Trial and Triumph Copywork Pages (Free Printable)
One way to teach kids the history of the Christian church is to read captivating stories about heroic Christians. Trial and Triumph, a book by Richard Hannula, is our favorite collection of stories about heroes of the faith. Through this free copywork from Trial and Triumph, your children will encounter examples of courageous faith that inspire them to live boldly for the unseen, the eternal kingdom of God.
Reading about Christian Heroes
Who are your kids’ heroes? We teach our kids about the founding fathers of America and notable persons from world history, but what do they know about the stories of Christians throughout history?
Polycarp, William Tyndale, David Livingstone, Anne Askew…are these names your children recognize?
As Christians, we should be as intentional in teaching our kids about the heroes of our faith as we are in teaching them about world history. What is the history of the church? How have Christians lived out their faith in other periods of time and cultures?
We can challenge our kids to live above the status quo by introducing them to great men and women of faith who lived for something that outlasted them.
Give them Christian heroes!
Introduce them to people like George Muller, Amy Carmichael, George Washington Carver, Charles Spurgeon, Richard Wurmbrand, Corrie Ten Boom, John and Betty Stam, and more!
You may enjoy reading these other blog posts which share resources for teaching kids about heroes of our Christian faith.
11 Excellent Christian Biography Books and Series
5 Ways to Give Your Kids a Distinctly Christian Education
Trial and Triumph
Trial and Triumph by Richard Hannula is a beautifully written book that follows the history of the church by telling stories of Christians chronologically from the early church to modern times. Because some sections can be challenging and weighty, I read it aloud to our children.
In place of our regular Bible reading, I take one day a week to read a chapter from Trial and Triumph to our kids. We read it straight through, one chapter at a time, and then start again at the beginning. These stories are excellent!
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Hannula, Richard M. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 304 Pages – 07/15/1999 (Publication Date) – Canon Press (Publisher)
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Chronological History of the Christian Church
The author explains in the introduction of the book that as a Christian, the people you read about in Trial and Triumph are stories of your family history. The book is organized chronologically into these sections and time periods.
- EARLY CHURCH: Facing Persecution, Fighting Heresy
- MIDDLE AGES: Light from Darkness
- REFORMATION: The Gospel Clarified
- POST-REFORMATION: Great Courage and Great Awakening
- MODERN MISSIONS: The Gospel to the Ends of the Earth
- RECENT TIMES: Standing for Christ
Heroes in the Book
These are the Christian heroes you will find in Trial and Triumph.
- Polycarp, Witness in the Arena
- Blandina, Martyr of Lyons
- Constantine, Defender of the Church
- Athanasius, Against the World
- Ambrose, Bishop of Milan
- Monica and Augustine, Christian Mother and Son
- Patrick, Missionary to the Irish
- Pope Gregory I, Servant of the Servants of God
- Boniface, Missionary to the Germans
- Charlemagne, Protector of the Church
- Alfred the Great, Christian King
- Anselm, Theologian, Monk, Archbishop
- Bernard of Clairvaux, Lover of Christ
- Peter Waldo and the Waldensians, Faithful to the Word
- Francis of Assisi, The Lesser Brother
- Elizabeth of Hungary, Servant of the Poor
- John Wyclif, Morning Star of the Reformation
- John Huss, Forerunner of the Reformation
- Martin Luther, Father of the Reformation
- William Tyndale, Translator of the English Bible
- John Calvin, Theologian of the Reformation
- Anne Askew, the Lord’s Bold Witness
- Latimer, Ridley, and Cranmer, The Bishop Martyrs
- John Knox, Scottish Reformer
- Jeanne d’Albret, Reformation Queen
- Renee, Duchess of Ferrara
- Gustavus Adolphus, Warrior King
- Richard Cameron, Lion of the Covenant
- The Two Margarets, The Solway Martyrs
- John Bunyan, Happy Pilgrim
- Jonathan Edwards, Great Awakening Theologian
- George Whitefield, Great Awakening Preacher
- John Wesley, The World His Parish
- John Newton, Slave Trader Saved by Grace
- David Brainerd, Preacher to the North American Indians
- William Carey, Father of Modern Missions
- David Livingstone, Missionary Explorer
- John Paton, Witness to the Cannibals
- Hudson Taylor, The China Inland Mission
- Amy Carmichael, Mother to Outcast Children
- Charles Spurgeon, Prince of Preachers
- Chinese Christians, In the Boxer Rebellion
- Abraham Kuyper, Theologian and Statesman
- J. Gresham Machen, Valiant for Truth
- C.S. Lewis, Chronicler of Narnia
- Richard Wurmbrand, Tortured for Christ
What is Charlotte Mason Copywork?
I first learned about copywork by reading the works of Charlotte Mason. She was an educator in the early 1800’s who was ahead of her time in her approach to education. Though she called it “transcription,” she is widely credited with what we now call copywork.
Copywork is simply the regular habit of copying excellent literature by hand. Think about it…how do we learn to do anything? We learn by observing someone who is doing it well!
Steps for Using Copywork
Copywork is meant to be done independently, but when a child is just beginning, this guidance will help. Here are a few simple steps to get started:
First, show the child what is to be copied. Handwrite the selection on paper, leaving space between the lines. Have the child watch closely as you form each letter. As kids gain confidence, they can begin copying directly from the printed text.
Next, have the child copy the passage. Encourage them to do their best work!
When finished, have your student compare their work with the original to look for any mistakes. Take a moment to gently point out things like punctuation, spelling, or vocabulary, and be sure to remind them to begin each sentence with a capital letter.
Using the Free Copywork
This copywork is written in longer selections, about 4-5 sentences, which would make it appropriate for an upper elementary or middle school-age child. Or, if you choose, you can take each chapter selection and break it up into individual sentences for kids to copy according to their abilities.
As a general rule, I usually have our kids copy one sentence for first grade, two for second, and so on. You can gauge it based on their ability, but it shouldn’t take them more than 10-15 minutes to complete their daily copywork.
More Copywork Resources
Find more free copywork to use in your homeschool on the blog!
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Charlotte’s Web Free Copywork Printable
Fifty Famous Stories Retold Copywork
Little House In the Big Woods Copywork
seasonal copywork
Fall-Themed Copywork Free Printable
Winter-Themed Copywork Free Printable
Spring-Themed Free Copywork Pages
What’s Included in the Free Printable?
This free printable has 13 pages of copywork from the book Trial and Triumph.
Typically, since we read one story a week, we don’t read through the whole book in a year. One easy way to use this copywork is to read it to your kids as I do, once a week, and then use this as the child’s copywork for that day in place of their regular copywork.
Hopefully, this gives you ideas, but remember first and foremost, to use the copywork in the way that works best for your family!
How to Access Trial and Triumph Free Copywork
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I hope this resource helps you share the history of our Christian faith with your children. Solo Deo Gloria!
