Curriculum
Kindergarten
Curriculum
Religion
Wanting to please God because of the
love and trust they have for Him, the students eagerly pray their own
prayers, memorized and spontaneous. They learn how God makes
them his children through Baptism. Students learn about sin
and why Jesus died for everyone. They feel a sense of
belonging with others in church as they worship together.
Through this experience they are encouraged to give gifts to
Jesus. Students gain an appreciation of the liturgical
seasons. Students learn some short Bible passages and songs
by heart.
Math
Students explore everyday uses of math
as they begin to explore money, temperature, time and
calendars. Manipulatives are used to increase awareness of
sets, sizes, and shapes. They are also used to sort and
classify. Counting and understanding of numbers increases
students ability to write and recite numbers and group them into
sets. Making and recognizing patterns is an integral part of
kindergarten math. The concept of measurement is introduced
using non-standard units.
Language
Arts
A phonetic approach to language helps
students in their developmental stages of reading readiness.
As students participate in active listening and speaking, they involve
themselves both emotionally and intellectually in the learning
process. Expression of ideas is in the form of role-playing,
retelling, or illustrating. They listen to a wide variety of
children’s literature, including selections from classic and
contemporary works. Students develop a love for reading
books. Journaling helps to bring the reading and writing
process together.
Handwriting
Students will recognize and reproduce
capital and lower case manuscript letters and numerals
correctly. Proper posture, pencil grip, and paper positioning
will be taught to ensure good writing habits. Spacing between
letters will be introduced. Self-evaluation of written work
begins at this age.
Social Studies
As students observe what is around them
everyday, they learn more about God’s world. They
begin to understand more about sequencing events and time which will
aid them in future learning. Working together and
independently helps them foster an appreciation for becoming a part of
the class and school communities. Students also enjoy
learning about the world around them by studying topics like
transportation, community helpers as well as different family
traditions and customs from around the world.
Science
Students begin to look at caring for
God’s creation. They learn how plants and seeds
grow. They observe weather and the its effects that bring
about seasonal changes. Their inquisitive minds are eager to
learn more in explorative ways as they compare items through scientific
experiments. They learn to classify animals such as mammals,
birds, fish and reptiles and are intrigued about their
habitats. Students learn more about themselves by exploring
their five senses.
Art
Efforts at artistic expression are
defined as students become more knowledgeable of art as an expression
of themselves. Shades of colors and mixing colors bring new
dimension to their work. Students begin to critique and
appreciate their work as well as the work of others.
Music
Rhythm continues to be fun for this
age. They can echo rhythm, clap, or beat to different
tempos. Some attention is given to melody and the range of
notes as they go up or down. They enjoy accompanying with
instruments and moving while singing. Awareness of sections
of music in a musical piece gets them more involved in their musical
performances.
Physical Education
The student will be able to understand
that being physically active is healthy, demonstrate an active level of
participation during physical activities, and execute several
flexibility exercises on their own. Cooperation and being
responsible for themselves is fostered by group play. Age
appropriate skills such as balancing, bouncing, passing, and kicking
large balls are practiced.
Resources:
Voyages
Concordia
Publishing 2003
Integrating the Faith K
Concordia Publishing 1997
Mathematics
McGraw-Hill 2001
Handwriting
Scott Foresman 1998
Ready-to-Use P.E. Activities for Grades
K-2 Landy
Reading
Houghton
Mifflin 2005
Science
Harcourt
2000
Social Studies-My World
Houghton-Mifflin 2005
First Grade Curriculum
Religion
Students will be able to understand that
Jesus, their Savior, died to take away their sins. They learn
how important the Bible is to them and that it contains the knowledge
of what Jesus has done for them and how they should live, teach them
how to ask for forgiveness and to forgive others.
They know that everything comes from God. They will learn two
Bible stories each week. The students will also
learn about Martin Luther and his teachings and the liturgical seasons
of the church year.
Math
Students will review patterns and
numbers. They will also be able to correctly use addition and
subtraction through 18, skip counting by 10, 5, &2 up to
100. Students will have exposure & gain experience
with time to the nearest half hour & hour, place value (ones
& tens), geometry and fractions, measurement, money and the
calendar. Manipulatives will be used to teach and reinforce
concepts.
Language Arts
Incorporating reading, listening,
writing, speaking and thinking skills provides a broad foundational
base upon which students can build each year. Word attack
skills strengthened by phonetic decoding enable the students to be
successful. They continue to develop their oral language and
communication skills and move to becoming independent readers and
writers. Distinguishing features of stories, poems, and
informational texts are introduced. They regularly read both
orally and silently in texts of appropriate difficulty with fluency and
understanding. The use of the writing process enables
students to work independently and cooperatively in achieving
success. The student’s ability to read is
reinforced through the Accelerated Reader program. Students
make weekly trips to the school library for reading activities, library
skills and reference book skills. Students also go to the
computer lab once a week to work not only on computer skills, but also
reinforcing again the language arts.
Handwriting
First graders will continue to use
proper formation in writing D’Nealian letters and numerals,
paying attention to correct placement of letters on the line.
Awareness of the effects of posture on writing skills is developed as
they continue to evaluate their own work.
Social Studies
God places special responsibilities on
families and members of each family. The students will focus
first on the importance of their identity and their personal feelings
and those of others. They will discuss diversity of
families. They will be taught that God gives everyone a
special place and job in the world.
Science
Students
learn about: living & non-living things, how living
things grow & change, how living things work together in
God’s creation plan, all about the Earth, weather and season,
matter in it’s 3 states, energy and simple
machines. Students interact with new knowledge through
reading and writing as well as hands on activities.
Art
Students will learn to recognize
different types of art. They will explore line, shape,
texture, and color as they create art while drawing, painting, and
sculpting. They will discover that art can convey feelings
and moods.
Music
Students will continue to be provided
with a variety of experiences so that they are able to acquire an
appreciation and an early understanding of music. Areas of
study will include melody, rhythm, harmony, expressive qualities, form,
introduction to notation and instrumentation, listening and singing
activities. Students also have the opportunity to sing in a
choir and perform in church services.
Physical Education
The student will accept exercise as a
relaxation technique for use in their daily life. Learning to
follow rules of a game and to cooperate occurs as they interact with
others as they play simple games. Activities such as jumping
rope, bouncing a ball, and hopping on one foot promote their physical
development. As they learn to respect individual differences,
a positive self-concept begins to develop.
Sources:
Voyages
Concordia
Publishing House 2001
Mathematics
McGraw-Hill 2002
Reading
Houghton
Mifflin 2005
Social Studies – School &
Family
Houghton Mifflin 2005
Spelling Power
Curriculum Associates 1999
Science
Harcourt
2000
Handwriting
Scott Foresman 1998
Music
Silver Burdett 1991
Drawing with Children
Brooke
Ready-to-Use P.E. Activities for Grades
K-2 Landy
Second Grade Curriculum
Religion
The second grade religion program is a
chronological survey of God’s love from the creation of the
world through the early days of the Christian church.
Students will learn how God cared for His people, of His promise of a
Savior, and of His promises to care for them. They will also
discover ways God’s love causes them to live their lives in
love, as they grow in faith in Jesus, God’s Son and their
Lord.
Math
An emphasis on grasping mathematical
concepts permeates through the teaching of the following areas of
math: Numbers, addition and subtraction facts through 18,
linear and liquid measurement, place value to hundreds,
money, time, addition and subtraction computation with renaming,
beginning geometry, fractions, place value, estimating, computation of
three-digit numbers, and reading and making bar graphs and pictographs.
Language Arts
The second grade language arts curriculum reviews and builds on
previously learned strategies connecting reading, writing, speaking,
listening and illustrating skills. These interwoven skills
form the basis for all subject areas and are considered central to
academic success. In reading, the program stresses skills and
meaningful activities associated with word recognition in isolation and
in context, oral and
silent reading fluency, and comprehension. Guided reading,
semantic maps, Venn diagrams, flowcharts, word families, and word sorts
are examples of activities utilized to promote phonetic awareness and
increase comprehension. Reading for specific purposes is also
taught, such as for gaining information, following directions, or for
aesthetic reasons. Narrative and expository writing skills
are promoted using the writing awareness techniques of pre-writing,
drafting, editing, rewriting, and publishing. The young authors are
encouraged to share their writings orally. Illustrating is
used as an additional means to
assess comprehension.
Handwriting
Manuscript writing is reviewed and used
in written work throughout the year. Introduction of cursive
letters and words begins at this level. Students
are taught consistent slant, correct size, shape, and spacing to enable
them to progress in their writing skills. Self-evaluation
encourages a high level of neatness in all written work.
Social Studies
The second grade social studies program
covers neighborhoods and communities, stressing history, geography,
economics, citizenship, and the humanities with lessons about other
countries integrated into the units. Beginning map skills are
taught and include observing keys and guides on maps that they see, use
and make. Some history of our country and holidays are also
studied.
Science
The second grade science curriculum
covers areas in the life, earth, and physical sciences. In
life science, study is done on how plants and animals live and grow,
habitats for plants and animals and protection of plants and
animals. In earth science, the earth’s surface, its
natural resources and its changes are studied as are space, astronomy
and weather. A study of matter, energy in motion and sound
are a part of the physical science unit. An appreciation of
the need for caring for God’s world is integrated into the
study.
Art
Art lessons are taught weekly and art
activities are also integrated into other subject areas.
Students explore line, shape, color, space, form and texture as they
use various media. Drawing, painting, designing, sculpting,
cutting, constructing, and printmaking are examples of skills developed
in second grade.
Music
Children will learn about the
various ways to praise God through music. They will become
familiar with various concepts and skills in the areas of rhythm,
melody, harmony, tone color, form and expressive qualities.
They will have experiences in both voice and various types of
instruments.
Physical Education
The student will begin to use learned
skills in lead-up games for team sports. Students are able to
work together as they do relay races. As muscles develop they
are able to do climbing and lifting activities. Jumping rope,
kicking the soccer ball, and dribbling the basketball are fun
activities for this age. The idea of good sportsmanship
begins to develop.
Sources:
Voyages
Concordia
Publishing House 2002
Mathematics
McGraw-Hill 2001
Reading
Houghton Mifflin 2005
Shurley English Lv. 2
Shurley English 2000
Science
Harcourt
2000
Social Studies – Neighbors
Houghton
Mifflin 2005
Spelling Power
Curriculum Associates 2000
Handwriting
Scott
Foresman 1998
Music
Silver
Burdett 1991
Ready to Use P.E. Activities for Grades
K-2 Landy
Third Grade Curriculum
Religion
The children will learn of
God’s plan for their lives through Bible stories. The
children will be able to read from the Bible and understand the concept
of chapter and verse. The children will know that God loves
them and forgives their sins through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Math
The students will review greater number
subtraction and addition. The student will learn customary
and metric measurement, elapsed time, and money. The students
will also learn multiplication tables through 12, division facts, long
division, multiplication and division of greater numbers, and be
introduced to fractions.
Language Arts
Through the use of literature
selections, students will understand how to recognize words using
various clues. The students’ comprehension ability
will increase through the study of story elements, inference and
context clues. A foundation of grammar skills will be built
as students are exposed to specific information regarding subjects such
as parts of speech, capitalization and punctuation, and subject
–verb agreement. Students will write descriptively
using the entire writing process. The students will be able
to correctly spell the 300 most frequently used words in the English
language and will apply their spelling skills to the writing process.
Handwriting
The students will be able to form lower
case and upper case manuscript and cursive letters in the
D’Nealian format.
Social Studies
Students will learn history, geography,
and citizenship through a comprehensive study of homes, communities,
country, and our world.
Science
Through scientific inquiry, the students
will explore, investigate, experiment, and make inferences with the
world around them and be able to communicate their scientific
knowledge. The students will recognize God as the active force in their
world.
Health classes address the physical, mental, emotional, and social
dimensions of good health. Students are motivated and
assisted to maintain and improve their health, prevent disease, and
reduce health related risk behaviors.
Art
Students will study a work of art and
learn to identify some of the elements of art used in the
painting. They will use a variety of media such as paint,
construction paper, clay and others to created works of art and
crafts.
Music
Through active participation, students
will discover the association between the manuscript and what is
actually heard. Choir chimes and voices will be the principle
tools to form this association. They will learn notation and
be able to determine the rhythm of the written music.
Physical Education
The student will be able to recognize
that cardiovascular (aerobic) activity is a necessary component for a
healthy life. Exercises for aerobic and kinesthetic training
are fun for third graders as they develop muscle strength.
More accuracy in throwing and catching a variety of balls helps them to
become more confident. They learn the importance of playing
for fun, not just to win.
Sources:
Voyages
Concordia Publishing 2001
Mathematics
McGraw-Hill 2001
Reading
Houghton Mifflin 2005
Shurley English Lv. 3
Shurley
English 2000
Spelling Power
Curriculum Associates 1999
Social Studies – Communities
Houghton Mifflin 2005
D’Nealian Handwriting
Scott
Foresman 1987
Science
Scott Foresman 2000
Health ‘n Me
Sopris West 1996
Ready-to-Use P.E. Activities for Grades
3-4
Fourth Grade Curriculum
Religion
Selected sequential Bible stories
spanning creation through the early years of the Christian Church are
covered. Students learn about key concepts of faith such as
law, Gospel, confession, repentance, forgiveness, and grace.
The Apostle’s Creed and explanation from Luther’s
Small Catechism supplement the use of the Bible.
The memory work curriculum consists of
Bible verses, hymns, and selections from Luther’s Small
Catechism. All the verses are from, or based on,
God’s good advice to us as given in His Word, the
Bible. God’s purpose is to draw us close to Him in
a loving Godly relationship. It is our hope that every child
of God will be motivated to seek God’s wisdom and truth and
love to make it His own through study and memorization.
Math
Students work on problem solving,
thinking aloud, and critical thinking. Fourth graders work on
basic multiplication and division facts and multiplying and dividing
multi-digit numbers. Students compare decimals and fractions
and learn how to add and subtract. They also expand their geometric
understanding of shapes such as spheres, prisms, and cones. A
variety of tools are used to enhance student understanding of
measurement and develop an understanding of volume.
Language Arts
Students learn about the various parts
of speech and sentences. They have weekly spelling tests and
skill building activities. Creative and journal writing
opportunities supplement instruction in the formal writing
process. Students are able to incorporate the use of
computers in their writing. A selection of stories, poems and
novels build comprehension, listening, and critical reading
skills. Students compare and contrast ideas and
information. Strong research skills re built through weekly
library visits. The Accelerated Reader program and sustained
silent reading time offer opportunities to strengthen reading
skills. Oral presentations extend student knowledge as well
as develop a key life skill.
Handwriting
Students review D’Nealian
manuscript and cursive writing with an emphasis on legibility and
consistency over conformity. They begin to develop their
adult-style writing.
Social Studies
Social studies is an interactive
approach to a study of the United States at the fourth grade level.
Heavy emphasis is placed on geography with a focus on the various
regions of the U.S. and its relationship to the world.
Current events are discussed weekly with Scholastic News or newspaper
articles as the sources.
Michigan History
Michigan History consists of the
geography of Michigan and its influence on the state’s social
and economic development. Students learn to appreciate the
contributions of many different groups of people as well as the
artistic achievements of Michigan citizens. They will know
the history of the state and its role in the historical development of
our country. As a special project, each student chooses a
person or place that is important to Michigan’s history.
Using internet research, they write a presentation about their chosen
subject and present it as a figure in a wax museum at the Elementary
Department’s Histo-rama night. They will develop reading,
research, thinking, and group interaction skills by doing additional
activities and projects. A visit to the state capital
culminates the study.
Science
The two major units at this level are
Life Science and Earth Science. Life Science involves
classifying living things, animal and plant growth and adaptation, the
human body system, the ecosystem, and soil as a natural
resource. Earth Science includes learning about earthquakes,
rocks, minerals, fossils, weather conditions, oceans, planets and other
objects in space.
Health
The four major areas students will study
include: Concept of being well; Structure and function of blood;
Skeletal and respiratory systems; the digestive system; and the cell.
Art
Children explore a variety of art forms,
media, and techniques of art through various weekly projects.
Music
The music program teaches students how
to read music, and provides listening experiences. Individual
and group performances allow the student to put musical knowledge into
practice. All students learn to play the recorder.
Physical Education
Fourth graders will play games using
running skills. They will improve their ball handling skills
including kicking, catching, throwing, batting, and bouncing.
They will have experiences in marching, skipping, hopping, and gliding.
Sources:
Voyages
Concordia
Publishing House 2001
One Hundred Bible Stories
Concordia
Publishing House 1998
St. John Lutheran School Memory Curriculum
Mathematics
McGraw-Hill 2001
Reading
Houghton
Mifflin 2005
Shurley English
Shurley
English 2000
D’Nealian Handwriting 4th Ed.
Scott
Foresman 1999
Social Studies – States &
Regions
Houghton Mifflin 2005
Michigan History
Houghton
Mifflin 2006
Science
Harcourt
2000
Art Projects Plus
Blount,
Venning-Webb 1999
The Music Connection
Silver Burdett 1995
Fifth Grade Curriculum
Religion
The focus of fifth grade religion is the
concept that justification by grace is key to the understanding of the
Christian faith. Students will learn about the development of
the roots of the Lutheran Church and its struggle to bring the purity
of God’s inerrant Word to the forefront. The
emphasis of each lesson is how God’s promises were fulfilled
in Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.
Math
Students will expand their understanding
of the four operations with whole numbers, fractions, and
decimals. They will also become acquainted with ratios and
percents. They will use higher level thinking as they try to
solve the “Problem of the Week”. They
will learn that problem solving can be applied to all aspects of life.
Language Arts
The aim of the literature course that
the students use is for them to be exposed to good grammar
and spelling and recognize how important those skills are when they do
their own writing. Students will also learn how to evaluate
various pieces of literature. Some selections also
cross over into other disciplines like art, social studies, and science.
In the study of English, the students
will the correct use of the chief parts of sentences: nouns, verbs,
adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, and prepositions.
Capitalization and punctuation will also be practiced.
Students will be given a variety of writing assignments.
Students will learn to spell
the most common words correctly, not only for the weekly tests, but
also in all of their writing.
Handwriting
Students will work for legibility as
they practice their cursive writing. The objective is to
write well in all their writing.
Social Studies
Students will study the history of our
country, from ancient times until the present. They will
understand that the United States is a complex and expansive country
with many unique qualities and part of a global community.
Students will learn how to be a good citizen.
Science
Students will become aware of how the
elements of science interact in various aspects of their
lives. Units to be studied are processes of living things,
systems, the changing Earth, the solar system, matter, energy, and
motion.
In health, students study systems of the
human body, especially the respiratory system and the harmful effects
of smoking.
Art
Art lessons are taught once a week in
fifth grade. Students explore line, shape, color, space, form
and texture as they use various media. Drawing, painting,
designing, sculpting, cutting, constructing, and printmaking are
examples of skills being further developed in fifth grade.
Music
Fifth grade music includes working with
rhythm, melody, harmony, tone color, expressive qualities in tempo and
dynamics, and form in listening to music and singing.
Physical Education
Students in fifth grade will develop
team sport skills for soccer, flag football basketball, volleyball, and
softball. They will work on track and field skills such as
running dashes, doing the long jump, and trying the high
jump. Individual sports such as badminton, tennis
and horseshoes will be introduced. Stunts, tumbling and
rhythm activities make up part of the units taught.
Physical fitness testing is done.
Sources:
Voyages
Concordia
Publishing House 2001
Mathematics
McGraw-Hill 2001
Shurley English Lv. 5
Shurley Instructional Materials 2000
Spotlight on Literacy
MacMillan McGraw-Hill 1997
Spelling Power
Curriculum Associates 1999
D’Nealian Handwriting
Scott Foresman 1993
Science
Harcourt
2000
Social Studies – U.S. History Early
Years
Houghton Mifflin 2006
Health ‘N Me
Bridge
Communications 1997
Sixth Grade Curriculum
Religion
The birth, life, death, and resurrection
of the Lord Jesus Christ are the highlights of an in-depth study of the
Book of Matthew. The life of Martin Luther, the Reformation,
and the early Lutheran Church Missouri Synod are studied.
Students may demonstrate their understanding of the material through a
variety of assignments. Students also memorize selected Bible
verses and hymns as well as portions of Luther’s Small
Catechism including: The Ten Commandments and meanings, The
Apostle's Creed and meanings, and the Lord’s Prayer.
Math
The sixth grade math curriculum is designed for students to master
whole number concepts, operations, and problem solving. The course also
includes operations with decimals, fractions, and percents. Geometry
and measurement are covered as well as an introduction to algebra.
Students are taught through practice, objects, and use of hands-on
manipulatives. Methodologies as well as proper terminology
are a main goal in this course. Active participation and cooperative
learning provide the students with an inviting, non-threatening
atmosphere conducive to setting a firm foundation for further
mathematics training.
Language Arts
The Language Arts curriculum is divided
into two separate classes, Literature and English.
In Literature class, students move
beyond simply understanding the plot of a story. Literary concepts such
as audience, cause and effect, character, climax, and conflict are
covered for a deeper understanding of the reading selections.
Students will explore a variety of genres including fiction,
non-fiction, poetry, and drama. A number of excellent works
by famous authors will be read from our text. In addition,
the students will read novels whose content bridges over to other
content areas such as social studies
Students will write their own poetry and
may create dioramas of scenes from their novels. Extra
reading, which works primarily through Accelerated Reader, will be
twenty percent of the Literature grade. Book
summaries may also be written if the selected book is not in the
Accelerated Program.
In English, students will focus on
writing skills by learning the parts of speech and rules that apply to
good writing. Proofreading skills will be emphasized, and
students ill be expected to apply these skills to their daily
assignments. Proper use of grammar, as well as correct
spelling is expected in all of their subjects. Students will
have a variety of writing experiences such as letter writing,
narratives, research paper, and speeches. Oral presentations
will be given in the spring. Students will participate in the
Daughters of the American Revolution Essay Contest.
Students will develop cognitive and
linguistic strategies for spellings. They will apply what
they have learned to vocabulary development as well as reading
comprehension skills. Students will be given a weekly test
over the words in their lessons.
Students will attend the Media Center
once a week where they will learn the basics of research, what to do
with the information, as well as have time to find a book for their
extra reading. They will receive a grade which gets
incorporated into the English grade.
Social Studies
Canada and Latin America are the focus
as students study the history, geography, government, and culture of
these areas. Current Events is studied in a Christian
perspective through The God’s World News. Students
are taught note taking and outlining. Potential projects may
include the following topics: The Indian Empires of the
Americas, Famous Hispanics, Latin American Countries, and
Canada.
Science
The sixth grade science curriculum is a practical study of life
science, earth science, physical science, human biology, and science
skills. Each unit has specific skills, and a family project sheet to do
at home to reinforce the concept they are studying. Each unit is
enhanced with labs. Students will be expected to work in cooperative
teams and complete their labs together.
Health
Students study the Circulatory System
and the details of the heart, blood vessels and
blood. Diseases of the heart, risk
factors, and prevention of heart disease are also studied.
Materials from the American Heart Association are used along with the
Health N’ Me student health logs issued by Oakland
County. Students will also focus on bully-proofing
and ways to be more like Jesus in thought, words, and deeds.
The Health N’ Me curriculum covers daily health and safety
practices that promote a healthy body and positive self-concept.
Music
Academic enrichment opportunities
include concert band, concert choir, and various music education
courses.
Art
Drawing on the Right side of the
Brain, a technique of drawing developed by Dr. Betty Edwards
in the 1980’s is used to teach basic drawing
skills. Students work with a variety of media and study such
aspects of art as: the five elements of art,
one-point perspective, and portrait drawings.
Physical Education
The sixth grade will further develop the
skills practiced in fifth grade with different activities. Students
will develop team sport skills for soccer, flag football basketball,
volleyball, and softball. They will work on track and field
skills such as running dashes, doing the long jump, and trying the high
jump. Individual sports such as badminton, tennis and
horseshoes will be introduced. Stunts, tumbling and rhythm
activities make up part of the units taught. Physical fitness
testing is done.
Sources:
Faith Alive: The Bible for Lutheran
Students
Concordia Publishing, 1995
Voyages
Concordia Publishing, 2002
All God’s People
Sing
Concordia Publishing, 1992
God’s World
News
God’s Word Publications,
Asheville, NC
Heart and Stroke
Facts
American
Heart Association, 1992-1999
Health ‘N
Me
Sopris West, 1997-1998
Drawing With
Children
Mona Brooks, 1986
The Language of
Literature
McDougall Littell, 1997
Mathematics
McGraw-Hill 2001
Science
Scott Foresman, 2000
Social Studies – World Cultures &
Geography
Houghton Mifflin - 2006
Shurley English
Shurley Instruction Materials 2000
SpellingConnections
Zaner-Bloser, 2004
DynaMath Magazine
Scholastic – Monthly
Bully Proofing Your School
Sopris West, 2000
Luther’s Small Catechism
Concordia Publishing House
Kids Discover Magazine
Heart & Blood editions
Seventh Grade Curriculum
Religion - 1st Semester: Christian church history from the first
Pentecost in Jerusalem to the mission fields of the world
today. 2nd Semester: The History of the Old
Testament and how it applies to our lives today
Social Studies - We will be studying the history of Europe.
We also study map skills and focus on other areas with the Eastern
Hemisphere. Social Studies allows the student to examine not
only the history of a people, but also the culture and traditions that
have made many of our world nations strong.
Math - the study of Algebra/Geometry skills such as using variables,
number theory, data and graphing, rational and irrational numbers,
geometrical concepts, linear equations and polynomials
Science – Earth science including the areas of geology,
tectonics, meteorology, and astronomy. Woven into
our studies is how a flawed concept model (evolutionary theory) is the
driving force behind most of scientific thought today and how
misleading it can be.
English – Learning the basics of good grammar and improved
writing skills using recitation and repetition as well as visually
classifying sentences.
Literature – We will be building a foundation for
understanding literature by using mostly fiction stories and novels
with an occasional piece of nonfiction or folk literature tossed in. We
will read The Giver and a novel by our Author in April. Students will
be also be doing several writing assignments. We focus on ways to
revise, so we may end up with three or more drafts of one piece of
writing. Students are expected to write in complete sentences for all
quizzes, tests, and answers to questions in the textbook, and any other
assigned writing.
Extra Reading: As with all of middle school, students will be expected
to earn 15 points per quarter, which accounts for 20% of the total
literature grade. Points may be earned through the Accelerated Reader
program or by writing a report, using the guidelines for seventh grade
Spelling - Making connections of spelling with thinking skills,
vocabulary development, reading skills and grammar
Computers – Reinforcement of computer skills such as word
processing, spreadsheets, Publisher, PowerPoint, etc.
Health – The Anti-Bullying curriculum, and Dobson’s
Preparing for Adolescence
Art – art using a variety of media such as paper, wire, clay,
papier-mâché’, etc. Plus we will be
doing a study of the Elements or Art as well as some art history.
Physical Education - The class will be working towards the improvement
and enjoyment of physical fitness through physical activity and sports.
Sources:
Voyages: Church History
Concordia
Publishing 2001
Voyages: Old Testament History
Concordia Publishing 2001
Faith Alive Bible
Concordia Publishing 1995
Passport to Algebra
McDougal-Littell 2001
The Language of Literature
McDougal Littell 1997
The Shurley Method: Level 6
Shurley Instructional Materials, Inc.
2000
Spelling Connections
Zaner-Bloser, 2004
Social Studies – History of our
World Prentice Hall 2008
Holt Earth Science
Holt
Publishing, 2001
Eighth Grade Curriculum
Religion
All 8th grade students are involved in a
comprehensive study of the four gospels using the Voyages series from
Concordia.
Select verses have been chosen for
memory work to focus the students on those passages from the Bible that
cause them to think about their place in God’s world and
their behavior towards one another. Additional work from
Luther’s Small Catechism enhances the work done in
confirmation classes.
Algebra
The eighth grade students in algebra are
grouped according to ability. The number of students in the
class, the amount of homework and the speed at which the
classes’ progress are adjusted based on the ability of each
group. Graphing linear equalities and inequalities, working
with polynomials, understanding real versus irrational numbers,
introduction of functions, and quadratic equation serve to prepare all
students for their future math classes. For some it means
advanced placement in high school as freshmen.
Language Arts
In literature class, the students will
have the opportunity to read a variety of selections from several
genre, including fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. They will
also read several supplemental novels as a class. Students
will learn the basic elements of fiction. By reading good
literature, the students will learn to appreciate quality writing and
model their own writing accordingly.
Students will practice their research
and data gathering skills and do a research paper on a topic of their
choice. Students will also study grammar so that they become
more knowledgeable about the complexities of the English language and
then put that knowledge to use in their writing.
A spelling book for vocabulary
development as well as periodic checks of homework papers serves to
enhance the students’ awareness of the importance of proper
spelling.
Social Studies
God’s controlling and
directing of events which lead up to the formation of the United States
is a major emphasis this year as students start with the Reformation
and progress through the settlement and beginning of our
country. Learning about the impact that the faiths of the
founding fathers had on our political process is a constant
theme. Special emphasis is given to the conflicts that united
our country and tried to tear it apart. Students have the
opportunity to see government in action and to understand more clearly
how the constitution works for all people. All of this
culminates with a trip to Gettysburg and Washington D. C. in the spring.
Science
The study of physical and biological
science enables the student to appreciate further God’s
creation on their behalf. Students study the world of
physics, including the scientific method, motion, forces and
chemistry. Labs and experimentation are used to study these
areas at a deeper level. The human anatomy component includes
a study of biology at the cellular level and all body
systems. This study concludes with a dissection of a fetal
pig, which closely resembles the anatomy of a human being.
Art
Students are encouraged to use their
creativity within certain guidelines to complete an array of projects
that explore the different forms of art, including scale drawings,
paper manipulation, use of color and sketching. Poster and
card design is also used to complete faith-based service projects for
use outside the school.
Music
Academic enrichment opportunities
include concert band, concert choir, and various music education
courses.
Physical Education
Students in eighth grade will be able to
spend less time on skill development activities and more time
participating in athletic contests, actually playing the various
sports. Performance in stunts, tumbling and physical fitness
will be noticeably improved.
Sources:
Voyages
Concordia
Publishing 2002
Luther’s Catechism
Concordia Publishing 1991
Faith Alive Bible
Concordia
Publishing 1995
Algebra
McDougal-Littell 2001& 1994
The Language of Literature
McDougal-Littell 1997
Shurley English
Shurley
Instructional Materials 2000
America, The People and the Dream
Scott Foresman
Physical Science
Merrill
1989
Cells and Heredity
Prentice Hall 2000
Human Biology and Health
Prentice