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Lesson two - pages 4/5
Circle of hands
Aim for the book
To give children the opportunity to explore what Christians believe
about the nature of both God and humans, by studying hands.
Learning objectives
- To know that the image of God's hands is very important
to Christians.
- To be able to use and create symbols with their hands
to convey information.
- To understand that hands have power to create and destroy.
Bible references
Job 10.8-9
Matthew 8.3
Background
Hands have power; they create and destroy. In the picture some
hands are hard and calloused; others soft and gentle. The image
of God's hands is frequently used in the Bible and in the Christian
tradition. It is used in a variety of ways and the phrase 'hand
of God' can carry many meanings, e.g. power, care, direction. This
picture encourages children to think about hands: what hands can
do; what hands can tell us about a person.
Key words
- Touch
- Emotions
- Message
- Life
- Experiences
- Image
- God
- Create
- Destroy
Activity one - hands with messages
- You will need
The picture in the book.
Word cards with symbols - happy, sad, angry,
hello, goodbye, over there and this way.
- Start
Children sit on chairs in a circle (circle time rules to apply).
Play the 'pass the rain' game. One child starts the action by waggling
his or her fingers for rain. This action is passed around the
circle until it arrives back at the originator. The action is
then changed to thunder. A child slaps their knees with hands,
then gently touches their neighbour who follows the action and
so on around the circle. Children can't begin thunder until they
are touched. The originator then brings out the sun by folding
arms and smiling at their neighbour. The 'sun' must involve eye
contact as it is passed from child to child. Children are told
to help each other perform the actions correctly by quietly whispering
to a neighbour if he or she needs a little help to get it right.
- Develop
In silence, read word cards.
Can the children use their hands to convey their emotions individually?
(For example, they might clap, wipe their eyes for tears, make
a fist, wave or point.)
In pairs, can children use hands to convey these emotions or
instructions, such as patting on back, hugging, play fighting,
pushing, waving, shaking hands, pointing or leading.
We have been passing messages and instructions with our hands.
Did anyone misunderstand the message? Why?
In groups, have a look at the picture in the book. What messages
are these hands conveying?
What do you notice about the hands?
Can the children express ideas about the concept of God's hands?
Can they send messages with their hands?
Activity two - different hands
- You will need
The picture in the book.
'Action' photos or pictures of working hands. For example: cook,
secretary, caretaker, teacher, child, baby, old person, manual
worker and so on. (These could be pictures or posters with only the
hands showing.)
Pre-cut hand shapes in different sizes.
Art materials.
- Start
In pairs, look closely at each other's hands.
Compare size, shape, colour of skin, nails and so on. Are hands
all the same?
Hold your partner's hands and stroke them. What do they feel
like?
- Develop
Play a guessing game using photos or pictures.
Who do these hands belong to?
How do you know?
How are these hands different? How are they the same?
Compare different hands, for example baby/old person/manual
worker.
How have these people's jobs or life experiences affected their
hands?
In pairs, choose a pair of blank hand shapes.
Think of a person who might have hands that size and shape.
Decorate one to give clues about who the person is, or what
they do. You might indicate skin colour, rough or smooth skin,
rings, broken nails, veins, hair, dirt or cleanliness.
Write or draw on the other hand what this imaginary person's
hands do.
- End
Guessing game with children's work.
Who might these hands belong to?
Look at picture in book (again if lesson one was used).
What can you say about these hands now?
Display children's work around a face of appropriate age, gender
and so on.
Put on appropriate labels.
'Babies' hands can...'
'Mummies' hands can...'
'Doctors' hands can...'
- Assessment opportunities
Can the children offer interpretations of the picture in the
book?
Can they give two clues of their own?
Activity three - flower examination
- You will need
Extracts of quiet/loud music (optional).
Magnifying glasses.
Some flowers, preferably real (carnations are particularly good)
or natural materials: twigs, grasses, foliage and so on.
Flip chart board or overhead projector.
Bible references written out on flip chart or OHP.
Candle.
- Start
With the whole class, look at a bunch of flowers or an arrangement
of natural materials.
Admire their beauty.
Share the flowers or materials amongst the children, keeping
two yourself.
Explore quietly. Use a magnifying glass. Examine smell, touch,
shape and form. (Play some quiet music.)
- Develop
What have you noticed? (Colour, size, shape, smell, pattern
and so on.)
Write words for the children to see.
Can you create things?
Start to quietly destroy one flower.
Loud music - how do the children react?
What have I done? Have the children destroy their flower if they
haven't already copied you.
Add destructive words to the chart.
Hands can create but often destroy.
In the Bible, the image of God's hands is used in many ways.
Read the two Bible extracts.
Reflect on these questions: Does God destroy? Does God still create?
- End
Sit in a circle.
Put the remaining flowers in a vase in the centre of the circle.
Surround it with the debris of destroyed flowers.
Light candle and place near flowers.
Optional - play quiet music.
Ask children to look at the flowers and think how they used their
hands destructively and creatively.
- Assessment opportunities
Do the children understand the difference between creating and
destroying?
Activity checklist
Activity one - hands with messages
The picture in the book.
Word cards with symbols - happy, sad, angry,
hello, goodbye, over there and this way.
Activity two - different hands
The picture in the book.
'Action' photos or pictures of working hands. For example: cook,
secretary, caretaker, teacher, child, baby, old person, manual worker
and so on. (These could be pictures or posters with only the hands showing.)
Pre-cut hand shapes in different sizes.
Art materials.
Activity three - flower examination
Extracts of quiet/loud music (optional).
Magnifying glasses.
Some flowers, preferably real (carnations are particularly good)
or natural materials: twigs, grasses, foliage and so on.
Flip chart board or overhead projector.
Bible references written out on flip chart or OHP.
Candle.
Web site links
For further information, look at the links
section of this site.
© Janet Parkinson
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