Annunciation

THE ANNUNCIATION

Objectives:

  1. Children should know that Mary was the mother of Jesus.
  2. Children should be able to say the word Theotokos and know its meaning.
  3. Children should be able to say “annunciation” and know it means announcement.
  4. Children should be able to identify the angel Gabriel and Mary in the icon.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

  1. Open with prayer. Set up the classroom ahead of time with a large pot for the well in one corner, with dipper and cups, filled with water, and overturned table for puppet theater in another corner.

 

  1. Read the story of the Annunciation in Beginner’s Bible, pages 266-270, the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 164-165, or  Read with Me Bible, pages 252-255. Supplement, if desired, with the Golden Children’s Bible, pages 348-349. Review the story with the icon, identifying Mary and Gabriel. What is Mary holding? She is shown holding a spool of thread because she was spinning thread when the angel appeared to her. Remind children that the Prophet Isaiah from the Old Testament had predicted the events about to occur. The scroll is seen in the icon. Remind them also that Mary was a miracle child, in the old age of her parents Joachim and Anna and was raised in the temple. The Temple is also in the icon.

 

  1. True/False Questions:

                            True                                                          False

            The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary.              The angel Michael appeared to Mary

            Mary was spinning thread.                              Mary was playing tag.

            Mary was the mother of Jesus                                    Anna was the mother of Jesus.

            Annunciation means announcement.              Annunciation means birthday.

 

Add Annunciation to your timeline.

  1. Ask these questions: What was Mary doing when the angel came to talk to her? What would you want to be doing if an angel came to your house? Arguing with your sister or brother? Disobeying your parents? How do you think Mary felt when she saw the angel? How would you feel? Have any of you seen an angel? Why did the angel come to talk to Mary? Who would be the father of Mary’s baby?

  1. Make paper bag puppets. We’ll need Gabriel, Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, donkey.  Color scenery background. Be SURE to include well and house. You can make the puppets with construction paper and paper bags OR print the patterns of the characters, cut out, color, and glue the face to the bottom of the bag and the body to the front of the bag. Print to size for your bags. Mary and Elizabeth are the same puppet but with different colors for their clothing. Now retell the story: Story of the Annunciation – a very special time for a very special girl!
    • Early in the morning, a young girl named Mary went out to fetch water from the well, likely in a clay jar.

    (Everyone go to the well for a drink of water with Mary puppet)

    • She heard the voice of the angel with the 1st greeting but saw no one.

    (Use Mary and Gabriel puppets, but Gabriel is not seen.)

    • Mary went back into the house and began weaving. She was weaving cloth for the holy altar in the temple. (Mary puppet leaves the well and goes to the house.)

    IF YOU WANT, take a break now for weaving, either Placemat Altar Cloth or God’s Eye Spindle.

    • There the angel appeared and spoke again. He told her she was to have a baby, the Son of God.

    (Mary and Gabriel puppets at house)

    • The angel also told her that her mother’s cousin Elizabeth was also going to have a miracle baby. He told Mary to go and visit Elizabeth. 

    (Mary and donkey meet Elizabeth. )

    • The angel appeared later to Joseph, who was going to be her husband. Joseph was a carpenter.

    (Joseph and Gabriel puppets)

    • Joseph also obeyed the angel and soon Joseph and Mary were married.

    (Mary and Joseph puppets. Next, Take a break for a minute for a wedding feast snack – white cake or cupcakes and punch?)

    • When the baby was about to be born, Mary and Joseph would take a donkey and travel to Bethlehem, where a star would also ANNOUNCE the birth of someone. Who?

    (Donkey and Mary and Joseph puppets)

Mary and Elizabeth puppets: Same puppet but Mary is usually in blue and dark red and Elizabeth in greens and oranges.

Gabriel:

Joseph

Donkey

  1. Close with prayer.