K–8 Curriculum

First Grade Curriculum

• Religion – Concordia Publishing House, One in Christ
• Reading – Harcourt Publishing, Storytown
• Math – Saxon
• Handwriting – D’Nealian
• Science – McGraw-Hill
• Social Studies – Pearson, My World

The first grade class begins their day with devotions and singing. In religion class, they learn about simple Bible stories and how they relate to their lives. They learn about Christ, their personal Savior, and how they can follow His footsteps by letting their own actions and lives shine for Jesus.

Students have memory work twice a week. Throughout the year, they learn the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, various Bible passages that correlate with the Bible story of the week, and simple songs.

A major focus of the 1st grade classroom is Language Arts and Reading. Students participate in many reading activities and in the Accelerated Reading program. Students also participate in the Saxon Math program to develop a solid foundation in the basic concepts in areas such as addition, subtraction, counting by fives, tens, and hundreds, telling time to the hour and half-hour, counting money, measuring, and reading a graph or chart.

Throughout the year, students enjoy physical education, music, art, technology, several field trips, and a variety of activities, including National Day of the Young Reader and National Lutheran Schools Week. At the end of the year, students write and illustrate their own book. Parents are invited to our “Awesome Author’s Jubilee” to hear the students read their stories and celebrate the gift of reading.

Second Grade Curriculum

• Religion – Concordia Publishing House, One in Christ
• Reading – Houghton-Mifflin
• English/Grammar/Phonics – Houghton-Mifflin
• Spelling – Houghton-Mifflin
• Math – Saxon
• Science – McGraw-Hill
• Social Studies – Pearson
• Handwriting – D’Nealian Style, Scott, Foresman

Math: Students practice addition, subtraction, time, money, measuring, and graphing. Near the end of the year, they begin to work on multiplication.

Reading: Students read and discuss a variety of literature selections while increasing skills in phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension. They also participate in the Accelerated Reader program.

English: Students study nouns, verbs, adjectives, and punctuation combined with many writing activities.

Handwriting: During first semester students polish up their writing skills. In second semester they learn how to write in cursive.

Religion: Students examine their relationship with God and how it affects them, others, and the world around them. Prayer and worship are encouraged!

Science: Students study a variety of areas including plants, animals, habitats, matter, and magnets. Hands-on activities are included.

Social Studies: Students learn about their neighborhood, community, and world. They study American government and history, use maps, and explore various cultures.

Field Trips: Students go on a variety of field trips. We explore God’s good and wonderful creation at the Discovery Center and at the Johnson Farms Pumpkin Patch. We enjoy the arts at the Symphony, Kaleidoscope, and the Nelson Atkins Art Museum. We also use our muscles at Emerald City gym!

Special Times: A “Seascape”, President’s Project, and an “All About Me” collage are just a few of the fun activities that are offered in second grade. We also have a special day of flying kites with our 6th grade friends! We celebrate the 100th day of school, we dress up like book characters, and most importantly we find joy in learning.

Third Grade Curriculum

• Religion – Concordia Publishing House, “Voyages”
• Math – Saxon Math
• Reading – Harcourt “Storytown”
• English – Harcourt
• Spelling – Harcourt
• Social Studies – Pearson “My World”
• Science – McMillan/ McGrawHill
• Handwriting – D’Nealian Handwriting “Contempory Cursive”

In third grade, students begin receiving letter grades (A, B, C, D, F) as well as progress marks (+, √). Students also are responsible for an assignment book and homework, and getting both of those to and from school each day.

Field Trips include the Science Discovery Center in the fall, Kaleidoscope and the Kansas City Symphony during the winter, and a trip to Historic Oxford Schoolhouse in the spring. Children who earn a 100 Accelerated Reader points may participate in the end of the year field trip, presently to Emerald City. This trip is in conjunction with 1st and 2nd grades.

Third grade has music class and art class twice weekly and technology once weekly with the respective teachers at our school in those areas. Bi-annually, they participate in a musical production in the fall and also have the opportunity to present an all-school chapel in the spring each year.

Most importantly, the class learns to live together as followers of Jesus. They know that God is with them, guiding them, and protecting them. He especially forgives them, because of Jesus, and students learn to forgive each other. With God’s help, these are the most vital lessons students learn.

Fourth Grade Curriculum

• Religion – Concordia Publishing House One in Christ
• Math – Saxon Math
• Reading – Harcourt “Storytown”
• English – Houghton Mifflin and Harcourt “Storytown”
• Social Studies – Pearson My World
• Science – McGraw-Hill
• Spelling – Harcourt “Storytown”
• Handwriting – D’Nealian

Social Studies: Fourth graders focus on regions of the United States. Students also complete a unit about Missouri in fourth grade social studies.

Technology: Students develop keyboarding and word processing skills to create content. Fourth graders are using Google Apps for education along with many other programs and websites to integrate technology into all areas of learning.

Music: Students learn how to play recorder and read music. Every December, the fourth through eighth grades present a Christmas concert. There is also a Spring concert for those students who participate in choir. On alternating years, fourth graders may try out for a part in the musical. All fourth graders are a part of the chorus.

Reading: Students sharpen their reading skills in the Accelerated Reader program.

Physical Education: Students work on fitness with the Presidential and National Fitness Program.

Fourth Grade Field Trips:

• American Royal
• Kansas City Symphony
• Missouri History Independence

Optional activities for fourth graders include choir and track.

Fifth Grade Curriculum

• Religion – Concordia Publishing House, One in Christ
• Math – Saxon Math, with placement in Grade 4, 5, or Course 1
• Reading – Harcourt “Storytown”
• English – Houghton-Mifflin
• Spelling – Harcourt Spelling Practice
• Social Studies – Pearson “My World: Building our Country”
• Science – McGraw-Hill
• Physical Education, Music, Handwriting, Spanish

Economics: Fifth graders take part in an economics unit sponsored by the Blue Springs School of Economics.

Religion: Students explore areas of worship and the creeds and commandments. A read-through and discussion of each of the four Gospels is a key part of our curriculum.

Reading: Reading is encouraged with a thorough examination of fiction and nonfiction through the Harcourt Storytown curriculum. Fifth graders also participate in the Accelerated Reader program.

Social Studies: Students study United States history from the centuries of exploration through the Civil War.

English: Students have a variety of opportunities for creative writing learning the principles of grammar. A research paper is included in the curriculum.

Science: Students complete a group experiment in preparation for middle school Science Fair.

Other Activities: Computer technology time, inter-school athletics, physical education, a Christmas and Spring concert, Band and Choir, Money Museum and Harvesters, and a trip to the Kansas City Symphony and the Discovery Center

Most importantly, students learn to work, play, serve, and pray together as followers of Jesus. They know that God is with them, guiding them and protecting them.

Sixth Grade Curriculum

• Religion – Concordia Publishing House “One In Christ”
• Math – Saxon Math (Course 1)
• Reading – Holt-McDougal
• English – Houghton-Mifflin
• Social Studies – Pearson “My World History”
• Science – Glencoe/McGraw-Hill “Life Science”
• Spelling/Vocabulary – Houghton-Mifflin

Sixth grade is the transition year in which students prepare for middle school. It is a time of reinforcement of what students have learned over the past five years, and a time to prepare them for the added responsibilities to come.

Science: Science Fair is a major component of the Science curriculum. Top projects from the school are entered in the Greater Kansas City Science Fair held at Union Station.

Math: Sixth grade students study Math based on their proficiency level. Like other grade levels, sixth graders participate in the Accelerated Reader program.

Technology: The sixth grade is a technology immersion year for Calvary students. Once students pass their keyboarding test (15 wpm @ 80% accuracy), students are assigned to a computer for daily and regular use.

Field Trips: Sixth graders go on several field trips throughout the year with the most exciting one being an all day ski trip to Weston.

Athletics:

• Fall: Boys soccer and girls volleyball
• Winter: Boys and girls basketball and girls cheerleading
• Spring: Boys and girls cross country and track & field

Academic Competitions:

• Spelling Bee
• Geography Bee
• Mathletics

The center of all sixth graders’ education is their relationship to Jesus Christ. Keeping Christ at the center of our days and lives helps students to become strong, well-developed individuals.

Seventh Grade Curriculum

• Religion – Concordia Publishing House “One in Christ”
• Math – Saxon (Course 2)
• Reading – McMillan/McGraw-Hill “Introducing Literature”
• English – Houghton-Mifflin
• Social Studies – Prentice Hall “The American Nation”
• Science – Glencoe/McGraw-Hill “Earth Science”
• Spelling & Vocabulary – Sadlier-Oxford

Religion: Students begin each day with a devotion and Religion class, and on Tuesday they attend Chapel.

Music: Students take part in at least one musical production every other year.

Science: Science Fair is a major component of the Science curriculum. Top projects from the school are entered in the Greater Kansas City Science Fair held at Union Station.

Math: Seventh grade students study Math based on their proficiency level.

Reading: Like other grade levels, seventh graders participate in the Accelerated Reader program.

Athletics:

• Fall: Boys soccer and girls volleyball
• Winter: Boys and girls basketball and girls cheerleading
• Spring: Boys and girls cross country and track & field

Academic Competitions:

• Spelling Bee
• Geography Bee
• Athletic Meet
• Mathletics

Spring Trip: Students participate on a Spring Trip in May (Washington, D. C. in odd years, Hutchinson, Kansas or another destination in even years). Fundraisers are held throughout the year to help students earn funds to pay for the trip.

Eighth Grade Curriculum

• Religion – Openbook Publishers “According to Plan” & Concordia Publishing House “Applying Luther’s Catechism”
• Math – Saxon (Course 3, Algebra 1, or Geometry)
• Reading – McMillan/McGraw-Hill “Understanding Literature”
• English – Houghton Mifflin
• World Geography – Prentice Hall
• Science – Glencoe/McGraw Hill “Physical Science”
• Spelling/Vocabulary – Houghton Mifflin

Religion: Students begin each day with a devotion and Religion class, and on Tuesday they attend Chapel.

Music: Students take part in at least one musical production every other year, and participate in all aspects of putting on a Melodrama. Students assist with set design, music and sound, costume design, and acting.

Science: Science Fair is a major component of the Science curriculum. Top projects from the school are entered in the Greater Kansas City Science Fair held at Union Station.

Math: Eighth grade students study Math based on their proficiency level. Like other grade levels, eighth graders participate in the Accelerated Reader program.

Athletics:

• Fall: Boys soccer and girls volleyball
• Winter: Boys and girls basketball and girls cheerleading
• Spring: Boys and girls cross country and track & field

Academic Competitions:

• Spelling Bee
• Geography Bee
• Athletic Meet
• Mathletics

Spring Trip: Students participate on a Spring Trip in May (Washington, D. C. in odd years, Hutchinson, Kansas or another destination in even years). Fundraisers are held throughout the year to help students earn funds to pay for the trip.