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Typical Day:
(~3 hours)
✴️Small Group (Tribal) Meeting: These small groups are sorted by age in whatever form works best for you. The director will assign teachers/facilitators who are comfortable with that age group. As students arrive, they are brought into activities in the classroom, stations that students engage in based on their interests. For instance on the first day, before they have even walked into the tabernacle they have the choice of building a structure using Legos, blocks or Lincoln logs OR they can manipulate a “Jacob’s ladder toy” with the names of the Jacob’s twelve sons on them, pronouncing each name as they twist and twirl. For the artists in the group they are encouraged to draw a campsite on the long piece of bulletin board paper on the wall. (They will quickly learn that the Israelites were on a LONG camping trip!) Right before students are ushered into the tabernacle, the teacher introduces three “secret” motions that have something to do with the lesson they will experience in the tabernacle. Their job is to pay careful attention and then right before dismissal, the meanings will be revealed to them.
After about 10-15 minutes, students line up and process into the tabernacle together, singing as they go!
✴️Tabernacle Time (Large Group, Part A) ~45 minutes
Students enter the tabernacle waving ribbon wands while singing “Enter His Gates" followed by engaging skits, theme song/motions, a large telescope on which “Signs of Jesus” are placed by students as they learn about each piece of furniture and how it relates to Jesus, “Carmella Ask” segment (a stuffed animal camel that is thrown to students to answer relevant questions) student volunteers dress up twice daily as a high priest, colorful PowerPoint slides (sold separately), interactive demonstrations that get students up and moving, colorful engaging props and much more!
✴️✴️Tribe Traveling Time – Once students are dismissed from the large group (Part A), they rotate between craft, small group tribal meeting, snack and games.
Games, Snack and Craft (15-20 minutes each) follow that day’s large group teaching time. For instance on Day 2 when students learn about the high priest and the pillar of cloud and fire their craft is a two-sided tongue depressor pillar of cloud (poly-fil stuffing) and fire (red/yellow construction paper). In game time they participate in a “High Priest Dress Up Relay” while in snack time they make and then enjoy eating a high priest breastplate using small jelly beans and graham crackers.
Tribe Meeting (20 minutes) is where students dive deeper into what was learned in the first part of the larger tabernacle experience but in a much smaller, more intimate setting. On Day 3, for example, small group teachers turn off the lights and turn on a flashlight or lamp in the center of a darkened room encouraging students to notice that darkness always moves away from the light even if it is very small. Darkness can never overcome light. Since Jesus is the Light of the World, sin and darkness are never more powerful than Jesus. Students are then given pictures of various kinds of lights in order to discuss how each one either keeps us safe, gives direction or helps us not be fearful … Jesus does those same things for us!
✴️Tabernacle Time (Large Group, Part B)
~ 45 minutes
Similar in content to the large group Part A meeting, students will once again move, sing, participate, answer questions surrounding one particular piece of furniture in the tabernacle and then add another “sign of Jesus” on the telescope. However, before dismissing students back into their classroom, they are led in a closing song as they gather around the piece(s) of furniture from that day and sing modern worship songs that pay tribute to who Jesus IS.
✴️Tribe Meeting/Dismissal “Closing”
10-15 minutes
Family groups are led out of the tabernacle and back into their classrooms for dismissal but not before they review the secret motions given to them at the beginning of the day to see if students could decipher their meanings during the large group time.
Example: Day 1:
o Fingers touch as if making a tent: TABERNACLE
o Move “tent” to the top of your head: HIGH PRIEST TURBAN
o Move “turban” down to your face and then tighten the circle as if holding a telescope up to your eye: LOOKING THROUGH THE TABERNACLE TO SEE JESUS
There is also time to review the memory verse and ask true/false review questions which can always tumble into future days’ lessons if time runs short.
✔️Ease of Use
For visual ease, each day (no matter if it is large group, small group, game, snack or craft) is coded with a border color. This will allow you to sort packets for your helpers as well as having a quick visual cue as to the day:
Day 1 – Red
Day 2 – Green
Day 3 – Purple
Day 4 – Blue
Day 5 – Yellow
Director/supplemental – Orange
This in depth curriculum has been in development for several years by an experienced elementary Christian School and Sunday School teacher who has taught children for 20+ years. This curriculum was trial tested with students in grades 1-6 both in a Christian School setting (“Spiritual Emphasis Week”) as well as in a VBS church setting. You have access to supporting videos on how to make each piece of furniture in the tabernacle, ideas on creating a tabernacle space, making a large telescope, giant high priest breastplate and much more on our YouTube channel: Experience the Bible Creatively. We encourage you to spend some time there!
We hope that this long introduction has been helpful in determining whether our “Come! Let Us Tabernacle Together” VBS/ Special Event multi-day curriculum would work at your church or school. If you have any questions, please reach out!
