Bible Study stick figuring, really? Review & FREE eLesson
When I first heard of Grapevine Studies, I was skeptical.
I mean, how much can you really learn as you are "stick-figuring through the Bible"???
And I think part of me just thought this left too much open for my already-loopy kids to carry on doodling all kinds of stuff, daydreaming without really listening.
I was very wrong.
Multiple studies point to the cognitive benefits of doodling, and that "when you draw an object, the mind becomes deeply, intensely attentive." Read more {here}.
The non-doodlers, it turns out, are the ones who are most likely to daydream!
Imagine that!
The approach used in the Grapevine Studies technique is brilliant.
You don't have to be an artist to stick-figure!
For a visual learner this is fantastic. As a kinesthetic learner you've got the "actively doing" part covered. And of course, the auditory learner is intensely listening to the well-written narrative, Bible passages, and thought-provoking questions!
Grapevine also mirrors what I use in Classical Education as their teaching method!
They set the framework first. Once that is in place (the timeline), then the individual pieces (Bible passages, characters, and events) are much easier to place and understand in the context of the whole picture!
I had purchased the New Testament Overview -Birth of John to Jesus' Ministry and used it with the kids just before Easter and it was a hit! That is a longer, 12 weekly or 45 daily lessons, which we truly LOVED as a family and will continue on to part 2.
This month we graciously received the Ruth Studies to try! This is a stand-alone, topical study. It can be completed as 5 weekly lessons or 18 daily lessons. The 5 week study would also be perfect for a small Summer group, Sunday School class or a co-op!
Supplies needed are Bible, dry erase board or chalk board, dry erase markers or chalk, colored pencils, lesson book for each student, Bible dictionary, and Atlas of the Bible lands (a single color map is also provided at the end of the Teacher and Student books).
There is a Teacher Guide and two versions available for the Student Book. The traceable version is for ages 3 and up, and the regular version is for ages 7 and up. You can read more about the levels and best one to choose for your family {here}. All are available in printed or pdf downloadable versions.
The Ruth Study is divided into 4 chapters:
In Moab, we are introduced to Naomi and her family and learn why she left Bethlehem, moved to Moab, and later returned to Bethlehem.
In Gleaning, we learn what happened to Ruth and Naomi when they settled in Bethlehem.
In A Kinsman, we learn how Boaz was told he was a close relative of Naomi.
In Redeemed, we discover how Boaz redeemed Naomi's inheritance.
This is a Teacher-directed study. In saying that, I have to add that this is one of my very favorite Teacher Guides. It's very thorough and not-intimidating. It explains the goals and methods and shows the teacher steps to using the course. I love that it shows each illustration for the lesson. No guessing what needs to be drawn by the student and in what order!
The study also presents itself beautifully as we apply classical mode of instructions, starting with the Timeline set up. This is a fun interactive way to give students the big picture and learn what they know about the characters and events in the study.
Next, the introduction of each character and event is presented by the teacher by illustrating/modeling on a board for students to observe.
As you are drawing, this is the perfect opportunity to be leading the students through questioning and comparing, also asking them to describe and explain the people and ideas they are seeing before them.
They are then ready for the application by drawing their own interpretation of the lesson.
In the Review Section, you are provided with questions to ensure they have grasped the essentials (the who, what, where, when, why, and how).
Here you also have the perfect opportunity to engage your student socratically (tidbits, depending on their ages, of course) by adding to the inquiry and making connections.
[Frankly, I had some questions about why my 5-year old perceived Ruth to be in such distress as she was faced with "the choice", the question mark was his own addition, too.]
Both of my kids listened, interacted, had questions or wanted to discuss topics further.
To have them articulate and explore on their own the truth that "God provides for His people, but many times that provision includes hard work" is a huge Biblical and daily life light bulb!
And of course, the Exchange of Sandals was a favorite fun chat!
Yes, indeed an awesome give-and-take was had at the end of each lesson!
Each day's lesson took about 30-40 minutes for us.
The stick-figuring my kids did went beyond just drawing stick people. They drew symbols, colors, charts, and words.
I appreciate that they are free to draw what I draw from the Teacher Guide OR draw their own interpretations (--ahem, Ruth in distress!) This is perfect if you have a rule-follower type-A kid and a free thinker!
Try it out for FREE:
Try it out! Grapevine has provided a link to a FREE eLesson for our readers! Go {here} to download it.
You can check out full size samples from lessons {here} to see what level would fit your children best!
Let us know if you've used Grapevine and which studies your family has enjoyed! Also, feel free to post any questions you may have below.
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