Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible by Michael Landgraf Ideas for encouraging five- to 10-year-olds to engage creatively with the Bible Contents 1. Introduction ........................................................ 3 a) Colouring Bibles....................................... 3 b) ‘Free’ drawing .......................................... 3 c) The Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible...... 3 2. Preparing the lessons: guidelines for teachers..................................... 4 2.1 Becoming familiar with Bible texts................. 4 2.2 Telling a Bible Story ....................................... 4 a) Introduction .............................................. 4 b) A guide for telling a Bible story ............... 5 3. Working with the Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible................................................... 6 3.1 The concept ..................................................... 6 a) The drawings ............................................ 6 b) The text..................................................... 9 3.2 Using the Make-Your Own Children’s Bible ...10 a) Different applications in religious education .................................................. 10 b) Examples of use........................................ 11 c) Ways of working and presentation of completed pages ................................... 14 © 2007 by Calwer Verlag, Stuttgart and German Bible Society, Stuttgart All rights reserved. Translator: Mary Frank Typesetting: NagelSatz, Reutlingen Produced by: Karin Klopfer, Calwer Verlag www.calwer.com www.die-bibel.de 4. Creative approaches to teaching Bible stories......................................................... 15 4.1 Using drama to present Bible stories............... 15 a) Single pictures (slide or statue) or a series of pictures (slideshow) ............ 15 b) Mime, role play, stick figures, shoe box theatre........................................ 15 4.2 Bible stories as rap songs ................................ 15 4.3 Meditations on Bible stories............................ 15 a) An imaginative journey into Bible stories ....................................................... 15 b) Written meditation.................................... 16 c) Meditation based on symbols ................... 16 d) Writing prayers based on Bible stories ....................................................... 16 e) Writing psalms.......................................... 16 4.4 Games based on the stories in the Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible ................... 16 Multi-purpose cards ........................................ 18 1. Introduction There are many ways to engage creatively with the Bible. As parents, school teachers and Sunday School teachers know, children aged between five and 10 need to be offered a wide range of approaches to help them to fully understand Bible stories. Children in this age group vary greatly in ability, so it is helpful to consider the many ways in which music, drama and, in particular, art can be used to bring Bible stories to life. The Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible is designed as a resource for an approach using creative art. A brief explanation appears below of how this approach differs from other methods of presenting Bible stories creatively. These methods generally involve either colouring in or ‘free’ drawing. Both have benefits and disadvantages. a) Colouring Bibles Bibles containing pictures to colour in recognise that younger primary-age children (three-eight) have limited reading and drawing abilities. These Bibles present Bible stories as outline drawings which children can turn into coloured pictures using felt tip pens, wax crayons or paints. This approach dates back several centuries and today there are many such products on the market. There are significant differences between these products in terms of their theological accuracy, their design and the degree to which they seek to educate. The benefits of colouring Bibles include: • They require little preparation by teachers or parents and to ‘indescribable creatures’ such as angels, but also in relation to scenes. Even the artist’s brushstroke can have a significant influence in pointing a child’s imagination in a particular direction. b) ‘Free’ drawing The alternative to Bibles containing pictures to colour in is ‘free’ drawing of scenes from Bible stories. However, it has been observed in recent years that, as well as younger primary-age children (five to eight years) having limited artistic skills, those of older children (eight to 11 years) seem to be declining. As a result of increased media exposure and the decline in traditional leisure activities such as painting and drawing, children are finding it increasingly difficult to convey stories and scenes in pictures. The work of children aged between eight and 10 shows significant variations in artistic ability. Some 10-year-olds, for example, still draw stick people and find it hard to present stories in picture form. c) The Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible The Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible offers an alternative to colouring Bibles and is designed to help both younger children and older children who have limited artistic abilities. It presents key symbols from Bible stories and, through its combination of a creative approach and reliable text, helps children to focus on specific aspects of selected Bible stories. • They encourage children to think in depth about Bible stories • They offer a clear and complete creative concept There are many such products for teachers to choose from, and this can be very helpful in reducing the preparation time required for school or Sunday School lessons. The disadvantages of colouring Bibles stem from the fact that they can restrict children’s creativity. This can be seen in particular in relation to faces 3 2. Preparing the lesson: guidelines for teachers The Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible contains short texts which can be read by or to children. As part of your preparation, you should read the complete texts in a conventional Bible and a Children’s Bible so that you are fully familiar with them. 2.1 Becoming familiar with Bible texts With some parts dating back more than 2,000 years, Bible stories and texts contain messages from and for another world. You need to take time to discover and understand them. The texts are not only messages from the past: they are also relevant for today and for the future, prompting people to think and giving them guidance. The following steps can help in becoming familiar with Bible texts: Reading Reading requires time and a quiet atmosphere. Try to clear your head before you start, so that you can concentrate. You may choose to read the text through twice or to read it in small sections. Ideally, you need to read the text in such a way that you will be able to explain it to others afterwards, so you should identify a headline and key points. Understanding You need to be open to the message of the text. Consider what is new to you and what is familiar. Which parts attract your attention? Where does the text ask you to make choices? What does it say about God and the world? Thinking The Bible points to the future. Where does the text express hope? What role does this hope play in your own future and that of the world as a whole? Does the text give guidance about your own behaviour? Consult other people if questions arise during the preparation of the lesson. 4 Questions about the text Relating to the text How do I feel about the text? Are there things I don’t understand? What questions do I have about the text? What impact does it have on me? How do I respond? The content What is happening in the text? Is it talking about an event, a conversation, a law? Who or what appears in the text? Is the text asking a question? The form How is the story told (tension, facts, imagery, in the first person or from a distance)? What forms of text are present (story, poem)? The intention What is the text’s intention (telling a story, teaching, explanation)? Is there evidence of a particular reason for the text having been handed down? What is the response that the text is seeking to encourage? 2.2 Telling a Bible story a) Introduction It is important to prepare thoroughly for telling a Bible story. But there is no need to feel anxious: with good preparation and a little courage, everybody can tell a Bible story successfully. The most important issue is how closely to adhere to the text. How much should you embellish the story? The best approach is to stay as close to the text as possible yet be as free as necessary. You should first try to understand the text, to identify its core message and to follow its structure. Then think about drawing children in by using storytelling language: short sentences that create excitement combined with snippets of dialogue. Find a narrative perspective: are you somebody who is writing down the story or a reporter looking at things objectively? It is also important to prepare for the narrative journey. Children aged between five and seven in particular need to be guided into a story. An imaginative journey can help with this, as can dividing the story into sketches. The introduction and significant transition points can be written down. You can also consider using pictures, background music and figures. b) A guide for telling a Bible story The following steps provide guidance for preparing to tell a story People Time The storyteller must try to make the characters come to life. • When preparing and telling the story, imagine real people: an old man, a young girl, whoever appears in the story. Describe their hair, their facial expressions, how they walk. This allows characters to express themselves. • Make each character’s role clear: a main character, a minor character or just an extra? • Make it clear how each character behaves. Describe what they do, what happens to them or how they react. • What do the characters think and feel? The storytelling can include inner dialogue and typical human reactions. Periods of time play an important role in understanding a story • Children find it difficult to understand a particular period in history. It can help to explain that there were no cars, no running water and no electricity. • Particular times of day or times of year can create an atmosphere. Is the sun high in the sky or is it evening? Is there a mist over the fields? Details like this can really bring a story to life. Place A description of the surroundings will give listeners a sense of place. • Imagine the place you are trying to describe. You could consult a picture book or a travel guide. In the stories about Jesus, for example, the place could be the banks of Lake Galilee or Jerusalem. Find out about the surroundings, about typical plants or the colours of the scenery. • Include typical sounds, such as the splashing of water, the noise of a market, the wind blowing over a field of corn. Smells also form part of the atmosphere of a place. Events A good story is made up of events that flow towards an exciting conclusion. • The story must be based around a climax. Is it an event, an action or a pronouncement? • Each part of the story must build up to the climax. Ensure that there is a smooth transition from one part to the next. Core The core is the most important element of the story • What is the story’s core message? What is it saying to us? • You should be able to express this message clearly in a few words. If you can’t do this, then you are unlikely to be able to tell the story well. 5 3. Working with the Make-Your-Own-Children’s Bible 3.1 The concept a) The drawings The Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible recognises that younger primary school children have limited reading and drawing skills. Even older primary school children sometimes find reading and drawing difficult, so the Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible uses an approach which is equally suitable for all primary age-groups. The simple text is based on early reading principles. The line drawings allow the book to be used in many different ways. The concept behind the Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible stems from well-researched principles which encourage children’s creativity. The following simplified graphics are used: • simple faces • clear basic symbols • hints of various types of action • background scenery • The drawings can be enhanced using coloured pencils, felt tip pens or wax crayons. Faces Faces provide a reference point which children aged between five and eight in particular still find helpful. Characters are hinted at through faces made up of simple lines and dots. Each is given his or her own personality through features such as a beard or a crown. Examples: Abraham Sarah Isaac as an old man Miriam Moses Saul David Jonah Mary • There are many other creative possibilities. Children using the Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible in Sunday Schools have chosen materials such as wool, tissue paper and coloured paper. Natural materials like leaves and sand can also be used. Jesus Bartimaeus the Samaritan 6 an angel Peter Zaccheus Paul An additional way of presenting faces can be seen in the case of Joseph, who undergoes a physical change as he moves from being a shepherd’s son to a captured slave to the pharoah’s administrator. Children can show these changes themselves. As a rich Egyptian, Joseph’s clothing is more noticeable than his face. This is made clear in the story when his brothers don’t recognise him. This approach also includes the ‘dream bubble’ symbol which conveys the pharoah’s dreams or John’s vision (Revelation). A musical instrument is shown to convey music being played, such as Miriam’s song or David playing the harp. Joseph as a shepherd and a slave Joseph as the head governor Some characters are represented by a symbol of power: the anonymous Egyptian pharaoh in the story of Joseph and Moses and the soldier at the arrest of Jesus. Pharaoh Simple action symbols are also used to convey violent acts such as the attack on the Egyptian overseer or David firing a stone from his sling. Soldier Other types of people can be represented through simple symbols, too. For example, shepherds are represented by a shepherd’s crook. Basic symbols In addition to the faces and the symbols conveying action, the Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible uses basic symbols which have a clear meaning, such as: Hints of action Hints of various types of action are another way to present the basic elements of a scene. Examples include: the handshake between the brothers Jacob and Esau, the flower as a symbol of creation (Genesis 1, Psalm 104), the dove as a symbol of hope and the spirit of God (Noah’s ark, the baptism of Jesus), the large bunch of grapes as a symbol of the fruitfulness of the promised land (Numbers 13), the prophet Elijah’s accusing of King Ahab or the arrival of Jonah in Nineveh. the star and the gifts as a symbol of the Christmas story as told in Matthew’s Gospel (Matthew 2), 7 bread and fish as symbols of the feeding of the 5,000 and bread and a cup as symbols of the meal with the disciples from Emmaus (Luke 24), Landscapes and backgrounds The fourth graphic element which makes up the Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible concept is simple background scenery. For example, the beginning of creation is indicated by a horizontal curve which provides space for a creative approach to represent the first two days of creation. the water jug as a symbol of washing feet and of serving others (John 13), the cockerel as a symbol of Peter’s betrayal and of watchfulness (Matthew 26). Further Symbols Additional graphics are designed to encourage children’s own creative efforts: The hint of a rainbow at the end of the story of the flood symbolises hope and reconciliation (Genesis 9). The hints of backgrounds are designed to correspond with the various landscapes in the biblical scenes: If a story takes place on water, simple lines are used to represent the banks and the water (eg Moses on the Nile, the baptism of Jesus). The pyramids are used to convey scenes in Egypt, while the city gate indicates Jerusalem. The bricks indicate oppression and hard work in Egypt (Exodus 1). The wave symbolises the passage through the Red Sea and the rescue from the returning floods (Exodus 14). The plinth on which the golden bull is built stands for the downfall of the people of Israel. The vine in the parable of the workers in the vineyard is designed to encourage children to draw a vineyard. The sun rises and sets from the beginning of creation through to Revelation and the promised ‘God’s new world’ (Genesis 1–2 to Revelation 21–22). This indicates that God is present at both the beginning and the end. 8 Rooms are suggested through tents, columns (a palace), a window or a canopy. A village or town is shown with a wall or a few houses and trees. b) The text The text of the Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible is just as important as the drawings. The stories it contains have been selected to correspond with primary school and Sunday School curricula. They are also commonly found in Children’s Bibles. Backgrounds can also be basic symbols, such as the open grave, the ark or a boat (the stilling of the storm, for example), the fish in the story of Jonah, The stories are told in a short, simple style, keeping close to the Bible text and avoiding the embellishments that are often found in Children’s Bibles. The texts get to the heart of even very detailed stories and yet are written with early readers in mind. Their simple sentence structure makes them easy to read. The texts have been extensively tested in primary schools and Sunday Schools among children aged between five and 10, and have been assessed and reviewed by school and Sunday School teachers (see below). As well as Bible stories, the Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible contains the Bible’s key texts: the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20), Psalm 8, Psalm 23, Psalm 104, Ecclesiastes 3, Isaiah 9 and 11; the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7: the Beatitudes, the Fulfilment of the Law, ethical statements, the Lord’s Prayer, words about worrying), the Great Commission (Matthew 28); passages from Paul’s letters (Romans 8; 1 Corinthians 13). The design of the Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible always takes into account the context in which the words from the Bible appear. the Ethiopian official’s chariot wheel This is why, for example, the page which presents the Ten Commandments shows Moses in the margins and Sinai in the background, why Jesus is shown standing on a hill for the Sermon on the Mount and why writing implements are shown when Paul’s letters are presented. or the tree in the story of the garden of Eden or the story of Zaccheus. 9 3.2 Using the Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible a) The Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible has many different applications in religious education: At home The Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible is particularly suitable for introducing children to Bible stories at home. For example, it can be used after a In Sunday School The Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible is very suitable for use in Sunday School classes. Sunday School teachers recommend that each child who regularly attends Sunday School receives their own copy as a gift from the church. This should be kept at the church so that it is always available on Sundays, but children who leave the Sunday School should be allowed to take their copy away. The benefits of using the Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible in Sunday Schools are the same as when it is used in primary schools: a firm basis for teaching Bible stories which requires no photocopying. Blackboard Bible child has read a passage from a Children’s Bible, either alone or as a shared activity. Children can use it creatively at home, while its robust construction allows it to be used on car journeys. There are many places in the world where it will not be possible to give each child their own copy of the Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible. This is particularly true in typical educational settings in Africa, parts of Asia and Latin America. The simple concept on which this product is based allows it to be used as a blackboard Bible in both Sunday Schools and primary schools. The teacher copies the text and drawings onto the blackboard and the children copy them in turn into a blank exercise book. This means that, even in schools with limited resources, children can produce their own Bible. In primary school Teachers recommend that children receive the Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible as soon as they start primary school, so that they can work on it throughout their primary school years. There are many arguments in favour of this: time-consuming photocopying is avoided and each child has a book that can be worked on continuously. When they leave primary school, they will be able to take with them a Bible they have made themselves and which reflects the various stages of their development. This Bible can form a sound basis for the next stage in their religious education. 10 Whether they work on it at home, in primary school or in Sunday School, the Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible allows children to produce something they will value for the rest of their lives and which will form the basis for further encounters with the Bible. b) Examples of use The Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible has been tested in a wide variety of contexts. Children in their second or subsequent years at primary school or Sunday school encountered few difficulties with the text. Among children in their first year, the most common approach was to read the text to them and then encourage them to repeat it. Both younger children (five-seven) and older children (eight-10) found the faces, symbols and background scenery helpful. Faces and figures based on Jesus Top row: Boy (7) / Boy (8) / Boy (9) / Boy (9) with dark skin Bottom row: Girl (7) / Girl (8) / German girl of Russian origin (8) who brought a picture of ‘her’ Jesus with her and glued it in / Boy (10) 11 Examples of angels As ‘indescribable creatures’, angels present a significant problem in the design of colouring and Children’s Bibles. These drawings show how many different understandings there are of angels and how readily children engage with the concept behind the Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible. Top row: Boy (6) / Boy (6) / Girl (8) / Girl (9) Middle row: Girl (8) / Girl (8) / Girl (10) Bottom row: Girl (6) / Girl (10) 12 Examples of parables The parable of the kind father / the lost son (Luke 15,11–32) (Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible, page 127) The parable of the farmer (Mark 4) (Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible, page 123) The parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matthew 20) (Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible, page 131) 13 c) Ways of working and presentation of completed pages There are a number of possible approaches to working on the pages of the Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible and presenting the results. Individual work followed by presentation during circle time: Each child completes a page of their Bible. They then present their work, ideally during circle time. The children are encouraged to identify similarities and differences in their interpretation of the Bible story. Team work followed by presentation to the whole group: An extended story (that of Moses, for example) is divided between members of the group so that children in groups of two take one page each. The children note their ideas in their Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible and then discuss them together. This allows them to swap creative ideas about how their portion of the story could be presented. Each group then presents its work according to the order of events in the story. 14 Using PowerPoint to present the completed pages: Completed pages are photographed or scanned and imported into a PowerPoint presentation. This also makes it possible to show them as part of a larger event (a school performance, perhaps, or a church service or community festival). Making and presenting OHP sheets: Each child is given a sheet and suitable pens. They place the sheet over a page in their Bible and trace round the drawings. Then they continue working on the sheet with the pens. This method, too, allows children to present their finished work at special events or church services. Making a (shared) blackboard drawing: Producing a drawing on the blackboard is a particularly useful approach if children do not have a personal copy of the Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible. Coloured chalk is required. The children can work together on a shared drawing. Poster: A drawing in the Bible can also be converted into poster format by between four and eight children. Suitable subjects include representations of Jesus or of angels. 4. Creative approaches to teaching Bible stories 4.1 Using drama to present Bible stories Primary school-age children enjoy turning Bible stories into drama. The text and drawings in the Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible can be used as stage directions. a) Single pictures (slide or statue) or a series of pictures (slideshow) A single picture or a series of pictures can be used as the starting point for a drama. Begin by getting the children to listen to or read a Bible story and represent it in their Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible. Encourage them to think about which picture is most important for them. Then get them to choose one scene and present it as a drama. Each child can take a different role: a person, or perhaps a tree, an animal or an object. Exaggerated arm movements can represent a storm or a smiling face, for example, and outstretched arms can symbolise the sun. Children can also be encouraged to use gestures to convey emotions. b) Mime, role play, stick figures, shoe box theatre Other ways to depict Bible stories through drama include those with words (role play, musical theatre) and those without words (mime). Both types can also use stick figures based on drawings in the Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible. These figures can be made in several ways, each of which require strong cardboard. – Draw faces or whole people from the MakeYour-Own Children’s Bible on large sheets of paper and let the children work on them. Strands of wool can be used to make hair. Then cut around the face or person and attach it to a frame made from one long and one short strip of wood. The body can be ‘dressed’ with some cloth. Dialogue or text can be attached to the back of the figure. – To make a ‘shoe box theatre’, you need small copies of the faces and symbols. Glue a stick to the back. Use a shoe box which is open at the front and the top to create the backdrop. 4.2 Bible stories as rap songs Children aged from nine upwards are capable of converting Bible stories into rap songs, using the text from the Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible as their starting point. Ask the children to write a verse and a chorus in rap rhyming form. 4.3 Meditations on Bible stories a) An imaginative journey into Bible stories Younger primary school children have not yet developed any understanding of life in biblical times. An imaginative journey can help them to become more familiar with biblical times and the passing of time since then. For example: The children sit at their desks. The teacher says, “We’re going to stand up and get into our time machine.” (The children stand up, stand next to their desks and then sit down again at their desks as if getting into a car.) “Now it’s getting exciting. We’re going to set off on our journey through time soon. We’re starting the engine.” (The children make the noise of an engine starting.) “Now we’re pedalling.” 15 (The children move their feet as if riding a bicycle.) “We’re closing our eyes and going on our journey through time.” (The children make a noise that grows louder and louder.) point for children to write meditative prayers/texts (for example, a prayer for the creatures in the ark, for the clashing brothers Esau and Jacob, for Joseph in prison, for the ‘lost son’ with the pigs). Prayers can be written on the back of the page opposite the story. The teacher claps once and says, e) Writing psalms “Now we’ve arrived in ancient Israel at the time of Abraham (Moses, Jesus …). We’re getting out of our time machine.” Children can also be encouraged to write psalms. They can use the psalms presented in the MakeYour-Own Children’s Bible as examples. (The children stand up and get out of the imaginary time machine.) “There’s a smell of herbs and we can feel a warm breeze.” (The teacher has a jar containing basil or Mediterranean herbs which he/she lets the children smell.) “We can see people. They’re wearing white woollen robes and they’re sitting on the ground. They’re telling each other a story. We’re going to sit with them and open our eyes.” (The children open their eyes. They then listen to the Bible story and replicate it in their MakeYour-Own Children’s Bible.) b) Written meditation Many Bible stories contain tension and conflict. You often ask yourself, “What happened next?” When the traders take Joseph to Egypt, when Moses sees the burning bush and is told to return to Egypt, when Jesus tells the parable of the lost son and the son, while caring for pigs, asks himself how he will be received by his father – children can develop all these scenes further. The simple concept on which the Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible is based allows them to do this on a blank page. c) Meditation based on symbols After reading a passage from the Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible, key symbols such as the rainbow or the star in the Christmas story can be used as the basis for a meditation. d) Writing prayers based on Bible stories Portraying a Bible story creatively in the MakeYour-Own Children’s Bible can serve as a starting 16 4.4 Games based on the stories in the Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible Simple multi-purpose cards showing the most important faces and symbols can be used as a refresher, memory or association game, either as a follow-up to looking at Bible stories during lessons or at the end of a child’s time at primary school. To make a memory game, give out two sets of pages from the Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible. When the children have coloured in, or decorated the faces and symbols in some other way, laminate them and cut them into squares. They can then be used as memory cards. Instead of using two pictures, you can take one picture and write the name of the person or symbol it shows on a second, blank, card. Another option for older children is an association game. Give each child five cards. Show one of the remaining cards. Draw lots to determine who will tell the story associated with the face or symbol that appears on this card. This child then places another card next to the first one. The next child continues the story and must link it with the previous one. For example: the card showing a basket (Moses) is on the table. One player adds the card showing the pyramids and says, “Another story from Egypt is the one which tells how Mary, Joseph and Jesus had to flee to Egypt.” Other associations might be: “Another story from the Old Testament is ...” / “Somebody else who was in danger is ...” / “Another story in which God helped people is ...” / “Another story in which God went with people is …” (Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible, page 55) 17 Multi-purpose cards: symbols (a selection) 18 19 Multi-purpose cards: faces 20 The faces on the cards can be identified with the help of the Make-Your-Own Children’s Bible. The blank cards can be used to make missing or additional faces. Cards for your own use 21