Grammar (K-6)
The Grammar portion of Providence spans from kindergarten to 6th grade. Grammar students are very imaginative and creative—they want to touch, taste, feel, smell, and see while they learn—so the curriculum enables them to play games, read stories, sing songs, and create projects. They are also enthusiastic about learning new and interesting facts and have strong language skills at this age, so they easily memorize grammar, history, Latin, and science chants and songs.
Students are expected to be obedient and respectful, and teachers provide consistent and loving discipline to ensure students at the grammar level enjoy the opportunity to learn in an orderly and well-managed classroom.
Because of the discipleship model and community aspects of Providence, each student is seen as an integral part of the school. Grammar students have the opportunity to interact with students of all ages, learning from the older students and being examples to the younger ones. This close community is apparent in the hallways and through events like the annual Read-a-thon and weekly Psalm sing when all students come together for learning and fellowship.
Activities
Each grammar grade participates in competitions and events that encourage community and challenge students in aspects of classical education. Here are a few examples of what grammar students are involved in:
- Bible Reading Challenge (grades 1-6). The Grammar principal challenges students to read at least a chapter of the Bible every day for 3 months. If successful, they are treated to dinner at a local restaurant.
- Speech Meet (grades 1-6). All students pick a piece to memorize and present in front of their class, matching a selected theme. They are judged on their presentation and speaking abilities. The highest-ranked students will present to the whole grammar school and participate in a speech meet against another local school. As a classical school, speaking in front of others is an important part of the curriculum and the speech meet helps students to be well-trained in the art of representing their ideas clearly to others.
- Spelling Bee (grades 1-6). All students practice and participate in a class-wide spelling bee, with winners moving on to a grammar-wide spelling bee and then to competitions with students from other schools. Students are given practice words appropriate for their grade and are encouraged to study words from the next grade level if they master their own.
- Science Fair (grade 2-6). Students use the scientific method to explore a subject and present the results to peers and families at a grammar-wide science and art fair at the end of school.
- Latin Club. Optional, extracurricular activity for students interested in learning even more about Latin than the core curriculum.
- Geography Club. Optional, extracurricular activity for students interested in learning even more about geography than the core curriculum.
Curriculum
Here’s some of what students learn in the grammar grades:
Kindergarten – 3rd Grade
Kindergarten | 1st Grade | 2nd Grade | 3rd Grade | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bible | Genesis, Jesus’ life, Paul’s life, Catechism | Life of the Israelites, Catechism | Genesis-Joshua, 10 Commandments | Judges-Chronicles |
English | The Writing and Spelling Road to Reading and Thinking | RIGGS program 1, parts of speech, writing full sentences, spelling | RIGGS program 2, spelling | RIGGS program 3, spelling, compound sentences, descriptive paragraphs |
Reading | K-6 Literature list | K-6 Literature list | K-6 Literature list | K-6 Literature list |
Math | Math in Focus | Math in Focus book 1 | Math in Focus book 2 | Math in Focus book 3 |
History | Our community | Old Testament | Ancient Egypt | Ancient Greece Fall of Roman Empire |
Geography | Our community | Reading maps, continents, USA, Washington state | Africa | Southern Europe, North Africa, European rivers, mountains |
Science | Graphing and understanding graphs | Spiders, plants, solar system | Botany, fossils, the Earth, light, motion | Animals, ecosystem, matter, energy, sound, cells, tissues, organs |
Foreign Language | Latin | |||
Art | 1 / week | 1 / week | 1 / week | |
Music | 2 / week | 3 / week | 3 / week | 3 / week |
PE | 2 / week | 2 / week | 2 / week |
4th Grade – 6th Grade
4th Grade | 5th Grade | 6th Grade | |
---|---|---|---|
Bible | Kings and prophets | The gospels and Acts | Romans-Revelation |
English | Historical anecdotes, spelling, complex sentences and paragraphs | Paragraph writing, outlines, oral presentations with written reports, spelling | Parts of speech, writing complete and complex sentences, punctuation, spelling and vocabulary, essays, research and biography reports |
Reading | K-6 Literature list | K-6 Literature list | K-6 Literature list |
Math | Math in Focus book 4 | Math in Focus book 5 | Math in Focus book 6 |
History | Medieval and Renaissance, Reformation, Europe | U.S. History 1500-1812 | U.S. history 1815-modern |
Geography | European countries | North and South America | Europe, U.S. states, and capitals |
Science | Insects, human body, the moon, magnetism, oceans, ecosystems | Minerals, fossils, dinosaurs, matter, heat, climate, sound and light energy, human respiratory and circulatory systems | Cells and organisms, plant and animal classification, atoms and molecules, periodic table, nervous system, electricity and batteries |
Foreign Language | Latin | Latin | Latin |
Art | 1 / week | 1 / week | 1 / week |
Music | 3 / week | 3 / week | 3 / week |
PE | 2 / week | 2 / week |
Other Resources
You can learn more about the classroom supplies, reading lists, and activities for grammar on the Grammar School Resources page.