Discussion and Lesson Starters (The Ideas Library) - Softcover

Youth Specialties

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0310220343 ISBN 13: 9780310220343

Publisher: Zondervan, 1997

Synopsis

More than 200 proven openers, questions, and activities that get students involved in your lessons! - A Primer on Leading Discussions . . . Starting a discussion, and keeping it going . . . The importance of confidentiality . . . Asking questions that get responses . . . And working with different personalities. - 35 Creative ways to start a discussion or lesson on any topic . . .Techniques general enough to fit just about any subject, but still quirky enough to attract adolescent attention. - Discussion & Lesson Starters, By Topic . . . What subject are you teaching this week? First, look up your subject -- apologetics, attitude, dating, disabilities, faith, family, the will of God . . . And more than 30 main topics, all arranged alphabetically. Then choose the opener that fits your purposes and your group. In fact, many of these openers are virtually complete lessons in themselves, with questions, activities, parables, object lessons -- all designed to draw opinions, thoughts, and feelings from your students. Whether you're a youth worker or recreation director in a church, school, club, or camp -- Discussion & Lesson Starters is your storehouse of proven, youth-group tested ideas.

About this title

About the Author

For over thirty years, Youth Specialties has worked alongside Christian youth workers of just about every denomination and youth-serving organization. We're here to help you, whether you're brand new to youth ministry or a veteran, whether you're a volunteer or a career youth pastor. Each year we serve more than 100,000 youth workers worldwide through our training seminars and conventions, resources, and on the Internet.

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Discussion and Lesson StartersGROUPERSGroupers are unfi nished sentences like 'I wish Iwere....' They can be used to stimulate discussion.Through them, young people can express and exploretheir beliefs and goals. As a result, kids can discoverwhat their values really are.One way to use Groupers is to follow thesesteps:1. Give each participant a pencil and indexcard.2. You can read aloud the groupers, write themon the board, or distribute them on index cards. Thenhave each person complete the groupers.3. Encourage kids to complete their groupershonestly. No one will be graded or judged right orwrong. Every answer is acceptable. Each person hasthe right to decline to participate and the right toanonymity.4. Collect the completed cards, read themaloud, and discuss them.5. Conclude your discussion by reading yourown grouper, and ask for feedback. Or read yourgrouper with the others so that kids won't know it'syours. Conclude with your own comments about thediscussion.Instead of reading answers for them, havekids read their own responses aloud. This worksbest if kids know each other well and if there is anatmosphere of freedom and trust among them. Kidscan elaborate on their responses and answer groupquestions or not. All answers are acceptable, andkids can decline to participate.Here is a sampling of groupers:I fear most...I wish I were...I wish I were not...I wish I had...I wish I had not...I wish I could...If I were the leader of this country, I would...The leader of this country should...The happiest day of my life was...If I could start this year over, I would...35 CREATIVE WAYS TO START A DISCUSSION OR LESSON ON ANY TOPICHere are techniques general enough to fi t just about any subject,but still quirky enough to attract adolescent attention.My favorite place is...My parents should...I wish my parents wouldn't...What hurts me the most is...If I had $25, I would...I would like to tell my best friend...The worst thing a person could do is...What always makes me mad is...If I could do anything without being found out, I would...I always cry when...I always laugh when...I hate...If I were the principal of my school, I would...If I had a million dollars, I would...If my parents left me alone, I would...The most important thing in my life is...If I had X-ray vision, I would...The hardest thing for me to do is...NO-RISK DISCUSSIONMany young people are intimidated in churchsituations when asked to express opinions oncontroversial issues in front of their peers and/or adultleaders. This approach will allow them to say whatthey feel without fear of what others might think.Cut up paper strips, about 111/2' x 8' long. Giveeveryone a pencil and a strip of paper. Ask questionsthat only require short answers and ask them one at atime. Each student writes a number 1 at the top andanswers the fi rst question, then folds the paper downto conceal his or her answer. The papers are thenpassed to the person on the left and question number2 is answered just below the folded-down portion.With each question, the paper is folded and passedto a new person until all the questions are answered.Collect the papers and redistribute them again andhave everyone unfold the paper they received. Asyou repeat the questions for discussion, each personanswers the way their paper reads. Usually the resultwill lead to further, less inhibited discussion,especially when students discover that their views areprobably shared by quite a few others in the group.Whitey WhiteTAPE TALKOne of the best ways to get discussion going in ayouth group is to bring in various points of viewon a subject. One way to do this is by interviewingpeople outside of the youth group on tape or videoand playing it for your youth group. For example, ifthe subject is love, interview a young child, an elderlyperson, and someone from an urban neighborhood,asking them how they would defi ne love. Edit outthe bad or dull ones and this can make an interestingprogram and a good discussion starter.TEXTIMONY SERVICEDo you have trouble getting your young people toshare their experiences? Try a Textimony Service.On slips of paper write verses of Scripture dealingwith some specifi c promises that the Lord makesto believers for their everyday lives. Then pass outthe slips to the group and have them share how theLord has been keeping that promise in their lives. Ifyou like, you could let them pick their own verse toillustrate something that has been happening in theirlives. Perhaps someone hasn't taken full advantageof a promise to which he is entitled; he might sharethat with the group. Someone else may have a helpfulinsight for that person. The group could pray forindividual needs and needs that the whole group mayhave. Possible promises can be found in the followingverses: Gal. 5:18, Eph. 2:14, John 16:23, John 14:27,John 10:10, Ps. 91:15 (Reprinted with permission from HISWAY, 1445Boonville, Springfi eld, Missouri 65802)YARN-SHARING EXPERIENCEIn order to get your group to open up and share theirinner feelings and Christian experience, try usingthis technique. Take a ball of yarn (size is determinedby the size of the group involved) and explain to thegroup that you are going to ask them to participate ina little experiment. Tell them that in a moment youare going to throw the ball of yarn (while holdingonto the end so the yarn will unwind) to someone inthe group. The group should be standing in a circle.When that person catches the ball of yarn, she shouldshare either:* What God has done for her* What God has done for someone she knows* What God has done for all of us (Christ's death, given us hisWord, etc.)* Something that she is thankful forThen after she has shared one of the above,she will throw the ball to someone else in the circle(while holding onto the yarn) and the next personwho catches the ball will also share one of the fourthings above. Keep this going until everyone in thegroup has had a chance to share at least once (severaltimes is best, but this depends on the size of yourgroup and the time you have).After you have made a spider web pattern withthe yarn and everyone has had a chance to share, stopthe ball and begin to ask some questions:1. What is this yarn doing for us physically?Answers would range around the idea of holding ustogether. (Before this you could comment that theeffect of the sharing has created a somewhat beautifulweb between the members of the group.) You couldbriefl y mention that for a beautiful pattern to evolve,everybody had to participate.2. Have one or two members of the group droptheir hold of the yarn. Immediately the center webbecomes loose and the effect is for the circle to widena little.

Edition details

• Publisher: Zondervan
• Publication date: 1997
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0310220343
• ISBN 13: 9780310220343
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 160