Lesson seven - pages 14/15 Lost and Found

AIM for the book

To bring to life the story of Jesus by exploring the way we use our senses.

Learning objectives

• To know that Jesus talked about losing ... and finding things.
• To be able to explore ideas and feelings about contrasts in life, such as lost and found, light and darkness.
• To understand that Christians believe that Jesus is the Good Shepherd, looking after the sheep, and brings the lost sheep back to the fold. Everyone is special and important to God. This is a picture of a God who cares.

Background

The symbol of lost and found is a potent one in literature and stories across the world. Everyone recognizes the joy of finding something lost and many know the frustration and occasional futility of the search. Christians believe that the lost and found metaphor demonstrates the power of God's love and grace. A person may do the most dreadful things but in Christian language, God is always ready to forgive the truly repentant and will go on looking for 'the lost' and waiting for them to return.

Bible reference

Luke 15.3-10

Ways of using the picture

• How long do the children look for lost things? How do they feel when they find something long lost?
• Read the poem carefully and explore the ideas and feelings about being lost and being found and the images of darkness and light.
• Read some of the other parables of Jesus and ask the children what they think the stories are trying to say. Try not to lead their answers, and encourage an open discussion. Do the stories reflect the children's own experiences?

Key words

• Jesus
• Lost
• Found
• Light
• Darkness
• Shadows

Activity one - know the story

• You will need
  A lidded gold box, containing:
  • Large piece of green felt for grass.
  • Piece of blue felt for water.
  • Pieces of purple or black felt for ragged rocks.
  • A shepherd figure and sheep from a Nativity set.
  • Strips of brown felt to build up a sheepfold.
  • The script of the parable of the Good Shepherd from The Parable Cycle by Revd Jerome Berryman, available from Chelmsford Diocesan Resource centre.
  Art materials.

• Start
  Gather the children round in a circle.
  Open the parable box and discover the story together.

• Develop
  Using the script, unfold the story and ask questions, such as: Do all the sheep have names? Have you ever been lost?
  Give the children space to reflect.

• End
  The children can follow up the story in their own way, e.g. using the figures again to act out the story, painting, modelling, etc.

• Assessment opportunities
  Note the children's spoken answers to the questions. Note how they responded to the story through the creative arts.
  Get the children to recount the sequence of events in the parable of the Good Shepherd.

Activity two - hunt the thimble

• You will need
  A thimble that has been hidden in the classroom, courtyard or defined area of school grounds if weather is suitable.
  Percussion instruments.
  Paper and writing materials, or computer.

• Start
  Talk about being lost and found, for example in a supermarket.
  Talk about the contrast between light and dark, such as fear at night, and needing a light on.
  Look at the poem and the change the boy feels when he pushes back the curtains and lets the light in.

• Develop
  Teacher first hides the thimble. Children seek. The child who finds it hides the thimble the next time.
  You might find it helpful to give a time limit. Keep the game short, perhaps three turns. How long do they look?
  Remind the children of other games in different faith traditions. For example, at the Jewish Passover the matzah is hidden, and the youngest child in the room has to find it.
  Choose a way of responding. The children might like to divide into groups to do different activities.
  Write a lost or found poem, or a class acrostic poem.
  Compose a piece of music called 'Lost'.
  Mime or act what it feels to be lost or found. Strike chime bars to change the mood.

• End
  Discuss feelings on finding the thimble.
  Perform the music.
  Act out the drama.
  Read out the poem.

• Assessment opportunities
  Can the children name any secular stories about being lost?
  Get the children to name any other stories from the Bible they know about being lost, such as the lost coin or the lost son, also from Luke 15.

Activity three - it's amazing

• You will need
  The front cover of In Words.
  Art materials.
  Building bricks.
  Seeds to sow.
  Writing materials.

• Start
  Look at the front cover of In Words. Can you see the symbol in the bottom left-hand corner? What is it? It's a maze.

• Develop
  Get the children to recount stories of when they have been in a maze maybe at Hampton Court, Saffron Walden or elsewhere.
  How did they find their way to the centre?
  How did they find their way back again?
  Did they have help from adults?
  Do they know a handy tip when visiting mazes? (Maybe one such as, keeping the hedge on one side going in and the other going out)
  The children can then design their own maze.
  Maybe they could then build their maze. It would be great fun to use bricks on the school field or suitable outdoor area.
  Or they could even grow their own maze, to revisit when the plants have grown up.
  Or they could write their own amazing stories about being lost - and found - in a maze.

• End
  Share pictures and stories and mazes.
  Do they have any comments?

• Assessment opportunities
  Encourage the children to draw their own reflections from their pictures or stories that express their feelings and show how they coped with different situations.

Activity checklist

Activity one - know the story

A lidded gold box, containing:
Large piece of green felt for grass.
Piece of blue felt for water.
Pieces of purple or black felt for ragged rocks.
A shepherd figure and sheep from a Nativity set.
Strips of brown felt to build up a sheepfold.
The script of the parable of the Good Shepherd from The Parable Cycle by Revd Jerome Berryman available from Chelmsford Diocesan Resource centre.
Art materials.

Activity two - hunt the thimble

A thimble that has been hidden in the classroom, courtyard or defined area of school grounds if weather is suitable.
Percussion instruments.
Paper and writing materials, or computer.

Activity three - it's amazing

The front cover of In Words.
Art materials.
Building bricks.
Seeds to sow.
Writing materials.

Web site links

http://www.freethechildren.org/voices/main.html
Children are given the opportunity to voice their emotions and feelings through art and poetry.

© Lizzie McWhirter

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