Rotation workshops for December 2010

During the school year, on Sunday mornings each Rotation for our Cool Disciples (our 1st – 6th graders at FUMC in Ann Arbor, MI) includes six workshops. In December 2010, spilling into January 2011, we’ll be studying about Jesus’ birth from the viewpoint of his mother, Mary.

Read about our story in Luke. (If you click on words that are bold and red on this blog, you’ll go to various internet sites; in this case a site where you can read our passage. Pretty cool, yes?)

Here is the schedule of workshops for the next few weeks…

Date	Art	Video	Movement	Cooking	Games	Storytelling
	Room 212	Pine Room	Room 211	Social Hall	Room 215	Room 204
12/12	2nd grade	5th grade	3rd grade	6th grade	4th grade	1st grade
12/19	1st grade	4th grade	2nd grade	5th grade	6th grade	3rd grade

Then of course, comes Christmas! For a schedule of service times check out the church web site. (May need to scroll down on that page). On Sunday, December 26th there will not be any Cool Disciples workshops. Everyone will worship together at the 9:30 service! (There will not be a service at 11:15.) The same thing will happen on January 2nd, 2011. Then on January 9th we’ll finish up our “December” Rotation.

Date	Art	Video	Movement	Cooking	Games	Storytelling
	Room 212	Pine Room	Room 211	Social Hall	Room 215	Room 204
1/9	3rd grade	6th grade	1st grade	4th grade	5th grade	2nd grade

What’s happening in each workshop?

In the Art Workshop students will listen to melodic music while using colored pencils to create a mandala. Mandalas are circular designs. Coloring a mandala clears the mind and focuses attention. We’ll use the process of working on a mandala to peacefully ponder the story of Jesus’ birth.
In the Video Workshop students will watch portions of the live-action video The Nativity Story. Enjoy popcorn (can’t have a movie without popcorn!) and explore Mary’s emotions as the story progresses.
In the Movement Workshop students will use music and expressive movement with Body Sox to interpret Mary’s experience. We’ll use music from the Magnificat, Mary’s song of magnifying (praising) God.
In the Cooking Workshop students will re-tell the story by voting from a selection of snacks that they think match the emotions felt by Mary in the story. This is sure to be interesting! What will marshmallows represent? Parsley? Pickles?? After the voting, enjoy some of these snacks.
In the Games Workshop students will participate in an obstacle course that is sure to cement story details. I wonder how they’ll do?
In the Storytelling Workshop parents with a newborn will visit and help the students explore Mary’s emotions. Then we’ll ponder what Mary’s scrapbook would have looked like. (With a very cool resource.)

I wish that Sunday school could have been this much fun when I was growing up. Maybe that’s why I enjoy what I do – it gives me an excuse to have fun learning!