BIBLE AND SPIRIT OF PROPHECY BASED PRESCHOOL CURRICULUM

Bethany Homestead
Christian Resource Centre, Inc.

TEXTBOOKS FOR PARENTS

The Bible - Especially read books like: Deuteronomy, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. Study in
particularly the life of Moses, Joseph, Daniel, John the Baptist, and Jesus; all of whom were taught
at home in the first years. Use books such as: Patriarchs and Prophets, Prophets and Kings, and The Desire
of Age. In addition to the Bible, the following books by Ellen G. White should be read:

Education

2. Advice for Parents, Teachers, and Students

3. Fundamentals of Christian Education

4. Child Guidance

These books are required reading and there is a place for you to mark your progress on the list of
six-week verification. You cannot teach or speak intelligently with others.
people about what you do not know yourself. Therefore, study. 2 Timothy 2:15

The preschool child will be taught from four main areas: the Book of Nature; the
Scriptures, or the Book of Life, and The Book of Works. Attached you will find a section called
Outline of the Course for Preschool, which gives you a summary of the material to be covered in each area
determined. There are no books written, as such, for children in this course. The textbooks
are "alive": the heavens, the earth, the house, and the word of God. The weight of teaching is on the parents to
do things with the child.

DAILY ROUTINE

For preschool children, 3 to 4 hours* per day is sufficient (between 6 and 7 years of age), and
less (under 5 years old). The hours between nine and noon (or 1:00 PM) seem good
hours for mothers, especially if there are young children at home. See suggested routine to
to follow.

*Note: This curriculum was also prepared with small rural schools in mind, therefore to
to be used for a family at home the duration of the suggested activities below can be reduced.

Routine Suggestion:

09:00 - 09:20 - Worship: Start with a short opening prayer. Then, a study on a
the words of the book of life, such as obedience. Read Bible stories about obedience, such as
Samuel or disobedience, like Saul, etc. Use any other book you may have or
passages from the Spirit of Prophecy to teach what voluntary obedience is for the child.
Spend at least a week or more on each word. Use felt for illustration if you have it.
The General Conference recently published a series titled The Ladder of Life. These books have
photos for the children to color, songs to sing, and to teach traits of character such as patience,
love, kindness, etc. - A book for each characteristic. They are good materials to use.

09:20 - 09:30 Memorize Verse: Start with the attached verse list. There is no rush and do not
limit to the time to learn them. Work within the child's ability, but make sure each
verse may be well learned. The child should be able to say the verse perfectly to you, without
any help, for two consecutive days, so that it can be considered learned. Write the
data next to the completed verse and move on to the next one. As the child learns each new
verse, review the old ones, so that when you finish you will easily know all four
texts about the subject.

9:30-10:00 Music: Songs with gestures like "On the Rock the Wise Man Built" are
suitable. In addition, teach the family's favorite hymns. They can also learn
musical verses.

10:00-11:00 Nature and Physical Education: This is the time for outdoor activities, if the
When time allows. Take walks in nature, hike, and engage in gardening activities. Study the
birds, flowers, and trees of your region. Learn first about the plants that grow around you.
your house. Choose a specific tree. Observe it during the various seasons of the year. Do
drawings showing their different stages of growth. Another activity for this time is to
a calendar of nature. Divide the poster board into squares (grid it) - one for each day of
month. Then, draw an image or paste something you studied about nature in the square.
each day. For example, one week you can study the different grasses (types of
(a) that exist in your region and paste a sample for each day. Study only one type per
day. In another week you can study different tree leaves, etc.

Another interesting thing to do is a time graph. A square for each day, where the
a child will draw if it is sunny, cloudy, rainy, etc.

These types of charts make children more aware of the world around them. On days of
bad weather, read about the subjects you intend to study when you are able to go out.
Another activity is to start an indoor garden. Pray that the Holy Spirit opens your eyes to
the book of God's nature. It will teach you a lot. Use the book Parables of Jesus by Ellen G.
White to obtain ideas. You can also use chapters 11 and 12 of the book, Education.

11:00-11:30 Physiology: Study chapters 21 and 22 of the book Education. Start with the five
senses, studying the eye, ear, nose, mouth and taste and touch. Use some encyclopedia to
I acquired your information. Felt material or some book about the human body.

11:30-12:00 Biblical History: This moment is to help the child start to express themselves.
orally. From Monday to Wednesday you tell your child the same story about a
biblical character. Thursday and Friday the son tells the story to you. Isn't it
It is necessary for every detail to be given, as the story is repeated, more details are provided. It is
it is important that the child is encouraged to speak clearly: to speak in complete sentences, and that
the story follows a logical sequence of events. Start with the story of Adam and follow how the
people who enter the story of the Bible. The felts can also be used by the teacher and
student. This is an excellent practice for a future missionary for God.

12:00-01:00 Practical Arts, (if you want to teach for four hours): During this period
plan to cook; sew; knit, crochet, teach domestic skills such as dusting,
sweep, separate and fold laundry; carpentry; cut wood (if applicable), take care of the yard,
etc. Boys and girls, both must do all these things.

OUTINGS: The afternoons can be free for outings. Research interesting places.
not your area. Look for cheap things near home. Visit places where people are.
using your skills as: shoe repair shops, florists, factories, bakeries,
post office, mechanic workshop, fire department, hospital, nursing home, etc. Call ahead and explain that
your son is doing a school research and ask if they would be willing to show how
your business works. Most people are in favor of showing their talents and will treat you
very well, and it is a great opportunity to bear witness to our Lord.

The family is the child's first social unit. They need to learn to live in this society.
before moving to the largest society of human relations. The family unit provides love,
affection, stability, and security establish a firmer foundation upon which to educate. The years
Preschool years are the years that God gave us to lay such a foundation, and these years must not
be left aside. Foundations of Christian Education, p 156, 157. Involve the whole family in
teaching, as much as time and circumstances allow.

If you have young children, fit them into the routine as much as possible to do activities.
together, like walks, gardening, outings, etc. Use their nap time for the
Activities that require greater concentration from the older child. This routine is a suggestion.
You can change it to meet your needs. However, it's better to keep the schedule of
decorate the biblical verse as early in the day as possible, since it is when the mind is most
clear.

This program aims to challenge your initiative and creativity. Not everything is planned, as
there are areas and special talents where you will do better. Use those talents! Furthermore,
we want the Holy Spirit to have a place teaching you and your family. It is amazing and
wonderful to see the ideas that He will give you that best fit the needs and areas
related to your family. Make prayer an important part of your daily planning.

PRESCHOOL COURSE OUTLINE

General:

Mastery of materials in the 4 books mentioned at the beginning.

2. Money saved to buy books and materials you might need.
Book 'Life Experiences'

...the first lesson to be taught to them is that of self-control; for no person

undisciplined, big-headed, can expect to achieve success in this world, or reward in
coming..."Child Guidance, p. 82. So the first lesson to be taught is the
self-control, as an undisciplined person can expect success in this world or
reward in the next.

I. Child must show evidence of progress in the following domain:

a. Voluntary obedience

b. Own Domain

c. Reverence

d. Respect for Authority

e. Honesty

f. Courtesy

g. Joy

h. Calm

Spirit of helping others

j. Personal habits

Hygiene

2. Order

3. Care of personal belongings

4. Care for others' property

5. Regularity in following a schedule, including the defined times for:

a. Rest

b. Meals
 c. Worship

d. Work

e. Recreation

6. The proper use of water, both indoors and outdoors

7. Sufficient outdoor exercise

8. Appropriate clothing

9. Correct breathing and posture

10. Proper diet

11. Adequate rest

12. Temperance

13. Trust in Divine Power

k. Use correct verbal language

1. Keep personal financial records (promotes a sense of the value of money)

Activities: Separate tithes and offerings, and save money to buy something useful. Help pay,
give change in commercial transactions, etc.

II. A child should increasingly be able to express their love for God and for others in:

a. Sing while working and playing (must know several hymns by heart)

b. Missionary work at home and in the neighborhood

c. Personal devotion and family worship

Book 'Useful Work'

In the school of the home, children should be taught to fulfill the practical duties of daily life...
As early as possible in their lives, they should be taught to participate in household duties.
From childhood, teach boys and girls to face increasingly heavier burdens.
intelligently assisting in the work of the family society."Guidance of the Child, p. 70
The child must:

Spend at least two hours a day in useful work

2. Have and take on defined responsibilities at home

3. To have your own garden

4. Take care of your own clothes, including mending, washing, and ironing.

5. Make your own bed

6. Take care of your own room

7. Be able to prepare a simple meal, including making bread.

8. Be able to cut wood (if applicable) and take care of the yard

9. Be able to arrange the table

10. Be able to perform routine cleaning

The mother verifies the accident risks to determine the degree of independence to be granted.
achieved.

Book of Nature:

The only classroom for children aged eight to ten should be outdoors, among the flowers.
unbutton and the beautiful scenery of nature, being for them the most familiar study book
treasures of the same nature. These lessons, engraved in the minds of tender children among the
Pleasant and attractive rural scenes will never be forgotten. "Foundations of Education"
Christian, p. 21

The child should:

1. Recognize the love, wisdom, and power of God in nature through the study of:

a. Flowers *

b. Trees *

c. Stars - to know the constellations of Orion, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, and other stars
as interest develops.
d. Birds ** Keep chronological records, noting the first appearance of each of them.
These records should show an increase in knowledge from year to year.

e. Insects *

f. Animals

g. Objects of nature referred to by Jesus in his parables

h. Objects of nature that represent Jesus

2. Care for a pet

Book of the "Bible":

The Bible should be the first manual for the child. From this book, parents should provide wise instruction.
Instruction. The Word of God should be the guideline of life. By it, children should learn.
that God is the Father; and from the beautiful lessons of His Word they should acquire knowledge of His
Character. Instilling their principles in them, they must learn to do justice and judgment.
Child Guidance, p. 41.

Child must:

To be able to speak from memory and explain:

The Ten Commandments

b. Psalm 23

c. Genesis chapters 1 and 2:13

d. The Lord's Prayer

e. Books of the Bible in order

f. At least four verses that prove these main doctrines:

Saturday Sanctuary Spirit of Prophecy

State of the Dead Body as the Temple of the Holy Spirit

g. Choose two or more of the following selections: Psalm 148, 1 Corinthians 13,
Matthew 5:1-20

2. Be able to tell the stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Seth, Enoch, Noah,
Abraão, Isaac, Jacó, José, Moisés, Josué, Samuel, Rute, Saul, Davi, Salomão,
Elias, Eliseus, Esther, Daniel, Jesus, and Paul.

RECOMMENDED PREPARATION

The Formation of Character

Let's see what some of the building blocks are on which we built the foundation
of obedience taught through regularity and demonstrated by self-control.

I. Reverence - Child Guidance, p. 99

A. Be polite to God.
B. Stay close to God.
C. Be yourself interested in Your world and Your Word.
D. Orientation of the Child, p. 538 - Moses and Enoch saw and walked with God. They
they are in heaven today. This is the way to heaven and reverence for us.
E. How to teach: -
1. Child Guidance, p. 540 - Teaching
2. Child Guidance, p. 541 - Thoughts and motives.
3. Child Guidance, p. 542 - Staying with the parents.
4. Child Guidance, p. 541 The home is a sanctuary.
5. Orientation of the Child, p. 544 - Clothing.
6.Child Guidance, p. 545 – Reverence for the pastor.
7. Children's Guidance, p. 546 - The criticism about the pastor.
8.Child Guidance, p. 547 - Practice of reverence.

II. Respect - Guidance for the Child, p. 98

A. The Government of Heaven is not a democracy, nor is it a home.
B. The parents govern by divine right.
The home is a sample of what Heaven will be.
D. Parents are kings and queens. How do you treat kings and queens?
E. A child will respect others only if they learn to show the due respect for
with the parents.

III. Tranquility - Guidance of the Child, p. 97

A. Tranquility will build reverence and respect.
B. Is noise even better for the child's nervous system?
C. Often, noise is a sign of excessive fatigue.
D. Mom needs to plan calmer activities in advance.
E. Does the noise or silence contribute to the child's reserve energy bank?

IV. Industry - Guidance of the Child, p. 122

A. An idle mind is the workshop of Satan - this is not biblical but it is true.
B. Work before playing and at the right time.
V. Diligence and Perseverance - Guidance of the Child, p. 128, 129.
A. Give the child undesirable tasks in small doses or work with them.
B. Think before assigning the work.
C. Ensure that they are completed.
D. Sometimes rewards when it is completed.
E. Vary the work.

VI. Trabalhar -Lar Adventista, p. 284. (2 parágrafos sobre os perigos da ociosidade.)

A. Child Guidance, p. 119 - If children are working with you, you should have a
regular hours for your work.
B. Orientation of the Child, p. 222 - "Thus bad habits are allowed to be left to themselves"
they strengthen until they become second nature.

VII. Study and play

A. Child Guidance, p. 127 - Playing after working.
B. Child Guidance, p. 123, 124 - Teaching the wise use of time.
C.Lar Adventista, p. 284 - "They should have regular hours of physical work as well as for
reading and study.

VIII. Some suggestions to start regularity in your home.

A. The continuity from early childhood as it is best.
B. Enter the routine alone. Be an example for the child to follow.
C. Study the routine with the child and establish it with him.
D. Emphasize the fact that they are trying to follow the beautiful path as a united family, and the
regularity is a big part of this journey.

IX. Results.
A. Health Advice, p. 103 - "It will take some time each day to teach habits of
order to the children. However, this time is not wasted. In the future, the mother will be more of
that rewarded for her efforts in this regard.

B. Ecclesiastes 3:1, 11.

RECOMMENDED PREPARATION: REGULARITY

We learned that obedience, the first lesson a child must learn, is the foundation for
what all future lessons should be built, it should be taught during the first year of
life, or during early childhood. Have you ever wondered how to do this? In the
page 91, paragraph 1, from Children's Guidance, this lesson receives another name. Here it is
called 'self-control', and its importance is reemphasized. How do you teach self-control?
for a baby? What does a baby under one year old do that could be obedience or
disobedience, or control or the lack of it?

The observance of temperance and regularity in all things has a wonderful power.
Will do more than circumstances or natural gifts to promote that sweetness and
serenity of disposition that has so much to do with smoothing the path of life. At the same
Time or the power of self-control thus acquired will prove to be one of the most valuable weapons.
to fight successfully in the field of the arduous duties and realities that await each being
human."Education, p. 206.

Here we see that the power of self-control is acquired by observing regularity in everything.
things. Let's now study something about the regularity in the child's life.

II. Let's look back at the baby. Where can we start teaching this self-control? The
What does he do? Sleeps. How does the day start? When? Probably all the rest of his day.
depends on that. Regular hours to wake up, have worship, take meals, work and study
they follow the regularity in the bedtime.

A.Education, p. 205 - "The importance of regularity in eating and sleeping times does not
must go unnoticed. Since the work of building the body occurs during the hours
Rest is essential, especially in youth, and sleep should be regular and abundant.

B.Modern Medical Counsellor, p. 239, It is for the Growing Child.

Small children should sleep twelve or thirteen hours a night and one or two hours during the day.
the day. Sleeping early is preferable - around 6:00 PM until they reach the age of five
years old. . . . The room does not need to be dark and the rest of the house does not need to be kept
completely in silence. Almost every child can be trained to go to sleep before it is
dark and while the common household noises are still being made. In fact, it shouldn't
it is a training issue, but a natural transition from the habits of the first
childhood, when sleep does not depend on darkness, and when it must become dependent on one
abnormal degree of tranquility.

Health Habits
(Health Habits While Sleeping), we found the following sleep table for the child:
From 4 to 7 years old 12 hours of sleep during the night
From 7 to 9 years old 11 hours
From 9 to 12 years old 10 hours
From 12 to 16 years old at least 9 hours

D. It seems that most people nowadays have changed their sleeping habits.
the same and of their children.

E. What are the results of lack of sleep? Home Physician, p. 87, in the chapter on
Laser and Rest.
A man can live without food for a month, but die after just
some days, if he can't sleep.
Marie de Manasseine demonstrated that animals aged 3 to 4 months invariably
they were treated in a way that they could not sleep. Their temperature
drops by 4-5 degrees, and the number of red blood cells decreased from 5 million to 2 million
per cubic millimeter.
 Mrs. White compares the practice of health habits to depositing energy in the bank.
nervous. During childhood we must constantly be depositing in the bank for life.
the child's future, when, in order to meet the demands and emergencies of life, she will have to draw.
from the bank. But if in childhood she is not depositing, or at least not enough, perhaps already
are drawing from the original supply. What will become of your future? Can a father intentionally
to steal the child of one of life's most precious assets, a reserve bank of vital energy and
health?

The naps should also be regular, or you will constantly be struggling with the
your son about them.

H. Orientation of the Child, p. 111, 112 - If the sleeping time and naps are
Regularly, we will avoid the struggle that often occurs when getting up in the morning and
this can be regular, as it should be.

III. Meals - see Education, p. 205

A. This is so important that in the Advice on the Diet chapter, a whole section is dedicated to it.
is dedicated to this. See pp. 173-184. It is worth studying this entire chapter.

A. Advice on the Diet Regime, p.228, 229, par. 343 - The first education of the
child.

B. Health Advice, p.118 - "Regularity in eating is very important for the

health of the body and the tranquility of the spirit. Never should a morsel of food cross the
lips between meals.

D. Advice on the Dietary Regimen, p.18l, par. 288 - "The unnatural stimulus and the
the wear of vital forces makes us nervous, impatient when restrained, stubborn and
irritated

E.Advice on the Dietary Regime, p.231, par. 348 - Purity is linked to

regular eating habits.

F.Advice on Dietary Regime, p.154, par. 241 - The example of Daniel.

Ecclesiastes 10:17 - Eat for strength, at the proper time.

IV. Prayer and Worship - Children's Guidance, p. 520.

A. Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 411, 412 - Examples of business men, etc.

B. The example of Daniel. (The men knew his moments of prayer.)

V. Cleaning
 A. Fundamentals of Christian Education, p. 150 - "Regularity must be the rule in everything"
the habits of children.

B. Child Orientation, p. 106 - It begins in childhood; it should become a second

nature.

C.Advice on Health, p. 103 - Associate regular hygiene habits, such as

daily bath with spiritual lessons and lessons of purity of character and life.

Translated and Adapted by: Rute Bazan