Dr. Pat's Orthodox Super Sunday School Curriculum

Transfiguration

TRANSFIGURATION

Objectives:

  1. Children should be able to tell the story of the Transfiguration.
  2. Children should be able to say the word “transfiguration” and know that it means “Change”.
  3. Children should be able to identify each character in the icon and his role in the story.

Possible Lesson Plan:

  1. Open with prayer.

 

  1. Read the story of the Transfiguration in the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 218-219, or the Golden Children’s Bible, pages 406-407. It is not in the Beginner's Bible at all. Show the icon. Have the children identify the figures and retell the story in their own words using the icon. Say the word “transfiguration” several times until the children can repeat it easily. What does it mean? Who was transfigured? In what way? Who did Jesus speak to? Which disciples came with Him?

 

  1. True/False Questions:

True                                                     False

            Jesus shone with dazzling white robes.          Jesus turned pink and purple.

            Peter, James, and John came with Jesus.        Mary and Joseph came with Jesus.

            Jesus spoke with Moses and Elijah.                Jesus spoke with King Herod.

 

  1. Review the Old Testament stories of Moses and Elijah; both are in the Read with Me and Children’s Bible. Why would God have chosen these two men for Jesus to speak to? What was their importance in the Jewish history? Both are considered to be forerunners of Jesus. Many people thought that John the Baptist was Elijah come back to life. How was John like Elijah? How was Jesus like Elijah? How was Jesus like Moses?

 

  1. The Feast of theTransfiguration is celebrated on August 6. We bring fruit to church on the feast. Why? We are asking God to bless the harvest of fruit and the crops, which are just becoming ripe at this time.

 

  1. Make a Transfiguration Diorama. Use pipe-cleaners with a little clay on the bottom for figures. Draw your background on a piece of paper and glue into a shoebox or similar-size container. Green felt makes nice grass on the bottom. What are the figures carrying? Make clothing, if desired, of small bits of felt or cloth. Construction paper will do nicely for “props”.
  2. Too much time? Use the pop-up diorama on the next page. Take 1 piece of light blue cardstock and draw the mountain background and color. Cut 3 more pieces of cardstock, perhaps light blue but any color, like a frame with 1-inch borders. Take the centers you removed, cut in half, and fold them like fans and glue to short sides, adding one level at a time. Time limited? Do this step ahead of time and glue will be dried and ready for the students. Print the icon on cardstock. Color. Cut out Jesus, Moses, and Elijah, color and glue them on the back, on the mountaintop. Cut out the disciples and glue them on the bottom at different levels near the front.  Don’t forget to glue cotton ball clouds in the sky, and perhaps some Easter grass on the front 2 bottom panels! Write Transfiguration along the top of the front panel.
  3. Close with prayer. Ask God to bless the fruit and crops now and every year.

 


 

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