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Bible Road Trip ~ A 3 Year Bible Survey Parenting Guide

© 2013 Danika Cooley All rights reserved. This document may be reproduced by printing or photocopying only. Permission is given to use said document in a home, Sunday School or Co-Op setting. This document may not be transmitted in any other form or by any other means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of Danika Cooley. This document is not for sale. While you may not copy this work to your blog, website, or email, you may link back to this document at Thinking Kids: http://thinkingkids.wordpress.com, or at Bible Road Trip: http://bibleroadtrip.org.

Bible Road Trip

~

A 3 Year Bible Survey

Parent/Teacher Guide



Bible Road Trip ~ The Short Explanation

Bible Road Trip is a 3 Year Bible Survey Syllabus ~ A schedule of Bible study

(book by book), Scripture reading and memorization, and additional activities such

as: notebooking, crafts, and great videos and books.

Each year consists of a 32 week, customizable schedule. ~ This schedule can be

expanded to allow for more time for study in any given area.

4 separate levels of study (Lower Grammar ~ Grades 1-3, Upper Grammar ~

Grades 4-6, Dialectic ~ Grades 7-9, Rhetoric ~ Grades 10-12)

Each level is designed to coordinate with the other grade levels, while allowing

growing students to delve deeper and even begin to share what they are learning in

new and exciting ways (consistent with the theories underlying Classical

Education).

Bible Road Trip does not address specific theological or doctrinal arguments.

(There are some discussions over the manner in which we approach Scripture in

the upper grades.) For example: Though I believe in the literal Creation account,

and I was careful to choose materials that did not discount that very valid view of

the Bible, you will not find anything here that specifically addresses Creationism.

There are many wonderful ministries that you can consult for additional materials.

Rather, weeks 3-5 of Year One of Bible Road Trip will acquaint students with the

book of Genesis – its authorship, themes, storyline, and timing in actual history.

Bible Road Trip offers free weekly notebooking packs for students in the Lower

Grammar, Upper Grammar, and Dialectic levels of study. You can find these at

Bible Road Trip.org.

Bible Road Trip is free for you to use in your home or small group. I ask that

you refrain from copying (in whole or in part) any part of the curriculum to your

blog, website or social media, but I encourage you to share the links to the

curriculum so that your friends can have the opportunity to begin their own Bible

Road Trip in their homes!

http://thinkingkids.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/bible-roadtrip-spines.jpg



You’ll need:

A Bible! I absolutely recommend giving each child their very own Bible. For the

Lower Grammar level, I’ve suggested The Jubilee Illustrated Family Bible. I

really appreciate the articles and information included, the highly visual format,

the number of stories, and the fact that the Bible stories are actually annotated

biblical text (NIV). You are welcome to use another children’s Bible, but it you’ll

have to coordinate the stories with the syllabus. I’ve been careful to note the

biblical references so that you can do that.

Each grade level has necessary texts, as well as suggested resources. A detailed

list follows. I have no affiliation with any of the publishers or authors I’ve

suggested in the resources. Every resource listed has been suggested by a pastor, a

number of reputable catalogs and indexes, or is a resource that my family already

uses and loves. Many of the resources can be located at the local public library,

but it was my goal to choose resources of value, so that every family can invest in

discipling their children. Many of the “spine” resources will take your children

through the full three year survey in their grade level.

Basic art supplies: Scissors, 3-ring binders, cardstock and construction paper,

pens, pencils, paints, etc. I’ve tried to make the craft projects simple to

coordinate, and something your children can value for years to come.

Time! You’ll want to schedule time each week to spend with your family taking

advantage of Bible Road Trip. This can be daily, or several times a week.



Bible Road Trip ~ The Long Explanation

Bible Road Trip is a 3 Year Bible Survey for children and young adults, beginning in

Genesis and progressing through Revelation. Year One covers the books of the law and

history in the Old Testament. Year Two covers the books of poetry and prophecy in the

Old Testament. Year Three covers the New Testament.

Bible Road Trip may be used as a class in your homeschool, in a Sunday School, co-op

or small group setting, or as a plan to assist in your evening family worship.

The Bible Road Trip syllabus is highly customizable. You may choose the items that

appeal to your family. The time your family needs each week will depend upon which

level you are using, and how many of the additional resources you choose to apply. For

example, there are several craft suggestions each week for the Lower Grammar level.

You can do all, or none, of the crafts. DVD and literature suggestions may enrich your

Bible Road Trip experience, but are, again, optional.

Each year is scheduled over a 32 week period of time. This allows for four weeks of

leeway in a standard 36 week school year. You may choose to use those four weeks to

spend more time in any given book. You will notice the reading per week is divided by

topic rather than by work load. You may wish to spend more time on a week with a

heavy reading load, such as Year One Week 8 ~ Leviticus.

The survey is written as a syllabus, and divided into grade “levels”. You may choose

from Grades 1-3, Grades 4-6, Grades 7-9, Grades 10-12, or you may pick and choose

resources from the 3 sections to meet the needs of your family. You will want to consider

your students individually when choosing the level for your family.

Bible Road Trip will prepare your students for a lifetime of Bible study. Students will

journey through the Bible book by book, studying each book for the background history,

major themes, key verses, God’s messages, and the book’s role in the overall revelation

of God’s story.

Suggestions are included each week for core background reading, Scripture reading,

notebooking, memory verses, prayer, enrichment activities, and art projects.

Following are the yearly schedules, as well as the primary resources required for each

level. Please observe the copyright statement when using Bible Road Trip ~ I appreciate

your consideration.



Year One ~ The Books of the Law and History Week One What is the Bible?

Week Two Exploring the Old Testament

Week Three Genesis – Part One

Week Four Genesis – Part Two

Week Five Genesis – Part Three

Week Six Exodus – Part One

Week Seven Exodus – Part Two

Week Eight Leviticus

Week Nine Numbers – Part One

Week Ten Numbers – Part Two

Week Eleven Deuteronomy

Week Twelve Joshua – Part One

Week Thirteen Joshua – Part Two

Week Fourteen Judges – Part One

Week Fifteen Judges – Part Two

Week Sixteen Ruth

Week Seventeen 1 Samuel – Part One

Week Eighteen 1 Samuel – Part Two

Week Nineteen 1 Samuel – Part Three

Week Twenty 2 Samuel – Part One

Week Twenty-One 2 Samuel – Part Two

Week Twenty-Two 1 Kings – Part One

Week Twenty-Three 1 Kings – Part Two

Week Twenty-Four 1 Kings – Part Three

Week Twenty-Five 2 Kings – Part One

Week Twenty-Six 2 Kings – Part Two

Week Twenty-Seven 2 Kings – Part Three

Week Twenty-Eight 1 Chronicles

Week Twenty-Nine 2 Chronicles

Week Thirty Ezra

Week Thirty-One Nehemiah

Week Thirty-Two Esther



Year Two ~ The Books of Poetry and Prophecy Week One What is the Bible?

Week Two Exploring the Old Testament

Week Three Job – Part One

Week Four Job – Part Two

Week Five Psalms – Part One

Week Six Psalms – Part Two

Week Seven Psalms – Part Three

Week Eight Psalms – Part Four

Week Nine Proverbs – Part One

Week Ten Proverbs – Part Two

Week Eleven Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon

Week Twelve Isaiah – Part One

Week Thirteen Isaiah – Part Two

Week Fourteen Isaiah – Part Three

Week Fifteen Jeremiah – Part One

Week Sixteen Jeremiah – Part Two and Lamentations

Week Seventeen Ezekiel – Part One

Week Eighteen Ezekiel – Part Two

Week Nineteen Daniel – Part One

Week Twenty Daniel – Part Two

Week Twenty-One Hosea

Week Twenty-Two Joel

Week Twenty-Three Amos

Week Twenty-Four Obadiah

Week Twenty-Five Jonah

Week Twenty-Six Micah

Week Twenty-Seven Nahum

Week Twenty-Eight Habukkuk

Week Twenty-Nine Zephaniah

Week Thirty Haggai

Week Thirty-One Zechariah

Week Thirty-Two Malachi and the Inter-Testamental Years



Year Three ~ The Books of the New Testament

Week One What is the Bible?

Week Two Exploring the New Testament

Week Three Matthew – Part One

Week Four Matthew – Part Two

Week Five Matthew – Part Three

Week Six Mark – Part One

Week Seven Mark – Part Two

Week Eight Luke – Part One

Week Nine Luke – Part Two

Week Ten John – Part One

Week Eleven John – Part Two

Week Twelve John – Part Three

Week Thirteen Acts – Part One

Week Fourteen Acts – Part Two

Week Fifteen Acts – Part Three

Week Sixteen Romans – Part One

Week Seventeen Romans – Part Two

Week Eighteen 1 Corinthians

Week Nineteen 2 Corinthians

Week Twenty Galatians

Week Twenty-One Ephesians

Week Twenty-Two Philippians

Week Twenty-Three Colossians

Week Twenty-Four 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians

Week Twenty-Five 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy

Week Twenty-Six Titus and Philemon

Week Twenty-Seven Hebrews

Week Twenty-Eight James

Week Twenty-Nine 1 Peter and 2 Peter

Week Thirty 1 John, 2 John, 3 John and Jude

Week Thirty-One Revelation – Part 1

Week Thirty-Two Revelation – Part 2



Necessary Resources for Bible Road Trip – Years One – Three

Grades 1 – 3 and 4-6 Years One – Three

What the Bible is All About: Bible Handbook for Kids, Frances

Blankenbaker or What the Bible is All About for Young Explorers, Frances

Blankenbaker (older version)

What the Bible is All About Resources: Reproducible Maps, Charts, Time

Lines & Illustrations (Gospel Light)

Window on the World, Daphne Spraggett with Jill Johnstone

Bible

o Grades 1-3: The Jubilee Illustrated Family Bible (or another detailed

children’s Bible)

This is an NIV version. I like it because it is highly visual,

contains both the actual (though annotated) biblical text, as well

as additional commentary.

o Grades 4-6: A full-text Bible of your choice. We like the ESV Study

Bible.

Grades 7-9 Years One – Three

The Baker Illustrated Bible Handbook, J. Daniel Hays and J. Scott Duvall

Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation (7th

Edition,

2010), Jason Mandryk

Grades 10-12 Years One – Two

Encountering the Old Testament, Second Edition with CD-ROM, Bill T.

Arnold and Bryan E. Beyer


Edition,


Year Three

Encountering the New Testament, Second Edition with CD-ROM, Walter A.

Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough


Edition,




Suggested and Optional Resources for Bible Road Trip – Year One

Grades 1 - 3 What’s in the Bible? With Buck Denver ~ DVDs #1-7 (Highly

Recommended)

God’s Special Tent, Jean Stapleton (Highly Recommended)

How the Bible Came to Us, Meryl Doney (Recommended)

Grades 4 – 6 What’s in the Bible? With Buck Denver ~ DVD Series #1-7 (Highly

Recommended)

God’s Special Tent, Jean Stapleton (Highly Recommended)


The Student Bible Atlas, Tim Dowley (Suggested)

Tirzah, Lucille Travis (Optional Historical Fiction)

Hittite Warrior, Joanne Williamson (Optional Historical Fiction)

Galen and Goliath, Lee Roddy (Optional Historical Fiction)

God King, Joanne Williamson (Optional Historical Fiction)

Within the Palace Gates: The King’s Cupbearer, Anna Pierpoint Siviter

(Optional Historical Fiction)

Grades 7-9 and 10-12 How the Bible Came to Us, Meryl Doney (Recommended)

Drive Thru History with David Stotts DVD #1: Covenants, Kings and the

Promised Land (Suggested)

Drive Thru History with David Stotts DVD #2: Jericho to Megiddo:

Conquest, Canaanites, and the Holy City (Suggested)

Drive Thru History with David Stotts DVD #3: Miracles, Messiah, and the

Roman Empire (Suggested)

Drive Thru History with David Stotts DVD #4: Temple, Cross, and the

Empty Tomb (Suggested)

Tower of Babel DVD, Bodie Hodges (Optional)

The Exodus Revealed: Search for the Red Sea Crossing, DVD – Questar

(Optional / Excellent)

The Fall of Jericho, DVD – Vision Video (Optional)



Suggested and Optional Resources for Bible Road Trip - Year Two

Grades 1 - 3 What’s in the Bible? With Buck Denver ~ DVDs #8,9 (Highly

Recommended)


Grades 4 – 6 What’s in the Bible? With Buck Denver ~ DVD Series #8,9 (Highly

Recommended)



Victory on the Walls: A Story of Nehemiah, Frieda Clark Hyman (Optional

Historical Fiction)

The Prophet’s Kid, Jim Ware (Optional Historical Fiction)

Adara, Beatrice Gormley (Optional Historical Fiction)

A Sparrow Alone, Alicia Peterson (Optional Historical Fiction)












Suggested and Optional Resources for Bible Road Trip - Year Three

Grades 1 - 3 What’s in the Bible? With Buck Denver ~ DVDs #10-13 (Highly

Recommended)


Grades 4 – 6 What’s in the Bible? With Buck Denver ~ DVD Series #10-13 (Highly

Recommended)



Forbidden Gates, Denise Williamson (Optional Historical Fiction)

Out of Darkness, R. Weerstand (Optional Historical Fiction)

Polycarp: Reign of Fire, William Chad Newsom (Optional Historical

Fiction)

Crazy Jacob, Jim Ware (Optional Historical Fiction)

Dangerous Dreams, Jim Ware (Optional Historical Fiction)

Escape Underground, Clint Kelly (Optional Historical Fiction)

The Worst Wish, Lissa Halls Johnson (Optional Historical Fiction)

Twice Freed, Patricia St. John (Optional Historical Fiction)












Why Bible Road Trip?

It was in the midst of a terrible time in my life that I first read the Bible cover to cover. I spent

88 days reading roughly 12 pages a day. It changed my understanding of who God is, and what

His plan for humanity is.

It wasn’t that I hadn’t studied the Bible before – I had. I had done those Bible studies that start

with a point and then rocket you to verses all over the Bible to prove the point. I had read

snippets of the Bible, whole books, and I had even studied sections in order. I had read the Bible

– all of it – as a disjointed conglomeration of happenings and thoughts.

It wasn’t until I read the Bible from beginning to end that I really got it. I really understood

God’s story. I was excited. So excited that I started a 90 Day Bible Challenge on Facebook (it’s

still there with a reading schedule under the info tab). Every summer, I read through the entire

Bible, taking in the stories, the prophecies and the truth.

Soon, it wasn’t enough to just read the Bible cover to cover. I wanted to really study each book.

I wanted to understand all that I could. I was excited about this ancient manuscript that holds the

answers to life. It holds meaning. It points me to Jesus – the whole way through.

I wanted more than to intimately know God’s Word. I wanted my kids to know it too. But I

couldn’t find a curriculum that had my children actually studying the Bible and reading it too. I

wanted them to really read Scripture – not just snippets of it. I found curriculums that taught

theology, doctrine and worldview. I found synopses of the Bible. I found a curriculum with

study questions for each verse, but nothing to guide the children into the history of the writers

and the books.

Where were the Bible curriculums that would teach my boys about Judges – who wrote it, when,

why, what the major themes were, and what it all means – then walked them through reading it?

Where were the multi-media curriculums that still used the Bible along with their teaching?

I couldn’t find what I wanted. I know I’m picky. But the Bible is important to me. Teaching it

to my kids is the main focus of my parenting. I can’t think of anything more important than

having my children understand the whole of Scripture. We plan to do Bible Road Trip over and

over until they leave home – that should give them 3 times through the Bible at deepening levels.

That’s my reason for writing Bible Road Trip. It has turned out to be much more consuming

than I had anticipated. I do a lot of research each week to ensure my study questions aren’t

completely off-base, and that the intro page is accurate. That research has been a gift to me, as it

has driven me deeper into the Word. I am growing, and I’m so pleased to experience the same

with my boys. Watching them dive into God’s Word each week has been so exciting. I can’t

think of a better way to spend my time.

https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/90-Day-Bible-Challenge/92155081643?fref=ts



Stages of Learning ~ The Four Levels of Bible Road Trip

One of my favorite ways to educate and disciple our children – both before we homeschooled,

and now as we educate at home – has always been to gather at the couch, read aloud, discuss

what we’ve learned, then apply those lessons in some concrete way. As children age, this

approach changes a bit. After all, we want to help our children own their faith in Christ. Part of

discipleship is passing the torch onto another believer. What a blessing to be able to do that for

our children!

Bible Road Trip, is a program that allows every family member to survey the Bible at their

own developmental level. Yet even with four levels of learning, your family will be able to

discuss the week’s lessons at the dinner table. You’ll notice that each developmental level is

studying the same area of Scripture at the same time, yet with a different emphasis. Bible Road

Trip is designed so that a child beginning the program in 1st grade can cycle through the Bible

survey four times before they leave home. Each trip through the Bible will provide a deeper,

richer experience. This design follows the Christian Classical model of education.

Harvey and Laurie Bluedorn of Trivium Pursuit have written a terrific article “Definition for

Classical Education” on the different developmental or learning stages employed in Christian

Classical Education. Their work may help clarify some of the thinking behind the stages. You

can find that article at their blog. Here’s the address:

http://www.triviumpursuit.com/articles/definition_for_classical_education.php

I’m going to briefly outline the four grade levels employed in Bible Road Trip. Please do not

feel constrained by the grades I’ve listed. I have put grades in to help you choose a level that is

appropriate, but the program levels are based on the developmental stages of learning:

Grammar, Dialectic (or Logic), and Rhetoric. You’ll want to have an idea about how each stage

develops, as it will help you understand the goal for your child.

Lower Grammar ~ Grades 1-3

The grammar developmental stage is all about gathering facts, information, and knowledge.

Children in the lower grammar stage delight in learning new things. The world is a fascinating

adventure, and YOU are the tour guide! This is a wonderful age to introduce children to the

Bible. As they learn about God’s Great Book, they’re laying a foundation for the rest of their

lives. Bible Road Trip will help your children understand that the Scriptures are more than just

random stories. The Bible is the story of God’s plan for redemption for the human race.

Children this age love highly visual resources, fun songs, hands-on crafts, and time spent with

Mom and Dad (or Grandma and Grandpa!). The program at this stage is all about building a

framework to understand the Bible. This is foundation on which their understanding of the Bible

can be built.





I know many of you have expressed excitement over using Bible Road Trip with younger

children, ages 3-5. The curriculum will work well; however, you may want to refine your

weekly goals. For instance, you may want to write in a notebook for your child, or forgo the

notebook altogether. If you plan to use Bible Road Trip for Kindergarten and Preschool, you just

need to simplify it a little.

Upper Grammar ~ Grades 4-6

Upper Grammar students also delight in gathering knowledge. Their brains are ready to soak up

whatever they encounter. What better information to encounter, but the Word of God? As

Upper Grammar students progress, they can take on more of their learning on their own. If you

have not started a daily Bible reading program with your child, you may want to begin by

reading the Bible aloud together, and end in Year 3 with your child reading silently, then meeting

with you later to discuss the reading. At this developmental stage, it is wise to support your

child’s educational journey, yet to allow them greater freedom to learn on their own. Perhaps

Scripture reading will remain a family activity, and notebooking will be an individual project.

Children at this age are growing, and we must watch them for clues as to their needs. Bible

Road Trip for the Upper Grammar student is still highly visual, relational, and creative.

Traveling through the Word of God is an exciting adventure, and the middle grade years are an

important time to begin, or continue, the journey. Is your 1st – 3rd grader ready for a little

greater challenge? Move them up to Upper Grammar! Is your 4th grader struggling with one

too many Bible memory verses? Adjust it to the Lower Grammar level, or something in

between. Don’t worry about grades or ages ~ we’re concerned about developmental stages. As

your children develop a deepening understanding of the Bible, they will be able to take on

greater challenges, and to layer in more information.

Dialectic ~ Grades 7-9

The Dialectic stage can be among the most challenging for parents. These are the ages at which

children are developing a greater understanding of connections. They’re making developmental

leaps, and looking for ways to relate the knowledge they’ve gathered. This is the Logic stage –

where everything is a debate, and everything is negotiable. Our tendency, as parents, can be to

throw up our hands at this age and walk away. Instead, let us delight in the fantastic mental

pathways our children are forming! The Dialectic stage is vital. Our kids are learning to debate,

to stand on their own beliefs, and develop a deep understanding of Scripture on their own. I

can think of no more important time in childhood to depend upon the Lord for strength, to

persevere, and to marvel in the opportunity we have to disciple growing human beings.

Bible Road Trip for the Dialectic student will encourage children to develop research skills, and

to make connections not found in the text. Many of the notebooking and crafting projects for

this age will incorporate information that will help your children put a solid structure of



understanding on the foundation they are already building. Mini-research projects, a timeline

(because events in the Bible occurred in history – and we know when!), and an increasing

challenge to learn about – and pray for – believers around the world are all a part of the Dialectic

level of Bible Road Trip. I have intentionally left a lot of room for creativity in Bible Road

Trip. I want you, and your children, to be able to own this journey.

Rhetoric ~ Grades 10-12

The Rhetoric developmental stage is truly a time for children to take the wheel. On this Road

Trip, your high school aged students should be driving, and you should become a trusted

navigator and companion. In the Rhetoric stage, young adults begin to apply all the knowledge

and the logic they’ve gathered and connected. This is the stage at which your children will begin

to venture into the world, to develop wisdom, to communicate what they’ve learned. The

Rhetoric stage allows young men and women to apply what they’ve learned in a supported

environment, to dig deeper, to own their faith, and to develop their walk with Christ.

Bible Road Trip for the Rhetoric student should be a challenge. Encountering the Old Testament

and Encountering the New Testament are beginning college level texts. A student who has been

trained to think, and who has been educated and discipled consistently, should be challenged by

the resources, yet not stymied. If your student has not trained him or herself to think deeply yet,

you may consider using the Dialectic text instead; this will still provide your child with an

excellent overview of the Bible. However, if you are spiraling upward through the levels in

Bible Road Trip, the previous stages should have prepared your Rhetoric student sufficiently.

Because Rhetoric students are moving into an adult role, in which they are able to appropriately

communicate their faith and their wisdom, the Crafting Through the Word section includes a 3

year project in which your student will begin a blog or a vlog (a video version of a blog) to

communicate what he or she is learning on a weekly basis. I understand that there may be

concerns about internet safety. I leave all decisions to actually publish your student’s work

online at your discretion. Should you be uncomfortable with a public format, students could

make a series of videos, edit them and store them on a DVD. They could publish to a private

blog, or just keep a notebook of “blog” entries. Alternately, they could begin their own small

group, in which they lead (with your supervision) a Bible Road Trip of their own a week or two

behind their personal studies. Rhetoric students are preparing to share their faith. Whether they

practice or actually make the leap to a public forum is up to your family. The Lord has placed

you as their shepherd, and I trust your discernment. The Rhetoric level will also feature a

deepening emphasis on service and community involvement. Again, all suggestions are intended

to allow your young adult to develop a faith and a walk of their own.

Because Rhetoric students are preparing for college, I have not created notebooking sheets for

this level. I want to give your high school students the freedom to take notes as they feel led, on

the subjects that interest them.



Mapping the Journey ~ An Overview of Bible Road Trip Sections

Dig Deep

The first page of the syllabus for each level covers the “Dig Deep” section. Here, you’ll find

“Researching the Word” and “Reading the Word”.

The “Dig Deep” section of Bible Road Trip is the crucial part of the curriculum. If you do

nothing else, be certain to introduce your children to the section of Scripture being studied

through “Researching the Word”, and to read the Scripture selections listed in “Reading the

Word”. The discussion questions are designed to allow your family to explore the Scripture

section together. As children age, you will want to have them become responsible for more

independent reading. You’ll know when they’re ready to read the Bible on their own. (I knew

because mine insisted on reading aloud to me, then began to read on their own).

Meditate On It

The top half of the second page for each developmental level covers the “Meditate On It”

section. Here, you’ll find “Memorizing the Word”, “Notebooking the Word”, and “Praying

about the Word”.

I encourage you to memorize Scripture with your child. I’ve provided more verses to memorize

as the children move up in the developmental stages. However, children can have vastly

different aptitudes for memorization. It’s important that you adjust the number of verses per

week depending upon your child’s abilities.

Notebooking is an important skill that aids retention and comprehension. For younger children,

notebooking may be too much work. You may want to take their dictation for them, or you can

stick to crafts, and the memory verse art project described in Year One Week One (your children

will illustrate their verse each week). For the older children, I encourage you to have them keep

individual notebooks. The amount they record is completely at your discretion ~ you know your

own child better than anyone! To help you implement the notebooking, and to make it fun, I’ve

created weekly notebook sheet packs which are available for free on BibleRoadTrip.org.

The prayer section of “Meditate On It” will give children an opportunity to learn more about the

Church in the world today. Students will learn about other cultures, religions, and the challenges

to modern missions. This section is provided to help you affect your child’s perspective and

worldview. The reading for the Dialectic and Rhetoric levels should be spread over several days,

as it can be hefty. Over the three year survey, students will cover the entire book they are using.

This section, while valuable, is certainly optional. Your family may choose another prayer

focus. Be sure to pray together, though! The time you spend praying with your children now

will help form a lifelong habit for them.



Explore Further

The “Explore Further” section on the bottom of the second page of each level gives students an

opportunity to explore fun resources, put their new knowledge into practice, and create some fun

crafts (projects for the older students). Everything in this section is optional, but highly

recommended. If you can find the time for these activities, your child is far more likely to enjoy

and remember what they’ve learned.

For the Grammar levels, I’ve recommended the excellent DVD series “What’s in the Bible with

Buck Denver”. These videos are written by Phil Vischer (of Veggie Tales fame), and are just

fabulous. For the Dialectic and Rhetoric levels, I’ve chosen a few fascinating documentaries for

Year One, as well as the “Drive Thru History [Holy Land] with David Stotts” series for Year

One through Year Three. They’re fun, engaging, and they allow your children to actually see the

places history was made.

There are other suggestions, but I just wanted to mention those two series, as I am truly excited

about the multi-dimensional feature they add to the curriculum. If cost is an issue for you, please

consider approaching your public librarian. Our public library carries the “What’s in the Bible

with Buck Denver” series only because a little friend of ours advocated for the purchase every

time she went in! The DVDs are blessing numerous families now, and many of us have loved

them enough to purchase our own.

The Long Story Short

Bible Road Trip was designed to help facilitate your family’s journey through Scripture. Don’t

like something about it? Change it. You can add, subtract, or alter the curriculum without any

guilty feelings what-so-ever. After all, you are in the driver’s seat!

http://promos.whatsinthebible.com/special-offers-1/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Brand_Exact&utm_content=%7badgroup%7d&utm_term=what's%20in%20the%20bible%20with%20buck%20denver&gclid=CMOGx4LtxrECFQV6hwodMy8AsA

http://promos.whatsinthebible.com/special-offers-1/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Brand_Exact&utm_content=%7badgroup%7d&utm_term=what's%20in%20the%20bible%20with%20buck%20denver&gclid=CMOGx4LtxrECFQV6hwodMy8AsA

http://www.drivethruhistory.com/series/holy-land/

http://thinkingkids.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/img_45131.jpg



Dig Deep ~ Researching the Word ~ An In-Depth Look

“Researching the Word” is a vital part of the Bible Road Trip curriculum. The work your family

does here will help map your trip through the Bible that week. Children will have an opportunity

to become familiar with the book they’ll be studying. They’ll learn about the storyline, the

theme and message, the characters, the writer, biblical archaeology supporting information found

in the book, ancient literature, and (for the older grades) any debates or issues surrounding the

book itself.

Let’s take a quick look at the spine resources for Bible Road Trip, used in “Researching the

Word”:

What the Bible is All About for Kids, based on work by Henrietta C. Mears ~ used

for Upper and Lower Grammar (grades 1-6), Years One – Three

o What the Bible is All About for Kids is a fantastically visual, easy-to-understand

resource which outlines the Bible book by book. It helps children understand the

books of the Bible in the context of the greater “library” of God’s Word.

What the Bible is All About Resources: Reproducible Maps, Charts, Timelines &

Illustrations ~ used for Upper and Lower Grammar (grades 1-6), Years One – Three

o This wonderful resource coordinates with What the Bible is All About to allow

children to book outlines, timelines and maps to their individual notebooks (be

sure your child has a three-ring binder!). My younger children have been using

this resource for several years (they’re headed into 3rd

and 4th

grade), and will

often copy a page when they want something to color. The resource is

worthwhile for the black-and-white outline maps alone.

The Jubilee Illustrated Family Bible, Consulting Editor Dr. Claude-Bernard

Costecalde ~ used for Upper and Lower Grammar (grades 1-6), Years One – Three

o I really like how many stories are available in this highly visual Bible, and I

appreciate the commentary and the fact that the Bible stories are taken from the

actual text (it is annotated). The articles are fantastic as well, and may be read

aloud to upper grammar students, if you are teaching more than one level at a

time. This Bible is based on the New International Version. Because I know that

families can be highly opinionated about Bible translations (for good reason!),

I’ve made sure that every “Reading the Word” section has the actual Scripture

references listed. If you choose to use another Bible for the Lower Grammar

stage, you’ll be able to coordinate it with Bible Road Trip with a minimum

amount of effort.

http://www.christianbook.com/what-bible-about-handbook-for-kids/gospel-light/9780830759439/pd/759439?item_code=WW&netp_id=892743&event=ESRCG&view=details

http://www.christianbook.com/reproducible-maps-charts-timelines-illustrations/9780830719389/pd/0719385?item_code=WW&netp_id=128725&event=ESRCG&view=details



http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-jubilee-illustrated-family-bible-claude-bernard-costecalde/1002515583



The Baker Illustrated Bible Handbook, Edited by J. Daniel Hays and J. Scott

Duvall ~ used for Dialectic (grades 7-9), Years One – Three

o This fantastic book-by-book Bible guide has four pages of contributing scholars

listed! With over 500 full-color illustrations, maps and photos, the book is highly

visual and engaging. Each section is written for the lay person, and does a

fantastic job of explaining the book, the issues, and the theme(s). There are

sidebars that cover archaeology, ancient literature, customs of the day, and

important biblical themes and concepts. The book is written for the lay person,

and is perfect for middle school (or for the high school level, should you choose

to have your Rhetoric students use this book instead).

Encountering the Old Testament: A Christian Survey (Second Edition), by Bill T.

Arnold and Bryan E. Beyer ~ used for Rhetoric (grades 10-12), Years One – Two

o First, let me tell you that I am loving Encountering the Old Testament!

Recommended to me by one of our pastors, Scott Gassoway, this is a fantastic

resource, well worth owning. Second, let me tell you that this is an entry-level

college course text. The text is highly visual and engaging. It does, however,

require a student to think. Much of the teaching involves explaining specific

debates regarding an area of Scripture. The authors are thorough and careful in

explaining the issues, without assuming prior knowledge on the part of the

student. They present both the argument and the flaws in the theory. This was

not true of many of the texts I reviewed for Bible Road Trip. You will want to

review the text as well, so that you can discuss the reading with your young adult.

This book is best suited to children who have some experience with challenging

their minds. If you are beginning Bible Road Trip with a high school-aged

student, and you’re concerned about the level of academics involved, you may

wish to use the spine text for the dialectic level: The Baker Illustrated Bible

Handbook. In addition to being a fantastic resource in and of itself, Encountering

the Old Testament (Second Edition) includes an interactive CD-ROM with

software you can load to your computer. Students can read each chapter on the

computer, quiz themselves after each section, view maps, videos, photographs,

read about various areas of biblical life and culture, etc. It’s fantastic! The CD-

ROM in the second edition is compatible with Windows 7 and older versions of

Windows.

Encountering the New Testament: A Historical and Theological Survey (Second

Edition), by Walter A. Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough ~ used for Rhetoric (grades

10-12), Year Three

o This text follows the same structure as Encountering the Old Testament, and also

includes an interactive CD-ROM. I expect it will be just as fabulous as the Old

Testament text.

http://www.christianbook.com/the-baker-illustrated-bible-handbook/j-hays/9780801012969/pd/012969?product_redirect=1&Ntt=012969&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP

http://www.christianbook.com/encountering-testament-second-edition-with-rom/bill-arnold/9780801031700/pd/031700?product_redirect=1&Ntt=031700&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP

http://www.christianbook.com/encountering-testament-second-edition-with-rom/bill-arnold/9780801031700/pd/031700?product_redirect=1&Ntt=031700&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP

http://www.christianbook.com/encountering-testament-second-edition-with-rom/walter-elwell/9780801028069/pd/02806X?event=CF





Reading the Word ~ An In-Depth Look

“Reading the Word” is the central part of the Bible Road Trip curriculum. The whole goal

behind Bible Road Trip is to allow your children to gain a knowledge and understanding of the

Word of God from Genesis to Revelation. As they cycle through the developmental stages, they

will have the opportunity to learn the Bible with a deepening comprehension and awareness. By

the Rhetoric (or high school) stage, your child will read - and study! – the Bible cover to cover in

three years.

For the lower stages, I’ve tried to keep the weekly reading to a manageable level. Because the

curriculum addresses the Bible somewhat thematically, you will not find an even amount of

reading each week. Rather, you will find reading related to one particular section of the Bible.

For instance, in Year One Week Three, we read Genesis 1-11. In Year One Week Four, we read

Genesis 12-36. In Year One Week Eight, we cover all of Leviticus. All of Leviticus takes about

two hours to read. I think that for a high school student, two hours of reading in a week is

reasonable, even on top of the rest of the curriculum. However, if you find your student needs

more time on the weeks with a heavier reading schedule, you can always take two weeks. A

standard curriculum length is 36 weeks. Bible Road Trip is 32 weeks long to allow you to

schedule extra time in your year if you need it. For the lower stages, I’ve worked hard to have a

more even reading schedule.

Let’s talk about what they’ll be covering:

Lower Grammar (Grades 1-3)

Reading for Lower Grammar students is scheduled by story from a family Bible. You can use

any family Bible; it doesn’t have to be the one I’ve suggested. I’ve made it easy for you to

coordinate the readings by including the story titles, and the sections of Scripture they are drawn

from. Alternately, you could read to your Lower Grammar students straight from the Bible. At

this developmental stage, it’s a good idea to keep your readings short and sweet. Try reading the

Bible five times a week and working on the other projects at different times throughout the week.

Upper Grammar (Grades 4-6)

For Upper Grammar Students, my goal is to limit the reading to around 10 chapters a week;

that’s two chapters a day for five days. However, there are weeks when your student may be

reading an extra chapter a day, as some of the narrative is vital! Is your Upper Grammar child a

terrific reader? Do they want more challenge? Move them up to the Dialectic reading schedule.

Are they struggling with two chapters a day? Read aloud to your student; make it a bonding

time.



Dialectic (Grades 7-9)

Dialectic readers will be reading about 15 chapters a week, or three chapters a day. Again, this

isn’t a hard and fast rule, but it should hold true most weeks. There may be weeks when the

narrative is very important, and more reading is called for (or the chapters are very short), and

some when we just don’t have as much reading to do. If your Dialectic student needs more of a

challenge, they can always do the Rhetoric reading schedule.

Rhetoric (Grades 10-12)

As I mentioned above, the Rhetoric students will be reading the entire Bible in 3 years. Even on

the heaviest weeks, the reading shouldn’t take more than 2 or 3 hours total for the week. May I

suggest that you, as the parent, also read according to the Rhetoric schedule?

Discussion Questions

Every learning stage but the Lower Grammar includes discussion questions for each chapter.

These questions are meant to help you connect with your student and find important facts or

major themes in each chapter. You can use the questions in a family worship setting, in a

discussion time in your homeschool, or you can have your child journal the answers (just be

certain they’re not overwhelmed with “work”). I’ve included the same questions for each level

to facilitate an effective discussion time in families with children in multiple developmental

stages.

http://thinkingkids.wordpress.com/2012/12/13/bible-road-trip-year-one-week-nineteen-free-printable-curriculum/img_4595/



What About the Tough Passages?

Let’s be honest… some passages in the Bible are difficult to understand as an adult. Children are

going to need your help processing some of the reading. For Upper Grammar readers, I took out

some of the dicier sections, but if you hand your child a Bible, they may read it! By the Rhetoric

stage, everything is read.

So… how do you address issues like sex, rape, and violence?

My husband and I have found it’s best to be really honest and straightforward. We explained to

our children what sex is, how it works (just basic mechanics), and THEN we explained God’s

plan for sex. After our kids had a good idea of what God’s plan for sex is, we were able to

address how fallen our world is. We could talk about sin, evil, and the broken choices people

make.

Round Robin Reading ~ One Way to Read

Our boys are in 3rd and 4th grade, so we’ve been using the Upper Grammar level, which has an

average reading load of ten chapters a week from the Bible, in addition to reading about the

Bible and other cultures. We read two chapters a day, five days a week, and discuss each chapter

as we go.

We’ve been reading the (adult) Bible together for about four years now. I’ve read the Bible to

them while they colored, and they’ve read the Bible to themselves quietly. With Bible Road

Trip, I wanted our journey through the Bible to truly be a joint venture. We bought each boy an

ESV Study Bible (the adult kind), and I got one for myself as well. We each have the same

version of the Bible, which is helpful as we read together. We sit at the table together, and we

each read a paragraph, going in a circle until we’re done.

It’s working really well for us! Everyone remains engaged in the narrative, we all get a turn to

read out loud, and no one carries the majority of the load. I think we’ll continue this way for the

next two years, and reassess when we reach the Dialectic level.

I’m finding that using the discussion questions helps engage the children as well. They usually

have a number of their own questions, and it gives me time to add information from my studies.



Memorizing the Word ~ An In-Depth Look

Long ago, before Jesus was born into the humble home of sheep and cattle, and long after Joseph

brought his brothers and their father into the green land of Goshen, the people of Israel messed

up. They didn’t mess up just a little. No, the people of Israel committed spiritual adultery for

generations. They turned their backs on the Lord, and they bowed to carved sticks and golden

statues. God’s people forgot Him. It’s not that God didn’t remind His people to turn from evil

and follow Him. God sent prophets to remind His children Who they belonged to. Even so, the

people of Israel persisted in their idolatry.

God is really patient. But every action has a consequence, and Israel was taken into captivity

and led from the land God had given them.

It was in the post exilic era that we think Psalm 119 was written. Now, I know Psalm 119 is

really long. If Psalms could run marathons, this Psalm would be the winner. Still, it’s worth

reading this week. There are 22 strophes, so you could read 3 a day. Maybe read 4 on one of the

days. Maybe read it aloud to your children. Let’s read the Beth Strophe (Psalm 119:9-16 ESV)

together:

How can a young man keep his way pure?

By guarding it according to your word.

With my whole heart I seek you;

let me not wander from your commandments!

I have stored up your word in my heart,

that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O Lord;

teach me your statutes!

With my lips I declare

all the rules of your mouth.

In the way of your testimonies I delight

as much as in all riches.

I will meditate on your precepts

and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes;

I will not forget your word.

Could there be any better reason for memorizing Scripture? How can our kids follow God’s

Word if they do not know it? “Memorizing the Word” gives children the opportunity to store

God’s Word in their heart. That way, they can keep their way pure!



I considered giving you statistics and important facts about memorizing Scripture. But I decided

that the words of a man – exiled from his country, in love with God’s Word, and committed to

living for the Lord - would be more effective.

In Bible Road Trip, I chose Scripture memory verses that pertain to the week’s Scripture reading

– either to the content, or to the theme. Rhetoric students will memorize more Scripture than

Lower Grammar students. Do you have verses you feel are more relevant? By all means, use

those. Do your children need more of a challenge? Add some work for them. Bible Road Trip

is ready-to-use, yet you are welcome to customize it for your children. I’ve only cited the

Scripture references, so that you can choose the Bible version you’d like your children to

memorize.



Bible Memory to Go

When our children were younger, I used to print a Bible verse on the bottom of a piece of

cardstock and have them create a work of art to illustrate the verse. Then, we’d tape the

cardstock to the door and read the verse aloud several times a day until they knew the verse well.

Now, my children are not excited about illustrating the verses, and we have more verses to work

on. We started our verse memorization for Bible Road Trip by writing the verses on a 4×6″ card

at the beginning of the week. We used the cards to memorize the verses. The problem? The

cards were getting stained or misplaced. So, we laminated the verses. Then I purchased some

2″ “book rings”, a $2 hole punch, and voila! – we have our own Bible verse rings. The kids

don’t lose individual cards, nothing gets bent or sticky (I know that never happens with your

children), and we can carry them around with us.

We don’t eat a lot of sugar in our house, so for fun I reward the kids for memorizing the verses.

They get a piece of licorice for each new verse. At the end of the week, if they can say every

verse for me with minimal prompting, they receive another 3 pieces of licorice. That’s 5 licorice

pieces a week… it makes the whole thing fun for them. By the end of Year One, we should have

some 60 or 70 verses memorized (I’m memorizing, too!).





Notebooking About the Word ~ An In-Depth Look

Notebooking simply involves creating a notebook for a given subject in which a student can

write, draw, map, keep a timeline, do copywork, and record their observations. Writing (and

composing sentences and paragraphs) helps a student retain information in an entirely different

manner than listening, crafting, or filling in blanks.

When a student is able to create their own record of what they’ve learned, they’re able to employ

their mind fully. This, of course, adds to their retention of what they’re studying.

Throughout history, notebooking has been an important part of education and innovation. You

may recognize the names of a few notebookers from years ago; Thomas Edison, Leonardo Da

Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein all kept notebooks.





Your children may be prolific writers, or writing may be painful for them. Don’t push your

students too hard. Allow them to record their observations in a manner that you both agree on.

This may be in the form of lists, drawings with labels, or in a full-blown weekly essay (for older

students). Certainly, as you work through three years of Bible Road Trip, you will both notice a

vast difference in your child’s first notebook page, and in their last notebook page. Anything we

practice is bound to improve!

To help you and your students with the notebooking, I have created notebook page packs for

each week for the Lower Grammar, Upper Grammar and Dialectic levels. You’ll find these

listed with the corresponding week of curriculum on the indexes at the top of the page at

BibleRoadTrip.org.

http://thinkingkids.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/screenshot-y1w1-notebook-pages.jpg



Praying About the Word ~ An In-Depth Look

I wanted children to develop a habit of daily prayer, and of mission-minded concern for people

groups around the globe. Did you know that, according to the Joshua Project, there are 4,366

unreached people groups in the world?

The Joshua Project defines “unreached” as: “An unreached or least-reached people is a people

group among which there is no indigenous community of believing Christians with adequate

numbers and resources to evangelize this people group. The original Joshua Project editorial

committee selected the criteria less than 2% Evangelical Christian and less than 5% Christian

Adherents.”

That’s a lot of people who have no access to the Word of God.

Children who go through “Praying about the Word” will learn about countries and people groups

across the globe. They’ll hear about the problems facing missionaries and Christians, the

hopeful signs of Church growth, and the areas which really need prayer.

Lower and Upper Grammar students will cover major countries (and a number of smaller ones)

over the 3 year survey. Window on the World is a fantastic book that allows kids to see a slice of

life in a given country, and explains the state of Christianity there.

Dialectic and Rhetoric students will cover every country in 3 years. They’ll read important

statistics, and detailed explanations of the state of each country. They’ll hear about the

challenges the Church faces, and how they can pray for disciples in each area. Operation World

is an incredible resource. Older students will come away from Bible Road Trip with a mature

understanding of global Christianity today.

I urge you to include “Praying about the Word” for your children. As you study the Bible as a

family, begin to pray for other families throughout the world.

http://www.joshuaproject.net/index.php

http://www.joshuaproject.net/great-commission-statistics.php

http://www.joshuaproject.net/great-commission-statistics.php

http://www.christianbook.com/window-world-when-pray-god-works/daphne-spraggett/9780830857821/pd/857821

http://www.christianbook.com/operation-definitive-prayer-guide-every-nation/jason-mandryk/9780830857241/pd/857241?product_redirect=1&Ntt=857241&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP

http://www.christianbook.com/operation-definitive-prayer-guide-every-nation/jason-mandryk/9780830857241/pd/857241?product_redirect=1&Ntt=857241&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP




Learning More About the Word ~ An In-Depth Look

In this section of Bible Road Trip, children will have an opportunity to examine what they’ve

learned in a new and different way.

For the Lower and Upper Grammar levels (grades 1-6), this includes the incredible “What’s in

the Bible with Buck Denver?” DVD series. This series is so fantastic! If cost is an issue for

your family, nag your local librarian until the library purchases copies of the series. We have

friends who did this, and the series has blessed many children in the community. We love the

series enough to make sure we own copies. We’ve also given them as gifts many, many times.

We’ve been watching our DVD episode on Fridays to finish up our weekly unit… my boys look

forward to our puppet and popcorn time each week.

For Upper Grammar (grades 4-6), I’ve chosen several fantastic biblical historical fiction novels

each year. I know your family is busy, and that your children have homework, or other classes

with reading, so I’ve spread the reading out over several weeks. This gives kids lots of time to

get their reading done. Why read biblical fiction? It gives children an opportunity to envision

themselves in the time period, living out some portion of what they’ve read. Over time, I’ll be

reviewing these resources individually at Thinking Kids.

Dialectic and Rhetoric levels (grades 7-12) also have the opportunity to see interesting videos

throughout the course. The majority of these videos deal with biblical archaeology. One of my

favorite resources for the upper grades of Bible Road Trip is the “Drive Thru History: Holy Land

(with Dave Stotts)” series. The films are funny, engaging, and provide a tour through actual

Holy Land archaeological sites. The episodes are scheduled geographically (rather than by book

of the Bible), so I’ve done my best to schedule them in a reasonably related manner. The goal of

allowing young adults to learn about biblical archaeology is to allow them to see the Bible as a

historically sound document. It’s important that our children understand that the events of the

Bible actually occurred!

Dialectic students will also have the opportunity to do a mini-research project each week. The

goal here is to give them a direction in which to explore, a little guidance, and see what they

come up with. They can record their findings in their notebooks. Rhetoric students are not

included in this research, as their crafting project each week requires its own research; however,

they are welcome to use the Dialectic topics as a spring-board.

I urge you to include “Learning More about the Word” in your family’s weekly journey through

the Bible. The DVDs and activities will help the Bible come to life for your students.

http://promos.whatsinthebible.com/special-offers-1/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Brand_Exact&utm_content=%7badgroup%7d&utm_term=what's%20in%20the%20bible%20with%20buck%20denver&gclid=CO7uk7CKrLICFYeDQgodoRUAXQ

http://promos.whatsinthebible.com/special-offers-1/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Brand_Exact&utm_content=%7badgroup%7d&utm_term=what's%20in%20the%20bible%20with%20buck%20denver&gclid=CO7uk7CKrLICFYeDQgodoRUAXQ

http://thinkingkids.wordpress.com/





Crafting Through the Word ~ An In-Depth Look

Explore Further ~ Crafting Through the Word ~ Lower and Upper Grammar

“Crafting Through the Word” allows children to really internalize what they’ve been

learning. When we create works of art to represent what we’ve been learning, it employs our

brains in a whole new method of study. “Crafting Through the Word” changes as children age.

Explore Further ~ Crafting Through the Word ~ Lower and Upper Grammar

For the Lower and Upper Grammar levels (grades 1-6), the crafting section of Bible Road Trip

is designed to be simple, fun, and artistic. Children can experiment with different mediums and

art forms, expressing what they’ve learned for the week. Some projects, like the “bookshelf”

pictured at the beginning of this post, are ongoing. The process of creating the bookshelf will

help children remember the order and category of each book of the Bible. Other projects, like

the painting above, deal with a portion of the reading for the week.

Grammar students are still filing information into their brains for later use. They excel at facts

and figures, and at memorization. Many grammar level children enjoy creating, and would much

rather paint than write. Crafting is a wonderful way to help these students connect to the stories

they’ve heard, and to make the Bible come alive.

As an art major, I always think that minimal instruction is best at this age. We want to give our

kids a direction to work in, hand them the materials they need to complete their work of art, and

encourage them liberally. For our art projects, we have a stock of colored and white cardstock,

paper, construction paper, colored pens, permanent markers, colored pencils, crayons,

paintbrushes, watercolors, acrylics, finger paints, scissors and glue. We also keep a few fun




3-dimensional supplies on hand for moments of inspiration. We have a basket of odds and ends

like glitter, pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks, google eyes and pompoms.

In short, the crafting suggestions in Bible Road Trip exist to help you support your children’s

creative expression of what they’ve learned. Using their hands to form their lessons is a fantastic

way to aid the educational process.

Don’t worry if your child’s cloud and fire pillar drawing looks unrecognizable. Just encourage

them for making the effort, tape it to the refrigerator (or file it in their notebook), and thank them

for such great work. Over time, their ability to put ideas onto paper will improve. Children are

often discouraged by the fact that the picture in their head doesn’t always translate onto the

page. Our job as parents is to let our kids know that art is creative, and that we may be surprised

(a little) by the way something turns out. Art is also hard work. It takes practice to perfect our

skills. As they become less sensitive about their work, we can note fun new techniques they can

try that may change the look of their art.

Explore Further ~ Crafting Through the Word ~ Dialectic

For the Dialectic levels (grades 7-9), the crafting section of Bible Road Trip is designed to help

your middle school students associate what they are learning about the Bible to history and to

archaeology. It will also help them understand the chronology of the biblical narrative.

Dialectic students will create and manage a biblical timeline for the three years of their Bible

Road Trip. As they read, they will add dates to their timeline.

By the third year of in Bible Road Trip, Dialectic students will have a good idea of how the Bible

is situated in history. They’ll understand how the various kings relate to each other, and where

the prophets were located in the narrative. Additionally, they will have some knowledge of what

was occurring in the rest of the world.




As students do their mini-research projects (see “Learning More about the Word ~ Dialectic”),

they can add dates they locate in their research as well. This allows children to truly engage in

and own their Bible studies.

“Crafting Through the Word” for Dialectic level students will help build a foundation of

understanding for a life time of Bible study. Students will gain a solid understanding of the

biblical narrative in history. It will become more 3-dimensional for them as they add layers of

knowledge to their studies.

Explore Further ~ Crafting Through the Word ~ Rhetoric

For the Rhetoric levels (grades 10-12), the crafting section of Bible Road Trip is designed to

help high school students communicate what they’ve been learning about the Bible with

others. By the time your student is in high school, they should be developmentally moving into

the “rhetoric” stage of learning, where they are ready to effectively present information, respond

to questions, and really share their faith and knowledge.

I’ve suggested that Rhetoric students choose a topic each week to blog or share a video

presentation about. It is completely at the discretion of each family whether this presentation is

made public. Whether your student shares their thoughts over the internet, or just with your

family or youth group, I urge you to consider having your child write about their studies each

week. The practice of sharing their new knowledge of the Bible will not only help cement the

information in their mind, but will help them gain the confidence to speak about God’s Word

with some authority.

bible road trip a 3 year bible survey - wordpress.com · bible road trip is a 3 year bible survey...

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