Getting children outside and into God’s creation is a great way to not only get their attention but mix up the normal classroom routine. Scripture rocks are a fun way to engage students and allow them to practice looking up verses on their own. The scripture rocks naturally lend themselves to being an outdoor activity but they could be brought inside and used all year long.
Supplies Needed:
-Rocks of any size (pictured are river pebbles from the vase filler section at the craft store)
-Paint pen
-Bible
To Make:
Take a list of scripture passages that you want your students to know and write the book, chapter and verse on a rock using the paint pen. Be careful because the paint will smear if you do not give it enough time to dry. Depending on the type of rocks you use, you might also be able to use a permanent marker instead of a paint pen. For smaller rocks, you might need to use the abbreviations of the books in order to get it all to fit on the rock.
Once the rocks are dry, there are so many possibilities for using these rocks. Hide them in a courtyard, garden or quiet area. Have students take their Bibles outside with them and go in search of the scripture rocks. When they locate a rock, have them sit down and find that passage in their Bible. They could read it to themselves, share it with a friend, share it with the class, or even journal about it.
If the weather is not cooperating or you would prefer to keep this activity indoors, you could spread the rocks around your classroom. The important part is that students are using their Bibles and practicing looking up specific passages.
Ideas for Differentiation:
This activity can be used in a variety of ways for different age groups.
Younger Students
- Use scripture rocks to focus on memorizing short and simple scripture passages. They can match the rock to the typed out text or you could even write out the passage (one word per rock) and have them put the rocks in the correct order.
- Spread the rocks around and call out a book of the bible (include chapter and verse if you want) and have students search for the correct rock. Read the scripture passage to the class (or have the student who found the rock read it).
- Keep the scripture rocks in a jar on a prayer table and each day have a student pick one out and then read that passage during your prayer time.
Older Students
- Have them find a rock and then look up the passage on their own in their Bible
- Have older students copy the passage once they find it and then journal about what the passage means to them and how it could be used in their everyday life
- Have students use a set of scripture rocks and their Bibles and put the rocks in the order that they appear in the bible
- Make a set of rocks with scripture for a specific topic or theme that you might be studying such as love, faith, hope, etc.