MUSIC LEADER GUIDE Holy Week and Easter (Matthew 21:1-11, 27:32-66, and 28:1-10) Age-Level Overview Age-Level Overview Open the Bible Activate Faith Lower Elementary Workshop Focus: Jesus died for me. The greatest love: Kids explore the sounds of Good Friday and sing Easter songs. Upper Elementary Workshop Focus: Jesus Christ is risen today! HOLY WEEK EASTER SOUNDTRACK: Kids make a soundtrack of sounds and songs of the Easter story. : Spark Story Bibles : Rain sticks, drums, triangles : Spark Bibles, Spark Bible Stickers : Pencils : Spark Story Bibles, Spark Song CD, Spark Songbook, Lyrics Sheets or Slides for Jesus Loves Me : Projector and screen or copies of lyrics : Spark Bibles : Index cards, pencils, rhythmic and melodic instruments, Holy Week and Easter song lyrics, items to create sound effects, audio recording equipment All Kids Workshop Focus: Jesus died and rose again for me. Daily dying and rising: Kids learn from examples in creation what it means to die and rise daily. : Spark Story Bibles, Spark Bibles, Spark Bible Stickers : Pencils : None : Large craft sticks, markers, nails with heads, yarn, toilet paper tubes, waxed paper, rubber bands, hole-punch, hymnals 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. Music Workshop, Holy Week and Easter Rotation Leader Guide. Spark Sunday School 2009 Holy Week and Easter 95
MUSIC LEADER GUIDE Holy Week and Easter (Matthew 21:1-11, 27:32-66, and 28:1-10) Lower Elementary Workshop Focus: Jesus died for me. 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. Open the Bible (10 minutes) Holy Week and Easter Storytelling Set Up: Place the instruments in a circle formation on the floor. Place them in groups. (For example, all of the drums should be next to each other.) Spark Story Bibles Activity Instructions As the kids enter the room, ask them to sit by an instrument. Today we re going to hear a story about Jesus a story that starts sad, but there is a happy ending! It s sad because we re going to read about the day Jesus died. But Christians know the whole story. Jesus died for you and for all God s children. Jesus died so you can live with him forever. Rain sticks Drums Triangles MUSIC Open your Spark Story Bibles to The Day Jesus Died on page 476 and follow along as I read. You ll create the sounds in the story. If you are playing a drum, play a steady beat, like this, during the first two pages. This will be the sound of Jesus walking with the heavy cross and being crucified. Demonstrate a steady quarter note beat for them. When the drums stop (at the end of page 478), kids with the triangles will start playing. This is the part where Jesus speaks to one of the thieves on the cross. Music Workshop, Holy Week and Easter Rotation Leader Guide. Spark Sunday School 2009 Holy Week and Easter 97
When we get to the next page a thunderstorm arrives; if you have rain sticks, play loudly! Finally, on the last page of the story, Jesus dies, and we will all be very quiet. Everything should be still. I ll point to you when it s time to start and stop playing. Read the story. Point to each group when they should start and stop playing. Let the room remain silent. What did you see in your mind when you heard the words and the sounds? (soldiers marching, rain falling, Jesus on the cross) Activate Faith (25 minutes) The Greatest Love Set Up: Copy lyric sheet or prepare computer presentation slide for Jesus Loves Me. Become familiar with the motions for the chorus as described on page 81 of the Spark Songbook. Activity Instructions Earlier we read about the day Jesus died. Does anyone know what happens next? (buried in the tomb, rose from the dead, etc.) This sad story about Jesus dying has a happy ending because Jesus didn t stay dead in the tomb. He was alive again. Open your Spark Story Bibles to page 482 and follow along as I read The Empty Tomb. What did the women find when they got to the tomb? (it was empty, an angel, Jesus was gone, etc.) Where did Jesus go? (The angel said Jesus was alive.) Jesus was raised from the dead for you so he can be with you always. God loves you so much, and he sent Jesus to die for you on the cross. Spark Story Bibles Spark Song CD Spark Songbook Lyrics Sheets or Slides for Jesus Loves Me Projector and screen or copies of lyrics Raise your hand if you know the song Jesus Loves Me. Did you know there s more than one verse to that song? We re going to sing all the verses today, and we re going to learn some motions, too! 1. First, let s sing the first verse together. Sing the first verse and refrain (Spark Songbook, page 76). 2. Now let s learn the motions for the refrain. Demonstrate the motions from page 81 of the Spark Songbook, one action at a time. Give kids time to practice. Do this several times. Pass out Jesus Loves Me lyric sheets or direct attention to the screen. 3. Let s sing the whole song with the CD. We ll sing all the verses. If you re not ready to read all the words, be ready to sing and sign the refrain. Play Track 14 on the Spark Song CD and sing along. For an added challenge, sing along to the instrumental track, Track 31. 98 Workshop Leader Guides Music Workshop, Holy Week and Easter Rotation Leader Guide. Spark Sunday School 2009
4. There is a word you ll hear many times on Easter morning. Do you know what that word is? (Hallelujah!) Listen to this song. Play Hallelujah! Praise Ye the Lord, Track 8 on the Spark Song CD. It only has 5 words. What are they? (the title words) In worship we stand up when we sing Hallelujah! Let s sing this together, standing for Hallelujah and sitting for all other words. 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. We hear the story of Jesus death and resurrection often, don t we? Let s always ask God to help us grow in our understanding of what this means for us. Prayer Time Family Pages None Good singing today! Teach the sign language to someone today. Join me in a Hallelujah! prayer. I ll say a line. You jump high and say Hallelujah! Jesus is alive! (Hallelujah!) Jesus loves us all! (Hallelujah!) I can tell my friends. (Hallelujah!) We all praise the Lord. (Hallelujah!) Amen. (Hallelujah!) MUSIC Music Workshop, Holy Week and Easter Rotation Leader Guide. Spark Sunday School 2009 Holy Week and Easter 99
MUSIC LEADER GUIDE Holy Week and Easter (Matthew 21:1-11, 27:32-66, and 28:1-10) Upper Elementary Workshop Focus: Jesus Christ is risen today! 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. Open the Bible (10 minutes) Holy Week and Easter Storytelling Welcome to Music! Today we will be creating a soundtrack for the Holy Week and Easter stories. First, let s read the stories so we can imagine what it might have sounded like if we had been there. Since this is a long story, divide the verses up among the kids, so everyone who wants to can read aloud. Open your Spark Bibles to Matthew 27 on page 1096 and read from verse 32 through verse 66. After we read the story together, mark the story with a sticker and write your reactions in the margin. You may also want to write a word or two that captures your impressions of what it sounded like. Spark Bibles Spark Bible Stickers Pencils MUSIC What happens after Jesus dies in this story? (They put him in a tomb.) What do they do to the tomb? (guard it, secure it, etc.) The Pharisees remembered that Jesus said he would rise after three days, so they asked Pilate to seal the tomb and guard it to make sure Jesus disciples or friends didn t come to steal his body and tell everyone that he was alive again. What happens next in the story? (Jesus is raised from the dead.) Open your Spark Bibles to Matthew 28:1-10 on page 1097. Let s read the happy Music Workshop, Holy Week and Easter Rotation Leader Guide. Spark Sunday School 2009 Holy Week and Easter 101
ending. Encourage kids to mark this section of the story with a sticker, and invite them to circle words in the text that remind them of what it might have sounded like on the first Easter! Activate Faith (25 minutes) Holy Week Easter Soundtrack Set Up: Ahead of time, label eight index cards with the following stories and text references one story/text reference per card. Jesus Entry into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday): Matthew 21:1-11 The Last Supper: Matthew 26:17-30 Jesus Prays in Gethsemane: Matthew 26:36-46 Jesus Is Betrayed and Arrested: Matthew 26:47-56 Jesus and Pilate: Matthew 27:11-26 Jesus Crucifixion and Death: Matthew 27:27-56 Jesus Is Buried: Matthew 27:57-66 Jesus Resurrection: Matthew 28:1-10 Invite an audio techie (a great job for an interested teen) to record the soundtrack. Place a variety of sound effect items, songbooks, hymnals or lyric sheets, and Spark Bibles in a convenient location for kids to obtain what they might need. Activity Instructions During Holy Week and Easter, Christian churches tell the stories of Jesus last days Jesus entry into Jerusalem, the Last Supper, the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus trial and crucifixion, and his resurrection. Help kids create a soundtrack of the awesome sounds and songs from your church s celebration of Jesus life. What sounds do you hear when you watch a movie or TV show? (people talking, sound effects of all kinds, music) The sound behind the story is called a soundtrack. Let s make a soundtrack of the stories of Holy Week and Easter. Spark Bibles Index cards, 8 Pencils A variety of rhythmic and melodic instruments Lyric sheets or songbooks with favorite Holy Week and Easter songs Items to create sound effects (boards, brooms, shoes, plastic cups or glasses, paper, aluminum foil, etc.) Audio recording equipment Hold up the index cards naming the stories in the order they occur. Divide into groups (up to eight groups) and assign each group a text or texts. Invite the kids to read through their assigned text together and brainstorm how they can convey what happened in that particular story using only sounds. Groups can use instruments, their bodies, their voices, hymns, single words like Hosanna! Crucify! and Alleluia! or anything else they can think of. Once the groups have a list of sounds, encourage them to practice telling the story with the sounds they have chosen. Ask the Shepherds to help field questions about the stories or possible sounds for each story. 102 Workshop Leader Guides Music Workshop, Holy Week and Easter Rotation Leader Guide. Spark Sunday School 2009
When each group is ready, record your version of Holy Week and Easter Soundtrack. Record the soundtrack in story order, and remind kids to listen quietly when someone else is recording. When the recording is finished, listen to it. Hold up the story names and ask kids to imagine each story while listening carefully. Did you hear anything that surprised you? 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 a great way to tell the story. Sometimes things can feel very sad. Jesus death and resurrection reminds us it s possible to begin again. The whole story is one filled with hope and joy. Prayer Time Family Pages None Let s say a hope and joy prayer. When I pause, please say, Life is filled with hope and joy. Dear Jesus, At all times and in all places... (Life is filled with hope and joy.) For children and adults... (Life is filled with hope and joy.) When we hear the whole story about Jesus... (Life is filled with hope and joy.) Help us remember to thank you that... (Life is filled with hope and joy.) Amen. MUSIC Music Workshop, Holy Week and Easter Rotation Leader Guide. Spark Sunday School 2009 Holy Week and Easter 103
MUSIC LEADER GUIDE Holy Week and Easter (Matthew 21:1-11, 27:32-66, and 28:1-10) All Kids Workshop Focus: Jesus died and rose again for me. 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. Open the Bible (10 minutes) Holy Week and Easter Storytelling Welcome kids to the Music Workshop. Invite them to gather in a circle. Today we ll read three different Bible stories about Jesus last week, and as we read them let s think about the emotions and feelings each of them has. Form three groups with a mix of ages in each group. Invite the first group to find the Palm Sunday story on page 454 of the Spark Story Bible and in Matthew 21:1-11 on page 1084 of the Spark Bible. The second group can find the story The Day Jesus Died, on page 476 of the Spark Story Bible and in Matthew 27:27-66 on page 1096 in the Spark Bible. The third group can find The Empty Tomb on page 482 of the Spark Story Bible and in Matthew 28:1-10 on page 1097 in the Spark Bible. Spark Story Bibles Spark Bibles Spark Bible Stickers Pencils MUSIC Invite strong readers from each group to read the Spark Story Bible stories about Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter, then take a few minutes to talk about the emotions and feelings present in each story. (Palm Sunday festive, happy, excitement; Good Friday sad, quiet, depressing, terror, fear; Easter joy, disbelief, wonder, relief, excitement, etc.) Music Workshop, Holy Week and Easter Rotation Leader Guide. Spark Sunday School 2009 Holy Week and Easter 105
Encourage older kids to mark one or more of the stories in their Spark Bibles with a Makes Me Feel or Makes Me Want To sticker, writing their response to the sticker prompt in the margin. Activate Faith (25 minutes) Holy Week and Easter Instruments Set Up: Set up three stations where kids will make instruments for each of the stories: Palm Sunday Rhythm Sticks, Good Friday Wind Chimes, and Easter Kazoos. Set out the craft sticks and markers at the Palm Sunday station; the nails, yarn, and embroidery hoops at the Good Friday station; and the toilet paper tubes, waxed paper, rubber bands, and markers at the Easter station. Determine which hymn you will sing together with instruments for the Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter stories. Use these suggestions or your congregation s favorite hymns for each day. Palm Sunday: All Glory, Laud, and Honor (especially the chorus) Good Friday: Were You There? ; Jesus, Remember Me Easter: Jesus Christ Is Risen Today None Large craft sticks Markers Nails with heads (common or drywall nails), 3-5 per kid Yarn (precut in varying lengths) Toilet paper tubes Waxed paper Rubber bands Hole-punch Hymnals Activity Instructions Now that we ve read the stories about Jesus last week, we will make instruments we can play along with hymns for each of these important days, so we can tell the story of Holy Week and Easter in song. Divide kids into three groups. Each group will visit all three stations Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter, where in 7-8 minutes they will learn a verse of a hymn and make an instrument to play along with it. Palm Sunday Station Hymn: All Glory, Laud, and Honor Instrument: Palm Sunday Rhythm Sticks Make rhythm sticks by decorating large craft sticks with markers. Invite kids to draw images from the Palm Sunday story on the craft sticks palm branches, Jesus, a donkey, the word Hosanna! a parade, etc. When the rhythm sticks are complete, teach the Palm Sunday hymn. Give hymnals to readers so they can follow along and sing. Nonreaders can join in on the chorus, and everyone can play their rhythm sticks throughout the entire hymn. 106 Workshop Leader Guides Music Workshop, Holy Week and Easter Rotation Leader Guide. Spark Sunday School 2009
Good Friday Station Hymn: Were You There Instrument: Good Friday Wind Chimes Make wind chimes by attaching three to five nails to a large craft stick with yarn of varying lengths. Swing the wind chimes back and forth gently so the nails bump against each other or play them with a craft stick. When the wind chimes are complete, teach the Good Friday hymn. Give hymnals to readers so they can follow along and sing. Non-readers will catch on to the pattern of the song quickly, and everyone can play their wind chimes throughout the entire hymn. Instruct Shepherds to watch kids carefully as they work with the nails. Easter Station Hymn: Jesus Christ Is Risen Today Instrument: Easter Kazoos Make kazoos by decorating a toilet paper tube with markers. Punch a hole about ¾ inch (2 cm) from one end of the tube and cover that end of the tube with waxed paper. Attach the waxed paper to the decorated tube with a rubber band. When the kazoos are complete, teach the Easter hymn. Give hymnals to readers so they can follow along and sing. Non-readers can join in on the Alleluias, and everyone can take turns humming into their kazoos during the verses. When everyone has had a chance to make all three instruments and learn all three songs, come together and tell the stories of Holy Week and Easter by singing them in order: Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Easter. 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. Family Pages MUSIC Thanks for singing and playing instruments today! There are all kinds of feelings and emotions that go along with the stories about the last week of Jesus life. Invite kids to share their impressions of the activity how did the music of each hymn make them feel? Which song did they like singing best? Why? None Music Workshop, Holy Week and Easter Rotation Leader Guide. Spark Sunday School 2009 Holy Week and Easter 107
Prayer Time Let s pray. Your response after each phrase I pray will be Thanks be to God. Dear Jesus, you came that we might have life... (Thanks be to God.) You suffered and died for us... (Thanks be to God.) God raised you from the dead... (Thanks be to God.) You appeared to the women and to the disciples... (Thanks be to God.) You forgive me my sins... (Thanks be to God.) And give me eternal life... (Thanks be to God.) Amen. 108 Workshop Leader Guides Music Workshop, Holy Week and Easter Rotation Leader Guide. Spark Sunday School 2009