Christ in Youth
http://superstartpreteen.com
PO Box B
Joplin, MO 64802
417-781-2273
SuperStart! is a Sunday School curriculum designed to reach the needs of students ranging from 4th to 6th grade. This preteen group often falls through the cracks between children's programs and junior high. Students in this age range often desire to dive deeper into Scripture and start applying it through ministry to others. The curriculum includes a Teacher Guide, a DVD of short clips which share a continuing story each week, and student magazines.
SuperStart has several themes to choose from; I used the "Battle of the Illusionists." This is a fun story of amateur illusionists competing to see who is the best performer. The DVD provides three months of movie clips to play at the begining of your sessions. These movie clips are short and entertaining, not cheesy or childish. It is fun to watch them "behind the scenes" as they work through different scenarios. The scenarios in Unit One lead to class discussions about what Jesus' birth ultimately means to each of us. Unit Two discusses our desire to be in charge, while Unit Three discusses our giving to others. These are some heavy lessons, and they are taken seriously while being presented in a completely fun and cool package.
The Teacher Guide provides instructions for teaching either large or small groups, making it perfect for any church size. It provides good insight into this preteen age group's needs and abilities. Each week's lesson includes fun activities, lesson insights, lists, and great questions for starting discussions. The Guide also comes with a CD/CD-ROM that has great worship music and files containing everything from lesson helps to posters.
The Student Magazine is not a necessary part of the curriculum, but it adds an extra, fun touch. It contains thought-provoking questions and challenges for students, while mixing in jokes and trivia.
The package contains three units of four lessons each. It is an ongoing program, so churches could easily implement these in Sunday or Wednesday night classes. Some churches change their line-up for the summer months to give regular teachers a respite. This would be an easy-to-follow, fun, and effective curriculum option for a summer class for preteens. The price is $19.99 for the Teacher Guide and $16.99 for the DVD.
Product review by Jennifer Harrison, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, June 2010
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