Homeschool Bible Lessons with Something for Everyone

"We are sometimes asked if we are owned or controlled by a particular denomination or if we teach various church doctrines. We work independently of any church group or denomination and make no attempt to teach our opinion about issues of debate. Our goal is to present the Bible and the Bible alone. We believe that it is through the prayerful study of God’s word that people come to a true and lasting faith."

Easy to Tailor to Your Family's Needs

For this review, we received:

•  a set of the Large Bible Book Summary Cards: full page, glossy card stock cards that have full-color illustrations on one side and questions and answers on the other to help you get the big picture of the Bible.  (These were my favorite part of the program!)
  
  
  
  
  
• Intermediate Student Pages through Lesson 26: These are legal paper sized black-and-white student pages that are bound quite loosely (for easy tear-out, I suppose.)  They include Bible drills, review games, timeline and map drills, application activities and more and are written so a child can guide themselves through the pages or work with a parent or teacher on them. You can view samples of them here. 
  
  
  
  
  
• Advanced Student Pages through Lesson 26: These are similar to the intermediate pages, but, of course, are a little more challenging. They include interactive, illustrated Bible study, Bible and memory drills, timeline, maps, application activities, and more.  You can view sample pages of these, too.
  
  
  
  
  
• an Advanced Teacher Key through lesson 26:  These are a companion to the Student Pages and provide additional teaching aids such as definitions of Bible words, background information, instructions for placing labels in the Unlabeled Wall Maps and Time Lines, etc.  The Student Pages may be used with or without this key.  To decide if you'd find it helpful, you can view sample pages.
  
  
  
  
  
• a Wall Map & Time Line Label Book: This small 3-ring binder contains keys to where labels go as well as all the labels needed for the first 104 lessons.  The labels are in full color and made of sturdy glossy cardstock.  You cut them out yourself and attach them to the Wall Maps and Time Line using adhesive putty.
  
  
  
  
  
• Wall Map & Time Line: These are blank maps and timelines that help you see where Bible events took place and how all the stories of the Bible fit together over time. The size of the Time Line is 76" x 25". The sizes of the three maps are 38" x 25", 19" x 25" and 19" x 25".  (This is what drew me into the program.  I have been wanting to focus more on time lines and mapping and these make doing so handy!)
  
  
  
  
  

Of course, then, the first thing we did when starting to use all this was put up our Time Line and Wall Maps and begin cutting out the labels.  I, personally, do not love having to keep track of lots of little pieces, but my daughter enjoys cutting, placing labels, etc. and said, "The Time Line is my favorite part of the program!"

Then, we sat down together with the Student Pages, Summary Cards, and our Bibles and began with Lesson 1.  My children were a little confused at first because I had them at two different levels and so their pages were different.  Then, once they realized we had different level Student Pages, my youngest wanted to try the Advanced level.  I let him, but, he quickly decided the Intermediate Level was for him, and stated, "The whole Intermediate Level because it is easier and I like the activities!"

My oldest son liked the Advanced Level best and said, "I liked that I could move ahead with it, and, then, do something else while you guys caught up."  And, yes, this is what happened - proving the Student Pages can be used independently and do not require the Teacher Key.

Due to the nuero-diversity of my children and our life schedule, we tend to do particular family lessons for only 15-20 minutes in a sitting, and my oldest tends to get distracted easily.  So, he either spent time going ahead of his siblings and I a bit or racing through a portion of the program and then reading or writing his own stuff until we were ready to move onto group use of the Wall Maps, Time Line, and Summary.  This worked for us.

The fact that the curriculum is written with two pages per lesson, but many small sub-lesson bits worked, too.  In 15-20 minutes, we could not, of course, get through an entire lesson, but, because of the way the program is written, we could easily find a logical breaking point, and, then, pick right back up with lessons the next time we sat down together.

As a family, we found the Bible Study Guide For All Ages easy to adapt to our schedules, learning styles, and needs and will definitely be using it in rotation with our other faith studies as time continues.  This means it might take us far more than a 1/4 year to complete the Quarter 1 materials we have, but, that's okay with us.  We are relaxed and eclectic.  For those that are more structured, using the materials 2-3 times a week for longer than 15-20 minutes at a sitting, you could certainly work through 1/4 of the Bible in a year, and the full Bible over four years.

We can recommend Bible Study Guide For All Ages for those who wish to combine Bible geography, history(time line) and Bible studies (but will add the caveat for fellow Catholics that not all the books of the Bible are included and, also, we have yet to see what every lesson is like, so would recommend families work together so that if the odd theology question comes up, it can be dealt with right away.  I do not foresee this happening since so far we've found the program truly does just stick to the Word, not interpretations of it.  However, I would feel remiss not mentioning to fellow Catholics that I have not yet read every lesson and, therefore, cannot speak to the entire 4-year program.  I like what I have done so far!)

Learn More

Find all the reviews.

Want different points of view?  Seventy Homeschool Review Crew families tested out different levels of the Bible Study Guide For All Ages.

Find the Bible Study Guide for All Ages on Facebook and Twitter.

Dave Stotts and his Homeschool Video Curriculum by Drive Thru History Adventures!  

Seriously. My children were so looking forward to diving in to review our Drive Thru History Adventures annual subscription that, even though they all got hit with the flu right after we gained access to it, they begged to begin watching the streaming videos.Since my children were all too feverish and lethargic to do anything else, I loosened up our typically tighter rein on consecutive minutes spent on screentime and began to binge watch American History with them. It was great! 

Despite my children's sickness, giggles and guffaws erupted from them as we watched streaming episodes on American History together.  Then, after every few episodes, I paused the videos and used the discussion questions and pdf answer guides that come as a part of the curriculum to chat with my children about specific historical points made in the episodes we had already viewed.  We also spent some time browsing the beautiful famous art works which are provided online as part of the curriculum, reading quotes, and deciding that we'd save suggested readings and other resources for later since we all wanted to hit play on another episode of Dave Stotts humorous and historically accurate video series.

Soon after beginning our subscriptions, we also joined a private Facebook group open only to Drive Thru History Adventures subscribers and, there, we heard Dave Stotts' family had been hit with the flu, too.  With that, my children felt extra connected to the homeschool history guide that they have come to know and love.  He became not only "that funny history guy", but also a husband and dad dealing with a sick family - a person they could relate to! We just loved how between the Facebook group and the Adventure TV part of our subscription, we got behind the scenes looks at Dave, the history series, and more.

Then - BONUS! - once my children and I were all on the mend (because, yes, I went down with the flu, too!), we received a surprise package in the mail filled with Drive Thru History Adventures patches, stickers, and and autographed picture of Dave Stotts.  My children thought this was "so cool and kind" (as did I) and, of course, asked if we could immediately do "more and more" Drive Thru History Adventures and watch Dave Stotts on Adventure TV, too. 

Who was I to say no?

The children were all so enthused, and we enjoy learning - and laughing - as Dave Stotts chats in his weekly videos on Adventure TV, shares extra tidbits about history and holidays in video clips, and takes us on virtual field trips replete with geography, archaeology, classic art, history, and - of course - faith, in Bible History, American, and Ancient History Adventures!  So, we brought up Drive Thru History Adventures on the computer and - okay - binged a bit more!

We are absolutely loving having Dave Stott's fabulously family-friendly, funny, and informative Homeschool Video Curriculum by Drive Thru History Adventures at our fingertips online.

Get a Code for a FREE Video (with Subscription), 20% Off and a FREE 7 Day Trial Subscription

We're also super excited to share that for a limited time anyone who purchases an annual subscription to Drive-Thru Adventures will get the Gospel series on DVD free as an extra bonus using a code found on Join the Adventure page.  (The DVD's typically retail for $89.99, so this is quite a bonus!)  You can see a preview of that video here:

We reviewed Drive Thru History Gospels on DVD's, and I enjoyed it.  So, when we got asked if we'd like to review the online membership, I said, "Yes, I like him!"

With the membership, I can access Drive Thru History Gospels, Ancient History, and American History videos and curriculum.  There are also weekly videos from Dave Stotts, and he says they will be adding more soon.
I have watched part of each series and like them all.  I prefer the Ancient and American history programs to the Gospel one, because Dave Stotts is funnier in them. 

In the American history one, he is funny when he is eating a ton of stuff with cheese.  He even ate marshmallows with cheese (and then spit them out.)

Of course, there is educational stuff, too.  In the videos, Dave Stotts drives to historical places and tells you about them.  He shows you things pictures and animations, too.  So, it's not like, "This happened in this time and that happened in that time."  It is more like a story where he tells a story of history and is a part of his own story.  He uses humor and helps you make connections.

I love history and have read a lot about different time periods, especially Revolutionary War history, so I was surprised that I actually learned a few things from the videos. For example, I learned about Thomas Jefferson's cool clock that said the day, the time, and all that, and had cannonballs.  It was meant for a bigger house and they had to drill a hole in the floor.   (I also learned the best places to go if I am visiting New York City and want pizza or visiting Philadelphia and want a steak and cheese.)

In the Ancient History series, I had known a little about the real founding of Rome, not the legend, but now I know more. 

Along with watching the videos, I did some of the curriculum.  My brother and sister and I answered discussion questions orally.  I also wrote some down and looked at other materials in the curriculum online. There are suggested reading resources, quotes, fine art, and other things.

I like Drive Thru History a lot!

I like Drive Thru History, because Dave Stotts teaches you, but, instead of just telling you about things, he actually goes to the places and makes them interesting.  He also has a sense of humor - a GOOD sense of humor.  

Dave Stotts, sometimes, goes in olden day things, like a car-boat.  In the American History series, he was talking about George Washington crossing the Delaware and asked if we think he'd have used the car-boat to do it if he had it.  I thought, It IS faster - the car boat, but it cannot fit as many people and it might make more noise.  So, it would only be a good idea for Washington if they could make it silent.  I knew Dave Stotts was just being funny, but his question still made me think.

There is also curriculum.  I didn't do much of this.  I just answered questions out loud and studied artwork.  I can also use the quotes as copywork.

I was very excited when my mom told me we could get another review for Drive Thru History.  We had done the Gospels on DVD in the past.  Now, we get Drive Thru History online. On the DVD's we basically just got the DVD and got it forever.  Online, we get one year of access to the videos, the curriculum, and Dave's extra videos.

My favorite series is the American History one.  I find Dave Stotts is the funniest in that one, and it is a bit less gruesome in some parts, because he is going over less gruesome history than the Ancient History, like when the took over the Jewish temple. Of course, Dave Stotts makes these parts of history more family-friendly, but the facts are hard to think about.

I like the last episode of American History the most when he goes in a boat-car.  It looks really funny.  It was also funny in another episode when he was trying to cut out stars like Betsy Ross.  It was also funny when Dave Stotts went camping in Times Square and ordered pizza. All these funny parts are good, because they make the history more fun. I like Dave Stotts' personality, so I like to learn history from him.

I have learned new things, such as "Romulus killed Remus with a ninjitsu style death kick."  (Wink. Wink.)  I actually did learn more about how Rome came about.

I will keep using this - DEFINITELY!  Maybe even just for the weekly videos when we finish the other ones.  They are funny and we learn things.  I think other families will like this, too!

• Facebook: @drivethruhistory
• Pinterest: Drive Thru History
• Instagram: @drivethruhistory

• math

• reading & writing
  
  
  
  
  
• phonics & early literacy

• handwriting
• grammar
• spelling

• social studies
• science

• Spanish

• music
• holidays

• as a tie-in to a writing class at co-op, we have played "Sentence-No Sentence" quiz games using ELA printables
• I have bookmarked some music printables for when we have some time, since at our lastAMP (Art-Music-Poetry) club meeting the children liked writing "musical words" by writing notes on the different staff lines to create name and words "songs".
• We have used quickie math printables to review facts.

 

 

I liked coloring the maps, watching the videos, and everything.

I liked finding capitals on the map and watching videos.

 

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