Every now and then, the Explore the Bible team has the opportunity to scour the Scriptures in the context of ancient times to find just the right object that fits into our model of object-based learning each week so that kids can apply then in their modern context. Some of these objects are modern symbolizations of the Text Truth or Bible story; some are locations in which the Scripture was written or the event occurred; others are artifacts held in museums and collections. Discovering and applying these objects are one of my favorite parts of working on Explore the Bible. We labor over ideas and possibilities for months before arriving at each object and as we weave it through various parts of the curriculum material, we pray that they provide helpful elements to your Explore the Bible: Kids sessions.
But we want to hear from you! From animals, artifacts, and locations to plants, reconstructions, and nature, what are the most useful or interesting objects in your classroom? What objects inspire the kids to ask questions? Our goal is to ignite a desire to know more and… well… explore the Bible!
Hands down the only objects they connect with are the more modern and nature-based objects. They need items from their everyday world that they can instantly recognize to help them understand the deeper truth of the Bible. That is what Jesus did when he taught using parables. The historical artifacts are nice once they are already engaged with the lesson, especially if it actually sparks their imagination so they can visualize the moment in the Bible we are studying. However, they are not successful at helping my kids engage with the material.