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Share a biblically integrated assignment or assessment you use in your classroom. In what way(s) does it work well? Is there room for improvement? If you don’t currently have any biblically integrated assignments or assessments, share an idea you have for one.
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I have a power point lesson on the potter’s wheel for my high school students. The first slide is Scripture that refers to how God created and formed man from dust. The next few slides go into the history of the pottery wheel. I have included a you-tube video of a man making 159 pots in one hour for fun. I have a slide that has written instructions for forming a pot with action words that are high-lighted. I tell the students to think about Jeremiah 18 where it describes God as a potter having trouble at His wheel because His people refused to obey Him. Most of the students love the pottery wheel and they are chomping at the bit to begin but I have some who are timid. For the ones who seem unsure, I get in there with them and explain how hard the wheel was for me too. I work with them long enough to make them feel comfortable enough on their own or I pair them up with a partner. I love this lesson, but when I think of improvement, I believe I need a clear rubric to what I expect from them.
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One of my favorite lessons/chapters I teach is in science when we learn about earth’s layers and formation. We compare what evolutionists say about earth’s layers (millions of years) with what we know the Bible tells us (thousands of years). Then we do a hands on experiment and show how the flood of Noah’s time would actually influence the different layers of the earth (pick up sediment and rearrange it to new layers). The kids love it because it’s not just “science is wrong, bible is right”, but it shows them why not having a biblical worldview and using the facts the Bible tells us can lead to false findings.
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I use one assignment every day in my course. I tell my students that I don’t care about if they sing beautifully or perfectly. The Bible tells us to make a joyful noise. I talk about God’s love and faithfulness. Then I talk to them about why we worship God and have them sing a praise and worship song.
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One of the things I like to do is have students assess the evidence for a belief system as possible or reasonable. This helps them qualify what they hear. I use Wallace’s Cold Case Christianity. It uses methods for qualifying evidence for a cold case homicide detective. It gives them an accepted way of qualifying evidence. If we apply that to the crucifixion, does it stand up? Is the crucifixion possible? or reasonable? What about the Bible as a reliable historical text?
Yes, there is definitely room for improvement. It engages the students and defines boundaries for discussing different subjects. You can’t just throw out talking points. They have to be sound. They have to be defined. Are they reasonable? Do they violate laws of logic?