Thank you lifeshapers for your intentionality in teaching the children to know more about Jesus! God bless your hearts of service.
Bible stories can be told using a variety of methods. Your team can be as creative or as simple as your resources will allow. Remain true to the facts found in the Bible but help children connect to its meaning by using illustrations, drama, visual aids, object lesson, voice modulation, and student interaction.
Storytelling Strategies: You may choose to do any of the following:
Story Reading- The Big Group Leader/Small Kids Squad Leader reads the story from a regular-sized or gigantic Bible depending on how big the class is. It would be good to show some colored pictures that would represent the events of the story by showing the illustrations from a book or PowerPoint projected on screen. Instead of pictures, some actors or teachers may be asked to act out the story. There’s no script to memorize.
Shared Reading- The Big Group Leader and Squad Leaders take turns in reading the story from a regular-sized or gigantic Bible depending on how big the class is. It would be good to show some colored pictures that would represent the events of the story by showing the illustrations from a book or PowerPoint projected on screen. Instead of pictures, some actors or teachers may be asked to act out the story. There’s no script to memorize.
Choral Reading- More than one teacher will read the story. There’ll be parts when more than one teacher will read a part/s depending on the planning during practice.
Radio Play- The actors/ teachers will be asked to read a script. The voice projection and sound effects are crucial for this type of storytelling strategy.
Use of Puppets- The actors/ teachers will hide behind a puppet theater as they read and manipulate puppets for the storytelling. It is advised though that another actor/ teacher hold the puppets so the that voice talent can focus on the needed emotions in the script.
Dramatic Play- The actors/ teachers act out the script that they memorized. They spend time practicing on their acting and blocking. Another team takes care of sound, lighting, and costumes.
Interactive Storytelling- This may be applied in any of the storytelling strategies except for #s 4, 5, and 8. You may ask some of the children to take minor roles that wouldn’t require them to memorize lines. The squad leader/ actors will assist the children so they’d know what to do.
Video Showing- The tech team plays a video of the featured story.