John the Baptist
Summary of Lesson Activities:
Uses the Illumina Bible Software (Out of Print) and Kid Pix 4.
- iLumina Bible software
- Kid Pix 4 software
- John the Baptist clipart from ClipTures: Volume 49 Bible Images CD (also available for digital download at www.CoolClipArt.com)
- Print out of John the Baptist story book script for use with Kid Pix
- Read the Scripture passages prayerfully, asking God to show you what He has to say to you and to those He’s given you to teach.
- Read the Biblical Explanation and Background, and think about what concepts you need to teach.
- Take time to explore the software programs so that you are familiar with them in order to help the kids.
- Install John the Baptist clip art into a folder in Pictures folder on each computer. Name folder “John the Baptist” for easy access.
- Prepare the necessary materials.
Opening-Welcome and Lesson Introduction:
Begin the class with an overview of the story and reviewing this month’s memory verse. If this is not the first week of the rotation, ask kids what they have learned about John the Baptist in other workshops.
Dig-Main Content and Reflection:
Begin with Illumina, read the scriptures and view the animation of Jesus’ baptism. Detailed instructions below.
Once iLumina is done, have the kids go to KidPix and create 3-4 picture slides and create a slideshow. Detailed instruction below.
Instruction for iLumina
- Open iLumina
- Go to The Bible at the top of the page, choose Bible-New Living Translation
- Click down arrow by GoTo, choose New Testament, Matthew, Matthew 3
- Read verses 1-12 together
- Click on To View in Theatre Mode box at the bottom of the animation window. (The animation will automatically start)
- After animation, close iLumina
- Why do you think people came from Jerusalem, all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan to hear John the Baptist preach? (They liked what he had to say. He was a dynamic speaker)
- Why were people going to the Jordan River to be baptized by John? (To repent of their sins vs. 11)
- How do you think John’s baptism in the Jordan River would be different from baptisms that you’ve seen performed in church? Would you have liked to experience baptism in the Jordan River? Why or why not?
- Do you recall any other Bible stories where the Jordan River was important? (Joshua & Israelites people crossing the Jordan River with Ark of Covenant to enter into Promised Land; Elisha having Naaman bathe in Jordan river to cure leprosy) Why do you think these important events in the Old Testament might have influenced John the Baptist’s decision to use the Jordan River for the location of baptisms?
- When Jesus came to the Jordan River to be baptized by John, John was hesitant. Why do you think John the Baptist felt unworthy to baptize Jesus? How do you think you might have felt if Jesus had come up to you in the flesh?
- What would you have thought if you were there to witness Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River and saw the heavens open, the dove descend upon Jesus and heard the voice of God saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased?”
Say: John’s baptism of Jesus is just one important event in the prophet’s life. Today, we’re going to take some time to make a computer story book about the life of John the Baptist.
Instruction for KidPix
There are multiple layers to accomplishing a slideshow. You must first create the slides and save them, then enter the slides in the slideshow, choose transitions and sounds, and playing the animation. It is my suggestion that with the younger kids, you run the computer and allow them to choose the options for creating the slides. There are different creative choices to make, if the kids are taking a long time, suggest just creating 2-3 slides. Before class, you will need to create printouts for each computer, so the kids know what to type on each slide (refer to example slideshow)
To Insert a Picture onto a slide:
- Click add at the top of the page, then graphic
- Change Files of type to JPEG
- Using the drop-down for Look in choose Libraries – Pictures there is a folder called John the Baptist choose the picture of Zechariah with the angel (slide 1), Zechariah, Elizabeth, and baby John (slide 2), John as an adult (slide 3), John baptizing Jesus (slide 4)
- Picture can be resized by clicking and dragging the pink squares
To Insert a Background onto a slide
We are suggesting that the “background” of the slide be completed by using the Fill Bucket icon. The fill bucket allows the background to completely surround the graphic, whereas the Background icon has to be placed before inserting a graphic and the graphic will have a white box surrounding it unless you go back and insert fill bucket around the picture. That said, the following is instructions for the fill bucket background.
- Click Fill Bucket icon
- Choose color by clicking on palette then on the color you would like
- Choose texture
- Click on the background
To Insert Text and Voice
- Click the ABC icon
- Click on the picture the place where you would like the text to be. The voice will read from top to bottom is you use multiple text boxes.
- Choose B for bold and the size of text
- Type the suggested text for the appropriate slide/graphic
- Click on voice at the bottom of the page and which voice you want to use.
Once slide is complete, save slide, being sure to name them so they are easily recognized, like slide1, slide2 etc.
Click new and begin the next slide.
Once the slides they are going to do are complete, it is time to create the slideshow.
To Create a Slideshow
- Click the Film icon at the bottom right of page, this will take you to the slideshow creation
- On box 1, click on the yellow folder below the slide and choose slide1. You will repeat this for box 2, slide2, etc.
- Change transitions and transition sounds by clicking on Film strips with Pink arrow. This gives you options. Click on the boxes between the Box 1, Box 2 etc to choose each transition.
- Once you’ve completed your choices, click Green Arrow to view the slideshow.
- Choose to save the slideshow as the children’s names so we have record of what they created.
After everyone has completed their slideshow storybook of John the Baptist, let them take turns showing off their creations to the rest of the class.
End the session with prayer.
A lesson Written by Rev. Ron & Deanna Shifley from
Scotland, South Dakota
A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.