Write the Word on my Heart is a Bible Memory and Copy Work Curriculum, yes. But it’s more than that. Our burden is not just that our children would memorize the word, but that the word would be written on their hearts, used and shared in their homes, and displayed on walls and refrigerators. Our burden is not just for the student, but for the whole family. Yes, we want our children to learn the word. But we also want you to come alongside and help. As they memorize, you are memorizing too, prayerfully applying the word within the home.
The first book includes 30 verses, and aims to teach 1 verse each week through copywork, recitation, coloring, memory puzzles, and more. The book is intended to be completed in 30 weeks, but could be spread out if desired.
You can download a sample of week one here: Sample Lesson 1 In the Beginning
A typical week with Write the Word on my Heart
(This is a preview of the 1st edition draft copy of the book I used with my children this past year. It’s a little messy, but hopefully will give a quick explanation about how WTWOMH works.)
Day 1: Read through the verse together, trace, and copy
Read through the verse 2 or 3 times. Then, try to get your child/children to say it with you. You may be surprised at how quickly they get it. After a few times of saying it together, see if they can say it on their own. This doesn’t have to be a big exercise. Just a few moments together. Then, have them trace and copy the verse. This is the only day that includes all the words.
If you have a few moments to talk about the verse or what it means to you, that’s great. You’ll find suggestions and discussion starters in the back of this book). Even if you don’t get to discuss the verse right away, keep your heart open and alert for those teachable moments to bring the verse to life throughout the week.
Day 2: Repeat what you did on day one, fill in the missing words, and copy
Read through the verse together. Does your child remember any parts of it from yesterday? Today, there will be a few missing words. Can they figure out which words are missing on their own? These are short, small, words. (Words like “and,” “the,” “in,” etc.) Each day, several words will be removed. Only short words, because we don’t want anyone to get discouraged on a hard-to-spell word. Once they fill in the missing words (feel free to help), have your child copy the verse in the lines below.
Day 3: More missing words, Copy work, and a Memory Puzzle
There are a few more words missing today. After you find the words that are missing, copy the verse in its entirety. If your child needs help with the missing words, help them. We want to keep this fun (and our focus isn’t spelling).
If the verse isn’t sticking, you may want to introduce the Verse Puzzles. Cut out the verse of the week from the back, then cut the words apart and spread then out. See if your child can place them in the correct order. You can also use these pieces to fill in the missing words in the copy work.
Day 4: Even more missing words, Copy work, and an optional Memory Puzzle
Read the verse together, say the verse together, fill in the missing words, trace, and then copy the whole verse. This is the last day of writing. Hopefully by now, both you and your child have memorized the verse. Pull out the memory puzzle if you’re still struggling.
Day 5. Recite the verse for family and friends, and (if you haven’t already) color and display the verse coloring sheet. Review memory cards.
It is time to recite! Whether you’re in the car, preparing breakfast, or doing the morning dishes, just give your child the verse reference, and let them recite. Then, flip it around. Read the verse to your child and see if they can tell you the reference. With every success, give loads of praise. Let them share with Grandma and Grandpa. Let them share with friends or Sunday School teachers. You made it! Awesome!
Now, cut out the corresponding memory card and add it to the stack. Review the memory cards from past weeks. If you haven’t already colored the verse, this is also a good time to color and display the Bible verse picture somewhere in your home.
But how do I keep the word “on my Heart”?
The heart behind WTWOMH is not only that your children would write out and memorize the word, but also that the word would be written on their hearts, displayed in their homes, and shared with them day and night. Parents and guardians, this curriculum is for you, just as much as for your child. Our prayer is that as you memorize these verses with your child, you will begin to use them around the home. We hope you will bring them up with your children in times of correction, in times of fear, and when there is need for encouragement and help. For this reason, we have included these extras to encourage you:
Coloring Sheets for Each Verse.
You can use these however you like, but our suggestion is to have your child color the verse sometime during the week they are copying the verse (perhaps on Day 5, when there is no other writing). Then, hang it in your home where it can be referenced often.
Download a sample of the coloring sheets: WTW Sample Verse Coloring SheetsBible Verse Cards with Letter Prompts
Each verse memorized has a corresponding card in the back of this book to help keep those memorized verses fresh in future weeks. (I T B G C T H A T E = In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth). Keep these cards together, adding the newly completed verse to the stack each week. Choose one day a week to quickly review the cards, laying some aside when the stack starts getting thick and you are sure they’ve been mastered.
Bible Memory Puzzles
Also in the back, you will find the verses, written out with large spaces. These verses are meant to be cut out each week. Then, cut the words apart and scramble them. Let your child take turns trying to put the verse in order.
Bible Memory Suggestions
Here we share memory tricks, and a few more of our favorite ways to get the word into our hearts and homes.
Teaching Tips
Most of the verses we chose can easily be applied in the home. We recognize that while this comes easily to some, it is harder for others. For these reason, we’ve dedicated this section in the back to share a little more about why we selected the verses we did, how you can practically use them in the home, discussion questions, and even a few stories about how these particular verses have helped our family. We share these with the prayer that the word of God will become the standard in our homes, having been written on the hearts of our children, as they are “sitting in [our] house, when [they are] walking by the way, when [they] lie down, and when [they] rise up…”
May God have his way in our families.
“But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use* have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”
Hebrews 5:14 NIV,
*Darby Translation says, “on account of habit;” NASB says, “because of practice”