tree, and the rainbow I can see and see through! Thank you for making me creative, too, and for giving me imagination! Amen. Art Workshop, Four Friends Rotation Leader Guide. Spark Sunday School 2009 Four Friends 19
ART LEADER GUIDE Four Friends (Luke 5:17-26) Upper Elementary Workshop Focus: Jesus works in extraordinary ways. Keep these tips in mind as you welcome kids to the workshop and explore the story together. ART Each week, remember to welcome kids to the rotation. Keep in mind that for some kids, it may be the first time they are visiting your workshop! If kids have heard the story several times during previous weeks, read it again! Kids learn through repetition, and every workshop will explore the Bible story in a slightly different way. Remember that the Shepherds are there to support you as they accompany kids each week. Be sure to visit www.sparksundayschool.org to download the Family Page for this story. Make copies of it and ask Shepherds to distribute it during the Wrap Up. Open the Bible (10 minutes) Four Friends Storytelling Set Up: Put all the carpet squares on the floor so their edges are touching. Welcome kids and tell them they ll begin today by using their creativity to complete a challenge. Stand on the carpet squares, and make sure nobody is touching the floor. Remove the squares one at a time until kids are challenged to come up with creative ways to stay off the floor (for example, by moving the carpet squares farther apart or to a different configuration, having two kids hold another kid). Spark Bibles Spark Bible Stickers Carpet squares, 1 for every 2 kids What was that challenge like for you? What was the hardest part of the challenge? How did you decide what to do? Did you come up with ideas as a group or were there clear leaders? Tell kids that today s story is about four friends and the creative way Jesus healed their friend. Let s open our Spark Bibles to Luke 5:17-26 on page 1135. Read the story aloud. Art Workshop, Four Friends Rotation Leader Guide. Spark Sunday School 2009 Four Friends 21
What do you think the friends might have felt like, faced with the challenge of getting their friend through the crowd to Jesus? Allow time to talk and reflect. How does sin hurt us more than illness or disease? Have you ever been faced with a difficult challenge and relied on friends to help you? What was it? Put a Makes Me Wonder sticker next to the story. What does this story make you wonder about? Jesus works in extraordinary ways! Activate Faith (25 minutes) Painting Outside the Easel Set Up: Place a tarp on the floor. Cut a large sheet of mural paper and put it on top of the tarp. Put the paint in bowls for ease of use. Enter Jackson Pollock artwork in a search engine to learn more about his drip painting technique. The four friends in our story had to be creative to find a way to bring their friend to Jesus for healing. Jesus did something unexpected when instead of healing the man Jesus forgave his sins. He did so because our sins hurt us more than illness or disease. Then Jesus healed the man to show that he was speaking and acting for God. Jesus gave people a new way to look at sickness and healing, sin and forgiveness. We can look at the world in new ways, too. Jackson Pollock was an influential artist in the early 1900s. Instead of painting using an upright easel, he placed his canvas on the floor and used brushes, sticks, turkey basters, large eyedroppers and other items to drip the paint into unique patterns. It was a revolutionary idea for his time. (Show the turkey baster.) Today, we re going to work together to create our own drip painting. Like when we worked together to stay on the carpet squares, we re going to have to work together to create this painting. Talk to one another. Share ideas. Work together. None Mural paper Liquid paint, variety of colors Bowls Paintbrushes, several sizes Turkey baster Large eyedroppers Tennis balls, 1-2 Golf balls, 1-2 Sponges, several sizes, 5-6 Tarp Paint shirts Jackson Pollock artwork image from Internet search (optional) Give each kid a paint shirt, paintbrush, and ball or sponge. Have kids stand above the mural paper, dip their brushes into the paint, and then drip the paint onto the mural in unique patterns. Invite them to use the sponges and balls to add texture to the piece. If possible, do this activity outside. Be sure to leave time for cleaning up. 22 Workshop Leader Guides Art Workshop, Four Friends Rotation Leader Guide. Spark Sunday School 2009
Send (5 minutes) Wrap Up Remind the Shepherds to distribute the Family Page for this story if the kids haven t already received it, and come together for Wrap Up. Family Pages Allow time for kids to respond to each of the following questions. How did it feel to work together to create this painting? What was the experience like? How can we look at the world differently so that we can see God working in ways we haven t noticed before? Prayer Time Drip painting created by the group in Activate Faith ART Have kids listen as you pray. Creative and creating God, You have given us minds and bodies to be imaginative and creative, to think beyond what we ve learned, and to see the world in new and exciting ways. Thank you for helping us see you in all that we do and experience. Amen. Art Workshop, Four Friends Rotation Leader Guide. Spark Sunday School 2009 Four Friends 23
ART LEADER GUIDE Four Friends (Luke 5:17-26) All Kids Workshop Focus: Jesus works outside the box. Keep these tips in mind as you welcome kids to the workshop and explore the story together. ART Each week, remember to welcome kids to the rotation. Keep in mind that for some kids, it may be the first time they are visiting your workshop! If kids have heard the story several times during previous weeks, read it again! Kids learn through repetition, and every workshop will explore the Bible story in a slightly different way. Remember that the Shepherds are there to support you as they accompany kids each week. Be sure to visit www.sparksundayschool.org to download the Family Page for this story. Make copies of it and ask Shepherds to distribute it during the Wrap Up. Open the Bible (10 minutes) Four Friends Storytelling Set Up: Use the string to weave a web across all sides of your room at a height where kids can climb over and crawl under. Use blue masking (painting) tape to secure the string to walls or cabinets. Place 3-5 numbered targets on the floor or walls throughout the room. Activity Instructions Welcome kids and tell them they will face a challenge today! Point out the web of string and the numbered targets you placed in the room. Your challenge is to work your way through the web to touch each of the numbered targets in order without pulling down the web. Work together and help each other. Spark Story Bibles Spark Bibles Spark Bible Stickers Ball of string, enough to weave a web in your room Blue masking (painting) tape Numbered targets, 3-5 Have kids climb over and under the web, touching the targets as they go. What was that experience like? Was it easier to climb through on your own or to work together? What did you learn about yourself as you did this? Tell kids they ll read about four friends today and the unusual thing Jesus did to help their friend. Let s open our Spark Story Bibles to Four Friends on page 348 or our Spark Bibles to Luke 5:17-26 on page 1135. If you have a Spark Bible, put an I Read It sticker next to the story. Let s read the story together. Art Workshop, Four Friends Rotation Leader Guide. Spark Sunday School 2009 Four Friends 25
When the man came for healing, what did Jesus do? (Jesus forgave him of his sins.) Why do you think Jesus forgave him before healing him? (Sins hurt us more than illness or disease.) Why did the scribes and Pharisees say Jesus was speaking blasphemies? (A blasphemy is a word or action against God. The Pharisees didn t believe Jesus was speaking for God.) How did Jesus prove he was speaking for God? (Jesus healed the man.) Jesus works outside the box! Activate Faith (25 minutes) Painting Outside the Paint Set Up: Place a tarp on the floor. Cut a large sheet of mural paper and put it on top of the tarp. Put the paint and other supplies in bowls for ease of use. The four friends had to be creative when they couldn t find a way into the crowded room where Jesus was teaching. Jesus gave us a new way of looking at sin and forgiveness, sickness, and healing. Today, we re going to create a painting that uses more than paint. We ll have to be creative thinkers. To help their friend who was sick, the four friends had to cut a hole in the roof. Some roofs are made with sand, mud, grass, and rocks. We ll use those things to create our work of art. Give each kid a paint shirt and a paintbrush. Invite kids to begin their work of art by painting. Then add sand, mud, grass, and pebbles to add texture to the painting. If the situation allows, invite them to go outside and find other items of nature that can be used in their painting. If possible, do this activity outside. Be sure to leave time for cleaning up. None Mural paper Tempera paints, variety of colors Bowls Paintbrushes, several sizes, 1 per kid Sand Mud Grass Pebbles Tarp Paint shirts 26 Workshop Leader Guides Art Workshop, Four Friends Rotation Leader Guide. Spark Sunday School 2009
Send (5 minutes) Wrap Up Remind the Shepherds to distribute the Family Page for this story if the kids haven t already received it, and come together for Wrap Up. Family Pages What was the hardest thing to paint with? What was the most fun? Are there other times when we like Jesus can think outside the box? How can we be creative to solve problems? How can we use our imagination to help others? Allow time for kids to respond to each question. Prayer Time Paintings made in Activate Faith ART Have kids listen as you pray. God of imagination, It is amazing to see your world and all the things in it that you first imagined and then made. Thank you for making us unique and gifted! Amen. Art Workshop, Four Friends Rotation Leader Guide. Spark Sunday School 2009 Four Friends 27