What is up for the four friends?

During the school year, each Rotation for our Cool Disciples (our 1st – 6th graders at FUMC in Ann Arbor, MI) includes several workshops that each teach the story using the concept of Multiple Intelligences. (True Rotation Model goodness!) In November 2010, (and in January 2017 — we repeat stories every six or so years) we studied about four friends who worked really hard to bring a paralyzed man to Jesus. Read the story in Mark 2:1-12.

For prosperity, here is what we did in each workshop, for the Faith Through the Roof Rotation:

• In the Art Workshop in 2010, students created blankets to donate to Project Linus. In 2017, they each created a scarf using fleece material, to give to someone (a friend or otherwise) in need.
• In the Cooking Workshop students create an edible storytelling kit for sharing the story. Have your kids share the story using their kit twice before eating it!
• In the Drama Workshop (2010) students will enact the story after identifying story characters and their feelings.
• In the Games Workshop students will play a unique relay game to explore the faith and commitment of the four friends.
• In the Newsroom Workshop (2010) students will participate in a Talk Show to hear the characters in the story describe their experiences. They’ll get to watch their taped show!
• In the Video Workshop students will watch two different animated videos (video #1 and video #2) that tell our story. Watching the 2nd video muted will allow us to play a game by trying to provide the narration!

I wonder what your favorite workshop will be was?

Edited to add pictures… in the Cooking Workshop students built houses, complete with Teddy Graham people – to use as a storytelling kit. Before they could eat their creation they had to tell the story!

And in the Art Workshop (in 2017) we created Rainbow Scarfs to give away to someone we felt needed some extra love. Here the circles are prepared…

Check out the growing list of opportunities to foster faith learning at home using this story.

Photo credits:
A painting of our story by James Tissot, in the Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Other photos are from my archives and are copyright.