Homeschool Bible Archives - Homeschool Creations

Esther Bible Study for Children ~ Grapevine Studies

Jul312012

This post is our honest review of a product that we received for free. All opinions expressed are solely mine.

Last year when we first started using Grapevine Studies for our Bible time, I had no idea how much our children would grow to love it. Although the stick figures seemed so simple they made it even better because every one of the kids could participate. We were able to focus on key points in the Bible lessons and use simple illustrations to enhance our learning.

We’ll be starting off our year using the updated Esther Bible study with the kids. The story of Esther is one of my favorite Bible stories, so I am very excited to dig into it deeper with the kids.

What’s included in the Grapevine Esther Bible study

As you study the book of Esther in these nine lessons, you and your family will follow the life of a young girl who becomes the queen and saves her people through her courage to follow God. You will also learn more about the celebration of Purim and see how it became an annual holiday for the Jewish people.

The multi-level teacher’s manual has lesson notes, timelines, full-color stick figure drawings, vocabulary terms, a map, lesson goals & key points, memory verses, as well as review questions & answers {ebook $8.95, 3 ring punched $16.95}.
The student book includes lesson pages, timelines, a map, verse memorization and more {ebook $8.95, printed $10.95}. In addition to the teacher and student books, you will also need a Bible, colored pencils, a whiteboard {or large paper} and colored dry erase markers.

How We are Using the Esther Bible Study

We are dividing the lessons up over a 4 week period. At the beginning of each lesson we review anything from prior lessons. The kids take turns reading the accompanying Bible passage {we use the NIrV Discover’s Bible} and then we all complete the drawing to go along with the passages.

I use our large whiteboard easel and our pack of Expo dry erase markers so all the kids can see the pictures. As I read and we talk about the lesson, the kids copy my drawings onto their lesson pages. The figures in the lessons are all color coded, so the kids can visually identify the characters in the story {i.e. the king is green, Vashti is orange, etc…}.

Four-square layout for the studies ~ this feature saves a lot of paper space and ink on printing.
Multi-colored stick figures ~ the variety keeps the kids really involved in the details of the drawings, even though the drawings are based on stick figures
The ebook works PERFECTLY on my iPad ~ Teachers can save more paper and ink by using the ebooks on laptops or iPad. This feature has changed my opinion of ebooks!!
It is multi-aged focused ~ I love that we can use this with all of our kids {ages 5 – 11}. The visual aspect helps the kids remember more about the lessons and the fact that we can work together as a family means a lot to me.

If you’re interested in any of the other studies and levels from Grapevine, you can download sample lessons from many of their other studies here. They have a variety of studies including Old and New Testament, the Resurrection, the Birth of Jesus, the Life of Joseph, and Biblical Feasts.

Ready to buy? Click here to check out the Grapevine studies!

Love God and His Word ~10 Days of Teaching God’s Word

Apr162012

Welcome to the 10 Days of Teaching God’s Word series, sponsored by iHomeschool Network. In all there are 28 bloggers participating, so be sure to look at the bottom of this post for a list of each one and her specific topic.

Here at Homeschool Creations, I’ll be looking at ways that we can teach God’s word to our children. Over the next 10 weekdays from April 16th – 27th, I’ll be sharing my thoughts, printables and other helpful resources that we’ve found as a family.

Impressing God’s Word on Our Children

Before you all get an idea in your head that our family has it all together and life is all sunshine and roses, let me just adjust your glasses and let you know that we are not. Every single one of us has our issues, we are far from perfect and have a plethora of room to grow and develop in our relationship with God.

When I was mulling over my topic for the 10 Days Series, the subject of Teaching God’s Word kept coming back to me over and over again. These verses from Deuteronomy 6:4-7 have been playing in my head daily over the last few weeks:

⁴ Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.⁵ Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. ⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Impress them on your children. Talk about them…

What am I doing as a mom in the time that I have with my children each day to impress God’s word on their hearts? What are we doing as a family? What tools have been effective in helping them remember God’s word?

Leading By Example

The most influential thing in teaching our children is that of EXAMPLE. When we are modeling what it means to study God’s word and need His word, they will see what we are doing. As much as I love to tunnel myself away and find a space with complete peace and quiet, I have learned that it is equally important for my kids to see me spending time doing my devotions and reading God’s word.

I can tell my kids that they need to read their Bibles until I am blue in the face. If I am not modeling that behavior for them, it’s a bit pointless isn’t it? Children learn by example. Last year when I was reading through the Bible in 90 Days, my consistency in following the reading sparked a desire in one of our children to do the same {on a moderated schedule}.

When I am consistent in reading God’s word and in having a dedicated time each day, it not only changes my outlook on things, but it effects my children. My children, better than anyone, know and see my shortcomings on a daily basis, so when I am fully relying on HIM and walking in His strength, it is most evident.

No More Excuses

There are so many things that I know I can do to incorporate God’s word and truth into our daily lives…and so many excuses that I’ve put together not to do those things ~ including putting aside a time for me to just be quiet before God each day.

What about you? Are you consistent in your quiet time? Do you notice a difference when you are consistent? Does your family? Leave a comment and share with us!

Over the next two weeks I’m planning on sharing various resources that have been a help to our family in teaching God’s word to our children {and even me!}. Today I want to leave you with this verse:

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from me.”

John 15:4

I hope you’ll come back tomorrow when I’ll be sharing some preschool helps for memorizing God’s word.