Lower Campus Course Descriptions

LANGUAGE ARTS                                                                                       

Mission Statement for Language Arts: The goal of the language arts program is to develop the student’s reading, writing and comprehension skills so they may be able to understand, communicate and draw meaning from God’s Word. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV

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Kindergarten: The kindergarten language arts program Christ-centered and the students will understand God’s truth through early literacy skills.  It is God’s plan that people can read well (1 John 5:13).  Age-appropriate activities such as phonics songs, interactive charts, and games teach the alphabetic principle, phonemic awareness, sound/letter correspondences, short vowel sounds and blending in a fun and meaningful way. By the end of kindergarten, students will be reading fully decodable storybooks with single-syllable, short vowel words. Students will practice handwriting and correct formation of letters and numbers with the help of a handwriting program.

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First Grade:  Students in first grade continue their phonics study.  Students use phonics and decoding concepts using look, listen, point, sing-along charts and echo routines. Comprehension strategies build better readers. Repetition develops the knowledge of letters, phonemic awareness, phonics, reading vocabulary, word comprehension, and sentence comprehension. Students will practice printing legibly and will master handwriting skills with the help of a handwriting program.

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Second Grade:  Songs and jingles introduce students to grammar rules and the different parts of speech and continue to build on phonics skills. Creative writing is highly encouraged as students have the opportunity to use the writing process.  Students will maintain manuscript writing through use and at the same time begin to make the transition to cursive writing. They will learn spacing words in sentences and spacing sentences in writing. Basic strokes for cursive writing develop with the help of a handwriting program.

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Third Grade: Students use songs and jingles to learn grammar rules and the different parts of speech. Creative narrative, expository, and descriptive writings are encouraged as students have the opportunity to use the writing process in a variety of content areas. A variety of novels further student reading ability. A spelling program provides exercises to increase those skills.  Handwriting skills in cursive with the student develop legible and neat handwriting.  

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Fourth Grade: Students will practice grammar through text exercises that will cover the parts of speech, sentences, and the mechanics of punctuation, capitalization, and word usage. Writing will include autobiographies, comparing and contrast, letters, stories, persuasive paragraphs, and research skills. A spelling program provides exercises to increase those skills.  Students read four novels (one a quarter) and study them in depth.

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Fifth Grade: Students will continue with the practice of grammar that will cover all parts of speech, sentences, and the mechanics of punctuation, capitalization, and word usage. Writing will focus on personal narratives, instructions, letter writing, descriptive writing, stories, and research reports. Students read four novels (one a quarter) and study them in depth.  A spelling program provides exercises to increase those skills. 

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MATHEMATICS                                         

Mission Statement for Mathematics: The goal of the mathematics program is to establish and develop a solid understanding of foundational math concepts that students will build upon in the upper level math program. Students will grow to appreciate God’s character and His value of order. “But let all things be done decently and in order.” 1 Corinthians 14:40 ESV

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Kindergarten: Students learn that mathematical concepts add to our expression in other areas of life - their creativity, like God’s, often requires mathematical understanding (Colossians 1:16). The use of manipulatives is a critical and necessary component of the instructional process for the kindergarten student. Students grasp the math concepts using tangible and hands-on activities.  The units of study include; classifying and sorting, exploring patterns (algebra), numbers 1-30, constructing and using graphs, comparing measurements, telling time to the hour, describing geometric figures, simple addition and subtraction.

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First Grade: Students will be able to comprehend and apply the basic mathematic principles of adding, subtracting, measuring, counting, telling time, and simple geometry for mastery at the first grade level. Units include describing and comparing numbers, addition and subtraction concepts, organizing and using Data, measuring time, number patterns, identifying coins, and solving two-digit addition and subtraction problems. The use of manipulatives is a critical and necessary component to the first grade curriculum.

 

Second Grade: The student will comprehend and apply basic math principles of addition, subtraction, place value, money, measurement, time, geometry, and fractions for the second grade level. Units include; place value to 100, addition and subtraction concepts, organizing and using data, determining the value of money, measuring time and money, model fractions, measure length and area, and solving three-digit addition and subtraction problems. Students increase fluency, knowledge and comprehension of math facts through timed speed drills.

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Third Grade: Students will be able to complete mathematical facts and concepts at the third grade level. Units include; place value, using patterns and algebraic thinking, measuring capacity, weight, volume, and time, multiplication and division facts, understanding fractions and decimals, and organizing, displaying and interpret data Students increase fluency, knowledge and comprehension of math facts through timed speed drills.

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Fourth Grade: The fourth grade places an emphasis on place values into millions (including money), multiplication and division with whole numbers and solving problems involving addition and subtraction of fractions and decimals.  Students will continue to learn and use the basic multiplication facts as they become proficient in multiplying larger numbers. Students also will refine their estimation skills for computations and measurements and investigate relationships between and among simple two-dimensional (plane) figures and three-dimensional (solid) figures.  Students will graph points in the first quadrant in the coordinate plane, extend and duplicate patterns. Students solve problems involving perimeter, patterns, probability, and equivalence of fractions and decimals using concrete materials and two-dimensional representations. Students will recognize geometric transformation, such as reflection (flip), translation (slide), and rotation (turn).

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Fifth Grade: The fifth grade places emphasis on learning integers, developing proficiency in using whole numbers into the billions, fractions and decimals to solve problems.  Students will collect, display, analyze data in a variety of ways and solve probability problems.  Students also will solve problems involving metric and time measurements, two- and three-dimensional figures, volume, area, and perimeter.  Students begin to learn about variable expressions and open sentences. Students develop an understanding of ratios, proportions and percents.

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SCIENCE                                                                                                                Mission Statement for Science: The goal of the science program is to understand God’s creation and basic scientific principles from a Biblical worldview using experiments, observations and hands-on learning experiences. “For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.” Hebrews 3:4

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Kindergarten: The focus of science in kindergarten is to lead students to a greater understanding of God’s creation and how His creation was perfect from the beginning (Genesis 1:1 and Exodus 20”11). Kindergarteners will learn about the five senses, magnets, matter, water, living and nonliving things, and weather. 

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First Grade: Students will start on the path to scientific inquiry with an introduction to the senses, heat, sound, animals and the heavenly bodies. Hands-on activities will help the student develop the science process skills.

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Second Grade: Students will study living things, plants, environments, fossils, and dinosaurs, parts of the earth, natural resources, how the earth moves, light and shadows, how things move, heat and the systems of the body. Students will recognize that God is the Creator of all things!

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Third Grade: Students will increase their knowledge of the world God made through the studies of classification of animals, the solar system, skin, photosynthesis, sound, weather, rocks and minerals, motion, and food chains. Students will develop science process skills by participating in hands-on activities.

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Fourth Grade: Students will explore God's wonderful creation through a study of ecosystems, insects, plants, force and machines, electricity and magnetism, light, the moon, water and oceans, weathering and erosion, natural resources, digestion, and bones and muscles. Students will also participate in hands-on activities.

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Fifth Grade: Students will learn how humans use God's creation and design by studying minerals and rocks, fossils, matter and heat, sound and light, weather, biomes, ecosystems, and the respiratory and circulatory systems. Students will participate in hands-on activities to develop science process skills.

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SOCIAL STUDIES                                                 

Mission Statement for Social Studies: The goal of the social studies program is to understand that God created the world and everything in it. He has a plan for humanity since the dawn of creation and is carrying it to completion. Students will recognize that God is in control at all times and can even use unjust rulers and nations to accomplish His plan. “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Romans 15:4

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Kindergarten: Students will explore God’s recorded plan for people through history and that He has a plan for each individual person (Deuteronomy 31:19, 21-22). Students will focus on learning their roles as a family member and a community citizen, the American flag, the Pledge of Allegiance and the U.S. presidents. They will begin to read maps and learn that maps are representations of physical features and objects. They will study American holidays, people from long ago and people’s jobs.

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First Grade: This course focuses on relationships at school, family, work, neighborhoods, and communities. They study the history of special events and celebrations. Units reinforce map skills and geography.  Students will learn about historical heroes and their responsibilities as Christians.

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Second Grade: Geography, political science, citizenship, economics and current events form the core of this year alongside current events.  Students will learn about the early history of the United States and develop map skills with hands-on activities.

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Third Grade: This course is the study of the many different communities that surround students.  It emphasizes responsible citizenship, develops multicultural awareness, and sensitivity. Students will develop geography skills, an understanding of their location in relation to other countries.

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Fourth Grade: This course is a study of map and globe skills as students gain an appreciation of how history and geography go together. They will learn about various regions of our country, including the land, water, and resources of each region and the people and events from those regions. Students will also study the colonization of the U.S. until WWI.

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Fifth Grade: Students will continue their study the history of the United States and the events that have helped shape our present. Students study events from WWI through the twenty-first century.