Rooted & Grounded Teacher Guide (2015 Ed)

These are serious inductive Bible study courses with a strong missions emphasis. The authors believe that studying the Bible is the most important subject to be done each day. Since most of the common Bible stories are familiar to students by this age, they have attempted to put important but less well-known Bible reading in the lessons. Components of the program include the teacher's guide and the student book. "Suggestions for Younger Children" books are available for the first two books that provide ideas for covering similar content with youngsters. You will also need a Bible, and the course is designed so you can use your own or any version you like.

Each book is divided into several meaty lessons that focus on a specific topic, and span 10 or more days of study each. Topics vary in each book, from studying attributes of God in Book 1 to studying our identity as believers in Book 2 to developing Christian habits in Book 3 and finally, learning about aspects of Christ's character in Book 4. Topics have been carefully chosen by the authors to represent the most important or foundational ones for junior-high students to understand, and are presented in logical order. For instance, in Book 1, students study God's power and then His creativity, so they can see both of these attributes in the light of each other.

Text and discussion questions are provided in both the teacher guide and student books. The text is the Bible, with questions in the student book providing the references to be read. The amount of Bible reading required in a day would generally amount to a chapter or two in total, although verses might come from any book of the Bible. Student books provide enough space for answers to be written in. A Bible verse is memorized with each lesson. Occasionally, the day is devoted to some special project, such as a writing assignment or skit. Study pages (answer keys are provided) help students prepare for the test, which is given on the last day of the lesson. As previously mentioned, missions emphasis is evident throughout the program. Each chapter begins with information about a different people group. Students pray for this people group daily during the time it takes to complete the lesson. Books are black-and-white and illustrated with light-hearted line drawings. The Teacher Guide lists some introductory and helpful teaching and background notes, as well as answers to the discussion questions. Suggestions for Younger Children includes some of the line drawings from the student book (enlarged) to color, and suggestions of a Bible story to tell (not provided) or an arts-and-crafts project to do. One story suggestion and two project suggestions per lesson is the norm.

If you are looking for a good course to begin the transition from Bible reading to more serious Bible study for your junior high student, consider this one.

Written for a high school through adult level audience, this is a topical Bible study course that should take a full year. Topics cover selected areas of theology, relationship with God, and Christian living. Each week also includes a two-page introduction of an unreached people group accompanied by beautiful artwork by Julie Bosacker. This makes it easy to integrate prayer for each of these groups with regular lessons-sort of like incorporating the same ideas presented in the book Operation World into your studies and prayer life.

The study is non-denominationally Protestant. Introductions to each lesson, aside from the unreached peoples' information, are brief, so the focus is primarily upon Scripture itself. The student is directed to read directly from Scripture, then answer comprehension, analysis, and application questions. Frequently, lessons cross reference additional Scripture verses. Scripture verses are purposely not included in the student book so that students become more familiar with the Bible itself by looking up the verses. However, the teacher's guide does include an appendix with all the Scripture verses-46 pages worth! Memory verses are included along with a suggested review calendar for optimum retention. Student books are consumable, so you'll need one for each student.

The teacher's guide is quite useful. It includes all the student material, the Bible verses, sample lesson plans, teaching strategies, and notes/answers for questions students address in each lesson. Other features are weekly "prayer suggestions" relating to the lesson, weekly review "quizzes," and some wonderful illustrations.

In addition, there is a Test & Answer Keys booklet. The eight tests in the booklet include a mixture of short answer, vocabulary, matching, and essay questions.

This is serious Bible study that would ideally be used by parent and child(ren) together. Although the publisher suggests using it only with upper level high school students, I believe that many homeschoolers in ninth and tenth grades would have no trouble with either the level of presentation or the ideas. ~ Reprinted from Christian Home Educators Curriculum Manuals with permission of Cathy Duffy, Grove Publishing.