Scripture: Exodus 35
Learning Objectives:
- Students will review that there were many types of craftsmen who worked on the tabernacle according to God’s instructions.
- Students will learn different forms of verbs and how their meaning is changed depending on suffixes that are added.
- Students will uses different suffixes of a word to verbalize what they are doing as they try different skills.
Guiding Question: How do word endings, (called suffixes) change the meaning of a word?
Materials: poster paper, markers, cardboard boxes, paint, paper for painting on, air dry clay, very simple weaving kit (can use paper strips or fabric strips with wooden craft sticks for a frame)
Procedure: Review the building of the Tabernacle focusing on how God used people’s different skills to accomplish it. Explain the importance of using our gifts and abilities to serve God. Let students practice by doing the different crafts. Discuss how a potter can use clay to make vessels. A painter can use paper and paints to make artwork. A builder can use cardboard boxes to make a small structure. Set up 2-3 stations for each craft. The number of stations can be adjusted depending on time and volunteers. You can even just pick one station if time and volunteers are limited. For each skill activity, write a verb on a poster. Then write the following endings on smaller posters so that they can be added to the board: ing, er. Vocab: Paint/Painting/Painter, Build/Building/Builder, Make/ Making/ Maker, Weave/Weaving/Weaver. As students are working, discuss how the words relate to them. If they are doing something in the moment, they add –ing. If they are referring to the person doing the action, they add –er. Each student should practice using the different forms of the word in context while they work. Let this be an opportunity for students to explore a different crafts and practice their language. Do not focus too much on a perfect creation.
Note: This can be adjusted for older students by using the actual names of the tenses such as past, progressive, noun, etc. You can also do additional suffixes for an added challenge.
Additional Questions:
- What are some other endings/suffixes that can be added to the verb? –ed, -s/-es, etc.
- What other action words/verbs were used in making the Tabernacle?
Supplemental Activity: Have real craftsmen come and share their experiences with students. You can invite a potter, wood carver, painter etc. Let students ask questions to learn if it is a trade that they would be interested in.
Written by: Savannah Negas