A beginner's course in Bible study

Front matter

A BEGINNERS' COURSE IN BIBLE STUDY

SECOND YEAR

Class 3Sko5

Introduction To Second Year

THE teaching hints given in this book have been prepared in the hope that they will be found helpful to the teachers and mothers of very little people.

It is presumed that the teachers who take up this second year's course are acquainted with, and possibly have used, that of the first year.

Much of the success in teaching these lessons to little people will depend upon the teacher's ability to tell a story. In these stories the child's affection and sympathy have been appealed to, rather than his intellect.

The teacher should study each story well in order to get a clear picture of it as a whole ; otherwise the child will fail to see it clearly. She should become thoroughly acquainted with the detail, and aim to make much of the action. She should rehearse the story until she is quite sure of it.

To carry out all the suggestions made in the following lessons, the superintendent of the department will have to be supplied with a sand-tray, some blocks, some small blackboards, paper pads or slates.

A Sand-tray can be easily and cheaply prepared as follows : Make the tray of wood. For a small tray, thirty-six by twenty-two inches is a good size. Have it about three inches deep. Paint the bottom surface blue, and if you care to have it a little more elaborate, cover the blue painted surface with glass. This keeps

xi xii A Beginners' Course it cleaner and makes the handling of the sand easier. Get from some foundry enough sand to nearly fill the tray. Molders' brown sand that has not been used is the best. Sea sand is rather too loose, and will not adhere well. The sand should be sprinkled with water from week to week and kept damp.

Blocks. The best blocks are those commonly used in the kindergarten, but if these are too expensive, the teacher will find plenty in the waste of any carpenter or cabinet shop. These will answer every purpose almost as well, and probably cost nothing.

Blackboards. Possibly blackboards can be put up about the room for the children to use in giving expression to the lesson story. Failing these, small blackboards or paper pads and pencils can be supplied to the children. The small blackboards can be bought cheaply almost anywhere, and nothing will be found more helpful in impressing the lesson story than their use in the manner suggested.

Memory Verses have been suggested for each theme. These verses are not meant to point the moral of the story, but are to be used as memory gems. They can be sung to music, repeated by the class together, or used in any manner that the teacher thinks best. Only one selection for each theme has been supplied, as there will probably not be time to teach the children more. The teacher should not feel that because these verses have been suggested, it is necessary to use them. There may be cases where it would be as well to omit the verses altogether.

Physical Exercises. If the children are restless, the teacher will do well to allow them to march and