CREATIVE DRAMA
LEADER GUIDE
Four Friends
(Luke 5:17-26)
evel
Age-L iew
Overv
Age-Level Overview
Open the Bible
Activate Faith
Spark Resources : Spark Story Bibles
Spark Resources: None
Supplies: Index cards, markers, large
Supplies: Mirror, white gloves, clown
paper clips, construction paper
makeup (optional), index cards,
sensitive skin wet wipes, gallon-size
plastic food storage bags, picture of
mime artist (optional), character cards
from Open the Bible
Spark Resources: Spark Bibles, Spark
Spark Resources: None
Lower Elementary
Workshop Focus: God provides people
to help us.
MIME TIME: Kids pantomime characters
in the story “Four Friends.”
Upper Elementary
Workshop Focus: We can ask for help.
Bible Stickers
PAPER BAG DRAMAS: Kids use items in a
paper bag as props to create a drama
about helping others.
Supplies: Colored pens
Supplies: Paper bags, pillowcase,
feather, cloth bandage, ice pack,
wet washcloth, sheet, blanket, small
pieces of rope, digital thermometer,
elastic bandage, splint, pair of scrubs,
stethoscope, mobile phone, kids’
pajamas
All Kids
Workshop Focus: God helps us
Spark Resources: Spark Story Bibles,
through others.
Spark Bibles
BLANKET DROP FREEZE-FRAME: Kids
Supplies: None
Spark Resources: None
Supplies: Blanket, Freeze-Frame scripts
(page 87), masking tape
identify helpers in troublesome
situations when the actors freeze.
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.
Creative Drama Workshop, Four Friends Rotation Leader Guide. Spark™ Sunday School © 2009
Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for local use only.
Four Friends — 73
CREATIVE DRAMA
LEADER GUIDE
Four Friends
(Luke 5:17-26)
Lower ry
ta
Elemen
Workshop Focus: God provides people to help us.
Keep these tips in mind as you welcome kids to the workshop and explore the story
together.
•
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.
Four Friends Storytelling
Set Up: Make character cards by attaching a paper clip to each piece of
construction paper and writing one of the following (number and word) on each:
1. Man Who Was Sick, 2. Friend One, 3. Friend Two, 4. Friend Three, 5. Friend Four,
6. Woman in the Crowd, 7.Man in the Crowd, 8.Owner of the House, 9.Jesus.
Greet the kids and welcome them to Creative Drama. Ask how they feel about
being in the Creative Drama Workshop. Are they afraid or nervous? Sad or glad?
Talk about these feelings and ask kids to explain why they may have them. Check
to see if there are kids who are hearing the story for the first time. Tell them the
story “Four Friends” has lots of feeling and action.
Spark Resources
Spark Story Bible
Supplies
Index cards, 2 colors
Markers
Large paper clips, 9
Construction paper, 9 sheets
of 12"x18" (30 cm x 46 cm),
variety of colors
Let’s look at the names of the characters in this story. Turn to Four Friends on
page 348 in your Spark Story Bibles. Show the papers with the character names.
I’ll read the story today while you listen and look at the pictures in your Bibles.
Hold up the index cards of one color. If you see or hear an emotion, raise your
hand to tell me what it is. I’ll write it on one of these [name of color] cards and
clip it to the sheet of the character who shows that emotion. Hold up the other
Creative Drama Workshop, Four Friends Rotation Leader Guide. Spark™ Sunday School © 2009
Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for local use only.
Four Friends — 75
creative drama
Open the Bible (10 minutes)
color cards. If you see or hear an action, stand up and tell me what the action is.
I’ll write the action on one of these [name of color] cards and clip it to the sheet
of the character who does that action.
While looking at the pictures and reading with the kids, write on the cards each
feeling they see or hear and each action they name. Be sure every character has at
least one emotion or feeling and one action. When finished, review the feelings and
actions written on the index cards.
Activate Faith (25 minutes)
Mime Time
Set Up: Prepare Feeling and Action cards continuing the color pattern used in
Open the Bible with these words: Bye-bye, No, Stop, Wow, Ouch. Place white
gloves together in pairs on a table. Place the clown makeup and the mirror in one
corner as a makeup center where adults will put a small amount of clown makeup
on kids. Check with caregivers about skin allergies or sensitivities.
Activity Instructions
Let’s use feeling and action cards to pantomime the story. Mimes tell a story
through their bodies without using words. They paint their faces white and wear
white gloves so the audience can see their movements. Mimes make big hand
movements and facial expressions to tell the story without words. Show pictures
of mime artist if available. Their hands and faces are white to emphasize the
motions they make. There are no spoken words in mime.
1. Divide kids into pairs and pass out the white gloves. Put on the gloves so we
can practice some hand motions together. Hold up each action card as you
say: How would your hands say, “Bye-bye”? How would your hands say, “No,
no”? How would your hands say, “Stop”? Remember—big hand motions!
2. As kids practice actions with gloves, move from group to group with the
makeup and the mirror. Apply a small amount of white clown makeup. Always
ask permission to apply the makeup. Give kids a good look at themselves in the
mirror. Clean hands with wet wipes between applications of makeup.
Spark Resources
None
Supplies
Index cards, 2 colors
Large mirror
White gloves, 1 pair per
kid, laundered weekly,
available at http://www.
whitecottongloves.net
Clown makeup (optional)
available at http://www.
easleys.com or make your
own — directions at http://
www.everythingshiny.com/
clownmakeup.htm
Sensitive skin wet wipes
Gallon-size plastic food
storage bags for dirty gloves
Picture of mime artist
(optional)
Character cards used in
Open the Bible
3. When all makeup is applied, speak to the entire group. A white face will make
any facial expression exaggerated. Let’s practice showing emotions on
your faces. Hold up each feeling card as you say: How would your face look
if you wanted to show “Wow” without words? (The mirror will help again.)
Remember, no words, only expressions. How would your face look if you
wanted to say, “Ouch” without words?
76 — Workshop Leader Guides
Creative Drama Workshop, Four Friends Rotation Leader Guide. Spark™ Sunday School © 2009
Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for local use only.
4. Assign a character to each group and pass out the character cards with feeling
and action index cards attached. Without words, use your hands and your
face to do the emotions and actions for your character. Ask Shepherds to
help you check in with every group as they practice. When each group has
created a pantomime, bring everyone together to share. Collect the cards with
the character names. (allow at least 10 minutes).
5. Let’s tell a silent “Four Friends” story. Tell kids you will hold up the character
names. When partners see their character, they should stand to show the
mime actions they created. Ask kids to get in groups in the order of the
numbers on the signs. You are not looking for the exact story but a visual
interpretation through mime. We will clap after all the scenes using only hand
motions or facial expressions and no noise. Hold up the first sign (man who
was sick) and begin to mime the story.
6. If there is enough time, ask the kids to go through the entire pantomime
without any prompting from the leader. Wow, I love the way you do mime.
With your faces and your hands you were able to tell about the feelings and
actions in this story.
7. All dirty gloves go in a plastic food storage bag to be laundered before the next
group. Use wet wipes to help kids remove makeup if they wish.
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.
Well, have your feelings about Creative Drama changed? Wasn’t it cool to try
to figure out characters, feelings, and actions using only white gloves and white
faces? For the man who was sick and the four friends, this wasn’t a story. They
needed help, and they found a way to see Jesus. Whether you are feeling happy
or sad, God is with you and provides people to help you.
Spark Resources
Family Pages
Supplies
None
Prayer Time
Jesus our healer,
You bring people to help us: friends, family, and strangers. We live in a world
where you want us to help one another. Be with all the sick people this week and
bring helpful people into their lives.
Amen.
Creative Drama Workshop, Four Friends Rotation Leader Guide. Spark™ Sunday School © 2009
Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for local use only.
Four Friends — 77
creative drama
Send (5 minutes)
CREATIVE DRAMA
LEADER GUIDE
Four Friends
(Luke 5:17-26)
Upper ry
ta
Elemen
Workshop Focus: We can ask for help.
Keep these tips in mind as you welcome kids to the workshop and explore the story
together.
•
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.
Four Friends Storytelling
Set Up: Circle the phrases about the man who was sick in Luke 5:17-26 in your
Spark Bible.
Activity Instructions
Welcome kids to Creative Drama. Ask kids how their friends have taken care of
them. Listen to several stories and thank kids for sharing. Tell them they will hear
a story Jesus told about four friends who helped their friend who was sick to see
Jesus. Ask how many kids have heard the story. Watch raised hands to see if
anyone is new to the story.
Spark Resources
Spark Bibles
Spark Bible Stickers
Supplies
Colored pens
You need your Spark Bible I Wonder stickers and a colored pen. I will read the
story slowly. I want you to think about the man on the stretcher. Each time you
hear anything about the man who was sick, circle those words in colored ink. I’ll
stop and ask some questions to help you think about him.
Open your Spark Bibles to Luke 5:17-26 on page 1135.
Creative Drama Workshop, Four Friends Rotation Leader Guide. Spark™ Sunday School © 2009
Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for local use only.
Four Friends — 79
creative drama
Open the Bible (10 minutes)
I’ll begin reading at verse 17. Start reading, pausing when you come to the phrases
you marked in your own Bible. (Remind kids to circle the phrase the first few times
you stop.) Then read the wondering statements. Allow kids to answer aloud or just
think.
•
“. . . a man who was paralyzed on a bed.” I wonder how the man became
paralyzed. Pause. I wonder what the bed felt like when the man was sick.
Pause, then continue reading.
•
“. . . because of the crowd,” I wonder how you move a man on a bed through
a crowd. Pause. I wonder if the man got dizzy while his friends were moving
him. Pause, then continue reading.
•
“. . . he said to the one who was paralyzed, ‘I say to you, stand up and take
your bed and go to your home.’” I wonder if the man felt weak after being
sick. Pause. I wonder how heavy the bed was. Pause, then continue reading.
Which circled words make you wonder the most? Put your I Wonder sticker
there.
Activate Faith (25 minutes)
Paper Bag Dramas
Set Up: Put three props in each skit bag. Props can be repeated in bags, but in
different combinations.
Spark Resources
Activity Instructions
Ask kids to close their eyes and see a picture in their brain of a time when they
were sick or hurt. Keep your eyes closed. Is anyone else in the picture? Open
your eyes. Whom did you see? Was anyone helping you? Listen to kids’ stories,
affirming that asking for help isn’t always easy. Show a skit bag. Tell kids their plan
today is to design a “Help” skit by using all three props in the bag. Tell them every
bag is different so each skit will be different. Be sure kids know they will show the
skits to other groups.
Supplies
Your skits will be about asking others for help. These don’t have to take place in
Bible times. They can be in the present time. Think about the items and create a
skit that shows different ways to ask for help. Hold up the pajamas. If this was in
your bag, how might your skit begin? Listen to a few answers. Let’s get started.
You have 15 minutes to plan and practice your skit.
Divide kids into groups and distribute skit bags. Wander from group to group to be
sure kids can identify all the items in their paper bag.
80 — Workshop Leader Guides
None
Paper bags, 1 per group
Pillowcase
Feather
Cloth bandage
Ice pack
Wet washcloth
Sheet
Blanket
Small pieces of rope
Digital thermometer
Elastic bandage
Splint
Pair of scrubs
Stethoscope
Mobile phone
Kids’ pajamas
Creative Drama Workshop, Four Friends Rotation Leader Guide. Spark™ Sunday School © 2009
Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for local use only.
After 15 minutes—or before, if kids are ready—call kids together. It’s showtime.
Who wants to be first? When the first group finishes, ask kids to join you in
applause. Help all the kids think about the skit using some of these questions or
your own.
•
I like the words you used to ask for help. I wonder what happens when
someone cannot speak.
•
Who are some people who can help us when we need help while we’re away
from a familiar place? Why is it important to know those people?
•
Good job. I wonder what happens if you ask for help and someone walks
away?
•
I wonder what happens if someone asks you for help and you don’t know
what to do.
•
What are some ways to get more help?
•
How do we let other people know we need help?
•
What do you see on TV about helping others?
Really good acting today, kids. Asking for help is not always easy. Sometimes,
we are uncomfortable letting others know that we need help.
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.
Asking for help isn’t that easy, is it? We don’t know if the man who was sick
asked his friends for help, or if they just saw he needed help and they carried
him to Jesus for healing. We also know it’s important to let people know when
we need help. Then our friends and family can help us.
Spark Resources
Family Pages
Supplies
None
Prayer Time
Jesus,
Help us remember the story of the man who was paralyzed who was brought
to Jesus. His friends helped him. Our friends and family can help us, too. It is
always okay to ask for help. We are thankful that we can always ask you for help.
You always help us.
Amen.
Creative Drama Workshop, Four Friends Rotation Leader Guide. Spark™ Sunday School © 2009
Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for local use only.
Four Friends — 81
creative drama
Send (5 minutes)
CREATIVE DRAMA
LEADER GUIDE
Four Friends
All Kids
(Luke 5:17-26)
Workshop Focus: God helps us through others.
Keep these tips in mind as you welcome kids to the workshop and explore the story
together.
•
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.
Four Friends Storytelling
Greet kids at the door. Introduce yourself to the entire group. Inquire who has
heard the “Four Friends” story before. Ask the kids to share times they had to ask
for help. Listen to stories and affirm that asking for help can be hard.
Spark Resources
Today, we will work together in pairs to hear a story about how God helps us
through others. We need to divide into pairs. Each pair needs one older kid and
one younger kid. Pause while kids sort themselves. Help where needed.
Supplies
Spark Story Bibles
Spark Bibles
None
After kids are divided, ask the younger kid in each pair to raise his or her hand, and
then the older kid. Use the specific directions below to guide the activity.
Would the younger kid get the Spark Bibles?
Will the older kid find Luke 5:17-26 on page 1135 in the Spark Bible?
Will the older kid read verse 17 and verse 18 to the younger partner?
Will the younger kid tell the older partner what sickness the man had?
Will the older kid read verse 19 and verse 20?
Creative Drama Workshop, Four Friends Rotation Leader Guide. Spark™ Sunday School © 2009
Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for local use only.
Four Friends — 83
creative drama
Open the Bible (10 minutes)
Will the younger kid describe how the friends helped the man who was sick get
to Jesus?
Will the older kid read verses 24-26?
Will the younger kid share how the man got well?
Ask all kids to close their Bibles. Friends worked together to help the man who
was sick. Today, you worked together to read and talk about their story. Ask the
younger kid in each pair to return the Spark Bibles.
Activate Faith (25 minutes)
Blanket Drop Freeze-Frame
Set Up: Use masking tape to define a designated stage area. Use a line of tape the
length of your blanket to indicate the front of the stage. Make an X with tape at
each end of the line of tape to indicate where the blanket holders will stand. Cut
apart the Freeze-Frame scripts.
Activity Instructions
Talk about how the four friends were able to help. Who has a story about how
you were helped by someone when you were sick or hurt? Allow time for kids to
respond. Who can tell us about a time when you helped someone who was sick or
hurt? As kids respond, help them stick to stories about helping.
Spark Resources
None
Supplies
Blanket
Freeze-Frame scripts, p. 87
Masking tape
I wonder how God helps to provide other people to care for us when we need
help. Leave space for children to think without having to share aloud. Today, we
will act out short skits behind a blanket. When the script says, “Freeze,” the
blanket will drop and the actors or actresses will be frozen into position. We will
need volunteers to hold the blanket, to read the scripts, and to act out and freeze
each situation.
Divide into small groups. Ask each group to choose one person to narrate and two
people to hold the blanket. The rest of the kids will act out the skit using lots of
facial expression and action. Tell them that all the action will be behind the blanket.
1. Designate a stage area and audience area.
2. Invite the blanket holders from the first group to hold up the blanket at the
front of the stage (standing on the X spots) and have the actors and narrators
stand behind it.
3. Give the narrator one script to read as the rest of the group acts it out.
4. When the word “freeze” is spoken, the actors freeze and the blanket drops.
84 — Workshop Leader Guides
Creative Drama Workshop, Four Friends Rotation Leader Guide. Spark™ Sunday School © 2009
Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for local use only.
5. What’s next? How could someone help? Let the audience share their ideas.
6. Lead the audience in applause as the next group of blanket holders, narrator,
and actors gather at the front of the stage.
7. Repeat until all skits have been staged.
Fantastic job, everyone! It would be interesting to see what happened next in
each skit.
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.
What great frozen pictures you made. There are ways every day that we can help
others. We need to stay alert for ways that God sends us into the lives of others
to help them. Let’s stand and place ourselves so that each of our shoulders
touches a shoulder of another person. Shoulder to shoulder, we can help one
another in our daily lives.
Spark Resources
Family Pages
Supplies
None
Prayer Time
creative drama
Let us pray.
God,
We stand before you, shoulder to shoulder. We are willing to help each other in
any way that we can. Keep our eyes and ears and hearts alert and always looking
for new ways to help others.
Amen.
Creative Drama Workshop, Four Friends Rotation Leader Guide. Spark™ Sunday School © 2009
Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for local use only.
Four Friends — 85
Freeze-Frame Scripts
(Blanket up) Jane and Joe are moving along on their bicycles. Joe skids in some gravel and his bike goes down. Jane
hears the noise, turns around, and sees that Joe has fallen on his bike. FREEZE! (Blanket down)
(Blanket up) Mary, Patrick, and Helen are playing at the playground. They swing. Then they decide to climb on the
monkey bars. Helen, who is only five years old, gets too high on the monkey bars. She is hanging from a bar way
over her head. Patrick and Mary hear her crying. FREEZE! (Blanket down)
(Blanket up) Maria, Sanchez, and Tony are going on a field trip to the apple orchard. They don’t ride buses to
school. They walk together to school. When it’s time to get onto the bus for the field trip, everyone lines up. Then
they go up the big steps. Tony is nervous about the big steps; he trips on a step and falls down. The other kids start
to push to get up the steps. Maria hears Tony. FREEZE! (Blanket down)
(Blanket up) Max and Ben are playing basketball at school. Some bigger kids start pushing and trying to take the
ball. Max gets pushed and the ball rolls away. Ben goes to help. FREEZE! (Blanket down)
(Blanket up) Jill, Claudia, and Harper are skateboarding to the store to get some milk for supper. Just after Jill and
Claudia pass the door to the hair salon, the door opens. Harper runs right into the door. Jill and Claudia look back.
FREEZE! (Blanket down)
(Blanket up) Tom, John, and Terry are using their scooters to go to Dustin’s house. When they get to Bob’s house,
they stop, jump off, and lay down their scooters. Bob comes running out the door and down the steps and lands in
the middle of the scooters. FREEZE! (Blanket down)
(Blanket up) Grandma Shelly is getting a few things at the market. Jim and Betty are checking out the candy. They
see Grandma Shelly having trouble getting the door open and holding her two bags of groceries. She’s starting to
lose one bag of groceries. FREEZE! (Blanket down)
(Blanket up) Brenda, Susan, and Heidi are at soccer practice. The ball is moving quickly. Susan has an untied shoe.
Just when she kneels to tie it quickly, the ball comes to her. She is stuck between tying a shoe and getting the ball
while the other players are running toward her. FREEZE! (Blanket down)
Creative Drama Workshop, Four Friends Rotation Leader Guide. Spark™ Sunday School © 2009
Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for local use only.
Four Friends — 87