Experienced teachers know the importance of good projects. Projects are essential because they break up the monotony of everyday lessons and reinforce the content in a different way. And group projects provide an opportunity for students to work together and improve in their presentation skills. Here are a few project ideas that I have used in Bible class.
- Research paper – Make sure to give a rubric.
- Debate – Divide the class into two groups and assign positions to be argued for. Give class time for the groups to prepare their arguments then have representatives from each group debate then rotate in new representatives.
- Drawing – Draw a biblical story in color. They can draw one scene or several scenes as a comic strip.
- Newspaper article – Students take on the role of reporter then create a newspaper or magazine article based on a Bible story. The article should include:
- catchy headline
- drawing in color
- summary
- Q and A interview with someone in the story.
- Music/Poetry – Write song/rap lyrics or a poem that relates to a Bible passage or biblical theme then present it to the class. There is plenty of background music/beats online if needed.
- Drama – There are many ways to incorporate drama into Bible class, but if you want quality skits, give plenty of class time for students to prepare. If your students have computers, they can do any of the following as video presentations. (There are many online video software platforms, but CapCut is quite popular among students.)
- act out the story using skits or mimes
- create a talk show with characters from the Bible story, e.g., interview Adam and Eve regarding life in the garden and life outside of the garden
- present TV commercials promoting a theme from the passage
- show a life situation illustrating a particular theme
- Song analysis – Have students analyze lyrics of their favorite songs. They can present songs with disturbing lyrics as long as those lyrics are not seen or heard during the presentation.
- Student lessons – Place your students in groups of three to four and have them prepare a lesson to be taught to the class or another class or chapel/assembly.
- Time with elementary students – If your secondary school meets in the same building as your elementary school, seek to facilitate a time between secondary students and elementary students. I read somewhere that placing older students with younger students brings out the nurturing sense in older students. I believe that often occurs, but it may also exasperate older students so you will need to closely monitor this activity. Here are a few activity ideas:
- Have your students read to an elementary class—ideally one (or two) secondary student(s) with one (or two) elementary student(s), taking turns reading from an age-appropriate book
- teach a Bible lesson by acting it out for an elementary class
- mix secondary students with elementary students in small groups then have the secondary students teach a Bible lesson in the small group setting
- mix secondary students with elementary students in small groups then have the secondary students help the elementary students illustrate a theme, such as friendship, by preparing skits then presenting them to the class
- help them with special projects
- spend time with them during recess
*For more assistance in teaching secondary Bible classes see my guide below.
After graduating from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, I served as a high school Bible teacher in Asia. I enjoy traveling, writing, and playing the drums. For a deep dive into church history and the character of God, see my book Surprised by Hell.