Open the Book website resources
Resources by Module
Master
Resources
Every OPEN THE BOOK story is different, but some advice
topics and techniques are generally applicable to all. Please
refer as appropriate to our pages on:

Basic Kit for Wardrobe Items

Drawing and Painting

Materials for large Cut-outs

Using Puppets

Animal Masks

Creating Visual Impact

Reusing Props

Additions to Basic Kit

A Freestanding Door
Module 4
Men who dared to do right
Story 1
The Burning Bush
This section contains
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Photograph of the ‘bush’ with flames.
Prologue to extend the story
Reusing the tree as a burning bush
This reuses the tree which you may have made in Year 1 Story 2 A Sad Day. If you
have not made it already, refer back to Year 1 Story 2 for instructions.
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
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
Remove the top part of the tree so it more resembles a shrub and prop
up behind a brown cloth.
Gather up the cloth to make a hollow in which to throw the stick and
pick up the ‘snake’ which will need to be hidden there earlier.
Cut out flames of red shiny paper and blu-tack these on the front of the
bush.
If both sides of the tree have been painted green, you can start the
story with the non-flaming side visible and switch it around at the
appropriate point in the story.
Copyright ©The British and Foreign Bible Society 2014
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laws. This includes, but is not limited to graphics, logos, images, icons, text and software
and is the property of Bible Society. Our resource pages may only be used for Open the
Book assemblies/acts of collective worship. Unauthorised use of our material is prohibited,
including reproduction, storage, modification, distribution or republication, and may not be
used without prior written consent from Bible Society.
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Alternative prologue
It’s a long time since the children heard the story of The Secret Baby in Year 1. They
may find it helpful to have a short introduction that helps set the scene
Moses:
Hello. It’s nice to have someone to talk to rather than just sheep and
more sheep. I am Moses the shepherd. That’s what the people in this
country call me. But you might know me better by the name I had as a
baby – Moses in the bulrushes. Yes, I was that baby of a Hebrew slave
in Egypt and my mother saved me by putting me in a basket in the river
so Pharaoh’s soldiers wouldn’t find me.
But as you know the Egyptian princess found me. So I, the son of a
poor slave, was brought up in a palace as a prince!
As I grew up I thought that our God must have rescued me like that
because He had a special job for me to do - to rescue his people from
slavery in some way.
But did I get it all wrong! I acted on my own without waiting for God. I
discovered the bitter truth that my own people didn’t like me because I
was living like a prince. And, if the Egyptians knew I had tried to help
my people, they would probably kill me! So I ran away to the desert
and here I am – not ‘Moses in the Bulrushes’, or ‘Moses the Prince’ but
‘Moses the shepherd’.
Continue the story at the beginning of The Burning Bush in the Lion Storyteller Bible
“The sun was hot...”
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laws. This includes, but is not limited to graphics, logos, images, icons, text and software
and is the property of Bible Society. Our resource pages may only be used for Open the
Book assemblies/acts of collective worship. Unauthorised use of our material is prohibited,
including reproduction, storage, modification, distribution or republication, and may not be
used without prior written consent from Bible Society.
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The King who Would Not Listen
Story 2
This section contains

An alternative drama script of the story.
This script is a dramatised version of the story provided in the Open the Book Year 2
Bible Storybook. The suggestions for staging in the handbook apply to this version
too.
The king who would not listen!
Narrator:
Listen! I can hear footsteps, running, this way and that, ducking
and hiding. Jeremiah is escaping from the soldiers
(Jeremiah bursts into sight, looking behind him. Talks to the audience)
Jeremiah :
Whew that was close! I was nearly arrested for telling the people what
God has been saying to me. There I was, in the middle of the temple,
telling people how sad God is that they have forgotten Him, about all
the good things He has done for us in the past. And I was telling them
they need to change the bad ways they are living their lives, especially
our King, who is wicked and proud.
There were crowds of people listening, nodding their heads agreeing
with me – and suddenly the soldiers were there, telling me the King has
said I am no longer allowed in the temple! That’s not going to stop me!
God has given me a message and I have to tell it!
Narrator :
Listen! I can hear shouting - an angry voice in the palace. The
king has heard of Jeremiah’s actions.
(King strides on, making large angry gestures)
King :
That troublemaker! I forbid him to speak again in the temple! I don’t
want the people listening to him and his crazy ideas that God is angry
with me, and that I’m not a good king. He’s not the kind of prophet I
need around here. I need a prophet who will tell the people that God
agrees with everything I do!”
Copyright ©The British and Foreign Bible Society 2014
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laws. This includes, but is not limited to graphics, logos, images, icons, text and software
and is the property of Bible Society. Our resource pages may only be used for Open the
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including reproduction, storage, modification, distribution or republication, and may not be
used without prior written consent from Bible Society.
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Narrator :
Listen! I can hear whispering, two friends making a plan.
Jeremiah :
(looking carefully around, talking in a low voice) : Baruch, would you be
willing to help me? I’ll write down everything God has said to me on a
scroll and you take it into the temple and read it to all the people. That
way they’ll still hear Gods message even if I can’t get into the temple
myself! (listens to an imaginary answer) You will do that? You are a
brave and true friend, Baruch.”
Narrator :
Listen! I can hear soldiers marching, stamp stamp into the temple.
People shouting, children running.
Soldier :
( marches on : talks to the audience) “I have seized the scroll that was
being read.... I wonder what it says, what all the fuss is about ... lets
see, (reads it) hmm, oh dear the king is not going to like this at all.
Listen to this bit “The Lord says that a wicked king is bringing disaster
on our land”.... Well, I reckon that’s true enough but the king doesn’t
think so, and I had better take this scroll straight to him or I’ll be in big
trouble.”
Narrator :
Listen! I can hear the king – and he sounds even more angry than
ever!
King :
(walking on with soldier holding the scroll ) Does Jeremiah think he can
get around the ban by getting his friend to read out his words? How
dare he read this to everyone! Its a load of rubbish, but read it to me
anyway.
Narrator :
Listen! Listen to the warnings the Lord wanted this wicked king to
hear.
Soldier:
“For twenty three years the word of the Lord has spoken to you again
and again but you have not listened.”
King :
Why should I listen to him? I am the king! He should listen to me!
Everyone should listen to me.”
Narrator :
And the king who would not listen tore a piece off the scroll and
threw it in the fire.
Copyright ©The British and Foreign Bible Society 2014
All our material, including that on our website, is protected by UK and international copyright
laws. This includes, but is not limited to graphics, logos, images, icons, text and software
and is the property of Bible Society. Our resource pages may only be used for Open the
Book assemblies/acts of collective worship. Unauthorised use of our material is prohibited,
including reproduction, storage, modification, distribution or republication, and may not be
used without prior written consent from Bible Society.
Open the Book website resources
Soldier :
“Woe to him who builds his palace by cheating and lying, who makes
his countrymen work for nothing. You will be ashamed and disgraced
because of your wickedness”
King:
Hah! No one can prove that I cheat and lie! How dare Jeremiah say
that?
Narrator :
And the king who would not listen tore off another piece and
threw it in the fire
Soldier:
Oh your majesty, don’t burn the word of God. You will make God
angry!
King:
Angry? Angry? I’m the only one who’s anger you should worry about!.”
Narrator :
Then the Soldier saw there was something written at the end of
the scroll :
Soldier:
There’s more written here ...
King:
I’m not listening..I’m not listening”. (He puts remainder of scroll in fire)
Narrator :
And the king who would not listen put the rest of the scroll in the
fire. And he thought that was the end of it.
But listen : I can hear the scritch scratch of a quill on parchment.
Someone is writing. It’s Jeremiah.
Jeremiah:
(with a scroll and quill : talks to audience) It really doesn’t matter that
the king burned the scroll, I could remember every word of God’s
message and so I wrote it all down again, word for word. At least the
King got to hear God’s message – even if he never did change his
ways at all. The sad thing is, the king never read to the bottom of the
scroll. Do you know what God said right at the end?“ But I have loved
you with an everlasting love. I will forgive you and remember your sins
no more”. God wanted to be friends with the king but the king just
wouldn’t listen!
Copyright ©The British and Foreign Bible Society 2014
All our material, including that on our website, is protected by UK and international copyright
laws. This includes, but is not limited to graphics, logos, images, icons, text and software
and is the property of Bible Society. Our resource pages may only be used for Open the
Book assemblies/acts of collective worship. Unauthorised use of our material is prohibited,
including reproduction, storage, modification, distribution or republication, and may not be
used without prior written consent from Bible Society.
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Down in the Well
Story 3
This section contains

Photos from Year 1 Story 11 show the tabards in action
Tabards to make a well
The tabards, with stone outlines painted on, make a good well when draped over a
frame such as chairs.
Copyright ©The British and Foreign Bible Society 2014
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laws. This includes, but is not limited to graphics, logos, images, icons, text and software
and is the property of Bible Society. Our resource pages may only be used for Open the
Book assemblies/acts of collective worship. Unauthorised use of our material is prohibited,
including reproduction, storage, modification, distribution or republication, and may not be
used without prior written consent from Bible Society.
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The Boys who liked to say No
Story 4
This section contains
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Information on making simple paper plate puppets
Paper plate puppets
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While it is possible to use storytellers or children to play these roles, it makes
an interesting change to use simple stick puppets using paper plates!
Find more information on making these puppets on our Master Resources
page - Using Puppets

These are made from 4 paper plates plus 2 more plates cut
in half and used for the 4 hair pieces and features.

By attaching in pairs with a hand holder behind each pair,
one person can easily manage them. They act in unison so
are made identical.

The eye-whites are shiny gold paper so their eyes look bright
and healthy
Copyright ©The British and Foreign Bible Society 2014
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laws. This includes, but is not limited to graphics, logos, images, icons, text and software
and is the property of Bible Society. Our resource pages may only be used for Open the
Book assemblies/acts of collective worship. Unauthorised use of our material is prohibited,
including reproduction, storage, modification, distribution or republication, and may not be
used without prior written consent from Bible Society.
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The Men who liked to say No
Story 5
This section contains
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
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The Easter tomb from Year 1 reused as a fiery furnace
Instructions on making a large banner for the angel
An alternative drama script
Making the fiery furnace
This is an opportunity to re-use the Easter Tomb made for year 1 Story 32 A
Happy Day.
 Here the main frame of the “tomb “ is reused as the fiery furnace
 Fill the opening with a black piece of card with stripes of red shiny paper.
 If you use red cellaphane and rig up a bedside light behind the screen, this
can be moved to convey flames .
Copyright ©The British and Foreign Bible Society 2014
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laws. This includes, but is not limited to graphics, logos, images, icons, text and software
and is the property of Bible Society. Our resource pages may only be used for Open the
Book assemblies/acts of collective worship. Unauthorised use of our material is prohibited,
including reproduction, storage, modification, distribution or republication, and may not be
used without prior written consent from Bible Society.
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An angel banner
A large banner suspended from a pole can be painted to convey all sorts of
characters. In year 1 this technique was successfully used to portray Goliath in Story
13. David the Giant Killer. I t also works well when an angel is called for, especially
as it can be larger than life-size. It also emphasises the supernatural, non-human
aspect of the angel.
Look at Master resource page Banners for instructions.
A suitable picture of an angel can be sourced from a children’s Bible.
Copyright ©The British and Foreign Bible Society 2014
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laws. This includes, but is not limited to graphics, logos, images, icons, text and software
and is the property of Bible Society. Our resource pages may only be used for Open the
Book assemblies/acts of collective worship. Unauthorised use of our material is prohibited,
including reproduction, storage, modification, distribution or republication, and may not be
used without prior written consent from Bible Society.
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Alternative script : A fiery furnace
Sometimes it can be good to vary the storytelling mode with a drama script.
Storytellers needed :
Essential : Narrator, King Nebuchadnezzar, Shadrack,
Optional : Children can play Meshack and Abednego.
There is an additional non-speaking part of the
troublemaker if an extra adult is available.
Suggestions for visual impact
Narrator :

A fiery furnace

Golden-coloured cloth to make statue
King Nebuchadnezzar – yes, that really was his name!- was very
pleased with himself
(King preens and looks pleased)
King:
I have won lots of battles and my country is now the biggest and the
best in the whole world.
Narrator :
Do you know why King Nebuchadnezzar’s country did so well? Every
time he defeated a country in war, he took their best leaders, their
strongest young men, their hardest workers, and brought them back
here to Babylon, and they worked for him instead!
King :
And do they work! Those Hebrews I brought back when I defeated
Judah may be a bit odd - they worship their own God and do lots of
praying – but apart from that, I can’t fault them. Some of the Hebrews
are my most trusted officials – I send them all over the kingdom to do
important things for me.
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laws. This includes, but is not limited to graphics, logos, images, icons, text and software
and is the property of Bible Society. Our resource pages may only be used for Open the
Book assemblies/acts of collective worship. Unauthorised use of our material is prohibited,
including reproduction, storage, modification, distribution or republication, and may not be
used without prior written consent from Bible Society.
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Narrator:
And so everything seemed to be going well in Nebuchadnezzar’s
kingdom.
King:
I really am a very clever king. Truly great. I think I’ll order a great big
golden statue to be put up in the centre of town so that everyone can
admire me.
Narrator :
And so he did. An enormous gold statue. And Nebuchadnezzar was
pleased.
(Reveal large gold statue. King walks around the statue looking pleased, and
posing.)
Narrator :
But there were other people in his kingdom who were not happy with
the way things were in Babylon – and in particular with the way that all
those Hebrew foreigners were doing so well, getting all the best jobs,
pleasing the king with how hard they worked, winning the trust of the
king by being honest.
No, some people were very jealous and angry about it. And so they
came up with a plan to get the Hebrews into trouble. They went and
whispered in the king’s ear.
(If you have extra actors, the role of the troublemakers can be mimed. S/he could
look angry and fed up, then go over to the king. If no actor, narrator can do that
while reading.)
King :
What a good idea! Yes, I like it – (clears throat)
(King listens or pretends to listen to someone whispering in his ear. Then stands up
and declares grandly to audience).
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laws. This includes, but is not limited to graphics, logos, images, icons, text and software
and is the property of Bible Society. Our resource pages may only be used for Open the
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King :
Listen everyone. A new law is being made. Everybody in the land must
bow down and show respect to the beautiful new statue. Anybody who
refuses will be punished! Anyone who prays to any other god will be
thrown into a fiery furnace.
Narrator :
(The narrator comes and bows in the direction of the statue).Everyone
bowed to the statue and stopped saying their prayers to their own
gods, but only to Nebuchadnezzar’s statue. Well, with a threat like
that, who would be brave enough to disobey the king?
Actually, there were three people brave enough. They were called
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Three Hebrews who went right on
praying to God Almighty, and who refused to bow down when they
passed the gold statue.
(The three walk past the statue eyes fixed ahead, to a side wall/window where still
visible and put hands together in prayer).
Narrator :
And of course, the troublemakers who knew that this would happen,
rushed off to tell the king
(Narrator or trouble maker goes to king and gestures towards the three)
King:
What! They have disobeyed me? These foreigners, these Hebrews
that I have treated so well? How dare they? Bring them to me.
(Narrator or troublemaker grabs Shadrach and others and hustles them to the King.)
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laws. This includes, but is not limited to graphics, logos, images, icons, text and software
and is the property of Bible Society. Our resource pages may only be used for Open the
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Shadrach : (Stands with dignity. Speaks in a measured and calm way)
Your majesty, we have served you well and with loyalty and will always
do so. But, above all, we are loyal to our God. We cannot bow down
to your statue – we have promised to only worship our God, and we will
not change our minds even if you throw us into the fiery furnace.
Our God will surely rescue us. But even if he doesn’t, we want you to
know, O King, that we can never bow down to your statue.
King:
Make the furnace 7 times hotter. What God could possibly save
anyone from that!
Narrator :
And they took poor Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, put them into
that fiery furnace and slammed the door shut.
(Shadrach et.al. go to the furnace and calmly go inside. Don’t draw out this bit too
long : children can get frightened.)
And now comes the exciting part. God was about to show proud King
Nebuchadnezzar a thing or two!
King:
That will teach them to disobey me! (turns to look again at the furnace)
But wait, what’s this? (Mimes looking into the furnace, describing what
he is “seeing” ) They’re walking about, they’re not even being touched
by the flames ... and … now there’s four men in there, not three…and
the fourth, the fourth he looks like a god... or an angel...
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laws. This includes, but is not limited to graphics, logos, images, icons, text and software
and is the property of Bible Society. Our resource pages may only be used for Open the
Book assemblies/acts of collective worship. Unauthorised use of our material is prohibited,
including reproduction, storage, modification, distribution or republication, and may not be
used without prior written consent from Bible Society.
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King:
Stop the fire! Open the door!
(Shadrach et.al. walk out of the furnace to the front of the scene. King walks round
them examining them.)
Narrator :
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego walked out of the furnace. King
Nebuchadnezzar looked at them with amazement. Not a hair on their
head was singed. There were no burns. The fire had not harmed them
at all.
King :
(Awed voice) They don’t even smell of smoke! Their God sent an
angel to protect these men : he must be worth worshipping.
(Announcing) These men have behaved with honour, willing to give up
their lives even rather than worship any other god.
(Proclaims) I hereby make a new rule : anyone who speaks against
their God will be thrown into the fiery…..
(Shadrach whispers in his ear- King listens to Shadrach and changes his mind.)
Well, alright, not the fiery furnace, but I will be very, very angry. I am a
great king but this is a greater God!
Copyright ©The British and Foreign Bible Society 2014
All our material, including that on our website, is protected by UK and international copyright
laws. This includes, but is not limited to graphics, logos, images, icons, text and software
and is the property of Bible Society. Our resource pages may only be used for Open the
Book assemblies/acts of collective worship. Unauthorised use of our material is prohibited,
including reproduction, storage, modification, distribution or republication, and may not be
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