BJU Press has taken a different approach with their K4 Bible program. Instead of a bulky teacher’s manual, the course is presented form large, beautifully illustrated cards. The illustration is on one side and the lesson on the reverse. There are 165 of these 11” x 14” cards.
Lessons include a small section at the top that tell the Bible truth for the lesson, suggestion for prayer, memory verse reference, and any pages needed from the companion Student Packet.
The core of the lesson may be read directly from the card. Following the lesson presentation, you might use the series of questions at the bottom of the card to check on comprehension. Periodically, one of the cards serves as a review of previous lessons. A Twelve-page Teacher's Guide provides an overview of the course topics, lists the materials that will be needed for lessons (e.g., baby doll, blanket, basket, shoe box, construction paper, slingshot), and adds suggested songs that might be listened to or sung. This Guide comes packaged with the cards.
Lessons begin by introducing children to the Bible, then teach about God as Creator, the Fall, and the plan of redemption. The story of salvation history continues from this foundation, learning about stories from both the Old and New Testaments. Stories are somewhat in Biblical order, but some are presented out of order to keep with thematic groupings. For example, the stories of Noah and of Peter walking on water are together in a later unit titled “Walking in Trust.” Some modern application and missionary stories are also included with their appropriate illustrations.
The Student Packet is a full-color activity workbook with perforated pages that may be given to students for lesson reinforcement. Many of these are very simple cut-and-paste activities. Students are not required to know how to read and write. I would not consider this an essential part of the course.
While a Bible storybook might be used to tell these same stories, the large illustrations, discussion questions, and extra activities make it simpler for the teacher/parent to present lessons effectively.
