The On Assignment Story

An Effective Tool for Learning
We enjoyed meeting many teachers and administrators at the ACSI regional convention in Minneapolis (see pictures to the right). We appreciate the vital job you do of training children both academically and spiritually. Our hope is that Sycamore Press unit studies will make your job easier by placing an effective, affordable tool in your hands.

On Assignment: Geography of the Promised Land has been in planning for seven years and in production for three. Every step of the process has been done thoughtfully and thoroughly to produce an end product that will capture both the minds and hearts of students.

Producer Don Enns began with the vision of helping students have a life-changing encounter with the Promised Land through a creative, interactive DVD curriculum. He brought together a team of experts to make this vision a reality. Educators, Bible scholars, video artists and audio engineers have invested their talents in On Assignment. The result is a unit study that instructs through visual imagery and builds higher-level thinking skills.

Author and Bible Teacher Dr. Warren Wiersbe says, “The On Assignment DVD curriculum is an effective tool for teaching Bible basics, not only to teenagers but to anyone who wants to better understand the Bible. The material is accurate, the interest level is high and the production is technically superb. It’s ideal for the classroom, but students can also benefit from it in their personal studies. It’s just what churches and families need to ignite a new interest in serious Bible study.”

On Location in the Middle East
The On Assignment crew has traveled to numerous locations in the Middle East. The first footage was captured in the Spring of 1998. Subsequent trips in the spring and summer of 1999 and January of 2003 provided an archive of scenic, educational footage that brings the setting of the Bible to life.

On Assignment’s Bible Instructor, Dr. Stanley Udd has made several trips to the Promised Land, some with the Consortium of the Bethsaida Excavations Project. Dr. Udd serves on the Board of Directors of this on-going project that is excavating the ancient city of Bethsaida. Bethsaida is believed to be the home of apostles Peter, Andrew and Philip. The Sermon on the Mount and feeding of the 5,000 took place near the city. Read more about the Bethsaida Excavations here.

Education and Technology
Nathan Boeker joined the On Assignment team to help design a curriculum that would effectively use interactive media. The first series of On Assignment scripts, manuals and workbooks were developed while Nathan completed his graduate study in Educational Technology.

Ideally, every student of the Bible would have the opportunity to stand on Mt. Hermon and to walk along the shores of the Dead Sea. When that’s not possible, taking a virtual tour through the geography of the Promised Land can still have a huge impact on a student’s life. After completing the On Assignment: Geography of the Promised Land unit study, students will be able to describe how geography influenced Biblical stories. Students will never read the Bible the same way again.

The Action
To engage the students’ attention, live-action segments were filmed at numerous locations in and around Lincoln, Nebraska. Three young actors were chosen to play the roles of high school students who receive assignments from a favorite teacher, Dr. Udd. The video curriculum follows Liz, Josh and Ryan as they independently study the geography of the Promised Land.

The Cast
Liz
DARBY ARANT

Josh
GEOFFREY CARLSON

Ryan
CHRISTIAN HUEBNER

Dr. Udd
STAN UDD, TH.D.

The Production
After the filming was completed, the On Assignment post-production team went to work creating the motion graphics and animations that enhance the learning experience. Nathan Boeker lead in the creation of 3D maps, marching armies and burning cities that help students visual historic events that took place in the Promised Land.

Using On Assignment
This unit study is comprised of five, one-hour lessons that can be used in a classroom or homeschool setting. The content of the lessons is delivered in video format. A DVD player or DVD computer drive is required to view the lessons.

Interactive maps, workbook exercises, discussion questions and a post-test help reinforce the learning. Each lesson includes:

- Pre-instructional activities
- Content presentation
- Learner participation
- Assessment
- Application

On Assignment: Geography of the Promised Land comes with an 80-page instructor’s manual that includes unit objectives, instructional strategies, complete lesson plans, pre-tests and post-tests and an extensive Gazatteer. The full-color student workbook contains worksheets for each lesson and a map that students will complete as part of each lesson.

The Purpose
The hope of Sycamore Press is that the On Assignment series will enhance students’ understanding of the Bible. As students discover how the geography of the land played a role in God’s story they will gain new insights into the Bible text.

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