Derby Church Schools Conference on Creation and Creativity (Monday 31 October 2005)

Lucy Moore

Click on the link for a version of the Creation story in rhyme from the Barnabasinschools web site.

Warm up games

To bridge the gap between a previous lesson and the world of the imagination, to set the mood, to help children settle and concentrate.

Cross the circle if you’ve ever (been given a fantastic present; … and forgotten to say thank you; broken something; broken something that belonged to someone else; broken something and tried to hide the evidence or blame someone else; broken something and said sorry; been gobsmacked by something in your garden; seen something amazing at the seaside; climbed a mountain; seen a really wacky animal)

Guard the World ‘This earth is so precious we need to keep it safe. We put a guard in the middle, blindfolded, with the world under their chair. The rest of those in the circle are burglars who want to steal the world and have it all for themselves; sneak in on the world and try to steal it. But if the guard hears you, they’ll point to where the sound came from. If they’re about right, you go and sit down and we send someone else.’

Exploring the Creation story through drama

1 Making yourselves into objects from the story
(the theme of making things)
In groups of different numbers or individually, make objects out of your bodies

2 Story circle
(the theme of how we respond to the gift of Creation)
With an actor in the middle who acts out the story, then leaves to be replaced by another actor after a short time

3 Story sculpture
(the theme of the variety of Creation)
In groups of six, each invent a movement and a sound or word to go with one different day of creation. Build them up into a moving sculpture, actor 1 repeating their sound and action three times, then continuing with the action while actor 2 begins their sound and action. Finish on a united action and sound for ‘rest.’

4 Make a picture / bring one to life
(The theme of our creativity comes from God’s creativity)
‘Imagine the most beautiful scene possible in front of you. What’s in it? Now show me. 6-8 actors take up positions as parts of the picture. The rest of the class direct them. Now what action can each of them do? What sound could they add to that action? (Could you add another actor behind each one to voice their thoughts?) What happened just before? What might happen just after? Run the scenes together.’

5 Freezeframes
(the theme of mistreating the world and our responsibility as ‘gardeners’)
‘Show me a freezeframe of Day 2. Now show me a freezeframe of how that might go horribly wrong: what could be the worst thing that could happen to the water and sky? Can you work out a way of solving this disaster?

6 Hotseating
(the theme of God’s personal hand in creating the world)
Adam? Eve? Animals? Trees?

7 Other activities to explore themes from the Creation story
Fragility of the world
Mime passing things that are fragile or tough down a line of children
Misuse of the world
Roleplays on good and bad ways of dealing with breaking something belonging to someone else
Awe and wonder at the world
Improvise a TV documentary on an imaginary planet created to be as terrible as possible. Discuss what this tells you about its creator. Compare this with the world we live in

Barnabas Resources

Barnabas Live Days on the theme of Creation, Our Uniqueness, Compassion, or a seasonal theme.

Books
Living in a Fragile World
God made a World
Easy Ways to Bible Fun for the Very Young

Websites
Schools website
Churches website

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