This is not an uncommon problem. Years ago it was a lot worse when little software existed. But those years in the wilderness taught us a lot.

» Sometimes the story they want you to cover is not a “major” Bible story, and there’s no software on it. Most software developers like us are not going to spend a small fortune developing a program on the Man with the Withered Hand.  I’m part of the Workshop Rotation Model movement, which say, “teach the majors for several weeks in a row.”  If you are changing the Bible story every Sunday, you are teaching a lot of “minor” stories of the Bible which aren’t what the kids need, and won’t remember anyhow because you’re moving to fast. Slow down.

» Sometimes the software that DOES exists isn’t right for your age group. Your K’s and 1st graders will have this problem. Most software is aimed at the mid-upper elementary. Some of it easily stretches down, if you know how to adapt it. Read my article about stretching here.   And please note: it’s a lot easier to run a computer lab for older elementary than preschoolers and early readers. Probably more important too!  Our older kids need MORE reasons to stay connected to the church.

» Sometimes you may not like the software for a particular story. (Crazy but true, some teachers don’t like gamey software and I can’t do anything about it.)

» Sometimes you didn’t order the software in time, or can’t afford it, or it won’t run on your computers.

» Sometimes your lab is so big, you can’t afford the single program that covers that story. 

» Sometimes your lab concept or and leaders can’t pull off what you want them to do (even if they had the right software).

» “Creation is subject to frustration.”  Romans 8:20  !

Here are your main options:

PUNT

Sometimes you just need to do another story, or use another piece of software, or not use the computers. It’s okay. Better an important story with a great piece of software, than trying to figure out the scheduled story with a bad lesson idea. Back in the 90′s we punted a lot!  Our computer lab was mostly on its own schedule.

ADAPT, STRETCH

I’ve seen Kindergartners use software made for 5th graders. You just need to be right there to help them. Read that ‘stretching’ article!  And look at the teaching guide for the program. It often has helps.

USE YOUR UTILITY PROGRAMS

Write and Illustrate about it with Kid Pix CD. See our KP project ideas.

Make a quiz about it with Fall of Jericho CD.

Use Let’s Talk  CD to have the kids create spoken dialog from the story. See all of Let’s Talk’s many lesson starter ideas!

GO BACK

It’s not a sin to go back and use a program from LAST year to fill a hole in your schedule. In fact, it’s awesome educational theory and brain science.
Recall = Remember.

QUIZ

Quizzing is what we did a lot of back in the pre-cool Bible software days. Kids like computer quizzes. Make a game of it.

RE-THINK YOUR LAB “Scope and Sequence”

Change the stories!  Some curriculum persists in shotgunning any and all obscure Bible stories at our kids. Or taking a “too creative” approach to some basic stories. I see this with Christmas curriculum:  just stay with the basic story please!  Kids don’t need lessons that talk about how Norwegians celebrate Christmas.

It’s easy for the artsy people to come up with a craft for any story, but video and software are a lot harder.

RE-THINK YOUR LAB SCHEDULE

If you keep running up against “no software for 1st graders” and are tired of punting and using utility programs, consider REDUCING the number of week that the younger kids come into the lab.  Only schedule them in when you HAVE the program that works for the story (and for that age group).

RE-THINK YOUR LAB BUDGET

Seriously, is the problem that they want you to teach with computers but have only given you a screensaver budget?  I’d rather see a well-run lab with only a few computers and a handful of good software, than a room full of new machines playing stupid games.

RE-THINK YOUR AGE RANGE

If you can’t find good software for the younger kids all the time, don’t have them come in the lab as much. I know I wrote this elsewhere on this page, but it just makes SO much sense to me I want to say it again.

EMAIL ME.

I’ve been teaching with software since 1990. There probably isn’t a Bible story or age group you will try to teach with computers that I haven’t tried, and I’m pretty good at coming up with new approaches.

<>< Neil@sundaysoftware.com

http://sundaysoftware.com/site/awesome-bible-stories-cd/

 ”Wanderin’ through a Wilderness of Rules and Choices”

The helicopter flying quiz in Game 3.

DVD 3 has a ton of great content for kids about all 3 of these books.

A free lesson set from Neil MacQueen, Sunday Software

Click the CREATE PDF link in the right column of this page to save this lesson as a PDF.

Overview of the Four Workshops on this page:

The four lessons on this page each feature a different teaching method and media, and are to be used 3 to 4 weeks in a row to really drive home this important story.  I have written these four lessons with Workshop Rotation Model Sunday School in mind, but you can certainly use them in a traditional program as well.

1. Computer Workshop: Use 5 Loaves ~ 2 Fishes CD
2. Video Workshop: Use Nest’s Bread of Heaven DVD
3. Drama Workshop: The “Day After” Skits
4. Bible Skills & Game Workshop:  Game Stations, Comparing the Gospels.

Scriptures:
Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-15.  

Bible Background Notes for these four Gospel accounts can be found at the end of my Teacher’s Guide for the 5 Loaves CD located at http://www.sundaysoftware.com/tips/5000-guide.pdf.

As discussed in the CD’s guide, and is suitable for all lessons, the story of the Feeding of the 5000 is NOT primarily a story about “sharing what you have.”  Rather, Jesus uses the opportunity to share WHO HE IS with the crowd and his disciples, –that he is The One sent by God to save the people. His revelation to us requires a response, and that is why many of the following lessons address the “what now” of the story.

Suffice to say, the accounts largely agree, all though notably, only John has the small boy offering his food. Thus, his presence in the miracle should not be overstated as to shadow the centrality of the miracle as a sign pointing to Jesus. In the Bible Skills and Games Workshop, the children will compare the versions.

Objectives:

• Children will understand that Jesus is The One sent by God. He is the Savior, and he waits for their faithful response.
• Children will understand that they must learn from Jesus in order to know him and get close.
• Children will see the story as an example of Jesus’ compassion for the people and desire to multiply our gifts to help those in need.

Video Workshop/Class: 

Students watch Nest’s “Bread of Heaven” DVD. 

Click here to order the DVD directly from Nest’s website. 

The DVD combines the Feeding of the 5000 (where Jesus signals who he really is to the crowd) with Jesus’ declaration of his identity as “The Bread of Heaven”.  

Download a free PDF copy of the Bread of Heaven DVD Activity Book from Sunday Software’s website! (5mb) This free Nest resource has coloring pages and puzzles about the story for younger and older children. It is used as the follow-up activity for this lesson.

The Lesson Plan

1. Prior to Showing the DVD:

• Remind everyone that the story of Jonas in this story is fictional. The rest is true!
• Pass around some pieces of bread and ask the children for things that have bread in them (hamburgers, etc). Explain the meaning of “bread” as a basic food for our bodies, and “Jesus is going to teach us that he is like basic food for our souls. We are called to believe in him, and allow his words to be like bread that makes our faith strong.”
• Older Children: Distribute and quickly read the questions from the “Bread From Heaven Questions” page in the downloadable activity book. Tell them they will be answering these questions after they watch the video.

2. Students watch Nest’s “Bread of Heaven” DVD. Click here to order directly from Nest’s website.

3. After Showing the DVD:

• Younger Children: Distribute the puzzle page of your choice from the downloadable activity book.
• Older Children: Answer the questions in the Bread From Heave Questions” you passed out before the video. Then, distribute the “Who Am I?” puzzle from the older kids section of the downloadable activity book.

4. Closing: 

• Pass out stick pretzels and softwhite bread. Have students make an edible bread Jesus. Discuss the image of “Jesus as the Bread of Heaven”. Remind the students that we are called to BELIEVE in this bread!  …and to help others to believe in him and find nourishment for their lives and faith. Remind the kids of the connection to Communion. Eat your bread Jesus!  …and make another couple of them and put in baggies to give to parents/siblings. Conclude with a prayer for Jesus to be our Daily Bread.

Computer Workshop/Class:   5 Loaves ~ 2 Fishes CD

1. Students meet Peter and travel with him to Bethsaida as if they are the young boy.
2. Once in the village, the players find their Uncle and must convince him to take the time to go listen to Jesus.
3. When they find the bread and fish, and meet Jesus, they hear from him, and become part of the miracle.
4. Afterwards, the boy and his Uncle go fishing and answer some questions about the story.
5. Then they view a great music video that reflects on the meaning of the story.

Print the lesson plan and CD outline at http://www.sundaysoftware.com/tips/5000-guide.pdf

The software really is the lesson plan. It has Open, Dig, Reflect content and teaches the whole story. Your job as teacher is to go along and make sure the kids are learning the content and reflecting on it with you.  The graphics on this page come from the CD.

Bible Skills & Game Workshop/Class:  GAME STATIONS

Comparing the Gospels.

Your Bible Study will be in the format of an Olympic Game. You’ll create various “Game Stations” for teams to go and accomplish certain tasks before moving on. Some stations require/teach Bible Skills, and will cover basic content in the Feeding of the 5000 story.

You can have 2 or more students per team. Be careful that certain students don’t dominate the activity. At the end of these “Olympics” you will draw everyone together for final Bible study and reflection.

Divide into teams and then go over the instructions. Prizes will be at your discretion, but certainly giving candies is not ungodly!  At the end of the games, MULTIPLY all the candies just as Jesus did…. piling together the prizes and then demonstrably ADDING your own stash of candy to their pile. Make sure there is “candy left over” for them to give to their parents.

Assign helper/referees to each station. Give each referee a scorecard to write down each team’s score. Compile scores when all teams have finished so nobody knows which team is really winning.  Adapt the stations for your class sizes and needs.  TEAMS ROTATE BETWEEN STATIONS until all have completed.

You can have teams rotate together one station at a time, or split up the teams to different stations. Depends on your size and setup.

Game Station One: Bible Story Shuffle    

–ALL TEAMS BEGIN HERE–

Prepare ahead of time a set of Feeding of the 5000 “Verse Pages” using the following verse sections from John 6. Give each team a set of these verses, and explain the game. Instructions: After hearing the teacher read the scripture, when you say “go”, they turn over their verse sets and assemble the story in the correct order. Have a helper (who knows the correct order) announce when the team has put them in the right order. Award 50 points for 1st place, 30 for 2nd Place, 15 for 3rd Place, and 10 for 4th.   Now have them turn their pages upside down and shuffle them. Read the story again and time them again for more points.

6 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near.

5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

Game Station Two:  The Fishin’ Game

Teams use a fishing pole that has a magnet on the end of the line. They cast into a pond to retrieve discussion questions that have both a point value just for ‘catching’ the question, plus 10 bonus points for answering the question correctly (to the satisfaction of the teacher).  Each team can only make 5 casts, so you’ll need about 10 possible questions to cast for. Tape  a small piece of metal to fish shaped paper that have questions written on them. Spread the questions from each other so that they only “catch” one when retrieving their magnet lure.

Here are four starter questions, add three more of your own, and  label three others as “super bonus point” fish that don’t require an answer because they have no question! (A “Grace” fish)

• 20 pts:  It’s not like they were going to starve! What was Jesus trying to show people that day?
• 20 pts: The people had been listening to Jesus all day. What does that tell you about Jesus?
• 20 pts: After the people left that day filled up, what do you think they went home and told others about Jesus?
• 20 pts: If you had been that small boy, what would you have wanted to do after that day to follow Jesus?

Game Station Three: Read and Compare All Four Gospels

Students will write Down as many differences or unique things found in the Gospel as they can find. Suggest they divide up the Bibles, open to all four Gospels, and have someone read Matthew aloud. Stop at the end of each verse to see if the other Gospels have something different. Have a team leader write down the differences as kids say them. (A teacher may need to facilitate this).   For early-readers, use different Bible storybooks, or eliminate/substitute this station with something else.  Provide Bibles, flipchart, and markers. Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-15.  Award 50 points for 5 or more “significant differences”, 25 points for 3 or more significant differences, and 10 for 2 or more significant differences. You may decide what constitutes “significant”. See Neil’s Bible Background doc for suggestions, but differences include:  Where did it happen? What town? Who was there?  What did Jesus say? What happened afterwards? Who said what?

Game Station Four: Collect the Bread into the Baskets! 

Place three lines on the floor at 5, 10 and 20 feet away from a rather large basket (closer for younger students). Have several “loaves of Bread” (large sponges or bricks of dense squoosh foam).  Each student gets THREE TOSSES. They can choose to toss the bread into the basket from one of the three lines. From the 5 foot line they get 10 points. From the 10 foot line they get 20 points. From the 20 foot line they get 50 points. Depending on age group and size of your basket, you can adjust “# of throws”.  They are throwing for total team score.

Now here’s the kicker:  to receive a loaf of Bread to throw, the student has to answer one of three questions which you have conveniently posted on a poster board:   #1:  Tell us part of the story of the Feeding of the 5000. #2: Tell us something about Jesus Christ that’s important.  -or #3: Tell us something we can do that helps us learn more about Jesus and serve him.       …and… They cannot repeat what other students have already said.   Have a helper make note of some of the things the kids say, and use these in the closing.

Closing Reflection: Walk to each station with all the teams and ask the Helpers to mention something unique they learned there from the students. When you get to the “Station Three: Compare the Gospels”, point out why we have four slightly different versions of the Gospel. Ask “Why do you think all four writers would remember this story? What was so important to remember?” 

If you have time, have each student cut out a fish and give them a sticky magnet to put on it for their home frig. Have them write a fun saying on the fish, such as, “Feed Me Jesus!”  and “Soul Fish from Jesus”  and “Hooked by the Lord”.

Drama Workshop/Class: ”The Day After”

–3 imagined versions of “Small Boy” at home “the day after” he met Jesus.

The following “different kind of skits” harken back to a style of skits we used to do in youth group. They’re a great way to free kids up from reading scripts, and engaging the audience. I would expect you to expand on them, as they have a bit if “improv” to them.

Bible Study:
Read John 6: 1-15 with your class. Use a storybook for younger children. Pull out a “disciple costume” and a “small boy with a fish” costume. Hand them to various children to quickly put on, then ask them one of these questions. Pass the costumes around to designate who’s “turn” it is to answer the next question you have. Here are the questions you might ask:

Questions for the Disciple:
What were you thinking when Jesus told YOU to feed all these people?
What were you thinking when Jesus said the 5 loaves and 2 fish would be enough? Did you think he was off his rocker?
What were you thinking about Jesus when the baskets came back FULL after everyone had enough to eat?
Several times later you would DOUBT Jesus again. In the boat during the storm, and when he was arrested, for example. Why is it hard to believe in Jesus?

Questions for the Small Boy:
Why were you there that day ?
When Jesus asked for your lunch, what first went through your mind?
After the miracle, when you got home, what did you tell your Dad about Jesus?
How has your life been different since meeting and learning from Jesus and seeing this miracle?

Ask the children if they know what the phrase “talk the talk and walk the walk” means.  Explain it to them. Jesus wants us to say that we believe, and ACT like we believe. Say: Jesus’ miracle was meant to reveal WHO HE REALLY WAS to the crowd and to his disciples. He wants us to BELIEVE in him as the Savior, the Christ, so that we can do more than just TALK about following him, but have the strength of belief to ACT like him.

How do we ACT like Jesus?  (caring, kindness, healing, forgiving, teaching and learning God’s Word, praying, worshipping). 

Jesus did this miracle because he wants us to BELIEVE in him, and go home from the crowd that day and tell others, and lead holy lives. What happens AFTER you go to church, what happens THE DAY AFTER you say you believe, is important.  It’s walking the walk, and not just talking the talk.

Overview of  ”The Day After” Skits

In this skit concept, the kids will split up into groups of 2, and come forward to draw a “skit slip situation” out of a bowl.  They must read the skit slip TITLE out loud and get ready to act it out.   The teacher has the script that corresponds with the skit slip, they do the voices while the actors act out saying what the narrator says, and DOING the motions which the narrator says. (Feel free to playfully add things for them to do). Tell them that “the best actors” will receive awards!  If you have more than six kids, either add a skit of your own making, or put the skit slips back in the bowl and do some twice. It will be fun. The success of these skits will in large part depend on YOU the READER taking your time, pausing and prompting. Copy these texts into your own wordprocessing document and enhance.

Skit Slip One:  Lord, I wanna join your band.

Small boy picks up the phone and calls Jesus, dialing the numbers outloud. Jesus answers “hello”.  Hello you’ve reached the Lord Jesus’ voicemail. Press 1 if you want to follow me. Press Zero if you don’t.  Small boy presses 1, and Jesus picked up the phone.  Finally! someone wants to follow me, Jesus said doing a little victory dance. It’s me, smallboy, he said breathlessly like he was really out of breath, and I wanna join your band Jesus.  My band? Jesus asked…you mean my rock band?  or my disciple’s band?  Uh, there’s a difference?, said small boy looking really unsure, and kind of lost.   Not really, said Jesus, excitedly talking with his hands. Both bands ROCK, said Jesus as he played his electric guitar. Louder.  And they are both kind of the same. Oh? said a confused small boy, hitting his forehead as he tried to figure out what Jesus meant.  Yeah, said Jesus striking a rockstar pose. Both my rockband and my disciples band follow me, the leader. We practice together, he said, doing a rockstar yell O Yeah!  We go on the road together, he said walking around in circles. We do a lot of singing, Jesus said as he started to sing a song of praise.  I only play the guitar, said small boy as he pretended to air guitar, down on one knee.  That’s okay said Jesus, excitedly gesturing with his hands, and feet. When you join my band, you bring whatever gifts you have, and put them in with everyone else’s, and my Father in Heaven blesses them so that we sound GREAT together, he said pumping his fist in the air. Awesome Dude! said small boy. I mean, uh, How nice Lord Jesus.  No it is AWESOME DUDE, said Jesus, striking a rockstar pose, flipping his hair.  So how to I get started said small boy. Well, said Jesus, pointing his finger in the air, my band practices every Sunday morning, said Jesus looking strongly over his phone at small boy who he could see across the phoneline because he was the Lord,  every Sunday morning at your local church.  Shall I expect you?   To which small boy, jumping with joy, kicking up his feet, and landing in a rockstar pose said, “Yes Dude! …I  mean Lord.  See you then.

Skit Slip Two:  Get Out of Bed!

It’s 8 am on Sunday morning and Small girl is still snoring in bed. Her alarm clock sounds. She hits the alarm clock. It sounds again, and she hits it again, and starts snoring again. Her mom yells up the stairs, Time to go to church Small girl! Small girl snores louder. Mom walks loudly up the stairs yelling again. Come on….you yourself said you believe in Jesus Christ, so it’s up to you to get out of bed and go learn about him and worship him. Small girl pulled the covers up over her head, and mumbled. Look! said her mother as she tore the sheets off small girl’s bed. Small girl cringed because all she had on was her My Little Pony underwear. MOM!  I’m tired! shouted small girl as she sat up, then started jumping on the bed. Well, you’re up now, dear, get ready for church. But Mom, I got to bed late, said small girl as she stomped her feet, and gritted her teeth, and flipped her long flowing hair, while putting on a shirt.  That’s tough small girl. But when you make a choice to believe in Jesus, you make a commitment to go learn from him too.  Now here, take your fish, and your bread, and put on this dress. And here, let me help you put on your shoes. Why is this shoe stuck? I should push harder. MOM!  There, now I’ll meet you in the car, she said as she skipped back down the stairs. But Mom! said small girl as she threw herself on the floor…I’m so tired, Jesus will understand, won’t he? …she said as she stomped down the stairs. then realized she had stomped all the way to the basement, and stomped back upstairs to the garage. Get in the car dear, if you’re going to “talk the talk” of faith, then you’ve got to walk the walk of faith. And they drove off to church, in their noisy car, a little too fast.

Skit Slip Three: Carry me Daddy?

It was 9 am Sunday morning, and everyone was just waking up at the small boy’s home. Small boy was yawning. And rubbing his eyes. And scratching his bum. And small boy’s dad was getting up, yawning, rubbing his eyes, shaving his face, gargling mouthwash, and sipping coffee.    Dad? Said small boy, I want to go to church this morning.  What? said dad as he spit up his coffee. You want to go to church? It’s boring!  he said as he threw down his newspaper. Yeah, I know it’s boring sometimes dad, said small boy as he picked up the paper, and gave it back to his dad, and shook his finger at him for his terrible attitude.  Dad, it’s Jesus, I met him yesterday and he’s The One!  See my finger signaling that?  Number 1, Dad, Number 1. See my toes signaling that?  He’s the Messiah Dad.  the Messiah? said dad, scratching his head, and fluffing his hair. You think he might be the one sent by God, huh? said the Dad while he brushed his teeth and mumble something with frothy toothpaste coming out of his mouth. Yeah, said the small boy as he started to brush his teeth and frothing at the mouth.  And if that’s true Dad, we own him our attention and our worship and our service. WHAT? said the dad frothing at the mouth. I don’t understand you? I said, said the small boy still brushing his teeth and spitting, I said he’s the Son of God DAD!  I know it, I saw it, I feeeeeel it, say the small boy rubbing his hands all through his hair to show how much he was feeling it. And wiggling his body  Well, Okay, said the dad, but remember, your legs don’t work sometimes, and it sure looks like your legs are all wobbly this morning. Really wobbly, so here, let me give you a piggy back ride to church, because if Jesus in the One, then we BOTH need to go learn from him. And the Dad gave a piggyback ride to the small boy, and they went to church. And they went up hill, and downhill, and around a curve, and the small boy waved at his friends as they passed by. Come to church with us, he shouted, Jesus in the One, come one!  And the children all ran and joined in the piggyback ride to church on the Dad. Because that’s what makes Jesus happy… people like Dad and small boy, and other kids coming to learn from him, and learn that he is their Lord. Amen!

I hope you recognize and enjoy this type of skit. It was made popular on the TV show “Who’s Line Is It Anyway”. This type of skit is a really great way to free up kids from having to read scripts, and instead, just REACT to the narration. The audience really loves it too. Consider videotaping the skits for fun.

Closing:
Offer donut holes and swedish fish and juice to your actors. Say that Jesus wants us to BELIEVE in him, LEARN from him,  ENJOY being together with him. Let’s pray for those things.

Learn more about our  Five Loaves ~ 2 Fishes CD

-Nialls “RIP” McErkel, Galilee Ace

CRASHING into Mountains, Buildings, Airfield, etc, etc:

• If it has some vertical dimension, it can catch the plane.
• Learn to fly before using the game to learn.
• If you can’t get the hang of it, ask a 5th grader to help you.
• In many churches, they let the kids play ONE of the Galilee Flyer games any time they want, so that when they go to TEACH with the other three games, the kids are expert flyers, and haven’t exhausted the content.

Galilee Flyer’s controls (sort of) work like a real plane.  

Think of the arrow keys as a joystick, or the plane’s “stick”.

• Pressing the Back/Down arrow  is equivalent to “PULLING BACK on the stick” = Climbing.
• Press the Forward/UP Arrow is the equivalent of PUSHING FORWARD on the stick = Diving.
• If you fly too slow, you’ll sink.
• If you fly too slow you’ll have a hard time climbing the hills.
• Your rate of climb sometimes isn’t enough if you’re too close to an object. Turn and come back around.
• You need to reduce your airspeed and GLIDE IN to LAND, otherwise, you’ll smack into the ground.

Steep mountains are difficult to climb over.

Look for more gentle slopes to fly up. You can GAIN ALTITUDE up a steep hill by ZIG ZAGGING UP THE HILL as you press the CLIMB (Back/Down) arrow.  Better yet, find a gentle slope.

The ground will not cause you to crash, but trees, sides of mountains, tops of rocks, bridges, buildings can be crashed into, –which is to say, ANYTHING WITH SOME VERTICALITY.

Flying THROUGH some of the ruins and under bridges will give you a power boost.  But it’s also really easy to mis-judge flying under a bridge. Practice!

Beware the Outer Boundary!

You really can’t fly beyond the mountains, and if you do, your plane may crash.  Sometimes when you reach the outer-boundary of the terrain your plane slows down and you can turn back. Sometimes you crash into this boundary. The circular outer boundary is where the mountains stop and you can’t see them in the distance. Look at the map during start-up for more clues. Look at the map at the top of this guide for the landscape structure.

Crashing After a Verse

This one takes some planning.  Your plane will stop to answer the verse, but start up again immediately after the verse is answered, and this could send you straight into a mountain if you are pointed right at the mountain.  Some verse icons are tucked up against mountains. Approach them the right way, or go look for the verse somewhere else. Each verse appears in two spots in the landscape.

Turned Around?  Use Your Compass!  And assign a student to navigate.

It’s easy for a first-time player to get turned around. The Galilee Flyer is outfitted with a compass. It will help you remember which direction you need to head. If two or more flyers are at the computer, I recommend one of them be responsible for watching what sector of Galilee the plane is in, what it has already covered, and where it might need to go next. A systematic approach to scouring the landscape for verses is best. It also helps to
correctly match them when found!

After flying for a while you’ll start to notice landmarks. Print the MAP below to give them an idea of the layout of the game. 

“CONTENT ENCOURAGEMENTS”:

Kids love to play, and kids will be kids. Left on their own, they will tend to want to bypass content. Here are three things you can do to add structure and accountability to your lessons with Galilee Flyer.

1. Make a Verses Checklist.
Copy the FIRST half of each of the verses in the game you are playing and put them on a CHECKLIST for each student to fill out as they are flying.  This is easy to do. Just copy the verse text from my Verses PDF, paste it into your own document, and delete the 2nd half of the verses so the kids can fill them in.

2. Make a “High Score” wall chart.
Have the kids record the “Pilot Ranking” they receive when they match all the verses and land. This bit of score-bragging is an incentive.

3. Play WITH them and next to them.
If they think you aren’t watching, some kids will wander.

Save/Load:

Press F2 during the game or via ESC-Main Menu to access the Save/Load features.

NOTE: Once you crash and lose all your turns, your saved games are gone too!! The save/load feature is only for those games you must exit before completing –and you can later pick up where you left off by loading them. (Note: on some laptop keyboards, you may have to press the “Fn” key while you press F2 as many laptop keys pull double duty for other functions.)

I overheard a mom say she didn’t like the idea of her son using software in Sunday School because “he’s already too connected to media.“

I wanted to scream: “Why don’t you un-connect him from the violent games YOU allow him to play and connect him to biblical games!”

I wanted to ask, “How can you buy him his own computer, smartphone, and Xbox, and then complain how over-connected he is?”

[I pray for the day when we hear parents complain, "my kids already know the Bible stories, and that's why I don't bring them to Sunday School."  But I digress....]

This is the same parent who, in ten years, will complain that her grown son isn’t interested in coming to church and never liked Sunday School.  She will believe the church failed her, -that Sunday School didn’t work. (Same parents who complain about their kids being “too busy”, -as they sign them up for travel sports and camps and squads and lessons and ….)

WRONG QUESTION:
“Are Kids TOO connected to media?”

RIGHT QUESTION:
“What are we allowing them to connect to?”

God has hard-wired our brains to love visual and interactive media. That’s why our kids love internet games, and youtube, and movies, and television, and Xbox. It’s not their “fault”.  Heck, that’s why ADULTS love new media too!  We are built to love it.

God has also hard-wired our brains to want to feel “connected”.  This is why Facebook is exploding, and kids want to text, and share, and be on the phone.  This is why people join churches… they want  community.  They want people to care about, and they hope people will “follow” their life, …even if it’s a stupid txt saying where you’re eating, or what movie they are going to.

At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit gave the Disciples the gift of speaking in the language of the HEARER.

The presence of naysayers probably means you’re doing something right.

<>< Neil

Sunday School should be a caring community

that innovatively engages students

in all the ways their God-wired brains can learn The Word.

If this is your quest, we’re here to help.

(If you don’t get it, good luck.)

Through May 31st….

• Exodus Adventures CD
• Joseph’s Story CD
• Fall of Jericho Quiz Making CD
• Interactive Parables CD

Have you read these articles?

• Information to Transformation…writing lesson plans that matter
• Stretching Software Age Range Up & Down
• Top 3 Lesson Plan Tips
• 6 Reasons We Teach the Bible with Software
• The Real Cost of Software and Computers
• Photos of Computer Labs from our Customers 

A 9 Week “Church Camp” -themed Sunday School

3 Weeks on each of these 3 stories:

1. Good Samaritan
2. Journeys of Paul
3. Daniel and the Lion’s Den

written by Neil MacQueen

I originally wrote Camp Bible Wahoo! in the summer of 2000 for my church. We needed to resurrect our Summer Sunday School and Camp Bible Wahoo! certainly did that.  We went from ’0′ the year before to an average of 14 “campers” a week.  It was a small church, and the teachers believed that kids and parents wouldn’t support a summer program. In addition to the creative and highly visible campsites, we recruited families to teach specific workshops together.  It was so successful, that the next year we launched a full-blown rotation model in that church.

We had 3 primary campsites (classrooms):   Gospel Grove, Computer Camp-out, and Lake Bible Wahoo! Theater.

The Camping Theme was easy to assemble and a huge hit. We did it indoors, and yes, we really did create a real sand beach in one of our classrooms.  This page consists of my OUTLINE which I discussed with our teachers. You can find a lot more Good Samaritan teaching ideas at www.rotation.org (a site where I post other lesson plans as well) .

The Computer Camp-out was taught in tents we erected in Fellowship Hall (for high visibility). We used our Life of Paul, Adventures with Daniel, and Good Sam the Samaritan CD.  The lessons here also include songs and videos.

<>< Neil, www.sundaysoftware.com

View my other free lessons and sets.

View all my software recommendations

Camp Bible Wahoo!

K -6th Summer Rotation-style Sunday School
Written Summer 2000 for Hilliard Presbyterian Church by Neil MacQueen

• Camp Bible Wahoo! consists of three different 3-Week “Campouts.”
• Each 3 week campout focuses on one story at a time. This is “Workshop Rotation” style.
• Each week begins with a 10 minute meeting in “Gospel Grove” for singing and review, and then the group splits in two, going either to the Computer Campsite or Lake Bible Wahoo! Theater.
• On the third week, the group assembles back at Gospel Grove for more songs specific to the story they’ve been learning, and a GAME review of the lessons. Those lessons are not included below (sorry).
• If you have more than two groups, add a campsite/lesson for each new group.
• Preschoolers can rotate too, but the following lessons don’t reflect that.

Our Camp Bible Wahoo! Summer Schedule:

10:00 …Worship in the Sanctuary (parents, teachers, kids)

10:20 …All Group Gathering at Gospel Grove Campsite (a song, prayer, and introduce the story)

10:35 …Kids split in two groups to go to either Computer Camp-out or Bible Wahoo! Theater

June Rotation:

Daniel and the Lion’s Den……..Being faithful isn’t always easy!

July Rotation:

On the Road with Paul…..How to Spread the Word

August Rotation:

Good Sam the Samaritan……..Do good unto others! (wwjd)

All the material on this page is the copyrighted property of Neil MacQueen. It may be copied and used for non-commercial teaching uses only. For more information, email Neil MacQueen at neil@sundaysoftware.com

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from Neil MacQueen, www.sundaysoftware.com

The computer lesson in this set uses our Life of Paul CD.

As a Rotation Model Sunday School guy, I like to teach the SAME story for several weeks in a row by rotating through different media. This helps students remember the content, allows me to build on the week before, and takes advantage of various learning styles. It also creates a deeper knowledge of the scripture, and more opportunities to move from information to transformation.  With a major story like this, it is definitely warranted.

As you read these four lessons, you will see there is a common theme running through them. Paul’s conversion story helps us examine how God gets OUR attention, how WE change, and how Jesus calls people like Paul (who’s name means “small” in Greek), and “small” children, and those with “little” faith, to believe and follow.  IMO, traditional Sunday School lessons spend too much time focusing on “introducing Paul” and his background  without connecting Paul’s experience to that of our own, and without tackling the elephant in the room: conversion.  This four lesson set focuses on transformation, not just information. See my Bible notes on that.

In the computer and video lesson, the scripture is presented through the media, so there is no ‘traditional’ book-in-hand reading. The Drama lesson deals intensely with the text in a fun way.  The Game Workshop features a game which is really an amazing discussion/reflection. We’re focusing on the concept of “conversion” and being guided on the journey. More about that in my study notes below.  I would expect any teacher to modify and expand on what I have written here.  All written lessons are “starting points”.  Hope you enjoy the lessons. <>< Neil

Paul and the Bright Light

SCRIPTURE:  Acts 9:1-20, the story of Paul’s Conversion

MEMORY VERSE:  Something Paul said in 2 Cor 5:17…

Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation;
the old has passed away, behold, the new has come.

About the Life of Paul CD in the software lesson plan…

Our Life of Paul CD  continues to be the “go to” software for teaching about Paul, his conversion, and his missionary journeys. For those of you unfamiliar with this CD, it has many sections. I’ve put a graphic of the menu in the lesson below. In addition to a narrated, animated story called “Paul and the Bright Light”, Life of Paul CD also presents over a dozen narrated and illustrated chapters from the Book of Acts found in the “Discover the Bible” activity, which boast study notes designed for kids taken straight out of the Kids Life Application Bible.  This lesson will examine two.  Additionally, the CD has short video clips from Paul’s ministry, some memory verse and puzzle games, and a “Who’s Who” Hall of Fame about Paul and his friends. We won’t use all this in the lesson, but its there to go back to for a later Paul lesson.

Age Range:  I purposely write for older kids (ages 9-12) because it is much easier for a teacher to simplify an existing older kids’ lesson for younger children, than to upgrade a younger lesson for older.  For younger children: guide by their side, change simplify questions and vocab, skip items as needed.

Software Lesson for Paul and the Bright Light

Software Lesson ~ Life of Paul CD

Pictured: the main menu from the CD

1. WELCOME STUDENTS & INTRODUCE CONCEPTS

a. Have kids introduce the person next to them to the class. Share “something strange” about themselves.

b. Then, ask students to “share a name they would change their name to, if they could“.  But here’s the twist, their new name has to reflect something about their personality, likes, character. This is important as it pertains to the next step in the lesson.

c. Introduce the story of Paul by asking the kids what they already know. List what they know on the board. Now add the name “Saul” and ask if they know who that is. Some may say “King Saul” and that’s true, our Paul’s original Jewish name was Saul. Explain that we’re talking about “the other Saul” who became known as “Paul”  ”Saul” means “one who is prayed for” in Hebrew.

d. When Saul became a Christian, he changed his name to Paul, which means, “small”.  Why would someone name themselves “small”?  We don’t think it meant he was short. Rather, we think this name change reveals the character of Paul.  What kind of “character” would someone have who named themselves “small”?       Small could mean “humble”.  Small could mean “I thought I was a big shot, and now realize I’m not.”   Small could also mean “lesser.”  Maybe Paul thought he was a “lesser” disciple since he came late to be an Apostle.   What does his name tell you about Paul?

e. Write the word “CONVERSION” on the board and ask students to define it. Ask if any of them have been “converted”. Ask how they became a Christian. Share how YOU became a Christian.

Tell them that today we’re going to learn about Paul’s dramatic change from hating Christians and trying to put them in jail, to becoming one of the most famous Christians in the world. And it all happened one day when he was walking down a road to the city of Damascus to find Christians and throw them in jail.  (You might add that Damascus is the capital of Syria, which is very much in the news today. It is just north of Israel.)

2. BEGIN USING the Life of Paul CD Software

Give your students a copy of the following sections (1) (2) and (3). Tell them to take their time, take turns running the software, and fill out the answers to the questions as they work. And remember, as the teacher, you are to GO WITH THEM. Don’t hand this out and stand back.

{Beginning of Student Worksheet}

(1) START the SOFTWARE in the MAIN STORY: Paul and the Bright Light

Answer these questions as you move through the story:

a. What was Saul/Paul going to do in Damascus?

b. Did Paul’s friends know what was going on?      What do you suppose they thought when Paul said, “Jesus appeared as a bright light and talked to me”?

Have you ever heard Jesus’ voice?  Or felt his presence?   If so, when and where did it happen, and what did it feel like?

d. Paul’s whole purpose in life has been turned upsidedown and shown to be false. What do you think was going through Paul’s mind as he was led to the house on Straight Street?

Name something God wants you to give up or change right now that make you a better follower of Jesus.

(2)  CONTINUE in the SOFTWARE using the DISCOVER THE BIBLE section starting at Acts 9.

Listen to the scripture and view the illustrations. Then find these two study notes and answer the following questions:

  a.  Read the Study Note at Acts 9:11  -”Memory Verses: …fruits: love, joy, peace….”  and answer this question:

How does God help you become a better person?

 b.  Read the Study Note at Acts 9:21 - ”Heroes and Villains: Stephen, staying strong in your faith” and answer these questions:

Do you friends know you are a Christian?   All?  Some?  A Few?  None?

What would some people at school say about you if they knew you were in Sunday School right now?

(3) CONTINUE in the SOFTWARE using the BIBLE TIME THEATER:

Watch the first video: “Paul’s Conversion” and answer these questions:

a. Why do you think Jesus had to use a Bright Light to get Paul’s attention?  Why not just a voice?

b. Genesis 1: Light was the first thing God created.  Light is a metaphor for God’s creative, life-giving presence. It helps us “see” and “grow”. It also exposes what was hidden and gets rid of “darkness”. What new thing did God’s Light expose within Paul and call him to change?

c.  John 1:1  Jesus is described as “light in the darkness.”   What is the “darkness” the we carry around inside us?

{end of student worksheet}

3. BREAK FOR DISCUSSION

Pull the students away from the computer, promising them that they’ll shortly return to go into the Fun & Games section. Set in a discussion area with your worksheets and go over their answers. I can script what you’ll discuss as you go through those answers because invariably kids will say surprising things.

The key point of your discussion time is the “experience of conversion”.   Discuss it as befits your tradition, but be diligent to express the fact that NOT ALL Christians have a single experience, or as dramatic an experience as Paul did. Many grow up in the faith, and they come to know Christ gradually. With older children especially, share with them the fact that sometimes Jesus DOES TRY to shock our lives to get our attention. But just like that day on the road to Damascus, not everyone has the same experience of Jesus. Some do not see the bright light. Others ignore it. “Conversion” is not as easy as “saying” you believe. For some, conversion is a life long process.  How did Paul describe the experience of his conversion?  …something like scales fell from his eyes.  He suddenly saw the message of Jesus in a whole new way.

Ask:  What does it mean to “convert” ?
It means: To Repent and Believe, Be Baptized, Lead a Holy Life, Serve Others.  Ask students to define/give examples of each key idea.

Ask:  Can someone who converts into a believe convert into a non-believer?  What might cause that to happen?

Ask:  How does our CHURCH, Sunday School, Worship, fellowship groups  help people convert to become believers, and stay believers?

Ask:  Jesus picked Paul, a persecutor of Christians, to become a great Christian leader. What does that say about Jesus?

Conclude the discussion with this prayerful reflection and demonstration:  

Have student interlock arms.
Walk around them and tug on a few people saying things like “I want to pull you away from Christ.”  Note that even the great Apostle Paul needed the support of other disciples, and people like Silas and Timothy and Lydia. Now lock arms with the students and utter a prayer for the strength we give each other to believe and live as Christians. “Together, we are the Body of Christ, strong for each other, and for the world. When one of us stumbles (stumble a bit), others hold us up.  When one of us tries to turn away from God, we have godly friends to remind us of our faith.  Jesus speaks through us to each of us. We in this class can be a BRIGHT LIGHT to each other.”  You may have the children practice one by one lifting their feet or leaning while the others hold them up.

4. RETURN to the SOFTWARE to use the FUN & GAMES section

a.  Pick one these two memory verses from the game, as they both address “change” that comes with belief.

2 Corinthians 5:17 …the old life is gone, the new life….
Comment to students that this passage from Paul’s letter might very well describe how he felt that day on Straight Street.

Galatians 5:22 fruit in us: love, joy, peace….
Comment to students that this passage from Paul’s letter is a huge change from what SAUL was doing to follow the Law prior to meeting Christ.

b. Play a Game (their choice if you have time)

c. If you have time, play the Bible Quiz show.  It will take about 10 minutes and covers Paul’s story from the Book of Acts.

5.  Conclusion

In step 3 you may have finished with the reflection activity. If you want to have a formal closing, have a lamp with a bright bulb in the middle of your circle. INTERLOCK arms again and pray that God’s Bright Light would shine on each of us, changing us, bringing us closer to God and each other. Pray that “something like scales” would fall from our eyes too, so that we would always see Christ in our lives, and be able to see where he leads us. Amen!

Note: In the Video lesson I suggest handing out potato chip “fish scales” at the end of the reflection. You may use that fun reminder HERE.  You might also note while placing potato chips over your eyes (!!) that many things “blind us” people to the truth about Jesus.  We see God in him, while others see nothing important. Why is that? How do you take the blinders (potato chips) off?

Tech Tips

1. Screen Size: Life of Paul, like many older CDs, has a native resolution/display size of 640×480. To make it appear larger on newer computers, you either have to set your Windows Display setting as low (close) to 640×480 as you can, or, try RIGHT clicking the Paul start-up file and select “Run in 640×480 window”.  See which one looks best on your computer.

2. Check that the Bible Time Theater videos work. If the curtain just opens and closes, go to the program’s folder and install qt32 (quicktime). If it asks you if you want it to ‘search for other version’ always say NO.

A detailed outline of the Life of Paul CD can be printed from http://www.sundaysoftware.com/lifeof/paul.pdf

Copyright, Use and Author Info:

Copyright Neil MacQueen, www.sundaysoftware.com. Neil is a Sunday School teacher, Presbyterian minister, and owner of Sunday Software.  You are free to use these lessons provided this attribution remains with them. 

This Cheat Sheet is a condensed version of the guide with extra “cheats” on how to play/skip around in the game and otherwise look like a gamer-genius.

Click the Create PDF link on this page to print this page. Click here if you want to view the Exodus CD webpage.

Preparation:

• Make sure you have read the full guide and printed the Student Worksheets from www.sundaysoftware.com. They will help you and your students make it through the game.  We also have a free multi-week curriculum on the Exodus story which has video and game suggestions, as well as, software lesson plans.
• Test the game ahead of time on the computers you’re going to be teaching with. If you have any questions or problems visit the Exodus Support page or email neil@sundaysoftware.com

Start Exodus Adventures from the desktop icon and select from one of three games:

Game 1: Moses and Pharaoh in Egypt;   (35 minutes)

Game 2: Red Sea, Marah, Manna, Rock of Horeb  (40 minutes)

Game 3: Journey to the Promised Land.   (25 minutes)

Game Plot:  Robin MacTavish has been invited by her grandfather Sir Dabney to join him on an archaeological adventure through the Exodus Story. Each of the three games begins in St. Catherine’s Monastery located at the foot of Mt. Sinai.

The first thing Robin needs to do is go talk to Brother Deni, the monk who is walking in front of the library… right where Robin first appeared.

Robin must listen carefully and perform certain action and activities IN ORDER as she follows through the stories and instructions. So for example, she cannot jump past the Burning Bush to get to the Plagues. They are presented in chronological order within the game.** The game is something like a SCAVENGER HUNT.

**How to skip content:  Play through the game and ‘Save’ various locations, then when you restart the game you can advance to those saved spots.  The other  way is to give students the cheats/answers to help them quickly advance through an area.

Age Range:  We designed this CD with the expectation that an adult/older student helper would be helping younger students play. Even 6 yr old non-readers can enjoy this program if they have help. For best results, go on the journey with them.  The game does have a learning curve. With this Cheat Sheet and our Guide in hand, play through it. If you’re not familiar with 3D games, or not adept at controlling action through the keyboard, get help from a teenager. Your students will adapt to it pretty quickly and will help each other. But as with all our more “gamey” programs, we recommend that you introduce the game to your students before the lesson date during a test run in the weeks prior to teaching with it.

Navigating the Game:

 NAVIGATE Robin using the arrow keys. Start/stop the helicopter with the Home/End keys and steer with the arrow keys or mouse.
 HOLD the SHIFT KEY while pressing the forward arrow key to make Robin run faster.
 TO MAKE ROBIN JUMP or climb -press the ‘HOME’ key while pressing the forward arrow.
 Aim the airblaster with the mouse. But That’s about all you’ll use your mouse for. PageUp/Down looks up and down, like mouse does.
 In the helicopter, when the clipboard image matches the compass image, you are headed in the right direction.
 HOLD THE END KEY TO LAND the helicopter (Hold the HOME key to start it up and take off)
 Learn to SAVE your game OFTEN. These points can be reloaded to go back and look at something with your students, and also bail you out of a problem. To SAVE a location, go to that location and press the ESC key then click SAVE. To Load a saved-location, press the ESC key and select LOAD then one of the saved locations.

Nav Tips to the Teacher: The monastery is cool and has places to run around and look at, basically there are only four things in each of the first two games you really need to find in the monastery. See each game’s notes below for help. None of the other levels are as big as they look. In the Nile River terrain, if you fly too far, the game will bounce you off its outer walls. Same in the terrains where you walk. There are boundaries.

IMPORTANT Game Play “Activation” Tips:

In each game there are things which Robin or her helicopter must “trigger” to happen. For example, in Game 1′s Goshen Village she must approach several laptop computers to activate a videoclip. Sometimes you must back Robin up and approach the ‘trigger’ point again directly in front of the laptop. Some  “triggers” are “event triggers.” For example, Robin cannot reenter the helicopter in Goshen until she has completed the level. Things must be done in the correct order for the game to unfold. You cannot skip activities, stories, clues or area.

GAME 1: Moses & Pharaoh

Enslaved in Egypt, Birth of Moses, Burning Bush, Confrontation with Pharaoh

1. The game begins in the Monastery.

2. Robin must find Brother Deni. He is the monk who appears on the LEFT as she starts in the game. After he is done talking, walk past him and up the stairs to the library.

3. Go up the stairs and into the Library to view the laptop video.  Video the video and come back out.

4. Go find the key to the helicopter -the key is up on the “Pink Patio” accessible when you walk Robin up the plank and boxes you walked past where she first started the level. Once up on the roof, turn right and cross the roof until you come to the edge and can see the Pink patio door. Jump down to collect key. The full guide has a graphic map to its location.

5. With key, jump across buildings and down stairs to the big bottom area of the monastery where the helicopter is waiting.  Once inside, press Home to start and accelerate over the wall. Navigate to the sign next to the tree that says Nile River to change level.

6. Fly to the Goshen Dig Site and land on the helipad.  Match picture on clipboard to picture on compass to know you’re headed in the right direction. Press your END key to slow down and steer onto the pad.

7. Find Sir Dabney down in the dig. Stay out of canal and mudpits. If you get stuck, walk out or jump out using Home Key.  Talk to Dabney, then pick up airblaster which has appeared.

8. Get the airblaster in the dig site and blast some of the spiders near the dig tent.

9. Go view the laptop video in the Dig Tent. Warning: stay away from Tent before talking to Dabney or you may get a glitch.

10. After viewing video, go back to Dabney in the dig site. He will tell you to go find the next video.

11. Go find the laptop video inside the Hebrew House. Note: to activate video, you have to approach it squarely. If it doesn’t start, approach again. After viewing, walk out of house by guard. Guard will order you to carry straw.

12. Safely carry four bundles of straw past the guard to the pile of straw at blinking location. Use your shift key to walk fast. Stay out of mud pit.

13. Go talk to Dabney by the small mudpit and watch the last laptop video which is located directly behind him.

14. Get in helicopter and fly to Midian (Midian looks like strange rocks and ruins in the landscape)

15. Land in Midian and go read the sign on the rock.  Then go look for the Burning Bush. It’s a big bush that will activate a scene.

16. After the Burning Bush sequence, go to each of the tallest rock pillars in the correct order to listen to God. God will speak if you go to the correct one in the right order. There are only 3.

17. After listening to all three God speeches, Meet Dabney back at helicopter and fly to Pharaoh’s Palace

18. Land outside Pharaoh’s Palace on helipad and go into Palace.

19. Watch Video on laptop inside palace (on left).

20. Find airblaster in bushes to freeze guard.

21. Take the Plagues Quiz

22. Exit the Palace and fly helicopter east towards Monastery. You will see it’s walls rising in landscape.

23. Land on Monastery helipad.

24. Climb to the top of Tower of Massah by going up boxes. Massah “Testing” Tower is the big white one with a walkway. Dabney is up there. Read discussion graphic.
    =end=

GAME 2: Red Sea to Marah, and the Rock of Horeb

Red Sea, Library/Miriam’s Song, Bitters waters at Marah, Manna, and Rock of Horeb

1. Robin first meets Brother Deni who has a message from Sir Dabney.  (Deni appears to the left where Robin first starts game.)

2. Robin goes to meet Dabney in the Monastery Library. (It is past Brother Deni and up the stairs. Look for signs and staircase to library)

3. Dabney tells Robin to go to the Red Sea room across the monastery compound (see monastery map) opposite side from the Library. Look for side staircase at bottom of main staircase for way up towards Tower and Red Sea area. Follow the Red Carpet into Red Sea Room.

4. In the Red Sea room, find Brother Madgi, then return to the two pillars and watch video clip, then exit back through door.

5. Go back in the Monastery Library and meet Dabney who tells Robin to play the Miriam’s Song game.

   About Miriam’s Song Game: We’ve taken the scriptures from the Song of Miriam/Moses, and split them up into 7 chanted verses. They must be heard in the correct order to advance to the next level (Marah). You hear them by stepping on the colored floor tiles in the Library. You learn the correct order by studying the document left on the chest at the entrance. If you step on a tile out of order, you must step on the RESET tile and start over.  The point here is to get the kids to HEAR the scripture verses. They summarize the events of the Exodus and praise God. Order of Tiles in the Library:  1. Green 2. Yellow  3. Orange  4. Purple  5. Red  6. Pink  7. Blue If you want to bypass the Library, step on a couple of colored tiles, then run out of the central bookshelves and find Dabney. Dabney tells you to find the strange looking Book on the outer wall bookshelves. Walk along them and look carefully and you’ll see a book titled: “DENI” at eye level that looks different than all the other books. Step Robin up to the book and press Enter to open the secret passageway to Marah in the wall of the library. Version 0.9/1.0 Technical Note: Don’t step her TOO close to the bookshelf. In 0.9 there’s a glitch where she can get stuck on that book. Try standing back from the book and pressing Enter. We recommend you SAVE your game before you press Enter!(not after).

6. After completing the Miriam game, go through the secret door to the Marah Trail which opens on the main wall of the Library. (long load time)

7. Robin first comes to Marah: Bitter Waters made Sweet. Walk up to the Hebrew and listen to him.

8. Robin finds scroll on the sign by the bitter waters with a clue about how to solve the level. It talks about finding a branch.

9. Robin must read the scroll then find a special tree branch -which is located behind rock outcropping -behind the well, –it will glow green when you approach it.

10. Robin carries branch to well. Press Enter to throw branch into water. Hebrew praises God then goes swimming singing Miriam’s Song. If you get into the water, it can be tricky to get out. Try jumping up the steep rocks.

11. Soon, night falls and Robin must get to Rephedim, to the Cave of Manna. Find the big sign beyond the well and walk up to it.

12. In the Cave level, head straight for the big rocky outcropping in center of darkened landscape. Find the hidden entrance to the Cave by walking through bushes surrounding the central rock outcrop in the level. (See printed guide for extra help if you can’t find it).

13. Meet Brother Deni in cave then sit by fire when he asks you to.

14. When Robin says she’s tired, walk to the bed. In the morning, go find Deni who has gone outside.

15. Collect manna falling from heaven. Once she has enough she will say so. Take her back to Deni to hear a message from Dabney.  Dabney has landed the helicopter on top of the cave.

16. Robin climbs rope up the rocks to helicopter on top and flies to the Monastery once again.

17. Land at the Monastery helipad and walk up to Dabney by the Rock of Horeb. He will tell you to go find the the Staff of Moses.

18. Go find Staff of Moses laying on top of Tower of Masah -which is the tall white tower with a walkway around it. Walk up towards the main staircase and go up the narrow staircase, then climb up the boxes to get there.

19. Pick up Moses’ Staff and go down and strike Rock of Horeb in courtyard. This will cause the pool to fill up.

20. Swim up to listen to Deni and Dabney in the pool. They have a few interesting (and humorous) things to say, including questions for discussion.
    =end=

GAME 3: Journey to the Promised Land

When leaving the monastery, fly right into the Chaos Canyon bridge sign to make the level change. You won’t crash.  Players fly over the Exodus terrain to find 7 question stations and answer them in order to continue on.

• Make sure you fly over the fuel cans as you play or you’ll run out.
• Save your game at least once when you’re full on fuel, and again when you get to the end before landing to see Dabney.
• After answering the 7th Station, fly up NE to Mt Nebo (overlooking water) and land on helipad.
• Walk over to Sir Dabney for final discussion.

The Big Cheat: Press F2 for map of question locations.  In Game 3, you can press the F2 key on your keyboard to activate a map. If you are using a laptop, you may have to press the FN (function) key on your keyboard to activate the F2 key (laptop keys often have dual functions).

Worksheets, a Complete Game Guide, and Tech Notes for Exodus Adventures are linked on the Exodus CD page at www.sundaysoftware.com