lacell Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 Question for R&S users. We already own Rod and Staff's Bible Stories to Read. I'm trying to decide if I want to purchase the Rod and Staff Bible Nurture Series readers. I am using a separate language arts program and would only use them for Bible study/reinforcement. Are the stories the same? Or do the readers cover more or get more into application, etc? The readers were published in 1985, and the Bible Stories to Read book in 89, so it may be the same author. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clear Creek Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 Bible Stories to Read is for the parent to read to the child; it just provides a short overview of the main Bible stories. The grade 1 readers are not the same stories; they cover the book of Genesis, with a few stories about Jesus at the end of the last reader. Since they are readers intended for beginning readers, they do not contain any application. They are simply stories for the student to use to practice their reading skills. Any application would have to come from the parent. The grade 2 readers cover from Exodus through 2 Samuel (with some stories about Jesus at the end); grade 3 readers cover 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, some of the prophets, and stories about Jesus. Again, neither set of readers have any application or discussion in them...they are just readers to practice reading. The TM's contain very little in the way of application or doctrine (which is fine since we aren't anabaptist). If the readers are being used for Bible study and not just reading practice, the discussions will have to be led by the parent using questions that the parent comes up with. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lacell Posted December 16, 2015 Author Share Posted December 16, 2015 Maybe application was the wrong word. I saw this in the Sample of Reader 1 Lesson 16, "Do we want to read what God says? Yes we do." At least at that 1st grade level there is some teaching. So If I'm understanding you right, that kind of thing ends once 2nd grade hits? For the readers grade 2 and up, are the stories the same as the ones in Bible Studies to read? If my child can read Bible stories to read to himself, will there be any benefit to him reading the Bible Nurture series grade 2 and up? We would not be doing any workbooks, just using them as readers. I just don't want to invest the money if the content can be obtained from the books we already have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clear Creek Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 Yes, there is some teaching of that sort throughout the grade 1 readers, and virtually none in the grades 2&3 readers. The stories are not the same as in the Bible Stories to Read; they are less of an overview and go much more in depth. If your child can already read Bible Stories to Read, though, I would suggest using something like the Golden Children's Bible since it covers most of the Bible and is at a higher reading level than the 2nd & 3rd grade readers. Memoria Press has a 3-part Christian Studies series that has excellent questions for discussion; you could just use the TM to guide the discussion if you are not interested in the workbook. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daybreaking Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 If you were going to use the reading workbooks and the teacher's manual, I'd say they'd be a very good Bible study. They are much more in depth than Bible Stories to Read and by the time you'd get through the grades 1-4, your child would have a very good foundation in the Bible. (Beginning in grade 5, they start over with Genesis, but in a much more in-depth manner and with application.) I'm amazed at the knowledge of scripture my son has developed through his years of using R&S. (He's now in grade 7.) If you aren't planning on using them with the workbooks and the discussion questions in the teacher's manual, but only wanted readers, I still think they'd be beneficial, as they gradually increase in reading difficulty and they cover the Bible in a way that is accurate, yet easy for children to understand. (In case it's helpful, I'll mention that we've also had our children read the Bibles recommended in Heart of Dakota's Emerging Readers set, The Early Reader's Bible by V. Gilbert Beer and then The Beginner's Bible by Mission City Press.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lacell Posted December 17, 2015 Author Share Posted December 17, 2015 Thank you both so much for taking the time to reply. I think I'm going to go for it and buy it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoo Keeper Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Lacell, Do you know that you can view samples of the readers at Milestonebooks? https://www.milestonebooks.com/list/Rod_and_Staff_Bible_Nurture_and_Reader_Series/ That may help you in your decision. The publishers will also send sample booklets if you call and ask. phone: (606)-522-4348 The staff is very helpful. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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