Scripture: Esther
Learning Objectives:
- Students will review the story of Esther.
- Students will practice articulating English sentences with fluency.
- Students will use body language and tone to show to convey comprehension of what they are reading.
- Students will practice working together to read a script and perform a short play of Esther in English.
Guiding Question: How can I use my knowledge of English vocabulary to act out a play and read a script?
Materials: scripts, costumes (optional)
Procedure: Review the story of Esther focusing especially on how her bravery and faith in God’s providence helped save the Israelites. Have students look at a script for a play in English. The script needs to use short sentences and high-frequency English words that students are more likely to be familiar with. This allows them to focus more on fluency when reading it. Consider the script below. Have students read the script to themselves or as a group. Give them a marker or highlighter to mark any words that they do not know. Have them collaborate to teach each other the unknown words or infer the meaning. Then supply the meaning for any unknown words. Students can take turns speaking/acting out different characters. When students are ready, encourage them to use body language and voice inflection to convey meaning and emotion. Students can wear crowns, and use fabric tied with rope for costumes.
Additional Question: How is reading a script as a character different than reading written information on a sheet of paper?
Supplemental Activity: Students can write their own mini play. Brainstorm a setting and a list of 2-4 characters as a group. Have each character say 2-3 lines. Let students take turns being different characters.
Story of Esther Script
Characters: Mordecai, Esther, King Xerxes, Haman, Narrator
Narrator: There was a king of Babylon who needed a wife to be queen.
King Xerxes: As king, I am going to choose a woman in Babylon to be my wife.
Narrator: Esther was very beautiful. She did not tell the king that she was an Israelite because many people in Babylon did not like Israelites. The king chose her.
Narrator: Esther had a cousin named Mordecai. He helped take care of Esther. One day he told Esther about some men who wanted to kill the king.
Esther: King, Xerxes, Mordecai told me that some men are trying to kill you. Now that you know, you can stop them.
King Xerxes: Thank you. I will reward Mordecai for saving my life.
Narrator: But King Xerxes had an honored leader in Babylon named Haman. Haman did not like Mordecai because Mordecai would not bow down to Haman.
Haman: Bow to me!
Mordecai: I will not bow to you. I only bow to God!
Haman: I am angry. I will find a way to kill you and all of your family, the Israelites.
Narrator: Haman went to the king.
Haman: King, there are some bad people who do not respect you. We should kill them all. They are Israelites.
King Xerxes: I agree with you. You will be in charge of killing the Israelites son.
Narrator: Mordecai heard about the plan and told Esther.
Mordecai: Esther, you must talk to the king and stop him from killing us all.
Esther: I cannot go to the king without an invitation. He will punish me by killing me if he is not happy.
Mordecai: God made you queen so that you can help your family. It will be hard. We will pray for you.
Esther: I am scared, but I will go to the king.
Narrator: Esther went to talk to the king.
Esther: King, I want to invite you and Haman to dinner because I have a message for you.
King Xerxes: Esther, you make me happy. I will come to your dinner.
Narrator: God took care of Esther and the King did not kill her. The king and Haman went to her dinner.
King Xerxes: What is your message?
Esther: Haman will have all of my family killed because we are Israelites.
King Xerxes: You are an Israelite? This is bad!
Haman: King, do not be angry. Esther, please forgive me!
King Xerxes: You have tried to kill my wife, the man who saved my life, and their family. Now you will die instead of them.
Narrator: The Israelites were saved because of Esther’s bravery and trust in God.