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Testimonies, Tips and Tidbits Curriculum Challenges Color verses Black and White

by Robin Ulbredtch
05/26/17
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Color versus Black and White

At times we try to reduce curriculum costs by purchasing black and white teaching material. This can be beneficial and help save money, especially for those who have to work as cheaply as possible. However, including some color in the curriculum design delights adults and children alike and makes the material more appealing.

Black ink on white or cream paper can work well for most situations. However, I believe that Bible story time, especially for children, should incorporate some colorful visuals. Children get bored quickly when they’re expected to sit still and listen to someone read a long story or passage of scripture to them. Adding some colored visuals to the lesson can add excitement.

In this world, technology is becoming increasingly popular, and it provides some means for curriculum writers and teachers to make visuals. Colorful visuals can be found in a variety of forms and at relatively inexpensive costs. Some curriculum companies include or offer, at additional cost, compact disks, DVDs, and computer-generated presentation visuals with their curriculum packages. Also, for the computer user, there is a variety of publishing software packages that people can purchase to help them create lesson visuals.

For those who know how to work the publishing software, they can make a multitude of class and lesson materials. Some examples include flyers, worksheets, overhead transparencies, small posters, banners, booklets, charts, signs, and even video clips. Many of these can be made for less than the price of purchasing them in a store.

Colorful presentation visuals do not have to cost a lot of money. In fact, some can be made from materials people generally have at home. For example, handmade flannel graphs and puppets can be constructed from fabric scraps. Puppets can also be made from socks by stitching or drawing faces on them. Characters can be made from craft sticks, cardboard scraps, and the cardboard centers that come inside of toilet paper rolls by drawing faces and clothing on them with colorful markers.

For those who enjoy drawing, painting or photography, their talents can be used to make exciting visuals. Small drawings, paintings and photographs can also be used to make transparencies. Simply copy or scan them and print them out on special transparency sheets that can be purchased at your nearest office supply store.

Craft projects can also be used to add color and excitement to your class. Public libraries generally have a wide variety of books available that contain great craft ideas and patterns. Many of these ideas can be altered to go along with a Bible lesson theme. You will be amazed at the multitude of ideas in these books. In addition, the internet offers a multitude of craft ideas and even crafts made from food items.  

Paper, a relatively versatile and inexpensive resource, comes in a variety of types, sizes, textures, and colors. It is one of my most useful and favorite supplies. Presentation visuals and nearly any craft imaginable can be made out of paper. Simple crafts can be made by coloring, cutting or folding paper. For example, you can make banners, bookmarks, cards, coloring pages, postcards, puzzles and origami paper-folding projects from paper. Then you can embellish your paper crafts with borders, clipart, cutouts, glitter, rubber stamps, and stickers. If you need ideas, just search the internet or take a tour of the shelves inside of your nearest craft store.

Also, your local supermarket will have paper cups, napkins, plates, styrofoam bowls, and paper lunch bags which can be used to make puppets and other craft items. Many supermarkets also contain office and craft supplies. Craft items can also be made from food and the students love to have them for a snack. Just look at the variety of crafts made from food on www.pinterest.com or your favorite recipe website.

Visuals can also be made from objects that go along with the lesson. For example, if you’re teaching about “faith” the size of a mustard seed, you can take a sample of mustard seeds with you and show them during class. Olive oil and flatbread (without yeast) could be used for a lesson on communion. Clothing samples or photos from a trip to Israel could also be used to show your students the land where Jesus lived.

In conclusion, colorful class presentations can be made a relatively low cost if you’re willing to spend some time making them. These can even be used to bring color and excitement into curriculums with only black and white materials. So why not take your Bible lesson plan and use the gifts God gave you to bring some color and excitement into your class? Your students will be delighted.