10 Tips On Using the New Trek Curriculum for Homeschool

Here are some helpful ideas on how you can use the new Trek curriculum as a homeschool Bible course.

1. I learned long ago that the best classes are the ones where the student begins the class, not the teacher. In most classes, you’ll find a warm up activity. Whether on the board or in a book there is usually something provided to get the student’s brain thinking and “warmed up”. In the new Trek curriculum, each lesson begins with such an activity that can be used to get the student’s brains warmed up and thinking about the lesson topic. We’ve also included a balance of creative and analytical warm up activities to help those left and right brain students.

2. In the Student Bible Study, the meat of the lessons can easily be turned into quizzes for weekly assessment. There’s enough information that it wouldn’t be hard for a homeschool teacher to make up a quiz. Each lesson, after the warm up activity, begins with a primary scripture passage. The information in this scripture passage reading can also be turned into quiz material as well.

3. I’ve taught Bible in a Christian school and most homeschool Bible courses in a Christian context have some memory verse as a part of the student’s assessment. Have your students memorize the “memorize this” verse. Also, if you want take it a step further, then have your students research and answer the question: What does this verse mean? Have your students provide context for the verse so that they understand it rather than just commit it to memory. Then have them read the expanded commentary under the verse for further enrichment and understanding.

4. Seven days of devotions. Have your student, in a spiral or composition notebook (as there is limited space in the Student Bible Study), record their elaborated answers to these devotional prompts and questions. You can also use this exercise as an opportunity to work cross curriculum. Use these devotions as essay prompts that you can use to evaluate their grammar and composition skills. You can also use these devotions for creative writing assignments.

5. Day Seven Devotions. At the end of the week we ask the students to summarize what is the main idea, concept, or thought that they learned this past week. We’re asking them to develop their own thesis statement. Use this day seven as a creative project where they have to give an oral presentation to the family or create a video or piece of artwork that expresses their thesis statement.

6. Four Units, Four Themes, Four Major projects. The Trek 1 Bible Study follows a construct narrative called redemption history that boils down to four distinct themes (sometimes people include five or six, but we picked four). These themes include Creation, the Fall, Redemption, and Consummation. At the end of these units, have your students take all seven of their weekly thesis statements and have them demonstrate their mastery of the concept by developing and executing a unit project that shows their mastery of each of the core unit themes. This project can be accomplished by submitting a written response, an oral presentation, a video or drama that the student creates. The idea is to give the students an opportunity to demonstrate mastery of the subject by empowering them to use a creative outlet that helps them engage the lesson content.

7. Do you have a Christian Service requirement for your students? If so, then check out the service projects in our Leader’s Guide. Each week we have paired a service project that helps reinforce the lesson idea or give your students an opportunity to get out in the community and put their faith into action. Take some of our service projects and turn them into a semester service project.

8. Bible Reading. Want something more for the student who is a high achiever. Have your students complete the two or three year Bible reading plans in the back of our Trek Student Bible Study books. And have them complete the bible reading summaries. More information on this at gettrek.org/summaries.

9. Do you have students in your house at different levels? For the high achiever, have them dive into a Trek Bible Study where they will get the depth they need to keep their attention. If you have a student who marches to the beat of a different drum and needs something a bit more scaled down, but still impactful then check out our Trek Essentials. It’s has the same look and feel but is scaled down for a student who’s not ready to manage the weight of a Bible Study. The Trek Essentials can also be a good resource for the parent who is not the primary teacher in the house. That way the second parent can know what is going on and engage in the topics and discussion with their kids.

10. Don’t forget to have some fun! Need some physical education ideas? Our Trek Leader Guides have recommended games that come straight from our Official Awana Youth Ministries Game Book and are paired with each lesson. Want more game ideas then pick up a copy of our Official Awana Youth Ministries Game Book or download the AwanaYM Games App through iTunes or Google Play Store

For more information on the Trek program and to find these resources please go to GetTrek.org