Review of The Word in Motion Bible curriculum from Apologia

I love this new homeschool Bible curriculum called The Word in Motion: Old Testament and will be using it all year with my two elementary students. Next year we'll use the next volume of the Apologia Bible curriculum called The Word in Motion: New Testament.

Years ago the pastor at my church led us through a Walk Through the Bible seminar. I loved it and thought what a wonderful technique it would be to use this to teach kids all about the Bible. I'm thrilled that Rachael Carmen had the same thought and ran with it to create the new Apologia Bible curriculum called The Word in Motion.

My elementary kids (in 4th and 6th grades) and I started using The Word in Motion about 6 weeks ago and have finished the first 4 lessons. The Word in Motion is based on the Walk Through the Bible techniques of using motions to help students (even adults!) understand the chronology and meaning of the Bible.

For example, the first 8 motions (which we learned in the first 4 lessons) are

Creation
Fall
Flood
Nations
Abraham
Isaac
Jacob
Joseph
This first group is called "Beginnings" and teaches about the beginnings of the world as described in the book of Genesis in the Bible.

The next 8 motions are called "Wanderings:"
Moses
Passover
Law
Tabernacle
Offerings-Feasts
Counting-Spying
Wandering-Dying
Second Law

Then, we have "Promised Land:"
Joshua
Divide-Conquer
TwelveTribes
Judges
Deborah
Gideon
Samson
Everyone Did What Was Right in His Own Eyes. Except Ruth and . . .

Next is "Kingdoms:"
Samuel
United Kingdom
Saul-No Heart
David- Whole Heart
Solomon-Half Heart
Divided Kingdom
Mostly Bad Kings
Prophets Speak

Finally, there is "Captivity;"
Israel-Scattered
Judah-Exiled
Judah-Returned
Zerubbabel-Temple
Esther-Queen
Ezra-People
Nehemiah-Walls
Wait-Christ

There are 30 motions to learn that take you through the entire Old Testament, and you learn these in the first 15 lessons of The Word in Motion: Old Testament book.

In Part 2 of The Word in Motion: Old Testament we learn about the 39 books of the Old Testament. There is a special graphic (or card) that gives a pictorial description of the book. Each Book of the Bible includes some key words, a special Bible reading, and a verse to memorize. The lesson continues with some teachings such as "Person" Speaks (for example, Job Speaks), teaching about special Biblical practices (such as giving and tithing), and Prayer.

Each lesson starts with a 4-5 minute video lesson taught by Rachael Carmen. Rachel effectively introduces each lesson by giving background information about the lesson and teaching the new motions. Interspersed throughout the video lesson are graphics and charts.

(Disclosure: I received complimentary copies of the curriculum, both Old and New Testament volumes of The Word in Motion, as well as monetary compensation in order to effectively and honestly review it.)