This school year, I made it a point to integrate Bible stories into our calendar time. Each day, I pull out one of our kids’ Bible with the cute, little cartoon pictures and read a story. Sounds great, right? Well, yes and no. It’s been a great thing for my preschoolers, who are still learning many of the stories of the Bible. But for my second grade son {8 years old}, it has been anything but great. About day three into Bible reading time, he started with, “This Bible is babyish. I already know all these stories.” I pulled him aside and had a little talk with him, encouraging him to listen anyway. I told him that we can never know all there is to know about God and maybe he could learn something new by listening to the stories again. Deep down, I knew he was right {although his attitude wasn’t}. He was ready for the next step…to learn more than just the “what’s” of God’s Word. He desired the “why’s” and “how’s”, too.
What We Believe Series by Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc.
About this time, I found the What We Believe series by Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc. I skimmed through the books and noticed right away they had a lot of spiritual “meat” presented in an engaging and hands-on way. I realized this could be the answer to our dilemma. I showed my son the books and explained that I wanted to spend some time working together through the books before bedtime about 3-4 times a week. I picked bedtime because I wanted a time with minimal distractions {all younger kids in bed}. He was excited and more than ready to do it with me.
We started the next week with Volume 1: Who is God? And Can I Really Know Him? We’ve been moving slowly through the book and journal {we’re at the beginning of Lesson 3 now} because I want it to soak in and take root. And I’ve been so encouraged by the conversations this curriculum has opened up between my son and I. I know it’s what he needed, especially when he refers back to our conversations and the things he’s learned in our every day activities {application, baby!}.
What’s Included in the What We Believe Series?
Each volume in the What We Believe Series has a main textbook, a notebooking journal, a coloring book for younger students, and an audio CD {all are purchased separately}. You can view samples of each of these on their website. My son and I reviewed only the main textbook and notebooking journal for volume 1.
The lessons in the main textbook focus on helping kids understand what they believe through:
- modern-day stories that introduce and emphasize the Biblical points
- Words You Need to Know sections to help develop vocabulary
- Scripture Verses to reinforce the points
- stories from historical figures and events {like the history of Darwin} that tie in to the lesson
- visuals and images that catch kids’ attention
I would also highly recommend the companion notebooking journal along with the main textbook. In the front, you will find the lesson plans for each lesson. I love that the layout is flexible and the directions encourage you and/or your child to work at your own pace.
The notebooking journal is where the child can:
- record this thoughts*
- answer questions*
- write Bible verses*
- work puzzles
- write prayer requests*
- participate in fun and hands-on activities, like the water activity you see here. These activities made the abstract concepts, like knowing truth through your five senses, more concrete.
*I chose not to do most of the pages in the notebooking journal that required my son to write because I wanted this to be a relaxed time together. Sometimes, I wrote his answers to questions and other times, we orally discussed it without writing anything.
We did do all of the mini book activities, like the this one from Lesson 2. These mini books helped to solidify and internalize the things we had discussed with each lesson. {He had a little fun along the way. That picture just makes me laugh.}
What Kinds of Topics are Included in the Series?
Volume 1 includes topics such as:
- Where am I building my life? {comparing the wise man to the foolish man}
- How can I know Truth?
- What is God like?
- Why did God create me?
Other topics in the series:
- What are we doing here? {Vol. 2}
- Can you trust your feelings? {Vol. 2}
- Who is my neighbor? {Vol. 3}
- Why does the church need me? {Vol. 3}
- Where is your treasure? {Vol. 4}
- Where does your time go? {Vol. 4}
Who Would Benefit from the What We Believe Series?
This series is recommended for ages 6-14. I would suggest sitting down and reading this with your child, especially if he is younger. The information and stories are written on approximately a fifth- to sixth-grade reading level. Older children could do the reading and activities on their own. My son {at age eight} is always full of great questions with each lesson, which has made for some very meaningful conversations.
My Favorite things About the What We Believe Series
- THE FLEXIBILITY AND LAYOUT: The lessons are broken apart into smaller sections, making it easy to divide up the lessons. Some nights, my son’s attention span was not as long, so I simply stopped earlier than planned. On other nights, we did more than I had originally thought we would. Flexibility is a must with any curriculum and I am impressed that Apologia emphasizes and organizes the information to make that possible.
- NO PREP WORK: Really. Okay, if you count cutting something out, I spent maybe 3-4 minutes of prep work while we worked through lessons 1 and 2. That is miniscule.
- THE PRESENTATION: The material is presented in such an engaging way. The stories are relevant to kids’ every day lives. Abstract concepts are made more concrete by hands-on activities. Questions require students to think about how they will apply God’s Word to their lives; not as hearers only.
- THE CONTENT: I love that the What We Believe series desires to teach kids not only what they believe, but why they believe it. Their full curriculum series to designed to equip our kids to develop a Christian worldview that will prepare them for life. Can’t beat that! {If you’re interested in hearing more about teaching worldview to your children, you may want to join iHN for our Google+ hangout on Thursday, October 24 at 2pm EST.}
The part you may be most interested in knowing about Apologia’s What We Believe series is they are partnering with me to giveaway an ENTIRE 4-Volume Set to ONE winner {textbook, notebooking journal, coloring book, and audio CD for Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3 AND Volume 4}! You can enter via the Rafflecopter widget below. Please be sure to read the terms and conditions before you enter.
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~Becky
Psalms are my favorite verses.
I love I John 4:18
Galatians 6:9
Colossians 3:12-13 – Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
This would be awesome!
Oops! Forgot my favorite verse! 1 Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,
My favorite verse is Isaiah 40:31.
I have been wanting to try this!!
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
Proverbs 3:5-6
1 John 3:17 among so many others.
Joshua 1:9
Ephesians 2:8
Hebrews 11:1
Jeremiah 29:11 has been my favorite Bible verse for several years now! I’m kind of stuck on it at this point of my life.
Oh, and I too am in the same boat you were in with my 2nd grade son. In fact your story is the exact same thing I am going through, and I too looked into these books. If I do not win I will have to buy the first book! Thanks for the opportunity!
Matthew 5:6
at this point in my life, Proverbs 24:27
John 16:33
Psalm 56:3 at the moment!
Zephaniah 3:17 is my favorite 🙂
Jeremiah 29:11.
Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33
My verses change to get me through seasons of life. Psalm 46:2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea…
My favorite Chapter is Proverbs 31.
Jeremiah 29:11-13
Jeremiah 29:11
Jer 29:11
Psalm 46:10 is dear to me
Psalm 91:1-2
Eph 2:10
Proverbs 3:5-6
Hebrews 12:1-2
Philippians 4:7
So difficult to pick just one verse! Verse that I like in speech: Eph 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Psalm 139
This series looks wonderful!
Philippians 3:13-14
Wow! This is an amazing giveaway! I loved reading your thorough review. It provided me with so much information. Thank you! One of my favorite verses is Isaiah 41:10. I have so many favorites, but this particular verse always speaks out to me! This verse is comforting to me as I face obstacles in my life and take adventures in my spiritual journey. It would be an absolute blessing to win this giveaway! I want my daughter to develop a deeper connection to God. I would like her to understand what we believe at a much higher level. I would be learning and growing with my daughter as we build our faith together and gain a better understanding of the world Biblically. I wasn’t raised in a Christian home and this series would definitely benefit us both. Thank you for the chance to win it!
I read the terms and conditions and it stated that the contest ends on October 5th? Was it supposed to be Nov. 5th (yah – that’s my birthday! I hope I am the lucky winner – LOL). I forgot to add my e-mail address just in case tlm swt 2000 (at) msn (dot) com. Replace with symbols and remove spaces if I win. Thanks a bunch!
Thank you for letting me know. I fixed it. It ends this Friday, Oct. 25th. 🙂
My current favorite is Ezekiel 36:26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
Isaiah 43:19 Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
I just love that. I love an awful lot of passages of scripture, but that one just gives me this picture of God’s delight in showing us Himself! Look! Can you see?
Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10. Jumpforjoy@gmail
Psalm 23