3's Curriculum
Joyful Heart Rhyming Times: Bible and Rhyme

(a chronological study of Bible stories,
rhyming, and letters
for 3-5 year olds)

Goals

• To develop a growing respect and love for God and His Word
• To build connections between Bible teachings and other academic areas of learning
• To expound upon their sense of awe and wonder about how their world works.
• To hear, recognize, reproduce, and manipulate the
  sounds of language in a playful manner.
• To introduce the names and sounds of letters in a meaningful way.
• To develop basic math concepts using manipulatives - a 'hands on' process.
• To instill an overall love for learning through enjoyable,
  developmentally appropriate experiences

• Overview of the Lessons
• Making Time for Bible and Rhyme - a Sample Schedule
• Activities to Use with Bible and Rhyme Lessons
• Bible Memory Charts
• Picture Review Sheets
• Phonemic Awareness Ideas
• Sing/Chant/Move to the ABC's
• Tactile Experiences to Practice Letter Formation
• Letter Art
• Letter Sorts
• Environmental Print
• Friend and Family Name Wall
• Imagination Station
• Manipulatives
• Calendar/Oral Counting with Movement
• Resource Books
• Other Resources for Teaching Three Year Olds

An Overview of the Lessons   There are a total of 38 planned weekly themes in the Joyful Heart Bible and Rhyme Curriculum, designed to be used during a typical school calendar year (August through May).  Each weekly theme,  listed below, is based on a Bible story. A nursery rhyme was chosen to correspond with each Biblical text. Phonemic awareness, Bible memorization, a simple science concept, cooking, songs and movement, and letter recognition and sounds are incorporated into each set of weekly lesson plans. The review weeks are intended to be used to review all aspects of the curriculum and to build in opportunities to work with seasonal concepts and activities. More In Depth Details will take you to pages containing three weeks worth of plans.  A Daily Plan Sheet, samples of activities, words to songs, and free printables for each week are posted. Bible Story Web Plan Links will open a PDF that shows a curriculum integration web (overview) for each week.  Bible Story Text Links will take you to the Biblical text as found at BibleGateway.com.

Quick Reference Sheet -
A list of Suggested Books to use with this curriculum for the entire year. Just print it out and take it to the library with you!

More In Depth Details Week Bible Story (Web Plans and Bible Text) Nursery Rhyme Weeks 1-3 1 Creation Text: Genesis 1:1-31 Twinkle Twinkle Little Star 2 Continue with Creation 3 Adam and Eve: The Fall of Man Text: Genesis 1:27 and Genesis 3 Little Jack Horner Weeks 4-6 4 Noah and the Ark Genesis 6-8 Rub a Dub Dub 5 Abraham and Sarah: Birth of Isaac Text: Genesis 15:1-6, 18:1-15 and 21:1-6 Hey Diddle Diddle 6 Jacob and Esau Text: Genesis 25:19-34 and Genesis 27:1-38 Peas, Porridge Hot Weeks 7-10 7 Review 8 Joseph and His Brothers Text: Genesis 37 and Genesis 39-41 and Genesis 50 Ding Dong Bell 9 The Exodus : Following the Pillar and Crossing the Red Sea Text: Exodus 13:17-22 and Exodus 14 Red Sky at Night 10 12 Spies in Canaan Text: Numbers 13-14 Little Miss Muffet Weeks 11-14 11 Battle of Jericho Text: Joshua 5:13-15 and 6 Humpty Dumpty 12 Review 13 David and Goliath Text: 1 Samuel 17 Grand Old Duke of York 14 David Bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem Text: 1 Chronicles 15-16 Old King Cole Weeks 15-17 15 Daniel in the Lion's Den Text: Daniel 6 Itsy Bitsy Spider 16 Review 17 Elijah Text: 1 Kings 16:29-34 , I Kings 17, and 1 Kings 18:16 - 46 Wee Willie Winkie Weeks 18-20 18 Jonah Text: Jonah 1-4 Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater 19 Jesus' Birth Text: Luke 2:1-20 Star Light, Star Bright 20 Review (Followed by Christmas Break) Weeks 21-23 21 Review 22 Light to the World Text: Matthew 5:13-16 Jack Be Nimble 23 Wise and Foolish Builders Text: Matthew 7:24-27 Rain Weeks 24-26 24 Feeding of the Multitudes Text: Mark 6:30-44 Pat a Cake 25 The Widows Gift Text: Mark 12:41-43 (or Luke 21:1-4) Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe (alternate version) 26 Review Weeks 27-29 27 Parable of the Sower Text: Luke 8 (or Matthew 13:1-23) Mary, Mary Quite Contrary 28 The Good Samaritan Text: Luke 10:27-37 Baa Baa Black Sheep 29 Parable of the Lost Sheep Text: Luke 15:1-7 Little Bo Peep Weeks 30-32 30 Review 31 The Prodigal Son Text: Luke 15:11-32 Tom, Tom the Piper's Son 32 Friends Take a Paralyzed Man to See Jesus Text: Mark 2:1-12 Jack and Jill Weeks 33-35 33 Judas Betrays Jesus Text:    Luke 22:1-23; John 13:1-30; Matthew 26:36-56 Little Boy Blue 34 Jesus' Death and Resurrection Text: Luke 23:26-56 and Luke 24:1-53 Hot Cross Buns 35 Review Weeks 36-38 36 Cleansing of Sin Text: Psalm 51 Mary Had a Little Lamb 37 Review 38 Review

Resource Books

Art:

• Preschool Art: It's the Process Not the Product by Mary Ann Kohl. Gryphon House: 1994.  ISBN: 0876591683

Bible and Devotions:

• The ABC Bible Storybook by Karen Ann Moore. Cook Communications: 2000.   ISBN 0781433908
• Devotions for Little Boys and Girls: Old Testament by Joan C. Webb. Standard Publishing: 1992.  ISBN 087403681X
• Devotions for Little Boys and Girls: New Testament by Joan C. Webb. Standard Publishing: 1992.  ISBN 0874036828
• First and Favorite Bible Lessons for Preschoolers by Beth Rowland Wolf. Group Publishing: 1996.  ISBN 1559456140
• The Rhyme Bible Storybook for Toddlers by LJ Sattgast. Zondervan: 1999. ISBN 0310700787
• The Word and Song Children's Bible by Stephen Elkins.  Broadman/Holman: 2000. ISBN 0805430121

Cooking:

• Incredible Edible Bible Fun: Making God's Word Memorable with Easy Recipes Children Can Do by Nanette Goings.  Group Publishing: 1997.  ISBN 0764420011

Math:

• Count On Math: Activities for Small Hands and Lively Minds by Pam Schiiler and Lynne Peterson. Gryphon House: 1997. ISBN 0876591888

Nursery Rhymes:

• Christian Mother Goose: Book of Nursery Rhymes by Marjorie Ainsborough Decker. Penguin Putnam Inc.: 2001. ISBN 0448425114

Phonemic Awareness:

• Phonemic Awareness: Playing with Sounds to Strengthen Beginning Reading Skills by Jo Fitzpatrick. Creative Teaching Press: 1997.  ISBN 1574712344
• Phonemic Awareness: Listening Activities to Develop Pre- Reading Skills by Hildi Kang.  Fearon Teacher Aids: 1997. ISBN 1564179443
• Phonemic Awareness Activities for Early Reading Success by Wiley Blevins. Scholastic: 1997.  ISBN 0590372319
• Phonemic Awareness Songs and Rhymes by Kimberly Jordano and Trisha Calella-Jones.  Creative Teaching Press: 1998. (There are three books in this series  – Fall, Winter, and Spring)
• Phonemic Awareness Ideas - from PALS

Science:

• Science Arts: Discovering Science Through Art Experiences by Mary Ann Kohl. Bright Ring Publishing: 1993. ISBN 0935607048

Songs/Games/Movement:

• Bible Learning Games: Reproducible Activities for Ages 2 and 3 by Mary Rose Pearson.  Rainbow Books: 2000.   ISBN 0937282723
• Wee Sing Bible Songs (booklets and cassette) by Pamela Conn Beall and Susan Hagen Nipp. Price, Stern, Sloan: 2002. ISBN 0843177683
   

Music by Jim Gill

• Jim Gill Sings The Sneezing Song and Other Contagious Tunes
• Jim Gill Makes It Noisy In Boise, Idaho
• Jim Gill Sings Do Re Mi On His Toe Leg Knee

Music and Books by Raffi

• Singable Songs for the Very Young
• Rise and Shine

Music by Greg and Steve

• We All Live Together, Volume 4

Other Resources for Teaching Three Year Olds

Ages and Stages - Three Year Olds

Brightly Beaming Resources - Preparatory Curriculum by Katrina Lybbert

Before Five in a Row by Jane Claire Lambert