Teaching Bible

Teaching Tip: Ask your students how they

your own personal stories. We want our

students to understand that we serve

a personal God.

can personally relate to the lesson. Use

Teaching Bible

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The Multigrade Classroom

Bible in the
Multigrade Classroom

Multigrade Bible classes are an engaging way to encourage all new and experienced Bible learners. With the multigrade cycles, a teacher can use the same story and differentiate the assignments and discussion questions.

The Bible curriculum for grades 1–8 is the new ENCOUNTER Bible series.

Consider a learning environment that ignites curiosity, engages a student, and connects them meaningfully with our heavenly Father—a curriculum that uses the four walls of the classroom to help build a lifelong relationship with Christ, using the Bible as the source of truth. Through rigorous, pedagogical practice this curriculum delivers a context of creativity and inspiration for both students and teachers. A faith community, where joy is integral to the study of the Bible, is the dream and goal for our new Encounter Bible program, released during the 2018–2019 school year.

In multigrade classrooms that include kindergarten, teachers have the option of using the kindergarten level of the NAD adopted textbooks or Kindergarten Stepping Stones which is the NAD integrated kindergarten curriculum.

The one teacher school or the 1–8 multigrade classroom is a unique classroom. When teaching Bible or other subjects, it is important that the teacher has the flexibility to adjust the curriculum to the number of students/grades that they teach. It is impossible to expect teaching grade by grade for every subject. Teaching to two groups would be the ideal.

However, the option of teaching one concept for all the children and scaffolding the activities is a workable solution which would be predicated on the fact that the teacher, as the professional, would have to carefully consider the following:

  • How many students are in each grade and what is the span of grades?
  • What concept(s) should be taught as dictated by the specific ages, grades and abilities in the whole group?
  • Are there ways the older students can support the younger students through coaching and other methods?
  • If older students are coaching younger students how can the teacher facilitate the opportunity for the older students to be responsible for their own on-level assignments?

Discretion must be used in the 1–8 classroom as lessons are delivered. Careful professional record keeping is imperative to allow students the opportunity to move from grade to grade and to other schools without gaps in their learning.

Grades 1-4

2019-2020

Cycle 2 (Grade 2) — God Protects and Provides

2020-2021

Cycle 3 (Grade 3) — God is Loving and Generous

2021-2022

Cycle 4 (Grade 4) — God is a Wise Guide

2022-2023

Cycle 1 (Grade 1) — God is Trustworthy

Grades 5-8

2019-2020

Cycle 2 (Grade 6) — God is Faithful

2020-2021

Cycle 3 (Grade 7) — God Transforms

2021-2022

Cycle 4 (Grade 8) — God Calls

2022-2023

Cycle 1 (Grade 5) — God is Patient and
Full of Grace

Note: Please make sure you follow the year cycles regardless of grade enrollment.

K-2 BRIDGE (2017) is an integrated curriculum currently in development for K-1 or K-2 multigrade classrooms.

Standards in education are a statement of what students should know (content knowledge) and be able to do (applicable skills) upon completing a course of study. Standards state in clear, concise terms what students are expected to learn. Standards identify the students’ learning destination, but much more is required to complete the educational journey. As goals for student learning, standards inform the development of curriculum, the implementation of instruction, and assessment for learning.

Just as standards for student learning do not describe in full the students’ learning journey, they also do not alone give meaning to student learning. The big ideas and essential questions of life are developed from many sources. Beyond the classroom, family and significant others in a young person’s life influence the student’s personal beliefs and values. A personal worldview is formed by students when they integrate the knowledge learned at school and from other sources into a coherent understanding of the learner’s world. A worldview also gives the learner a vision for how to use the skills acquired to participate in their community and improve themselves. Ultimately, a meaningful, productive life depends on a student’s core beliefs and values from an emerging worldview equipping them to assess the authenticity and relevance of their learning, and to intelligently utilize the knowledge and skills learned.

NAD Adopted Textbooks and Multigrade Organizational Resources

ENCOUNTER (2018) | Grades 1-8

The new Bible Curriculum for grades 1–8 is a digital program, complemented by material and resource kits. These materials are organized by grades 1–4, 5–8, and a general one for the school.

The kits are available through AdventSource. The digital curriculum can be downloaded for those who have been officially trained.

You must be trained in order to access materials. Contact your Conference Office of Education for training and access.

BRIDGE (2018) | Grades K-2

BRIDGE is an integrated curriculum currently in development for K-1 or K-2 multigrade classrooms. This curriculum uses Stepping Stones and Pathways , and embeds all other subjects. Units 1–10 are now available. As other units are completed, they will also be available online.

Union Created Resources

Dusty Shelf

 

This curriculum is outdated and/or no longer in print. It is not on the approved NAD Textbook list and should not be used.

Bible Life Series (2003) | Grades 1–8

Pacific Press Publishing Association

Series 1: Belonging To His Family
Series 2: Accepting His Plan
Series 3: Following His Way
Series 4: Exploring His Power
Series 5: Fruit of the Spirit
Series 6: Christ Our Life
Series 7: Truth Unveiled
Series 8: Becoming Like Him

Join the Adventist Multigrade Facebook group.