Introduction:
We have said in other posts that it is important to find different ways to share Bible stories or events with the children in your classroom. Three dimensional items are a great resource as a storytelling aid espeically if you can pair it with your class’ interaction and a song. We hope you find this Creating for the Creator a wonderful addition to your Teacher Bag of Tricks.
Creating the Pit
Once again when I need something made, I turned to my super talented handyman, Mr. D. I said I needed a pit for a lesson on Joseph being sold into slavery and he quickly came up with a solution. He took an ordinary 11x13x5 shipping box and cut a 5 inch wide hole in it. Then he took leftover cardboard to make a cylinder that is open on both ends. From there he lined up the cylinder with the hole that he cut so it made a deep looking hole. He attached the cylinder to the top using wide masking tape. We then used dirt printed scrapbook paper to wrap the box and the inside of the cylinder. We closed the bottom of the box and you have your ready made pit.
Oh, but the story is not complete without Joseph. We found online a figure of a cartoon like Joseph in slave clothes. (Remember the brothers take his coat of many colors.) We printed enough of this figure, laminated these in 5 mil. laminating film and used in our base stands that were featured in another post. Now, we are ready for the Bible story.
Joseph Bible Story
Use the scriptures to help you tell the story of Joseph. (Genesis 37:1-36) I make sure that I am careful with how much I share with young children as they do not understand death. I said that the brothers let Jacob, Joseph’s father, think that an animal had hurt him rather than saying that an animal had killed him. When Joseph is put in the pit I give the children their Joseph and we all take turns putting him in the pit. We sing these songs to act it out.
Fall into the Pit
Tune: Row, Row, Row Your Boat
Fall, fall, into the pit
Brothers pushed him in.
Fall, fall into the pit.
God will take care of him.
Oh no! Where Did Joseph Go?
Tune: Bring Them in
In the pit, in the pit
Joseph’s brothers put him in the pit
In the pit, in the pit
Joseph’s brothers put him in the pit.
