RELIGION

Joyful introduction to God’s love in the Catholic faith; Bible stories; memorize 18 catechism questions; Mass, Blessed Mother and saints; English and Latin prayers; memorize Bible verses; virtues; corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Seton.

MEMORY WORK

Learning through age-appropriate engaging songs, games, and hands-on tracing and activities; children delight in these activities as they master important information and facts. Days of the week, months of the year, days in the months; continents and oceans; and much more.

LANGUAGE ARTS

• PHONICS / READING SPEAKING / LISTENING SPELLING / HANDWRITING

Explicit phonics along with multi- sensory, direct and Socratic instruction (Orton-based method); master all 70 phonograms; recognize and recite all letters of the alphabet; blend sounds into words; begin reading; comprehension skills and reading strategies; readers; classic literature; speaking and listening skills. Spell six new words a day. Weekly presentations. Text: Spell to Write and Read or Saxon

Introduction to manuscript method. Students form the 26 letters of the alphabet as they study the first 26 phoneme/grapheme relationships (phonograms) through dictated oral instructions using 8 checkpoints: 2, 10, 8 and 4 on a clock face.

• GRAMMAR / WRITING / VOCABULARY

Introduce sentence structure; begin the study of grammar and syntax by analyzing original simple sentences using direct instruction; show and tell.

• READ ALOUD

To foster a capacity to remember and sustain attention and cultivate a love for what is noble and high, each day teachers read great works of literature (e.g., children‘s versions of Homer) to students over the course of a number of days. These texts are read slowly, with the teacher pausing to explain or discuss difficult phrases and ideas, so that children improve their own vocabulary and begin to discover the wonders of language and the power of big ideas. They are encouraged to place themselves imaginatively within the historical period to understand how that culture thought about the True, the Good, and the Beautiful, and the nature of God and man.

• SOCRATIC DISCUSSION

What Would Plato Do? Socratic discussions teach students to begin questioning and discussing stories, pictures, fables, or proverbs according to four rules: 1. Read the text carefully. 2. Listen to what others say and don‘t interrupt. 3. Speak clearly. 4. Give others your respect.

• POETRY

Students memorize, recite, and narrate poems daily; public speaking practice each day, and once a month in front of the entire school assembly.

MATH

Count, read and write numbers from 1- 100; counting by ones, twos, fives and tens; addition, subtraction; two-step problem solving; concepts and terms of orientation; sequence; shapes, colors, calendar, money; measurement; temperature; telling time to the quarter hour, half hour and hour;

HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY

Learning through living books and fun activities, students are introduced to figures and events in ancient, medieval, modern, and American history. Relationships between people in a community, a country, and the world; geography; community helpers; rules and laws; Family and Bible history, and Catholic saints and other heroes are integrated throughout the various time periods and cultures.

TIMELINE

An engaging timeline song introduces children to the important names and events of history which they will encounter in further depth in future years.

SCIENCE/HEALTH

Four seasons; five senses; health; plants; animals; seashore; magnetism; hygiene and proper nutrition; simple hands-on experiments; intro to scientific method.

LATIN

Introduction to Latin prayers and hymns.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Fitness testing at the beginning and end of year; daily exercise and stretching; running; ball-handling skills; games; master motor skills such as skipping, running, and hopping; participate in individual and team sports. Exemplary Physical Education Curriculum.

MUSIC

Introduction to vocal skill development through the singing of sacred hymns, and patriotic and folk songs. Four-year cycle includes appreciation, history, theory, and practice. Emphasis is on classical and sacred music. A sacred hymn is sung daily, and nine hymns are mastered each year. Daily exposure to classical music. Classical Kids Series, Music Masters series.

ART

Various crafts involving cutting, pasting, painting, coloring and drawing; exposure to great works of art and artists.

LIBRARY

Visits to the library; basic introduction to title, author, and illustrator.

FIELD TRIPS