Friday

Final Analysis Friday: Bible Study Guide for All Ages

For Chipette’s kindergarten year, I tried to go cheap on the “extras”. You know, science, history/social studies, etc. to really focus on the 3 R’s. One of the items I skimped on was our Bible curriculum. About two months into the school year, I had the following conversation with myself.

Me: Why are you trying to go cheap on the most important subject your children will ever learn?

Me 2: I don’t know. Because this home schooling stuff can get expensive quickly.

Me: Is it more important that your children know math or that they know the word of God?

Me 2: Point taken.

Sometimes I do not like myself. She can get a little blunt and testy.

So I went with the Bible curriculum I’d been dreaming about owning one day. And I have never regretted it. The best part is that it’s not expensive either.

I want to share with all of you my review of Bible Study Guide for All Ages (BSGFAA).
BSGFAA is set up to cycle through the entire Bible in four years if you do two lessons a week each year. We do a lesson every day. 

*****UPDATE***** I went through and put all of the lessons into chronological order so that if you want to study straight through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, you now have that option. My schedule is based on doing one lesson a day based on a four-day a week school schedule. If you do a five-day a week schedule, I suggest using the fifth day as a review of what you learned that week. If you follow this schedule you will study through the entire Bible in three years (based on a 36 week school year) with some free weeks at the end of each year for deeper study of a topic or review of the year. Here is a link to the file: Bible Study Guide for All Ages Chronological Order ******UPDATE********

All children are studying the same Bible passage at the same time, but doing different student worksheets based on their level.


The program takes you through the Bible, but not chronologically. Rather you will do some Old Testament, then some New Testament and vice versa showing how the entire Bible is interwoven and points to Jesus. At first I was worried that this would be confusing to my kids, but they seem to have no problem with it.

The Lesson

We do the review section from each girl’s worksheet which asks questions from previous lessons. Usually the questions are the same, but sometimes they are different.

Chipette:


Magpie:


Next, we do the memory work section which usually has us working on memorizing books of the Bible, lists from the Bible, and Bible summary cards or timeline cards.

Now it’s time for the Bible lesson. I read the Bible chapter or verses that the day’s lesson is from. I use my daughter’s ESV Bible, but the lesson questions are written using the NIV. Using two different versions is not usually a problem. As I’m reading Magpie colors the picture on the front of her worksheet, while Chipette just listens.


Once we’ve finished the Bible reading, we flip the worksheets over to the comic strip looking section. There are instructions to help review and cement the story in their heads. I read Magpie’s sheet to her while Chipette follows the instructions on her own asking for my help if she needs clarification about what to do.  The best part is that if she gets stuck on an answer the verse citation where the answer is found is in each frame of the comic strip so she gets the extra practice of looking up verses!


This is what their finished worksheet pages look like:

Chipette:


Magpie:


Now we turn the sheets back over and do the Apply It section. This is my favorite part! You take the Bible story and apply it to situations in the child’s own life. I do Magpie’s first, then Chipette’s.



Usually the point of the story is the same for both girls, but the scenarios presented are different which is good for them to understand applying scripture in many different circumstances. We finish by saying a prayer about what we learned today.

At this point Magpie can leave the table while Chipette and I finish her extras on the front page (timeline, maps, lesson review).

The Setup

I wanted to share some pictures of the actual materials so you could get an idea of how the program is set up.


Timeline section from Chipette's sheet.


Map section from Chipette's sheet. Map and timeline are not on the same day.


The lesson part of Chipette's sheet.


 Coloring page on the front of Magpie's sheet. This ties into the Apply It! Section.


 The lesson part of Magpie's worksheet.

The Extras

Just this year, I discovered a new product (new to me anyway) that the folks at Bible Study Guide sell. They are called Bible Book Summary Cards and they are AMAZING!!!! 


The girls and I are focusing on learning one card each week of school. What makes these so great is that anybody of any age would benefit from learning the information on these cards. Plus the cards are not tied specifically to this Bible study, so if you wanted to use these cards with your current Bible program they would be extremely useful.

The front of the card is a picture that symbolizes what the book of the Bible is about.


On the back is a quick synopsis of the book that explains what the picture is referencing.


At the bottom of the back, under the synopsis, are review questions to ask your children until they learn all of the information.


We’ve already learned the card for the book of Genesis and are currently working on the book of Exodus which is pictured above. I am looking forward to using these cards so much for increasing my own Bible knowledge.

I think this is the perfect setup for any family (even non-homeschoolers!) to all study the Bible together. And in case you are curious there is absolutely no doctrine taught. These are just the Bible stories so families can add in their own beliefs.

The final analysis this Friday about Bible Study Guide for All Ages is that we are using this program for the long haul. For our family, this is a perfect 10!

Knowing and loving the Bible is the number one goal in the tree house,

Chelli

49 comments:

  1. I'd like the student pages for ages 3-K and the summary cards. Curious to check them out!

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  2. This would be perfect for a close friend of mine!

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  3. This sounds awesome! Would love to win. Either for age 6 or 11 and the summary cards. Thanks!
    Michelle M.

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  4. How fun! We just purchased this same curriculum at the homeschool conference this summer and are loving it as well. I just bought one set of intermediate and one set of advanced sheets for the first two quarters to "try it out". If I won, I would choose a set of the beginners (we're currently having littles work with older siblings instead of having their own sheet) and the Bible Summary Cards look great!

    The cd is fun too--my kiddos enjoy listening to it even just "any old time" and it's a great way for us all to learn all the songs.

    Thanks for the review and affirmation on this one. :)

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    1. This is a great program!! My boys LOVE it. I would like the Primary Pages for Unit 1, Quarter 3 and the Bible Summary Cards. We have the Beginner Time Line and have it all memorized! :)
      Thanks!

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  5. This sounds great! I love the ability to combine kids in any subject:)

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  6. We'd love this Bible book summary cards and Primary sheets! They look great!

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  7. This looks great! I'd like the 6-11 packet and (tough decision here) the timeline cards.

    Thanks for a great post, Chelli!

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  8. The congregation we attend while visiting my husband's parents use this in their children's class. I would love to try it out at home.

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  9. We love these, Chelli. Have used them since our oldest were little and still use them with our youngest. Off and on, probably 20 years now. We are also using them in our Sunday School class. Thanks for sharing it here. They are written by members of the church, but you are right, no doctrine taught, only Bible :)

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  10. This looks like a great program! I really want to get this for my boys. The Beginner student pages and the Bible summary cards would be PERFECT for us! Thanks for a great review!

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  11. I would love the Intermediate student pages and the Bible summary cards!

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  12. What a great review! I recently purchased a few pieces of the is program and am sharing them between two kiddos. The intermediate pack and the timeline would really be a blessing to us! Thank you! :)

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  13. I would love the intermediate student pages and the Bible summary cards! Thanks!

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  14. I have looked at this study guide and think we would love it. I would be getting student sheets for K and the beginner timeline.

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  15. Have thought of getting these for awhile now. Would love to have the intermediate pages and the timeline. Thanks for posting this review!

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  16. This looks amazing. Comprehensive yet appropriate for all ages

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  17. The Bible cards look awesome! They would be perfect for my very visual 12 yo.

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  18. This looks like it could be a good supplement for the Bible Study we currently use. I would like the beginner's set and the Bible cards look really helpful.

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  19. This has been on my wishlist for awhile. It would really cool to have the time line to use with it.

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  20. I hadn't heard of this curriculum. I'd want the intermediate sheets, and the bible summary cards if I win.

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  21. Great review, thanks!!! We absolutely love this program! I would love the year 3 intermediate student pages and the Bible Summary cards. Thanks!

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  22. Stopping by from WTMF. I was just looking at this Bible program on Friday. I would love to win this, thanks for the chance to win!

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  23. I would love the intermediate student pages and the Bible summary cards! These look great! Thanks for sharing!

    HannahPTL@yahoo.com

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  24. The Bible summary cards look amazing! This would be a great addition to our daily Bible study. We use the beginner and intermediate pages. :)

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  25. Great review! I've used BSGFAG in the past and you've motivated me to start up again.

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  26. I've been wanting to buy this!

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  27. I've been looking at this for a while and would love the Intermediate student pack to start!!

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  28. I've been thinking about this myself. Looks like you're very pleased with it. I'd love the intermediate pages and the Bible Summary cards.

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  29. I've been wanting this curriculum! I would love to have the Intermediate Student Pages if I won! Thanks for the review!

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  30. Awesome review Chelli! I'd love to win the 6-11 pages:)

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  31. I've been looking at these for a long time now, would love to win them! The 3 to kindergarten pages and summary cards :)

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  32. I'd love to win the beginner pages & the summary cards! I've wanted this curriculum for several years now.

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  33. We love Bible Study Guide for All Ages! I really think it is the best Bible curriculum out there. We are slowly working through unit 1. It would be awesome if we could win the Intermediate pages for Unit 2! We don't have the summary cards, and those would be so nice to have and would be my choice to win. I have the timeline on my wishlist as well :)

    Thank you for hosting such a generous giveaway!

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  34. I also liked The Planted Trees on Facebook!

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  35. I would love to win the intermediate pages and the bible book cards. Thanks for a great giveaway, Chelli!

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  36. Wow this looks awesome. Thanks for sharing! I would love to win the Teen Bible Study and the summary cards. Sherry

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  37. Thanks for mentioning the giveaway to me on the Church of Christ Homeschoolers fb page!! I'd love to get the beginner pages and the timeline! =) ~Kelly

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  38. I have kicked myself for not purchasing this for my daughter this year. Would love the intermediate (3rd-4th)set with the summary cards!
    Laurie

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  39. Fun giveaway! We'd love the beginner with the summary cards! Thanks for the opportunity!

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  40. Awesome giveaway! We're almost through year 3 of BSG, so I'd love to get some of the advanced and/or intermediate worksheets for year 4. I have the summary cards already, but I'd love to get the Beginner timeline for my Bible class room at church!

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  41. I would love to have the intermediate set with the summary cards!!

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  42. We'd appreciate the Intermediate Pages and the Summary Cards =). Thanks Chelli!

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  43. I would want the Primary student pages and the Summary cards. Thanks!

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  44. Lol! My other self can be blunt too! Thank you for such a thorough explanation of curriculum!

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  45. Fantastic your idea:) We love Bible Study Guide for All Ages!We had the opportunity to audit Bible Study Guide For All Ages with every one of the three of our youngsters ages 7, 5, and 3. For our survey we got the Beginner Student Pages (1 set for every kid), Beginner Time Line, and Children's Songs CD set. The prescribed ages for the Beginner level is age 3 – Kindergarten. In spite of the fact that our 5 and 7 year old are both scholastically at the first Grade level I knew this would be a decent fit for our family in light of the fact that they are still both starting perusers and each of the three kids would have the capacity to learn togethe

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