I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11 (NIV) Scripture Memory Work
Of all that we memorize in our family, scripture is the most important. And although we memorize scripture in our home, we often fall short in this area. After all, it’s easy to focus on other goals — multiplication facts, geographical locations, speeches, or random facts — that are often a part of some curriculum we’re using. We know in our hearts and minds that scripture is most important, but how often do we let it fall by the wayside because there isn’t some assignment, some competition, some award we’re attempting to achieve? It just seems much more impressive to recite all the countries of the world or some long Shakespearean soliloquy rather than scripture.
That’s not to say we shouldn’t memorize other things. It’s just to point out that the most important eternal things can so easily be forgotten in the midst of the other. Or maybe it’s just our family that has struggled with this in the past?
We made a change in our homeschool five years ago that still remains one the best decisions we’ve ever made in our family’s homeschooling journey. It helped us to refocus and reset our goals in this area. It also helped us to not cling so much to a curriculum or idea but to follow the Lord’s leading in our lives.
As we’ve continued to hone the habit of memorization, our family has discovered the value in using a systematic way of cycling through our memory work, whether we’re memorizing scripture, vocabulary, speeches, poetry, hymns, facts, or passages of literature. And because scripture is the most important, this scripture memory system is geared towards memorizing scripture, even though it may be used for a number of other good things such as:
- Latin or other foreign language
- Hymns and/or poetry
- Math, science, English grammar, and/or history facts
- Famous speeches or quotes
- Passages from literature
Spending five or ten minutes per day, your family can develop the important habit of memorizing and remembering scripture simply by reading aloud (together) a verse or passage on a daily basis. This program takes it a step further by providing a system of review that helps with retention.
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Hide the Word Scripture Memory System
The Hide the Word Scripture Memory System includes two methods of reviewing memory work (The Memory Ring System and Memory Work Review Schedules), along with scripture cards for the verses memorized in our Mission Lasting Liberty Homeschool Curriculum.
Memory Work Rings
Memory work rings are a method of organizing memory work flashcards so that you are reviewing:
- new material on a daily basis,
- fairly new material on odd/even days,
- older material on a weekly basis, and
- the oldest material (the information you’ve already mastered) once per month.
The following supplies are needed for using the Memory Ring System:
- The Scripture Memory Work Cards and Memory Ring System Cards from our Hide the Word Scripture Memory System, printed on cardstock or Avery 8471 Business Cards (2″ x 3.5″)
- A hole punch
- Book rings of any size, or
- Loose Leaf Ring Extra Large Book Ring (for the monthly 1st-31st flashcard collection)
- 3 or more book rings in another size (preferably 2″) (for the daily, odd/even, and weekly flashcard collections)
- Alternatively, you can use index cards or Blank White 2×3″ Pre-punched Flash Cards to write out the memory work of your choice.
Instructions for how to organize the Memory Ring System are included in the download. If handwriting the Memory Ring System Cards or using them for other things such as Latin vocabulary, refer to the instructions here.
Using this system significantly reduces the overall amount of time needed for review but also keeps the verses in a systematic cycle of review to ensure they’re not forgotten.
Memory Work Review Schedule
Our Memory Work Review Schedule was designed with the basic idea and principles behind the Scripture Memory Ring System, but the review schedule is custom-made to fit into a 24-week, 30-week, or 36-week cycle depending on how long you want to focus on memory work each school year.
This plan is similar to the one offered in our Script-n-Scribe Americana, Truth Traveler: Exploring World Empires, Hymns in History, and Poetry Penmanship curriculum and is included within our classical planners.
Our hope is that this resource provides you with inspiration and practical assistance in how to incorporate scripture memorization in your home. Isaiah 55:11 tells us that God’s Word does not return void. Of all that we do, a foundation in God’s Word grounds them in truth in this life and carries over into eternity. If you have questions, feel free to contact us at support@ halfahundredacrewood.com.