A bit of an intro

Here's the introductory pages for our Bridge 45 curriculum book. Hope you enjoy it, and feel free to give feedback.

Introduction to Bridge 45

Why Bridge 45?
We’ve been watching our fourth and fifth graders very closely, and agree with the experts in ministry and secular fields, who are finding that these students aren’t what they used to be. They’re learning at a faster rate and being exposed to things that just five years ago would have been considered more appropriate for teenagers. Not only that, the learning curve between a third- and a fourth-grade mind is dramatically different. Our late-elementary kids are able to reason and make connections that the younger kids can’t. They’re starting to ask tough questions. And when they aren’t challenged, they get bored.

We realize that this is a key time in these students’ spiritual development. And with this realization comes an awareness that if we want them to be challenged and excited to grow in their relationships with the Lord, we need to adapt our methods of ministry. Our fourth and fifth graders are preteens and need to be treated exactly as that. The puppets and “silly” story-telling that the younger kids love no longer hold their attention. Yet, they aren’t quite ready to get too serious or talk too much about “teen issues.” They still like to have fun and get messy, but they also want to learn lessons and discover truth themselves (with a little guidance, of course).

Bridge 45 will be the bridge between our children’s and youth ministries. Our goal is to give the students the desire and the tools they need to study the Bible for themselves. It’ll be a ministry that fits them—their likes, lives, and learning styles. By separating the older from the younger students, we’ll be able to challenge them to think more deeply, guide them in studying the Bible, and better prepare them for life in these “bridge” years.

Format & Objectives
Core Objective
Give the students the skills they need to study the Bible.

Children’s Ministries Vision Statement
Equipping children and families to love the Lord for a lifetime with their head, heart and hands.

Our Core Objective will fit into the vision in this way
Head
By the end of the year, the kids will be able to
· Navigate the Bible
· Give 2-3 sentence overviews of the Old and New Testaments and how they relate to each other · Know key people and events of both the Old and New Testaments, as well as be able to define words such as apostle, prophet, disciple, etc.
· Define and explain salvation, sin, repentance, grace, fellowship, etc.
Heart
We’ll see their head knowledge influence their hearts through
· Growing in their love for God and others
· Their prayer life
· Their desire to study the Bible
Hands
They’ll demonstrate their knowledge and understanding through
· Service opportunities
· Giving because of the biblical basis
· Verse memorization

Bridge 45 will be structured differently than the Children’s Ministries we’re used to. Our school year is divided up into four nine-week units. Each unit is made up of three three-week sections. The unit will cover an overall theme, and the sections are intended to focus in on specific points of that theme.

Week one of each section will be large-group based. The kids will participate in activity stations and worship as they’re used to in previous years, but it will be followed by a longer large group teaching. Our goal is to give an in-depth introduction to the point studied in the following two weeks. It’s also our hope that the fifth graders will be better prepared for middle school when the style is so different from what they’re used to. While small groups aren’t our focus in this week, the kids will still huddle up at the end to check in with their leader.

Week two of each section will be small-group intensive. After activity stations and worship, the students will join their small groups and spend the rest of the time diving into the Bible to find the answers related to that section’s point. They’ll have discussion time where peer interaction is the focus. The small group leader will act more as a guide during this time—encouraging discussion and redirecting when needed.

Week three is a responsive week; an opportunity for the groups to gather together and see how they can implement or apply the section’s points. Often times this will be displayed in a creative and collaborative project.

By spending three weeks on each point, the students will be able to apply a variety of learning styles and see the Bible from different angles. They’ll hear, say and do.

Objectives
Large Group
· The students will gain a deeper knowledge of the Bible—what it is about and what went into it.
· The students will engage in active learning.
· The students will gain the skills to define, understand and defend their faith.
· The students will be excited to learn and be at church.
Small Group
· The students will interact with one another and their leader.
· The students will discover answers for themselves and be redirected, if needed, by their leader.
· The students will share life experiences and pray for one another.
Large Group Response Project
· The students will participate in a creative or outreach oriented project.
· The students will participate in an active application of the previous two weeks.

Schedule
Week 1:
8:30-8:45 / 10:30-10:45 Leaders Meeting
8:45-9:10 / 10:45-11:10 Activity Stations
9:10-9:15 / 11:10-11:15 Announcements
9:15-9:35 / 11:15-11:35 Worship
9:35-10:10 / 11:35-12:10 Large Group Teaching
10:10-10:15 / 12:10-12:15 Small Group Review

Week 2:
8:30-8:45 / 10:30-10:45 Leaders Meeting
8:45-9:10 / 10:45-11:10 Activity Stations
9:10-9:15 / 11:10-11:15 Announcements
9:15-9:35 / 11:15-11:35 Worship
9:35-10:10 / 11:35-12:10 Small Group
10:10-10:15 / 12:10-12:15 Small Group Review

Week 3:
8:30-8:45 / 10:30-10:45 Leaders Meeting
8:45-9:10 / 10:45-11:10 Activity Stations
9:10-9:15 / 11:10-11:15 Announcements
9:15-9:35 / 11:15-11:35 Worship
9:35-10:15 / 11:35-12:15 Large Group Response Project

Roles
Volunteers are essential in making Bridge 45 work.
The Division Leader oversees the class throughout the service. They run the leaders meeting and then assist the small group leaders and large group teachers as needed. The Division leader can also assist with escorting children to the restroom or drinking fountain when needed.

The Large Group Teacher teaches the lesson on week 1 of every section. They are responsible for giving a Bible-based, creative presentation of that section’s main points.

The Small Group Leader oversees a group of students throughout the school year. He/she is responsible for knowing their students and guiding them through learning about the Bible. The participate in activity stations with the kids and sit among them for worship and large group. On week 1 of a section they lead a review time a the end in which they check on how their students are doing, review the teaching points, and remind of weekly assignments. On week 2 of a section, they guide their group in discussion and activities related to the teaching points. On week 3 they assist their group in a responsive or service project.