Excelsior Classical Christian Academy

K-2 PROGRAM

Reading, writing, spelling, and arithmetic are the foundations upon which the tower of learning is built, and they are given the highest priority in K-2. The basic skills, work habits, and attitudes formed in the primary years are of critical importance.

Phonics and Reading

Phonics is the system of letter-sound association taught to children for the purposes of learning to read and spell. Phonics is most effective when taught systematically, thoroughly, intensively, and in a logical and time-tested sequence. Our primary resource for phonics instruction in kindergarten is our Memoria Press First Start Reading, a program which teaches correct pencil grip, manuscript form, consonant and short vowel sounds, three-letter word formation, consonant blends, and silent e. Common words which do not fit into any word family are introduced after students learn to blend three-letter words. First Start Reading teaches students to read in kindergarten using stories with a high percentage of phonetic words.

Phonics and spelling continue in first and second grades using the Traditional Spelling program. In first grade students continue to develop reading comprehension with whole books, which captivate and motivate children and are preferred over basal readers. Teachers monitor student reading skills through daily oral reading. First graders read children’s classics such as Little Bear, Caps for Sale, The Story About Ping, and Billy and Blaze. Second graders read The Courage of Sarah Noble, Little House in the Big Woods, Mr. Popper’s Penguins, and the Beatrix Potter stories (Peter Rabbit, etc). Spelling, penmanship, composition, and vocabulary lessons are woven through our reading lessons, as well as beautiful discussion about all that is good, true, and beautiful in the books.

A rich language experience, provided both at home and in school, is an important factor in reading success. Students memorize poems and Scripture and enjoy children’s classics read by teachers and parents during read-aloud time.

Spelling and Printing

Students develop the visual memory for accurate spelling by a systematic study of phonics, word families, and spelling rules taught in Traditional Spelling, and by a lifetime of seeing, reading, and writing words correctly. It is very important to reduce opportunities for children to write or see misspelled words; young students who are allowed to spell creatively or phonetically have a confused visual memory that is difficult to overcome.

Copybook is an exercise consisting of copying sayings, maxims, Scripture, and poetry in the student’s best handwriting. Copybook is an important step in developing good penmanship, punctuation, and spelling. Habits of good penmanship are instilled early and required at every grade level by every teacher. The discipline of neat and legible handwriting is an aid to spelling and instills the value of accurate, careful work—an important academic skill that carries over into every aspect of learning. In the 1st grade, students continue to practice manuscript while also beginning cursive script with Memoria Press’ New American Cursive program. Cursive is required for written work in grades 2 and up.

Arithmetic

Immediate recall of addition and subtraction math facts through 18 is the focus in primary school. Number formation, counting, time, calendar, measurement, and money are the initial skills of K-2nd. In second grade the students also begin multiplication, learning 1-4 facts. Students learn number sense by skip-counting, games, and drills, all of which make math time enjoyable. Students engage in timed arithmetic drills daily, beginning in Kindergarten. This practice solidifies mastery of math facts so they are fully prepared to learn multiplication in third grade.

Geography, History, Science

Our Read-Aloud program consists of one set of books for each grade in K-2nd, one book for each week. The read-aloud books, which are beautiful in both art and language, were chosen after extensive research and reading. These books provide a rich language experience for students, as each book is read aloud every day the class meets and is accompanied by oral questions and discussion. Students learn new and interesting words and delight in rhyme and word play. They learn about holidays, history, geography, science, and more.

K-2nd students study globes and maps to learn continents, oceans, major countries, and basic geography terms. Second graders are introduced to states and capitals. In science students learn about seasons, weather, and local flora and fauna. They take nature walks to collect leaves, flowers, acorns, insects, and other treasures.

Art, Music, and Christian Studies

In Christian Studies, students read or listen to Bible stories and memorize Scripture verses and prayers. Kindergarten students have weekly music instruction; first and second grade students have music twice weekly. Students learn the basic elements of music, including ear training, note reading, and choral performance. In music appreciation, a well-known composer and piece of music are introduced weekly. Students draw and color in their composition books, illustrating copybook verses, poems, and composition lessons. In art appreciation, an artist and art masterwork are introduced weekly to primary students. First and second graders receive art instruction biweekly.

Physical Education

Students have physical education twice a week. P.E. provides 30 minutes of exercise as well as opportunities to play childhood games. Students learn to develop basic motor and motion skills, as well as sportsmanship and team play. Additionally, students will have free play time at recess. We believe movement, motion, free play, and the outdoors are essential to a child’s growth and education.

LATIN (for 2nd-12th grades)

Latin develops the mind of the young student as no other subject can. The study of Latin is the core of a classical education. Latin begins as early as second grade. The second grade students think it is very fun and it is very gentle, simple, enjoyable introduction to Latin. Latin continues every year, culminating in the translation of Latin literature in grades 9-12. All new students in both the Lower and Upper Schools are enrolled in an age-appropriate beginning Latin class.

Our Latin curriculum follows a traditional progression:

1. The Grammar School (grades 3-6) emphasizes the memorization of the Latin Grammar by the time-tested method of oral recitation and form drills
2. Grades 7-8 focus on the study of syntax and translation using Memoria Press Fourth Form Latin and the classic Henle I and II texts.
3. Grades 9-12 read Latin literature: Caesar, Ovid, AP Virgil, and Cicero. Students who enroll in Latin in middle and high school follow the same sequence at an accelerated pace.

Memorizing the Latin Grammar is a great challenge and gives the students a huge sense of achievement. The mastery of the Latin grammar greatly enhances English language skills and builds the kind of confidence that comes only from great achievement. There is no substitute for the mental development provided by the study of the Latin Grammar. Our Latin program is unique in that those students who begin in the Lower School achieve mastery of the Latin Grammar before high school—a practice which was the norm prior to the twentieth century, but is rare today. Most of the classroom materials used to teach the Latin Grammar—Prima Latina, Latina Christiana, Lingua Angelica, and the Latin Forms Series—have been developed by Cheryl Lowe and Memoria Press.

MATHEMATICS (all grades)

Because mathematics, music, and Latin are the three universal languages, they are given a special emphasis in classical education and are required of all students every year. Mathematics, like all languages, is cumulative, rigorous, and demanding; it develops logical, accurate, and precise thinking habits. Mathematics is the language of science and the indispensable tool for the study of the natural world. The key to success in all sciences, especially chemistry and physics, is a good math education.

Arithmetic is the art of counting and calculation. Like the Latin Grammar, arithmetic is concrete, is based on memorization, and is a small and finite subject. These characteristics make arithmetic appealing to the child’s mind because it is something that he can understand and over which he can achieve mastery. In the trivium model of learning, arithmetic is the focus of grades K-6th. Next to the alphabet, arithmetic is the most useful tool students will ever possess. It should not be rushed over in a hurry to get to higher mathematics. Games, drills, skip-counting, cypher drills, and challenge problems make arithmetic an enjoyable part of the school day.

Mathematics, on the other hand, is the science and philosophy of relationships. It is a large and varied subject that includes many topics, such as algebra, geometry, and calculus. Topics from the world of mathematics are suitable for students who have reached the age of abstract thinking in middle and high school.

Modern textbooks do not observe the distinction between arithmetic and mathematics. Algebra topics are included in texts as early as kindergarten and obscure the necessary arithmetic skills for each grade. The energy and effort of students are dissipated over a variety of topics, many of which are too abstract for students to understand. Insufficient time is given to basic skills, and students do not experience the satisfaction of mastery learning, nor are they adequately prepared for higher math. Mathematics is an exact language, one that is unrelenting and unforgiving. A failure to master basics is the cause of the glass ceiling that most students experience in their mathematics education. Students must overlearn basic math skills in K-6 if they are to be successful in high school math.

Our textbooks and teaching strategies at ECCA ensure that students learn arithmetic and mathematics in an age-appropriate scope and sequence, eliminating the aforementioned deficiencies so prevalent in modern mathematics education.

Our textbooks are carefully chosen, and our teachers are committed to the goals of mastery learning in arithmetic and mathematics. Students may test and receive college credit.

Under Construction! To be continuted—check back soon for the remainder of the curriculum.

MUSIC

Recent research has confirmed what educators have always known: Music develops the mental abilities of students and increases academic performance. Music should not be studied for that reason only, but because it is a God-given gift. We will be singing and praising God in Heaven some day. We believe firmly that every person can sing and should sing–for we were designed for singing.

Children must be trained to discern and love what is good, true, and beautiful in all of the arts, but especially in music. Music completes the triad of universal languages, but it has its own special attributes not possessed by the other two. Mathematical at its base, music expresses thoughts and emotions with an almost divine power to touch the soul. Music is comparable to Latin in its potential to form the character of a student and define the culture of a school. Like Latin and mathematics, music is a core subject, required of students every year. Excelsior employs a sequential K-12 program that instills the fundamentals of music and music theory through the training of the voice as a primary instrument.

In primary and grammar schools, students are introduced to the elements of music through ear training, basic note reading, and the singing of simple, classic repertoire. The primary music class serves as a preparatory class for Latin Singing Choir.

All First Form and above Latin students sing in one of our Latin Choirs. Our goals are to train every child to hear—with discernment and appreciation—the music of every era and culture, and to experience the consummate joy of a well-trained voice joined to others in performing the masterworks of our Western tradition. Because most of the great choral literature of that tradition is sacred, much of it in Latin, our choral program is closely aligned to our goals as a classical Christian school.

“A school without music is like a body without a soul.” -John Bosco

BIBLE AND CHRISTIAN STUDIES

Our Christian Studies program is designed to develop:
a) Bible literacy
b) A knowledge of church history
c) A strong faith and Christian consciousness

To achieve these goals, students study Scripture in all grades (with the goal of reading the entire Bible by graduation), church history in grades 7-11, and Christian apologetics in grade 12. Christian Studies is an academic course equal in content and examinations to all other areas of the curriculum.

Bible Literacy
Students in K-6 learn Bible stories, Bible geography, and salvation history timelines, and memorize more than one hundred passages of Scripture using the Memoria Press Christian Studies series. The King James Bible is used for Scripture memorization. The KJV has had a profound influence on the development of written and spoken English and is one of the greatest literary masterpieces in the English language. The KJV not only enables students to learn the sublime content of their Christian faith in a beautiful and poetic language; it also strengthens language skills in preparation for the study of English literature. Immersion in the KJV is a necessary step in the important goal of learning to read English literature over five centuries.

Church History
Students study church history from a distinctly Protestant viewpoint. We will read the writings of Martin Luther when we read about the Reformation.

Building Faith and a Christian Consciousness
The Christian school has a unique responsibility to teach its young that while the intellectual tools acquired through education can be used to attack the faith, they can also be used to defend it. While the Christian faith may be above reason, it is not contrary to reason. Belief is a choice that intellectually respectable, both scientific and literary, many of whom would be considered the greatest minds the world has ever known, and in every age, including our own), have been believing Christian

We believe the Christian faith is true and that both reason and history support this belief. All time is dated from the birth of Jesus Christ, the central figure in human history. Our Christian Studies program helps students understand why this is true.

Christian Studies Book List

Third Grade Christian Studies

• Christian Studies I – Part 1
  • The Golden Children’s Bible (we cover the first 1/3 of the major stories in the beginning of the Old Testament, concluding the third grade year just as Israel is entering into the Promised Land)
  • Memorize Key Bible Verses
  • Look at maps of these Geographical regions
  • Bible timeline

Fourth Grade Christian Studies

• Christian Studies I – Part 2
  • The Golden Children’s Bible (we will cover the next middle third of the major Old Testament stories)
  • Memorize Key Bible Verses
  • Look at maps of these Geographical regions
  • Bible timeline

Fifth Grade Christian Studies

• Christian Studies II
  • The Golden Children’s Bible (we finish the last third of the major Old Testament stories and conclude the study of the Old Testament)
  • Memorize Key Bible Verses
  • Look at maps of these Geographical regions
  • Bible timeline

Sixth Grade Christian Studies

• Christian Studies III
  • The Golden Children’s Bible (we study the major stories and teachings of the New Testament)
  • Memorize Key Bible Verses
  • Look at maps of these Geographical regions
  • Bible timeline

Seventh Grade Christian Studies

The students begin a 6 year study of the Bible. By the time they finish high school they will have read the entire Bible.

Eighth Grade Christian Studies

The students continue a 6 year study of the Bible that began in 7th grade. By the time they finish high school they will have read the entire Bible.

Ninth Grade Christian Studies

The students continue a 6 year study of the Bible that began in 7th grade. By the time they finish high school they will have read the entire Bible.

They also will study the history of Christianity: from the earliest Christians to the modern churches in China.

Tenth Grade Christian Studies

The students continue a 6 year study of the Bible that began in 7th grade. By the time they finish high school they will have read the entire Bible.

They also will study the history of the early church using Henry Chadwick’s The Early Church is used as the main text. They also will read portions of Eusebius’ History of the Church)

Eleventh Grade Christian Studies

The students continue a 6 year study of the Bible that began in 7th grade. By the time they finish high school they will have read the entire Bible.

They will also study The City of God by St. Augustine,

Twelfth Grade Christian Studies

Twelfth grade students will conclude their 6 year study of the Bible that began in 7th grade. By the time they graduate they will have read the entire Bible.

They will also study:

• A Shorter Summa (essential passages of Thomas Aquinas) by Peter Kreeft,
• Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton
• Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

CLASSICAL STUDIES

All foreign language study includes learning about the people who speak the language, so Classical Studies is the natural companion to Latin. In Classical Studies, students study Greek mythology and Greek and Roman history and literature every year, gradually deepening their knowledge and understanding. This long grounding prepares students to read the classics of Greek, Roman, and English literature and to study and understand the modern world.
By learning classical history we can better understand our own. When we learn about the history of the ancient Greeks we learn why our founding fathers chose democracy. When we learn about Roman history we learn by they chose a Republic. When we study British history we understand how our Constitution reflects the Magna Carta. Our literature and poetry reflects all of the above. We are standing on the shoulders of giants. To ever be able to understand America or to critically evaluate it, we must understand Western Civilization. At Excelsior we dig deep and examine all of ancient history, starting with the beginning of time in the Bible and culminating with the Greek and Roman empires.
The classical civilizations of Greece and Rome are the perfect civilizations for the student to study. They have been thoroughly studied by many generations, and the lessons have been learned and are there for all to see. And we know the end of the story, so we can see consequences and draw conclusions.

“The merely modern man never knows what he is about. A classical education,
far from alienating us from our own world, teaches us to discern the amiable
traits in it, and its genuine achievements; helping us, amid so many distracting
problems, to preserve a certain dignity and balance of mind, together with a sane
confidence in the future.”
-George Santayana

“Those who do not possess a classical education are prisoners of their own time.
To know and be interested only in the now means being incapable of evaluating
or appreciating even that.”
-Jude Dougherty

Classical Studies Book List

Third Grade Classical Studies

• D’Aulaires’ Greek Myths, Christian Studies I, The Golden Children’s Bible
• Timeline Program
• Memorize 11 Key Dates of Western Civilization

Fourth Grade Classical Studies

• Story of the World Volume 1 (Ancient World History) and Ancient Geography
• Timeline Program
• Continue to memorize 11 Key Dates of Western Civilization

Fifth Grade Classical Studies

• Famous Men of Rome
• Timeline Program
• Memorize 19 New Key Dates in Western Civilization, Review 11

Sixth Grade Classical Studies

• Famous Men of Middle Ages
• Timeline Program
• Memorize 12 New Key Dates in Western Civilization, Review 30

Seventh Grade Classical Studies

• Famous Men of Greece, Horatius at the Bridge, The Bronze Bow, The Trojan War
• Timeline Program
• Memorize 18 New Key Dates in Western Civilization, Review 42
• Greek Mythology and Roman History Review

Eighth Grade Classical Studies

• The Book of the Ancient World and The Book of the Ancient Greeks (Dorothy Mills)
• The Iliad and The Odyssey (Butler translation)

Ninth Grade Classical Studies

• The Book of the Ancient Romans (Mills)
• The Aeneid (West translation)

Tenth Grade Classical Studies

Aeschylus (The Oresteian Trilogy), Sophocles (The Three Theban Plays),
Euripides (Medea and Other Plays)

Eleventh Grade Classical Studies

Cicero’s Classical Political Philosophy:

• On Obligations
• The Republic and The Laws

Twelfth Grade Classical Studies

A Classical History of Art

ENGLISH STUDIES

English mastery in reading, writing, and speaking is the mark of an educated American. But these multifaceted skills require many years to reach a high level. An essential component of superior English skills is the study of a classical language, so our Latin curriculum supports and enhances the English skills of our students. Students study English grammar and vocabulary in both English and Latin classes, beginning in second grade.

Another factor in the development of superior language skills is the study of good literature, which provides models of correct English and excellence in writing. The ear and eye are trained by constant exposure to good English usage. Students learn best by imitation.

Our classroom reading selections are carefully chosen to increase in reading difficulty each year. Books are read slowly and thoroughly in class, accompanied by in class discussion, and a selection of poetry. Poetry is intense and requires careful, slow, and repeated reading. Poetry requires thought and is especially effective in developing comprehension and thinking skills. Students who are properly prepared can begin the study of Shakespeare in the eighth grade.

We choose the very best literature and poetry for each age, works that model heroes, virtues, and high ideals. Our literature program does more than develop reading skills—it inspires students to love what is good and noble in life.

English grammar, usage, and composition are taught yearly in Kindergarten-12th grades. The ability to write with clarity, beauty, and power is further developed by our logic and rhetoric courses, which are an extension of English and count as English credits.

On a more practical side, the development of a legible and attractive cursive hand is a high priority. Unless serious attention is given to penmanship in every grade and class, illegible, careless writing plagues students and teachers throughout their school years.

“Dante and Shakespeare divide the world between them. There is no third.”
-T. S. Eliot

English Studies Book List

HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY

AMERICAN/MODERN STUDIES
In American/Modern Studies, students study American history, geography, and literature, as well as world geography and non-Western cultures. The program is designed to give students mastery over very concrete and useful information about the United States and the world, and to build each year on the previous year’s work. Students learn to label a world map with every country and learn the majority of the capitals. Students also read a variety of books from our library to supplement their knowledge of the U.S. and the world.

• Kindergarten-2nd On a map and globe students identify continents, oceans, equator, poles, tropics, some major countries, and U.S. states through our Read-Aloud program for history, geography, science, and holidays.
• Grade 3 States and Capitals Part I: Identify 25 states and four regions on unlabeled outline map; recite and spell states; memorize abbreviations and capitals
• Grade 4 States and Capitals Part II: Identify the remaining 25 states and four regions on unlabeled outline map; recite and spell states; memorize abbreviations and capitals
• Grade 5 Geography I: North Africa, the Middle East, and Europe
• Grade 6 Geography II: Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas
• United States History
• Grade 7 United States History from Christopher Columbus to Modern times, read key primary source letters/speeches/documents, memorize key American dates and 200 facts that every American should know (ie. “Who charged up San Juan Hill?” “Who said, ‘Give me liberty or give me death?’”)
• Grade 8: Geography III: Review of the entire world geography, and go deeper and learn cultures, and habitats
• Grade 9: Renaissance and Reformation
• Grade 10 A History of Medieval Europe
• Grade 11 A History of Europe in the Modern World by Palmer, Colton, and Kramer (College Credit Available)
• Grade 12 The American Pageant 16th ed – AP by Kennedy and Cohen (College Credit Available)

SCIENCE

Science begins with wonder and curiosity about the natural world. It leads to the skills of observation, to classification, and ultimately to science and technology. It is best for the child to be led into the world of science through these same steps.
The traditional elementary science curriculum includes topics which are also naturalist hobbies—bird, tree, and wildflower identification, butterflies, insects, bees, and star-gazing. Students learn much about science—morphology, physiology, classification, habitats, etc. through the detailed study of stars, insects, birds, and trees.
The Primary and Grammar School science curriculum includes the study of (Latin-based) scientific terminology, as well as an exposure to the beautiful tradition of English nature poetry. It is important that students in K-6 learn to take delight in the beauty and wonder of nature before they begin the study of modern science, which tends to emphasize the exploitation of nature for human needs.
More advanced scientific topics are emphasized in 8th grade to prepare students for biology,
chemistry, and physics in the Upper School.

• Kindergarten-2nd grade: Calendar, seasons, holidays, planets, plants, animals, nature walks. We also use our read-aloud program that has beautiful picture books appropriate for this age that cover a myriad of history, holidays, geography, and science topics.
• Grade 3 Astronomy
• Grade 4 Insects
• Grade 5 Birds and Exploring the History of Medicine
• Grade 6 Trees and Exploring the World of Biology
• Grade 7 The Periodic Table and Science Prep
• Grade 8 Physical Science (Apologia)
• Grade 9 Biology (Apologia)
• Grade 10 Chemistry (Apologia)
• Grade 11 Physics (Apologia)
• Grade 12 AP Bio, Chem, or Physics (optional–students only need to take 3 lab sciences)(College Credit Available)

LOGIC AND RHETORIC

Logic and rhetoric are essential tools for effective communication. Ninth grade students learn a systematic course in formal logic, rather than a sampling of logic topics. Traditional Logic I and II is an in-depth study of the syllogism, taught in the classic three-part method. Students learn the four logical statements, the four ways statements can be opposite, the three ways they can be equivalent, the seven rules for validity, and the nineteen valid arguments. In Material Logic, students learn the Ten Categories, the Five Predicables, the Four Causes, and the Five Elements of Classification, as well as their use in the art of thinking.
Classical Rhetoric is a guided tour through the first part of Aristotle’s Rhetoric. To the ancients, rhetoric was the crowning intellectual discipline, molding knowledge and logic into powerful tools of persuasion. To Aristotle the art of rhetoric was the chief weapon in the service of truth.
Classical Rhetoric also familiarizes students with three model speeches as examples of the three branches of classical oratory: the “Appeal of the Envoys to Achilles,” from Homer’s Iliad; the “Apology of Socrates,” from the dialogue of Plato; and Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address.” Students analyze Marc Antony’s “Funeral Oration” from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar as an example of a great speech that defies categorization.

GREEK

GREEK
There are two, and only two, classical languages—Latin and Greek. Students study Greek as part of the regular curriculum in grades 6-8, completing the entire Greek Grammar. This three-year course covers the Greek alphabet and the basics of Greek grammar, vocabulary, and translation. Students are enlightened by the similarities between Latin and Greek grammar, and they are amazed to learn about the large number of Greek roots in English and Latin words. The study of Greek is the crown jewel in a classical Christian education. It adds a depth and understanding to the study of language, the Bible, and Western civilization.

The ancient Greeks created a body of thought characterized by such brilliance and clarity that it has been called “The Greek Miracle” ever since. Their work in philosophy, literature, art, logic, mathematics, and science has been the wellspring of Western civilization. The Greeks have been, and remain, the world’s first and greatest teachers in the natural order. The Romans, like every generation since, imitated and enlarged, but did not reverse, the Greek depository of knowledge.

Even more importantly, the New Testament was composed in Greek, and the Old Testament, in the form of the Greek Septuagint, was the Bible of the Apostles and the New Testament Church.

Since divine providence has so ordained that the sources of both human and divine wisdom be clothed in the garment of the Greek language, there can be no more compelling reason to offer the study of Greek.

We are pleased to offer Greek to our students as an integral part of their language education.
For students who choose to continue their study, Greek is offered as an elective in grades 9-12.

• Grade 7 Greek Alphabet
• Grade 8 First Form Greek
  Grades 9-12 Electives:
• Grade 9 Second Form Greek
• Grade 10 New Testament writings Part I
• Grade 11 New Testament writings Part II
• Grade 12 Selections from Xenophon

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Source Credit

We use the Memoria Press Curriculum for all of the above apart from IEW and Apologia Science. The Memoria Press curriculum is used at their model school Highlands Latin in KY. We follow the schedule they provide us in their curriculum manuals. Excerpts from the above were taken from their course catalog.