Each year, as we begin our journey of studying for the National Bible Bee Competition, I try to reach back to the recesses of my brain to remember what we did *last* year. There are, of course, things that we do every year, but things are always changing and I find that I am constantly making adjustments. Also, getting started with study materials is daunting, even if you have been doing it for several years. So, in the name of posterity and as a help to others (and my future self), I decided to document the study materials that we actually used this year.
My preparation focuses on materials for the Study Passage (useful for everyone) and all things related to Primaries. Our Junior kids are often somewhere in between independence and needing some support, so I did have some Junior-specific materials this year. However, the Seniors are on their own!
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| Mom's BB Notebooks. :) |
Planning
Gathering study materials for NBBC is a big task, and like all big tasks, planning is key. I usually start out by making a list of the things that I know we always use. I will also write down new things that I want to try. Not everything is implemented, and that is okay. In the early weeks, the kids focus on reading the Study Passage and memorizing the new Memory Passages. We will also learn some basic background to the book.
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| Highlighted items are the things we actually finished and used. Things that are crossed out are the wonderful ideas that I had that just didn't happen. Keepin' it real for y'all! |
I have multiple notebooks that I use to keep everything organized. One is dedicated to all things related to the Study Passage; one for Memory Passage study; and the third holds all of the loose papers that I end up with (maps and charts that I want to give to the kids, review games, sets of questions that I have printed out, etc.) I also use my weekly planner to help keep me on track. It isn't rocket science, but I make a list of the materials I want to finish each week. Breaking it down helps a lot to keep moving forward. And, for the record, there are always many tasks that roll over from one week to the next, as I tend to overestimate what I can do in a week.
Another thing that I do is to make sure that the kids know exactly what they need to do each day. I use some checklists for schoolwork and other responsibilities, so during BB season, I modify those to include the specific BB study tasks. Below is an example of the daily checklist. I keep this on one page so that I have a quick reference for all of the kids who check in with me throughout the day.
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MP Review |
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Study Passage |
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Copywork |
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Fill-in-the-Blanks |
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Flashcards |
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New Memorization |
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Recitation |
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MP Study/Other |
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Quizlet |
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Music |
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Outside |
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Chores |
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Organization
Keeping track of all of the materials and also of the kids' study tasks is overwhelming. There is just no way around it! We have lists and flashcards, charts and maps, binders and folders, Quizlet sets and Memory Passage songs. Everyone has their own set of study materials, I have mine, and we have things to share. Here are a few of the ways that we keep everything in order.
First of all, every child has a three-ring binder with dividers. Their binders include the following:
- A copy of the Study Passage text for highlighting and taking notes
- Applicable charts and maps
- Worksheets to record background information about the Study Passage and the author
- Lists of Original Language terms
- Cross-References (includes the CF text, the SP verse it is related to, and notes as needed)
- Blank notebook paper for taking notes
I used to give each child their own set of flashcards, but they were often getting misplaced. We started sharing the flashcards, which requires waiting to take turns, but I always know where they are and it saves me a lot of time not having to print out several sets.
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| Random Access flashcards. Everyone used these, even the Seniors. We also used them for RA drills, which made for quick and easy review sessions. |
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| I made two sets of Original Language flashcards. This set was double-sided for learning. If you want ideas for flashcard games, check out this blog post. These flashcards were small so they fit nicely into jewelry/craft storage bags. |
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| This is the single-sided set of Original Language terms. We used these for some of the flashcard games that we like to play. It worked out well to print each set on different colored cardstock to keep them separate. This allowed us to focus on one set, or to combine sets as needed. |
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| We all need a good schedule. This year it took us several weeks to finally settle into something that was working for us. There is variation, of course, but this schedule shows the basic flow of our days. |
The kids have a schedule so that they know what to review each day. Below is an example from a few years ago. New material is covered daily, while older material is covered less frequently.
| Listening/Reading | Flashcards | Quizlet Sets |
Tue 10/4 | | Hebrew Ch. 40 Isaiah Quotes
| Cyrus CF Names of God Isaiah 40 RA
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Wed 10/5 | | | |
Thu 10/6 | | Hebrew Ch. 41 Isaiah Quotes
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Fri 10/7 | | | |
Weekend | | | Cyrus CF Names of God Isaiah 42 RA
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Memorization Planning
Another important aspect of staying organized is having a memorization plan. As our kids have gotten older, they determine their own plan. I set a goal date for each child to finish their passages. This is different for every child. Then I figure out the pace that they need to maintain in order to reach their goal (how many verses per week, and how many verses per day). The pace that they are able to memorize at is a big consideration in setting the finishing goal.
This year most of the kids did not reach their finishing goal, but that is okay. They still persevered to the end and finished all of their passages. The reason for the goal is to keep each person on track, and also to push them past their comfort zone so that their memorization skills can increase. It can be hard to gauge what is possible, and we think it is okay to aim higher than what ends up working out.
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| The checklist was a great way for the kids to see their progress in memorization. We had one for Early Release Passages and one for Final Release. I liked having all of the kids' lists (at least the ones who were accountable to me) on one sheet of paper for easy access. I used this not only to track what they had learned, but each day I highlighted the new passages so that I knew exactly what each child was memorizing that day. Once they said the passage perfectly, it received a check mark and I erased the highlighter. Note: The cost of erasable highlighters is WORTH IT! |
As I organize the passages, I make stacks of cards for each week. The kids take out the stack on Monday and we make a plan that day to begin memorizing the set of passages. This usually looks like learning one or two short passages in their entirety along with a few verses from a long passage, which will be built on every day. I used to make a schedule for each day of the week. This can be helpful for some kids who need a lot of structure, but it can also be inflexible. I like making the daily goals each morning so that we don't have too many readjustments.
We do spend a lot of time hearing people recite their passages. It is impossible for my husband and I to hear each of the kids, so they partner up with each other and I hear the youngest ones most days. This year we didn't have a fixed schedule. Some pairs of kids had a specific time that they recited to each other each day. Some of them took turns reciting for me and then hearing a sibling. Some of them checked in with my husband in the evenings and weekends.
Here is a sample of what our recitation schedule looked like a few years ago. This was highly structured, which worked for us in that season. I actually want to return to a system more similar to this for 2026 because what we did this year was *too* flexible and resulted in less MP practice than some of the kids needed.
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| Recitation for Mom & Dad |
| Sibling Pairs |
Monday | 8:30 | Daniel | 1 | 2 |
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| 9:15 | Joshua | 1 | 4A |
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| 10:00 | Hannah | 2 | 4A |
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| Joshua & Abby | 2 |
| 11:00 | Abby | 1 | 4A |
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| Jeremiah & Rachel | 2 |
| 11:45 | Jeremiah | 1 | 4A |
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| Dad | Rachel | 1 | 4A |
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Tuesday | 8:30 | Daniel | 1 | 2 |
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| 9:15 | Rachel | 1 | 4B |
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| 10:00 | Joshua | 2 | 4B |
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| Hannah & Jeremiah | 2 |
| 11:00 | Hannah | 1 | 4B |
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| Abby & Rachel | 2 |
| 11:45 | Abby | 1 | 4B |
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| Dad | Jeremiah | 1 | 4B |
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We also have a system for reviewing the Memory Passages. The MP cards are stored in a coupon organizer with labels to indicate which days of the week they review that stack of cards. As passages earn tally marks they move into sections that are reviewed less frequently. Thank you, Carpenter Family for the idea for this simple and effective review system!
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This is Susanna's MP box. I like these coupon organizers because they can hold all of the MP cards in one place. The weekly assignment stacks are paper-clipped together and put in the very back section. The new week's passages are placed in the front so that we always know what to work on that week. The review sections are organized so that the kids know what to take out each morning.
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Finding Content
Once the kids were started on learning the content of the Study Passage and had a doable memorization plan, I started working on finding Original Language terms, Cross-References, and Memory Passage context. This is such a big task and I always feel overwhelmed by it. This year I decided to go chapter by chapter, and I let myself do the easier things first (Original Language) before tackling the things that take more time (Cross-References and Memory Passage study).
Original Language
A few years ago I was convinced that the Nationals Study Passage would be Ephesians. In fact, I was so convinced (and I actually had enough free time...not sure how that happened!), that I made a list of about 400 Greek words from the Book of Ephesians. When we found out that this year's Study Passage was Ephesians, I remembered about the list, but what I did not remember was that I had taken the time to make the above document which has the Greek words above the English translation. Having this from the beginning was a luxury that I know I won't have again! As you can see, I highlighted words that I wanted to include, and then I combed through them to create lists for each chapter.
Study Passage Content and Cross-References |
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| Last year I developed a template that I like to use for taking notes on the Study Passage. Most of my kids do not like this version, but I love it! I used a combination of BlueLetterBible, The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, and my own study Bible to find Cross-References. I always like to include CFs that are also Memory Passages. |
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| These lists of Cross-References were a helpful quick-reference guide. Once I had combed through the Cross-References, I marked which ones seemed most important to include in the kids' flashcard sets. As we approached the MCT, I whittled it down even further and wrote questions only on the CFs that I thought would be the most important. |
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| One thing that I focused on a lot this year was finding connections in the Book of Ephesians. I made these lists that include all of the occurrences of the same phrases and Original Language terms throughout the Study Passage. |
Memory Passage Study
Memory Passage study is something that we do organically (for the most part). I like to look up things as the kids are reciting to me or when they start a new passage. I like to write these things directly on the kids' MP cards so that they see the notes every time they review the passage. I also keep my own notebook with a copy of the Primary MPs where I can take notes. I use these notes for writing review questions.
Some things I look for when doing Memory Passage study:
- Names of people and places
- Names/Titles for God/Christ
- Author (usually, but not always)
- Before and after events
- Quotes, parallel passages, and allusions
- Words or phrases that remind us of something from the Study Passage
- Anything we find that is interesting!
Our Junior kids did a lot of studying on their own and were responsible for finding their own Original Language terms, Cross-References, and Memory Passage study. However, it is a lot for them to do, so I jumped in with what I felt were the essential things to learn as far as Memory Passages were concerned.Once I have started gathering materials, I set goals each week to update flashcards with new sets. We use the printed flashcards, as seen above, but I also make Quizlet sets for Original Language terms, Random Access (usually borrowed from our older kids), and specific Memory Passage study information that I want the kids to drill.
This year, one of our daughters agreed to write a Kahoot for each chapter of the Study Passage. This was a big help to me! I always appreciate the questions that our older kids write. They have been taking the MCT for many years, so they have good intuition about the style of questions, which I lack. We also had Kahoot quizzes about the background to Ephesians, and several quizzes for Primary and Junior Memory Passage content and context. Kahoot is a fun way for our whole family to participate in the study. (As a side note, it is also a good way to work on good sportsmanship, because not everyone can make the podium every time!)
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| I loved that the little girls often handed me slips of paper with questions that they had thought of on their own. |
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| I keep a master spreadsheet where I write all of the review questions that we use throughout the NBBC season. This year I opted for an easy way to review these questions by simply printing out the sheet and quizzing the kids in our daily review time. Some questions were for everyone to answer, and some were specific to each division. |
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| This is a sample of one way that we study Cross-References. For background study, I put together a document that some of the kids may or may not have actually read (and those who didn't read it wished they had because I was on the right track with what was asked on the MCT!). This is my copy, which I took notes in and highlighted so that I could quickly go back and write questions on certain points. |
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| This is the other way that we learn Cross-References. I really like making these flashcard rings to keep things organized. Each chapter was marked with a tab so the kids could easily find which set they needed to read through that day. |
It can be hard to narrow down what information to drill. As you have seen in these photos, I utilize highlighters a lot. This makes it easy for me to go back and see which things stand out to me as something interesting or important that I want to write questions on. I write a lot of questions each year. They are compiled into Kahoot quizzes, lists that I will use during review time, or into other review games. I prioritize some lists of questions that I will ask many times to make sure that the kids *really* know those things.
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| In previous years I have used ClassMarker to create quizzes and tests for the kids to review. It is very helpful for getting comfortable with the platform and taking a timed test. This year I just didn't have the time to type in each question and answer choice and I did not want to pay for the upgraded settings to import a spreadsheet. So, I opted for a different way of reviewing: Jeopardy! I did my best to write some of the questions in the style of what we see in the competition rounds at NBBC. |
Other Things We Did
I referenced our pantry cabinets in my
very first recap post, but it is worth mentioning them again. This is a great way to have content out in the open, and also to incorporate some creativity in how to present what we are learning. Hannah contributed a lot to the cabinets this year, which was fun (and very helpful)!
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| This was a place where I compiled themes and connections that I wanted to highlight. I also used these lists to write review questions. |
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| The Junior kids each wrote their own outline of Ephesians, but I wanted to have something up on our cabinet doors. It was a lot of fun to consider the main theme of each chapter and ways that those themes connected with each other. Although they aren't traditional outlines, they helped to bring some structure to the Book of Ephesians. Some of the kids used them as reference when answering review questions. Having an idea of which chapter mentions certain concepts is a good start to remembering more specific content. |
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| This was a really fun way to share with each other the connections we were making in our own study. Really, this is a collection of Cross-References, and Cross-References are simply connections from one passage of Scripture to another. We wrote connections to the Study Passage and to Memory Passages. I also used this to write review questions. |
Conclusion
Well, that's a wrap! That is everything that I remember that we did to prepare for NBBC 2025.
I share this for two reasons. First of all, I want to keep a record so that when 2026 rolls around, and I have forgotten what we did this year, there is a way to look back. It is also a way to remind my future self that, yes, we have done this before; and, no, we aren't going to drown in the Study Passage. (Although, it will likely feel that way at times.)
The second reason to share it is that I want to show you that there is no magic bullet. You probably do these same things, and I would venture to guess that you have some even better ideas than I do!
I will add that how we prepare for NBBC has changed from year to year. Each year we build on what we did in the previous year, identifying an area we want to improve in and looking at the things that worked well for us in the past. We have added new things into the mix over the years, and we also skip things that no longer work for us. As the kids get older, they begin to take responsibility gathering their own study materials, to the point where they are completely independent. Over time, they develop their own ways of doing things.
My point is that there is no one right way to study for Bible Bee. As you grow in your study skills, and as your children grow, you will learn what works for you. The most important thing is that you are making Bible study a priority in your home. How you do that is up to you! (Don't forget to pray and ask the Lord for wisdom.) I don't think there is a magic bullet or a special key to success, but if I had to pick two things they would be intentionality and consistency.
Make a plan, no matter how detailed or flexible it is, and show up each day ready to learn all that can of God and His Word.
Bonus Tip
Finally, a random tidbit. What do you do with the name tags from your week at NBBC?
SAVE THEM!!!
We always end up with a few broken name tags. I don't know what it is about little kids, but they just can't seem to keep those plastic holders in one piece! I keep these each year and I *try* to remember to bring them along so that we can easily replace the name tag holders as needed.
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| Last year's name tags, ready to replace the broken ones from this year! |
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