One thing I really want to accomplish in our homeschooling is to give my children MORE in the way of scripture study. I mean, I have them with me all day. Surely we have time for more, focused, daily scripture study. My kids are young enough that they can’t sit still very long (and those that can are distracted by those that can’t) so what I really needed was some way to hit all the important points, broken up into manageable bite-sized pieces.
Wait a second. Serious course of scripture-based study? Bite-sized pieces? Pre-made lessons? That sounds like Seminary!
Now obviously the lessons have to be adapted a little bit for a six year old and an eight year old, but all of the manuals are online and the resources are there to make a wonderful course of study. We did our first lesson today, and I’m going to share it with you! We started with the Old Testament (manual here) because it just seemed like a good place to make a beginning. Don’t you think?
(Back to OT Junior Seminary overview)
Lesson 1: The Premortal Life and the Council in Heaven
To Prepare: Read Abraham 3:22-28, print off or write out the list of unfamiliar terms (under the heading Understanding the Scriptures) and their definitions, print off a cut and glue activity for each child participating.
To Teach: Begin with a prayer. Have the kids read Abraham 3:22 and 23. Go slowly and stop to read and explain the definitions of unfamiliar terms. For any children with their own scriptures, help them mark these two verses in red. (Abraham 3:22-23 is a scripture mastery scripture!)
You read verses 24-28 to them, slowly, explaining the story as you go along. This is basically the story of the council in Heaven and the preparations to create the Earth, as well as the record of the falling away, so this is a story important for the kids to learn. Summarize it in a way that they can understand and remember.
Next, pull out the cut and glue. (Wait for the cheers to subside, haha.) Explain each step in the Plan carefully, stopping to answer questions and clear up misconceptions. The Telestial Kingdom, in particular, required me to explain that it was still a very nice place and that Satan does not live there.
Let the kids color, cut, and glue. Everyone, ages 3-8, enjoyed this activity.
Pat yourself on the back! You’re done!
by 
