APPENDIX
Teaching Hints
Two years of time preferably should be allowed for the completion of these lessons. The International Association will grant a diploma upon the completion of the First Standard Course, provided at least one study year has been spent in pursuing the fifty lessons.
If the book is studied by a normal class, meeting at the time of the regular lesson period on Sunday, only a half-hour will usually be available; and in this case at least one hundred half-hour periods, extending over two teaching years, should be used for the fifty lessons. If full hour periods are available, the course may be completed within one year of fifty lesson periods.
The Book
Although the numbered lessons begin with the story of Adam on page [14], there are two chapters which may be used as preliminary material, if the leader chooses. One of these is "How the Bible Came to Us," by Professor Price, on page [123]. There are fifteen numbered paragraphs in this chapter; if there are at least fifteen members in the class, a profitable hour could be spent by assigning a paragraph to a member, several days ahead, with the understanding that each one was to read the entire chapter, but to be specially prepared in his assigned paragraph. At the time of the lesson hour pencil and paper could be supplied to each member of the class. Then beginning with paragraph 1, all books closed, the assigned member could state from memory the contents of the paragraph, while all the others silently write down wrong statements or omissions—these to be brought out later.
The chapter on the Bible, page [11], should also precede the numbered lessons. The chart given is easily remembered and each member might reproduce this chart from memory and tell something of each of the several periods enumerated.
The Lessons on the Book.—It will be seen that each lesson is composed of several parts: (a) The historical outline, which is placed first; (b) the geographical work, in a statement of places and an outline map; (c) a paragraph designated "Significance of Events"; (d) the story of the period briefly retold in simple language. Note the following suggestions:
(a) The Historical Outline.—These outlines, taken altogether, constitute a complete statement of the essentials of Bible history. They are the framework upon which may be built as elaborate a Bible story as one may wish. The outlines may well be used for memory work and in question drills and reviews.
(b) The Geographical Work.—In most of the chapters the maps are so simply drawn that they may be used for geography drill, each student being asked to draw (without tracing) the simple map connected with the lesson, and locate the places mentioned.