I have to admit that I am really having a hard time finding engaging Christian curriculum for my middle-school-soon-to-be-high-school son, Ben. So I was happy to give Christianity Cove a shot. Freedom Ride: 12 Lessons of Faith for Today's Teens ($29.00, PDF download).
This resource is really designed for a Sunday school or small group to use. The twelve topics are dividing into three groups:
| Building a Sincere & Awesome Relationship with God: | How to Behave: | How to Grow: |
| How To Talk to God | Loadies, Cokeheads, Drunks, & Stoner | Finding Your Gifts from God |
| How To Hear God | Gossips & Other Trumpet Mouths | Putting Yourself in the Other Guys' Shoes |
| 3 Reasons We Don't Hear God | Peer Pressure 1 & 2 | Loving Your Brothers 'n Sisters |
| Following God's Lead | Facebook Fights & Texting Wars |
As you can tell from the topics, this study is definitely designed for a teenaged audience. While some of the topics could be used across a broader range (such as the topics about building a relationship with God), the tone of the materials is designed to engage the teen audience first and foremost.
I’ll admit that when I was given the opportunity to review a Christianity Cove product, I had a really, really hard time navigating the website and engaging in the website. The products offered at Christianity Cove are listed here with short blurbs about their content. If you find one you are interested in checking out, you are directed to an online (what I call) info-mercial about the product. Mary-Kate Warner narrates an online presentation that you cannot pause. She explains the reason for Freedom Ride and some staggering statistics (59% of teens abandon their faith by 18!). I do so wish the presentation was optional for those who are auditory learners while providing reading materials and samples (Although I should add there is a generous 60 day money back guarantee).
How We Used This Product: This is a sizeable product with 83 pages of lesson plans and handouts for your teen. Each topic is divided into a 15-minute lesson (scripted out for the teacher), small group discussion (up to 45 minutes is suggested), and finally a "Help All Week” section which encourages journaling or quiet time with a take home handout.
I found the teaching pages to be easy to navigate and follow with minimal prep time required from me {a good thing}. Since I was just using this product with one student, I didn’t go to the trouble of making big signs; Ben and I just talked it through or I’d show him the teacher copy for any stand-out reminders.
Each lesson is preceded by this teacher’s synopsis of what is covered in the lesson, supplies and directions:
Here’s a sample from the small group discussion:
And here’s a sample take home page to encourage more-than-just-Sunday Christians:
There is just something about group dynamics that is irreplaceable when you are engaged in a 1-on-1 interaction. This is where, for us, Freedom Ride was difficult to use. I don’t doubt that these activities would really engage a group of diverse teens. Ben isn’t a Chatty Cathy sort of person. He doesn’t ooze words. So, using a product like this with him was more challenging. Of course, I’m not Effervescent Ellie either, so our discussions were low-key and rather brief. We finished within about 20 minutes.
My recommendations & thoughts: I think Christianity Cove has an interesting product here, I’m just not sure it is best used on a one-on-one home education environment. Certainly, consider your child’s gifts and personality. I appreciate that Christianity Cove offers a generous money back guarantee policy so that you can actually get a feeling whether or not this would be a helpful way to engage in Bible application with your teen.
Christianity Cove allowed Crew members to review many of their products, including:
Outstanding Object Lessons, Bible Science Experiments, 100 Simple Service Projects, Daily Dilemmas: 26 True-to-Life Devotions for Kids, "Tween a Rock and a Hard Place" Lesson Blueprints, Bullying & the Bible Lesson Plans, KidMin Power Pack, Bible Memory Games, The Divine Dozen: 12 Parables of Jesus Every Child Should Know, Make & Take Bible Crafts, New Testament Life Lessons, Fruits of the Spirit Activity Kit, 10 Commandments Activity Kit and Lord's Prayer Lesson Pack.
Click to read more reviews from the Schoolhouse Review Crew
Prices are accurate as of the posting date.
No comments:
Post a Comment