Scripture: Genesis 10-11
Learning Objectives:
- Students will review the story of the Tower of Babel
- Students will learn God caused the people to speak different languages so they would become frustrated and unable to compete the tower
- Students will recreate the experience of building the tower while being unable to understand those working with you
Guiding Question: What was it like to work on a project like building the Tower of Babel when you can’t understand those working with you?
Materials: Each small group of students will need the following: 40 uncooked thin pasta noodles, 20 uncooled tube pasta noodles, toothpicks, straws, sponge, tape or other found materials
Procedure: Review the story of the Tower of Babel. Discuss with students what might have happened when God confused their languages. Divide students into groups of four to six. Give each group the same set of materials. Give them a set amount of time to build the tallest tower without talking at all or by speaking either a language no one else can speak or using made up words and sounds. After a winner is declared, discuss what frustrations they had when they could not communicate clearly with each other.
Additional Question: How can people speak the same language, but still not understand each other?
Supplemental Activity: Have students interview various people about times when they were communicating with someone in the same language, but they still did not understand each other. Have students decide if there are other common ways of misunderstanding what someone is saying that can cause frustration and conflict.