New Curriculum Guide

Curriculum Guide 2013 - 2014

Table of Contents: Grade Level

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MGCS Preschool Program………………………………………………..………..2 Kindergarten Yearly Curriculum………………………………………….…….4 First Grade Yearly Curriculum…………………………………………………..5 Second Grade Yearly Curriculum……………………………………………...6 Third Grade Yearly Curriculum………………………………………………...7 Fourth Grade Yearly Curriculum……………………………………………….9 Fifth Grade Yearly Curriculum………………………………………………..11 Sixth Grade Yearly Curriculum………………………………………………..13 Seventh Grade Yearly Curriculum……………………………………………15 Eighth Grade Yearly Curriculum………………………………………………17

For more information about MGCS visit: www.mgcs.org or call (910) 392-2067 806 Piner Rd. Wilmington, NC 28409

MGCS Preschool Program Our program is designed to help children grow mentally, physically, socially, and spiritually: to empower them to have an abundant life, “full till it overflows.” Our spiritual emphasis is not limited to one specific part of the day or to a specific method. We want to help children “love whatsoever things are true and pure and lovely and are of good report” through the life and teachings of Jesus in action, word, and song. The curriculum is teacher developed and is taught through different thematic units. Within each unit lesson children will develop their fine motor skills, gross motor skills, language skills, social skills and cognitive skills. Music and art will also be incorporated into each unit. During the preschool morning the children: 1) Have inside and outside free play/center activities 2) Have Circle Time 3) Have Bible Instruction/Praise and Worship 4) Have Snack 5) Have Physical Education Instruction 6) Have Art and Music Instruction Daily schedules and monthly units of study will change depending upon the teacher. 3-YEAR-OLD PROGRAM Children should be 3 years of age on or before August 31 and they must be completely potty trained. Our priorities for our three year olds are: *To provide a positive fun first school experience *To plant seeds of faith within each child *To develop good social skills in each child *To develop their fine motor, large motor, and cognitive skills Our 3-year-old program has 2 options. Both classes follow the same yearly plan. *Monday, Wednesday, Friday Class 8:30a.m.-12:15p.m. *Tuesday, Thursday Class 8:30a.m.-12:15p.m.

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MGCS Preschool Program Cont. 4-YEAR-OLD PROGRAM Our 4-year-old program also offers two different classes. Both classes follow the same yearly unit plans. The two class options: 1. 4 year old preschool – Monday, Wednesday, Friday (8:30-12:20) 2. 4 year old transitional Kindergarten – Monday thru Friday (8:30-12:30) Our priorities for our 4-year-old classes are: *To provide a positive preschool experience *To plant seeds of faith within each child *To develop good social skills within each child *To prepare children for kindergarten with developmentally appropriate activities Our 4-year-old preschool program is a program designed to challenge the students and prepare them for a kindergarten program. The students are challenged in all areas: physically, socially, emotionally, spiritually, and cognitively. Our 4-year-old transitional kindergarten program is designed for the older more mature four year old and younger five year old who is ready to move at a faster pace and work in a more structured environment. Children entering the 4-year-old transitional kindergarten program should be turning five between August 31 and March 31. Both classes prepare children for a kindergarten program. The teachers work closely together in developing units and lesson plans. The yearly objectives are the same for both classes. It is our desire to meet the needs of each child. We do not want to frustrate them by placing them into a program that would not challenge them. Prayerfully consider which program would be most beneficial for your child before making a final decision. We have incorporated Sing, Spell, Read, Write curriculum into our 4-year-old program. This curriculum stresses good language and pre-reading development in our preschool children.

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Kindergarten Yearly Curriculum Language Arts

Open Court Publishers Sing, Spell, Read, & Write Publishers Off We Go

Reading: appreciation for learning to read; print awareness; phonemic awareness; letter, sound, and word list recognition; comprehension skills (oral); response to various literary genres; take home readers. Language: word order/ parts of speech; oral expression/sentence construction; communication skills; basic capitalization and punctuation; word study projects; and creative writing/journals. Penmanship: correct letter formation; correct letter size and spacing; handwriting booklets Math

MacMillan McGraw/Hill Publishers Mathematics

Counting from 0-31/skip counting; recognizing and writing numerals 0-20; understanding of ordinal numbers and number patterns; adding to sums of 10 (6+4=10); subtracting with differences from 9 (9-4=5); identifying coins (pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters); telling of clock time on the hour; recognizing shapes and extending geometric patterns; understanding special relationships graphing and recording data; estimating, measuring, problem solving; recognizing and naming fractional parts; classifying and sorting objects Social Studies& Science Open Court Publishers Thematic/Seasonal units Manners and social development National Geographic Young Explorers – National Geographic Bible

Purposeful Design Publications God and Me

Biblical scriptures and characters are presented to serve as role models for the children. Enrichment classes in Computer, Music, Art, Library, and P.E. DEVELOPMENT SKILLS FOR KINDERGARTEN READINESS *Separates easily from parents *Removes and puts on outerwear *Knows basic colors *Knows first and last name and states age *Listens and remains attentive for 15 minutes *Counts to 20 *Familiar with letters and sounds

*Takes care of all toileting needs *Plays cooperatively *Says or sings ABC’s in order *Respects and obeys authority figures *Follows 3 consecutive directions (4-5years) * Asks questions when confused *Scores above the 60th percentile on the Dial 3 Development Assessments

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First Grade Yearly Curriculum Reading/Language Arts/Science SRA McGraw-Hill Open Court Publishing Collections for Young Readers Developing phonics, fluency, and comprehension skills; vowels (short/long); consonant blends; clusters (ie, oy, ur, ar, ou); ABC order; compound words; contractions; synonyms/antonyms; sight words; sentence structures; punctuation; capitalization; spelling phonetically, writing practice including journaling, narrative, friendly letter, and response writings; first grade science units integrated with reading. Math

Houghton Mifflin Mathematics

Rote counting; computation (+ & -); geometry, time/money; place value; measurement; fractions; skip counting; graphing; calendar activities Social Studies

McGraw Hill My World

Concepts & Content: American flag; symbols; freedoms; great people of America; Pilgrims and Indians; presidents; national holidays; landforms; early U.S. history, customs and traditions around the world. Skills: Map skills, Pledge of Allegiance Social Studies Weekly Consumable weekly publication which follows N.C. standard course of studies Bible

Association of Christian Schools International ACSI Bible

Character development; establish students in the Word of God so they begin to find answers for themselves; locating Scriptures in the Bible; memorizing Bible verses. Specific topics include: Creation, The Flood, Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, The Life of Jesus, Moses Science

National Geographic Magazine

Periodicals, which follow the N.C. standard course of studies, includes earth and environment, weather, health and hygiene, forces and matter, plants, animals, sun and planets, living things Enrichment classes in computer, music, library, art and PE 5

Second Grade Yearly Curriculum Language Arts

Open Court Publishing Language Arts Today Open Court Reading

Vocabulary, phonic sounds, comprehension, study skills, communication skills, language mechanics and use, creative writing, reference skills, spelling, handwriting, creative and narrative writing, parts of speech, friendly-letter writing, AR Reading Math

MacMillan McGraw-Hill

Addition and subtraction with basic facts, regrouping and renaming, place value, fractions, geometry, graphs, money, time, measurement, problem solving. Science

Christian Schools International Science

God as our Creator through life and physical science – animals, states of matter, discovering how to stay healthy and safe, bones and muscles. Social Studies and History

McGraw Hill People Together – Adventures in Time & Place Steck – Vaughn Maps, Globes, Graphs

God’s hand throughout time – knowledge of some local, state, and national government, sense of community, and helpers, laws and rules, map and globe skills, time lines, major historical events, holidays Bible

ACSI God and My Actions

Learning about different Bible characters; studying a different life scenario each week; focus on character traits demonstrated throughout the Bible; learning of a missions’ family in Central America Enrichment classes in Computer, Music, Art, PE, Library and Spanish

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Third Grade Yearly Curriculum Language Arts

Shurley English English Made Easy

Grammar: Types of sentences, subjects, predicates, nouns, verbs (action and be), adjectives, pronouns, and adverbs Writing: Topic sentences, detail sentences, quotation marks, using references, proofreading, etc. Math

MacMillan/McGraw-Hill Math Connects

Place value; addition with trading; subtraction with trading Multiplication tables through 12 and by double and triple digits (104 x 3 ) Division through 9’s, remainders, introduce long division Fractions – visual, comparing like denominators, ordering small to large Solving story problems with add, subtract, multiply, divide Charts & Graphs; Money Geometry (plane and space figures, area, perimeter, volume) Measurements (metric) and time Spelling

SRA

Words with long & short vowel sounds and blends Words ending with final double consonant, -ed, and –ing Double consonants, contractions, easily misspelled words, plurals, homophones, days of the week, time words, holidays, compound words, months Reading

McGraw Hill SRA Imagine It!

Units: Friendship, Animals and their Habitats, Money, Earth, Moon and Sun, Communitities, Storytelling. Reading skills include the following: recalling facts and details, context clues, drawing inferences, writing stories, learning genres of stories, vocabulary words for each story

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Third Grade Yearly Curriculum Cont. Language Arts





SRA




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Fourth Grade Yearly Curriculum Language Arts





SRA




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Fourth Grade Yearly Curriculum Cont. Science

Purposeful Design Science

The Scientific Method, light, eyes, sound, ears, sign language, body systems, living things, minerals, rocks, and earth structure, motion and force, matter, space. Science Fair Bi-Annually Social Studies

History & Geography Pearson Publishing Group

Geography-Map skills World Mountains, Europe in the Middle Ages, Spread of Islam, African Kingdoms, Dynasties of China. The American Revolution, U.S. Constitution, Early Presidents, American Reformers

Bible

Purpose Design Bible Fourth Grade

Fruit of the Spirit Bible Doctrines including God & His Word Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Church, Salvation, Heaven and Hell, and Angels Enrichment classes in computer, music, library, art, P.E., and Rosetta Stone

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Fifth Grade Yearly Curriculum Language Arts

Shurley English English

Grammar/Usage/Conventions: Kinds of sentences, parts of speech, punctuation, capitalization Reference Skills: Using dictionary, thesaurus, atlas, encyclopedia, websites, other resources Writing: 6 + 1 Traits of Good Writing Poetry, paragraphs, stories, essays, book reports, letters, personal writing journals, writing to persuade, inform, express an opinion, compare and contrast Math

MacMillian McGraw Hill Math Connects

Place value to billions; compare, order and round whole numbers and decimals; addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of whole numbers and decimals; problem solving; graphs; fractions (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division); geometry (basic shapes, measuring angles), variables and expressions Reading

SRA/McGraw-Hill Imagine It!

Vocabulary, word solving strategies, comprehension skills, fluency Literature: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry Spelling

SRA Spelling

Spelling/Vocabulary: spelling rules, plurals, prefixes, suffixes, roots, topical words, vocabulary related to the entire fifth grade curriculum. Science

Purposeful Design Publications (ACSI) Changes

Natural cycles, cells and heredity, body systems, diseases, matter, geology, natural resources, weather/climate, sun/earth/moon, the scientific method, measurement (metric and customary, perimeter, area, volume)

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Fifth Grade Yearly Curriculum Bible

ACSI Grade 5 Christ and My Choices

Old Testament character study with the goal of enabling students to make life changing decision for themselves. Social Studies

Pearson Learning Group History and Geography (Core Knowledge)

United States Geography, Map Skills, Renaissance, Reformation, Golden Age to Glorious Revolution in England, Age of Exploration, Civil War, Westward Expansion, Native Americans. Enrichment classes in Computer, Music, Art, PE, Library, and Rosetta Stone

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Sixth Grade Yearly Curriculum Language Arts

Glencoe Writer’s Choice Grammar and Composition

Students will be introduced to the eight parts of speech. They will review skills in grammar and punctuation as well as creative writing, book reports, short stories, letter writing, comparative papers, and short stories. Spelling

Christian Schools International Spelling

Students will review commonly misspelled words and build vocabulary. Math

Prentice Hall Mathematics Course 1

Students study addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of whole numbers, decimals, fractions and integers. Students solve basic one-step equations using whole numbers, decimals, and fractions. Ratios, proportions, percents, geometry, statistics, equations, and inequalities are also covered. In all concept areas, this is an emphasis on problem solving. Reading

Open Court Publishing Company Open Court Reading

Students will also read selected stories from their text Reading for Christian Schools as well as Open Court and. read the novel, The Door in the Wall. Study will be directed toward expansion of vocabulary, character analysis, and the plot elements of a story. Science

Prentice Hall Science Explorer

Students will investigate Ecology, Astronomy, Magnetism, and Electricity through lecture, experiments, hand-on activities, and real field experiences in and outside the classroom setting.

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Sixth Grade Yearly Curriculum Cont. History

Scott Foresman The World

In this course students will examine and evaluate the cultures of the Ancient World. This study will begin with early civilizations and conclude just before the Renaissance. The students will learn the geography of early Europe, Asia, and the Middle East as well as the customs of the people who lived there. During this amazing period of history, man made many advances that have had great impact on our world today, however, most of the ancient civilizations are no longer powerful. As the students study the rise and fall of these great people and nations, they will be reminded that the only kingdom of God lasts forever. As the scripture says in Deuteronomy 4:35, “You were shown these things so that you might know that the Lord is God; besides him there is no other.” The students will be challenged, encouraged and evaluated in the skills of maps, drawing, critical thinking, cause and effect assessment and Biblical Integration or application. Students will learn personal responsibility through the completion of short-term project assignments to include research, interpretation of materials, and clear presentation of ideas in written, illustrated and oral forms. Students will develop social skills through group assignments and class discussion opportunities and practice organization skills by taking notes, making charts and completing outlines. Bible

Positive Action for Christ Wise Up

Students will investigate their personal relationship to the Lord, making application to their life. Students will study the power of God in their lives through His word, the person of His Son, and the power of the Holy Spirit. They will study relating Scriptures throughout the Old and New Testament. Enrichment classes in Computer, Music, Art, P.E., and Spanish

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Seventh Grade Yearly Curriculum Cont. Language Arts

Glencoe Writer’s Choice

Students review punctuation, grammar, and the eight parts of speech with a concentration on conjunctions, adverbs, and prepositions. They study various sentence structures and practice these in writing narratives, short stories, creative writing, biographical sketches, and essays. Vocabulary

Sadlier Vocabulary Workshop

Students learn new vocabulary in context, in analogies, with synonyms and homonyms and in writing using the new vocabulary. Math

Prentice Hall Pre-Algebra

The students learn addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of positive and negative integers. They learn to translate word phrases into algebraic expressions and solve for an unknown variable using positive and negative whole numbers and decimals. Students also learn about number properties and number theory including such concepts as prime and composite numbers, prime factorization, factors, multiples, exponent, and square roots. Additionally, students learn ratio, proportion, percents, and graphing involving slope and y-intercept as well as some geometry, working with area and volume formulas. Prentice Hall Mathematics Course 2 Students work with decimals, integers, and especially fractions. They are introduced to simple equations and inequalities. Students calculate with percents, work with geometric figures, and begin graphing.

Reading

Mosdos Literature Jade Of People Explorations in Literature

Students will study a variety of poems, short stories, essays, and plays from the above three reading texts. They will also read the two novels The Scarlet Pimpernel and The Hiding Place. Concentration is on vocabulary, comprehension, note taking, and literary terms and devices.

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Seventh Grade Yearly Curriculum Cont. Science

Prentice Hall Science Explorer

Students will study the atmosphere, weather factors, patterns, and climate They will explore the theories of plate tectonics, earthquakes, and volcanoes Students will discover sources of water on our planet, how they relate to each other, and how water is conserved and cleaned for our use. Social Studies

Glencoe World History Journey Across Time

Students will develop an understanding of the history, culture, and geographic settings of the peoples of Western Europe from the Middle Ages through World War II. Students will study current events that parallel their historic settings throughout the year. Bible

Purposeful Design Daring Deliverers and The Life of Christ

Enrichment classes in Computer, Music, Art, P.E., and Rosetta Stone

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Eighth Grade Yearly Curriculum Cont. Language Arts

Glencoe Writer’s Choice

Students review the eight parts of speech, learn correct grammar, and improve punctuation skills. They have a concentration on verbal and complex sentences in their writing. Papers include comparative and creative writing, persuasive papers, narratives, and literary criticism essays. Vocabulary

Sadler-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop

Students review the most common misspelled words along with a generated list of vocabulary words from reading. Reading

Excursions in Literature Of Places Literature Mosdos Literature Gold

Students will read various stories, plays and poems from the three reading textbooks listed above. They will also read the following novels: The Witch of Blackbird Pond, A Christmas Carol, Johnny Tremain, Across Five Aprils and North to Freedom. The reading portion of 8th grade language arts is used to help students improve reading comprehension, note-taking skills, and understand plot, characterization, themes and literary devices. Pre-Algebra

Prentice Hall

Students learn addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of positive and negative integers. They learn to translate word phrases into algebraic expressions and solve for an unknown variable using positive and negative whole numbers and decimals Students also learn about number properties and number theory, including such concepts as prime and composite numbers, prime factorization, factors, multiples, exponent, and square roots. Additionally, students learn ratio, proportion, percents, and graphing involving slope and y-intercept, as well as some geometry, working with area and volume formulas and monomials and polynomials. Algebra I

Prentice Hall Mathematics

Students will perform operations with real numbers, simplify algebraic expressions, solve equations and inequalities in one variable, factor polynomials, simplify rational expressions, graph linear equations and inequalities, graph systems of equations and inequalities, simplify radicals, and solve and graph quadratic equations and functions.

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Eighth Grade Yearly Curriculum Cont. Bible

Purposeful Design Publication Explore the Bible – The life of Christ

Students study an overview of the New Testament, taking a glimpse into Jesus’ earthly ministry with a focus on Jesus miracles. The study points the student to Jesus’ power, authority, life, death and relationship with God the Father.

Science

Prentice-Hall Cells and Heredity Human Biology and Health

The first part of the year is devoted to learning foundational concepts in life science. Key concepts include musculoskeletal system, circulatory system, reproductive system, digestive system, nervous system, cells and their organelles, cell division (mitosis and meiosis), chromosomes, DNA, RNA, traits, Mendel, Punnett Squares, and probability. Prentice-Hall Motion, Forces, and Energy Chemical Building Blocks The second half of the year focuses on human biology and chemistry. Key concepts include the motion, force, friction, Newton’s 3 Laws of Motion, Simple Machines, calculating speed, acceleration, work, power and efficiency, the periodic table of elements, atoms, SI unit conversions, balancing chemical equations, phases of matter and phase changes, gas laws, and temperature conversions. Social Studies

Prentice Hall The American Nation

Students will develop a working knowledge of the U.S. from its conception through Reconstruction. N.C. History will be taught in a parallel manner connecting corresponding historic events. Current Events Studies will focus on state and national developments.

Enrichment classes in Computer, Music, Art, PE, and Rosetta Stone

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