The Bible Truths for Christian Schools series for grades 1 through 6 is available in third editions with fourth editions just beginning to be introduced, beginning with grades 2 and 3. These courses encourage student involvement and application of concepts presented through a variety of activities such as hymns, stories, catechism questions and answers, Bible reading, memory verses, puzzles, fill-in-the-blanks questions, charts to complete, and cut-and-paste worksheets for crafts. The student worktexts are very colorful.
The third edition homeschool kits of Bible Truths for grades 1 through 6 all have four core components: the spiral-bound binder teacher edition, the student worktext, tests, and tests answer key. Student materials packets are optional; that packet includes card stock bookmarks with memory verses and timelines. The fourth editions for second and third grades include a Teacher’s Toolkit CD-ROM in the back of the teacher’s edition that has files for visual aids and reproducibles for the items formerly in the student materials packet. So it appears that the packets are being phased out in favor of providing those resources on the CD-ROM in the fourth editions.
All levels have supplemental novels, with two each for all levels except first and third grades which each have only one. The novels are not included in the kit but are generally priced at about $9 each. You should purchase the novels since lessons are sometimes centered around them. Optional music CDs are also available for each level with hymns used in the lessons. The CDs will play both instrumental background and voices or only instrumental background.
These courses are dependent upon the teacher’s editions with student workbooks providing activities and support material. These courses must be presented by the teacher with a combination of storytelling, instruction, discussion, and reading. The teacher reads or retells many Bible stories, biographical sketches, missionary stories, and life application stories; these are only in the teacher's editions.
Occasional one-on-one activity suggestions acknowledge the special needs of homeschoolers, although the material is, for the most part, written for the classroom. The TEs also include reproducible activity pages and unit reviews that you will need.
The Scripture perspective is strongly conservative and fundamentalist.
Bible Truths 1, A Father’s Care presents a condensed version of salvation history by drawing on stories from the Old Testament, teaching about the coming of Jesus to redeem us, and teaching children about Bible reading and prayer.
Levels two through are structured around application themes. Bible Truths 2, A Servant’s Heart, follows a biblical chronology, beginning with Genesis and continuing through Exodus, Jonah, Joshua, Judges, and 1 Samuel. Short biographies of godly servants included in the text support the theme of developing a servant’s heart. The two novels are A Question of Yams and Pelts and Promises.
Bible Truths 3, Following Christ, takes a very doctrinal approach focusing on doctrines of God, man, the Bible, salvation, the church, angels and Satan, and End Times. Doctrine is clearly Protestant Fundamentalist, presenting a pretribulation rapture and premillenial viewpoints. The supplemental book is Escape, a missionary story.
Bible Truths 4, God and His People is also strong on doctrine, but it follows a biblical chronology to some extent, beginning in the Old Testament, working through selected portions up into the New Testament. Key themes are the nature of God and who we are as believers. Novels for this level are Captive Treasure and With Daring Faith.
Bible Truths 5, Living in God’s Love is about sin, grace, godly character, evangelism, and Christian living. Novels to be read are Songbird and Mik-Shrok.
Bible Truths 6, Redemption-God’s Grand Design teaches about salvation, the old and new covenants, the fulfillment of prophecy, the Incarnation, God’s providence, and the Great Commission. Morning Star of the Reformation and Stuart’s Run to Faith are the novels for this level.
