Teaching about the Reformation

It was in October, about 27 years ago, that I was learning to read my first hymn. It was A Mighty Fortress, 262 in TLH, and my 1st grade teacher projected it on the wall with an overhead and used a marker to highlight the first stanza so we could follow along. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. Thus began my love for Reformation. I loved learning with the flannel board, joint Reformation services (especially the big one in Madison when I was attending Luther Prep), and watching the Luther movie. Now I especially love sharing the importance of the Reformation with my students. Their confusion when they learn that Luther didn’t have his own Bible when he was young and outrage when I explain indulgences are amazing signs of faith in my little ones and yet another reason I love Reformation.

I’ve started a Pinterest board with lots of Reformation ideas. Please check it out! Keep reading for some of my favorite ideas.

My favorite resource for teaching about the Reformation is still the flannel board I remember from my grade school days. We don’t use a flannel board regularly in my classroom, so the novelty of having one up is always exciting for my students. I’ve also scanned (well, actually, my dad scanned… aren’t dads great!) all the pieces so I have them as digital images. I use these images with my interactive whiteboard as a high tech flannel board. Having them on the IWB makes it easier for my whole class to see. I can also set up scenes ahead of time, eliminating the pile of pieces by the flannel board that never quite seems to stay in the right order.

Looking for more images to tell the lesson? Check out the Reformation in Legos! You can also find lots of pictures of the actual Luther sites in Germany. Websites like this and this or a Google image search can give students real life visuals about Luther’s life. You can also check with your pastor or congregation members. If they’ve been on a trip to Germany, they might have pictures and even personal stories they’d like to share.

Concordia Publishing House has several books that I enjoy using in my classroom. The Adventures of Martin Luther has rhyming text and a big book format that make is perfect for the younger grade classroom. It also comes in standard format so it can be in your classroom library. The illustrations in Martin Luther: A Man Who Changed the World are stunning. The text is more suitable for an upper-grade classroom, but I often use this book and paraphrase the text so my students can see the pictures. Another great book for older students is Luther: Echoes of the Hammer. Consider using it as a novel in reading class or for literature circles.

My favorite Teachers Pay Teachers (this site saves me so much time!) has some Martin Luther resources too. It takes awhile to sift through the MLK resources, but I’ve found a few favorites. Older students can analyze some of Luther’s 95 Theses Twitter-style in this engaging lesson. You can include Martin Luther in your study of the Reformation and Renaissance with these interactive notebook pages or these pop up graphic organizers. There isn’t much for younger grades on TPT though — looks like an open market!

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In my classroom, Reformation is not complete without a Luther Seal art project. We’ve decorated ours with tissue paper, colored rice, construction paper mosaics, and paint over the years. Explaining the significance of the colors and shapes is a very important part of the project. This video would be great to share with parents or congregation members, showing Luther’s own words behind the seal. For a different twist, how about building a giant Lego Luther Seal mosaic or decorating some Luther Seal cookies? Check out my Luther Seal Pinterest page for more inspiration.

For some Reformation fun and giggles, check out The Reformation Polka, the Luther Rap, a Manic Monday parody, and a few more silly songs from oldlutheran.com. And no Reformation is complete without a Little Luther on the shelf. Be sure to follow Martin Luther College’s Mini Marty Mondays for a chance to win your own Little Luther.

Do you have any resources that I missed? Please share them in the comments below.

Blessings as you teach His little lambs about their Lutheran heritage.

Please Note: The resources listed here and on my Pinterest boards are not always 100% Biblically accurate. I make every effort to list those that require little to no modifying to be usable and trust that you will use your judgement when utilizing these resources.