Go to http://sundaysoftware.com/site/feeding5000/

for the new version of this page

 

Five Loaves ~ 2 Fishes CD is an interactive computer game that puts your students in the role of the small boy who offered his bread and fish to Jesus.

This important miracle was remembered in all four Gospels (John 6:1-15, Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17), because it reveals the identity of Christ in an unforgettable way, and presents us with his call to BELIEVE in him.

OVERVIEW:
5 Loaves is a complete Bible Study that seems like a game. Play begins on Peter's boat on the Sea of Galilee. The player navigates to Bethsaida, where according to Luke, the miracle took place. The player goes to find "Uncle Reuben" who needs to be convinced to spare the time to go listen to Jesus.

Go to http://sundaysoftware.com/site/feeding5000/

for the new version of this page!

This is a major theme in 5 Loaves:
...the importance of taking the time to learn from Jesus, and believe in him.

After convince Reuben to go with them, the player must then find 5 loaves and 2 fishes, then go find Jesus with his uncle. The village features houses and passageways to explore. 

After the hunt, your students must find Jesus and the crowd and listen to some of his teachings. They will then have the opportunity to offer their bread and fish to Jesus so that the crowd can be fed, and will collect the baskets and hear from Jesus. Uncle Reuben finally sees the light! ...and gives voice to why it is important to learn Jesus' teachings, and believe.

Afterwards, the player and Reuben go out onto the Sea of Galilee in a boat for some fishing and quiz questions. Each correct answer screen contains follow up content and a question.

After the quiz, students can select a Discussion Panel which has several options for going deeper into the story, and other scriptures related to Jesus' identity and Jesus as bread.

A wonderful Music Video can also be viewed that drives home the lesson in a fun, visual and musical manner.

 

All totalled, it takes about 20-25 minutes to play the game, depending on the age of your students and how much you help them.

What does this story teach us?
You may be surprised. Read our Teacher's Guide for a complete outline, navigational helps, game secrets, and Bible Background.

Our primary goal in this game is to "teach the story"  through gaming, narration, questions, and music. We have created the character of "Uncle Reuben" for your players (the small boy) to interact with and stress the importance of spending time with Jesus. Reuben isn't sure why he would want to go listen to Jesus. He's busy!  But they both hope for the Messiah, the Savior, and that convinces Reuben to go along. And that's the point of the miracle of the multiplication: Jesus had taught all day, and now he wanted the people to BELIEVE.  His miracle announces who he really is. It's a sign, a call to belief. Read our Teacher's Guide for more about how this wonderful story is about MORE than sharing bread, it's about Christ sharing who he is with us, and calling us to believe in him.

View a Four Week Lesson Set on the Feeding of the 5000 that includes, video, software, skits and games that teach the story.

Go to http://sundaysoftware.com/site/feeding5000/

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Version 1.Oh! is NOW SHIPPING!

Your students play as the boy who offered his lunch to Jesus.
They will have to convince their "Uncle Reuben" to set aside his work in Bethsaida, to take the time to learn from Jesus.
They will hear what Jesus has to say to the Disciples, and hear Jesus explain his miracle.
They will learn that it is important to take time to learn from Jesus and BELIEVE in him.
They will learn that Jesus cares about our daily needs and wants us to care for others in response to our belief in him.

ANNOUNCEMENT:

This page is no longer the most current version and links may be old.

Go to http://sundaysoftware.com/site/feeding5000/

for the new version of this page!

 


 

 

 

Why this story?

#1 All four Gospel writers thought it was important!

The story of the Feeding of the 5000 is one of the few miracle stories found in all four Gospels.  Our "Feeding" CD is an combination of all four versions found in Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-15. While they agree in most details, John adds that the loaves and fishes were offered by a young boy, and Luke identifies the location of the miracle as Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee. 

#2 The miracle was primarily intended as a sign of Jesus' identity, as well as, revealing his empathy for the needs of the people.

We DO NOT over-focus on "the small boy" or idealize him as an example of faith. The focus of the story, and thus our CD is primarily ABOUT JESUS.  We don't know much about the small boy's faith and only John's Gospel included him in the story. And we don't over-emphasize this miracle as a singular lesson about "sharing your gifts".  That's part of its meaning, but primarily it is Jesus who shares.  He teaches, and then he reveals WHO HE IS to the crowd. 

And that's a great parallel to Sunday School.... we come to learn, and God reaches out to us with the challenge to BELIEVE, and be fed by his presence. Read my complete Bible Background in the Teacher's Guide for more on this. The game's narrations, quiz questions, discussion panel, and music video reinforce these ideas.
 

About playing through the story...

Our game helps students WANT to delve into the story, and the game will give them a memorable experience of it. 

The story is laid out in linear fashion inside the game...the players are playing-through it. At the point where Jesus arrives to teach, the game takes over and your students hear what he has to say to the crowd, then are prompted to participate in the miracle by offering the bread and fish they brought. This layout helps students sequence the story.

We have purposely NOT made this game complicated to play. It's primary aim is to teach the story. The only "game-y challenging" aspect of the CD is when the player must figure out where and how to get the 5 Loaves and 2 Fishes. (They're on the second floor in a storeroom, btw, and there are two ways to get there.)

Because it's fun to play, they can come back to it again and again, --which will improve their memory of it.

Interactive Games help the story get into your kids' brains. They do this, in part, by creating a sense of anticipation in the player. According to the research, creating a sense of "anticipation" is essential to gaining the student's focus and heightening their memory formation. For more about the BRAIN RESEARCH behind "how stories get into our heads" and our desire to create this anticipatory moment in this CD, go to my sundayresources.net blog:  http://sundayresources.net/neil/2011/01/12/good-stories-really-do-get-inside-your-head/  

<>< Neil, Sunday Software

ANNOUNCEMENT:

This page is no longer the most current version and links may be old.

Go to http://sundaysoftware.com/site/feeding5000/

for the new version of this page!