Curriculum Review - Best Buys - Rock Solid from Cokesbury!

Rock Solid is a Non-Traditional Sunday School curriculum from Cokesbury with a strong focus on inviting children "from each age level on every Sunday to a faith experience"! Rock Solid is one of my "best buys" for the following reasons - 

1. Churches with definite budget issues could purchase just the teacher books for $6.95 per class per quarter.
2. Churches are able to purchase student materials as their budget allows - student materials for $3.45 per student per quarter. This flexibility provides churches a way to utilize resources with solid Bible teaching and still work within their budgets.

Allow me to share with you some information about Rock Solid!

• Publisher - Cokesbury  
• Website -http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/curriculum.aspx?sid=529 
• Price - $7.30 per teacher and $16.95 per class/teaching resource pack and $3.60 per child
• Scope - Through the Bible
• Available for Preschool - Elementary

Strengths -

• Biblically Sound
• Strong focus on teaching children what God's Word says
• All ages are intentionally involved in a service project to "Put Feet to Their Faith"
• Variety of interactive options included for each lesson to engage children in thinking about the point of the Bible lesson
• Middle and Upper Elementary students are engaged in helping to teach the Bible lesson through dramas - I'd like to see this for all ages
• Tween materials area available
• Teacher Devotions

Would like to see - 

• Stronger focus on involving all ages during the teaching of the Bible lesson in a drama-type activity 
• Some weeks/age levels did a better job than others at focusing the kids on specific things they could do to live what they learned - I'd like to see a stronger focus on this across the board each and every week. 
• Family Flyers
• Optional second service 

Rock Solid is written with the goal of engaging children so they are able to learn and live God's Word for changed lives. If you are looking for a Non-Traditional curriculum with a focus on building a foundation on God's Word, this curriculum is well worth taking a look at to see if it may be a good "fit" for your ministry! Cokesbury says, "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock." (Matthew 7:24–25) What this parable is saying is exactly what we want to offer our children. We want to help them build a strong faith foundation so that when the rains and storms of life assail them (and they will at some time or another), their house of faith will not fall away. It will stand strong and give them strength and shelter."