CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK
It is the Mission of Regina Angelorum Academy to promote and nurture the intellectual growth and talents of elementary school children through the time-tested classical liberal arts course of study. Students study and learn in a wholesome and rigorous academic environment. The Catholic faculty integrates the Magisterial teaching, Scripture and Tradition of the Catholic Church throughout the curriculum. In partnership with their families, boys and girls are taught to be effective Catholic citizens and leaders. They are taught to know, love and serve God and neighbor, aware of their ultimate purpose in life – eternal happiness with God in Heaven.
The fundamental principles of classical education are based on practical wisdom that has been the foundation of Catholic education from the beginning. The keystone of classical education is the Trivium which simply recognizes the natural development of a child. These can be thought of as the knowledge , understanding and wisdom stages of human development. “The Trivium applies in nearly every educational sphere because it accounts for the entire range of what education is supposed to do: The learner must acquire information, grasp it intellectually, and use it purposefully.” Sometimes these three development phases are termed the grammar, logic and rhetoric stages of learning.
Core Curriculum
At Regina Angelorum Academy, the core curriculum includes the five subject areas of English, math, history and geography, science, Latin, music and the arts. English starts with early, systematic phonics instruc-tion. Reading, especially the classics, and writing are central to our program and critical to developing the articulation and learning skills that are so vital for success in today’s society.
The Catholic Faith is the foundation on which all course work rests and it is a part of its exposition. All branches of knowledge are connected together because they are intimately united to the work of our Creator. Catholic truth, therefore, will complete the appreciation of each subject and demonstrate the wholeness of that truth. For example, history will focus on God’s plan of salvation. Science will place emphasis on what the natural world tells us about God. Reading and writing assignments will include the lives of the saints. Art and music will focus on the sacred as well as the secular.
TRIVIUM STAGE | GRADES | STUDENT LEARNS | TRIVIUM APPROACH | HOW ACCOMPLISHED | SEEKS TO: |
|---|
GRAMMER | DEVELOPING THE FOUNDATION OF KNOWLEDGE |
|---|
Cognitive Taxonomy | Knowledge | Comprehension |
|---|
GRADES | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
|---|
LOGIC / DIALECTIC | DEVELOPING UNDERSTANDING AND ANALYSIS |
|---|
Cognitive Taxonomy | Application | Analysis |
|---|
GRADES | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Assessments | Iowa Achievement Test | Iowa Achievement Test | Iowa Achievement Test | Iowa Achievement Test |
Evaluation Tools | Student Portfolios | Student Portfolios | Student Portfolios | Student Portfolios |
Subject | Integrated History and Literature Curriculum |
|---|---|
History | 5th Grade: Sea to Shining Sea- Founding of the United States to the Civil War 6th Grade: All Ye Lands- Origins of world culture: pre-history through the Middle Ag-es 7th Grade: Light to the Nations 1- The Incarnation to the threshold of the Enlighten-ment 8th Grade: Light to the Nations 2- The Enlightenment to the Modern World |
Literature - Note: the lists are illustrative, not definitive or complete. Every grade will memorize select poems. | Little Women, The Secret Garden, Trumpeter of Krakow, Canterbury Tales, Johnny Tremain, Tales from Shakespeare, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Sarah Plain and Tall, Great Classical Myths, The Red Badge of Courage, Great Expectations, The Light in the Forest, The Gift of the Magi, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Sounder, Screwtape Letters, Children’s Homer, The Golden Goblet, The Hitite Warrior,Amos Fortune, Ben and Me, Madeline Takes Command, Brave Buffalo Fighter, Away Goes Sally, Freedom Train: Harriet Tubman. |
Subject | Grade 5 | Grade 6 | Grade 7 | Grade 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Language Arts and English | Shurley Grammar; Composition using Institute for Excellence in Writing Vocabulary Workshop Cursive handwriting | Shurley Grammar; Composition us-ing Institute for Excellence in Writing Vocabulary Workshop Cursive handwriting | Shurley Grammar Composition using Institute for Excellence in Writing Vocabulary Workshop Cursive handwriting | Shurley Grammar Composition using Institute for Excellence in Writing Vocabulary Workshop Cursive handwriting |
Catholic Faith | Introduction to the Sacaraments Faith & Life Series Bible Disciples of Christ: Education in Virtue | The Story of Salvation History Introduction to Scripture The Bible Timeline Faith & Life Series Bible Disciples of Christ: Education in Virtue | Living as Disciples of Jesus Christ through the Sacramental Life. Introduction to the Gospels Confirmation preparation Faith and Life Series Bible Disciples of Christ: Education in Virtue | Livng as Catholic Witnessed in the World Apologetics Faith and Life Series Bible Catechism of the Catholic Church Disciples of Christ: Education in Virtue |
Mathematics | Saxon Math 7/6 | Saxon Math 8/7 | Honors Pre-Algebra | Honors Algebra 1 |
Science - Study of the five major building blocks of Sci-ence: chemistry, biology, geology, astronomy and physics. Science Fair | Exploring the Building Blocks of Science, books 4-8 by Rebecca W. Keller, PhD Experimental investigation | Exploring the Building Blocks of Science, books 4-8 by Rebecca W. Keller, PhD Experimental investigation | Exploring the Build-ing Blocks of Science, books 4-8 by Rebecca W. Keller, PhD Experimental investigation | Exploring the Building Blocks of Science, books 4-8 by Rebecca W. Keller, PhD Experimental investigation |
Latin | Latin for Children Primer A | Lingua Latina | Lingua Latina | Lingua Latina |
Art | Drawing, Painting | Drawing, Painting | Drawing, Painting | Drawing, Painting |
Music | Theory, Chorus | Theory, Chorus | Theory, Chorus | Theory, Chorus |
Physical Activity | PE once/week; two recesses/day | PE once/week; two recesses/day | PE once/week; two recesses/day | PE once/week; two recesses/day |
