Scripture: Genesis 10-11
Learning Objectives:
- Students will review the story of the Tower of Babel
- Students will learn/review the concept of the various parts of a story needing to be in a specific order for the story to make sense
- Students will practice taking fractured stories and putting them in the correct order
Guiding Question: In what order do the various parts of a story go?
Materials: simple, easy-to-follow comic strips, blank comic strip panels, markers or crayons
Procedure: Review the story of the Tower of Babel. Have students identify the beginning, middle and end of the story. Re-tell the story, this time putting the ending first, the beginning in the middle and the middle last. Ask students if the story still makes sense or is an understandable story. Teach (or review with) students the concept of the pieces of a story having to be in a certain order for the story to be an understandable story. Have students (or pre-cut them before class) cut apart the panels of a comic strip. Have them hand the pieces to another student and see if the student can put it back in the proper order.
Give students blank panels and markers or crayons. Have students draw their own cartoons, then cut the panels apart and see if other students can put them in the correct order. Explain to students their cartoon needs to have a clear beginning, middle and end of the storyline in order for the game to work well. After placing several cartoons in the correct order, ask the class if they discovered any rules that helped them know how to put things in the right order. Record their answers (on chart paper if possible) for students to review later.
Additional Question: Why is it important to have the pieces of a story be in the right order?
Supplemental Activity: Have students repeat the activity, but this time put the parts of the story in the wrong order on purpose. Have them tell their new “fractured” story. Is it funny or just confusing? Why?