Title: ELCA Publisher Introduces 'Firelight' Sunday School Curriculum
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

May 4, 2001

ELCA PUBLISHER INTRODUCES 'FIRELIGHT' SUNDAY SCHOOL CURRICULUM
01-111-JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Augsburg Fortress, the publishing house of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has introduced a new
Sunday school curriculum that can be used in a variety of Sunday school
formats and employs a variety of learning methods.
     The new resource, Firelight: Bible Learning Curriculum, has been
introduced this spring in series of workshops held throughout the
country. It will be available for use in congregations beginning in
fall 2001. Although intended primarily for use in ELCA congregations,
Firelight can be used by other Christian denominations, said Stephanie
Moats, ELCA product manager, Augsburg Fortress, Minneapolis.
     Firelight -- a name chosen to emphasize biblical descriptions of
God and Jesus -- resulted from preferences expressed by Christian
education leaders during a six-month market research study, Moats said.
The research showed they wanted a Bible-based curriculum, flexibility,
ease in teaching, training for teachers, and active, hands-on learning,
she said. The curriculum was written by freelance writers and teachers
from the ELCA and Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada.
  The initial offering includes Bible-based lessons for children
aged 2 years through middle school that can be used anytime, Moats said.
Lessons for high school-aged young people and adults may be added in the
future, she said.
  "Firelight is flexible enough to be used with all Sunday school
formats, including the 'workshop rotation' model," Moats said. Some
congregations are adopting formats in which students spend a few weeks
on a particular subject with a teacher, then move to a new subject
sometimes with a new teacher. With Firelight a single Bible story may
be explored in two- to four-week sessions.
  The new curriculum also employs a variety of learning methods to
reach more students, Moats said. Firelight employs deeper-learning
activities through science, music, art, computers and other methods, she
added. The learning methods are based on ideas expressed by Howard E.
Gardner in his book, "Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple
Intelligences." Gardner is a Harvard University professor of education
who has written about the many ways in which different students learn
the same information.
  "This is the first time we've taken a hard look at this method of
learning," Moats said.
  Firelight includes three units, each with a theme, and each unit
contains five stories. Additional stories will be added every year,
Moats said. A series of "foundational books" will be available,
providing more ideas for teachers to use computers, puppets, arts, games
and video with the curriculum, she said.
  A Firelight starter kit is now available for Christian education
leaders to learn more about the new materials. It includes sample
copies of age-level leader and learner resources, a CD-ROM with
reproducible home pages, a planning guide, a leader training video and
booklet, and two learning tools.
  "The starter kit is intended to provide a broad overview of
Firelight, so that leaders can learn more about the product," Moats
said.
  Augsburg Fortress will continue to offer two other Sunday School
curricula, Life Together and Witness, she said. Good News Explorers
will remain available until the current supply is exhausted, Moats
added.
-- -- --
  More information about Firelight: Bible Learning Curriculum is
available at
http://www.augsburgfortress.org/firelight/ on the Web.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html