Ideas on How to Teach From the Scripture Readers

I think the Scripture Readers are a great resource that can be used with little AND big kids.

They have proven to be a great starting point to teach the story to my students, where we could then dive in a little deeper.  Plus – it adds a little variety….

So, here are 10 ideas on how to use the SCRIPTURE READERS

You can adapt these to almost any chapter.  Some are definitely geared to younger children, look through them and see what works for you:

  • Take some blank paper.  At the bottom of each one, write out parts of the story (like:  “Lehi told his son to go to Jerusalem and get the brass plates“).  Hand out the paper with the captions on them to your children and have them illustrate whatever is written.  When everyone is finished, gather everyone together, put their pictures in order, and then tell the story using their pictures.
  • Copy the pages out of the scripture reader, 0r print them off of the church website.   Cut the pictures up into individual pictures with the words underneath, but make sure the scripture references are cut off.  If you have more than one child, divide them into 2 groups, and give each group a set of the pictures.  Have them try to put the pictures in the correct order of the story.  This is fun, because they have to reason through the story and what was likely to happen in what order.  Also, the order of the story itself can be a teaching moment, you could discuss why certain things had to happen first.  You could also make a list of questions about the story and have your children hold up certain pictures as you ask them questions.  (This is one that works with big kids too!)
  • Have a random pile of props, and then read the story  and have them act it out (improv) using the props in whatever creative way they come up with.
  • Have your children study the story and inform them that the better they know it, the better they will do in your activity.    In a bowl, have certain parts of the story written out on pieces of paper.  Divide your family into 2 teams and have them take turns pulling out and either drawing or acting out what is written on the papers as their team tries to guess what they are doing.   You could make some of the papers really hard!
  • Have them draw a picture of  part of the story and then cut it into a puzzle.  Have your children exchange puzzles.
  • Give your children play dough.  Then, give them a list of objects they should shape (pick 6 or 7 objects from the story).   Tell the story to them using the objects they just made.
  • Same principle as above, except give them a list of items they need to run around the house and find, then tell the story using those items.
  • Have your children make some paper dolls with the characters of the story.  Put on a show with their paper dolls.
  • Make signs, motions, or movements  for each part of the story and have your children do the signs as your read.  For example:  Lehi told his sons to go to Jerusalem (march in place like you are walking)  and get the brass plates (hold your hands open like a book)…
    • Later show one of the signals and have them tell you what part of the story that is

Hope this helps!

Please add any ideas you have!

6 comments

  1. When we’re discussing one of the stories for FHE beforehand I try to read through the Book of Mormon and write down some verses that are shorter/easier to understand. Then, for FHE we read the majority of it out of the Scripture Reader, but also read the actual verses when they fit in.

  2. Another great list of ideas! We read from the scriptures but the BOM Reader is full of pictures and really helps to reenforce what is being taught. This would be great to use in FHE after we have finished a story out of the BOM to see how the kids did with comprehension. THANKS for the ideas!

  3. We actually draw pictures with pens, crayons, colored pencils or whatever in the verses that remind our little ones about what the verse is about. It’s a great way to start them retaining what they are reading. We usually only do a couple scriptures/pictures a night but it has been a favorite scripture study for the past year.

  4. We follow the schedule found on this site http://www.schoolofabraham.com/bomtoddler.htm (which basically follows the BOM Reader chapters). Every week I have my 5 year old:
    1. Highlight the verses in this very own Book of Mormon while we read them together and talk about them
    2. Write in the margin what the verses are talking about (Ex. Nephi builds a ship)
    3. Cut out a couple of the pictures from the BOM Reader for that story and glue them in his scriptures. (Just glue the edge of the picture and stick it into the seam… you’re basically creating another ‘page’ in your BOM)

    I’ve liked doing just one story a week because it seems to stick better and we get to talk more about the lessons learned…plus you don’t fall behind if you’re not that great at reading every day.

  5. I read my children one scripture story and one storybook everyday at nap time and my children have such a great knowledge of the gospel from just being read to for about 4 years every day. It doesn’t take long and it isn’t very creative. But I am very consistent. My boys especially want the stories of bloodshed which I guess, is boys for ya. We have also put the gospel art kit into seperate 3-ring binders, (for example Old Testament are all in one binder – or the binder would be too heavy) and the children love me to tell them stories at FHE, or at scripture study, or for a meal discussion.
    Krystal Meldrum
    The Queen Bee
    http://www.House-Organization.com

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