Many FIAR families look for direction in how to use the Bible & Character Supplement. It’s such a rich resource we hate for anyone to miss out! After all, the most important aspect of living a lifestyle of learning is that learning which develops our character and worldview!
For each Five in a Row story selection, I give in our FIAR Bible Supplement ideas and Biblical references to Bible incidents. I show where these can be found in the Bible. The side-bar (bold type) chapters or verses that have been cited were never meant for memory or necessarily to be read word for word! These chapter or verse notations are just to show the teacher where to find the connected concept or Bible story.
For instance, if there is a story about someone with a teachable spirit and Chapter 8 of Acts is shown in the sidebar…that means this is where you can find this incident. It doesn’t mean the entire chapter is to be read, or even necessarily the portion containing the concept-incident read directly from Scripture.
It is up to you as the teacher to read the material, find the heart concept-and then see how the Bible part connects to the FIAR story selection. After that you can decide whether to simply tell (or act out) the corresponding Bible story, discuss the Biblical concept or whether to read it from the Scripture cited. And, it is at this point that you can decide whether or not there is a proper part of the reading that would make a good memory verse. In short, you do what works for your family!
I wrote the supplement to round out the Five in a Row curriculum, but I had a hope for you as well. Let me take a moment to explain that…
First of all, how many of you have enjoyed the art lessons or the writing lessons not just for your children, but for yourselves? I’ve had so many mothers send me pictures that they have created while teaching art lessons to their children! They will say things like, “I haven’t drawn anything since 4th grade or since junior high school, but I did the lessons with my children and an entire new world of art is opening up to me. Here is a picture that I did.” Others will write and share how the creative writing lessons have spurred them into new vistas in creative journaling or writing. And countless hundreds of moms have written to say that they personally are learning so much from the lessons in science, history, etc., that entire new worlds of ideas and knowledge are opening up to them.
Well, in a way this was my heart when I wrote out the plans for the Bible Character Supplement. I was hoping that you, as teaching moms, would use the supplement first of all for yourselves! I was imagining you setting aside five, ten, fifteen minutes each day to read through the Bible lessons, and to look up each of Bible verses as a sort of personal study time. I thought that the Lord would bless such time spent, excite you with a few new ideas and concepts, and touch the your heart as you drew near to Him. I hoped that you would find much help for yourselves–that the Lord would show you answers for your daily lives, and your own needs. Then I thought that from the blessing and filling up you personally received from the studies you would be able to choose a small part of your own blessing to hand off to your students. Sort of like a baton in a relay race–the baton of faith!
It seems so important to help our children learn to draw the Bible into whatever they are doing. Thoughtfully tying the Bible lessons to their reading books in a very simple way is such an important factor in helping the children process Biblical truths and put them quickly into use right in their present day lives. Just as it is good for our children, it is good for us as well. So, I submit these ideas for your consideration and perhaps a new approach to using the Bible Study Supplement. A new approach, like using it for your own Bible study time–a time of personal refreshing, growing, and uplifting. If you decide to try using the Bible Supplement this way (or already do!), be sure to let me know (like you have for the art and creative writing lessons) how your personal study time is coming along!
Valentine’s Day Books & Ideas
Thank you for this. I thought I was one of the odd ones that enjoy using it for my personal study time during the week and use pick the most pertinent verse choices to share with my children for each book.
I was not raised in a Christian Home and your supplement has helped me along in my bible studies so much!