Building Christian Character

BUILDING CHRISTIAN CHARACTER - Building Christian Character in our children is an important task. Teachers and parents will find this book to be a valuable resource in accomplishing that goal; Children will discover that learning good values can be fun! This book contains 13 units, each unit focusing on a different value. Children will learn about honoring God, obeying rules, telling the truth, and other values that help to build Christian character. Each unit contains a teacher's resource page that supplies ideas for games, crafts, object lessons, and simple songs. Complete, simple instructions for each activity, as well as illustrations, make teaching easy. A Bible story is provided to teach each value lesson. Questions at the end of the story will provide an opportunity for the children to think about what the story means and how to apply it. There are reproducible activity pages for the children that reinforce the lessons. Puzzles, mazes, word searches, and other interesting activities will stimulate the children's imaginations. Also included are application stories about children who are learning to build Christian character. A contract page helps the children make a commitment to practice the good values that they have learned. In addition, an answer key for the activity pages is provided at the end of the book. Each week encourage the children to think about what the world would be like if everyone had Christian values. Look for opportunities to model good values to the children as you are teaching. Be sure to praise the children for their efforts to build Christian character in their own lives.

This book is layed out with 13 chapters, each on a different Christian virtue. Each chapter begins with a coloring-page introduction to the virtue, has one story from the Bible and one fiction story, two puzzle pages (such as crosswords or fill-in-the-blanks), and a final contract page to color and sign, stating that the student will work to show this virtue in their life. We are using this book in a mixed-age classroom, and each chapter lays out well for a five-day week, plus a homework page. This book uses the NIV version of the Bible in its scripture. Although listed for ages 5-9, the writing/puzzle activities seem to be geared towards 6-7 (late first, early second grades). Children 8 and up would do well to have a supplemental activity, and children under 6 seem to need more time and guidance to complete them.