Our youth advisor is asking if there is a hard-copy book for the youth Search curriculum. If not, why not?
Signed: Book Lover

Dear Book Lover:
The short answer is no, we do not make our youth curriculum available in book form. Search is available in two formats, as a download and on CD.

Because there are fewer groups that purchase youth curriculum as part of a Bible curriculum, we did not originally plan to produce a unit for youth at all. Congregations asked us to reconsider this decision. We decided that it would be feasible to produce youth curriculum if we did not try to produce and store printed material. We also guessed that youth leaders would be receptive to receiving curriculum in a new format. This has been borne out by a generally positive response from youth leaders. As always, we're trying to balance needs and costs as we strive to produce the best product for a reasonable amount of money.

Dear Anna:
Why are the wondering questions for the sessions not included with the story on the back of the story pictures? It would make the storytelling time so much easier for the teacher.
Signed: Wondering Why

Dear Wondering Why:
It does make sense to have the wondering questions printed on the back of the story pictures. We're going to begin doing that next fall. Thanks for your suggestion!

For now, you might want to write out the wondering questions on the back of the story picture ahead of time. As you practice telling the story, you may even think of some other questions that would be good ones for your group.

My class is made up of preschool, kindergarten, and first-grade children. The Primary student book has too much reading and too many abstract concepts. What can I do to simplify the session for my class?
Signed: Seeking Solution

Dear Seeking:
That is quite an age span! The Primary material in Gather 'Round is geared toward 5-7 year olds in kindergarten through second grade. The Primary student book, called Good News Reader, has activities for nonreaders as well as readers. You're absolutely right, though, that it is too difficult for most preschoolers.

You might continue to get Good News Reader for your older children but I suggest you try the Preschool student book, called My Bible Storybook, for the youngest ones. Experiment with the resources we provide to best fit your group.

Dear Anna:
I have a question about the Bible insight section of the teacher's guide. I read it for my own interest as a devotional, but it does not give me ideas for teaching my Middler class. Why is it included in the teacher's guide?
Signed: Looking for Insight

Dear Looking for Insight:
The Bible insight essays are primarily meant to provide context and inspiration to teachers and adult participants in the Gather 'Round curriculum. As a teacher, you are invited to delve deeper into the biblical text as you prepare to lead your group. Treat each essay as a personal mini-Bible study. Or use it as part of the "Opening to God" time of preparing your heart to receive God's teaching on the text. However you use it, each essay can nurture your spiritual life as a Christian and as a teacher.

We have Sunday school after worship. By the time the children come to me, they are hungry. How can I incorporate a snack into the session?
Signed: Snack-Time Seeker

Dear Snack-Time Seeker:
Children can enjoy a light snack as part of a check-in time. A simple non-sugary snack, such as crackers or pretzels, and water or juice to drink won't take much time to prepare. Sometimes a snack can be used to connect with the session. Check the story and the session plan to see if there is a food connection.

Some churches have a snack committee that prepares and distributes a simple snack to each room. Can you think of adults who could contribute to the education program by looking after snack details? Be sure to find out in advance if anyone in your group has food allergies.

Dear Anna:
I teach a Multiage group. I would like to see more ideas for telling the Bible story. I'd like to be more interactive with them during the storytelling. What do you suggest?
Signed: Interactive Storyteller

Dear Storyteller:
The Bible story is the central element of the session and communicating it well is essential. You're right that variety is good, especially for a mixed-age group.

When preparing to tell a story, consider three things: What type of story is it? What kinds of storytelling does your group find most engaging? What methods suit your own personality? Here are some things to try:

Use the children as live story figures, having them mime the story as you tell it.

Have a supply of puppets and rewrite or tell the story as a puppet play. Nonreaders can make the puppets move while you give the words.

Have the children make a supply of Bible character cutouts to use with flannel and a flannel board, magnets and a cookie sheet, or craft sticks and a sandbox.

Dress up in Bible-times costumes and bring in artifacts that will help bring the story to life.

Invite a guest to tell the story dressed in character.

Don't be afraid to take risks as you prepare to share God's word!

We liked the summer series on peace but were disappointed that Gather 'Round did not produce the normal range of teaching materials for the summer quarter. The Multiage book and supplemental material for Junior Youth were hard to merge together. Why are the summer quarters different from the rest?
Signed: Summer as Usual

Dear Summer as Usual:
We can't produce a full line for the summer because many congregations either operate a different kind of Sunday school program or no program at all during these months. We are sorry that this makes it more difficult for congregations like yours.

Perhaps you could take advantage of this opportunity to freshen your program by changing the way you do Sunday school in the summer. Here's an idea: Bring the children all together for the Bible story. Invite families or other adults in the congregation to tell the story creatively. After the story, children could go to various stations from the Responding section of the teacher's guide. They could either choose an activity or rotate in age groups. Find adults who don't always teach to provide leadership at each station. Involve junior youth as teaching assistants or buddies. This gives your regular teachers a break and allows the children to interact with other kids and adults each week. Use the student book as one activity station.

A change in the way we teach and learn in the summer can bring fresh energy to the Sunday school program throughout the year.

Dear Anna:
We enjoy the songs on the Gather 'Round CD. Each year the CD gets better. I would like to know why you haven't produced a songbook with scores for piano and/or guitar. It would be so much easier to teach the songs if I could read the music and accompany them on the piano. Will you please publish a Gather 'Round songbook?
Signed: Note-worthy

Dear Note-worthy:
You're not the only person who has made this request, and we wish we could accommodate you. It's very costly to secure all the permissions and copyright licenses that are necessary to produce both a CD and the accompanying sheet music. It's not possible for us to produce a songbook at this time.

We know, though, that many people would like to have a songbook. If it becomes possible in the future, we will be happy to produce one.

The children in my Primary class wander into class at different times. What suggestions do you have that relate to the theme of the session and still engage the children right from the beginning?
Signed: Time Conscious

Dear Time Conscious:
It's great to be mindful that every minute counts when the children are in your care! Finding something to engage them as they walk in the door is a great idea. Some teachers use this time for sharing, snack, and prayer. Others use it for reading storybooks or playing Bible memory games. (Check your guide or the Gather 'Round Handbook for active ways to memorize Bible verses.) Here are some additional ideas:

Check out a Responding activity that might pique their interest.

Each week bring some unusual items that fit with the theme of the day. Hide the items in the room or place them in a surprise box and have the children try to guess what the story will be about.

Consider a larger project that children can work on for the whole quarter-building a temple using small building blocks, painting a mural (an artist could do an outline), or making gift cards to hand out to people needing encouragement.

Be creative in this time with the children. Perhaps the excitement of the opening minutes will attract them so much that there will be no more stragglers.

Dear Anna:
I find some of the activity suggestions inappropriate for my group of Middlers. I think they would turn the children off. What do I do if I think the suggestions are not age-appropriate?
Signed: Acting Their Age

Dear Acting:
Middlers come in all shapes and sizes, and so do teachers. Sometimes teachers feel uncomfortable trying something because of how they think the children will respond. And sometimes Middlers are reluctant to try an activity.

The feedback we receive shows that what one teacher finds totally inappropriate for that age, another finds right on the mark. On evaluations for the same quarter, one teacher says that the activities were the best ever while another teacher complains about how that quarter's activities were terrible. Go figure!

Close observation of the children will determine what they are truly like as individuals, not just what surface appearances show. I encourage you to tweak the ideas to make them more suitable to your liking. If the children are truly mature for their age, consider using Junior Youth materials instead.