KINDERGARTEN CURRICULUM
DEVOTIONS and PRAYERS
We begin and end each day with prayer, and we have prayers at lunch and other times. We have two devotions based on Scripture passages each day. These devotions may reinforce the lessons in our Bible stories, or they may be on other topics. We also participate in chapel on Friday mornings.
RELIGION
The students study a rotation of the Old and New Testaments through a curriculum called ChristLight. Bible stories are read to them daily, and they also learn these stories through pictures, songs, and easy crafts. Easy prayers and passages are taught for use at home.
MATHEMATICS
Math is taught through the Saxon curriculum. In kindergarten, students learn the following skills: oral counting; recognizing and sequencing numbers; acting out addition and subtraction stories; counting with one-to-one correspondence; identifying and counting pennies, nickels, and dimes; sorting; telling time to the hour; and using a calendar.
LANGUAGE ARTS
Language Arts is taught using the Superkids curriculum. Click to watch a video about the program. In kindergarten, students learn word work, reading, and writing. In word work, students learn the letters of the alphabet, one sound for each letter, and then apply their new skills to blend letter-sounds to read and write words and sentences. Reading focuses on developing strong blending, decoding, and fluency skills while also building comprehension. Read-alouds build background knowledge and listening comprehension. In writing, students learn basic mechanics and aspects of the writing process. Instruction progresses from drawing to writing in each major text type.
SCIENCE
Science is taught in using a program called Mystery Science, the most popular K-5 science curriculum. Here's a video about the program. It's aligned with NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards). Standards set the expectations for what students should know and be able to do. The NGSS were developed by states to improve science education for all students. They are research-based, up-to-date science standards.
Students are expected to demonstrate grade-appropriate proficiency in asking questions, developing and using models, planning and carrying out investigations, analyzing and interpreting data, designing solutions, engaging in argument from evidence, and obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information. Students are expected to use these practices to demonstrate understanding of the core ideas. Students may also participate in science activities related to a holiday or classroom theme.
ART
Students use papers, pencils, crayons, markers, paints, oil pastels and scissors to create art based on a classroom theme, a holiday, or a bible story. Students create art by following teacher direction but also by using their own ideas to create something personal to them.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Physical Education is taught using the SPARK curriculum. In this program, students will be expected to enjoy and seek out physical activity, develop and maintain acceptable levels of physical fitness, develop a variety of basic movement and manipulative skills and develop the ability to get along with others in movement environments (e.g., share space and equipment, employ the “golden rule” of competition: be a good sport and demonstrate cooperative behavior).
MUSIC
Music is incorporated throughout the day in kindergarten and is used to teach educational concepts, rhythm, and beat. Music in kindergarten is also used to build fine motor skills, improve working memory, boost math abilities, and help students focus and pay attention. Rhythm sticks, shakers, bells, and other instruments are used to teach these concepts. Music is often associated with the theme of our curriculum that week.
TECHNOLOGY
Technology is taught and practiced by daily use of the Smart Board in class lessons. The students also get many opportunities to use Chromebooks in class to explore educational websites. The basic focus in kindergarten is to teach the students to navigate sites correctly by using the mouse or touch pad.
FIRST GRADE CURRICULUM
DEVOTIONS and PRAYERS
We begin and end each day with prayer, and we have prayers at lunch and other times. We have two devotions based on Scripture passages each day. These devotions may reinforce the lessons in our Bible stories, or they may be on other topics. We also participate in chapel on Friday mornings.
RELIGION
The Christ-Light curriculum from the Northwestern Publishing House is used for all religion lessons. Christ Light is taught in two sections: the Old Testament and the New Testament, taught in an every other year rotation. Christ-Light is based on a number of premises that are revealed to us by God in his Word. We accept them because God the Holy Spirit has led us to this conviction by working faith in our hearts.
MATHEMATICS
The Saxon mathematics curriculum focuses on addition and subtraction facts, time and money, measurements, geometry, patterns, and fractions in first grade. Students use manipulatives to help them understand abstract math concepts.
LANGUAGE ARTS
The Superkids Reading Program by Zaner-Bloser captivates students from the start with tales of the Superkids. These relatable characters and their ongoing adventures provide an engaging and cohesive framework for literacy success. Superkids is a comprehensive English language arts curriculum crafted for grades K–2 using evidence-based literacy practices. This proven-effective program follows a unique systematic and explicit instructional path through engaging, increasingly complex text. Click to watch a video about the program.
In Language: Students master more complex phonetic elements and learn to decode and encode structural patterns with a focus on various vowel combinations.
In Reading: Students’ comprehension and fluency skills increase greatly as they read longer and more complex literary and informational texts. Read-alouds build vocabulary and prepare students to read more rigorous text.
In Writing: Students use the writing process to write narratives, informational texts, and opinion pieces.
SOCIAL STUDIES
Using the Houghton Mifflin curriculum, students learn how Social Studies applies to their life by starting small (families, school, community) and expanding to a larger scale (state, country, world).
SCIENCE
Science is taught in using a program called Mystery Science, the most popular K-5 science curriculum. Here's a video about the program. It's aligned with NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards). Standards set the expectations for what students should know and be able to do. The NGSS were developed by states to improve science education for all students. They are research-based, up-to-date science standards.
Students are presented with a “mystery” or science question each week, and find the answer through discussion questions, supplemental reading, and a hands-on activities.
ART
Art is essential to the young child. It is self-esteeming because it speaks to the uniqueness of each child, giving the child opportunities for expression. Lessons are gleaned from many sources. Projects are often based on religious season, holidays, or based off of a book we read. Various media is used throughout the year.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Group games and activities are used to develop various individual skills. Games of low organization continue to be played as well as introducing team games, which involves rules and directions. The goal is to develop qualities of vigor, strength, speed, rhythm, balance, agility, and endurance.
MUSIC
In music, we use a variety of secular and religious selections. Students participate in singing at the Christmas program and at church throughout the year.
TECHNOLOGY
Technology is taught and practiced by daily use of the Smart Board in class lessons. The students also get many opportunities to use Chromebooks in class to explore educational websites.
SECOND GRADE CURRICULUM
DEVOTIONS and PRAYERS
We begin and end each day with prayer, and we have prayers at lunch and other times. We have two devotions based on Scripture passages each day. These devotions may reinforce the lessons in our Bible stories, or they may be on other topics. We also participate in chapel on Friday mornings.
RELIGION
The Christ-Light curriculum from the Northwestern Publishing House is used for all religion lessons. Christ Light is taught in two sections: the Old Testament and the New Testament, taught in an every other year rotation. Christ-Light is based on a number of premises that are revealed to us by God in his Word. We accept them because God the Holy Spirit has led us to this conviction by working faith in our hearts.
MATHEMATICS
The Saxon mathematics curriculum focuses on addition and subtraction within 100, standard units of measurement, telling time, adding and subtracting money, representing and interpreting data, and fractions.
LANGUAGE ARTS
The Superkids Reading Program by Zaner-Bloser captivates students from the start with tales of the Superkids. These relatable characters and their ongoing adventures provide an engaging and cohesive framework for literacy success. Superkids is a comprehensive English language arts curriculum crafted for grades K–2 using evidence-based literacy practices. This proven-effective program follows a unique systematic and explicit instructional path through engaging, increasingly complex text. Click to watch a video about the program.
In Language: Students consolidate their understanding of all phonetic elements and apply it in fluent reading of grade-level text.
In Reading: Students read authentic literary and informational texts that have not been controlled for decodability, and apply comprehension skills to longer, more complex texts.
In Writing: Students use the writing process to write longer, more structured narratives, informational texts, and opinion pieces.
SOCIAL STUDIES
Using the Houghton Mifflin curriculum, students learn how Social Studies applies to their life by starting small (families, school, community) and expanding to a larger scale (state, country, world).
SCIENCE
Science is taught in using a program called Mystery Science, the most popular K-5 science curriculum. Here's a video about the program. It's aligned with NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards). Standards set the expectations for what students should know and be able to do. The NGSS were developed by states to improve science education for all students. They are research-based, up-to-date science standards.
Students are presented with a “mystery” or science question each week, and find the answer through discussion questions, supplemental reading, and a hands-on activities.
ART
Art is essential to the young child. It is self-esteeming because it speaks to the uniqueness of each child, giving the child opportunities for expression. Lessons are gleaned from many sources. Projects are often based on religious season, holidays, or based off of a book we read. Various media is used throughout the year.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Group games and activities are used to develop various individual skills. Games of low organization continue to be played as well as introducing team games, which involves rules and directions. The goal is to develop qualities of vigor, strength, speed, rhythm, balance, agility, and endurance.
MUSIC
In music, we use a variety of secular and religious selections. Students participate in singing at the Christmas program and at church throughout the year.
TECHNOLOGY
Technology is taught and practiced by daily use of the Smart Board in class lessons. The students also get many opportunities to use Chromebooks in class to explore educational websites.
THIRD GRADE CURRICULUM
DEVOTIONS and PRAYERS
We begin and end each day with prayer, and we have prayers at lunch and other times. We have two devotions based on Scripture passages each day. These devotions may reinforce the lessons in our Bible stories, or they may be on other topics. We also participate in chapel on Friday mornings.
RELIGION
The students study a rotation of the Old and New Testaments through a curriculum called Christ Light. Students participate and learn to read from the Bible. Students also learn memory work, which could be hymns or Bible passages that relate to daily lessons.
MATHEMATICS
The Saxon mathematics curriculum uses simulations and games to help students understand and practice new concepts. This course covers skip-counting; identifying ordinal positions; adding and subtracting multi-digit numbers; dividing by single-digit divisors; adding positive and negative numbers; adding and subtracting fractions; plus measurements, mass, function rules, coordinate graphs, angles, and lines of symmetry.
LANGUAGE ARTS
Beginning in the third grade, students begin using the Hake Grammar and Writing curriculum. At the third grade level, students are introduced to capitalization rules, different types of punctuation, eight parts of speech, basic sentence structure, sentence diagramming, usage rules, and spelling rules. Daily lessons help with vocabulary development. There is also a regular focus on writing (sentences, paragraphs, and essays). Here is the scope and sequence for grades 3-8. Click to watch a video on the Hake Grammar and Writing program.
Students learn words on a spelling list each week. We emphasize spelling rules and highlight the need to memorize exceptions. Students should work with their words everyday.
Students review manuscript handwriting and then move on to cursive writing.
At the third grade level, reading class employs books, workbooks, and activities in a sequence designed to build on the skills learned previously. There are lessons on decoding strategies to figure out unknown words, pre-reading strategies to aid comprehension, making predictions, drawing conclusions, comparing and contrasting, and more.
SOCIAL STUDIES
Using the Houghton Mifflin curriculum, students learn about communities in America's history, the geography of North America, ways to earn a living, celebrations and festivals, and basics about the US government.
SCIENCE
Science is taught in using a program called Mystery Science, the most popular K-5 science curriculum. It's aligned with NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards). Standards set the expectations for what students should know and be able to do. The NGSS were developed by states to improve science education for all students. They are research-based, up-to-date science standards.
Students are presented with a “mystery” or science question each week, and find the answer through discussion questions, supplemental reading, and a hands-on activities.
ART
We go through basic elements and principles of art, and we use hands-on experience. Student create different projects and use various media throughout the year.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Students meet in the gym or on the playground to work on group games and activities aimed to develop various individual skills. Rules and directions for new activities are introduced. There is also work to develop
qualities of vigor, strength, speed, rhythm, balance, agility, and endurance.
MUSIC
In music, we use a variety of secular and religious selections. Students participate in singing at the Christmas program and at church throughout the year.
FOURTH GRADE CURRICULUM
DEVOTIONS and PRAYERS
We begin and end each day with prayer, and we have prayers at lunch and other times. We have two devotions based on Scripture passages each day. These devotions may reinforce the lessons in our Bible stories, or they may be on other topics. We also participate in chapel on Friday mornings.
RELIGION
The students study a rotation of the Old and New Testaments through a curriculum called Christ Light. Students participate and learn to read from the Bible. Students also learn memory work, which could be hymns or Bible passages that relate to daily lessons.
MATHEMATICS
The Saxon mathematics curriculum provides incremental lessons, daily review and practice, and weekly assessments. The curriculum features simulations and games to help students understand and practice new concepts. This course covers word problems, elapsed time, inverse operations, multiplying two and three-digit numbers, mixed number and improper fractions, fractions/decimals/percents, geometry and measurement, division with two and three-digit numbers, estimating perimeter/area/volume, probability, and more.
LANGUAGE ARTS
Beginning in the third grade, students begin using the Hake Grammar and Writing curriculum. The reading level, subject depth, pace of instruction, and vocabulary difficulty increase with each grade. At the fourth grade level, students continue with capitalization rules , different types of punctuation, eight parts of speech, basic sentence structure, sentence diagramming, usage rules, and spelling rules. Daily lessons help with vocabulary development. There is also a regular focus on writing (sentences, paragraphs, and essays). Here is the scope and sequence for grades 3-8. Click to watch a video on the Hake Grammar and Writing program.
Students learn words on a spelling list each week. We emphasize spelling rules and highlight the need to memorize exceptions. Students should work with their words everyday.
Students review manuscript handwriting and then move on to cursive writing.
At the fourth grade level, reading class employs books, workbooks, and activities in a sequence designed to build on the skills learned previously. There are lessons on decoding strategies to figure out unknown words, pre-reading strategies to aid comprehension, making predictions, identifying author's purpose, drawing conclusions, organizing sequences of events, comparing and contrasting, and more.
SOCIAL STUDIES
Using the Houghton Mifflin curriculum, students learn about the geography and people of North America, and then focuses on the different regions of the United States.
SCIENCE
Science is taught in using a program called Mystery Science, the most popular K-5 science curriculum. It's aligned with NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards). Standards set the expectations for what students should know and be able to do. The NGSS were developed by states to improve science education for all students. They are research-based, up-to-date science standards.
Students are presented with a “mystery” or science question each week, and find the answer through discussion questions, supplemental reading, and a hands-on activities.
ART
We go through basic elements and principles of art, and we use hands-on experience. Student create different projects and use various media throughout the year.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Students meet in the gym or on the playground to work on group games and activities aimed to develop various individual skills. Rules and directions for new activities are introduced. There is also work to develop
qualities of vigor, strength, speed, rhythm, balance, agility, and endurance.
MUSIC
In music, we use a variety of secular and religious selections. Students participate in singing at the Christmas program and at church throughout the year.
FIFTH GRADE CURRICULUM
DEVOTIONS and PRAYERS
We begin and end each day with prayer, and we have prayers at lunch and other times. We have two devotions based on Scripture passages each day. These devotions may reinforce the lessons in our Bible stories, or they may be on other topics. We also participate in chapel on Friday mornings.
RELIGION
Students study a rotation of the Old and New Testaments through a curriculum called Christ Light, a sequential set of Bible lessons from the creation of the world to the early Christian church. Students participate and read from the Bible.
Students also learn from Martin Luther's Small Catechism, using the WELS catechism curriculum. Students are engaged in lively discussion as they read from the Bible and discuss the texts.
MATHEMATICS
The fifth grade students use the Saxon mathematics curriculum, which provides incremental lessons, daily review and practice, and weekly assessments. The curriculum includes a review of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts and properties. Students continue to work with time and money, measurements, geometry, fractions, and decimals. They also explore ratios, percents, and algebraic problem solving.
LANGUAGE ARTS
Beginning in the third grade, students begin using the Hake Grammar and Writing curriculum. The reading level, subject depth, pace of instruction, and vocabulary difficulty increase with each grade. At the fifth grade level, students continue with capitalization rules , different types of punctuation, eight parts of speech, basic sentence structure, sentence diagramming, usage rules, and spelling rules. Daily lessons help with vocabulary development. There is also a regular focus on writing (sentences, paragraphs, and essays). Here is the scope and sequence for grades 3-8. Click to watch a video on the Hake Grammar and Writing program.
Students learn words on a spelling list of 25 words each week. We emphasize spelling rules and highlight the need to memorize exceptions. Students should work with their words everyday.
Students continue to work with cursive handwriting.
At the fifth grade level, literature units are a mix of whole book units (Hatchet; Sarah, Plain and Tall; Brian's Winter; April Morning; The Witch of Blackbird Pond; Secret Garden) and selections from the basal reading book (employing books, worksheets, and activities in a sequence designed to build on the skills learned previously). Selections are often tied to the American history book (below). There are lessons on plot elements, literary devices, and characterization. Students also study vocabulary from each story.
SOCIAL STUDIES
Using the Houghton Mifflin curriculum, students learn about American history. The year starts with the features and regions of the continent. Next up are the first Americans, the age of exploration, the founding of European colonies, the Revolutionary War, the US government, the growth of our nation, the Civil War, industrial growth, and more (up to the present day). There is also a brief look at Canada and Mexico.
SCIENCE
We use a combination of HSP Science and the Science Weekly curriculum in this class.
ART
Students work with a variety of art media to explore different elements of art.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Students in fifth grade have gym classes twice a week. They participate in a variety of activities that work on their hand-eye coordination, teamwork and team strategies, and overall physical fitness.
MUSIC
In music, we learn a variety of religious selections to perform at the Christmas program and at church throughout the year. Students can also begin band lessons at this level.
TECHNOLOGY
Students use Chromebooks each week to work on a variety of skills and projects.
SIXTH GRADE CURRICULUM
DEVOTIONS and PRAYERS
We begin and end each day with prayer, and we have prayers at lunch and other times. We have two devotions based on Scripture passages each day. These devotions may reinforce the lessons in our Bible stories, or they may be on other topics. We also participate in chapel on Friday mornings.
RELIGION
Students study a rotation of the Old and New Testaments through a curriculum called Christ Light, a sequential set of Bible lessons from the creation of the world to the early Christian church. Students participate and read from the Bible.
Students also learn from Martin Luther's Small Catechism, using the WELS catechism curriculum. Students are engaged in lively discussion as they read from the Bible and discuss the texts.
MATHEMATICS
The sixth grade students use the Saxon mathematics curriculum (Course 1), which provides incremental lessons, daily review and practice, and weekly assessments. The curriculum includes a review of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts and properties. Students continue to work with time and money, measurements, geometry, fractions, and decimals. They also explore ratios, percents, and algebraic problem solving.
LANGUAGE ARTS
Beginning in the third grade, students begin using the Hake Grammar and Writing curriculum. Stephen Hake began writing for John Saxon in 1984, and is the lead author for the third through eighth grade Saxon math textbooks. Long believing that students would benefit from a language arts program designed with the Saxon Math model of incremental development and continual review, Stephen commissioned a team of authors to create the Hake Grammar and Writing series. We feel that this style of instruction works as effectively in language arts as in math. Here is the scope and sequence for grades 3-8. Click to watch a video on the Hake Grammar and Writing program.
The reading level, subject depth, pace of instruction, and vocabulary difficulty increase with each grade. Developed to follow the classic Saxon model of incremental development and continuous review, Hake Grammar and Writing is a comprehensive English language curriculum that incorporates grammar, writing, spelling, and vocabulary development. Core-knowledge content, such as history, geography, science, and literature, is also embedded in the curriculum.
Students learn words from an individualized spelling list of 25 words each week. Students take a pretest each Monday, work with their words every day, and take a final test on Friday.
Students will have a unit on novel writing during the year.
Students continue to work with cursive handwriting.
At the sixth grade level, reading is a mix of whole book units and selections from the basal reading book (employing books, worksheets, and activities in a sequence designed to build on the skills learned previously).
Students will also be expected to read novels for book reports and projects.
SOCIAL STUDIES
Using the Houghton Mifflin curriculum, sixth grade students learn about world history. Students learn by using the textbook, doing research, and preparing projects.
SCIENCE
The sixth grade learns about the wonders of God's creation by studying human anatomy and physiology for the majority of the year. We begin with an introduction and then move on to systems (skeletal, muscular, digestive, renal, respiratory, circulatory, cardiovascular, nervous, endocrine, nervous, integumentary, lymphatic, and immune). We also have a unit on health and nutrition, the senses, and growth and development.
ART
Students work with a variety of art media to explore different elements of art. Projects throughout the year are based on the theme "all about me."
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Students in sixth grade have gym classes twice a week. They participate in a variety of activities that work on their hand-eye coordination, teamwork and team strategies, and overall physical fitness. Encouragement for life-long physical activity is stressed.
MUSIC
In music, we learn a variety of religious selections to perform at the Christmas program and at church throughout the year. Students can also take band lessons at this level.
TECHNOLOGY
Students use Chromebooks regularly to work on a variety of skills and projects, including research, typing lessons, and learning a foreign language.
SEVENTH GRADE CURRICULUM
DEVOTIONS and PRAYERS
We begin and end each day with prayer, and we have prayers at lunch and other times. We have two devotions based on Scripture passages each day. These devotions may reinforce the lessons in our Bible stories, or they may be on other topics. We also participate in chapel on Friday mornings.
RELIGION
Students study church history, starting from the birth and growth of the Christian church, moving on to the Reformation and reformers, and coming up to the present time. We also focus on the history of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Topical Bible studies are also used. Students are expected to read from the Bible and participate in discussions.
Our pastor leads the students in a study from Martin Luther's Small Catechism twice a week. Memory work passages from Scripture are also assigned. At the end of the two-year course of catechism study, students may be examined for their knowledge and may become confirmed members of Zion Lutheran Church.
MATHEMATICS
Depending on the ability level of each seventh grade student, we use either Course 2 or Course 3 of the Saxon mathematics curriculum. This series provides incremental lessons, daily review and practice, and weekly assessments. The curriculum includes a review of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts and properties. Students continue to work with measurements, geometry, fractions, decimals, and percents. They also learn to use ratios, proportions, and percents to solve real world problems. Spatial thinking, area, volume, data analysis, probability, and polynomials provide the foundation needed for the next grade level.
Students also learn financial literacy and can participate in a stock market simulation.
LANGUAGE ARTS
Beginning in the third grade, students begin using the Hake Grammar and Writing curriculum. Stephen Hake began writing for John Saxon in 1984, and is the lead author for the third through eighth grade Saxon math textbooks. Long believing that students would benefit from a language arts program designed with the Saxon Math model of incremental development and continual review, Stephen commissioned a team of authors to create the Hake Grammar and Writing series. We feel that this style of instruction works as effectively in language arts as in math. Here is the scope and sequence for grades 3-8. Click to watch a video on the Hake Grammar and Writing program.
The reading level, subject depth, pace of instruction, and vocabulary difficulty increase with each grade. Developed to follow the classic Saxon model of incremental development and continuous review, Hake Grammar and Writing is a comprehensive English language curriculum that incorporates grammar, writing, spelling, and vocabulary development. Core-knowledge content, such as history, geography, science, and literature, is also embedded in the curriculum.
Students continue to work with cursive handwriting.
At the seventh grade level, reading is a mix of whole book units and selections a basal reading book (employing books, worksheets, and activities in a sequence designed to build on the skills learned previously).
Students will also be expected to read novels for book reports.
Seventh and eighth grade students also participate in a speech and creative writing course.
SOCIAL STUDIES
Using the Prentice Hall American History textbook, seventh grade students learn about American history. They learn the features and regions of the continent, and then begin to find out more about the first Americans, the age of exploration, the founding of European colonies, the Revolutionary War, the US government, the growth of our nation, the Civil War, industrial growth, and more (up to the present day). There is also a brief look at Canada and Mexico. Students learn by using the textbook, doing research, and preparing projects.
SCIENCE
Our seventh and eighth grade students use America's most award-winning science program: FOSS, designed to explore and create.
The Full Option Science System has grown from a philosophy of teaching and learning at the Lawrence Hall of Science that has guided the development of successful active-learning science curricula for more than 40 years. The FOSS Program bridges research and practice by providing tools and strategies to engage students and teachers in enduring experiences that lead to deeper understanding of God's creation.
We have the latest version of FOSS, which is aligned with NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards). Standards set the expectations for what students should know and be able to do. The NGSS were developed by states to improve science education for all students. They are research-based, up-to-date science standards.
Topics of study in this two-year course include: Variable and Design; Weather and Water; Chemical Interactions; Populations and Ecosystems; Human Systems Interactions; Electromagnetic Force; Gravity and Kinetic Energy; Waves; and Planetary Science.
ART
Students work with a variety of art media to explore different elements of art. Several projects are produced throughout the year.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Students in seventh grade have gym classes twice a week. They participate in individual and group activities that practice hand-eye coordination, teamwork and team strategies, and overall physical fitness.
MUSIC
In music, we have a music appreciation course focusing on elements of music, instruments, and a wide variety of musical styles. We also learn a variety of religious selections to perform at the Christmas program and at church throughout the year. Students can also take band lessons at this level.
TECHNOLOGY
Students use Chromebooks regularly to work on a variety of skills and projects, including research, preparing presentations, and learning a foreign language on Duolingo.
Some students may be eligible to participate in the STEM robotics course.
EIGHTH GRADE CURRICULUM
DEVOTIONS and PRAYERS
We begin and end each day with prayer, and we have prayers at lunch and other times. We have two devotions based on Scripture passages each day. These devotions may reinforce the lessons in our Bible stories, or they may be on other topics. We also participate in chapel on Friday mornings.
RELIGION
Students study church history, starting from the birth and growth of the Christian church, moving on to the Reformation and reformers, and coming up to the present time. We also focus on the history of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Topical Bible studies are also used. Students are expected to read from the Bible and participate in discussions.
Our pastor leads the students in a study from Martin Luther's Small Catechism twice a week. Memory work passages from Scripture are also assigned. At the end of the two-year course of catechism study, students may be examined for their knowledge and may become confirmed members of Zion Lutheran Church.
MATHEMATICS
Depending on the ability level of each eighth grade student, we use either Course 3 or Algebra 1 of the Saxon mathematics curriculum. This series provides incremental lessons, daily review and practice, and weekly assessments. The curriculum includes a review of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts and properties. Students continue to work with measurements, geometry, fractions, decimals, and percents. They also learn to use ratios, proportions, and percents to solve real world problems. Spatial thinking, area, volume, data analysis, probability, and polynomials provide the foundation needed for the next grade level.
Students also learn financial literacy and can participate in a stock market simulation.
LANGUAGE ARTS
Beginning in the third grade, students begin using the Hake Grammar and Writing curriculum. Stephen Hake began writing for John Saxon in 1984, and is the lead author for the third through eighth grade Saxon math textbooks. Long believing that students would benefit from a language arts program designed with the Saxon Math model of incremental development and continual review, Stephen commissioned a team of authors to create the Hake Grammar and Writing series. We feel that this style of instruction works as effectively in language arts as in math. Here is the scope and sequence for grades 3-8. Click to watch a video on the Hake Grammar and Writing program.
The reading level, subject depth, pace of instruction, and vocabulary difficulty increase with each grade. Developed to follow the classic Saxon model of incremental development and continuous review, Hake Grammar and Writing is a comprehensive English language curriculum that incorporates grammar, writing, spelling, and vocabulary development. Core-knowledge content, such as history, geography, science, and literature, is also embedded in the curriculum.
Students continue to work with cursive handwriting.
At the eighth grade level, reading is a mix of whole book units and selections a basal reading book (employing books, worksheets, and activities in a sequence designed to build on the skills learned previously).
Students will also be expected to read novels for book reports.
Seventh and eighth grade students also participate in a speech and creative writing course.
SOCIAL STUDIES
Using the Holt McDougal World History textbook, eighth grade students learn about cultures and events from the creation of the world to the present. Especially important is to study the connections between these cultures and events -- and not just to study history, but to learn from it. Students learn by using the textbook, doing research, and preparing projects.
SCIENCE
Our seventh and eighth grade students use America's most award-winning science program: FOSS, designed to explore and create.
The Full Option Science System has grown from a philosophy of teaching and learning at the Lawrence Hall of Science that has guided the development of successful active-learning science curricula for more than 40 years. The FOSS Program bridges research and practice by providing tools and strategies to engage students and teachers in enduring experiences that lead to deeper understanding of God's creation.
We have the latest version of FOSS, which is aligned with NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards). Standards set the expectations for what students should know and be able to do. The NGSS were developed by states to improve science education for all students. They are research-based, up-to-date science standards.
Topics of study in this two-year course include: Variable and Design; Weather and Water; Chemical Interactions; Populations and Ecosystems; Human Systems Interactions; Electromagnetic Force; Gravity and Kinetic Energy; Waves; and Planetary Science.
ART
Students work with a variety of art media to explore different elements of art. Several projects are produced throughout the year.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Students in seventh grade have gym classes twice a week. They participate in individual and group activities that practice hand-eye coordination, teamwork and team strategies, and overall physical fitness.
MUSIC
In music, we have a music appreciation course focusing on elements of music, instruments, and a wide variety of musical styles. We also learn a variety of religious selections to perform at the Christmas program and at church throughout the year. Students can also take band lessons at this level.
TECHNOLOGY
Students use Chromebooks regularly to work on a variety of skills and projects, including research, preparing presentations, and learning a foreign language on Duolingo.
Some students may be eligible to participate in the STEM robotics course.