Activity 2: Retelling the Story
Activity time: 10 minutes
Materials for Activity
- Story, "The Battle of Jericho"
- Optional: Simple costumes
Preparation for Activity
- Familiarize yourself with the story so that you can guide a dramatized retelling.
Description of Activity
Invite participants to take on the various roles, asking questions to set the scene before choosing any volunteer actors. Ask:
- Where will Joshua and the troops be? Where is the wall around the city of Jericho? How shall we represent the wall?
- Who will be Joshua? Who will be Joshua's troops?
- Who will be the two spies? Let's put them with Joshua getting their instructions.
- Who will be Rahab? Who will be members of her family? Where should they be?
- Who will be the King of Jericho? Where should the King be?
- What about the people of Jericho? Who will be the people of Jericho?
After the actors are in place, ask: "What happens first? And next?" Guide participants through a re-enactment of the story, asking at appropriate intervals, "What is Joshua thinking and feeling? How about his troops? How do the people inside the walls of Jericho feel? What do the spies do? Why do you think Rahab decides to help them? How does she do that? Encourage those who are not actors to make suggestions and offer encouragement to those who are acting out the story.
After the re-enactment, invite participants to offer comments, observations, and insights about the story.