Gather the family and
encounter God’s word together.

Choosing the materials that will work best for your family

Do you have questions about what Bible Study Guide materials you need and how you would use the curriculum? We’ll try to answer your question below. If we don’t answer your question, feel free to contact us.

I have multiple children of different ages. What do I need?

The Bible Study Guide is designed so that all ages can study the same Bible text at their age level. So what if you have multiple children at different age levels and you want to study with all of them at the same time?

There are two approaches you can take:

You can do an oral study using the Unit Teacher’s Guide without the Student Pages. This approach and the materials offered are described here.
You can use the new Student Pages. This is by far the most popular choice, because the Student Pages guide you and your child through the lesson, making it easy on you and engaging for your kids. However, it really helps to understand how the Student Pages work so that you can purchase what is best for your family.

- The Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Student Pages do not require any teacher visuals/guides/keys to do the lesson. Scripture references are provided on the Student Page itself to answer questions. We do offer Beginner Teacher Visuals and Intermediate and Advanced Teacher Keys. These are intended primarily for Bible classes. Only if you are using the large Wall Maps & Time Line along with your Intermediate or Advanced Student Pages is a Teacher Key required, since the Teacher Key tells you when to put labels on and take them off. The Wall Maps & Time Line are wonderful tools that really help students understand the whole story of the Bible and the geography of what they read in the Bible, but not everyone has room for them. Time Line and Map activities are included in the Primary, Intermediate and Advanced Student Pages.
- The Primary (1st-2nd grade) level is different from other levels in the way that it is set up. Because this level bridges the gap between readers and non-readers, the Primary Student Pages require the Primary Teacher Guide. What does this mean for you? If you want to study God’s word with your first/second graders by themselves, get the Primary level Student Pages and Teacher Guide. The Primary level is designed just for them. If, however, you have kids in multiple age levels and you want them to study at the SAME TIME, you may want to bring your first/second grader up into the Intermediate level (if the child is reading at a second grade reading level or higher) or down to the Beginner level (if the child’s reading level is still fairly low).
  - For example, let’s say you have a four year old, a second grader and a fourth grader. Your four year old will need the Beginner level and your second and fourth graders can both use the Intermediate level Student Pages (each will need their own set). Soon, your fourth grader may be ready to graduate to the Advanced level. When that time comes, they will just move on to the next lesson in the next level. No need to go back to the beginning when they move up a level!
  - As another example, let’s say that you have a three year old, a five year old, a first grader and a sixth grader. You can use the Beginner Student Pages with the youngest three kids and the Advanced level with the sixth grader. If your first grader, however, is reading on a second or third grade reading level, you can move that child into the Intermediate level.
- You may want to study with your non-reading kids (Beginner level) separately from your reading kids. There really is a gap between what the two groups can do and comprehend! However, you can do them all together if you wish.

The Student Pages are not all there is to the Bible Study Guide curriculum! We have supplemental materials that go along with the Student Pages and really help you and your children learn and understand the Bible better. Go back to the top of this page to get our recommendations for your children.

What materials do I need for my child (age three-Kindergarten)?

The Beginner Student Pages will guide you and your child through every part of the lesson. You don’t need a separate “teacher manual,” though if you have more than a couple Beginner level children you will probably want to get a Student Pages set for yourself. For children using the Beginner level Student Pages, we definitely recommend the Beginner Time Line and the Children’s Songs. Both of these products are referred to in the Student Pages and you will use them a lot. You only need one Beginner Time Line and Children’s Songs collection, even if you have many kids.

What materials do I need for my child (first-second grade)?

The Primary level is the only level that requires both Student Pages and a Teacher Guide. Together, the Primary Student Pages and Primary Teacher Guide lead you and your children through the entire lesson. We recommend that you get the Bible Book Summary Cards. The Student Pages refer to them in almost every lesson and the knowledge learned with them is invaluable. You only need to get one set, even if you have many children. The Children’s Songs will also be referred to in the Student Pages. They are very helpful for this age.

What materials do I need for my child (third-fourth grade)?

The Intermediate Student Pages will guide you and your child through every part of the lesson. You can be very involved in guiding your child through the Student Pages and Bible text or, if preferred, they can do most of it on their own. You don’t need a separate “teacher manual,” though we offer the Intermediate Teacher Key for those teaching a larger group and/or who use the Wall Maps & Time Line (see below.) For children using the Intermediate Student Pages, we recommend that you get the Bible Book Summary Cards. The Student Pages often refer to them and the knowledge learned with them is invaluable. You only need to get one set, even if you have many children. The Children’s Songs are also helpful, especially for memory work, but less critical than in the younger age-levels.

What materials do I need for my child (fifth-sixth grade)?

The Advanced Student Pages will guide you and your child through every part of the lesson. You can be very involved in guiding your child through the Student Pages and Bible text or, if preferred, they can do most of it on their own. You don’t need a separate “teacher manual,” though we offer the Advanced Teacher Key for those teaching a larger group and/or who use the Wall Maps & Time Line (see below.) For kids using the Advanced Student Pages, we recommend that you get the Bible Book Summary Cards. The Student Pages refer to them and the knowledge learned with them is invaluable. You only need to get one set, even if you have many children. The Children’s Songs are helpful for some memory work drills, but less critical than in the younger age-levels.

Do I not need the Teacher Visuals/Keys?

The Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Student Pages do not require any teacher visuals/keys to do the lesson. Scripture references are provided on the Student Page itself to answer questions. Beginner Teacher Visuals are designed for classes of more than two or three Beginner level students. The Intermediate and Advanced Teacher Keys have the answers marked and have additional background info. You may find them helpful, though they are not required unless you are using the large Wall Maps and Time Line along with your Student Pages. The Intermediate and Advanced Teacher Keys tell you when to put on and take off the labels for the Wall Maps and Time Line. The Primary (1st-2nd grade) level is different. Because they bridge the gap between readers and non-readers, the Primary Student Pages require the Primary Teacher Guide.

What about the Wall Maps & Time Line?

From the Primary Level on up, the Wall Maps & Time Line is a great tool, but it is large (the Time Line is about 6 feet long) and not practical for all families. You may need to rely on the time line and map activities included in the Primary, Intermediate and Advanced Student Pages. Having said that, a lot of families make room on a wall for the Time Line and Maps or they attach them to cardboard and stow them under a bed when not in use. The Time Line and Maps really are great, interactive tools that help students understand the context of what they are studying. They provide a clear, “big picture” view of the Bible. You will need the Label Book, which contains the organization system for the labels. You will also need either a Primary Teacher Guide, Intermediate Teacher Key, Advanced Teacher Key or a Unit 1 Teacher Guide to tell you when and where to place labels on the Wall Maps & Time Line.

What if I have a child under three years old or a teenager?

We do not currently have a curriculum for babies and toddlers. However, your two year old can also participate in the Beginner level, particularly if they have an older brother or sister who is in the Beginner level as well.

While we do not offer Student Pages for teens, the Unit Teacher Guide is designed for all ages, including teenagers. If you are using Student pages with younger children, your teenagers can also participate in the study by reading the text from their Bible along with the family, answering questions and helping teach with visual aids like the Beginner Time Line, the Bible Book Summary Cards or the Wall Maps & Time Line (if you are using them).

Now that you have an idea of what materials you might need, take a look at the actual materials by selecting an age group from our top menu or go to the All Products page.