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If you read the Bible chronologically with your DC, how much do you read?


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So, this coming fall, when my DC are 6, 4, and 2, we are going to read the ESV Bible instead of a Bible story book. Now that I know that, though, I have been trying to decide how much to read each day, and how much to cover in a year. 

 

Here are the ways or curricula I am considering. 

 

One story/passage a week, spanning Genesis to Revelation. Chronological. (Possibly based on year 1 from Ambleside Online.)

 

2 stories a week, spanning Genesis to Revelation. Chronological.

 

Going through the Bible and picking every story/passage/psalm that I want them to read, then dividing it (either by 36, 72, or 180) and seeing how long it will take. Making my own chronological cycle, essentially.

 

Bible Road Trip - A 3 year cycle through the whole Bible. About 2 chapters a day. Year 1 is Genesis to Esther. She has a suggested schedule for lower grammar. 

 

Foundations - A 3 year cycle through the whole Bible. It is generally a chapter a day, sometimes less. 

 

Simply Charlotte Mason Module 1- Genesis to Deuteronomy. Year 1 of a 6 year chronological cycle. A Bible/history/geography blend. It looks like it is 2 to 7 chapters a week. 

 

I plan on having a notebook page per story or chapter to make sure it is sinking in. My boys are not currently huge notebooking fans. I am not sure if it is the drawing or the writing because in general they don't mind either. They are ok about worksheets if they are quick. So, that is part of my concern with doing something like Bible Road Trip, even though I love the concept. 

 

How many stories or chapters do you read a day? A week? Do you have your child do a notebooking page? How often? If you have them do something else to demonstrate comprehension, what do you do? If you read 2 chapters a day, do you feel like your child retains it? 

 

My DSs have most of the stories from each version of the Bible that we own memorized because, up until this year, we have been reading but not doing much else. This year we have started doing 1 notebooking page a week on the one story a week. They fight me occasionally on the notebook page. By Wednesday or Thursday they are asking me "Are we reading this story again?" So I know we need to do things differently for next year and I have already started changing how we do our Bible time. 

 

Thoughts? Suggestions? What works for your young kiddos?

 

Thanks!

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Well we aren't going chronologically.  Every time I've done that, even as an adult, I get seriously bogged down in the Laws.  ;)  But we are reading a "grown up" bible instead of a picture bible this year.  Our pacing really depends on the book, on the kids moods that day, on the passage...

So that's not helpful.  :)  But seriously, when we were in Psalms, I found 2 or 3 Psalms a day was a good amount, depending on their length.  When I was in Genesis sometimes we'd get through quite a bit, even a few chapters, because it was more plot-driven, if you will.  Sometimes in some of Paul's letters we only would read a line or two before we had to stop and talk about it, and then we'd talk for 20 minutes straight on that one line and have to call it a day.  

On the one hand, I'm a checklist type person and I'd love to be able to say, "We will be finished in one (or two, or three) years."  But then on the other hand, this isn't really about being "finished" ya know?  I don't want my kids to think, "Well we have to read our chapter for the day." I want them to think, "Lets read the bible until we learn something."  Even if it ends up taking a decade to get to the end ;)  

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We use Penny Gardner's OT and NT episodic lists. We read 4 days each week---2 OT, 2 NT---and the kids and I discuss and I ask comprehension questions after.

 

The links to the lists are at the bottom of the page

http://www.pennygardner.com/bible.html

Ohhhh, I love everything about that link! She has great points. I need to think about this. Thanks! Do you come up with Qs as you're reading? Do you notebook too?
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Well we aren't going chronologically. Every time I've done that, even as an adult, I get seriously bogged down in the Laws. ;) But we are reading a "grown up" bible instead of a picture bible this year. Our pacing really depends on the book, on the kids moods that day, on the passage...

 

So that's not helpful. :) But seriously, when we were in Psalms, I found 2 or 3 Psalms a day was a good amount, depending on their length. When I was in Genesis sometimes we'd get through quite a bit, even a few chapters, because it was more plot-driven, if you will. Sometimes in some of Paul's letters we only would read a line or two before we had to stop and talk about it, and then we'd talk for 20 minutes straight on that one line and have to call it a day.

 

On the one hand, I'm a checklist type person and I'd love to be able to say, "We will be finished in one (or two, or three) years." But then on the other hand, this isn't really about being "finished" ya know? I don't want my kids to think, "Well we have to read our chapter for the day." I want them to think, "Lets read the bible until we learn something." Even if it ends up taking a decade to get to the end ;)

I really appreciate your response, and especially that last paragraph. Makes a lot of sense! We're never finished really, so putting a time frame on it might not be the best approach. I have to think about this more.

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With young children, I mainly read things like the Egermeier's Story Bible. When I did transfer into reading from the actual Bible, we read a chapter per day. Depending on what book you are in, reading more than that could be fine or could be overwhelming. A lot is going to go over 6 and 4 year-old's heads no matter what you do. At their ages, I consider it mainly for exposure, not retention, though they will certainly remember the more exciting stories or things that stand out to them for other reasons. 

 

Some years they would color or draw as I read--other times not. I went somewhat by their cues, what was meaningful to them, what pushed them over the edge, and so on. 

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With young children, I mainly read things like the Egermeier's Story Bible. When I did transfer into reading from the actual Bible, we read a chapter per day. Depending on what book you are in, reading more than that could be fine or could be overwhelming. A lot is going to go over 6 and 4 year-old's heads no matter what you do. At their ages, I consider it mainly for exposure, not retention, though they will certainly remember the more exciting stories or things that stand out to them for other reasons. 

 

Some years they would color or draw as I read--other times not. I went somewhat by their cues, what was meaningful to them, what pushed them over the edge, and so on. 

 

Great advice! Thanks! :)

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