Alternate Activity 2: Church Matters Collage
Part of Windows and Mirrors, Grades 4-5
Activity time: 30 minutes
Materials for Activity
- Photographs of church activities-especially pictures with children. Have enough for all small groups to create a collage.
- Magazines and/or scrap-booking items
- Glue sticks, tape and scissors (including left-handed scissors)
- Poster board sheets large enough for a small group to work on together
Preparation for Activity
- Assemble materials so they are easily accessible to all participants.
Description of Activity
Photographs can evoke memories that children may not readily access in a discussion about church relevancy. Creating a collage by individually choosing congregation-related photographs and mixing them with images and/or words they find in magazines can help participants access feelings or thoughts they are not yet able to articulate. This creative process can instill a new understanding of church and faith.
Invite children to form groups of no more than four. Hand out materials and ask children to create a collage poster together that conveys to others what they find meaningful, fun or interesting at church. Ask them to consider a title as well. Ask them to create the poster to show someone who was not here today what everyone learned about why coming to church matters.
Point out the photographs from the congregation and the magazines, and suggest that groups take a few minutes to review the materials and identify some pictures and words to include in the collage. Suggest groups talk a bit with one another about how they should assemble their poster. Tell them how much time they will have to complete their collage, including clean-up. With about two minutes remaining, give a warning.
After they have cleaned up, invite them to hang the posters. If enough time remains after everyone has hung the posters, form the group into a line and review all the posters, asking questions as needed.
Thank them for their participation.
Including All Participants
Children with sight limitations may need to have an adult helper describe photographs to them so that they can choose ones that may be meaningful.
Ask the child to consider what might be in a magazine and let them direct you to find specific elements, in either pictures or words. Help the child place the items or pair the child with another in their group whom they can help, so that the poster is a fully inclusive creation.