Elementary

Language is a gift from God and should glorify and serve Him. Our language arts program balances both reading skills and literature, creating life-long readers, confident researchers, and writers who can communicate clearly for a variety of purposes. The goal for all of our language arts curriculum is to develop effective communicators who are also wise decision makers, who can interpret what they read, and communicate their ideas effectively with others.

In early elementary, our approach (based on the science of reading) enables students to develop a strong foundation based on phonics. We use the CRSuccess program which includes a systematic, multi-sensory method for teaching reading and spelling using phonological (sound) and orthographic (symbol) processing for students of all abilities.

As students progress into upper elementary, the emphasis moves to developing strong comprehension and fluency by directly teaching reading strategies and providing ample opportunity to practice reading at the student’s instructional level. A mixture of independent reading and whole class novels allows students to practice skills, explore themes from a Christian worldview, and be exposed to high quality literature.

Spelling is based on understanding key phonetic patterns and generalizations that demystify the English language. In fourth and fifth grade, students focus on Latin and Greek roots as well as affixes that develop higher level spelling, decoding, and vocabulary understanding.

Writing instruction happens through meaningful projects that allow students to apply skills into purposeful tasks. Grammar and editing skills are embedded into writing projects as well as explored through mentor texts in the Patterns of Power program.

Mathematics is one tool by which we better understand the way that God designed the universe. Students come to value God’s sense of order and precision as they learn to think mathematically. They are encouraged to be mathematical problem solvers while developing skills in numbers and operations, patterning, geometry, measurement, probability, and algebraic thinking.

Elementary math instruction utilizes the Singapore Math Approach which emphasizes conceptual understanding and focuses on mastery through a carefully sequenced program which develops problem solving skills based on applying understanding and using logical thinking. By following the concrete, pictorial, abstract approach, students interact with mathematical materials and develop models to visualize abstract concepts. The early grades emphasize strong number sense, laying a foundation for future mathematical learning.

In grades 3-5, students are challenged to build number fluency and application of concepts to solve problems.

At AACS, students begin to develop a passionate interest in and sense of wonder about God’s creation from the day they walk in the door. We see science as an important tool that helps us understand the way God created the world and as a subject which infuses awe and wonder for that creation. Our new science curriculum meets the Next Generation Science Standards while incorporating a Christian perspective. As a school, we delight in fostering a love for both God and science.

Teachers use hands-on activities and technology in new and innovative ways, and integrate reading and writing projects to reinforce the scientific concepts being presented. For example, while students are learning about insects in a second grade science unit, they are also conducting research on individual insects and creating Google Slides presentations to share their learning. Within our unit framework, children are encouraged to compare and contrast, engage with, and explore the relationships between subjects.

Elementary science units include in life, earth and physical science including animals, plants, materials, motion, earth and space, water, solids and liquids, energy and environments. We use the FOSS science modules as the core of our curriculum, which meets Next Generation Science Standards and builds science process skills.

An annual school Science Fair celebrates science inquiry and gives students an opportunity to participate in the scientific process.

Through our social studies curriculum, students develop an understanding of how God’s hand works in history and how Christians can make a difference in their communities and the world. Language arts is integrated into social studies units, so that students are often reading a book or writing an essay or story that relates to the subject area. For example, when fifth graders are studying the time period of Westward Expansion, they are individually researching different westward trails and creating a board game that includes their research and shows understanding of the topic.

The curriculum is designed to start with the familiar and expand beyond that each year. Therefore, students learn how a classroom, school, and family function before exploring how a community functions. Students then learn about different communities, the state of Michigan, and eventually key aspects of U.S. history in fifth grade. Classroom teachers seek to find opportunities to practice citizenship and work together to seek the common good to solve issues in the classroom, thus preparing students to participate in their communities later in life.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we believe it is only by the study of the Word of God, illuminated by the Holy Spirit, that we understand who we are and grasp our connection to the Story of God reaching out to his people over the centuries. We want students to understand the God with whom they are in relationship, to make authentic connections between the stories of God’s people and their own lives, and to understand what responding to God personally means. We bring to the center the core beliefs that unite all Christians.

Through the systematic study of God’s Word and through devotional practices, students are encouraged to grow in learning how to read Scripture and apply it to their lives. The elementary curriculum uses concrete experiences for children to understand and interact with biblical concepts and truths. Developmentally appropriate instruction is designed to capture each student’s heart, mind, and hands as they understand their place in God’s story.

We believe in a creative God, who wants us to appreciate and nurture our creativity. He has given us a world of form, shape, color, pattern, and beauty. The art curriculum helps students learn to recognize, enjoy, and evaluate the aesthetic side of God’s creation. Students explore different mediums for artistic expression, including drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, jewelry, weaving, textiles, stained glass and mosaics, among others. Students are introduced to art history, learn to identify art by well-known artists, and discuss differences in art from different cultures. Students learn to think creatively and use art as a means of expression. Elementary students participate in a weekly art class.

Music education at our school centers around a desire for the passion of music to touch the hearts of God’s people. Music class meets twice per week and our students are taught basic music history and theory, as well as the role of music in worship and in biblical history. Elementary students experience the power of music through song and making music on a variety of instruments, including xylophones, recorders, and ukuleles, which prepare students to participate in introductory band when they get to middle school.

Careful music selections are made to include music that is both distinctly Christian as well as general music that is fitting in a Christian school environment. Students experience the joy of creating music and learn to share that joy with others through annual performances during Grandparents’ Day, Christmas Concert, and Spring Fine Arts Program. Through each grade, students come to recognize music as a means to glorify and praise God.

Complementing their development in the classroom, physical education at AACS promotes physical fitness and Christian discipleship through sports and physical activities. In elementary school, we recognize the connection between gross motor skills and the development of learning. PE classes focus on the development of essential physical skills at each grade level as well as the opportunity to learn to play games with their classmates, develop healthy attitudes toward physical fitness, and work together in a team setting while having fun. Elementary students participate in two thirty minute PE classes per week.

Knowing that young minds are ripe for language exploration and that the stretching of the mind benefits other areas of learning, Elementary students spend a semester in Spanish and a semester in Mandarin Chinese. Language classes meet once per week. These two languages were chosen because they are the most “future oriented”. While learning Spanish and Chinese, the students learn about important cultural aspects related to each language in order to develop a fuller appreciation of our broader world. In addition, it prepares students for the work of spreading the Good News to more people.