Tradewinds

Making a transition from original Praise Factory curriculum to the new version without rocking the boat too much.

If you have been using the original versions of the curriculum in the Praise Factory family of curriculum, you may be wondering if you should switch to the new version completely; or, if you should just incorporate elements of the new curriculum into the original materials. This page will give you a few suggestions of how to think this through.

1. Compare and Contrast

Get to know the differences between the original and the new version. (I think you will see a lot of similarities as well as some fun, new resources.

Here’s some ways to contrast and compare:

Go to: What’s the Difference?

Print out samples of the new curriculum:

• Hide ‘n’ Seek Kids (Teach, Take & Tell)
• Deep Down Detectives (Big Questions and Answers)
• Praise Factory Investigators (Praise Factory)

2. Gather Your Gurus

Call together your most experienced teachers. Give them a copy of the new and original lesson plans, stories and other resources. Listen to some of the new songs (especially the theme songs and the Big Question Songs). Give them a chance to find where the original resources have been incorporated into the new version. Help them identify the new elements. Get their feedback on what might be easy to transition; what might be a nice new addition; what might be more difficult to introduce; and, what you might want to leave out completely. Make a plan on what you want to use and how you want to begin to use the new materials.

3. Transition Options

While you can switch over completely and all at once, there are quite a few similarities between the two version which allow you to transition slowly. Find ideas for each curriculum listed below.

Transition: Teach, Take & Tell to Hide ‘n’ Seek Kids

Idea 1: Simple Story (and Pictures) Switch

Keep your original curriculum, but use the new stories and pretty new storyboard pictures. You can get these stories and pictures in Hide ‘n’ Seek Kids Curriculum Downloads; or, even better, go to the Hide ‘n’ Seek Kids Bits and Pieces section. Pick, choose and download individual parts of the curriculum there.

Idea 2: Add Some Songs

There are some wonderful new songs in Hide ‘n’ Seek Kids that are used every week in the new curriculum that were simply spoken in the original curriculum. These are easy to add into the original version.

Here they are for you to hear:

You can get these songs in the Hide ‘n’ Seek Kids Bits and Pieces section.

Idea 3: Pirate the Four, New Units

Hide ‘n’ Seek Kids uses the original 12 Bible stories and Big Questions from Teach, Take & Tell and adds four more. You can easily teach these new concepts from the Hide ‘n’ Seek Kids curriculum, bringing your total in Teach, Take & Tell up to 16 Big Questions.

Note: These new units are NOT tacked onto the end of the original twelve. They are slotted in logical places into the original order. The new units in Hide ‘n’ Seek Kids are Unit 2 (God’s Wonderful Word, the Bible); Unit 3 (The Good News of God, the Gospel); Unit 10 (The Holy Spirit, the Indwelling God); and, Unit 13 (The Sustaining God). You, of course, can introduce them in whatever you want.

You can get the curriculum for these units in Hide ‘n’ Seek Kids Curriculum Downloads; or, even better, go to the Hide ‘n’ Seek Kids Bits and Pieces section. Pick, choose and download individual parts of the curriculum there.

Idea 4: Treat Yourself to Take Home and Coloring Sheets

Hide ‘n’ Seek Kids offers a lot of new take home sheets. These are a coloring sheet on the front and key concepts and some questions on the back. There’s 5 different take home sheets for each Big Question unit. There’s also a special, full version of the story for parents to use with their kids. These take home sheets add a lot of new resources for people who use Teach, Take & Tell.

You can get the curriculum for these units in Hide ‘n’ Seek Kids Curriculum Downloads; or, even better, go to the Hide ‘n’ Seek Kids Bits and Pieces section. Pick, choose and download the take home/coloring sheets you want there by unit.

TRANSITION: Big Questions & Answers to Deep Down Detectives

Idea 1: Simple Story (and Pictures) Switch

Keep your original curriculum, but use the new stories and pretty new storyboard pictures. Go to Curriculum Downloads

Idea 2: Add Some Songs

There are some wonderful new songs in Deep Down Detectives that are used every week in the new curriculum that were simply spoken in the original curriculum. These are easy to add into the original version. Go to Curriculum Downloads

Here they are for you to hear:

Idea 3: Pirate the Four, New Units with 17 New Bible Truths

Deep Down Detectives uses the original 52 Bible Truths in the original 12 units found in Big Questions & Answers… and adds 17 new Bible Truths in four, new units. You can easily teach these new concepts from Deep Down Detectives curriculum, bringing your total in Big Questions & Answers up to 16 Big Questions and 69 Bible Truths.  Go to Curriculum Downloads

Note: These new units are NOT tacked onto the end of the original twelve. They are slotted in logical places into the original order. The new units in Deep Down Detectives are Unit 2 (God’s Wonderful Word, the Bible–4 Bible Truths); Unit 3 (The Good News of God, the Gospel–4 Bible Truths); Unit 10 (The Holy Spirit, the Indwelling God–4 Bible Truths); and, Unit 13 (The Sustaining God–5 Bible Truths). You, of course, can introduce them in whatever you want.

Idea 4: Treat Yourself to Take Home and Coloring Sheets

Deep Down Detectives offers a lot of new take home sheets. These are a coloring sheet on the front and key concepts and some questions on the back. There’s 3 different take home sheets for each Bible Truth. There’s also a special, full version of the story for parents to use with their kids. These take home sheets add a lot of new resources for people who use Big Questions & Answers.

Go to Curriculum Downloads

TRANSITION: Praise Factory to Praise Factory Investigators

So closely aligned with the original version that there is very little transitioning involved, but here are some ideas that you can use if you want.

Idea 1: Simple Story Switch

Use the new version of the stories.  Go to Curriculum Downloads

Idea 2: Add Some Songs

The new curriculum has a new theme song and new Big Question songs. Here’s the theme song and Big Question #1 song for you to listen to:

Go to Curriculum Downloads

Idea 3: Treat Yourself to Take Home 

Praise Factory Investigators offers all new take home sheets. One for every session.They really are more like booklets. They include the whole story, key concepts, an ACTS Prayer, lyrics to the songs, and a few questions. Great family devotions. They are called Praise Factory Prontos.

Go to Curriculum Downloads

Anchors Away Sections 

Go to:

Anchors Away Home Page 

Sightings (updates on curriculum and our own piloting of the new curriculum)

Captain’s Quarterdeck  (resources especially for Children’s Ministry Administrators)

Leaks and Squeaks (corrections we’ve made to the curriculum)

Rigs and Ropes  (favorite equipment and technology)

Sailors and Stormy Seas  (understanding kids and dealing with classroom situations)

Ahoy, Maties! (building a volunteer-friendly classroom)

Tradewinds (making a smooth transition from original to new Praise Factory curriculum)  you are here

Cargo Hold (storage ideas)