Lower Grammar Stage (K-2nd) Curriculum Objectives
Curriculum objectives developed by the St. Jerome Curriculum Group and used with permission from the Education Plan of St. Jerome Academy.
Kindergarten: The Cradle of Civilization Year
Grade 1: The Greek Year
Grade 2: The Roman Year
History
Knowledge
Understand history and culture as human desire for goodness, truth, and ultimately God
Develop basic knowledge of ancient civilizations in ancient Near East and their relationship to one anothe
Develop basic knowledge of history of Israel through the Bible and in context of ancient Near East
Develop basic knowledge of the geography of the ancient Near East, including Mesopotamia, Canaan, and Egypt
Develop more detailed understanding of Greek civilization: people, places, geography, religion, government, economics, art, architecture, music, technology, and culture
Understand how Greek civilization contributed to Christianity
Develop better understanding of Roman civilization: people, places, geography, religion, government, economics, art, architecture, music, technology, and culture
Understand how Rome became the home of the Roman Catholic Church
Begin to see how Christianity transformed the Roman Empire
Begin to see Greek and Roman contributions to culture
Learn to identify the basic geography of Greece, Rome, and their neighbors
Skills
Memorization of key historical facts
Beginning map reading and recognition
Use a globe
Understand a timeline
Ability to narrate historical stories
Begin to see connections between historical events and themes
Beginning ability to formulate and discuss philosophical questions
Artistically render historical scenes from imagination
Aptitudes
Develop memory
Develop ability to listen and recall
Develop an interest in history
See relevance of past to present
Appreciate Greek philosophical ideals
Begin to see an integrated conception of the world on which the beliefs of Western Civilization are based
Religion
Knowledge
Begin to recognize how Christianity becomes incarnate in culture through art, music, architecture, literature, and the liturgical calendar
Appreciate the historical setting of the Bible
Learn the traditions of the Church and the mysteries of the faith through beauty, beautiful liturgy, and adoration
Become acquainted with the tradition of sacred music as a form of prayer
Acquire basic catechetical instruction in the meaning of the Incarnation, the Creeds of the Church, familiarity with the Old and New Testament and the difference between them, the meaning of the Mass, the liturgical calendar, basic prayers and practices of the church, etc.
Skills
Memorize and recite Scripture, Bible facts, catechism, prayers, and hymns
Learn to pray liturgically, intercessory, and contemplatively
Learn to regard and participate in sacred music as a form of prayer
Aptitudes
Cultivate longing for God
Develop habits of stillness and adoration
Begin to develop a habit of prayer, a love for the mysteries of the faith, and a desire for God’s beauty and truth
Develop a habit of noticing the presence of God
Art
Knowledge
Learn how to look at and begin to interpret paintings
Study and give rudimentary explanation of Christian art and iconography
Study and give rudimentary explanation of art related to Egypt, Greece, and Rome
Begin to know properties, characteristics, and qualities of beauty
Begin to recognize how art expresses cultural ideals
Skills
Learn how to look at, examine, and see a painting and other works of art
Learn to tell the story of a painting
Begin to render as well as draw imaginatively
Learn basics of drawing, painting, and sculpting
Learn to copy according to established rules
Aptitudes
Acquire habits of attending, noticing, sitting still, and concentrating
Learn discipline from following simple projects through to completion
Begin to develop eye and appreciation for beauty
Begin to question art works for their meaning
Language: Literature, Grammar, Composition, and Drama
Knowledge
Alphabet
Phonics and reading
Spelling
Beginning writing
Beginning grammar
Beginning poetic understanding
Latin roots (chants), early vocabulary, phrases, prayers
Skills
Learn to read proficiently
Develop reading comprehension
Employ correct grammar in writing and speech
Learn good penmanship, using proper technique, and beginning cursive
Recognize and write complete sentences
Memorize and recite the definition of the parts of speech
Understand and identify parts of speech and the four different types of sentences
Say and write the days of the week, the seasons, the months of the year, their home address, titles of respect, abbreviations, dates
Understand and use beginning punctuation, contractions, capital letters, synonyms, antonyms
Be able to order simple ideas, form paragraphs, and copy the final work
Narration: re-tell stories in detail, with vocal clarity, poise, and eye contact; eventually, re-tell the narrative thread of a story
Act out stories with other students as characters
Develop ability identify main idea
Answer comprehension questions about a reading passage in complete sentences
Copywork: copy sentences from works of history, the Bible, or literature
Dictation: listen to an oral recitation and write down a sentence(s) from works of history, the Bible, or literature
Recitation: recite poems or psalms from memory with vocal clarity, poise, eye contact
Conversation: ‘Socratic’ discussions should teach students to begin questioning and discussing stories, pictures, fables or proverbs according to four rules: 1. Read the text carefully. 2. Listen to what others say and don’t interrupt. 3. Speak clearly. 4. Give others your respect.
Perform a play and memorize lines
Aptitudes
Develop capacity for listening
Develop memory
Appreciate playfulness in language
Develop habits of concentration, stillness, memory
Learn to ask questions about the moral or meaning of stories and symbols
Learn to speak directly and confidently
Nature Studies
Knowledge
Understand difference between basic animal groups
State and ‘catalogue’ animals of certain species by their differences
Recite key characteristics of the way of life for certain select animals or animal groups
Understand basic divisions within the plant kingdom and the distinguishing characteristics of each
Learn to identify flora, fauna, and wildlife indigenous to the region
Begin to develop an elementary understanding of the human body
Begin to understand the ‘body-soul unity’ of the human person, and the specific characteristics and capacities distinguishing humans from other animals
Understand basic regional geography and seasons
Skills
Be able to narrate the above knowledge
Develop skill of observing, rendering, and cataloguing this knowledge in a ‘nature notebook’
Aptitudes
Develop a capacity to attend to and notice nature
Develop wonder and appreciation for the natural world
Mathematics
Knowledge
Acquire basic numeracy
Understand equivalent forms of the same number using diagrams, objects, and numbers
Recognize basic geometrical shapes and parts of shapes
Solve word problems
Skills
Count, read, write, and compare numbers up to 1,000, both symbolically and through physical construction
Acquire facility with basics of place value
Perform basic addition and subtraction functions of one-, two-, and three-digit numbers
Understand basic fraction concepts
Count by 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, 10s
Identify and construct circles, squares, rectangles, triangles, ovals, cubes, tetrahedral pyramids, cylinders, cones, spheres, and rectangular prisms
Recognize and describe the appearance of basic patterns in nature
Recognize equivalency in number, shape, pattern, and other physical characteristics
Construct basic sets and groupings of objects in the environment and nature and be able to articulate the criteria for inclusion and exclusion
Recognize and solve simple replacement codes
Solve simple geometric puzzles
Recognize the relationship of tone to the size, length, shape, and material of the object being sounded (e.g., bells of different size being rung or the length or thickness of a string being plucked)
Take linear measurement and be able to articulate changes in measurement over time; introduce basic means of recording measurement
Tell and record time and changes in time in seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years
Recognize and calculate basic currency; introduce coin-tossing scenarios as an introduction to probability
Aptitudes
Recognize the ubiquity of number and shape in the world around us
Develop a sense of wonder at recognizing how the world can be expressed mathematically
Develop a love for constructing math, numerically and geometrically
Music
Knowledge
Know elements of music: melody, harmony, rhythm, pitch, tone
Begin to think about what music means and why it is or is not beautiful
Know instruments of the orchestra by sound and sight
Be introduced to tradition of sacred music
Begin to understand the symbols in music
Skills
Begin to read music
Begin to acquire some musical skill singing and playing elementary instruments
Begin to be able to concentrate on, listen to, and discuss a piece of music
Aptitudes
Begin to develop a love and appreciation of beautiful music and its power
Begin to understand the relationship between music, prayer, and liturgy
Acquire the habit and develop their powers of patient, attentive listening
Physical Education
Knowledge
Understand their bodies and physical abilities as a gift
Begin to learn the rules of major sports and races
Skills
Begin to acquire facility in throwing, catching, hitting, and kicking
Begin to learn basic dance steps
Begin to deliberately coordinate body to physical activity
Aptitudes
Practice teamwork and good sportsmanship
