Spotlight On: Bible Curriculum By Grade

August 22, 2018
Written by:
Tasha Swearingen

For Christian homeschoolers, Bible study is one of the most important aspects of the day. Starting the day off with a focus on those things that are good and peaceful (Psalm 29:11) has an amazing effect on how the homeschooling day goes.  Though some Christian homeschoolers choose to teach the Bible as an entirely separate subject – giving it primary focus and starting their day with a strong emphasis (Ps 63:1) – others follow Deut. 6:6-9 and incorporate the Bible into every subject. Both methods are amazing ways to pass on the wealth of knowledge the Bible has to offer. However, if you do choose to teach Bible as a separate subject, here are a few things you won’t want to forget.

What’s Included In a Homeschool Bible Curriculum?

While the specific topics included will vary based on your child’s age or grade level, solid programs all have one thing in common: they teach that Jesus died for our sins and redemption is found through a personal relationship with him.

In addition, you can expect a Bible curriculum to cater to your students’ grade levels.

  • Lower elementary: Students at this grade level (preK-3rd) begin learning the very basics of Jesus and His Bible is probably the most important part of a homeschooler's day! love for them. They’re learning that God created them and everything around them. In addition, students usually learn about Adam and Eve, sin, and redemption. With this age group, a hands-on Bible curriculum often makes the concepts easier to grasp.
  • Upper elementary: At this grade level, students begin to understand more about sin and redemption and Christ’s dying for their sins. Students start to understand the basics regarding having a relationship with Christ and being baptized as well as what that means.
  • Middle grades: By this point, students have learned everything above with one important additional aspect – they begin to learn that having a relationship with Christ means having a personal relationship with Him instead of something passed along by parents.
  • High school: In high school, students build upon their relationship with Christ. At this level, some parents also choose to teach students about other religions of the world. Students can then decide for themselves why they believe everything they’ve been taught up until now.

Homeschool Bible Curriculum Publishers

For some families, the Bible itself is enough “curriculum.” These families prefer to work through the Bible passage by passage, focusing on a different theme for each week or month. Other families prefer to use something laid out and structured for a teaching setting.

Most Christian homeschool curriculum publishers have Bible as a separate subject which means you can just order that subject right along with math, language arts, science, and history. At times, though, you may find that while you like the math and language arts a publisher has, you don’t necessarily like how they’re covering Bible. We’ve done some of the research for you and have included some great Bible curriculum publishers below. Remember, if you can’t find a homeschool Bible curriculum that works nicely for your family, you can also use Sunday School curriculum and adapt it for a smaller “classroom.”

  • Grapevine Studies – This program has something for all homeschool learning styles! The program specifically advertises that it helps visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. They have content for students ages 3-14 (broken up by grade level) and even offer free samples of their curriculum.
  • Answers in Genesis – By tapping into things kids love (stories, songs, and visual aids such as movies), Answers in Genesis has created a Bible curriculum suitable for all ages. Their “for kids” program addresses similar topics that their regular books address but in a way that kids will better understand.
  • Calvary Curriculum – Calvary Curriculum is a free homeschool Bible curriculum available for anyone. Their program teaches children from preschool age to about 10-12 years of age. Of course, you could expand on the topics to stretch it for older students. The older version of their program divides the lessons into Old and New Testament topics for children while the revised version teaches Genesis and the life of Christ. Feel free to use the version that suits your family’s needs.
  • Positive Action – Positive Action Bible curriculum offers a full and complete K4-12th grade Bible curriculum. There’s something for every child in your family! If there are any concerns about content overlapping with students who are close in age, you can always check out their scope and sequence beforehand.
  • ABeka – ABeka uses what they call their “flash-a-card” series to teach Bible to students in grades K4-6. Older students begin studying on a more independent basis as they include Bible in their curriculum.
  • Apologia – While they’re probably most known for their science products, Apologia offers a great program in Bible for students who are around age 4 to adults! One big advantage to using Apologia is that they have created a series designed to be used with children of varying ages.
    If you teach multi-level students, you’ll LOVE this program!  
  • Veritas Press – For students in grades 2-6, Veritas Press offers a self-paced program students can work through at their own pace. This is very helpful if you have younger children you need to attend to while homeschooling. Just hand your student a tablet or laptop and tend to other needs!
  • Friends and Heroes – Friends and Heroes is perfect for families with younger students! Presented as a TV series, students can enjoy animated characters acting out Bible stories. At their website, students can learn more about the characters and even play games.
  • What’s in the Bible DVDs – This DVD series is available on 13 DVDs. Developed by the creator of Veggie Tales, this animated series will take kids on a journey through the entire Bible! They also offer a Sunday School curriculum that lasts for 52 weeks.
  • Free online video course for high school homeschool – Old Testament Survey. Access video lessons for a complete semester for free!

Choosing a homeschool Bible curriculum is a personal choice and what works for one family may not work for the next family. Thankfully, there are also homeschool Bible curriculum reviews available to cut down time spent searching. In the end, we would encourage you to make a prayerful decision and seek God’s direction for your family.

Looking for more Christian homeschooling resources?

Tasha Swearingen

Tasha is a homeschooling mom to 5 and has been homeschooling for 14 years. Currently, her children's ages span from toddler to young adult. Tasha has a Bachelor's of Science degree in Social Sciences from Florida State University and is working on her MBA through SNHU/Berklee School of Music.