How do you teach with Tablets and Bible Apps
in Sunday School?

This has been a major question I've had for many years.

The usual "Use Bible Apps with Kids" articles I've read list a few apps and then just say "use them!" -- as if that's enough detail to build a lesson plan with.

I've been using PC software in Sunday School since 1991 and even produced software for Sunday School --so I know what the lesson challenges are on any size screen. Honestly, I would have scuttled our early experiments with PCs in the classroom IF all we were able to do was "view Bible videos on the screens." Why? Because we already had a way to do that on bigger screens. What I was looking for was interactive content that was MORE than just a video. I was looking for onscreen content that included Bible Background, asked thought-provoking questions, and gave the kids a tool to reflect. I eventually collected and created software that did that (18 of those titles can be downloaded for free here at rotation.org).

Based on what I'm reading and seeing, MOST Sunday School classrooms that use tablets are using them as a substitute for showing Bible videos on a larger screen. They are putting small screens in the hands of the students by viewing a Bible story through a Bible app on a tablet device --and that's not terribly exciting.

• Occasionally those Bible apps have follow-up activities --usually of the preschool kind (coloring, moving puzzle pieces) and not much more.
• Some might have a quick story quiz.
• Almost none explain the story, present discussion options, or provide reflection.
• The teacher might have them look at something online, such as a Bible map or picture of a Bible location (but that opens up your tablets to viewing all sorts of other problematic stuff).

Kids will surely love to have the video in their hands, but with many tablets, controlling where and what the kids are viewing can become a hassle. We have this same problem with PCs in my Sunday Software days, but at least the software offered more than "just" the story. We could tell everyone to "stop when you get to X point" so that everyone could catch up. And when the program didn't have discussion content or reflection material built into it, we added it as part of our lesson plan.

A BETTER WAY

How to use tablets in every phase of a lesson plan

Some are content just to have tablets in a limited role within their lesson plan -- to show the story video only, for example. But if you're going to make the investment and want to tape the power of interactive learning with a tablet, there's a better way to lesson plan with them based on the various ways you can use a tablet and the apps available to them.

Your Tablet Can Present the Bible Story

The most popular use of tablets in Sunday School today is to use them as substitutes for a paper Bible. This is done by downloading your favorite Bible app, such as YOU VERSION Bible for kids, and reading it with the kids. These apps present the story with animation too.  If it gets them to engage more and remember more, then I'm all for it. Nothing sacred about paper. Jesus didn't own a paper Bible.

You can also show a video of a Bible story, such as those from the free Superbook Bible app, or viewing a YouTube video clip. Lots of great clips on YouTube! --including those that both show the story AND give life application.

• Check out this menu of YouTube videos by Crossroad Kids Ministry, most of them are wonderful.
• Check out the animated Bible videos from Saddleback Kids. Great retellings.

Another popular way to use tablets in Sunday School involves USING A CREATIVITY APP to create something about the story on your tablet is a popular follow-up activity. Here you are limited by age to tools that kids can use. Some creative apps I've seen recommended online are too hard for younger children to use --without devoting most of your class to learning how to use the tool (which is a big no-no in my book).  In the post above this one, I've listed many of the creativity "make something" apps out there. There are hundreds of them.

I know quite a bit about incorporating "creativity apps" in a Sunday School lesson because for years I used creativity software like KID PIX on PCs in various computer labs and lesson plans. Many of today's "free" creativity apps can do some of what Kid Pix offered --creative drawing, as well as creating and manipulating student-made video clips about something in the story.

Thus, your "tablet powered" lesson plan might look like this:

A "tablet using" lesson plan for Sunday School:

1. Opening:  Type a line of prayer that you want to speak out loud when we start class with an opening prayer. (They can also use a creativity app to quickly create their response.)

2. Bible Story: View this Bible video clip from either a children's Bible app or online source, such as YouTube.

3. Discuss with the Class

4. Use this Tablet App to create a special scene or reflection graphic or video that summarizes what you have learned from today's story/discussion.

5. Share your Creative App content with the rest of the class

6. Closing: Type a sentence thanking God for _______ and asking God for __________. Speak it out loud to the class if you are willing. (These prayer responses can also be creatively and quickly made in your creativity app.)

Depending on the age of your students and whether or not you can find the Bible story content in an app, you might use all six of these "steps" or just one or two.  The MORE you use the tablet, of course, the happier the kids will be.

I've included the Opening the Closing steps 1 and 6 in the above outline to share one simple way of using your tablets to promote prayerful interaction. I wouldn't do it all the time, but when you're using tablets and apps in your lesson, why not go the whole way!

A Closer Look at the "You Version Bible App for Kids"

You Version presents 41 major Bible stories with animation that your kids watch, listen to, and interact with by touching the screen to make fun things happen. Ages 3-7.  Cellphone or Tablet. This Bible app was created by Life.Church, an American evangelical multi-site church based in Edmond, OK.

The text of the stories is kid-friendly retelling, like a storybook. After each "page" is heard you can click the page to make things happen, like make character grumble or jump.  After you have read the story, only then can you do the activity. At the end of the story there's a quiz question. You receive "points/awards" for reading through, answering the question, etc.

The app presents some modest "follow up activities" for the kids that include the ol' "matching cards" game (aka Concentration).  They didn't do a lot to enhance the content, but I suppose they help to incentivize kids to continue learning the stories so they can play the games.

Story menu

The program reminds me of the Play and Learn Children's Bible software that came out in the late 90's on PC and Mac. You Version features more animation.

The same story videos found in the app are also posted on YouTube.

Of course, you don't get the tablet interface, touch and follow-up activities if you just watch the video on YouTube.

Each story must be downloaded to your device when you want to watch it. That's not a problem unless you have a really slow internet connection.

The "Bible App for Kids" is available for iPhone/iPad, Android Tablets, and Amazon Kindle

A Closer Look at the "Puppetmaster" App for Sunday School

When you watch the video demo below, you'll "get" my interest in this app. This app has a lot of good reviews from educators as well. Link to the app in the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/...etmaster/id438080891

For $2.99 your kids use their own body movements(!) to teach a puppet to move, or they can move the puppet with their finger touches on the screen. They begin by taking a photo of a drawing they've made (or any graphic) and the app turns it into a moveable, posable puppet which you can then turn into an animated sequence of the puppet moving. Very cool. Check out the video demo below.

There’s a learning curve, so best to schedule its introduction and practice use over more than one Sunday in a row. Also a good idea to have a helper become familiar with the tool.

How could you use it in a lesson plan? You could assign different characters in a story to different tablets, and have each kid come up with their "puppet" scene to show and share when the story was retold. Bible stories with varied scenes, dialog, and emotions that can be acted out would work best —just as they do with traditional puppets.

Movement-Motions are a great way to remember a story and get into its head.

• What did the prodigal's father look like when he was running toward his son?
• What did the priest do when he saw the bloodied man and stepped to the other side?
• What did Moses do and act like when he split the Red Sea?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSfk_nPJV58

Use touchscreen or camera to move the characters you create

A Closer Look at "Genially"

Genially is a really powerful website-based tool for creating fun presentations and animated quizzes. It's not an app, it's on a website.

Lots of templates to choose from to get you up and creating FAST.  I use another similar tool called "Powtoons," though its learning curve seems a bit steeper than Genially.

Originally created for teachers, there's no reason why older kids couldn't be taught to use it. Make their animated presentations of a Bible story, add quizzes for others in the class to take.

The FREE version allows unlimited creation, but you can't download them for viewing later. Instead, you save your creations for viewing on the Genially website (which you can share a URL to so people can view it from their other devices, like parents at home on their phones).

Lots of point and click actions to create your presentations. Check the video below of a Tech Teacher's YouTube overview of Genially.

Below is a screenshot of their animated quiz creation tool (one of many). I was immediately drawn to their "gamification" templates, which are different ways to present fun quizzes and facts.

In the online version, the objects in the quiz are moving.

Here's a pretty good "overview" from an independent Tech teacher. Lots of good ideas here, some a little "201" instead of 101.

A Closer Look at

"SunScool"

the free Bible App for Kids

Overview of the App

This free app for younger and older kids is very cool and robust. There's so much to it that it is hard to describe without the app in front of you. ...Which is one of my biggest suggestions: PREVIEW IT.

We now have a full-fledged SunScool Resource Page complete with a printable MENU of all its 170+ Bible stories.

It includes important notes about how some of the stories change depending on which level you select, and has navigational tips!

Go to Rotation.org's SunScool Resource Page now

Four Key Take-Aways:

1. Each of the 170 Bible story presentations features narration, animation, and verse games and quizzes interspersed within each story.
2. Each story has narrated text onscreen and Bible verses you can read.
3. Stories adjust their content depending on the LEVEL YOUR SELECT.
4. A "guiding hand" appears onscreen to prompt students what to do next.
   
   

When you first open the app it asks you for your age so that it can adjust its "help" system for you (I really liked that feature). Level three is the sweet spot for third through fifth graders and 2nd graders who can read. Levels 1 and 2 tell less of the story, and show easier and fewer activities. Importantly, selecting a level also adjusts the story content itself and available stories. Read more about that in the Guide.

• Modestly animated stories with kid-friendly narration.
• Simple to use interface with an animated hand that guides you what to do next.
• Scripture is mostly NIV. Some adjustments for condensing of stories.
• Can be downloaded to just about any type of smartphone, iPad or Android tablet, or Windows PC
• Lots of "during the story" and "after the story" activities geared to the story, including word searches, memory verses, and quiz questions ---with 'helps' based on your age.
• Kids win diamond awards for reading and completing each activity and story. The game reminds them what they have left to do in a story.
• Based upon the free multi-lingual Bible lessons for children produced by Bible Educational Services, a UK international Bible ministry.
• Currently available only in English and Russian. More languages planned.
• Generally ecumenical (with some things you may want to say differently).

When installing the Windows version, you may get a blue box warning you not to install the program. It's fine. Click "DETAILS" and select "RUN ANYWAY."

Screenshot showing the download menu at www.SunSchool.org.

Screenshot showing a section of the menu titled "Who is Jesus: His Life and Teaching." The slider appears in PC versions, otherwise it's touchscreen.

If you're using the Windows version, be sure the installer's exe file is AT LEAST version 2.0.615.1 otherwise the narration audio and menu scroller may not appear.

See my note below about how to "reset" the program so that other students can play it on the same tablet/computer at a later time.

Here's a video posted to YouTube by Sunscool showing their Easter story presentation. This gives you a flavor of how the stories are presented, told, and heard.

The Sunscool app has over four dozen stories to choose from. They are grouped under headings in the menu like "Peter" and "Acts, Early Church," and "Parables" (see screenshots below). Some of the menu collections are topical like "What is Prayer and How Do You Pray?"  and "What is the Bible?"

The App was originally geared for non-believers or unchurched children, but even Sunday School kids will find it engaging and helpful, if not also fun.

Available for just about any type of device.

Here are a few random screenshots of the main story menu to give you a visual idea of how the app's content is organized.

A

Windows version 2.0.615.1 makes the menu slider/scroller visible all the time so kids can find it. On touchscreen devices, the scroller isn't needed.

Yes, this app could be used IN SUNDAY SCHOOL! I can easily imagine a group of students gathered around tablets and being led to the story and activities with the TEACHER by their side, stopping to ask questions and add content.

In fact, we wrote the "Story of Ruth" Computer Workshop lesson which features the four-part story found in Sunscool's Bible app.

I'm also pleased to note that Mikhail, Sunscool's programmer has been very helpful in making some improvements for those of us using the app for Sunday School.

How to "Reset" the App for Another Student

Sunscool's app was originally designed to keep track of one student's progress through the stories and activities, remembering what they had completed and giving them reward points. However, knowing that many of our Sunday School computer users needed a "fresh" copy for new students to use each week, we asked the developer to add a "RESET LESSONS" button and they did!

It's found in the SETTINGS control panel off the main menu.

Note: Luanne Payne and I created a "Navigation Guide" to Sunscool to help teachers get up to speed fast and understand some of the features that needed explaining. That detailed guide is attached to the Writing Team's Bible App Workshop Lesson Plan in the Story of Ruth and Boaz lesson set. It's one of the unique and valuable resources we create for our Supporting Members.

Artificial intelligence, "A.I." for short, is getting a lot of bad press these days (really, since the days of The Terminator), but AI Image Creators are a lot of fun to play with and can be used by students to create some very discussion-able content.

Read Neil's articles and see his experiments here

Here's a randomly computer-generated illustration created by inputting the keywords
"Goliath, praying, style of Michelangelo" into Bing's "AI Image Creator" --a free app in the Edge browser. See Neil's ideas for turning this image into a lesson.

"Gate Zero" from Bible X

"Travel through time to ancient Israel in this compelling story-rich adventure. Explore a rich historical world as you engage with familiar events from the 1st century. Gather resources to help the locals, use stealth to avoid danger, and unlock riddles to unravel an age-old secret."

While not a Sunday School program, I'm very impressed with the beta reveals of Gate Zero. Looks like a great Bible-based adventure into the story of Jesus.

It is far along in development, seems to be well-funded, and is projected to release late 2024. They hope it will be the first of four games covering the life of Christ. Bible X is based in Norway and is part of a larger Norwegian non-profit Christian media producer.

This is a game for gamers, home use, cross-platform, and multiplayer use (if desired).

From the developers:

Play solo or connect mobile phones to the PC and turn a single-player game into a couch co-op experience.

Key Features

• Experience Bible events firsthand
• Explore ancient Israel in free roam
• Engage with Scripture in an interactive way
• Connect mobile phones to the main game to play co-op
  
  

It's important to help good Bible-based software find its intended audience, which in this case is the gamer world. I don't yet have a read on its theological orientation, though it seems traditional and will have some "game-y" aspects to it.

I'm following its development and will update this post when warranted. --Neil