Written by Betty B. Robertson
Daniel 3
Instructions: Teacher reads the story. Children pantomime what they hear (words in bold), working in their own personal space. Personal space is determined by children stretching their arms out to their sides and also in front and back of them. They need room to do actions, without touching one another. Another adult in the group could lead the children in doing the motions.
The king hammered and hammered. The king chiseled and chiseled. He was building an idol of shiny gold. Then he pointed his index finger and said to the people: "You must worship this idol. So the people bowed. They all bowed low.
Shadrach moved his head from side to side. Meshach moved his head from side to side. Abednego moved his head from side to side. They all moved their heads from side to side. They were not going to bow and worship the idol.
The three men walked to the king. They smiled and said, "We will not bow down, though you are the king and you wear the crown. For God has said, "Don't bow your knee to anything; just worship Me."
The king frowned. The angry king put his hands around his mouth and called the soldiers.
The soldiers walked to the king. The king was still frowning. The king said, "Throw these three men into the hot furnace!"
Two soldiers took Shadrach and marched him to the furnace door.
Two soldiers took Abednego and marched him to the furnace door.
Two soldiers Meshach and marched him to the furnace door.
One of the soldiers opened the door.
Two soldiers shoved Shadrach into the furnace.
Two soldiers shoved Meshach into the furnace.
Two soldiers shoved Abednego into the furnace.
The king walked over to the furnace. His face looked puzzled. He held up 3 fingers and said, "We threw 3 men into the furnace. He held up 4 fingers and said, "Now there are 4. Everyone is fine. They're all walking around."
Then he put his hands around his mouth and shouted into the furnace, "Your God has saved you. It's time to come out."
And all the people smiled and said to one another, "Look! All the men are okay. They don't even smell like smoke. God saved them all today."
