The Perfect Study for Advent~ Birth of Jesus Bible Study

This is my final review for the 2015 Schoolhouse Review Crew year! For this last review I’m sharing the perfect study for preparing for Christmas: The Birth of Jesus: Multi-Level from GrapeVine Studies.

I have heard of different “draw through the Bible” programs and honestly, none of them really appealed to me because I can’t draw.  Rather than focus on the content I should I be learning or teaching, I am worried about if I am going to get the picture right. GrapeVine Studies different. Their tagline is Stick Figure Through the Bible. Stick Figures! Hey I can do that!

Let me tell you why I am excited about this study!

• Not Denomination Specific! ~ This is huge for me as an Eastern Orthodox Christian. GrapeVine Studies provides a platform for a teacher directed approach to doctrine. This allows the teacher to address specific doctrines when they come up in the lessons.
• A list of Goals for Teachers ~ My favorite of their goals for teachers?  To learn alongside the students. As a home schooling parent I am so often learning right along side my children and I love that GrapeVine has that as a specific goal!
• A list of Goals for Students ~ I love how they list “learn from those who have lived before them” as a goal for the students. I think that goes well with the “learn along with your students” goal for teachers! Students can learn from the people who lived before them in the Bible lessons and from the teacher and teachers benefit from learning about those Bible people who lived before them.
• Memory Verses ~ Each lesson, except for the first Timeline Overview Lesson, includes a memory verse.  Supergirl is loving the idea of memory work!

Let’s take a look at the Teacher Guide!

The Teacher Guide lays out everything for you. It includes the statement of faith, teacher goals, student goals, supply list, goal for each lesson, key points for each lesson, and memory verse.  Teachers can put the lesson into their own words based on the information in green printing or read that information to the student. The guide tells you exactly what to draw and includes a completed student page.

It also has a schedule for the lessons, vocabulary to look up in a Bible Dictionary, review, and some mapping. The Teacher Guide, plus a few things like a whiteboard, markers, Bible, Bible dictionary and some time in prayer before beginning, and the teacher is fairly well set to begin. With all the of help in the Teacher Guide this is mostly an open and go type of program. I need that with my busy schedule!

Let’s take a look at the Student Guide

The Student books, both of them, are exactly the same except the Traceable Version has stick figures in gray so that students can trace them. Both contain pages that look like scrolls for the timeline overview and the timeline review. Both include boxes for drawing the events in the scripture reading. You’ll find drawing review and lines for writing out the memory verse. I do wish that the Traceable version had the scripture in dotted font so that Supergirl could just trace it. Her fine motor skills plus her writing ability means that we have to adapt this part. She loves doing copy work.

This is  wonderful study to complete during Advent to prepare for the Birth of our Savior.

The Details:

• The Vendor:  GrapeVine Studies
• The Product: Birth of Jesus: Multi-Level
• The Author:  Dianna Wiebe
• Format: I received the Teacher book, the Student book and the Traceable book in digital PDF format. printed copies are also available
• Age Range:  The Multi-Level Student book is listed for ages 7+. The Traceable version is listed as for ages 3-6 but I think older students who are ready for the content but struggle with fine motor skills, like Supergirl, would benefit form using the Traceable version.
• Also Available: GrapeVine Studies has Topical Studies like the Birth of Jesus, I reviewed and more topics as well as Old Testament and New Testament Overviews. Some of my fellow crew members reviewed Old Testament Part 1 Creation to Jacob.
• NOTE: You can find sample lessons and more information about the different levels on the website. There is even a PDF guide for How to Choose a Level.

All information is correct and accurate as of the date of this review.

You can read my other Schoolhouse Review Crew Reviews to find more great products.