Create pieces of artwork to represent the work of hands in the stories. There is little limit to the possibilities here from simple drawings and paintings to complex appliqué work. It will add a personal touch if the hands used are modelled on hands of children in the class. In any case, this is how most real artists would work, by using models. It is, therefore, good practice for art and an excellent exercise in patience for those who are modelling.

Create short notes to go with the artwork that explain where the ideas came from, which part of the story is being represented and why the hands are particularly important at this point. For instance, the hands of the potter in the book of Jeremiah in the Old Testament are both skilled in themselves and representative of the power and will of God to shape the world. The notes need only be simple e.g. 'Christians believe that the potter's hands shape the clay, just as God's hands shape the world'. Display the work with the notes.

The picture from the book, or a real picture cross.
Art materials.
MDF to make crosses (optional).

Use the relevant pages of the book, or better, find a story cross like the one shown and discuss the cross with the children. Talk about the cross as a symbol of the Christian understanding of what Christ did and about how the pictures on the cross bring out the ways in which Jesus worked.

Make your own crosses. These can be very simple paper versions, or you could cut wooden (or MDF) crosses and stick pictures to them in the manner of the Salvadorian Cross in the book. Painting directly onto the cross does not leave much margin of error. Use spray varnish to finish the whole thing off, this will give both an attractive and durable finish. If you want to make this an activity with a more artistic element you could discuss the stereotyped figures and the bright, primary colours that are typical of this kind of art. Choose stories that have some kind of theme, such as miracles, Christmas scenes, parables, the disciples and so on.

Display the crosses in school and use them, if appropriate, in school worship, or in church worship where the stories depicted on the cross form the material of the worship. This is a good opportunity to develop links with a local church.

Light source and wall for hand shadows.
Materials to make hand puppets.

Discuss how our hands can tell stories, from simple nursery games ('This little pig went to market...') to puppet plays and even abstract hand ballet. You may like to play with hand shadow tricks, making rabbits, crocodiles and so on. Make this either a guessing game, or a challenge. Who can make the best dog-shadow?

Make hand puppets to illustrate a story. Don't try to use the 'hand' stories from the previous sections, because puppets' hands are notoriously difficult to control - remember Thunderbirds? You could, perhaps, use parables or miracle stories. Hand puppets can vary from simple faces drawn across the thumb end of a clenched hand to elaborate glove puppets with papier-mâché heads. A good halfway house is the sock puppet with button eyes and coloured felt tongue. Encourage the children to consider the caricature elements of their chosen story and then apply these to the puppets.

Perform the puppet shows to the rest of the class, or the school. Try and set this up as a special occasion by, for example, inviting parents or videoing the plays. You might like to set up the performance as part of an act of collective worship.

It is worth pursuing the 'hands-in-art' theme and looking at the way that artists have used hands over the years. Don't just look at religious paintings, and try to find sculptures for the children to see (not pictures of sculptures) - hands really come into their own in sculpture.

Local Christian communities could become very involved at his point, especially in the making of crosses. You might want to present the finished items to the churches in the area. If you have older children they could visit the churches and perhaps make crosses to order to illustrate a particular series of stories.